Beyond the Key Terms 2 Flashcards
abjure
to renounce or reject solemnly; to recant; to avoid
adumbrate
to foreshadow or initiate; to suggest or outline sketchily; to obscure or overshadow
anathema
a solemn or ecclesiastical (religious) curse; accursed or throughly loathed person or thing
anodyne
soothing; something that assuages or allays pain or comforts
apogee
farthest or highest point; culmination; zenith
apostate
one who abandons long-held religious or political convictions
apotheosis
deification; glorification to godliness; an exalted example; a model of excellence or perfection
asperity
severity, rigor; roughness, harshness; acrimony, irritability
asseverate
at aver, allege, or assert
assiduous
diligent, hard-working, sedulous
augury
omen, portent
bellicose
belligerent, pugnacious, warlike
calumniate
to slander, to make a false accusation; calumny means slander, aspersion
captious
disposed to point out trivial faults; calculated to confuse or entrap in argument
cavil
to find fault without good reason
celerity
speed, alacrity; think accelerate
chimera
an illusion; originally, an imaginary fire-breathing she-monster
contumacious
insubordinate, rebellious; contumely means insult, scorn, aspersion
debacle
rout, fiasco, complete failure
denouement
an outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot
descry
to catch sight of
desuetude
disuse
desultory
random; aimless; marked by a lack of plan or purpose
diaphanous
transparent, gauzy
diffident
reserved, shy, unassuming; lacking in self-confidence
dirge
a song of grief or lamentation
encomium
glowing and enthusiastic praise; panegyric, tribute, eulogy
eschew
to shun or avoid
excoriate
to ensure scathingly, to upbraid
execrate
to denounce, to feel loathing for, to curse, to declare to be evil