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English III Vocab.
Lessons One-Ten
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Glib | adj. done in a smooth, offhand manner; easily spoken; speaking too smoothly to be sincere |
| Lugubrious | adj. sad or mournful, often to an exaggerated degree; doleful |
| Finesse | n. delicate skill; subtlety; v. to bring about with skill; to evade |
| Nemesis | n. an avenger; an unbeatable rival; a person who punishes another for evil deeds |
| Purloin | v. to steal |
| Banal | adj. a commonplace; trite; stale from overuse |
| Pseudonym | n. a fictitious name assumed by an author; a pen name |
| Lampoon | n. strongly satirical writing; v. to ridicule or satirize |
| Nefarious | adj. villainous; infamous; having a bad reputation |
| Bellicose | adj. quarrelsome; hostile; inclined to fighting |
| Fawning | v. to seek notice or favor by servile demeanor |
| Patronizing | adj. displaying or indicative of an offensively condescending manner |
| Disdainful | adj. scornful |
| Flippant | adj. frivolously disrespectful; shallow, or lacking in seriousness |
| Parallel | v. to show the identity or similarity of |
| Indignant | adj. feeling, characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base |
| Hyperbolic | adj. having the nature of hyperbole; exaggerated |
| Euphemistic | n. the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt |
| Calculating | adj. shrewd; cautious; selfishly scheming |
| Obstinate | adj. firmly or stubbornly adhering to one’s purpose, opinion, etc.; not yielding to argument, persuasion, or entreaty |
| Histrionic | adj. overly dramatic; pushy |
| Fatuousness | adj. foolish or inane, especially in an unconscious, complacent manner; silly |
| Pedantic | adj. overly concerned with minute details or formalisms |
| Provincial | n. a person who lacks urban sophistication or broad-mindedness |
| Coquettish | v. flirting |
| Deferential | adj. showing deference and respectfully yielding to the opinion of others |
| Didactic | adj. intended for instruction |
| Incongruous | adj. inappropriate |
| Disparaging | adj. belittling |
| Euphemism | n. a mild expression used in place of a harsh, crude, or distasteful expression |
| Nebulous | adj. hazy; vague; not clearly defined |
| Abject | adj. hopelessly low; wretched; miserable; without self-respect |
| Propriety | n. acceptable behavior; conformity with conventional standards |
| Revile | v. to attack with abusive language; to call insulting names |
| Distraught | adj. in a state of mental conflict; agitated; crazed |
| Admonish | v. to reprove mildly and kindly, but seriously; to caution or warn; to urge |
| Prosaic | adj. matter-of-fact; ordinary; commonplace |
| Phlegmatic | adj. sluggish; indifferent; calm |
| Commensurate | adj. in proper proportion; having the same scale, measure, or size; proportionate |
| Pretense | n. pretending or feigning; make-believe |
| Disingenuous | adj. lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere |
| Impolitic | adj. not politic, expedient, or judicious |
| Imprudent | adj. not prudent; lacking discretion; incautious; rash |
| Scathing | adj. bitterly severe, as a remark |
| Mock-serious | adj. of a pretended serious look or act |
| Oxymoron | n. a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly” |
| Paradox | n. a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth |
| Solicitous | adj. anxious or concerned |
| Imperious | adj. domineering in a haughty manner; dictatorial; overbearing |
| Invective | n. an insulting or abusive word or expression |
| Petulant | adj. moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, esp. over some trifling annoyance |
| Impudent | Impudent: adj. obsolete, shameless or brazenly immodest |
| Insolent | adj. boldly rude or disrespectful; contemptuously impertinent; insulting |
| Strident | adj. making or having a harsh sound; grating; creaking |
| Arch | adj. playfully roguish or mischievous; cunning; crafty; sly |
| Importuned | v. to press or beset with solicitations; demand with urgency or persistence |
| Chiasmus | n. a reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases, as in “He went to the country, to the town went she” |
| Equanimity | n. mental or emotional stability or composure, esp. under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium |
| Vituperative | adj. characterized by or of the nature of vituperation |
| Magnanimous | adj. generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness; noble |
| Incognito | n. one who is in disguise or using an assumed name; adj. disguised; using a false name; adv. In disguise under a fictitious name |
| Cognizant | adj. aware of or informed about something |
| Farcical | adj. ridiculous; exaggeratedly comical |
| Discursive | adj. wandering or shifting from one subject to another; rambling; long winded |
| Hyperbole | n. an obvious exaggeration made for effect and not meant to be taken literally |
| Omniscient | adj. knowing everything; having complete or infinite knowledge |
| Fortuitous | adj. occurring by chance; accidental; fortunate |
| Assimilate | v. to absorb and incorporate food or knowledge; to absorb one group into a larger culture |
| Ennui | n. discontent and listlessness from lack of occupation or interest |
| Mesmerism | n. hypnotism; hypnotic appeal; intense fascination |
| Dirge | n. a funeral hymn; a poetic or musical expression of grief |
| Despot | n. an absolute ruler; one in charge who acts like a tyrant |
