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To Kill A Mockingbird Vocabulary List #3
To Kill A Mockingbird Vocabulary List #3
34
Literature
9th Grade
10/20/2009
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Term
Acquiesce
 Definition

Verb

1. to assent tacitly; submit or comply silently or without protest; agree; consent: to acquiesce halfheartedly in a business plan.

S: accede, concur; capitulate.
A: contest, protest.
Term
Acrimonious
 Definition

Adjective

1. caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, behavior, etc.: an acrimonious answer; an acrimonious dispute.

Term
Affirm
 Definition

Verb

1. to state or assert positively; maintain as true: to affirm one's loyalty to one's country; He affirmed that all was well.
2. to confirm or ratify: The appellate court affirmed the judgment of the lower court.
3. to assert solemnly: He affirmed his innocence.
4. to express agreement with or commitment to; uphold; support: to affirm human rights.
a. to state something solemnly before a court or magistrate, but without oath.
b. to ratify and accept a voidable transaction.
c. (of an appellate court) to determine that the action of the lower court shall stand.

S: 1. aver, asseverate, depose, testify. See declare. 2. approve, endorse.
A:  deny.
Term
Aggregation
 Definition

Noun

1. a group or mass of distinct or varied things, persons, etc.: an aggregation of complainants.
2. collection into an unorganized whole.
3. the state of being so collected.
4. Biology, Ecology. a group of organisms of the same or different species living closely together but less integrated than a society.
Term
Akimbo
 Definition

Adjective/Adverb

with hand on hip and elbow bent outward: to stand with arms akimbo.

Term
Amanuensis
 Definition

Noun

a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another; secretary.
Term
Austere
 Definition

Adjective

1. severe in manner or appearance; uncompromising; strict; forbidding: an austere teacher.
2. rigorously self-disciplined and severely moral; ascetic; abstinent: the austere quality of life in the convent.
3. grave; sober; solemn; serious: an austere manner.
4. without excess, luxury, or ease; simple; limited; severe: an austere life.
5. severely simple; without ornament: austere writing.
6. lacking softness; hard: an austere bed of straw.
7. rough to the taste; sour or harsh in flavor.
Term
Brash
 Definition

Adjective

1. impertinent; impudent; tactless: a brash young man.
2. hasty; rash; impetuous.
3. energetic or highly spirited, esp. in an irreverent way; zesty: a brash new musical.
4. (used esp. of wood) brittle.
–noun
5. a pile or stack of loose fragments or debris, as of rocks or hedge clippings.
6. brash ice.
7. Pathology. heartburn (def. 1).
8. Scot. and North England Dialect.
a. a sudden shower or burst of rain.
b. any sudden, minor sickness or indisposition, esp. of the digestive tract.
c. an assault; attack.
Term
Complacent
 Definition

–adjective

1. pleased, esp. with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied: The voters are too complacent to change the government.
2. pleasant; complaisant.
Term
Congenial
 Definition

Adjective

–adjective

1. agreeable, suitable, or pleasing in nature or character: congenial surroundings.
2. suited or adapted in spirit, feeling, temper, etc.; compatible: a congenial couple.
Term
Corroborate
 Definition
–verb (used with object)
1. to make more certain; confirm: He corroborated my account of the accident.
–adjective
2. Archaic. confirmed.
Synonyms:
1. verify, authenticate, support, validate.
Term
Deign
 Definition
–verb (used without object)
1. to think fit or in accordance with one's dignity; condescend: He would not deign to discuss the matter with us.
–verb (used with object)
2. to condescend to give or grant: He deigned no reply.
3. Obsolete. to condescend to accept.
Term
Dogged
 Definition

–adjective

persistent in effort; stubbornly tenacious: a dogged worker
Term
Eludicate
 Definition
–verb (used with object)
1. to make lucid or clear; throw light upon; explain: an explanation that elucidated his recent strange behavior.
–verb (used without object)
2. to provide clarification; explain.
Term
Feral
 Definition

–adjective

1. existing in a natural state, as animals or plants; not domesticated or cultivated; wild.
2. having reverted to the wild state, as from domestication: a pack of feral dogs roaming the woods.
3. of or characteristic of wild animals; ferocious; brutal.
Term
Fey
 Definition

–adjective

1. British Dialect. doomed; fated to die.
2. Chiefly Scot. appearing to be under a spell; marked by an apprehension of death, calamity, or evil.
3. supernatural; unreal; enchanted: elves, fairies, and other fey creatures.
4. being in unnaturally high spirits, as were formerly thought to precede death.
5. whimsical; strange; otherworldly: a strange child with a mysterious smile and a fey manner.
Term
Formidable
 Definition
–adjective
1. causing fear, apprehension, or dread: a formidable opponent.
2. of discouraging or awesome strength, size, difficulty, etc.; intimidating: a formidable problem.
3. arousing feelings of awe or admiration because of grandeur, strength, etc.
4. of great strength; forceful; powerful: formidable opposition to the proposal.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < F < L formīdābilis causing fear, equiv. to formīd- (s. of formīdāre to fear) + -ābilis -able [image]

Related forms:
for⋅mi⋅da⋅ble⋅ness, for⋅mi⋅da⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, noun
for⋅mi⋅da⋅bly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. dreadful, appalling, threatening, menacing, fearful, frightful, horrible.

