- abnormal: not usual, not typical, strange
- accelerate: to speed up, cause to move faster; to bring about more quickly
- amiss: faulty, imperfect, not as it should be. in a mistaken or improper way, wrongly
- brawl: noisy quarrel or fight. to quarrel or fight noisily
- bystander: one who looks on or observes, a person present but not taking part
- canvass: to go through an area in order to procure votes, sales, or opinions; to go over in detail; to discuss
- capsize: to turn bottom side up, upset
- casual: happening by chance or on an irregular basis; showing little concern; informal
- catastrophe: a large-scale disaster, misfortune, or failure
- decrease: to become or make less; a lessening
- detest: to hate, dislike very much, loathe
- disputatious: inclined to argue or debate; provoking debate
- domestic: native to a country, not foreign: relating to life or affairs of a household. a household servant
- downtrodden: treated unfairly and cruelly, oppressed
- eject: to drive or throw out, evict
- entice: to attract, tempt
- erode: to wear away gradually; eat away
- flagrant: extremely bad, glaring, scandalous, notorious
- flaw: a slight fault, defect, crack
- fledgling: an inexperienced person, beginner; a young bird about to leave the nest; inexperienced, budding
- flounder: to thrash about in a clumsy or ineffective way
- flourish: to grow, thrive, be prosperous; to wave in the air; a dramatic gesture; a fanfare of horns
- fluster: to make or become confused, agitated, or nervous; a state of confusion or agitation
- foremost: chief, most important, primary; in the first place
- graphic: lifelike, vivid; relating to the pictorial arts
- gruesome: horrible, revolting, ghastly
- incentive: a reason for doing something; something that stimulates action
- insubordinate: disobedient, rebellious
- legible: easily read
- melancholy: sad, gloomy, unhappy; sadness, gloominess
- momentum: the force or speed with which something moves
- notable: striking, remarkable; a person who is well known, distinguished or outstanding in some way
- nub: the central point or heart of a matter; a knob
- nurture: to bring up, care for, train, nourish; rearing, training, upbringing
- onslaught: a violent attack; a sudden rush of something
- ordain: to establish by law; to order or command; to appoint as a priest or a minister; to destine
- ordeal: a difficult or painful experience, a trial
- outstrip: to get ahead of, do better than, exceed
- paradox: a self-contradictory statement that on closer examination proves true; a person or thing with seemingly contradictory qualities
- parch: to make dry or thirsty; to shrivel with heat
- perjury: the act of swearing to a lie
- persist: to continue steadily in a course of action, refuse to stop or be changed; to last, remain
- pervade: to spread throughout
- presume: to take for granted, assume or suppose; to dare, take upon oneself, take liberties
- prior: earlier, former
- proficient: skilled, expert, or capable in any field or activity
- prudent: cautious, careful, showing good sense
- puny: of less than normal strength or size; of no importance
- quench: to put out, extinguish, end
- quibble: to evade or belittle a point by twisting words or raising minor objections; a petty objection
- ratify: to approve, give formal approval to, confirm
- regal: royal, kinglike; fit for a king
- remnant: a small part remaining behind
- salvo: a burst of gunfire or cannon shot, often as a tribute or salute; a sudden burst of anything; a spirited verbal attack
- simultaneous: happening or existing at the same time
- stifle: to smother, prevent from breathing; to hold back or choke off
- swerve: to turn aside sharply; a sharp or sudden turn
- vigilant: wide-awake, alert, watchful
- vital: having life, living; necessary to life, essential; key, crucial
- wrath: intense anger
Shivank's Literature Vocabulary (Units 7-9) Exam Study Guide