Binion Vocab & Tone Words

fetter (n.) (v.)

a chain that is confining; to chain

gauntlet (n.)

a challenge, an armored glove

proselyte (n.)

a convert, someone who tries to convert people

poltroon (n.)

a coward

megalomania (n.)

a delusion marked by a feeling of power

hiatus (n.)

a gap when something isn't happening

innuendo (n.)

a hint, reference, imply

bellwether (n.)

a leader (in a negative way)

proclivity (n.)

a natural or habitual inclination or tendency

liturgy (n.)

a religious service or rite

vignette (n.)

a short description or sketch

hierarchy (n.)

any system of things arranged, ranking

dogmatic (tone word)

authoritative, assertive, arrogant

intrinsic (adj.)

belonging to someone by its very nature, in your core

vitriolic (adj.)

bitter, sarcastic, highly biting

audacious (tone word)

bold without respect

lurid (adj.)

causing shock, horror, nasty

admiring (tone word)

complimentary

affable (adj.)

courteous and pleasant

dissension (n.)

disagreement

consternation (n.)

dismay, confusion

susceptible (adj.)

easily influenced

petulant (adj.)

easily irritated over stupid stuff, testy

squeamish (adj.)

easily shocked or upset

nominal (adj.)

existing in name only; too small to be considered

vicarious (adj.)

experience something through someone else

corpulent (adj.)

fat

zealous (tone word)

feeling or showing strong, energetic support

oblivious (adj.)

forgetful, unaware

raillery (n.)

good-humored ridicule

tenuous (adj.)

hardly there, vague and insignificant

bitter (tone word)

hateful

expostulate (v.)

intransitive: to attempt to dissuade someone from something with reasoning

intercede (v.)

intransitive: to plead on behalf of someone else

fait accompli (n.)

irreversible action

elated (tone word)

joyful, happy

intemperate (adj.)

lacking in self-control

supine (adj.)

lying flat on one's back, apathetic or passive

ambivalent (tone word)

meh, contradictory attitudes towards something

hidebound (adj.)

narrow-minded and rigid

provincial (adj.)

narrow-minded, naive

captious (tone word)

nitpicky, carping

apathetic (tone word)

no interest

incredulous (tone word)

not believing like it's unreal

noisome (adj.)

offensive or disgusting

aplomb (n.)

poise, handled gracefully (with)

bombastic (adj.)

pompous in language, full of high-sounding words

belligerent (tone word)

ready to fight, hostile

quasi (adj.)

resembling but not actually being

seditious (adj.)

resistant to lawful authority, rebellious

inadvertent (adj.)

resulting from lack of attention, accidental

ribald (adj.)

risque mocking, vulgar in language

circuitous (adj.)

roundabout, not direct (can be literal or not)

austere (adj.)

simple; severe or stern in manner

cynical (tone word)

skeptical, distrustful

adjunct (n.)

something added to something else as helpful or useful, but not essential

mirage (n.)

something illusory, without basis in reality

decadence (n.)

something that has become a bad habit

surreptitious (adj.)

stealthy, secret

acrimonious (adj.)

stinging, bitter in temper

stringent (adj.)

strict, severe

accusatory (tone word)

suggesting that someone has done something wrong

somber (tone word)

super sad, melancholy

elegiac (tone word)

superdy duper sad

morass (n.)

swamp, confusing situation in which one is trapped

restitution (n.)

the act of restoring to original state

relegate (v.)

to assign, to place in a lower position

ascribe (v.)

to attribute something, blame

impugn (v.)

to call into question, attack as false

dissipate (v.)

to cause to disappear

desecrate (v.)

to commit sacrilege upon, to contaminate

disconcert (v.)

to confuse

debase (v.)

to degrade, to lower in quality

disavow (v.)

to deny responsibility for or connection with

reprove (v.)

to find fault with someone for something

caterwaul (v.) (n.)

to howl or screech; a harsh or noisy cry

expiate (v.)

to lesson regret or guilt by doing something

mitigate (v.)

to make milder, to moderate

ingratiate (v.)

to make oneself agreeable to gain acceptance

enjoin (v.)

to order

concoct (v.)

to prepare by combing ingredients

transgress (v.)

to sin, violate a law

surmise (v.)

to think without certain supporting evidence

wheedle (v.)

to use coaxing, whinning to gain some desired end

precipitate (v.)

transitive: to cause or bring about suddenly, to begin

elicit (v.)

transitive: to draw forth, evoke

assuage (v.)

transitive: to relieve a negative emotion

transend (v.)

transitive: to rise above or beyond, exceed

permeate (v.)

transitive: to spread through, penetrate, soak through

exhort (v.)

transitive: to urge strongly, advise earnestly

unctuous (adj.)

trying too hard to give an impression of sincerity

crass (adj.)

unfeeling, coarse

inconsequential (adj.)

unimportant, trivial

vulnerable (adj.)

unprotected

punctilious (adj.)

very exact in a negative way

fanciful (tone word)

whimsical

chimerical (adj.)

widely fantastic

commiserate (v.)

with someone, to feel sympathy with

callow (adj.)

without experience, without feathers

effete (adj.)

worn-out, exhausted