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Chapter 3 English Vocab

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
aromatic
sweet-scented, fragrant
attenuate
make thin; weaken
lament
mourn; deplore
dipsomania
abnormal, uncontrollable craving for alcohol; alcoholism
levity
lack of proper seriousness; trifling gaiety; frivolity
heterodox
rejecting regularly accepted beliefs or doctrines; heretical; nonconformist
dilemma
situation requiring a choice between two equally bad alternatives; predicament
dross
waste, refuse
symmetry
balance; harmony
jocose
given to jesting; playfully humorous; jocular
incense
substance yielding a pleasant odor when burned
sublimate
redirect the energy or a person's bad impulses into socially and morally higher channels; purify, refine
filial
of or like a son or daughter
aversion
strong dislike; repugnance; antipathy
axiomatic
self-evident; universally accepted as true
dregs
most worthless part; sediment at the bottom of a liquid
ascetic
shunning pleasures, self-denying, austere
puerile
foolish for a grown person to say or do; childish
brazen
shameless; impudent; made of brass or bronze
progeny
offspring; children; descendants
diffident
lacking self-confidence; unduly timid; shy
venerable
worthy of respect because of advanced age, achievement, virtue, or historical importance
laudable
praiseworthy; commendable
travesty
imitation that makes a serious thing seem ridiculous; mockery
lamentable
pitiable; rueful
paramount
chief; above others; supreme
juxtaposition
close or side-by-side position
patriarch
father and ruler of a family or tribe; founder; highly respected old man
sophistry
clever but deceptive reasoning
humiliate
lower the pride, position, or dignity of; abase; degrade; mortify
relevant
bearing upon the matter in hand; pertinent
unsavory
unpleasant to taste or smell; morally offensive
droll
odd and laughter-provoking
libel
false and defamatory printed (or written) statement
sinuous
bending in and out; winding; serpentine
axiom
self-evident truth; maxim
inveterate
firmly established by age; deep-rooted
primeval
pertaining to the world's first ages; primitive
nostalgia
homesickness; yearning for the past
dogmatic
asserting opinions as if they were facts; opinionated; asserted without proof; doctrinaire
malodorous
ill-smelling; stinking; fetid; unpleasantly odorous
menagerie
place where animals are kept and trained; collection of wild animals
illusion
misleading appearance; false impression; misconception
puberty
physical beginning of manhood (about age 14) or womanhood (about age 12)
astringent
substance that shrinks tissues and checks flow of blood
obsolete
no longer in use; out-of-date
earthy
down-to-earth; realistic; coarse; low
adulation
excessive praise; flattery
ecstatic
in ecstasy; enraptured
curry favor
seek to gain favor by flattery
matriarch
mother and ruler of a family or tribe; founder; highly respected old woman
obsequious
showing excessive willingness to serve; subservient; fawning
parasitic
living at the expense of another; sponging
haggard
careworn; gaunt
jubilant
showing great joy; rejoicing; exultant
rank
having a strong, bad odor or taste; offensively gross or coarse; extreme
adolescent
teenager
lionize
treat as highly important
declivity
downward slope
molt
shed feathers, skin, hair, etc.
satiric/satirical
giving to or expressing satire
loath
unwilling; averse; disinclined; reluctant
indubitable
certain; incontrovertible; indisputable
climactic
arranged in order of increasing force and interest
ingratiate
work (oneself) into favor
squalid
filthy from neglect; dirty; degraded
decrepit
weakened by old age
cajole
persuade by pleasant words; wheedle; coax
grave
deserving serious attention; weighty; momentous
juvenile
of or for youth; youthful; immature
dejection
lowness of spirits; sadness; depression
rotund
rounded out; pump; full-toned
fraternal
of or like a brother
crux
most important point; essential part
adjacent
lying near or next to; bordering; adjoining
noisome
offensive to smell; disgusting; harmful; noxious
humble
of low position or condition; not proud; unpretentious; modest; courteously respectful
toxic
poisonous
doldrums
calm, windless part of the ocean near the equator; listlessness
criterion
standard; rule or test for judging
acclivity
upward slope
badger
tease; annoy; nag
slatternly
untidy; dirty from habitual neglect; slovenly
ludicrous
exciting laughter; ridiculous; farcical; absurd
jubilation
rejoicing; exultation
modesty
freedom from conceit or vanity; unpretentious; humility
olfactory
pertaining to the sense of smell
rationalize
invent excuses for one's actions, desires, failures, etc
dejected
sad; in low spirits; depressed; downcast
therapeutic
curative
convalescent
person recovering from sickness
morbid
gruesome; having to do with disease
bigotry
views or behavior of a bigot; narrow-mindedness; intolerance
sloven
person habitually untidy, dirty, or careless in dress, habit, etc.
