vocab unit 2 Flashcards
accost
(v.) to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way
animadversion
(n.) a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval
avid
(adj.) desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager
brackish
(adj.) having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink
antithesis
(n.) the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced ideas (opposite)
aphorism
(n. ) 1. a tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion
2. a brief statement of a principle (Ex: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it)
celerity
(n.) swiftness, rapidity of motion or action
devious
(adj.) straying or wandering form a straight ir direct course; done or acting in a shifty ir underhanded way
gambit
(n.) in ches, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor place in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of tho type
halcyon
(n. ) a legendary bird identifies with the kingfisher;
(adj. ) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent
histrionic
(adj.) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic
incendiary
(adj. ) deliberately setting fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion;
(n. ) one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife
maelstrom
(n.) a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence or destruction
myopic
(adj.) nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment
overt
(adj.) open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized
pejorative
(adj.) tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling
propriety
(n. ) the state of being proper, appropriateness;
(pl. ) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable
sacrelige
(n.) improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred
summarily
(adv.) without delay or formality; briefly, concisely
suppliant
(adj. ) asking humbly and earnestly;
(n. ) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor
talisman
(n.) an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish
undulate
(v.) to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form
apostrophe
(n.) rhetorical term for breaking off discourse to address some absent person or thing.
argument
(n.) a course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating truth or falsehood.
asyndeton
(n.) the omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses (opposite of polysyndeton).
archetype
(n.) the original model or pattern from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a prototype.
