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AP Vocabulary

Vocabulary list 1-9

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
engender
v - to produce or cause
dilettante
noun - someone who has an interest in a subject, especially art, literature or science, but does not study it very seriously or in depth
wrest
verb - 1 to turn or twist something. 2 to pull or wrench something away, especially from someone else's grasp or possession. 3 to extract (a statement or promise, etc) with force or difficulty
tepid
adj - 1 slightly or only just warm; lukewarm. 2 unenthusiastic
ingenuous
adj - innocent and childlike, especially in being frank, honest and incapable of deception
benison
n - blessing
lassitude
noun - a feeling of physical or mental tiredness; a lack of energy and enthusiasm
puerile
adj - childish; silly; immature
inure
v - to accustom to something unpleasant or unwelcome
vixen
noun - 1 a female fox. 2 a fierce or spiteful woman
jurisprudence
noun - knowledge of or skill in law
histrionics
noun - theatrical or dramatic behaviour expressing excessive emotion and insincerity
fustian
adj - bombastic
importune
adj - troublesomely urgent
anomaly
noun - something that is unusual or different from what is expected
endemic
adj - 1 said of a disease, etc: regularly occurring in a particular area or among a particular group of people. 2 biol said of a plant or animal: native to, or restricted to, a particular area
prognosticate
verb - to foretell
altruistic
adj - unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others
truculent
adj - aggressively defiant, quarrelsome or discourteous
fulsome
adj - said of praise, compliments, etc: so overdone as to be distasteful.
expiate
verb - to make amends for (a wrong)
malinger
v - to pretend to be ill
sapient
adj - having or showing good judgement; wise
ostensible
adj - said of reasons, etc: stated or claimed, but not necessarily true; apparent
raucous
adj - said of a sound, especially a voice, shout, etc: hoarse; harsh
foment
verb - to encourage or foster (ill-feeling, etc).
curmudgeon
noun - a bad-tempered or mean person
elucidate
verb - to make clear or explain
enjoin
verb - to order or command someone to do something
canard
noun - a false report or piece of news; a rumour, hoax, etc.
discern
verb - to perceive, notice or make out something; to judge
specious
adj - having a false look of truth or genuineness
mundane
adj - ordinary; dull; everyday
sartorial
adj - referring or relating to a tailor, tailoring or clothes in general
impute
verb - (usually impute something to someone or something) 1 to regard (something unfavourable or unwelcome) as being brought about by them. 2 to believe it to be caused by them or it; to attribute
parley
verb - to discuss peace terms, etc with an enemy, especially under truce
blandishment
noun - flattery intended to persuade
inchoate
adj - 1 at the earliest stage of development; just beginning. 2 not fully developed; unfinished; rudimentary
progenitor
noun - 1 an ancestor, forebear or forefather. 2 the founder or originator of a movement, etc.
truculent
adj - aggressively defiant, quarrelsome or discourteous
acumen
noun - the ability to judge quickly and well; keen insight
importune
verb - 1 to make persistent and usually annoying requests of someone. 2 to solicit for immoral purposes, eg prostitution
supercilious
adj 1 arrogantly disdainful or contemptuous. 2 self-importantly judgemental
abrogate
verb - to cancel (a law, agreement, etc) formally or officially
macabre
adj - 1 connected, or to do with, death in some way. 2 causing fear or anxiety; ghastly; gruesome
supercilious
adj - coolly and patronizingly haughty
maelstrom
noun - a place or state of uncontrollable confusion or destructive forces, especially one to which someone or something is inevitably drawn
preclude
verb - to rule out or eliminate something or make it impossible
auspicious
adj - promising future success; favourable
chicanery
noun - 1 clever talk intended to mislead. 2 a dishonest argument. 3 trickery; deception
arcane
adj - mysterious, secret or obscure
spurious
adj - false, counterfeit or untrue, especially when superficially seeming to be genuine
impugn
verb - to criticize or challenge
bereft
adj - (usually bereft of something) deprived of it; having had something precious taken away
disparage
verb - to speak of someone or something with contempt
splenetic
adj - bad-tempered; spiteful
piety
noun - dutifulness; devoutness
arcane
adj - mysterious, secret or obscure; understood only by a few; difficult to understand
diffidence
noun - lack of confidence; modesty or shyness
embellish
verb - 1 to make (a story, etc) more interesting by adding details which may not be true. 2 to beautify something with decoration
stultify
verb - 1 to make someone or something appear absurd, foolish, contradictory, etc. 2 to cause something to be useless, worthless, futile, etc. 3 to dull the mind of someone, eg with tedious tasks
petulance
noun - ill-temperedness; peevishness
denigrate
verb - to attack the character of; to disparage
elan
noun - impressive and energetic style
perspicuity
n - clarity and precision of presentation
perdition
noun - everlasting punishment after death; damnation; hell
philistine
adj - having no interest in or appreciation of art, literature, music, etc, and tending rather towards materialism.
conciliatory
adj - intended to placate or win over someone
specious
adj - superficially or apparently convincing, sound or just, but really false, flawed or lacking in sincerity
poignant
adj - 1 painful to the feelings 2 deeply moving; full of pathos
