English 2 Vocabulary Week 6 VQ 6 PreAP

English 2 Vocabulary – Week 6 (VQ 6)

Pre-AP Eng 2 – VQ 6 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. abashed (adj) –embarrassed, disconcerted or ashamed luminary (n) – bright object; celebrity; source of inspiration luminous (adj) – bright; brilliant; glowing luxuriance (n) – elegance; lavishness maelstrom (n) – turmoil; agitated state of mind malady (n) – illness; disease; disorder malefactor (n) – evil-doer; culprit; perpetrator missive (n) – note or letter mitigate (tv) – to soften or make (something) milder or less intense 10. mnemonic (adj) – relating to memory; designed to assist memory 11. naïve (adj) – foolishly simple; childlike 12. nebulous (adj) – unclear; vague; indefinite

abashed (adj) • abashed (adj) – embarrassed, disconcerted or ashamed Ex. Abashed by his father’s intolerance toward people who were different, my guest excused himself from the table. • Synonym: flustered • Antonym: pacified • Related: unabashed (adj); abash (tv)

luminary (n) – bright object; celebrity; source of inspiration Ex. Mark Twain, an author and a luminary, stirred up controversy as well as critical thought. • Synonym: dignitary • Antonym: unknown (n) • Related: illuminate (tv)

luminous (adj) • luminous (adj) – bright; brilliant; glowing Ex. A luminous, full moon drizzled pale light upon the ripples of the pond. • Synonym: lustrous • Antonym: obscure • Related: illumination (n)

luxuriance (n) • luxuriance (n) – elegance; lavishness • Ex. Vivid colors in the detailed architecture contribute to the luxuriance of Madrid’s Catedral Santa Maria. • Synonym: opulence • Antonym: lack • Related: luxury (n); luxuriate (v)

maelstrom (n) • maelstrom (n) – turmoil; agitated state of mind Ex. “A merciless fate threw me into this maelstrom. I wanted much…but the gale of the world carried away me and my work. ” – Draza Mihajlovic, Yugoslavian soldier (1946) • Synonym: turbulence • Antonym: harmony • Related: (none)

malady (n) • malady (n) – illness; disease; affliction • Ex. Jan Steen’s 1665 painting, “Sick Woman”, portrays a woman who has succumbed to a mysterious malady. • Synonym: disorder • Antonym: health • Related: maladies, malaise (n)

malefactor (n) • malefactor (n) – evil-doer; culprit; perpetrator Ex. In ancient times, accused or convicted malefactors were subjected to torture. • Synonym: rascal • Antonym: benefactor • Related: maleficent (adj)

missive (n) • missive (n) – note or letter Ex. Once upon a time, missives were contemplative, handwritten and sealed with wax; now our messages are limited to 140 characters. #lost. Art • Synonym: communique • Antonym: silence • Related: (none)

mitigate (tv) • mitigate (tv) – to soften or make (something) milder or less intense Ex. New designs in car seats mitigate the shock and potential injuries caused in accidents. • Synonym: assuage • Antonym: intensify • Related: mitigation (n)

mnemonic (adj) • mnemonic (adj) – relating to memory; designed to assist memory Ex. Effective mnemonic pegging like “Roy G. Biv” allows us to remember long sequences of words. • Synonym: implicative • Antonym: (none) • Related: mnemonic (n)