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English 9 Final

The Rivers School Honors English 9 Final 2008

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
durable
adj. lasting a long time; resisting wear and decay
vertigo
n. dizziness
cliché
n. expression or idea that is stale from overuse
exonerate
v. free from blame
melancholy
adj. sad, gloomy, depressed; n. sadness, gloom, depression
derogatory
adj. tending to make a person or thing seem lower or of less value; belittling; negative; discrediting
insensitivity
n. inability to be affected by; lack of sensitivity
pecuniary
adj. relating to money
admonish
v. warn, advise, or criticize to correct a fault
abominable
adj. utterly disgusting or hateful
limbo
n. place or state of neglect; period awaiting change; in-between state
matriarch
n. woman who rules a family, clan, tribe, or group
pittance
n. small amount or portion, especially of money
gullible
adj. easily deceived, tricked, cheated
conjugal
adj. of marriage; pertaining to the relationship between husband and wife
precedent
n. something said or done earlier that serves as an example or justification
hierarchy
n. person or things arranged in a graded series or rank
divert
v. turn aside from a purpose, course, path; distract; amuse
fathom
v. understand, figure out, penetrate the meaning of
jurisdiction
n. legal authority, especially in regard to its range or extent
sanguine
adj. cheerful, confident, hopeful
accolade
n. high praise, award, honor
concede
v. grant or admit as true or right; yield, give up
anarchy
n. absence of government or law; confusion, disorder
fatal
adj. causing or capable of causing death and destruction
stymie
v. block, hinder, frustrate
venerate
v. regard with great respect
sycophant
n. sickeningly humble self-seeking flatterer
avert
v. turn away; prevent
pedigree
n. ancestry or record of ancestry, line of descent
dissension
n. strong disagreement, quarreling
indict
v. accuse of a crime, especially to put a subject on trial after being accused of a crime
bacchanal, bacchanalia
n. wild, drunken party
somnolent
adj. sleepy, drowsy; causing sleep
monarch
n. ruler of person who holds a dominant position, especially a hereditary ruler like a king, queen, emperor or sultan
endure
v. exist, last; bear, put up with patiently
recede
v. move backward; slope or slant backward
despotic
adj. tyrannical, oppressive
bombast
n. speech or writing that sounds grand or important but has little meaning
maverick
n. independent person
patriarch
n. father or leader of a family or group; dignified old man
adamant
adj. unyielding, inflexible, definite
sententious
adj. concise and full of meaning; using or full of proverbs and old sayings in a self-important, high-sounding, or boring way
intercede
v. ask or plead for another; help settle a dispute or bring about an agreement between differing parties
malediction
n. curse
stentorian
adj. very loud
abrogate
v. abolish, repeal, cancel, legally do away with
tawdry
adj. showy and cheap
obdurate
adj. stubborn, unyielding, hardhearted
irony
n. expression that means the opposite of what is stated; event or result the opposite of what is expected
anachronism
n. something out of its proper historical time; error of putting something in the wrong historical time
choleric
adj. easily angered; grouchy; quick-tempered
disparage
v. refer to something as having little importance; speak slightingly of
insensible
adj. unable to feel; unaware; unconscious
malapropism
n. ridiculous or humorous misuse of words
hedonist
n. one who lives only for pleasure
banal
adj. ordinary, uninteresting, pointless
impecunious
adj. having little or no money; poor
sadistic
adj. getting pleasure from hurting others
effete
adj. worn-out, unproductive, barren
assent
n. agreement; v. agree
plagiarize
v. use ideas or writings of another and present them as one's own
subvert
v. overthrow (something established; undermine)
homage
n. action showing respect and honor
mnemonic
adj. assisting memory
alleviate
v. relieve; lessen or make more bearable (pain, evil, suffering)
tribulation
n. great suffering, misery, or distress
paradox
n. seemingly self-contradictory statement (possibly true), condition, or person
serendipity
n. ability to make lucky discoveries by chance or accident
penitent
adj. feeling sorry and willing to atone or make up for sin or wrongdoing
bellwether
n. leader
hyperbole
n. obviously extravagant statement or assertion
vindicate
v. clear from blame, charges, criticism; justify
nonchalant
adj. casually unconcerned
secede
v. withdraw formally form membership, especially from a political or religious association
charlatan
n. deceiver who falsely claims to have knowledge or skill; impostor
preposterous
adj. ridiculous, obviously absurd, contrary to reason
diabolic
adj. outrageously wicked; cruel; devilish
duress
n. force or threats to make someone do something
ominous
adj. threatening; suggestive of future evil
desultory
adj. random, unmethodical, aimless
sentiment
n. feeling or opinion
chimerical
adj. given to wildly impossible plans, unrealistic, fantastic, impractical
Spartan
adj. severe, rigorous, disciplined
guile
n. deceit, treachery
iridescent
adj. showing rainbow-like colors
presentiment
n. vague expectation or feeling of something about to happen
nihilist
n. one who rejects all religious, moral, and traditional values, practices, and institutions
arrogant
adj. showing an excessive and unpleasant sense of superiority; overbearingly proud; haughty
spurn
v. scornfully refuse or reject
titanic
adj. enormous in size or strength
consensus
n. general agreement, majority opinion, harmony
urbane
adj. sophisticated, smooth, polite, polished in manner
esoteric
adj. known or understood only be a select few
vegetate
v. lead a dull, inactive, useless life
interrogate
v. question formally, closely, systematically
cajole
v. persuade by flattery, promises, pleasant or misleading words
prerogative
n. exclusive or special right or privilege
gadfly
n. person who continually annoys others
nefarious
adj. extremely wicked
duration
n. time something lasts or continues
diction
n. stye or choice of words, especially in regard to pronunciation
pariah
n. social outcast
sensual
adj. enjoying bodily pleasures; pertaining to the body and the senses rather than the mind or spirit
trite
adj. uninteresting because of overuse; lacking originality and freshness
farce
n. ridiculous, light comedy; slapstick comedy; absurd thing; mockery
asinine
adj. stupid or silly
diatribe
n. violent, angry, bitter attack in words
draconian
adj. severe, harsh, cruel
edict
n. public command or order by one in high authority; decree
revert
v. return to a former condition
dissent
n. disagreement; v. disagree
vindictive
adj. revengeful
undermine
v. weaken gradually; injure or destroy secretly or underhandedly; dig beneath or wear away from under
Achilles' heel
n. weak point
plummet
v. fall rapidly straight down
phlegmatic
adj. sluggish, not easily excited
pragmatic
adj. practical
dunce
n. stupid person
macabre
adj. gruesome, horrible, causing fear, suggesting the horror of death

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