Vocab

* Abreast- side by side and facing the same way.

* Acquiesce- accept something reluctantly but without protest.

* Adroitly- in a clever or skillful way.

* Adulation- obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise

* Amiability- the quality of having a friendly and pleasant manner; geniality.

* Amorously- strongly moved by love and especially sexual love

* Animosity- strong hostility.

* Aplomb- self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.

* Argot- the jargon or slang of a particular group or class.

* Asinine- extremely stupid or foolish.

* Askance- with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval.

* Assuage- make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.

* Avuncular- relating to an uncle

B

* Beguile- charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way.

* Beseeched- ask (someone) urgently and fervently to do something; implore; entreat.

* Bereft- deprived of or lacking (something).

* Blasé- unimpressed or indifferent to something because one has experienced or seen it so often before.

* Bourgeois- of or characteristic of the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes.

C

* Capitulate- cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; surrender.

* Capricious- given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.

* Circumspect- wary and unwilling to take risks.

* Clandestine- kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit.

* Comme il faut- correct in behavior or etiquette.

* Countenance- person's face or facial expression

* Coveted- greatly desired or envied.

D

* Debonair- confident, stylish, and charming (typically used of a man).

* Desiccated- having had all moisture removed; dried out.

* Diaphanous- (especially of fabric) light, delicate, and translucent.

* Dilapidated- (of a building or object) in a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect.

E

* Ebullient- cheerful and full of energy

* Emaciated- abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food.

* Enfeebled- made weak or feeble

* Enmity- the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostileto someone or something.

* Entreaty- an earnest or humble request.

* Epoch- a period of time in history or a person's life, typically one marked by notable events or particular characteristics

* Esoteric- very unusual and understood or liked by only a small number of people, especially those with special knowledge

F

* Fastidious- very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.

* Feeble- lacking physical strength, especially as a result of age or illness

* Fervor- intense and passionate feeling

* Forlornly- pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely.

* Fortuitous- happening by accident or chance rather than design

* Fustian- pompous or pretentious speech or writing

G

* Garroting- kill (someone) by strangulation, typically with an iron collar or a length of wire or cord.

* Gauche- lacking ease or grace; unsophisticated and socially awkward.

H

* Homily- a tedious moralizing discourse.

I

* Iconoclast- a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions

* Illicit- forbidden by law, rules, or custom

* Ignominious- deserving or causing public disgrace or shame.

* Importuning- persistent harassment of someone for or to do something.

* Incorrigible- (of a person or their tendencies) not able to be corrected, improved, or reformed.

* Ingratiating- intended to gain approval or favor; sycophantic.

* Innocuous- not harmful or offensive.

* Impotence- inability to take effective action; helplessness.

* Impresario- a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays, or operas.

* Impudent- not showing due respect for another person; impertinent.

* Inconsolable- (of a person or their grief) not able to be comforted or alleviated.

* Indefatigable- (of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly.

* Indolent- wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy.

* Indomitable- impossible to subdue or defeat.

* Inexorable- impossible to stop or prevent.

* Inscrutable- impossible to understand or interpret.

L

* Languorous- characterized by tiredness or inactivity, especially of a pleasurable kind.

* Loquacious- tending to talk a great deal; talkative.

M

* Macabre- disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death and injury.

* Modus Operandi- a Latin term that describes an individual or group's habitual way of operating, which represents a discernible pattern

* Moil- to work hard.

* Morose- sullen and ill-tempered.

N

- [ ] Noblesse Oblige- the inferred responsibility of privileged people to act with generosity and nobility toward those less privileged.

O

* Obsequious- obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.

* Obstreperous- noisy and difficult to control.

P

* Pariah- an outcast.

* Passé- no longer fashionable; out of date.

* Penitent- feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant.

* Peremptory- especially of a person's manner or actions) insisting on immediate attention or obedience, especially in a brusquely imperious way.

* Petulantly- (of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered.

* Phantasmagorical- very strange, like something in a dream.

* Primeval- of or resembling the earliest ages in the history of the world.

* Prodigiously- remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree.

* Prolix-(of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy.

* Pugnacious- eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.

R

* Reticent- not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily

* Rueful- expressing sorrow or regret, especially when in a slightly humorous way.

S

* Sanguine- optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.

* Scruple- a feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action.

* Scrupulous- (of a person or process) diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details.

* Sine Qua Non- an essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary.

* Solace- comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness.

* Squalid- (of a place) extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect.

* Stertorous- (of breathing) noisy and labored.

* Subterfuge- deceit used in order to achieve one's goal.

* Supple- bending and moving easily and gracefully; flexible

* Surreptitious- kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

* Syndicate- a group of individuals or organizations combined to promote some common interest

T

* Taciturn- (of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.

* Titillating- arousing mild sexual excitement or interest; salacious.

U

* Ululate- howl or wail as an expression of strong emotion, typically grief.

* Uncouth- (of a person or their appearance or behavior) lacking good manners, refinement, or grace.

* Urbane- courteous and refined in manner (typically used of a man).

V

* Vexatious- causing or tending to cause annoyance, frustration, or worry

* Vigil- a period of keeping awake during the time usually spent asleep, especially to keep watch or pray.

W

* Waver- become unsteady or unreliable.