Lang Lit 2 H Mrs.England 1st Quarter Vocab

abstruse

difficult to understand; obscure.

amity

a friendly relationship

arrogant

having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.

averse

having a strong dislike of or opposition to something.

bolster

support or strengthen; prop up.

clemency

mercy; lenience.

contingent

subject to chance.

cupidity

greed for money or possessions.

desultory

lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.

dissolution

the closing down or dismissal of an assembly, partnership, or official body.

emulate

match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation.

euphemism

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

fastidious

very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.

garish

obtrusively bright and showy; lurid.

heed

pay attention to; take notice of.

impetuous

acting or done quickly and without thought or care.

incredulous

(of a person or their manner) unwilling or unable to believe something.

insolent

showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect.

jeopardy

danger of loss, harm, or failure.

legacy

the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.

malefactor

a person who commits a crime or some other wrong.

mitigate

make less severe, serious, or painful.

nurture

care for and encourage the growth or development of.

optimist

a person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future or the success of something.

pervade

(especially of a smell) spread through and be perceived in every part of.

preclude

prevent from happening; make impossible.

proximity

nearness in space, time, or relationship.

recluse

a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people.

revere

feel deep respect or admiration for (something).

seditious

inciting or causing people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.

stealth

cautious and surreptitious action or movement.

tangent

a straight line or plane that touches a curve or curved surface at a point, but if extended does not cross it at that point or a completely different line of thought or action.

trite

(of a remark, opinion, or idea) overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness.

vacillate

alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive.

wane

(of the moon) have a progressively smaller part of its visible surface illuminated, so that it appears to decrease in size.

(especially of a condition or feeling) decrease in __vigor__, power, or extent; become __weaker__.

affable

friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.

antiquated

old-fashioned or outdated.

assail

make a concerted or violent attack on.

belie

(of an appearance) fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict.fail to fulfill or justify (a claim or expectation); betray.

candor

the quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness.

complacent

showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.

converge

(of lines) tend to meet at a point.

daunted

make (someone) feel intimidated or apprehensive.

digress

leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing.

dogmatic

inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true.

enigma

a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.

expurgate

remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a text or account).

fledgling

a person or organization that is immature, inexperienced, or underdeveloped.

gravity

the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass.

extreme or alarming importance; seriousness.

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

inadvertent

not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning.

infamy

the state of being well known for some bad quality or deed.

an evil or wicked act.

intractable

hard to control or deal with.

(of a person) difficult or stubborn.

jubilant

feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.

loath

reluctant; unwilling.

"I was loath to leave"

meager

(of something provided or available) lacking in quantity or quality.

(of a person or animal) lean; thin.

mundane

lacking interest or excitement; dull.

of this earthly world rather than a heavenly or spiritual one.

obscure

not discovered or known about; uncertain.

paragon

a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality.

phlegmatic

(of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.

pretentious

attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.

quandary

a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation.

reprove

reprimand or censure (someone).

sanction

give official permission or approval for (an action).

impose a sanction or penalty on.

slander

the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation.

subtle

(especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe.

tenacious

tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely.

ubiquitous

present, appearing, or found everywhere.

vapid

offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging.

wax

cover or treat (something) with wax or a similar substance, typically to polish or protect it.

alienate

cause (someone) to feel isolated or estranged.

arbitrary

based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.

astute

having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage.

benign

gentle and kindly.

(of a disease) not harmful in effect.

censure

express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement.

composure

the state or feeling of being calm and in control of oneself.

cordial

warm and friendly.

deplore

feel or express strong disapproval of (something).

disdain

the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect; contempt.

elated

ecstatically happy.

erratic

not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable.

extraneous

irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with

fulminate

express vehement protest.

explode violently or flash like lightning.

harbor

keep (a thought or feeling, typically a negative one) in one's mind, especially secretly.

shelter or hide (a criminal or wanted person).

imminent

about to happen.

incompatible

(of two things) so opposed in character as to be incapable of existing together.

infer

deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements.

irascible

having or showing a tendency to be easily angered.

laconic

(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words.

lucid

expressed clearly; easy to understand.

bright or luminous.

mellifluous

(of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.

novelty

the quality of being new, original, or unusual.

a small and inexpensive toy or ornament.

obtuse

annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.

penury

extreme poverty; destitution.

ponderous

slow and clumsy because of great weight.

dull, laborious, or excessively solemn.

profound

(of a state, quality, or emotion) very great or intense.

(of a person or statement) having or showing great knowledge or insight.

rampant

(especially of something unwelcome or unpleasant) flourishing or spreading unchecked.

reserve

a supply of a commodity not needed for immediate use but available if required.

a force or body of troops kept back from action to reinforce or protect others, or additional to the regular forces and available in an emergency.

scrutinize

examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

sporadic

occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.