Antonyms:
1. pleasant.
Term
Fortitude
 Definition
–noun
mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously: Never once did her fortitude waver during that long illness.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < L fortitūdō strength, firmness, courage, equiv. to forti(s) strong + -tūdō -tude [image]

Synonyms:
See patience.
Term
Furtive 
 Definition
–adjective
1. taken, done, used, etc., surreptitiously or by stealth; secret: a furtive glance.
2. sly; shifty: a furtive manner.
Origin:
1480–90; < L furtīvus, equiv. to furt(um) theft (cf. fūr thief) + -īvus -ive [image]

Related forms:
fur⋅tive⋅ly, adverb
fur⋅tive⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. clandestine, covert. 2. underhand, cunning.
Term
Gala
 Definition
–adjective
1. festive; festal; showy: Her birthday parties were always gala occasions.
–noun
2. a festive occasion; celebration; special entertainment: a gala featuring opera stars in their most famous scenes.
3. festal pomp or dress.
Origin:
1615–25; < F < It < OF; see gallant
Term
Genial
 Definition
Term
Impassive
 Definition
Term
Infallible
 Definition
–adjective
1. absolutely trustworthy or sure: an infallible rule.
2. unfailing in effectiveness or operation; certain: an infallible remedy.
3. not fallible; exempt from liability to error, as persons, their judgment, or pronouncements: an infallible principle.
4. Roman Catholic Church. immune from fallacy or liability to error in expounding matters of faith or morals by virtue of the promise made by Christ to the Church.
–noun
5. an infallible person or thing.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME < ML infallibilis. See in- 3 , fallible [image]

Related forms:
in⋅fal⋅li⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, in⋅fal⋅li⋅ble⋅ness, noun
in⋅fal⋅li⋅bly, adverb

Synonyms:
1, 2. See reliable.
Term
Mollify
 Definition
–verb (used with object), -fied, -fy⋅ing.
1. to soften in feeling or temper, as a person; pacify; appease.
2. to mitigate or reduce; soften: to mollify one's demands.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < MF mollifier < LL mollificāre, equiv. to L molli(s) soft + -ficāre -fy [image]
Term
Myopia
 Definition

–noun

1. Ophthalmology. a condition of the eye in which parallel rays are focused in front of the retina, objects being seen distinctly only when near to the eye; nearsightedness (opposed to hyperopia ).
2. lack of foresight or discernment; obtuseness.
3. narrow-mindedness; intolerance.
Term
Ruddy
 Definition
–adjective
1. of or having a fresh, healthy red color: a ruddy complexion.
2. red or reddish.
3. British Slang. damned: a ruddy fool.
–adverb
4. British Slang. damned: He'd ruddy well better be there.
Term
Stealthy
 Definition

–adjective, stealth⋅i⋅er, stealth⋅i⋅est.

done, characterized, or acting by stealth; furtive: stealthy footsteps.
Term
Succinct
 Definition

–adjective

1. expressed in few words; concise; terse.
2. characterized by conciseness or verbal brevity.
3. compressed into a small area, scope, or compass.
4. Archaic.
a. drawn up, as by a girdle.
b. close-fitting.
c. encircled, as by a girdle.
Term
Sullen
 Definition
–adjective
1. showing irritation or ill humor by a gloomy silence or reserve.
2. persistently and silently ill-humored; morose.
3. indicative of gloomy ill humor.
4. gloomy or dismal, as weather or a sound.
5. sluggish, as a stream.
6. Obsolete. malignant, as planets or influences.
Origin:
1565–75; earlier solein, ME < ?[image]

Related forms:
sul⋅len⋅ly, adverb
sul⋅len⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. See cross. 1, 2. See glum. 2. sulky, moody, sour, bad-tempered. 4. cheerless, clouded, overcast, somber, mournful, dark. 5. slow, stagnant.

Antonyms:
1, 2. cheerful.
Term
Temerity
 Definition

–noun

reckless boldness; rashness.
Term
Tenet
 Definition

–noun

any opinion, principle, doctrine, dogma, etc., esp. one held as true by members of a profession, group, or movement.
Term
Truant
 Definition
–noun
1. a student who stays away from school without permission.
2. a person who shirks or neglects his or her duty.
–adjective
3. absent from school without permission.
4. neglectful of duty or responsibility; idle.
5. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a truant.
–verb (used without object)
6. to be truant.
Term
Unmitigated
 Definition

–adjective

1. not mitigated; not softened or lessened: unmitigated suffering.
2. unqualified or absolute: an unmitigated bore.
Term
Venerable
 Definition
–adjective
1. commanding respect because of great age or impressive dignity; worthy of veneration or reverence, as because of high office or noble character: a venerable member of Congress.
2. a title for someone proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church to have attained the first degree of sanctity or of an Anglican archdeacon.
3. (of places, buildings, etc.) hallowed by religious, historic, or other lofty associations: the venerable halls of the abbey.
4. impressive or interesting because of age, antique appearance, etc.: a venerable oak tree.
5. extremely old or obsolete; ancient: a venerable automobile.
–noun
6. a venerable person.
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