English Vocab Quiz

Gourmand

One who is excessively fond of eating and drinking

Torpid

Having lost motion or the power of exertion or feeling

Fervent

Exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling

Preternatural

Existing outside of or not in accordance with nature

Sanguine

Of a ruddy complection; confident/optimistic

Ignominy

Deep personal indignation or disgrace, disgraceful or dishonorable conduct

Forlorn

Sad and lonely because of isolation or desertion

Propensity

An often intense natural inclination or preference

Diffident

Hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self-confidence

Antipathy

Settled aversion or dislike

Bilious

Of or relating to bile; appearing as if affected by a bilious disorder

Duplicity

Contradictory doubleness of thought, speech, or action

Fastidious

Having high and often capricious standards; difficult to please

Capricious

Impulsive and unpredictable

Interloper

One that intrudes in a place or sphere of activity

Indefatigable

Not fatigable; incapable of being fatigued

Evince

To constitute outward evidence of; to display clearly

Insuperable

Incapable of being surmounted, overcome, passed over, or solved

Zenith

The highest point

Nadir

The lowest point

Inscrutable

Not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood

Poignant

Painfully affecting the feelings, deeply moving

Trite

Hackneyed or boring from much use; not fresh or original

Gregarious

Marked by or indicating a liking for companionship

Neophyte

A new convert, beginner, novice

Judicious

Having, exercising, or characterized by sound judgement

Fortitude

Strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or adversity with courage

Vehement

Marked by forceful energy

Superflous

Exceeding what is sufficient or required; excess

Corroborate

To support with evidence or authority

Vindictive

Disposed to seek revenge; intend to cause anguish or hurt

Assuage

To lessen the intensity of something that pains or distresses

Charlaton

Quack; One making false pretenses of knowledge or ability

Repartee

A quick and witty reply; A succession of witty remarks

Soporific

Causing or tending to cause sleep

Physiognomy

The facial features that hold so

Supercilious

Coolly and patronizingly haughty

Coquette

A person who endevours without sincere affection to gain attention

Besotted

Infatuated; muddled with drunkenness

Pretext

A purpose or motive alleged or an appearance assumed in order to cloak the real intention or state of affairs

Plebian

Of the common people

Despot

A person exerting power tyrannically; a ruler with absolute authority

Onerous

Imposing or constituting a burden

Surreptitious

Done, made, or acquired by stealth

Mercenary

Serving merely for hire; soldier for hire; motivated by money

Dichotomy

A division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities

Stoic

Showing no passion; not affected by passion, pain, or feeling

Indigent

Lacking resources; totally lacking in something specified (like money, looks, brains, etc)

Scruple

An ethical consideration or principle that inhibits action

Scrupulous

Acting in strict regard for what is considered moral or proper; punctiliously exact

Eschew

Habitually avoiding, especially on moral or practical grounds

Carte Blanche

Full discretionary power

Respite

A short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant

Corpulent

Having a large, bulky body

Avaricious

Greedy; excessively acquisitive in seeking to hoard riches

Maudlin

Weakly or effusively sentimental; drunk enough to be emotional

(In)tractable

Capable of being easily led, taught, or controlled

Austere

A stern and cold appearance or manner

Expostulate

To reason earnestly with a person for purposes of dissuasion

Miserly

Meanly grasping and stingy

Schadenfreude

Enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others

Stipulate

To demand an express term in an agreement

Trepidation

Timorous uncertain agitation.

Solicitude

The state of being concerned and anxious. Attentive care and protectiveness.

Effrontery

Shameless boldness

Acquiesce

To accept, submit, or comply tacitly or passively

Contempt

The act of despicing; the state if mind of one who despices.

Tacit

Expressed or carried on without words or speech

Insipid

Lacking taste or savor. Lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge.

Raucous

Disagreeably harsh or strident. Boisterously disorderly

Ensconce

Shelter, conceal

Prostrate

Stretched out, lying face down

Zeal

Eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something

Flag

To become unsteady, feeble, or spiritless. To decline in interest, attraction, or value

Faux pas

a social blunder

Supine

lying face up

Ruminate

to go over in the mind repeatedly often causally or slowly.

Efficacy

the power to produce and effect

Milquetoast

a timid, meek, or unassertive person.

Rancor

bitter deep seated ill will.

Sycophant

a servile self seeking flatterer.

Volatile

tending to abrupt into violence; explosive

Sordid

marked by baseness or grossness; dirty, filthy wretched

Chasten

to correct by punishment or suffering

Sacrilege

gross irreverence toward a hallowed person, place or thing.

Exult

to leap for joy. to be extremely joyful

Nondescript

lacking distinctive or interesting qualities. Dull or drab

acrimonious

caustic, biting, or rancorous especially in speech, feeling or manor.

desecrate

to violate the sanctity of. to treat disrespectfully.

draconian

cruel, severe.

gratuitous

giving unearned or without recompense.

prodigious

resembling or benefiting a prodigy.

abject

sunk to or existing in a low state or condition. down in spirits.

epigraph

a quotation placed at the beginning of a book as a indication of its theme.

Inculcate

to teach and impress by repetition or admonition.

Effusive

marked by the expression at great of excessive enthusiasm or emotion.

admonition

gentle or friendly reproof. council or warning against fault or oversight.

satire

a mode of writing that exposes the failings of individuals, institutions, or societies to ritual or scorn.

callow

immature.

incongruous

inharmonious, not conforming.