The Great Gatsby Vocabulary

privy

adj. participating in the knowledge of something private or secret

feign

v. to represent fictitiously; put on an appearance of

levity

n. lightness of mind, character, or behavior; lack of appropriate seriousness or earnestness

abortive

adj. unsuccessful; born prematurely; imperfectly developed

wistfully/wistful

adv./adj. characterized by melancholy; longing; yearning

acute

adj. sharp or severe in effect; intense

supercilious

adj. haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression; arrogant

pungent

adj. sharply affecting the organs of taste or smell, as if by a penetrating power; biting

buoy(ed)

v. to keep afloat or support by or as if by a life buoy; keep from sinking

reciprocal

adj. given or felt by each toward the other; mutual

languid

adj. lacking in vigor or vitality; slack or slow

unobtrusively

adv. not noticeably

infinitesimal

adj. indefinitely or exceedingly small; minute

complacency

n. a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.

corroborate

v. to make more certain; confirm

peremptory

adj. leaving no opportunity for denial or refusal; imperative; positive or assertive in speech, tone, manner, etc.

intimation

n. a hint; suggestion

contiguous

adj. touching; in contact

anemic

adj. lacking power, vigor, vitality, or colorfulness; listless; weak

discreet

adj. judicious in one's conduct or speech, especially with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; modestly unobtrusive

indeterminate

adj. not clear; vague

rakish

adj. smart; jaunty; dashing; having an appearance suggesting speed

hauteur/haughty

n. haughty manner or spirit; arrogance; pride
adj. disdainfully proud; snobbish; scornfully arrogant; supercilious

shiftless

adj. lacking in resourcefulness or incentive; inefficient; lazy

innuendo

n. an indirect intimation about a person or thing, especially of a disparaging or a derogatory nature

prodigality

n. wasteful extravagance in spending

vehement

adj. strongly emotional; intense or passionate

homogeneity

n. composition from like parts, elements, or characteristics; state or quality of being homogeneous

staid

adj. of settled or sedate character; not flighty or capricious

vacuous

adj. without contents; empty

florid

adj. flowery; excessively ornate; showy

corpulent

adj. large or bulky of body; portly; stout; fat

echolalia

n. the uncontrollable and immediate repetition of words spoken by another person; the imitation by a baby of the vocal sounds produced by others, occurring as a natural phase of childhood development

jaunty

adj. easy and sprightly in manner or bearing

inept

adj. inappropriate; unsuitable; out of place

asunder

adv./adj. into separate parts; in or into pieces

din

n. a loud, confused noise; a continued loud or tumultuous sound; noisy clamor

enjoin

v. to prescribe (a course of action) with authority or emphasis; to direct or order to do something

chasm

n. a yawning fissure or deep cleft in the earth's surface; gorge

subterfuge

n. an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.

insolent

adj. boldly rude or disrespectful; contemptuously impertinent; insulting

punctilious

adj. strict or exact in the observance of the formalities or amenities of conduct or actions

disconcerting

adj. disturbing to one's composure or self-possession; upsetting; confusing, usually in the face of something totally unexpected

retribution

n. requital according to merits or deserts, especially for evil; something given or inflicted in such requital; repayment

incredulity

n. the quality or state of being incredulous; inability or unwillingness to believe

somnambulatory

adj. like sleepwalking

harrowed

adj. disturbed; distressed

defunct

adj. no longer in effect or use; not operating or functioning

obstinate

adj. firmly or stubbornly adhering to one's purpose, opinion, etc.; not yielding to argument, persuasion, or entreaty

vestige

n. a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence

nebulous

adj. hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused

insidious

adj. stealthily treacherous or deceitful; operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect

meretricious

adj. alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry; based on pretense, deception, or insincerity; pertaining to or characteristic of a prostitute

conceit

n. something that is conceived in the mind; a thought; idea

ineffable

adj. incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible

debauchee (debauchery)

n. a person addicted to excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures; excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures

lethargic

adj. of, pertaining to, or affected with lethargy; drowsy; sluggish

menagerie

n. an unusual and varied group of people

dilatory

adj. tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy

incarnation

n. an incarnate being or form; a living being embodying a deity or spirit; assumption of human form or nature

affront

n. a personally offensive act or word; deliberate act or display of disrespect; intentional slight; insult

refuse

n. something that is discarded as worthless or useless; rubbish; trash; garbage

tumultuous

adj. full of tumult or riotousness; marked by disturbance and uproar; noisy

portentous

adj. marvelous; amazing; prodigious; significant

vicariously

adv. with taking the place of another person or thing; with acting or serving as a substitute

rancor

n. bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice

magnanimous

adj. generous in forgiving an insult or injury; proceeding from or revealing generosity or nobility of mind, character, etc.

expostulation

n. earnest and kindly protest

truculent

adj. fierce; cruel

rift

n. an opening made by splitting, cleaving, etc.

redolent

adj. suggestive; reminiscent

garrulous

adj. excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner

fortuitous

adj. happening by chance, esp. by a lucky chance; unplanned; accidental

amorphous

adj. having no pattern, shape, or structure

adventitious

adj. added or appearing accidentally or unexpectedly

racy

adj. slightly improper or indelicate; risqu�

pander

v. to give gratification (to weaknesses or desires)

aesthetic

adj. pertaining to a sense of the beautiful

commensurate

adj. having the same measure; of equal extent or duration

elude

v. to avoid or escape by speed, cleverness, trickery, etc.; to escape the understanding, perception, or appreciation of