letter from birmingham jail vocab quiz

untimely

too soon; earlier than expected

deplore

express strong disapproval of

gainsay

take exception to

moratorium

suspension of an ongoing activity

nonviolence

peaceful resistance to a government

unfettered

not bound or restrained, as by shackles and chains

gadfly

a persistently annoying person

lamentable

bad; unfortunate

unduly

to an unnecessary degree

segregation

a social system that separates and provides different facilities between groups of people

affluent

having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value

harried

troubled persistently, especially with petty annoyances

paradoxical

seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true

relegate

assign to a lower position

existential

relating to or dealing with the state of being

estrangement

the feeling of being alienated from other people

sublime

inspiring awe

plight

a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation

precipitate

bring about abruptly

stagnation

a state of inactivity

elegy

a mournful poem; a lament for the dead

extremist

a person who holds radical views

complacency

the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself

repudiate

reject as untrue, unfounded, or unjust

incorrigible

impervious to correction by punishment

emulate

strive to equal or match, especially by imitating

rabble

a disorderly crowd of people

manifest

reveal its presence or make an appearance

zeitgeist

the spirit of the time

latent

not presently active

languish

lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief

admonish

counsel in terms of someone’s behavior

blatant

without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious

pious

having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity

sanctimonious

excessively or hypocritically pious

secular

characteristic of this world rather than the spiritual world

nullification

doctrine that a state can refuse to recognize a federal law

clarion

loud and clear

nonconformist

someone who refuses to conform to standards of conduct

mores

the conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group

inextricably

in a manner incapable of being disentangled or untied

tortuous

marked by repeated turns and bends

inhumane

reflecting a lack of pity or compassion

profundity

intellectual depth; penetrating knowledge

scintillating

having brief brilliant points or flashes of light