English 10 Vocab And Poetic Terms

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alliteration

Back 1

repetition of sounds: sailors sailed silently

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allusion

Back 2

passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication: an allusion to Shakespeare.

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assonance

Back 3

Identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in neighboring words

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consonance

Back 4

a.Close correspondence of sounds.
b.The repetition of consonants or of a consonant pattern, especially at the ends of words, as in blank and think or strong and string.

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enjambment

Back 5

line breaks for added visual effect, tofurther the meaning of a poem. commonly used in a sestina

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hyperbole

Back 6

A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in I could sleep for a year or This book weighs a ton

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imagery

Back 7

vivid language that puts a picture in your head: bloody stumps were lying on the moist ground

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metaphor

Back 8

A figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things that actually have something in common

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onomatopoeia

Back 9

a word that means what is sounds like: meow, burp, ribbet

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personification

Back 10

giving human like charactersitics to a non living or animal object

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simile

Back 11

making a comparison, often using like. "like a fish in water"

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symbol

Back 12

Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible.

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abberation

Back 13

A departure from the normal or typical: events that were aberrations from the norm.

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aberrant

Back 14

departing from the right, normal, or usual course.
2. deviating from the ordinary, usual, or normal type; exceptional; abnormal.

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abhor

Back 15

to regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate

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abject

Back 16

utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched: abject poverty.

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abomination

Back 17

intense aversion or loathing; detestation: He regarded lying with abomination.

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abrasive

Back 18

tending to annoy or cause ill will; overly aggressive: an abrasive personalty

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abstain

Back 19

to hold oneself back voluntarily, esp. from something regarded as improper or unhealthy (usually fol. by from): to abstain from eating meat.

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absurd

Back 20

utterly or obviously senseless, illogical, or untrue; contrary to all reason or common sense; laughably foolish or false: an absurd explanation.

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anemic

Back 21

lacking power, vigor, vitality, or colorfulness; listless; weak: an anemic effort; anemic tones.

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apathy

Back 22

absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.
2. lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.

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cogent

Back 23

convincing or believable by virtue of forcible, clear, or incisive presentation; telling.
2. to the point; relevant; pertinent.

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commiserate

Back 24

to sympathize (usually fol. by with): They commiserated with him over the loss of his job.

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compassion

Back 25

a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

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complement

Back 26

something that completes or makes perfect: A good wine is a complement to a good meal.

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comprise

Back 27

to include or contain: The Soviet Union comprised several socialist republics.
2. to consist of; be composed of: The advisory board comprises six members.

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compunction

Back 28

a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety of the conscience caused by regret for doing wrong or causing pain; contrition; remorse.
2. any uneasiness or hesitation about the rightness of an action.

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condone

Back 29

to give tacit approval to: By his silence, he seemed to condone their behavior.

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congenial

Back 30

agreeable, suitable, or pleasing in nature or character: congenial surroundings.
2. suited or adapted in spirit, feeling, temper, etc.; compatible: a congenial couple.

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conscientious

Back 31

controlled by or done according to conscience; scrupulous: a conscientious judge.
2. meticulous; careful; painstaking; particular: conscientious application to the work at hand.

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conspicuous

Back 32

easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable: a conspicuous error.
2. attracting special attention, as by outstanding qualities or eccentricities: He was conspicuous by his booming laughter.

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conspire

Back 33

to agree together, esp. secretly, to do something wrong, evil, or illegal: They conspired to kill the king.
2. to act or work together toward the same result or goal.

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contrite

Back 34

caused by or showing sincere remorse.
2. filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent: a contrite sinner.

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contrived

Back 35

obviously planned or forced; artificial; strained: a contrived apology

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incongruous

Back 36

out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming: an incongruous effect; incongruous behavior.
2. not harmonious in character; inconsonant; lacking harmony of parts: an incongruous mixture of architectural styles.
3. inconsistent: actions that were incongruous with their professed principles.

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cirumlocution

Back 37

a roundabout or indirect way of speaking; the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.

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circumscribe

Back 38

to draw a line around; encircle: to circumscribe a city on a map.
2. to enclose within bounds; limit or confine, esp. narrowly: Her social activities are circumscribed by school regulations.
3. to mark off; define; delimit: to circumscribe the area of a science.

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circumspect

Back 39

watchful and discreet; cautious; prudent: circumspect behavior.
2. well-considered: circumspect ambition.

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circumvent

Back 40

to go around or bypass: to circumvent the lake; to circumvent the real issues.
2. to avoid (defeat, failure, unpleasantness, etc.) by artfulness or deception; avoid by anticipating or outwitting: He circumvented capture by anticipating their movements.

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obdurate

Back 41

unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender feelings; stubborn; unyielding.
2. stubbornly resistant to moral influence; persistently impenitent: an obdurate sinner.

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objective

Back 42

not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased: an objective opinion

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obligated

Back 43

morally or legally bound; obliged; constrained.
4. necessary; essential.

