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AP Literature Vocabulary - Norview High School

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carried out in a secretive manner
crudely or loosely styled writing for comic effect
running one sentence from one line of poetry to the next line
a distinct period of history marked by memorable events
ridiculously or absurdly comedic
fertile (literally) or intellectually productive (figuratively)
very talkative
extremely sad or gloomy
overly focused on or knowledgeable about narrow and trivial matters
cutting off debate; admitting of no contradiction
of greatest importance
pale; sickly
powerful; strong
something that is represented in as existing in a period of history in which it didn't actually exist; out of place in time; outdated
overly decorated or showy; very gaudy
a person with great skill in one of the fine arts, especially music
a slow, sad song or poem that expresses grief, especially for the dead; a funeral hymn
unnecessary or excessive
to attempt to lessen the seriousness of an offense by giving an excuse
causing great injury, destruction, or ruin
wise
a funeral Mass in the Catholic church or any hymn or dirge composed for the dead (often used metaphorically)
to bring to life, sharpen, quicken
1. the total rejection of laws or established institutions, 2. self-destructiveness 3. the philosophical denial of any real existence or the possibility of any objective truth
to view some action as fitting or in accordance with one's dignity; to condescend
psychological definition - to fill gaps in one's memory with made up information; can also mean to chat
promising success; favorable; a good omen
crafty or artful deceitfulness; trickery
seemingly harmless, but actually dangerous; intended to entrap or beguile
secluded from the world; sheltered, closed in
harsh, jarring sound; dissonance
the inversion of the second of two parallel phrases, clauses, etc. ("I sailed to Greenland, and then to Europe I flew.")
very sorrowful or sad; mournful; [Archaic] painful
cannot be tired out; not yielding to fatigue; untiring
brief or terse in speech; using few words
drooping or weak; without interest, indifferent; sluggish, slow
a person on whom honor or distinction is conferred
to make less severe or less painful; to moderate
very stubborn; unreasonably determined to have one's own way; not yielding to reason
to seize and carry away forcibly; to rape; [figuratively] to transport with joy or delight; enrapture
zealous, passionate; intensely devoted (or even fiercely devoted)
the elevation of a person to the status of a god (usually used figuratively); OR an exalted example or ideal, a quintessential example of something
a reduction or decrease in number or size (often gradual); a wearing down or weakening of resistance due to pressure or harassment
lacking confidence in oneself; timid, shy, reserved
(positive) a word or phrase added to a person's name to describe some attribute of that person ("Ivan the terrible," "Catherine the Great"); (negative) a term of abuse, contempt, or hostility (e.g. racial slurs)
(literally) a person who destroys objects of worship (icons); most often used now to describe someone who attacks or seeks to overthrow cherished traditions, popular beliefs, or traditional institutions
weariness of body or mind due to stress; listlessness, languor, lack of energy
a lofty oration or writing in praise of a person or thing; also called a eulogy or encomium
the highest point or state of something; the culmination; (scientific) the highest visible point in the sky directly above the observer
the period of recovery after an illness
enthusiasm or passion
shy, modest; sometimes can have the connotation of also being flirtatious (i.e. "playing hard to get")
characterized by sudden, inexplicable changes without evident reason; whimsical, arbitrary
a cautionary warning or advice; a gentle reproof intended to prevent future mistakes
1. passing aimlessly from one subject to another; wordy and prone to digression 2. proceeding through reasoning rather than through intuition
able to detect subtle differences; having refined tastes; (negative) inappropriately or unfairly treating two people differently
cliche, commonplace, banal, overused (more literally "threadbare" or "worn")
a feeling of depression and hopelessness
arrogant, condescending, patronizing
to belittle, demean, or insult

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