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