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Vocab PP 12-16
for students of BHHS
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| deluge | (n.) a flood; an overwhelming rush |
| catholic | (adj.) universal; wide-ranging |
| eerie | (adj.) weird; mysterious; strange and frightening |
| martial | (adj.) warlike; relating to the military |
| anthropomorphic | (adj.) attributing human characteristics or qualities to objects, animals, or gods |
| beneficiary | (n.) one who receives benefits |
| careen | (v.) to swerve or lurch from side to side while in motion |
| aplomb | (n.) self-confidence |
| guile | (n.) slyness and cunning in dealing with others |
| modicum | (n.) small amount |
| fester | (v.) to grow embittered over time; to rot |
| languish | (v.) to become weak or feeble; to loose strength |
| pall | (n.) something that covers or conceals |
| havoc | (n.) great destruction; chaos |
| rancid | (adj.) having a bad taste or smell; spoiled |
| holocaust | an act of great destruction and loss of life |
| embroil | to draw into a conflict or fight |
| anachronism | something out of place in time or history; an incongruity |
| denigrate | to attack the reputation of; to speak ill of |
| humane | kind; compassionate |
| effusive | emotionally excessive; overly demonstrative |
| defunct | no longer in existence |
| lackey | a slavish follower |
| envisage | to form a mental picture |
| lament | to mourn |
| gape | to stare with open mouth |
| impertinent | rude and disrespectful |
| haughty | arrogant; proud |
| nemesis | someone or something a person cannot conquer or achieve; a hated enemy |
| lethal | deadly; fatal |
| catalyst n. | a person, thing, or agent that speeds up or stimulates a result, reaction, or change |
| jargon n. | vocabulary distinctive to a particular group of people |
| judicious adj. | showing sound judgment |
| foible n. | a minor weakness in character |
| benediction n. | the act of blessing |
| frivolous adj. | trivial; silly |
| alacrity n. | liveliness; willingness; eagerness |
| deify v. | to make a god of; to look upon or worship as a god |
| carnage n. | bloody and extensive slaughter |
| impel v. | push into motion |
| epitaph n. | an inscription on a tombstone; a brief comment about a deceased person |
| harp v. | to persist in talking continuously (on or about something) |
| lateral adj. | of or relating to the side |
| pallid adj. | pale; faint in color |
| impetuous adj. | acting suddenly without thought |
| adjunct | connected or attached to in a dependent, subordinate, or auxiliary manner, but not a part of |
| macabre | horrible; grim |
| farcical | absurd; ridiculously clumsy |
| debonair | carefree and self- confident in manner; elegant and gracious |
| penchant | a strong liking |
| deplete | too use up gradually |
| chicanery | the use of tricks or clever talk to deceive or evade |
| feisty | aggressive; lively; energetic |
| mitigate | to make less severe; to become milder |
| gull | to cheat; to fool or hoax |
| nadir | lowest point |
| equivocal | ambiguous; intentionally vague |
| genealogy | family history |
| impervious | incapable of being affected |
| filial | of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter |
| daub | to paint coarsely or unskillfully |
| admonish | to warn, to caution, to counsel |
| obeisance | a bow or similar gesture expressing deep respect |
| cache | a concealed store of goods or valuables |
| affliction | anything causing great suffering |
| mendicant | beggar |
| aphorism | a concise statement of a truth or principle |
| oscillate | to swing or move back and forth like a pendulum |
| delete | to take out, to remove |
| oust | to drive out, expel, deprive |
| impermeable | not permitting passage (especially of liquids) |
| paean | a fervent expression or song of joy or praise |
| imperturbable | not easily excited, even under pressure |
| lax | careless or negligent |
| palpable | obvious, capable of being touched or felt |