Langlit 2 Honors Q1 Vocab

abstruse

hard to understand, obscure, or deeply complex

amity

peaceful harmony, friendship, or a friendly relationship, especially between countries or groups

arrogant

a person who feels too proud and acts as if they are more important, smarter, or better than other

averse

having a strong feeling of dislike, opposition, or unwillingness toward something

bolster

to support, strengthen, or reinforce

clemency

a power that allows a government official to reduce, alter, or forgive a criminal sentence

contingent

dependent on other future events or conditions

cupidity

an intense, excessive desire for wealth, power, or material possessions

desultory

lacking a clear plan, purpose, or enthusiasm, often jumping randomly from one thing to another

dissolution

the official ending, breaking down, or dissolving of a formal bond, organization, or solid substance into a liquid

emulate

to copy someone or something because you respect them in attempt to achieve their success

euphemism

a word or phrase used in place of one that is too harsh, blunt, vulgar, or upsetting

fastidious

very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail, or hard to please

garish

unpleasantly bright, overly showy, or glaringly colorful in a way that is considered tasteless or crude

heed

to pay close attention to or to listen to advice, warnings, or instructions

impetuous

acting or done quickly without thinking about what will happen next

incredulous

not able or willing to believe

insolent

showing a rude, arrogant lack of respect or bold contempt for authority

jeopardy

danger, risk, or harm

legacy

something passed down from the past like a tradition, idea, or piece of older technology

malefactor

a person who does bad things, breaks the law, or commits a crime

mitigate

to make something less severe, harmful, or painful

nurture

to care for, feed, and help something or someone

optimism

a mental attitude of hope and confidence that good things will happen

pervade

to spread through every part of something

preclude

to make something impossible or to prevent it from happening

proximity

the state of being near in space, time, or relationship

recluse

a person who lives a solitary life and stays away from other people and society

revere

to respect and admire someone or something very deeply, almost to the point of worship

seditious

speech, writing, or actions intended to spark rebellion, resistance, or an uprising against an established government or authority

stealth

a secret, quiet, or surreptitious action

tangent

a sudden digression or change of subject

trite

a remark, opinion, or idea that is overused, stale, and lacking in freshness or original thought

vacillate

to waver back and forth, change your mind often, or show prolonged indecision between different opinions or choices

wane

to slowly decrease, fade, or lose strength, power, or size

affable

friendly, pleasant, and easy to talk to

antiquated

describes something very old-fashioned, outmoded, or no longer useful in modern times

assail

to attack violently, criticize harshly, or overwhelm with strong emotions, senses, or troubles

belie

to give a false impression of something, or to show that an idea, appearance, or claim is false and contradictory

candor

the quality of being open, honest, and sincere in speech or expression

complacent

feeling so satisfied with yourself, your abilities, or your current situation that you stop trying to improve or fail to notice hidden risks and dangers

converge

to move toward the same point, come together, or meet from different directions

daunted

feeling slightly frightened, worried, or less confident about doing something because the task or situation seems too hard or big

digress

to stray or wander away from the main topic or purpose when speaking or writing

dogmatic

a person or an idea that states opinions as absolute facts

enigma

a person, thing, or situation that is mysterious, puzzling, or hard to understand

expurgate

to remove parts of a book, play, or other text that might offend people or upset children

fledgling

a young bird that has grown its flight feathers and left the nest, or an inexperienced person, group, or business just starting out

gravity

how serious, important, or dangerous a moment or problem is

hyperbole

a figure of speech that uses extreme exaggeration to make a point, show strong feelings, or add humor

inadvertent

happening by accident, without planning, or not on purpose

infamy

being well known for a bad, shameful, or evil act

intractable

very hard or impossible to control, manage, solve, or cure

jubilant

feeling or showing great joy and celebration, usually because of a major success, win, or achievement

loath

unwilling, reluctant, or disinclined to do something

meager

very small, not enough, or lacking in quality and richness

mundane

ordinary, dull, or routine

obscure

not well-known, hard to see, or difficult to understand

paragon

a person or thing viewed as a perfect model of excellence, virtue, or a specific positive quality

phlegmatic

someone who is calm, cool, and hard to upset

pretentious

someone or something trying to appear more smart, important, or cultured than they actually are

quandary

a state of not knowing what to do because you are in a tough or confusing situation

reprove

is a formal verb that means to scold, correct, or express disapproval of someone, usually in a gentle way or with the
kind intent to fix a fault

sanction

official approval or permission

slander

a false spoken statement that harms a person's reputation

subtle

something that is not loud, bright, noticeable, or obvious

tenacious

holding firmly to something, being very determined, and not giving up easily

ubiquitous

found, existing, or appearing everywhere at the same time

vapid

lacking life, spirit, intelligence, or flavor

wax

to grow larger, increase, or turn into something

alienate

to push someone away, make them feel unwelcome, or cause them to stop supporting or liking you

arbitrary

based on random choice, personal whim, or individual preference rather than any reason, system, or consistent rule

astute

having or showing an ability to notice and understand things clearly, usually to gain an advantage or make good judgments

benign

gentle, kind, mild, or harmless

censure

a formal and public statement of strong disapproval or harsh criticism against someone, usually a public official

composure

a calm state of mind

cordial

friendly and sincere

deplore

to feel or express strong disapproval, condemnation, or deep regret for something

disdain

a deep feeling of dislike or disrespect toward someone or something

elated

feeling very happy, excited, and joyful because something great has happened

extraneous

something is not relevant or not needed for the topic at hand

fulminate

to express loud, angry criticism

harbor

To hold or shelter something

imminent

something is very likely to happen soon

incompatible

not able to exist, work, or live together in harmony because of basic differences

infer

to form an opinion or reach a conclusion using clues, evidence, and reasoning rather than being told directly

irascible

easily angered, touchy, or short-tempered

laconic

using very few words to express much, often to the point of seeming brief, blunt, or mysterious

lucid

clearly expressed and easy to understand, or having a clear and sensible mind

mellifluous

sweet, smooth, and pleasant to hear

novelty

the quality of being new, original, or unusual

obtuse

slow to understand, lacking mental sharpness

penury

extreme poverty, destitution, or a sharp, cramping lack of money and essential resources

ponderous

very heavy and clumsy, or dull and boring

profound

very great, intense, or showing deep insight and understanding

rampant

spreading fast and out of control, or standing on the back legs like a rearing animal

reserve

to keep, set aside, or book something for a specific person, time, or future use

scrutinize

to inspect or examine something very closely and thoroughly

sporadic

happening from time to time, in a way that is not regular, constant, or continuous