English Vocab

Exposition

Noun. The background information of the character and the setting of the story.

Epigraph

Noun. A short piece of writing at the beginning of a book, character, work of art, introducing the theme.

Dynamic

Adjective. Characterized by change or progress.

Static

Adjective. Lacking movement, or change, pretty much never moving.

Denotation

Noun. The literal dictionary definition of a word.

Connotation

Noun. The ideas called up by a word that goes beyond it’s literal dictionary meaning.

Protagonist

Noun. The main character in a story.

Antagonist

Noun. The character or force that blocks the protagonist.

Diction

Noun. A writers or a speakers choice of words.

Paraphrase

Verb. To put something written or spoken into your own words to make them clearer.

Summarize

Verb. To reduce down to the essential points. (To give a brief statement of the main points.)

Concrete

Adjective. Existing in the form that can be seen or physically felt ; existing un physical form.

Abstract

Adjective. Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.

Metaphor

Noun. A comparison between essentially unlike things, without a comparing word (like, as.)

Explicate

Verb. To break down the parts of something in detail, in order to reveal it’s meaning.

Tone

Noun. An author’s attitude toward their subject matter.

Mood

Noun. The atmosphere of a piece of literature and the overall feeling it conveys to the reader.

Perfunctory

Adjective. Done quickly without taking care or interest.

Congruous

Adjective. All the parts go together and/or fit in agreement or in harmony.

Synthesize

Verb. To put separate facts, etc., together to form a single piece of work.

Hone

Verb. To perfect something over a period of time.

Ambiguous

Adjective. Not clear or cpable of being understood in more than one way.

Ideology

Noun. A set of beliefs or princibles based on an organization.

Hysteria

Noun. Extreme emotion that can not be controlled.

Persecute

Verb. To treat someone unfairly over a period of time because of their race, Religion, or beliefs.

Faction

Noun. A smaller group within a larger group that has different ideas.

Deference

Noun. Respect and politeness usually due to the other person’s knowledge, age, experience, etc.

Crucible

Noun. A very difficult, serious, even painful test or trial.

Vindictive

Adjective. Unwilling to forgive and looking for revenge.

Dissemble

Verb. To disguise or hide your true motives.

Hypocrite

Noun. A person who preaches one thing and then does the opposite.

Traffic

Verb. To buy and sell something illegally.

Ascertain

Verb. To find out or learn for sure with certainty.

Pretense

Noun. The act of pretending with the intent of decieving.

Ironic

Adjective. Interesting, strange, or funny because of being the opposite of what you’d expect.

Iniquity

Noun. Very wrong or unfair action, behavior, situation.

Integrity

Noun. The quality of being honest and having strong princibles that you refuse to change.

Allusion

Noun. A casual and brief reference to a famous historical or literary figure, or event.

Allegory

Noun. A story, play, or other work in which charecters and events all represent things outside of the work.

Euphemism

Noun. A word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word or phrase. Or a nice way of saying something unpleasant.

Precarious

Adjective. Characterized by a lack of security or stability. (Or dangerously likely to fall or collapse.)

Relegate

Verb. To put someone or something into a lower or less important position.

Imminent

Adjective. Coming or likely to happen very soon.

Emulate

Verb. To copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well or better.

Bolster

Verb. To support something, improve something, or to make it stronger.

Facilitate

Verb. To make something possible or easier.

Tenuous

Adjective. Weak, in doubt, having little substance.

Expedient

Adjective. Helpful or useful now although it might not be the right thing to do for the future.

Validate

Verb. To check, prove, or show that something is true or important.

Anecdote

Noun. A short story about a real experience used to communicate an idea.

Meticulous

Adjective. Very careful and with great attention to every detail.

Analogy

Noun. A comparison between things that have similar features in order to help explain an idea or abstract concept.

Transcend

Verb. To go farther, rise above, or to be more important or better than something.

Individuality

Noun. Qualities that make a person or thing different from others.

Individualism

Noun. The idea/belief that freedom of thought and action for each person is the most important quality of a society.

Intuition

Noun. Knowing by gut feeling instead of reason or logic.

Conformity

Noun. Behavior that follows the usual standards that are exxpected by a group or a society.

Liable

Adjective. Being in a position where something is likely to happen or being responsible for something.

Reliance

Noun. The condition of depending on.

Material

Adjective. Relating to physical objects or money rather than emotions or the spiritual world.

Propensity

Noun. A tendency to behave in a particular way.

Empathy

Noun. The ability to share someone elses feelings or experiences by imagining yourself in their situation.

Stringent

Adjective. Extremely limiting or constricting or very strict or severe.

Assiduous

Adjective. Showing hard work, care, and attention to detail.

Antithesis

Noun. The exact opposite.

Tumult

Noun. Noise and excitement, or a state of confusion or uncertainty.

Expository

Adjective. Explaining or describing something.

Recalcitrant

Adjective. Unwilling to do what you are asked or ordered to do, even if it is reasonable.

Rhetoric

Noun. Speech or writing intended to persuade and/or influence people.

Civil

Adjective. Polite and formal. Or relating to the ordinary people of a place rather than military or Religious. Use Both.

Comply

Verb. To obey an order, rule, or request.

Rue

Verb. To feel remorse or regret for something you did or allowed to happen.

Docile

Adjective. Calm and easy to persuade or control.

Cynical

Adjective. Bealiving that people are only motivated by self interest.

Admonish

Verb. To express warning or disapproval, usually in a kind way.

Negligent

Adjective. Failing to take care of something that is your responsibility.

Deplore

Verb. To say or think that something is very bad.

Supplement

Noun. Something that completes or enhances something when added to it.

Obscure

Adjective. Not clear and/or diffucult to understand, or not known to many people. Use both.

Disparity

Noun. A lack of equality or similarity, especially in a way that isn’t fair.

Perpetual

Adjective. Continuing forever in the same way, or happening all the time.

Divert

Verb. To cause something or someone to change direction.

Redeem

Verb. To make up for the faults or bad aspects of something.

Dormant

Adjective. Charecterized by a temporary stopping of activity. Or not active or growing but has the ability to do so at a later time.

Privy

Adjective. To be told or allowed to know about information that is not known by many people.

Feign

Verb. To pretend to have a particular feeling, condition, problem, etc.

Authentic

Adjective. Not false or imitation, or real, true, what it claims to be.

Prodigal

Adjective. Spending money or resources recklessly or wastefully.

Gaudy

Adjective. Showy to the point of being over the top and tasteless.

Preposterous

Adjective. Completely unreasonable and ridiculous or very silly, stupid, and not to be bealived.

Strident

Adjective. Having or charectirized by a loud, harsh, unpleasant sound.

Defunct

Adjective. No longer existing, in, used, or working correctly.

Exacerbate

Verb. To make something that is already bad even worst.

Oppurtune

Adjective. Happening at a time that is likely to produce success or that is convenient.

Elusive

Adjective. Hard to find, catch, and/or achive.