AP Lang Terms Flashcards
Define: Abhor
(v) to detest utterly, despise (abhorrence—n).
Define: Acquiesce
(v) to submit or comply silently or without protest
Define: Admonish
(v) to warn, caution, or reprimand firmly
Define: Ameliorate
(v) to make something better or more satisfactory; improve.
Define: Behoove
(v) to be necessary, proper, or worthwhile to, as for personal profit or advantage
Define: Chastise
(v) to discipline or punish; scold severely
Define: Debunk
(v) to expose a claim or assertion as being pretentious, false or exaggerated
Define: Demoralize
(v) to deprive a person or persons of spirit, courage, discipline, etc; destroy the morale of
Define: disseminate
(v) to scatter or spread widely; to disperse
Define: Edify
(v) Instruct or improve someone morally or intellectually
Define: Elucidiate
(v) to make clear; provide clarification
Define: Emulate
(v) to match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation.
Define: Entrench
(v) to establish firmly or solidify
Define: Eradicate/Obliterate
(v) to remove or destroy all traces of; do away with; annihilate
Define: Exacerbate
(v) to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of something, to aggravate
Define: Expatiate
(v) to elaborate on a topic in detail.
Define: Expedite
(v) to speed up the progress of; hasten
Define: Extol
(v) to praise highly or enthusiastically
Define: Facilitate
(v) to make easier or less difficult; to help forward an action, a process, etc.
Define: Foster
(v) to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage.
Define: Galvanize
(v) to shock or excite someone into taking sudden action.
Define: Garner
(v) to obtain, acquire, or earn
Define: Impede
(v) to delay in movement or progress by means of obstacles or hindrances; obstruct; diner (impediment-n)
Define: Implore
(v) beg someone earnestly or desperately to do something.
Define: Impute
(v) to credit to a source or cause.
Define: Inundate
(v) to flood or overwhelm
Define: Lampoon
(v) to publicly criticize someone or something by using ridicule or sarcasm
Define: Objectify
(v) to treat a person as a thing, with no regard to their dignity (objectification—n).
Define: Permeate
(v) to move into or through every part.
Define: Polarize
(v) to divide into sharply opposing fractions, political groups.
Define: Posits
(v) assume as a fact; put forward as a basis of argument
Define: Relegate
(v) to move to a position of less authority/importance
Define: Scrutinize
(v) to examine carefully (scrutiny—n)
Define: Segue
(v) to transition from one thing to another smoothly and without interruption.
Define: Subdue
(v) to conquer and bring into subjection; to overpower by force.
Define: Substantiate
(v) to establish or confirm by proof or competent evidence.
Define: Vacillate
(v) alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; to be indecisive
Define: Vindicate
(v) to clear form an accusation or suspicion; to justify or defend (vindication—n)
