Unit 2 - ELA Vocabulary

ameliorate

to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming.

aplomb

poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity.

bombastic

pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to a conceal a lack of ideas.

callow

without experience; immature, not fully developed; without feathers.

drivel

saliva or mucus; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly.

epitome

a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality.

exhort

to urge strongly, advice earnestly.

ex officio

by virtue of holding a certain office.

infringe

to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds.

ingratiate

to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others.

interloper

one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder.

intrinsic

belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part.

inveigh

to make a violent attack in words, expressing strong disapproval.

lassitude

weariness of body or mind, lack of energy.

occult

mysterious, magical, supernatural

permeate

to spread through, penetrate, soak through.

precipitate

to spread through, penetrate soak through

stringent

strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste.

surmise

to think or believe without certain supporting evidence to conjecture or guess

millennium

a period of one thousand years