Building a Better Vocabulary

Glossary of Target Words

Target Word

and Part of Speech 'H¿QLWLRQ

LECTURE

No.

apostate (noun) a person who abandons his or her religion,

political beliefs, principles, or cause

14

argot (noun) a specialized language characteristic

of a particular group of people

27

asperity (noun) roughness or harshness of surface, sound,

climate, condition, manner, or temper

22

avuncular (adjective) 1. of or having to do with an uncle

2. resembling an uncle; friendly;
   helpful; kind, patient, and indulgent

29

badinage (noun) light, playful banter; raillery 16

banal (adjective) lacking freshness and originality;

trite; commonplace; so ordinary

as to have become tedious

10

EHGODP (noun) a place or situation of noisy uproar

and confusion

17

bellicose (adjective) warlike, pugnacious, aggressively hostile 5

bête noire (noun) a person or thing that is particularly

disliked, dreaded, or avoided

34

billingsgate (noun) foul, coarse, abusive language 17

EODQGLVKPHQW (noun) ÀDWWHU\WKDWLVGHVLJQHG

to persuade a listener

12

bloviate (verb) to talk pompously; to talk at great length

in a pompous and boastful manner

12

ERPEDVW (noun) pretentious, pompous,

grandiloquent speech or writing

12

ERZGOHUL]H (verb) to change a text by removing or modifying

parts that could offend people

15

braggadocio (noun) 1. a braggart

2. empty, arrogant boasting

23

bravado (noun) a pretentious, swaggering display

of courage intended to impress others

23

Brobdingnagian

(adjective)

immense, enormous 30

EURPLGH (noun) a platitude or trite saying 10

EXPSWLRXV (adjective) pushy; offensively or loudly self-assertive;

cocky

12