| Expatriate | n. one who is exiled or who has withdrawn from his or her native land; v. to banish from one’s native country; to withdraw from one’s native land |
| Colloquy | n. a conversation or conference, usually formal |
| Allay | v. to lessen; to relieve; to calm |
| Feign | v. to pretend; to make up |
| Blazon | v. to proclaim; to display publicly; n. a coat of arms; a banner |
| Choleric | adj. having or showing a quick temper or irascible nature |
| Adroit | adj. clever; skillful in a mental or physical way |
| Bravado | n. a show of false bravery or confidence |
| Guile | n. craftiness; deceit; cunning |
| Proffer | v. to offer; n. an offer |
| Seraphic | adj. angelic; of the highest order of angels |
| Amorphous | adj. shapeless; of no particular form or type; not organized |
| Decorum | n. proper action, speech, and dress; good manners and behavior; polite behavior |
| Protégé | n. someone whose welfare or career is guided and helped by a more influential person |
| Sanguine | adj. naturally cheerful and hopeful; confident; having a ruddy complexion |
| Doggerel | n. badly written or trivial verse, often with a singsong rhythm |
| Ascetic | n. a person who practices unusual self-denial or discipline, often for religious reasons; adj. self-denying |
| Facile | adj. easily done; performing or working with ease; adroit; not sincere or profound; superficial |
| Implicit | adj. implied; naturally involved though not obviously evident; unquestioning, absolute |
| Nondescript | adj. not having individual characteristics; lacking in distinctive qualities; drab; hard to describe |
| Sundry | adj. various; miscellaneous |
| Inveigle | v. to win over with trickery or flattery; to entice; to coax with deceitful talk, to dupe |
| Dogma | n. a belief or set of beliefs held to be true, especially by a church or other authority; a doctrine |
| Scurrilous | adj. given to the use of abusive or indecent language; foulmouthed |
| Parsimonious | adj. too economical; stingy; miserly |
| Exhort | v. to urge strongly; to advise or warn earnestly; to admonish |
| Nonentities | n. a person or thing of little or no importance; something that does not exist or that exists only in the imagination |
| Vociferous | adj. loud and noisy; clamorous; demanding |
| Gratuitous | adj. freely given or obtained; unearned; uncalled for; without justification or cause |
| Etymology | n. the source and development of a word; the study of word sources and development |
| Venerate | v. to regard with deep respect, honor, or esteem; to revere |
| Truism | n. a statement the truth of which is obvious or well known |
| Erudite | adj. having or displaying extensive knowledge; learned; scholarly |
| Charlatan | n. a person who falsely claims to possess expert knowledge or skill; a quack; an impostor |
| Extol | v. t praise highly |
| Broach | v. to mention for the first time; to introduce a subject; to start a discussion of |
| Predispose | v. to create or possess a tendency or preference in advance to make susceptible |
| Immutable | adj. never changing; unchangeable; unalterable |
| Infringe | v. to violate or disregard a law or an agreement; to trespass; to break in on |
| Specious | adj. seemingly desirable, reasonable, or true but not really so; having a deceptively good appearance |
| Ostensible | adj. outwardly professed; apparent; seeming |
| Absolve | v. to declare free from guilt and blame; to set free from a promise or an obligation |
| Subjugate | v. to subdue; to conquer; to force to submit |
| Antipodes | n. any two places at directly opposite points on the earth; two opposite things |
| Retroactive | adj. applying to events that are past |
| Antipathy | n. a strong dislike; an aversion |
| Nettle | n. a stinging plant; v. a sting with, or as if with, a nettle, to cause sharp annoyance; to irritate |
| Indigent | adj. poor; needy |
| Mundane | adj. ordinary; commonplace; of this world (rather than the world beyond) |
| Eulogy | n. a speech or piece of writing in praise of a person or thing, especially to honor one who has recently died; a tribute; praise |
| Progeny | n. children; offspring; descendants |
| Copious | adj. abundant; plentiful; full of information; wordy |
| Tenure | n. the holding of an office; the length of time for which a position is held; the permanence of position granted to teachers, civil service employees, and others |
| Euphony | n. agreeableness of sounds; pleasant combination of sounds in spoken words |
| Sonorous | adj. giving out, capable of producing, or having a deep, rich sound |
| Abnegation | n. self-denial; a giving up or a renunciation of rights |
| Poignant | adj. painfully felt; emotionally touching; pointed; sharp |
| Extraneous | adj. coming from outside; foreign; not necessary; irrelevant |
| Hackneyed | adj. used too often; stale from overuse; trite; clichéd |
| Paragon | n. a model of excellence or perfection; a perfect example of something |
| Ascribe | v. to assign (as to a cause); to attribute; to think of as coming from or belonging to someone |
| Inconsequential | adj. unimportant; petty; trivial |
| Humdrum | adj. without variety or excitement; monotonous; commonplace |
| Engendered | v. to bring into being; to produce; to cause |
| Idiosyncrasy | n. a personal peculiarity that is an identifying trait; a quirk |
| Elegy | n. a sad or mournful poem or song, often about someone who is dead |
| Introvert | n. a person who looks inward; a shy, quiet person |
| Homily | n. a sermon, especially on something in the Bible; a long, often dull, moralizing talk or writing |
Created by:
8Sarah
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