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AP Lang (Simmons)
vocab
150
English
11th Grade
04/19/2007

Additional English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
preternatural
Definition
exceeding what is natural or regular; extraordinary
Term
ergo
Definition
synonym for “therefore”
Term
venerable
Definition
worthy of respect, usually because of age
Term
ostensible
Definition
open to view, apparent
Term
banal
Definition
lacking originality, freshness, hackneyed
Term
anachronism
Definition
a person or thing outside of the correct time period
Term
ominous
Definition
threatening, menacing, foreboding
Term
epiphany
Definition
an illuminating discovery, a moment of revelation
Term
teetotalers
Definition
one who abstains from alcohol
Term
cadence
Definition
rhythmic sequence
Term
avid
Definition
enthusiastic/eager
Term
arduous
Definition
difficult/strenuous
Term
rambunctious
Definition
unruly/uncontrollable
Term
jocular
Definition
jolly/playful
Term
lexicon
Definition
dictionary/collection of words
Term
argot
Definition
the vocabulary that is unique and perhaps secret to a particular group
Term
fortuitous
Definition
happening by chance/accidental
Term
flout
Definition
hostile disregard/scorn
Term
pedant
Definition
one who makes a show of knowledge
Term
atrocity
Definition
something appalling or horrifying
Term
hackneyed
Definition
banal, unoriginal, trite (typically used to refer to unoriginal, overused words/phrases)
Term
flotsam
Definition
floating debris, cargo, or unimportant things
Term
picayune
Definition
trivial
Term
motley
Definition
composed of diverse often incongruous elements
Term
didactic
Definition
intended to teach or instruct
Term
intangible
Definition
not capable of being touched
Term
bombast
Definition
pretentious or inflated speech or writing
Term
trite
Definition
banal
Term
audacity
Definition
bold or arrogant
Term
insouciance
Definition
lighthearted unconcern, nonchalance
Term
deft
Definition
skillful, capable
Term
frugal
Definition
thrifty, economical
Term
maudlin
Definition
overly sentimental
Term
mirth
Definition
joy, happiness
Term
sinecure
Definition
an office or position requiring little/no work and provides income
Term
capitulate
Definition
to surrender
Term
malicious
Definition
desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another
Term
acerbic
Definition
biting, bitter in tone or taste
Term
solicitous
Definition
concerned, attentive
Term
deprecate
Definition
to belittle, to minimize, depreciate
Term
garrulous
Definition
talkative, wordy
Term
relegate
Definition
to assign to the proper place
Term
quandary
Definition
a perplexed, irresolvable state
Term
pugnacious
Definition
quarrelsome, combative
Term
inundate
Definition
to flood with abundance
Term
fallacious
Definition
incorrect, misleading
Term
iconoclast
Definition
one who attacks settled beliefs/institutions
Term
vociferous
Definition
loud, boisterous
Term
enervate
Definition
to weaken, exhaust
Term
sophomoric
Definition
conceited and overconfident of knowledge
but poorly informed and immature
Term
hedonist
Definition
one who follows the philosophy of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain
Term
expostulate
Definition
To attempt to dissuade or discourage by earnest reasoning
Term
jaded
Definition
worn out, dulled, wearied
Term
umbrage
Definition
Offense, resentment; a vague suspicion; shade cast by trees
Term
provincial
Definition
Narrow in mind or outlook, of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; pertaining to an outlying area
Term
anathema
Definition
a cursed, detested person
Term
obsequious
Definition
marked by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness, extreme compliance, or complete obedience
Term
petulant
Definition
peevish or bad-tempered, annoyed by small things, easily irritated and upset
Term
assuage
Definition
to make easier or milder; relieve; to quiet; appease
Term
mitigate
Definition
to make less violent, alleviate
Term
callow
Definition
lacking sophistication, immature
Term
aplomb
Definition
complete and confident composure or self-assurance, poise
Term
diffident
Definition
shy, quiet, modest
Term
nadir
Definition
the lowest point of something
Term
apex
Definition
the uppermost point
Term
ephemeral
Definition
temporary, short-lived
Term
nefarious
Definition
wicked
Term
laconic
Definition
concise, almost to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
Term
sangfroid
Definition
composure under stress
Term
esoteric
Definition
known to only a few; requiring knowledge that is limited to only a small group, of a rare or unusual interest
Term
ex officio
Definition
by virtue or because of an office
Term
cajole
Definition
to persuade with flattery or gentle urging
Term
dilettante
Definition
an admirer or lover of the arts; a person having a superficial interest in an art or a branch of knowledge
Term
indigent
Definition
needy, poverty-stricken; penniless
Term
quixotic
Definition
foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals;
Term
Acquisitive
Definition
greedy, retentive
