1. Aghast Adj. Filled with Sudden Fright Or Horror

British Literature Vocabulary Lists #1- 14

Vocabulary List #1

1. aghast – adj. – filled with sudden fright or horror

2. beset – v- to attack on all sides; assail; harass:

3. bothy – n – hut or small cottage

4. dole – v – distribute shares; to give

5. filigree – n- delicate ornamentation

6. formidable–adj.– menacing; threatening

7. gumption –n- initiative; aggressiveness; resourcefulness

8. havoc- n – great destruction; chaos

9. heathenish–adj.-pagan, idolatrous, uncivilized

10. interloper – n – person who interferes or meddles in affairs of others

Vocabulary List #2

1. affliction – n – cause of pain or distress

2. cowering – v – cringing in fear

3. fetter – n- a shackle or chain; restraint

4. gorge – v – to stuff with food

5. infamous – adj. – having a bad reputation; notorious

6. lament – n- an audible expression of grief; wail

7. livid – adj.- discolored; black and blue

8. loathsome – adj. – disgusting; hateful

9. murky – adj. – cloudy; gloomy

10. pilgrimage – n- a journey to a sacred place or with a lofty purpose

Vocabulary List #3

1. abstain – v – to hold oneself back deliberately

2. clamor – n- a loud, confused noise or outcry

3. defile – v – to make filthy; violate the honor of

4. destitute – adj. – lacking in resources; bereft

5. elude – v – to avoid or escape

6. purge – v – to cleanse or purify

7. relish – v – to enjoy keenly

8. talon – n – a claw as on an eagle

9. taut – adj. - pulled tight

10. writhing – v – twisting and turning in pain

Vocabulary List #4

1. chaos – n – complete disorder and confusion

2. evade – v – to escape by cleverness or deception

3. evocation – n – a bringing to mind

4. exult – v – to feel great joy, especially in conquest or triumph

5. flouting – v – disregarding in a contemptuous way; scorning

6. ponderous – adj.- very heavy

7. quell – v – to quiet; suppress

8. scourge- n- a source of great suffering or destruction

9. vulnerable – adj. – open to attack; easily hurt

10. whetted – v – sharpened

Vocabulary List #5

1. aspire – v – to strive to attain

2. desecrate – v- to violate the sacredness of

3. devout – adj. – showing religious devotion and piety

4. effectual – adj. – able to produce a desired effect

5. profess – v – to claim belief in or allegiance to

6. prudent – adj. – showing wisdom or good judgment

7. render – v- to express in another language or form

8. renounce – v – to give up or reject

9. secular – adj. – unrelated to religion

10. zealous – adj. – filled with enthusiasm;

Vocabulary List #6:

abdicate: v – give up power or control
affinity: n – a natural attraction or family relationship through marriage
benevolent: adj. – kind, good-hearted, or generous
cajole: v – persuade with flattery or sweet talk
camaraderie: n – loyalty and friendship among a group of people
choleric: adj. – having or showing a quick temper, irritable
diverse: adj. – varied and different
glutton: n – a greedy eater or someone who has a large capacity to absorb
laconic: adj. – brief with words, concise; something said with few words
mercenary: adj. working for payment only or motivated by a desire for money.

Vocabulary List #7:

amicable: adj. -friendly, pleasant, and good-natured
belligerent: adj.-hostile, inclined to fight, or aggressive
benevolent: adj. -kind, good-hearted, or generous
callous: adj. -indifferent or insensitive to other people’s feelings
candid: adj. -honest in what one writes or says
extol: v – to praise highly or admire
impartial: adj.- not favoring anyone; without prejudice
meticulous: adj.- extremely or excessively careful about details
scrutinize: v -to look at very closely or to inspect
tangible: adj.-that which can be touched or felt by touch

