Advanced English II Semester 1 Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering Units 1 through 5 from the Advanced English II Semester 1 vocabulary list.

facetious (adj)

humorous; playfully joking

ostentatious (adj)

meant to impress others; flashy

optimum (adj)

best possible; most favorable; most desirable

detriment (n)

something that causes damage, harm, or loss

scrupulous (adj)

careful about moral standards; conscientious

vicarious (adj)

experienced through the imagination; not experienced directly

dexterous (adj)

skillful in using the hands or body

gregarious (adj)

sociable; enjoying and seeking the company of others

discretion (n)

good judgment or tact in actions or speaking

sensory (adj)

having to do with seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, or smelling

instigate (v)

to bring about by moving others to action; stir up

rudimentary (adj)

fundamental; necessary to learn first

resilient (adj)

able to recover quickly from harm, illness, or misfortune

collaborate (v)

to work together on a project; cooperate in an effort

zealot (n)

a person totally devoted to a purpose or cause

squelch (v)

to silence or suppress or crush

venerate (v)

to respect deeply; to revere

despondent (adj)

downhearted; hopeless; overwhelmed with sadness

(in) retrospect (n)

reviewing the past; considering past events

scoff (v)

to make fun of; mock; to refuse to take seriously

juxtapose (v)

to place close together, especially in order to compare or contrast

lethargy (n)

a great lack of energy; inactivity due to laziness

ambiguous (adj)

able to be interpreted in more than one way; not clear

inane (adj)

without sense or meaning; foolish

subsidize (v)

to support financially; provide a grant or contribution

dissident (n)

a person opposed to established ideas or beliefs, especially in politics or religion

embellish (v)

to decorate; beautify by adding details

squander (v)

to spend or use wastefully or thoughtlessly

inadvertent (adj)

unintentional; accidental

sporadic (adj)

happening now and then; occasional

relinquish (v)

to surrender (something); to give (something) up

impetuous (adj)

done or acting in a hurry, with little thought; impulsive

maudlin (adj)

tearfully sentimental; overemotional

berate (v)

to criticize or scold harshly

ubiquitous (adj)

existing or seeming to exist everywhere at the same time

zenith (n)

the highest point or condition; peak

estrange (v)

to make unsympathetic or unfriendly; alienate

infallible (adj)

not capable of error or failure; unable to make a mistake

euphoric (adj)

overjoyed; having an intense feeling of well-being

regress (v)

to return to an earlier, generally worse, condition or behavior