adolescent
growing from childhood to adulthood; roughly, of the teenage period
offal
waste parts of a butchered animal; refuse; garbage
arbitrary
autocratic; despotic; tyrannical; proceeding from a whim or fancy
squalor
filth; degradation; sordidness
carousal
drinking party; drunken revelry
derogatory
expressing low esteem; belittling; disparaging
hoary
white or gray with age; ancient
ostentatious
done to impress others; showy; pretentious
frolic
play and run around happily; have fun; romp
sarcasm
sneering and often ironic language intended to hurt a person's feelings
consanguinity
blood relationship
tenable
capable of being maintained or defended; defensible
environs
districts surrounding a place; suburbs
fester
form pus; rankle; rot; putrefy
jettison
throw (goods) overboard to lighten a ship or plane; discard
coy
pretending to be shy
malign
speak evil of; vilify; traduce
prelapsarian
of the time or state before the fall of mankind
libelous
injurious to reputation; defamatory; calumnious
fallacious
based on fallacy; misleading; deceptive
convivial
fond of eating and drinking with friends, sociable
gala
characterized by festivity
disconsolate
cheerless; inconsolable
viral
caused by a virus
antediluvian
antiquated; belonging to the time before the Biblical Flood
stigma
mark of disgrace
obese
extremely overweight; corpulent
brine
salty water; ocean; sea; the deep
expurgate
remove objectionable material from a book; bowdlerize; purify
scent
get a suspicion of
nonagenarian
person 90-99 years old
abyss
bottomless depth; immeasurable great space
genealogy
a person's or family's descent; lineage; pedigree
glum
moody; gloomy; dour
maternal
of or like a mother
sot
person made foolish by excessive drinking, drunkard
alacrity
cheerful willingness; readiness; liveliness
aviary
place where birds are kept
propinquity
kinship; nearness of place; proximity
svelte
slender; lithe
bow
forward part of a ship; prow
profound
very deep; deeply felt; intellectually deep
buoyant
cheerful; able to float
lank
lean; ungracefully talk; lanky
elated
in high spirits; joyful
disgruntled
in bad humor; displeased; discontented
acme
highest point; pinnacle; summit
apogee
farthest point from the earth in the orbit of a heavenly body; highest point; culmination
banter
playful teasing; joking; raillery
benign
not dangerous; gentle, kindly
pudgy
short and plump; chubby
marine
of the sea or shipping; nautical; maritime
flippant
treating serious matter lightly
longevity
long life; length of life
loathe
have an intense aversion to; detest
elation
state of being elated; euphoria
kith and kin
friends and relatives; kindred
starboard
pertaining the right-hand side of a ship when you are on deck and facing the bow
volition
will
eminence
high rank
malignant
threatening to cause death; very evil
preeminent
standing out above others; superior
inebriated
drunk; intoxicated
mature
full-grown; ripe; carefully thought out
facetious
in the habit of joking; said in jest without serious intent
paradoxical
having the characteristics of a paradox
egoism
excessive concern for oneself; selfishness; conceit
kudos
fame or praise due to achievement
flotsam
wreckage of a ship or its cargo found floating on the sea; driftage
doleful
causing grief or sadness; mournful; dolorous; lugubrious
nostalgic
homesick
eclectic
choosing from various sources; selective
paltry
practically worthless; trashy; piddling; petty
sycophant
parasitic flatterer; truckler
plight
unfortunate state; predicament
calumnious
falsely and maliciously accusing; defamatory; slanderous
contemporary
of the same period or duration; modern; up-to-date
anticlimax
abrupt decline from the dignified or important to the trivial or ludicrous; comedown; bathos
immunize
make immune (resistant from disease)
posthumous
published after the author's death; occurring after death
rational
able to think clearly; having the power to reason
satire
language or writing that exposes follies or abuses by holding them up to ridicule
lackey
follower who carries out another's wishes like a servant; toady
virulent
extremely poisonous; deadly; venomous; very bitter
