AP English III Flashcards
delineate
describe accurately
nefarious
extreme wickedness
vernacular
everyday speech, slang
brawn
muscular, large
tout
publicly brag
enhance
intensify, improve
hinderance
something that delays action
efface
to erase, rub out
glutton
someone who eats/drinks too much
hiatus
break or vacation
querulous
grumbling, grumpy
engender
to create, to cause
obliterate
to destroy completely
copious
abundant, plentiful
obscure
dark, unknown; hard to undestand
extol
to praise highly
pugnacious
eager to fight
quell
to calm, pacify
artisan
person who is skillful with their hands
kindle
to start a fire; ignite; arouse
corroborate
to confirm; back up with evidence
amorous
feeling loving, especially in a sexual sense
decorous
proper; in good taste
expedite
to speed up the process
idyllic
naturally peaceful
juxtapose
to place side by side
incadescent
brilliant; giving off heat or light
exasperate
to annoy thoroughly
discordant
lacking harmony or agreement
volatile
highly unstable, explosive
distend
to swell; expand
fecund
fertile, productive
sage
a wise man; to be wise through experience and reflecton
vacuous
lacking ideas or intelligence
deride
to ridicule
assail
to attack with words or force
benevolent
generous, kind
scrutinize
to examine very carefully
histrionic
overly dramatic
didactic
intended to teach; morally instructive
bucolic
charmingly rural
pretentious
making ridiculous claims
gullible
easily deceived
convivial
fond of partying; festive
discreet
sneaky, unnoticeable
discrete
unconnected, separate; distinct
fabricate
to lie
gesticulate
to make gestures, especially when speaking
laud
to praise, to applaud
belabor
to go over repeatedly or to an absurd extent
reiterate
to say again; repeat (once)
conflagration
huge fire; inferno
induce
cause to happen
soporific
causing sleep; very boring
anarchy
lawlessness; an absence of government or control
strident
shrill; high-pitched
nonchalant
not showing any concern or worry
malleable
easy to shape or bend
ludicrous
absurd; ridiculous
abridge
to shorten or condense
lethargy
sluggishness; laziness
recondite
hard to understand; over one’s head
conspicuous
standing out; obvious
archaic
ancient; outdated
imminent
just about to happen
predator
one that preys or destroys
coalesce
to fuse or unite
exult
to celebrate
exalt
to glorify
extraneous
irrelevant, unnecessary
incantation
a chant
assuage
to soothe; to relieve
insuperable
incapable of being overcome or solved
assiduous
hardworking, busy
indulgent
lenient; yielding to desire
avarice
greed for money or riches
squander
to waste
penurious
stingy, relating to great poverty
debunk
to prove wrong
eccentric
unconventional; a little kooky
desiccate
to dry out
diverse
different; various
loquacious
talking a lot or too much
maudlin
wallowing in self pity
farcical
absurd; ludicrous
vibrant
lively; full of vitality
virulent
extremely poisonous; full of hate
comtemptuous
expressing disdain; lack of respect
enigma
a mystery
labryinth
a maze (similar to a maze)
lucid
clear; easy to understand
repudiate
to reject; to disown; to renounce
superficial
relating to the surface; shallow
primordial
formed long ago; primitive
mellifluous
sweetly flowing
provincial
limited in outlook; narrow
contrite
admitting or feeling guilt
incessant
unceasing
foible
weakness, flaw, shortcoming in character
lacerate
to rip, maul, tear, mutilate, or mangle
harangue
mean, nasty, angry speech
exact
adj.: strictly correct, verb: demand of/from
abash
to embarrass
tact
skill in dealing with people in difficult situations
uncouth
crude; unrefined; awkward
fetish
an abnormally obsessive preoccupation or attachment; a fixation
phobia
a persistent illogical fear
masticate
to chew
laconic
not saying much; brief or concise
malevolent
wishing evil to others; malicious
meander
to wander around aimlessly
apex
tip; peak; summit; highest point
nadir
absolute lowest point
disseminate
to dispense objects; to distribute
emaciated
to be thin or weak
puissant
powerful, mighty
citadel
a fortress overlooking a city; a stronghold
atrophy
to wither away
ornate
elaborately or excessively decorated
austere
stern, as in manner; without excess, severely plain
cerebral
of or relating to the brain; intellectual in nature
incommodius
lacking space; uncomfortable
noisome
offensive; disgusting
cacophony
harsh sounds; disturbing noise
veritable
unquestionable; actual, true
verbatim
using exactly words, word for word
concurrent
at the same time; acting in conjuction
evade
to elude or avoid by cunning; to flee from a pursuer
impede
to obstruct or interfere with; to delay
askew
to one side; crooked
queue
to form or wait in line; a (waiting) line
accolade
award or honor
torrid
parched by the sun; hot; burning
trepidation
fear; state of anxiety that makes you tremble
fraught
laden; full; causing emotional distress
wane
to decrease gradually
oust
to eject; to force out; to banish
temerity
recklessness; wild craziness; disregard for danger
connoisseur
an expert, particularly in matter of art and task
asunder
in separate parts; apart from each other in position
raze
to tear down; to demolish to the ground
blighted
ruined; destroyed; withered
aghast
horrified
milieu
environment or surroundings
arduous
hard; difficult; tiresome
coterie
a circle of close associates or friends; inner circle
awry
twisted; crooked; out of whack; askew; wrong
table
to remove from consideration; postpone
