Semester 2 Vocabulary

roughneck

(n) someone who behaves in a rough, rude, or aggressive way; uneducated and foulmouthed

fractious

(adj.) tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable; easily angered

compell

(v) to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure ; to force someone to do something

corroborate

(v) to provide information that helps or proves someone else's statement or idea

peremptory

(adj) in an arrogant, bossy, or commanding manner; subject to no further debate or dispute; final (as in the law)

sumptuous

(adj) extremely expensive, rich, or luxurious

corruption

(n) a lessening of integrity, virtue, or moral principle; depravity

sensuous

(adj) affecting the senses in a pleasing way: pleasant, attractive or appealing in a way that produces or suggests feelings of physical or sexual pleasure

affectation

(n) the act of taking on or displaying an attitude or mode of behavior not natural to oneself or not genuinely felt

juxtaposition

(n) the act or instance of placing two or more things side by side, usually to spark comparison

subterfuge

(n) deception by cleverness or trickery in order to conceal, escape or evade

disillusionment

(n) having lost faith or trust in something: disappointed that something is not as good, valuable, true, etc., as it had seemed

coarse

(adj) lacking refinement or good taste

grotesque

(adj) strange or ugly in a way that is not normal or natural; extremely different from what is expected or usual

brood

(v) to think deeply about something that makes one unhappy

meretricious

(adj) attracting attention in a vulgar or flashy manner

incarnation

(n) an abstract idea or quality that takes human form

appalled

(adj) filled with horror or dismay

euphemism

(n) the act of substituting an agreeable or inoffensive expression for an offensive or unpleasant. one

ingratiate

(reflexive verb, use oneself) to try to get someone to favor or like you

ineffable

(adj) incapable of being expressed in words; too great, powerful, beautiful, etc., to be described or expressed

morbid

(adj) abnormally susceptible to or characterized by gloomy or unhealthy feelings

precipitately

(adv.) happening suddenly, violently, or with unwise speed

presumptuous

(adj) overstepping the bounds of proper behavior or courtesy; too confident, especially in a way that is rude

surmise

(v, n) thought or idea based on little evidence; a guess

incoherent

(adj) not able to express oneself in a way that can be easily understood; also, not logical or well organized

alienation

(n) a withdrawing or separation of a person or a person's affections from an object or position of former attachment

enchanted

(adj) to be bewitched, as if a spell has been cast; to be attracted and delighted

repulsion

(n) the act of pushing someone or something away; a feeling of strong dislike or disgust

nostalgia

(n) pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing you could experience it again

volition

(n) the power to make your own choices or decisions

inertia

(n) a lack of movement or activity especially when the movement or activity is wanted or needed; a feeling of not having the energy or desire that is needed to move, change, etc.

ambiguous

(adj) something that does not have a single clear meaning; having an often intentionally hidden or uncertain meaning

dispense with

(v) to no longer use or require (something): to get rid of (something)

zealous

(adj) feeling or showing strong or energetic support for a person or a cause

mortify

(v) to cause someone to feel very embarrassed or foolish

discredit

(v) loss of reputation or respect, often used with bring; to injure a person's reputation

fallible

(adj) capable of making a mistake or being wrong

imperative

(adj) not to be avoided or evaded; extremely important, necessary

censure

(v) to officially criticize someone for something that they have done wrong by expressing strong disapproval

paradox

(n) a seemingly contradictory statement that is nonetheless true

acquiescence

(n) agreement or consent by silence or without objection; to accept, or submit--often used with in and sometimes with to

vigil

(n) a period of watchful attention, especially during the normal hours for sleeping

rectitude

(n) the quality of being honest and morally correct

definitive

(adj) not ale to be argued about or changed: final and settled; complete, accurate, and considered to be the best of its kind

abstraction

(n) relating to or involving general ideas or qualities rather than specific people, objects, or actions; of art: expressing ideas and emotions by using elements such as colors and lines without attempting to create a realistic picture

aesthetic

(adj) of or relating to art or beauty

compulsion

(n) a strong and unreasonable desire to do something; also, the act of using force or pressure to make someone do something (used with under)

speculate

(v) to think about something and make a guess about it; to form ideas or theories about something when there are many things not known about it

discretion

(n) ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters; 2. the power, right, or opportunity to

affluent

(adj) having an abundance of wealth, property, or other material goods

premise

(n) a statement or idea that you accept as true and use as a base for developing other ideas

complicity

(n) association in or participation in an act, usually refers to a wrongful act

catharsis

(n) the act or process of releasing a string emotion (such as pity or fear), especially through art

distorted

(vt) to explain a fact or statement, or idea in a way that makes it seem to mean something different from what it really means

atrocity

an especially cruel or violent action, especially during a war; 2. Extremely unsatisfactory