complacent
to be too pleased with one's self - often without awareness or possible dangers or defects; self-satisfied; smug
laudatory
expressing praise; eulogistic
vertex
farthest point opposite the base, as in a triangle or pyramid; apex
ironic/ironical
containing or expressing irony
purge
cleanse; purify; rid of undesired element or person
menial
low; mean; subservient; servile
slander
false and defamatory spoken statement; calumny
speculate
reflect; meditate; conjecture; buy or sell with the hope of profiting by price fluctuations
complacency
self-satisfaction; smugness
carrion
decaying flesh of a carcass
convalesce
recover health after illness; recuperate
approximate
nearly correct
crone
withered old woman
overweening
thinking too highly of oneself; arrogant; presumptuous
lesion
injury; hurt
chasm
deep breach; wide gap or rift
virus
disease-causing substance too small to be seen through a microscope; corruptive force
infantile
of or like an infant or infancy; childish
bigoted
intolerant; narrow-minded
buoy
keet afloat; raise the spirits of; encourage
antidote
remedy for a poison or evil
demure
falsely modest or serious; coy; grave; prim
obesity
excessive body weight; corpulence
juxtapose
put side by side; put close together
encomium
speech or writing of high praise; tribute; eulogy; panegyric
sullen
resentfully silent; glum; morose; gloomy
immaculate
spotless; absolutely clean; pure; faultless
humility
freedom from pride; humbleness; lowliness; modesty
abstemious
sparing in eating and drinking; temperate; abstinent
blithe
merry; joyous
sebaceous
greasy; secreting sebum
mariner
sailor; seaman
distort
twist out of shape; change from the true meaning
eulogize
praise; extol; laud; glorify
progenitor
forefather; ancestor
sober
not drunk; temperate; serious; free from excitement or exaggeration
scent
smell; perfume
blandishment
word or deed of mild flattery; allurement; enticement
pungent
sharp in smell or taste; acrid; biting; stimulating
chagrin
embarrassment; mortification; disappointment
immunity
resistance (to a disease); freedom; exemption
hypothetical
supposed; having the characteristics of a hypothesis
parrot
repeat mechanically, like a parrot
senile
showing the weakness of age
veteran
person experienced in some occupation, art, or profession; ex-member of the armed forces
ornithology
study of birds
tribulation
suffering; distress
bias
opinion formed before there are grounds for it; prejudice; predilection; partiality
orthodox
generally accepted, especially in religion; conventional; approved
stigmatize
brand with a mark of disgrace
staid
settled; of quiet disposition; sedate
contaminate
make impure by mixture; pollute; defile
unguent
salve; ointment
pestilential
morally harmful; pertaining to a pestilence; deadly
reek
emit a strong, disagreeable smell; be permeated with
apiary
place where bees are kept
cherubic
chubby and innocent-looking; like a cherub
emaciated
made unnaturally thin; abnormally lean because of starvation or illness
preposterous
senseless; absurd; irrational
burly
strongly and heavily built; husky
concave
curved inward, creating a hollow space
plumb
get to the bottom of; ascertain the depth of; fathom
halcyon
calm; peaceful
sarcastic
given to or expressing sarcasm
sully
tarnish; besmirch; defile
consummate
perfect; superb; carried to the highest degree
conviviality
sociability
compunction
regret; remorse; misgiving; qualm; scruple
irony
species of humor whose intended meaning is the opposite of the words used; state of affairs contrary to what would normally be expected
deduce
derive by reasoning; infer
teetotaler
person who totally abstains from intoxicating beverages
truckle
submit in subservient manner to a superior; fawn; make a doormat of oneself
superannuated
retired on a pension; advanced in years; very old; incapacitated by age
acclaim
welcome with approval; applaud loudly
precipitous
steep as a precipice; hasty, rash
sublime
elevated; noble; exalted; uplifting
pensive
thoughtful in a sad way; melancholy
salubrious
healthful
abject
deserving contempt; sunk to a low condition; wretched
analogy
