AP English Vocab List 2: abate - corroborate

abate (v)

to become less intense or widespread; to reduce the severity of; assuage

abridge (v)

to shorten; condense; truncate

abstruse (adj)

hard to understand; puzzling; enigmatic

abysmal (adj)

appallingly bad; severe; dreadful

accede (v)

to agree to; to comply with; to accept

accolade (n)

an award; approval; praise

adamant (adj)

refusing to be persuaded; resolute; unwaivering

affectation (n)

behavior or speech used to impress

affidavit (n)

a sworn written statement

albeit (conjunction)

although

allay (v)

to put at ease; to relieve; to alleviate

aloof (adj)

unfriendly; distant & detached from others; stand-offish

amenable (adj)

agreeable; open & receptive to suggestion

anathema (n)

something hated or despised

arraign (v)

to bring the accused before a judge to enter a plea

aspersion (n)

an attack on one's reputation or integrity - idiom: to cast

assuage (v)

to soothe; to lessen; to make less severe; abate

atrophy (v)

to wither away; to become weak

awry (adj)

deviating from the planned course of action; amiss - idiom: to go ___________

badger (v)

to annoy or harass persistently; pester

beleaguered (adj)

plagued with difficulties; beset with troubles

belittle (v)

to make someone/something seem unimportant; to pooh-pooh

blather (v & n)

to talk nonsensically & unintelligibly at length (n); a long-winded talk (n)

bucolic (adj)

rural & rustic in nature; country-like

bulwark (n)

an idea or institution that serves as a defense -- as a protection

cacophony (n)

harsh or unpleasant sounds

cadaverous (adj)

corpse-like; ashen-faced; pallid

cajole (v)

to coax/persuade someone to do something, usually by way of enticement or flattery

callow (adj)

immature; inexperienced

castigate (v)

to punish; to harshly reprimand

catharsis (n)

an outpouring of emotion that brings about relief/renewal

chafe (v)

to become annoyed with and resistant to something that you perceive as restricting and limiting

chide (v)

to scold; to admonish (not as harsh as castigate)

circuitous (adj)

indirect; winding; longer than the direct way

cloying (adj)

overly emotional/sentimental; syrupy; cheesy

corroborate (v)

to confirm/verify; to authenticate