Lit Vocab Flashcards
allication
distribution
ascetic
practicing self-denial; austere
beguile
to deceive, to mislead, to persuade with charm
crass
lacking sensitivity, refinement, or intelligence
defray
to supply the money for; to pay
dint
means; effort
enjoin
instruct or urge (someone) to do something
envoy
a representative or messenger
interloper
an intruder
vicarious
experiencing through another
perspective
a technique to illustrate how characters view and process the events of a story
point of view
the narrator’s position in relation. to the story being told
tone
a writer’s attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, imagery, details, language, and style
mood
the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader
free indirect style
third-person narration which uses some of the characteristics of third-person along with the essence of first-person direct speech
setting
where and when the story takes place
diction
the author or narrator’s word choice
dramatic irony
when a reader is aware of something that a character is not
situational irony
occurs when the outcome of a work is unexpected, or events turn out to be the opposite from what one had expected
verbal irony
a figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant
theme
a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work
imagery
the pattern of related comparative aspects of language, particularly of images, in literary work
admonish
warn or reprimand someone firmly
akimbo
with hands on hips and elbows turned outward
lassitude
a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy
licentious
morally unrestrained
muse
to think about in a dreamy way, ponder
pecuniary
having to do with money
plight
a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation
presumptuous
assuming too much; arrogant
subversive
in opposition to authority or government
vacuous
lacking ideas or intelligence
sonnet
a poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of former rhyme schemes, in English typically having ten syllables per line
meter
a regular pattern of stresses and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry
iambic pantameter
a poetic meter that is made up of 5 stressed syllables each followed by an unstressed syllable
enjambment
the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza
caesura
a strong pause within a line or verse
end-stopped line
a line that ends with a natural speech pause, usually marked by punctuation
assonance
repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity
conosonance
repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity
alliteration
repetition of initial consonant sounds
free verse
poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter
stanza
a group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit in a poem; a verse
avocation
a hobby or minor occupation
capricious
impulsive and unpredictable
disparity
inequality; difference
efficacy
the ability to produce a desired or intended result
epistle
a letter or literary composition in letter form
inexorable
impossible to stop or prevent
impetus
a moving force, impulse, stimulus
moribund
dying; at the point of death
reticent
not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily
vacillate
to waver; to sway indecisively
acerbic
biting, bitter in tone or taste
acrimonious
angry and bitter
brusque
short, abrupt, dismissive
didactic
instructive, intended to educate
elegiac
having a mournful quality
flippant
not showing a serious or respectful attitude
lugubrious
looking or sounding sad and dismal; mournful
pensive
thoughtful and sad
recalcitrant
stubbornly disobedient, resisting authority
wistful
vaguely longing, sadly thoughtful
insipid
lacing intrest or flavor
nefarious
wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards
retinue
group of followers or assistants attending a distinguished person
torrid
giving off intense heat, passionate
choleric
bad-tempered or irritable
suppliant
humbly imploring; pleading
feckless
weak; ineffective
indolent
wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy
ribald
marked by coarseness or lewdness; vulgar
impasse
blocked path; dilemma with no solution
abashed
emberrassed
ambiguous
open to more than one interpretation
boorish
rude; insensitive
churlish
lacking politeness or good manners; difficult to work with or deal with
ebullient
cheerful and full of energy
histrionic
overly dramatic
incredulous
disbelieving, skeptical
pompous
overly self-important in speech and manner
vindictive
having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge
