english midterm vocab - curley

Self-possessed

calm, composed, and fully in control of oneself

Endeavor

attempt by employing effort

Duly

in an appropriate or proper manner

Engulf

flow over or cover completely

Falter

move hesitatingly, as if about to give way

Ghastly

shockingly repellent; inspiring horror

Delusion

a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea

Convey

transmit or serve as the medium for transmission

Imminent

close in time; about to occur

Amiably

in a friendly manner

Proffer

present for acceptance or rejection

Presumptuous

going beyond what is appropriate, permitted, or courteous

Malign

speak unfavorably about

Dubiously

in a doubtful manner

Credulity

tendency to believe readily

Prosaic

lacking wit or imagination

Frivolous

not serious in content, attitude, or behavior

Attribute

explain or regard as resulting from a particular cause

Avaricious

immoderately desirous of acquiring something

Avert

turn away or aside

Furtively

in a secretive manner

Inaudible

impossible to hear; imperceptible by the ear

Apathy

an absence of emotion or enthusiasm

Pulsate

expand and contract rhythmically

Pestilence

any epidemic disease with a high death rate

Profuse

produced or growing in extreme abundance

Dauntless

invulnerable to fear or intimidation

Sagacious

acutely insightful and wise

Eccentric

conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual

Voluptuous

displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses

Bizarre

conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual

Emanate

give out, as breath or an odor

Gaudy

Countenance

the appearance conveyed by a person's face

Ebony

a very dark black

Brazen

unrestrained by convention or propriety

Pervade

spread or diffuse through

Grotesque

distorted and unnatural in shape or size

Wanton

indulgent in immoral or improper behavior

Writhe

move in a twisting or contorted motion

Scrutiny

the act of examining something closely, as for mistakes

Illimitable

without restrictions in extent or size or quantity

Spectral

resembling or characteristic of a phantom

Unimpeded

not slowed or prevented

Disconcert

cause to lose one's composure

Blasphemous

grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred

Impetuosity

rash impulsiveness

Tangible

perceptible by the senses, especially the sense of touch

Assuage

provide physical relief, as from pain

Dictum

an authoritative declaration

Imprudent

not sensible, responsible, or wise

Nebulous

lacking definite form or limits

Vapid

lacking significance or liveliness or spirit or zest

Apprehensive

in fear or dread of possible evil or harm

Wallow

devote oneself entirely to something

Auspicious

indicating favorable circumstances and good luck

Arbitrate

act between parties with a view to reconciling differences

Tacit

implied by or inferred from actions or statements

Accost

approach and speak to someone aggressively or insistently

Quell

suppress or crush completely

Innate

present at birth but not necessarily hereditary

Contemporary

occurring in the same period of time

Umbrage

a feeling of anger caused by being offended

Reconnaissance

the act of scouting, especially to gain information

Escapade

any carefree episode

Cantankerous

stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate

Bode

indicate by signs

Prerogative

a right reserved exclusively by a person or group

Oblivion

the state of being disregarded or forgotten

Passe

out of fashion

Skulk

lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner

Uncouth

lacking refinement or cultivation or taste

Akimbo

with hands on hips and elbows extending outward

Elucidate

make clear and comprehensible

Terse

brief and to the point

Expunge

remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line

Candid

openly straightforward and direct without secretiveness

Acrimonious

marked by strong resentment or cynicism

Temerity

fearless daring

Indignant

angered at something unjust or wrong

Flounder

move clumsily or struggle to move, as in mud or water

Irascible

quickly aroused to anger

Duress

compulsory force or threat

Fatalistic

accepting that everything that happens is inevitable

Spurious

plausible but false

Brevity

the attribute of being short or fleeting

Gait

an animal's manner of moving

Squalor

sordid dirtiness

Foray

a sudden short attack

Regime

the governing authority of a political unit

Emit

give off, send forth, or discharge

Revolutionary

markedly new or introducing radical change

Conscientious

characterized by extreme care and great effort

Venture

an undertaking with an uncertain outcome

Minutely

in painstaking detail

Rejuvenate

make younger or more youthful

Tranquil

free from disturbance by heavy waves

Indelible

not able to be forgotten, removed, or erased

Prodigy

an unusually gifted or intelligent person

Lament

regret strongly