English S1 Exam Review

barrio

"neighborhood" in spanish

a litany

a lead statement followed by a repeated response in church ("we bless you")

festooned

to decorate a place

striated

marked with long parallel streaks

imperialism

a policy of extending a country's power through military force

syncopated

playing a rhythm that emphasizes the offbeats

charlatan

a fraud

diminutive

unusually small

fervor

intense or passionate feeling

affable

friendly; easy to talk to

delirious

in a disturbed state of mind

euphemism

something that softens an uncomfortable topic ("i'm in between jobs")

impropriety

improperness; inappropriateness

ingratiated

bring oneself into favor with someone by flattering them

precocious

exceptionally early in developement

inscrutable

impossible to understand

vacillated

be indecisive

furtive

attempting to avoid attention

truncated

shortened in duration

proclivities

a tendency to do something regularly

abhorrence

a feeling of repulsion

hindered

create difficulties for someone, resulting in their delay

traipsing

walk reluctantly

auspicious

favorable to success

echelons

a rank in an organization

hasten

be quick to do something

vehement

showing strong feeling

conceded

admit something is true

goaded

to provoke to stimulate a retaliation

nefarious

wicked

relinquished

give up

admonish

reprimand someone firmly

culpability

responsibility for a fault

fruition

the point of which a plan is realized

ominous

giving the impression that something is bad

transgressor

a person who breaks a law

aptitude

a natural ability to do something

despondently

in a way that shows you're unhappy

incongruous

not in harmony of the surroundings or aspects of something

proffer

hold out something to someone for acceptance

volatile

liable to change rapidly and unpredictably

awry

out of normal position

fathom

understand after much thought

persecution

hostility especially based on race or ethnicity

tirade

a long angry speech of criticism

emaciated

abnormally thin or weak

tentatively

subject to further confirmation

debilitate

make someone weak

gratuitous

uncalled for; unnecessary

vociferously

in a loud forceful manner

charisma

compelling attractiveness

forlornly

in a way that shows you are alone and unhappy

perused

read something thoroughly

repugnant

unacceptable

adamant

refusing to be persuaded

copiously

in large quantities

incessantly

without interruption

unflappable

showing calmness in a crisis

formidable

inspiring fear or respect by being excessively large

opus

artistic work

stoic

without showing feelings

akin

of similar nature

futile

pointless

abject

(something bad) experienced to a maximum degree

miscreants

a person who behaves badly

semblance

the outward appearance of something

detriment

the state of being harmed