Vocab Flashcards
(128 cards)
1
Q
Definition of assuage
A
Verb
To Make easier or milder, relieve, to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease satisfy, quench
2
Q
Definition of decadent
A
Adj
So enjoyable that it’s bad. Sinfully good,
leading to decay or deterioration
3
Q
Definition of decadence
A
Noun
Excessive self indulgence
leading to decay or decline
sinfully good
4
Q
Definition of Elicit
A
Verb
To draw forth: bring out from some source (such as another person)
5
Q
Definition of Expostulate
A
Verb
To attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning
6
Q
Definition of Hiatus
A
Noun
A gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing)
7
Q
Innuendo
A
Noun
A hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense)
8
Q
Intercede
A
Verb
To plead on behalf of someone else
To serve as a third party or go between
Synonym: intervene
9
Q
Lurid
A
Adjective
Causing shock, horror, or revulsion
10
Q
Petulant
A
Adjective
Peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated or upset
11
Q
Aplomb
A
Noun
Poise, great self-confidence
12
Q
Bombastic
A
Adjective
Pompous or overblown in language. Words intended to conceal a lack of ideas
13
Q
Callow
A
Adjective
Without experience, immature
14
Q
Transcend
A
Verb
To rise above or exceed
15
Q
Unctuous
A
Adj.
Excessively smooth or smug, trying too hard to act sincere
16
Q
Parallelism
A
Similarly structured phrases, words, or clauses
16
Q
Anadiplosis
A
Repetition of the last word of one claus at the beginning of the next
16
Q
Anaphora
A
Repetition of a group of words at the beginning of successive clauses.
16
Q
Epistrophe
A
Repetition of a group of words at the end of successive clauses
16
Q
Antimetabole
A
Repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order
16
Q
Implied metaphor
A
A metaphor imbedded in a sentence rather than stated explicitly
16
Q
Oxymoron
A
Juxtaposed words with contradictory meanings
16
Q
Paradox
A
A statement that seems untrue on the surface but is true
16
Q
Metonymy
A
An entity referred to by something with which it is associated
16
Synecdoche
A part of something used to refer to the whole
16
Colloquial
Ordinary or familiar diction
17
Vernacular
Language or dialect of a certain group
18
Anglo-Saxon diction
Word choice characterized by simple words with no root
19
Latinate diction
Words that come from Latin or Greek roots
20
Exhort
Verb
To urge strongly, advise earnestly
Negative connotation
21
Ingratiate
Verb
To make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others
Brown nosy connotation
Reflexive
22
Intrinsic
Adjective
| Belonging to someone or something by its nature, inherent. Natural
23
Permeate
Verb
| To spread through, penetrate, soak through
24
Precipitate
Verb
| to cause or bring about suddenly
25
Stringent
Adj.
Strict, severe, sharp or bitter
(Can't describe a person as stringent)
26
Surmise
Verb can be noun, but don't use that
| To think or believe without certain supporting evidence, infer. Like presume
27
Ascribe
Verb
You ascribe something to someone
To assign or refer to; attribute
28
Circuitous
Adj
Can be both metaphorical and literal
Roundabout, not direct
29
Commiserate
Verb
| To sympathize verbally with; have pity or sorrow for; share a feeling of distress
30
Cliche
A trite expression- figure of speech whose effectiveness has been worn out
31
Collocation/idiom
A familiar grouping of words
Zero tolerance
32
Double entendre
Figure of speech where a word or phrase can be understood in two ways
33
Antanaclasis/ antistasis
Words that sound identical but have different meanings
34
Paranomasia
Words kinda similar in sound but different in meaning
35
Syllepsis
Word used differently in relation to two other words.
36
Enjoin
Verb
To direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to command
You enjoin someone to do something
37
Expiate
Verb
To make amends; make up for-
You expiate an emotion
38
Inadvertent
Adjective
| Accidental, unintentional
39
Nominal
Adj
1. So small that it's not taken seriously, negligible
2. Adjectival form of "noun"
40
Proclivity
Noun
| Natural or habitual inclination or tendency, penchant
41
Gerund
A verbal ending in "ing" that functions as a noun in a sentence
42
Infinitive
A verbal (often preceded by "to") that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb
43
Split infinitives
When the infinitive is interrupted with another word, typically an adverb or adverbial phrase
44
Agreement
The correspondence of a verb with its subject or pronoun/antecedent agreement
45
Accumulation
Speaker or writer gathers scattered points and lists them together
46
Auxesis
A gradual increase in intensity of meaning with words arranged in ascending order of force or importance
47
Inversion
A figure in which language takes a sudden turn-- usually an interruption
48
Hyperbaton
A figure of speech that used disruption or inversion of customary word order to produce a distinctive effect
49
Seditious
(Adj.) resistant to lawful authority. Having the purpose of overthrowing an established government
50
Tenuous
Adj
Thin, slender (not literal) not dense, lacking clarity or sharpness, of slight importance or significance, lacking a sound basis, poorly supported
51
Vitriolic
Adj
Bitter, sarcastic, biting
Used to describe language or tone
52
Wheedle
Verb
| To coax through flattery, cajole
53
Affable
Adj
| Courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to talk to
54
Fetter
Noun
A chain or shackle placed on the feet (usually used in plural); anything that confines or restrained
Verb-- more common
To chain or shackle; to make helpless
55
Megalomania
Noun
| A delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc. far in excess of reality
56
Megalomaniac
Someone who thinks they have much more power than they really do
57
Surreptitious
Adj
| Super sneaky
58
Transgress
Verb
| To go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law
59
Vicarious
Adj
| Performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another
60
Syllogism
| Syllogistic reasoning
```
Logical reasoning from inarguable premises
A=B
B=C
So
A=C
```
61
Enthymeme
```
Logical reasoning with one premise left unstated
A=B
B sorta equals C
A maybe equals C
Leave b sorta equals c out
```
62
Allegory
The recounting of an unreal series of experiences bearing such close resemblance to reality as to encourage the reader to make the association
Extended metaphor
Exists on a literal level
Also has deeper meaning
63
Allusion
A reference to a person, place, event or other source meant to create an effect or enrich the meaning of an idea.
