Holt McDougal Grade 9 Vocabulary Practice

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated directly from the Holt McDougal Literature Grade 9 lesson materials.

annals

Chronological records; historical accounts

epic

A long poem about the adventures of a great hero; impressive; grand in scope

replenish

To refill or resupply; restore; nourish

negotiate

To settle by discussing; to arrange an agreement

inconspicuous

Attracting little attention; not readily noticeable; ordinary

intact

Whole, with no part missing; undamaged

demoralize

To undermine the confidence of a person or group; discourage; dishearten

disperse

To break up and scatter; to cause to vanish or disappear; to spread or distribute widely

landlocked

Surrounded by land; cut off from the sea

extremity

The farthest or outermost point or part; the greatest degree; grave danger, necessity, or distress; an extreme measure

belligerent

Aggressive; warlike

dexterity

Skillfulness; expertness; talent

eradicate

To pull up or tear up; to eliminate or destroy completely

fervent

Having or showing great emotion; passionate; fierce; strongly devoted

havoc

Destruction; devastation

hideous

Horrible; disgusting; repulsive; ugly

inflammation

Redness, heat, and painfulness as a result of injury or infection; the act of inflaming or arousing strong passion; the state of being inflamed

manifest

Easy to see; obvious; to show; to reveal

meander

To follow a twisting, turning course; to wander without direction

recede

To move back; to move away; to lessen or fade

amity

Friendship; peaceful relations, as between countries

chivalry

A medieval code of knighthood; a code of honor and courtesy

devout

Deeply religious; sincere; earnest; heartfelt

hereditary

Belonging to or passed down by inheritance from an ancestor; transmitted from parent to child

medieval

Belonging to the Middle Ages; characteristic of the Middle Ages; gothic

potion

A liquid with special powers, especially one used as poison, medicine, or magic

prowess

Bravery; daring; strength; unusual skill or ability

quest

A hunt or search; a journey in search of; seek

sovereign

A ruler; king; queen; emperor; highest in power or rank

venerable

Deserving respect because of age, dignity, or character; honored above others; worthy of reverence

citadel

A fortress overlooking a city; a stronghold; a place of fortification

defile

To make filthy or dirty; to corrupt; to damage a reputation

emissary

A person sent on a mission to represent another's interest; an agent or messenger

entice

To attract; to tempt; to lure

garb

Clothing; outfit; to dress

herald

Someone who carries messages or announces things to come; someone who designs banners and colors for knights; to announce; to foretell

meditate

To think quietly and deeply; to make a plan

omen

A sign of what will happen in the future; a warning

retrieve

To get again; to recover; to find and bring back

undergo

To endure; to experience

agitation

A violent shaking; an emotional disturbance or excitement; the arousal of public interest in social or political issues

aloof

Cool or distant in relationships with others; indifferent

apparition

A ghost; a phantom; an appearance seen suddenly

benefactor

A person who has given help; a patron

cope

To deal with; to handle problems or difficulties

genealogy

An account of the descent of a person or family from ancestors; lineage

moor

A large, open area of land, often marshy with heather growing on it; to keep a boat in place with ropes or cables fastened to the shore; to fasten

obsession

A preoccupation; an idea, feeling, or impulse that a person cannot escape

palatial

Like a palace; magnificent and grand

plaintive

Mournful; melancholy; sad; sorrowful

arrogance

Overbearing pride; a lack of regard for others

docile

Gentle; easy to manage; obedient

frivolous

Silly; unimportant

kindle

To ignite; to arouse or excite; to set on fire

seethe

To boil; to bubble and foam; to be excited or disturbed

sinister

Threatening trouble or bad luck; evil; disastrous

smug

Overly satisfied with one's own goodness or achievements; self-satisfied

spurn

To turn down; to reject with scorn and contempt

unscrupulous

Dishonest; having no principles of right and wrong

yearn

To long for or desire

carnivorous

Flesh-eating

centrifugal

Moving away from a center or axis

fauna

Animals collectively, especially those of a particular region or period

flora

Plants collectively, especially plants of a particular region or period; a treatise describing the plants of a region or time

granular

Containing grains or granules; grainy

metamorphosis

A transformation achieved by magic; a dramatic change; change in the form or function as a result of development

sector

A part or division of something; the portion of a circle bounded by two radii and one of the intercepted arcs; to divide into sectors

sparse

Thinly spread; not crowded; scanty

stagnant

Not flowing; foul from standing still; stale; sluggish

upheaval

A sudden violent change; a forceful lifting up from underneath

attribute

A characteristic or quality of a person or thing; to think of as belonging to or coming from a particular person or thing

bizarre

Odd; fantastic; grotesque; unusual

horde

A crowd; a swarm; a wandering group or tribe; to swarm or gather in a crowd

humanitarian

Concerned with human welfare; a person devoted to helping humanity

humanoid

Resembling a human in appearance and behavior; a being that resembles a human

infest

To spread or swarm in or over; to live in or on as a parasite

irony

A way of implying (often sarcastically) the opposite of what words literally mean; a result that contrasts with what one would expect

predatory

Preying on others; tending to victimize or destroy others for one's own gain

relevant

Related to the matter at hand; pertinent

tolerate

To permit; to put up with; to recognize and respect

advocate

One who argues for a cause; a defender; to support; recommend

alleged

Claimed or stated without proof; unproven; questionable; so-called

conspiracy

Secret planning (usually unlawful or harmful); a plot or secret plan

culmination

The peak; the highest point; the climax; the end result

lethal

Deadly; causing or capable of causing death

manipulate

To operate or control with the hands; to handle; to control or influence dishonestly, unfairly, or shrewdly; to trick

misconstrue

To misinterpret; misunderstand

ominous

Threatening; foreboding; sinister

preposterous

Contrary to nature, reason, or common sense; absurd; foolish

uncanny

Mysterious; strange; weird

credentials

Written evidence showing that a person has a right to a certain position or authority

cumbersome

Clumsy; unwieldy; hard to handle

genial

Favorable to growth or human comfort; kindly and friendly

hoax

An act that is intended to fool or deceive; something that has been established by fraudulent means

larceny

Theft; unlawful taking and carrying away of another's property

morbid

Having an abnormal interest in the unwholesome; gruesome

plaintiff

A person who initiates a lawsuit; the complaining party

prospective

Probable; expected in the future

quorum

The minimum number of members needed at a meeting to make official decisions

superfluous

More than is needed; excessive; surplus