likeness in some respects between things otherwise different; similarity; comparison
exalt
lift up with joy, pride, etc.; elate; raise in rank, dignity, etc.; extol, glorify
callow
young and inexperienced; unfledged
putrid
stinking from decay; extremely bad; corrupt
contrition
repentance; remorse; penitence
paternal
of or like a father
ravine
deep, narrow gorge worn by running water
gentility
good manners; gentry; upper class
plausible
apparently trustworthy; superficially true or reasonable
amorphous
shapeless; having no definite form; unorganized
cajolery
persuasion by flattery; allurement; enticement
delectable
very pleasing; delightful
poignant
painfully touching, piercing
primordial
existing at the very beginning; elementary; primary; first in order
precipice
very steep or overhanging place; cliff
throes
anguish; pangs
malleable
capable of being shaped by hammering, as a metal; adaptable; pliant
cogitate
think over; consider with care; ponder; deliberate
fusty
stale-smelling; musty; moldy
obsolescent
going out of use; becoming obsolete
rancid
unpleasant to smell or taste from being spoiled or stale
nadir
lowest point
modest
not thinking too highly of one's merits; unpretentious; humble
harlequin
buffoon; clown
jetsam
goods cast overboard to lighten a ship in distress
yore
long ago)
sardonic
bitterly sarcastic; mocking; sneering
ethereal
of the heavens; celestial; airy; delicate; intangible
plaudit
applause; enthusiastic praise; acclaim
hilarious
boisterously merry; very funny
pristine
in original, long-ago state; uncorrupted
aroma
pleasant odor; bouquet
contiguous
touching; adjoining
ecstasy
state of overwhelming joy; rapture
bliss
perfect happiness
vain
conceited; excessively proud or concerned about one's personal appearance or achievements; empty; worthless; futile
maudlin
weekly sentimental and tearful
forebear
forefather; ancestor; progenitor
parasite
animal, plant, or person living on others; freeloader
sordid
filthy; vile
nugatory
of little or no value; trifling; worthless; useless
nonage
legal minority; period before maturity
sibling
one or two or more children of a family
archaic
no longer used; except in a special context; old-fashioned
involuntary
not done of one's own free will; automatic; unintentional; spontaneous
abysmal
deep; profound; immeasurably great (in a bad way)
leeward
in the direction away from the wind
zenith
highest point; culmination; point in the heavens directly overhead
pathos
quality in events or art that arouses pity
defunct
dead; deceased; extinct
vainglorious
excessively proud or boastful; elated by vanity
imputation
charge, especially an unjust or false charge; insinuation; accusation
pert
too free in speech or action; bold; saucy; impertinent; lively; spirited
astringent
severe, stern; causing contraction
chagrined
ashamed; mortified
jocund
merry; cheerful; lighthearted
scavenger
animal or person removing refuse, decay, etc.
arbitrate
decide a dispute, acting as a judge
contour
outline of a figure
regimen
set of rules, especially to improve health
hypochondriac
one who is morbidly anxious about personal health, or suffering from imagined illness
fragrant
having a pleasant odor; pleasantly odorous or odoriferous
caricature
drawing, imitation, or description that ridiculously exaggerates peculiarities or defects
blissful
very happy
sobriety
temperance; abstinence
vanity
condition of being too vain about one's appearance or achievements; conceit
pathetic
arousing pity
fulsome
offensive because of insincerity; repulsive; disgusting
hilarity
noisy gaiety; mirth; jollity; glee
contrite
showing deep regret and sorrow for wrongdoing; deeply penitent; repentant; remorseful
eminent
standing out; notable; famous
frolicsome
full of merriment; playful
parody
humorous imitation
symmetrical
balanced in arrangement; capable of division by a central line into similar halves
specious
superficially true, reasonable, attractive, or just, but not really so
fallible
liable to be mistaken
buxom
plump and attractive
nepotism
favoritism to relatives by those in power

Deck Info

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