Vocab list #4

Vocabulary list #4

1. apostate - a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.

People call me an apostate because I switched from republican to democrat.

2. effusive - pouring out; overflowing.

The bucket was so effusive, the ground got soaked.

3. impasse - a position or situation from which there is no escape; deadlock.

I found myself in an impasse when my friend locked me in the closet.

4. euphoria - a state of intense happiness and self-confidence.

 After working out, I feel such euphoria.

5. lugubrious - mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner:

The man in court was so lugubrious, he convinced the jury that he was innocent.

6. bravado - a pretentious, swaggering display of courage.

My dog showed a huge amount of bravado when it was attacked.

7. consensus - general agreement or concord; harmony.

The jury reached a consensus on the court case.

8. dichotomy - division into two parts, kinds, etc.; subdivision into halves or pairs.

There was a false dichotomy between watches and calculators.

9. constrict - to draw or press in; cause to contract or shrink; compress.

The snake has to constrict the mouse to kill it.

10. gothic - pertaining to or designating the style of painting, sculpture, etc., produced between the 13th and 15th centuries, especially in northern Europe, characterized by a tendency toward realism and interest in detail.

The gothic architecture of the church was amazing.

11. punctilio - a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony, or procedure.

When it came time, the man was willing to stand on punctilio.

12. metamorphosis – a transformation.

The caterpillar went through a metamorphosis and became a butterfly.

13. raconteur - a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.

My best friend is so interesting because he is a raconteur.

14.  sine qua non - an indispensable condition, element, or factor; something essential:

My friend's jokes were the sine qua non of my high school days.

15. quixotic - extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.

My ideas are always quixotic.

16. vendetta - any prolonged and bitter feud, rivalry, contention.

The vendetta between Romeo and Juliette's family was really interesting.

17. non sequitur - an inference or a conclusion that does not follow from the premises.

My answer in math was really non sequitur and didnt make much sense.

18. mystique - an aura of mystery or mystical power surrounding a particular occupation or pursuit.

Microchips are such a mystique to me.

19. quagmire - an area of miry or boggy ground whose surface yields under the tread; a bog.

The car was stuck in a quagmire, so we had to wait for a tow truck.

20. parlous - perilous; dangerous.

The volcano was so parlous, the whole island was blocked off.