Vocabulary #1

adumbrate - verb give to understand; describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
I adumbrated the novel before I took the test so I would know the key points.
apotheosis - noun the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god); model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
Some celebrities see themselves as an apotheosis to the unknown and poor
.ascetic - adj. practicing great self-denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; noun someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
My neighbor who's cat just died is ascetic.
bauble - noun a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
My bauble is not as flashy as a scepter because it is fake.
beguile - verb attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
To beguile attention to my face, I wore shiny earrings.
burgeon - verb grow and flourish
Since the beginning of freshman year, my ways of thinking have burgeoned into a high level thinker.
complement - noun something added to complete or make perfect; either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; number needed to make up a whole force; a complete number or quantity; one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; verb make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
To complement my dress, I was given a matching corsage.
contumacious - adj. wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
My brother is contumacious because he will not do his homework despite being told to.
curmudgeon - noun a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
I hope that when I am old I will have an open mind and not be a curmudgeon
.didactic - adj. instructive (especially excessively)
His lesson on how to make fried chicken was very didactic.
disingenuous - adj. not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
People who hate their job can come off as disingenuous to co-workers
.exculpate - verb pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
Those that are facing the death sentence in court hope to be exculpated.
faux pas - noun a social blunder
Arriving too early or too late can be a serious faux pas in the elite.
fulminate - noun a salt or ester of fulminic acid; verb cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
Placing mentos in diet coke and screwing the lid on can cause the container to fulminate.
fustian - noun a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap; pompous or pretentious talk or writing
Narcissists talk fustian to those they belive are below them.
hauteur - noun overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
Mr. Darcy had an hauteur that made the entire Bennet family initially hate him.
inhibit - verb limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
The kid's age inhibited him from entering the bar.
jeremiad - noun a long and mournful complaint
The jeremiads og the students taking another test were ignored by the teacher.
opportunist - adj. taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; noun a person who places expediency above principle
The lady who invested her money while stock was high is an opportunist.
unconscionable - adj. greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience
Doing all my AP homework, golf practices, scholarships and college applications seems unconscionable to do all at the same time.