nemesis
noun - 1 retribution or just punishment. 2 something that brings this
ascribe
verb - to attribute; assign
eclectic
adj - selecting material or ideas from a wide range of sources or authorities
surcease
v - to put an end to
cosset
verb - to treat too kindly; to pamper
vapid
adj - dull; uninteresting; insipid
pandemic
adj - describing a widespread epidemic of a disease, one that affects a whole country, continent, etc.
desultory
adj - jumping from one thing to another with no plan, purpose or logical connection
stultify
verb - to make someone or something appear absurd, useless, worthless
vitiate
verb - 1 to impair the quality or effectiveness of (eg an argument); to make something faulty or defective. 2 to make (eg a legal contract) ineffectual or invalid
euphemism
noun - a mild or inoffensive term used in place of one considered offensive or unpleasantly direct
chimerical
adj - wild or fanciful
lapidary
adj - 1 relating to stones. 2 engraved on stone. 3 said of a writing style: concise and to the point, in the way that an inscription on a monument has to be
relegate
verb - to move someone down to a lower grade, position, status, etc.
laconic
adj - said of someone's speech or writing: using few words; neatly concise and to the point
esoteric
adj - secret or mysterious
wraith
noun - a ghost
querulous
adj - 1 said of someone or their disposition: inclined or ready to complain. 2 said of a voice, tone or comment, etc: complaining, grumbling or whining
jingoism
noun - over-enthusiastic or aggressive patriotism
debacle
n - total disorder
stentorian
adj - said of a voice: loud and strong
redolent
adj - 1 fragrant. 2 (usually redolent of or with something) a smelling strongly of it; b strongly suggestive or reminiscent of it
iniquitous
adj - 1 grossly unjust or unreasonable. 2 wicked
gallivant
verb - to go out looking for entertainment or amusement
obfuscate
verb - 1 to darken or obscure something. 2 to obscure something or make it difficult to understand. 3 to bewilder or confuse someone
surcease
n - a temporary respite or end
knell
noun - 1 the tolling of a bell announcing a death or funeral. 2 something that signals the end of anything
dulcet
adj - sweet and pleasing to the ear
ramshackle
tumbledown; rickety; badly made and likely to fall down
bowdlerize
verb - to remove passages or words from (a book or play, etc), especially on moral and social rather than aesthetic grounds; to expurgate, especially in an unnecessary or distorting way
august
adj - noble; imposing
temerity
noun - rashness or boldness; an unreasonable lack of fear
wheedle
verb - to coax or cajole someone; to persuade them by flattery
zeitgeist
noun - the spirit of the age; the attitudes or viewpoint of a specific period
urbanity
n - politeness, good manners
littoral
adj - on or near the shore of a sea or lake
podium
noun - a small platform for a public speaker, orchestra conductor
recant
verb - to withdraw or retract (a statement, belief, etc)
beatific
adj - expressing or revealing supreme peaceful happiness
ensconce
verb - to hide safely
contrite
adj - sorry for something one has done
philologist
noun - one who studies language, its history and development; linguist
hegemony
noun - authority or control, especially of one state over another within a confederation
nebulous
adj - vague; hazy; lacking distinct shape, form or nature
mores
plural noun - social customs that reflect the basic moral and social values of a particular society
ersatz
adj - substitute; imitation
plenary
adj - complete in every respect
echelon
noun - a level or rank in an organization, etc
abominate
verb - to dislike or hate something greatly; to find it loathsome
spurious
adj - false
inundate
verb - 1 to overwhelm with water. 2 to swamp
equivocal
adj - ambiguous
paroxysm
noun - a sudden emotional outburst
importune
v - to disturb or irritate
vacillate
v - to change opinions or decisions frequently
banal
adj - boring or trivial
blatant
adj - very obvious
turgid
adj - 1 swollen; inflated or distended. 2 said of language: sounding important but meaning very little; pompous
desultory
adj - jumping from one thing to another with no plan, purpose or logical connection
putative
adj - supposed; assumed
ken
n - range of knowledge
parlay
verb - 1 to exploit successfully. 2 to increase or otherwise transform into something of much greater value
factotum
n - a person employed to do a large number of different jobs
draconian
adj - said of a law, etc: harsh; severe
despondent
adj - sad; dejected; in low spirits
reticent
adj - not saying very much
salient
adj - striking; outstanding or prominent
peremptory
adj - made in expectation of immediate compliance
palliative
adj - having the effect of alleviating or reducing pain
impecunious
adj - having little or no money; poor; penniless
apoplectic
adj - red-faced and seething with anger
compunction
noun - a feeling of guilt, remorse or regret
internecine
adj - 1 said of a fight, war, etc: destructive and damaging to both sides. 2 involving or consisting of a conflict or struggle within a group or organization
shibboleth
noun - 1 a common saying. 2 a slogan, catchphrase, custom or belief, especially if considered outdated. 3 a peculiarity of speech. 4 a use of a word, phrase or pronunciation that characterizes members of a particular group
contrition
noun - remorse
eclat
noun - 1 striking effect; showy splendour. 2 splendid success; distinction. 3 applause; praise
august
adj - noble; imposing
efficacious
adj - producing the intended result

Deck Info

148

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