MY ANTONIA Vocabulary List #1
American
Literature
10 strident - loud
and harsh
11 covert
- concealed, done secretly
oracular
- prophetic, wise
18 uncouth
- boorish, crude
26 doleful
- mournful, sad
32 fetid
- stinking
34 supercilious
- scornful, with an air of superiority
37 emaciated
- thin, feeble (by malnutrition)
44 zest
- keen enjoyment or interest
51 pungent
- having a strong, sharp taste or smell
72 taciturn
- saying little, uncommunicative
77 clemency
- mildness, esp. of weather; mercy
85 meritorious
- deserving praise
87 magnanimity
- generosity of conduct
96 perfunctory
- routine (done as a duty, but without real interest)
97 liability
- a handicap, disadvantage
98 reticent
- discreet, remaining silent
101 mollify
- to soothe the anger of
117 solicitous
- concerned about a person's welfare, helpful
124 affable
- polite, friendly
125 exemplary
- serving as an example, model
130 piquant
- pleasantly sharp taste or smell; stimulating to the mind
134 inveterate
- habitual, established
135 licentious
- disregarding rules of conduct, esp. in sexual matters
137 caustic
- corroding; sarcastic
141 droll
- amusing in an odd way
156 limpid
- clear, transparent (liquid)
166 commodious
- roomy, spacious
167 parsimonious
- stingy
platitudes
- trite, dull statements
elliptical
- having a part omitted, incomplete
176 avid
- eager
184 noblesse
oblige - (French) privilege entails responsibility
219 graft
- to join (one thing) inseparably
to another
238 obliterate
- to wipe out, destroy
THE SCARLET LETTER
Vocabulary List #2
abase
- to humiliate, degrade
accost - to approach, confront
acrid - bitter
apothecary - pharmacist
array - to adorn
asperity - bitterness, harshness
cadence - rhythm
canker - disease that destroys plants and wood
caprice - whim
capricious - unpredictable
centrifugal - movement away from the center
choleric - easily angered
colloquy - formal conversation or gathering
confer - to give, bestow
crevices - deep cracks
decorum - propriety
dell - valley
demeanor - behavior toward others
denizens - respected inhabitants
deportment - behavior, conduct
despondency - despair, sadness
despotic - tyrannical
devout - pious
dire - dreadful
discourse - sermon, speech
dryad - a tree nymph
eddy - swirling patches of water
efficacy - ability to produce the desired effect,
effectiveness
effluence - a flowing out
emaciated - very thin, cadaverous
enigma - mystery, puzzle
enshrined - enclosed, cherished
epoch - a particular time period
err - to deviate from the established path
estranged - alienated
ethereal - heavenly
eventide - dusk, evening
THE SCARLET LETTER
Vocabulary List #3
exemplary - admirable
extort
- to achieve through force or threats
fiend
- devil
fiery
- intense, passionate
foregone
- previously clear
gesticulating
- using arm and hand movements
heathen
- uncivilized barbarian
ignominy
- humiliation, disgrace
impalpable
- intangible
imperious
- commanding, bossy
importune
- to make persistent requests
impute
- to attribute, ascribe
inducements
- motivators
inscrutable
- mysterious
insurmountable
- unable to be overcome
intangible
- not able to be touched
introspection
- self-examination, looking inward
jocularity
- humor
loquacity
- talkativeness
ludicrous
- ridiculous, silly
malignancy
- a growing evil
manifestation
- revelation, something made clear
manifold
- diverse, varied
mercenary
- motivated by a desire for money
mollified
- appeased
necromancy
- conjuring the dead for magic; witchcraft
obeisance
- a gesture of respect
pallor
- paleness
pathos
- emotion evoking pity
penitent
- feeling regret for having done wrong
perplexity
- confusion
pestilence
- widespread disease
pillory - post with cross piece designed to hold head
and hands as punishment
pious - religious, holy
posterity - descendants
prattle - idle chatter
precocious - child's having developed certain
abilities earlier than usual
THE SCARLET LETTER
Vocabulary List #4
preternatural
- existing outside ordinary course of nature, unusual
proffered
- offered
propensity
- tendency
propinquity
- nearness
proximity
- nearness
quaff
- to drink
rankle
- to cause resentment
reciprocated
- returned, exchanged
repugnance
- violent dislike
requisite
- necessary
retribution
- vengeance
sanctity
- purity, holiness
sedulous
- diligent
semblance
- outward appearance
sere
- dried up, withered
stateliness
- dignity
stigma
- stain, a mark
talisman
- token
tantalizing
- torturously teasing
tempestuous
- angry, stormy
thronged
- mobbed, surrounded
tinge
- to color
trammeled
- confined
transfigure
- to change in appearance, usually to something nobler
transgress
- to sin, step over boundaries
transmute
- to change in form
ulterior
- beyond the obvious
unrelenting
- endlessly persistent, inexorable
unscrupulousness
- immoral behavior
usurp
- to take over by force
venerable
- worthy of respect
verdure
- greenness of vegetation
vicissitude
- change of circumstances in one's life
vile
- wicked
wiry
- thin, vigorously lean
wont
- habit, custom
Emerson andThoreau
Vocabulary List #5
propensity - tendency,
inclination
incognito
- in disguise
extort
- to obtain by force or threats
epitome
- embodying a quality
pusillanimous
- timid, cowardly
repudiate
- to reject or disown
trifle
- something of small value or importance
compost
- mixture of soil and decaying substances
factitious
- artificial
depreciate
- to become lower in value
whet
- to sharpen; stimulate
slough
- swamp or marshy place
insolvent
- unable to pay one's debts
dilate
- to become larger
avail
- to be of help
divest
- to deprive
torpid
- sluggish, inactive
ethereal
- heavenly; delicate in appearance
impart
- to reveal
impervious
- not able to be penetrated
dilettante
- an amateur, dabbler
picturesque
- forming a striking and pleasant scene, vivid
daub
- to smear
cant
- jargon
pecuniary
- having to do with money
covet
- to desire
imbibe
- to drink; absorb (ideas)
misanthrope
- one who dislikes mankind
remunerate
- to pay or reward for services rendered
volatile
- lively (person), quick to change moods
esoteric
- understood only by a special few; private
scintillating
- sparkling, brilliant
abject
- wretched, very humble
gratuitous
- given or done without good reason
assent
- to sanction, consent
obsequious
- excessively respectful
complacency
- self-satisfaction