Hints to someone who has background knowledge
64
Anecdote
A story
| Can be first person or third person
65
Anachronism
Something that doesn't fit in with the time period of the rest of the work
66
Symbol
Something that represents something else
67
Understatement
The ironic minimizing of fact, presents something as less significant than it is
68
Analogy
A comparison to a directly parallel case. Argues that a claim reasonable for one case is reasonable for the analogous case
69
Jargon
The specialized vocabulary of a particular group
| Has to do with skill
70
Austere
Adj
| Severe or stern in manner, simple, plain
71
Concoct
V
| To prepare by combining ingredients
72
Crass
Adj
| Coarse, unfeeling, stupid
73
Debase
V
| To lower in quality, degrade,
74
Desecrate
V
| To commit sacrilege on, to contaminate or pollute
75
Adage/aphorism
A saying or proverb embodying a piece of common wisdom based on experience and often metaphorical
76
Epistle/epistolary
A poem or other literary work in the form of a letter or series of letters
77
Epigraph
A quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of theme
Not written by the author themselves.
78
Homily
A sermon, but more informal. It can include serious talk, speech or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice
79
Eulogy
A formal expression of praise for someone who has recently died
80
Disconcert
To confuse
81
Inconsequential
Trifling, unimportant
82
Mitigate
To make milder or softer, to moderate in force or intensity
83
Punctilious
Very careful and exact, attention to fine points
84
Reprove
To find fault with, scold, rebuke
85
Asyndeton
The epic omission of conjunctions between related words or clauses
Puts emphasis on the last one
86
Anthimeria
The substitution of one part of speech for another
87
Juxtaposition
Placing things side by side for the purpose of comparison
88
Antithesis
| Antithetical
Juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas, highlights differences
89
Apology
An elaborate statement justifying a controversial position
90
Synesthesia
Describe something using a different sense
| "The sun is silent"
91
Vulnerable
Unprotected
92
Restitution
The act of restoring someone or something to the rightful owner or former state
93
Acrimonious
Stinging, bitter in tone
94
Consternation
Dismay,confusion
95
Corpulent
Fat, having a large bulky body
96
Invective
An emotionally violent verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language
97
Appositive
A noun or noun phrase that follows another noun immediately or define or amplifies it's meaning
Ex. Mousse, the dog
98
Epithet
A word or phrase adding a characteristic to a person's name
| Richard the lion heart
99
Antonomasia
Substitution of a title, epithet, or descriptive phrase for a proper name
100
Dysphemism/cacophemism
Substitution of a more offensive or disparaging word or phrase for one considered less offensive. Cacophemism sounds unpleasant
Dysphemism uses descriptive or metaphorical language
101
Euphemism
An indirect expression of unpleasant information, sounds better than it actually is.
102
Disavow
To deny responsibility for or connection with
103
Dissension
Disagreement, sharp difference of opinion
104
Dissipate
To cause to disappear or scatter
105
Gauntlet
An armored or protected glove, a challenge
106
Impugn
To call into question, to attack as false
107
Intemperate
Immoderate, lacking in self control
108
Relegate
To place in lower position, to assign, Refer
109
Squeamish
Inclined to nausea, easily shocked or upset
110
Susceptible
Open to, easily influenced
111
Adjunct
Something added as helpful or useful but not essential
112
Polysyndeton
The deliberate and excessive use of conjunctions
113
Subject complement
A word that renames or describes the subject
114
Predicate adjective
A word that describes the subject
115
Predicate nominative
A word that renames the subject
116
Undertone
A hidden tone
117
Loose sentence
```
Gives everything up at the beginning
Independent class at the beginning
```
118
Periodic sentence
Saves the important stuff until right before the period- independent clause at the end