Vocabulary List #8:

abominable: adj.-very unlikable, easy to hate or disgusting
aghast: adj.-to be in wonder of or fear, feeling great horror or being very upset at seeing something
beguile: v-to mislead by cheating or tricking, or to deceive
benign: adj-good natured and kindly; causing no harm
eccentric: adj. - unusual or extraordinary
fickle: adj.- changeable in interest, loyalty, affection, etc
grandiose: adj.- impressive because of uncommon largeness, scope, effect, or grandeur
morbid: adj.-gruesome or preoccupied with death
recant: v.- to take back something one has said
trepidation: n -fearful uncertainty or anxiety

Vocabulary List #9:

acquiesce: v -to agree to without protest, generally without enthusiasm
dabble: v -to do something lightly, superficially or not seriously
dichotomy:n-a division into two parts, groups, or halves
natty: adj. - excessively neat and fashionable
nirvana: n -a state of bliss, perfect calm or peace
perplex: v -to confuse or puzzle
sultry: adj. -very hot and humid
supercilious: adj. -full of pride or arrogance
travail: n -hard physical exertion or agony
wanton: adj.-undisciplined, senseless, or reckless

Vocabulary List #10:

abrasive: adj. -rough like sandpaper, or causing friction or tension
begrudge: v- to feel ill will or regard someone or something with displeasure
diatribe: n- a harsh verbal attack, sharp criticism or rant
frivolous: adj. -of little value or importance
hypothetical: adj. -based on an unproven theory
juggernaut: n -something with great power and force that destroys everything in its path
killjoy: n -someone who ruins the fun
macerate: v-to soften or break down into parts, usually by soaking in a liquid
melancholy: adj. -causing sadness or feeling depression
prodigal: n -a person who wastes his money and means

Vocabulary List #11:

admonish: v To scold gently, to correct in a well meaning way
diligent: adj Tending to do something with careful and steady effort
gloat: v To show mean-spirited happiness, to be happy about someone’s bad luck or misfortune
irreverence: n-disrespect
juxtapose:vTo put things side by side to compare them
labyrinth:na maze or a confusing network of passages
mesmerize:v-to hypnotize, captivate, or spellbind
overt: adj. -clearly evident or obvious
propriety: n -the quality of being proper, acceptable or decent
whet: v-to sharpen by rubbing or friction

Vocabulary List #12:

neutral: adj. – not taking part in either side of a dispute or quarrel, or a war
ogle:v – to look at with great attention, often in a sexual way
reciprocate: v - to give or return for a favor or a feeling
skeptical: adj. – not easily persuaded or convinced
steadfast: adj. – being firm, constant or loyal
tangible: adj. – anything that can be touched or felt by touch
undermine: v -to injure, weaken, or impair, especially by subtle or secret ways
vehement: adj. –acting or moving with great force or a strong passion
vindicate: v -to clear from criticism, blame, guilt or suspicion
zealous: adj. – showing extreme enthusiasm or devotion

Vocabulary List #13:

accolade: n -award or honor
apathy :n – lack of emotion or interest
baffle:v – to confuse or frustrate someone
blatant: adj. – conspicuous, often to the point of being offensive
coerce :v – to force or compel someone to do something
decimate:v – to destroy something thoroughly
facilitate :v – to enable something or make it easier
libel:n – false statement written out of a desire to damage someone’s reputation
motley:adj. – containing a great variety ; multi-colored
ramification:n – the result, effect or consequence derived from an action, statement, decision, etc.

Vocabulary List #14:

accrue: v-to grow in size or number over time; to add to something slowly
bland: adj. – pleasantly mild and soothing, not sharp or harsh: tasteless or flavorless
conscript: v – to force into service for the government; to enroll in the armed forces
deluge: n –an overwhelming amount of something: for example - water
emulate: v –to try to equal by imitating or copying
hoard: v –to store something away for future use without sharing it.
inveigle: v –to persuade someone with kind words; to flatter to get what you want
migratory: adj. –animals or other creatures that move from place to place
obtuse: adj. –lacking in insight or intellect; slow to comprehend
perennial: n –a plant that lives all seasons or for several years