vocab lessons 11-13

harangue

a long, strongly expressed speech or lecture

grandiloquent

pompous or high-flown in speech

avid

enthusiastic; extremely interested

epistle

a letter or literary composition in letter form

humility

absence of vanity; humbleness

dolorous

exhibiting sorrow or pain

explicit

clearly and openly stated; leaving nothing to the imagination

gargantuan

of huge or extraordinary size and power

gadfly

an irritating and persistent person

arduous

difficult; requiring much effort

affable

friendly; agreeable; easy to talk to

agrarian

concerning farms, farmers, or the use of land

formidable

arousing fear or awe

syncopath

a flatterer; one who fawns on other in order to gain favor

grimace

a facial expression of fear, disaproval, or pain

lexicon

a dictionary; a specialized vocabulary used in a particular field or place

hue

a particular shade of a given color

sanction

permission; support

altercation

a heated argument

ominous

threatening; foreboding evil

galvanize

to startle into sudden activity

exhort

to urge on with stirring words

audacity

rude boldness; nerve

evince

to demonstrate clearly; to prove

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

expedient

practical; providing an immediate advantage (especially when serving one's self-interest)

incarcerate

to put in prison; to confine

incisive

sharp; keen; cutting straight to the heart of the matter

implacable

unable to be appeased or pacified

pertinent

having to do with the subject at hand; relevant

circumvent

to get around; to bypass

inert

unable to act or move; inactive; sluggish

latent

present; but not active; hidden

acquit

to find not guilty of a fault or crime

deprecate

to express strong disapproval of

barrister

lawyer (British)

adulation

excessive praise or admiration

artful

slyly clever; crafty

culinary

having to do with the kitchen or cooking

chastise

to punish severely

bawdy

indecent; humorously obscene

frugal

thrifty; economical in money matters

jocose

joking; humorous

myriad

(adj.) in very great numbers; (n.) a very great number

pernicious

destructive; deadly