Tuesday, November 4, 2014

English 12 - Block 4

Week 3 Vocabulary

1.    juxtaposition - n - the act of placing two things together for the purpose of implicit comparison
2.    niggle - v - to cause slight but constant annoyance
3.    rustle - v - to make a noise; to steal livestock
4.    gorgonize - v - to have a paralyzing affect on; to petrify with fear
5.    aloof (adj) physically or emotionally reserved
6.    exiguous - adj - scanty or meager
7.    flagrant - adj - offensively bad or reprehensible
8.    caustic - adj - sarcastic and severe
9.    cloistered - v - to be confined
10.  circumspect - adj - watchful and discreet


Week 2 Vocabulary


  1. blandishments - n - flattery
  2. hoi polloi - n - the common people (negative connotations) 
  3. beleaguered - adj - to put in a different situation
  4. wraith - n - a ghost/apparition
  5. frisson - n - a passing sensation of excitement
  6. pro bono - n/adj - professional work undertaken voluntarily for no pay
  7. calumny - n - spoiling someone's reputation by spreading lies
  8. vex - v - to annoy 
  9. papaphobia - n - fear of the Pope
  10. mendacious - adj - being false; having a deceitful character 

Week 1 Vocabulary



  1. mobocracy - noun- lawless rule of public affairs by the mob or populace 
  2. glibly - adv - insincerely/shallowly speaking on a subject 
  3. elude - verb - to avoid or escape in a cunning way
  4. benevolent - adj - well meaning and kindly 
  5. haphazard - adj - careless; lacking in organization; unplanned 
  6. malevolent - adj - evil 
  7. zephyr - noun - a gentle wind 
  8. cataclysm - noun - a destructive, large scale--even apocalyptic--violent event 
  9. admonish - verb - to reprimand or scold 
  10. mundane - adj - bland, boring, monotonous, run of the mill, ordinary