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obligatory

Back 44

required as a matter of obligation; mandatory: A reply is desirable but not obligatory.

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obliterate

Back 45

to remove or destroy all traces of; do away with; destroy completely.

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oblivious

Back 46

unmindful; unconscious; unaware (usually fol. by of or to): She was oblivious of his admiration.

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obsequeous

Back 47

characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning: an obsequious bow.
2. servilely compliant or deferential: obsequious servants.
3. obedient; dutiful.

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obsolete

Back 48

no longer in general use; fallen into disuse: an obsolete expression.

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obstinant

Back 49

firmly or stubbornly adhering to one's purpose, opinion, etc.; not yielding to argument, persuasion, or entreaty.
2. characterized by inflexible persistence or an unyielding attitude; inflexibly persisted in or carried out: obstinate advocacy of high tariffs.

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obstreperous

Back 50

resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.
2. noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children.

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obtuse

Back 51

not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect; not sensitive or observant; dull.

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malcontent

Back 52

not satisfied or content with currently prevailing conditions or circumstances.

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malefactor

Back 53

a person who violates the law; criminal.
2. a person who does harm or evil, esp. toward another.

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malevolent

Back 54

wishing evil or harm to another or others; showing ill will; ill-disposed; malicious: His failures made him malevolent toward those who were successful.

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malign

Back 55

to speak harmful untruths about; speak evil of; slander; defame: to malign an honorable man.

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malignant

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disposed to cause harm, suffering, or distress deliberately; feeling or showing ill will or hatred. very dangerous or harmful in influence or effect.

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malodorous

Back 57

foul smeling

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misanthrope

Back 58

a hater of humankind

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misconstrue

Back 59

to misunderstand the meaning of; take in a wrong sense; misinterpret.

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miscreant

Back 60

depraved, villainous, or base.

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miserly

Back 61

penurious; stingy; befitting of a miser

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misgivings

Back 62

a feeling of doubt, distrust, or apprehension.

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autonomous

Back 63

self-governing; independent; subject to its own laws only.

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automation

Back 64

the technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum

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self congratulatory

Back 65

the expression or feeling of uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's own accomplishment, good fortune, etc.; complacency.

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selfless

Back 66

having little or no concern for oneself, esp. with regard to fame, position, money, etc.; unselfish.

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self flagellation

Back 67

whipping yourself for discipline

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self fufilling prophecy

Back 68

something that you think about that comes true through your actions, unintentionally

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self righteous

Back 69

confident of one's own righteousness, esp. when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others.

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pseudonym

Back 70

a fictitious name used by an author to conceal his or her identity; pen name.

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ignomenous

Back 71

discreditable; humiliating: an ignominious retreat.

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ignominy

Back 72

disgrace; dishonor; public contempt.
shameful or dishonorable quality or conduct or an instance of this.

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ambiguous

Back 73

open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal: an ambiguous answer.

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ambivalent

Back 74

uncertainty or fluctuation, esp. when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.

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equanimity

Back 75

mental or emotional stability or composure, esp. under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium.

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equilibrium

Back 76

a state of rest or balance due to the equal action of opposing forces. equal balance between any powers, influences, etc.; equality of effect.

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equivocate

Back 77

to use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid commitment or in order to mislead; prevaricate or hedge: When asked directly for his position on disarmament, the candidate only equivocated.

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equivocal

Back 78

allowing the possibility of several different meanings, as a word or phrase, esp. with intent to deceive or misguide; susceptible of double interpretation; deliberately ambiguous: an equivocal answer.

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unequivocal

Back 79

not equivocal; unambiguous; clear; having only one possible meaning or interpretation: an unequivocal indication of assent; unequivocal proof.

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accede

Back 80

to give consent, approval, or adherence; agree; assent; to accede to a request; to accede to the terms of a contract

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acclimate

Back 81

to accustom or become accustomed to a new climate or environment; adapt.

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adept

Back 82

very skilled; proficient; expert: an adept juggler.

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admonish

Back 83

to caution, advise, or counsel against something.

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ad nauseam

Back 84

to the point of becoming nauseous. i studied ad nauseam

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affront

Back 85

a personally offensive act or word; deliberate act or display of disrespect; intentional slight; insult: an affront to the king.

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allure

Back 86

to attract or tempt by something flattering or desirable.

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alluring

Back 87

very attractive or tempting; enticing; seductive.

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assiduous

Back 88

constant; unremitting: assiduous reading

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assuage

Back 89

to make milder or less severe; relieve; ease; mitigate: to assuage one's grief; to assuage one's pain.

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attest (to)

Back 90

to bear witness to; certify; declare to be correct, true, or genuine; declare the truth of, in words or writing, esp. affirm in an official capacity: to attest the truth of a statement.

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attuned (to)

Back 91

to bring into accord, harmony, or sympathetic relationship; adjust: He has attuned himself to living in the quiet country.