Term
Arrogate
Definition
to claim or take without rights
Term
Belabor
Definition
to work excessively, to overwork
Term
Carping
Definition
tending to find fault in a nasty way; nit-picking
Term
Histrionic
Definition
pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical
Term
Congeal
Definition
to change from liquid to solid; thicken; harden
Term
Emulate
Definition
to imitate
Term
Encomium
Definition
formal expression of praise, commendation, eulogy
Term
Eschew
Definition
to avoid or keep away
Term
Germane
Definition
relevant, fitting
Term
Insatiable
Definition
not capable of being satisfied
Term
Intransigent
Definition
refusing to compromise, unyielding
Term
Invidious
Definition
offensive, hateful
Term
Largesse
Definition
generosity in giving, munificence,
Term
Reconnaissance
Definition
a survey made for military purposes, a preliminary inspection
Term
Plethora
Definition
excess; abundance
Term
Taciturn
Definition
silent or quiet
Term
Temporize
Definition
to procrastinate
Term
Tenable
Definition
capable of being held or defended
Term
Agnostic
Definition
–(n) one who believes that nothing can be known about God; a skeptic;
(adj) – skeptical
Term
Perspicacious
Definition
shrewd, keen
Term
Sycophant
Definition
a servile self-seeking flatterer
Term
Tawdry
Definition
gaudy
Term
Querulous
Definition
complaining, whining
Term
Inveigh
Definition
to protest or complain bitterly or vehemently
Term
tepid
Definition
lukewarm, lacking in passion or force
Term
fetid
Definition
having an offensive smell
Term
castigate
Definition
to punish severely, to criticize harshly
Term
expeditious
Definition
characterized by acting promptly & efficiently
Term
resplendent
Definition
shining brilliantly
Term
onerous
Definition
imposing a burden
Term
brandish
Definition
to shake or wave aggressively (like a gun); to display in an aggressive manner
Term
restitution
Definition
the act of giving the equivalent; the act of restoring
Term
reproach
Definition
an expression of disapproval
Term
recalcitrant
Definition
defiant of authority; resistant, unruly
Term
chimera
Definition
an illusion; an unrealizable dream
Term
pandemic
Definition
occurring over a wide geographic area & affecting an high proportion of the population
Term
meander
Definition
to wander
Term
feckless
Definition
lacking in spirit or strength, ineffective, weak
Term
unwonted
Definition
unusual or unexpected
Term
ignominy
Definition
shame, disgrace
Term
furtive
Definition
sneaky, slyly, secret
Term
halcyon
Definition
calm, tranquil, peaceful
Term
myopic
Definition
lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; shortsighted
Term
pell-mell
Definition
in a confused, hasty, and disorderly manner
Term
celerity
Definition
swiftness; speed; promptness
Term
empirical
Definition
based on experience or observation
Term
equivocate
Definition
to lie or deceive
Term
quotidian
Definition
occurring everyday; ordinary, commonplace
Term
chagrin
Definition
distress caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure
Term
slugabed
Definition
one who stays in bed until a late hour
Term
bellwether
Definition
A leader of a movement or activity; also, a leading indicator of future trends.
Term
Zeitgeist
Definition
[Often capitalized] The spirit of the time; a characteristic of any period of time.
Term
antediluvian
Definition
relating to the period before the Biblical flood; from or belonging to a much earlier time
Term
mien
Definition
manner suggestive of expressive of mood, attitude, or personality; demeanor, appearance
Term
ennui
Definition
weariness, boredom
Term
pusillanimous
Definition
lacking in courage; cowardly
Term
en masse
Definition
all together; as a whole
Term
specious
Definition
superficially fair, just, or correct, but not so in reality, such as "specious reasoning; a specious argument."
Term
segue
Definition
To proceed without interruption; to make a smooth transition.
Term
supercilious
Definition
arrogant; haughty
Term
peccadillo
Definition
A slight offense; a petty fault
Term
calumny
Definition
False accusation of a crime or offense that is intended to injure another's reputation; slander
Term
chicanery
Definition
The use of trickery or deception; a trick
Term
gauche
Definition
lacking social polish; tactless; awkward; clumsy
Term
verisimilitude
Definition
The appearance of truth; the quality of seeming to be true
Term
Deus ex machina
Definition
an agent who appears unexpectedly to solve an apparent difficulty
Term
sine qua non
Definition
An essential condition or element; an indispensable thing
Term
quid pro quo
Definition
something that is given or taken in return for something else; substitute
Term
quidnunc
Definition
a gossip; a busybody
Term
harangue
Definition
a speech addressed to a public assembly; also, a noisy or pompous speech
Term
inimical
Definition
unfriendly; unfavorable
Term
paragon
Definition
a model of excellence or perfection
Term
milieu
Definition
environment; setting
Term
nepotism
Definition
favoritism shown to members of one's family.
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