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AP Literature Vocabulary Flashcards

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3432414363AvocationDone in addition to a principal occupation; a hobby Ex: "Our doctor's avocation is painting."0
3432425207capriciousunpredictable change; erratic Ex: "He's such a capricious boss, I never know how he'll react"1
3432480374disparitya great difference. Ex: "Economic disparities between different countries"2
3432644148efficacycapacity for producing a desired result or effect; effectiveness Ex: "there is little information on the efficacy of this treatment"3
3432645762epistlea letter Ex: "St.Paul's epistles to the Romans"4
3432653640hospicea house of shelter or rest for pilgrims, strangers, etc. Ex: "I'd wanted Jessica to go to Very Special Kids (a child's hospice and respite home in Malvern) to die."5
3432657272impetusa moving force; impulse; stimulus Ex: The grant for building the opera house gave impetus to the city's cultural life."6
3432662398moribundIn a dying state; near death Ex: "The patient was moribund"7
3432664133reticentdisposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved. Ex: "she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs"8
3432672179vacillateto waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute Ex: His tendency to vacillate made him a poor leader"9
3432677048akinalike or having the same properties Ex: "Something akin to gratitude overwhelmed her."10
3432679049corroborateTo make more certain Ex: "He corroborated my account of the accident"11
3432680554inexorableunyielding; unalterable Ex: "It is an exorable truth that gravity is real"12
3432686181insipidVapid; nondistinct; plain; boring Ex: "She had an insipid personality"13
3432687849NefariousExtremely Wicked Ex: "Hitler had a nefarious plot to kill all the Jews"14
3432809596physiognomythe face or countenance Ex: "She had a fierce physiognomy"15
3432811587retinuea group of advisers, assistants, or others accompanying an important person. Ex: The president's retinue includes a publicist, an assistant, and eight bodyguards.16
3432825870supplianta person who supplicates; petitioner or a beggar. Ex: "they were not mere suppliants"17
3432827441tediumBoredom Ex: "cousins and uncles filled the tedium of winter nights with many a tall tale18
3432831628torridVery Hot and Dry Ex: "The torrid heat of the afternoon"19
3432835345ambulatoryA place or something adapted for walking Ex: "The patients who were cleared to walk were considered ambulatory patients"20
3432837997brazenBold and without shame Ex: "He went about his illegal business with brazen assurance"21
3432861997churlishRude in a mean-spirited way Ex: "It seems churlish to complain"22
3432863512diffidentModest or shy because of lack of self confidence Ex: "A diffident youth"23
3432865343ennuia feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement. Ex: "An old-fashioned man would have lost his senses or died of ennui before this"24
3432881183inscrutableImpossible to understand or interpret Ex: "He looked blankly inscrutable"25
3432884061prognosticateTo foretell an event in the future; prophecy Ex: "the economists were prognosticating financial Armageddon"26
3432901152schismA split division between two parties holding contrasting beliefs Ex: "The schism between my two best friends put me in the awkward position of having to choose one over the other."27
3432906741seditionconduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch Ex: n these circumstances the only outlet for discontent was sedition"28
3432908261wizen(ed)shriveled or wrinkled in age Ex: "The old lady was covered in liver spots and had a wizened appearance"29
3432911912austereSevere or strict in manner; or harsh living conditions Ex: "an austere man with a rigid appearance."30
3432915588corpulentFat or overweight Ex: "He had a corpulent appearance"31
3432917546derisiveExpressing contempt Ex: "A harsh derisive laugh"32
3435305667effeminateA man showing characteristics of a woman Ex: "The man's shoulder-length hair made him appear effeminate."33
3435307219jocundCheerful and Lighthearted Ex: "A Jocund wedding party"34
3435309623manifestClear or obvious; or to display or demonstrate Ex: "Ray manifested signs of severe depression"35
3435373467ostentatiousA vulgar or pretentious display Ex: "He buys books and displays them ostentatiously although he never reads them"36
3435375538sanguineOptimistic or positive Ex: "He is sanguine about the future economy"37
3435437428stridentLoud, harsh or grating Ex: "His voice became increasingly sharp, almost strident"38
3435440000vehementShowing strong feeling; intense or passionate Ex: "her vehement arguments persuaded them to save the housing project"39
3435443310elegiacHaving a mournful quality (especially in a work of art) Ex: "The movie score was a somber effort, elegiac in its approach."40
3435447479fecundfertile or able to produce offspring or new life Ex: "She had a lush and fecund garden"41
3435448801fortuitousHappening by accident or chance rather than by design (informal: lucky) Ex: "the similarity between the paintings may not be simply fortuitous"42
3435450440infirmityPhysical or mental weakness Ex: "old age and infirmity come to men and women alike"43
3435452979maladyA disease or ailment Ex: "She was diagnosed with an incurable malady"44
3435481203nuanceA subtle difference or shade in meaning Ex: "Body language and facial expressions are considered nuances as they can contribute to the intentions of a word or phrase.45
3435483435profligatereckless or extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources Ex: "The couple that always left their house lights on and sinks and bathtubs running was considered to be profligate consumers of utilities."46
3435484570remonstranceA forcefully reproachful protest Ex: "After the passing of the unpopular bill there was remonstrance in the senate"47
3435486739scintillateto emit flashes of light or to sparkle (something interesting) Ex: "The performer offered a scintillating performance48
3435489642vitiateTo spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of Ex: "development programs have been vitiated by the rise in population"49
3435491622analogousComparable in certain aspects Ex: "they saw the relationship between a ruler and his subjects as analogous to that of father and children"50
3435504910brigandA member of a gang that ambushes and robs people in forests and mountains Ex: "When he arrived in the tavern, he noticed a wanted poster of a local brigand on the wall"51
3435506897emissaryA person sent on a special mission; a diplomatic representative Ex: "The celebrity sent his assistant as an emissary to pick up the movie contract"52
3435508793felicityIntense happiness or the ability to find appropriate expression for one's thoughts Ex: "Speech pleased by its accuracy, fluency, and felicity."53
3435515231incendiaryA device or attack designed to create fires Ex: "incendiary grenades"54
3435516789magnanimousvery generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful than oneself. Ex: "Despite the slurs made against him by his opponent, the boxer was magnanimous enough to praise his competitor."55
3435519703plightA dangerous difficult or unfortunate situation Ex: "We must work to relieve the plight of children living in poverty"56
3435521556reparteeConversation or speech characterized by quick witty replies Ex: "An evening of wit and repartee"57
3435522938ubiquitousExisting or being everywhere at the same time Ex: "Because the police presence was ubiquitous at the parade, everyone felt safe."58
3435524108venerableGiven a great deal of respect, especially due to age, wisdom, or character Ex: "He was a venerable statesman"59

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