Billy Budd Vocab

Front 1

sallies

Back 1

a sudden rush forward; a leap; or an assault from a defensive position; a sortie;

Front 2

pagod

Back 2

an idol (obs)

Front 3

cynosure

Back 3

an object that serves as a focal point of attention and admiration;

Front 4

welkin

Back 4

the sky; the vault of heaven

Front 5

demur

Back 5

a formal objection to an opponent's pleadings; or to take exception to

Front 6

dedoction

Back 6

to extract the flavor of by boiling. To make concentrated; boil down

Front 7

celerity

Back 7

swiftness of action or motion; speed; haste

Front 8

approbation

Back 8

an expression of warm approval; praise; official approval.

Front 9

avidity

Back 9

ardent desire or craving; eagerness. keen interest or enthusiasm

Front 10

terraqueous

Back 10

composed of land and water

Front 11

invitiated

Back 11

not vitiated; pure; not to reduce the value or impair the quality of.

Front 12

pugnacious

Back 12

combative in nature; belligerent.

Front 13

plenary

Back 13

full and complete in every respect; fully attended or constituted

Front 14

parry

Back 14

to deflect, evade, or avoid

Front 15

iconoclasm

Back 15

attacking and seeking to overthrow traditional or popular ideas

Front 16

sagacious

Back 16

having or showing keen discernment, sound judgment, and farsightedness

Front 17

abeyance

Back 17

temporary inactivity or suspension

Front 18

temerity

Back 18

foolhardy disregard of danger; recklessness

Front 19

paramount

Back 19

of chief concern or importance; supreme in rank, power, or authority

Front 20

appellation

Back 20

a name, title, or designation

Front 21

inimical

Back 21

injurious or harmful in effect, adverse; unfriendly; hostile

Front 22

perdue

Back 22

a soldier sent on an especially dangerous mission

Front 23

chevalier

Back 23

a French nobleman of the lowest rank

Front 24

invidious

Back 24

of, or being discrimination that arises from the creation of aclassification that is arbitrary, irrational, or capricious, not related to a legitimate purpose

Front 25

culled

Back 25

to pick out from others; select

Front 26

alacrity

Back 26

cheerful willingness; eagerness

Front 27

wizened

Back 27

lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness

Front 28

sapience

Back 28

having great wisdom and discernment

Front 29

laconic

Back 29

using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise

Front 30

rattan

Back 30

a switch or cane made from palms

Front 31

dotage

Back 31

mental infirmity as a consequence of old age; sometimes shown by foolish infatuations

Front 32

lexicon

Back 32

A dictionary. A stock of terms used in a particular profession,subject, or style; a vocabulary

Front 33

ineffability

Back 33

incapable of being expressed; indescribable or unutterable

Front 34

contumelious

Back 34

rudeness or contempt arising from arrogance; insolence. An insolent or arrogant remark or act

Front 35

pabulum

Back 35

insipid intellectual nourishment; or a substance that gives nourishment; food

Front 36

iniquitous

Back 36

characterized by iniquity; wicked

Front 37

commensurate

Back 37

corresponding in size or degree; proportionate; measurable by a common standard

Front 38

non-plussed

Back 38

a state of perplexity, confusion, or bewilderment

Front 39

impestuous

Back 39

characterized by sudden and forceful energy or emotion; impulsive and passionate; characterized by undue haste and lack of thought