Vocab
13. chide – to scold or rebuke.
The teacher chided the students for arriving late to class.
14. sycophant – a person who flatters someone powerful for personal gain.
The king surrounded himself with sycophants who praised his every decision.
15. unctuous – excessively flattering, oily, or smug.
His unctuous tone made it hard to trust his compliments.
16. condone – to overlook or accept behavior that is wrong.
The school will not condone cheating under any circumstances.
17. garland – a wreath of flowers or leaves, often used for decoration.
She wore a garland of daisies in her hair during the festival.
18. auspicious – promising success; favorable.
The clear skies made for an auspicious start to their journey.
19. dodder – to tremble or walk unsteadily, usually from old age.
The elderly man doddered across the street with his cane.
20. senile – showing weakness of mind due to old age.
Her grandfather grew forgetful and slightly senile as he aged.
21. pious – deeply religious or devoted.
The pious monk prayed several times a day in the temple.
22. anarchist – a person who believes in abolishing government or law.
The anarchists staged a protest against the new policies.
23. sententious – given to moralizing in a pompous way.
His sententious lecture on honesty felt condescending.
24. graven – carved, sculpted, or deeply impressed (often used for images or idols).
The ancient temple was filled with graven images of gods.
25. sultry – hot and humid; also can mean passionate or alluring.
They struggled through the sultry summer afternoon.
26. insolence – rude or disrespectful behavior.
The student’s insolence shocked the principal.
27. transcend – to rise above or go beyond limits.
Great art can transcend cultural and language barriers.
28. deference – respectful submission or yielding to another.
Out of deference to her grandmother, she remained silent.
29. perverse – stubbornly doing the opposite of what is expected or proper.
He took a perverse pleasure in breaking the rules.
30. vigil – a period of keeping awake to watch or pray.
The family held a vigil outside the hospital through the night.
31. blasphemy – disrespectful speech or action toward something sacred.
The priest condemned the joke as blasphemy.
32. dirge – a mournful song, especially for the dead.
The mourners sang a dirge as the procession passed.
33. lament (n, v) – (n.) an expression of grief; (v.) to mourn.
She wrote a lament for her lost friend.
They lamented the destruction of their village.
34. reverence – deep respect or awe.
The students bowed their heads in reverence to their teacher.
35. transgress – to break a law or command.
Those who transgress the rules must face the consequences.
36. brazen (adj, v) – (adj.) bold and shameless; (v.) to face something boldly.
Her brazen attitude shocked the crowd.
He brazened out the accusations without flinching.
37. carrion – decaying flesh of dead animals.
The vultures circled above, waiting to feed on carrion.
38. implacable – unable to be appeased or calmed.
The implacable enemy refused all offers of peace.
39. augur – (n.) a prophet or omen; (v.) to predict.
The dark clouds seemed to augur a coming storm.
40. entrails – the internal organs, especially intestines.
The hunters removed the entrails from the deer.
41. hearth – the floor of a fireplace, symbolizing home and family life.
They gathered around the hearth to keep warm in winter.
42. gorge (n, v) – (n.) a narrow valley; (v.) to eat greedily.
They hiked through the mountain gorge.
After fasting, he gorged himself on food.
43. aphorism – a short, wise saying or principle.
“Actions speak louder than words” is a common aphorism.
44. Fury/fury – (Fury) a goddess of vengeance in Greek mythology; (fury) wild anger.
The Furies pursued those who committed terrible crimes.
She slammed the door in a fury after the argument.
45. clement – mild, merciful, or lenient.
The judge was clement and gave him a light sentence.
46. Rapture/rapture – (Rapture) in Christian belief, the event when believers ascend to heaven; (rapture) intense joy.
Many believers wait for the Rapture with anticipation.
She listened in rapture to the beautiful music.
47. hamartia – a tragic flaw or error in judgment leading to downfall (in literature).
Othello’s hamartia was his jealousy.
48. hubris – excessive pride or arrogance that leads to downfall.
The hero’s hubris blinded him to his own mistakes.