New Vocabulary in Act One:
Basic:
- heathen / adj.1 : of or relating to heathens
, their religions, or their customs
2 : STRANGE,
UNCIVILIZED
- conjure / verb 1 : to charge or entreat earnestly or
solemnly
2 a : to summon by or as if by invocation or incantation b (1)
: to affect or effect by or as if by magic (2) : IMAGINE,
CONTRIVE
-- often used with up <we conjure up our own metaphors for
our own needs -- R. J. Kaufmann> (3) : to bring to mind <words
that conjure pleasant images>
- action / noun 1 : the initiating of a proceeding in a court
of justice by which one demands or enforces one's right; also :
the proceeding itself
2 : the bringing about of an alteration by force or through a
natural agency
3 : the manner or method of performing: a : the
deportment of an actor or speaker or his expression by means of attitude,
voice, and gesture b : the style of movement of the feet and
legs (as of a horse) c : a function of the body or one of its
parts
4 : an act of will
5 a : a thing done : DEED
b : the accomplishment of a thing usually over a period of
time, in stages, or with the possibility of repetition c plural
: BEHAVIOR,
CONDUCT
<unscrupulous actions> d : INITIATIVE,
ENTERPRISE
<a man of action>
6 a (1) : an engagement between troops or ships (2) :
combat in war <gallantry in action> b (1) : an
event or series of events forming a literary composition (2) : the
unfolding of the events of a drama or work of fiction : PLOT
(3) : the movement of incidents in a plot c : the
combination of circumstances that constitute the subject matter of a
painting or sculpture
7 a : an operating mechanism b : the manner in
which a mechanism or instrument operates
8 a : the price movement and trading volume of a commodity,
security, or market b : the process of betting including the
offering and acceptance of a bet and determination of a winner c :
an opportunity for financial gain <a piece of the action>
9 : the most vigorous, productive, or exciting activity
in a particular field, area, or group <they itch to go where the action
is -- D. J. Henahan>
- abomination / noun 1 : something abominable
2 : extreme disgust and hatred : LOATHING
- gibberish / noun : unintelligible or meaningless language: a
: a technical or esoteric language b : pretentious or
needlessly obscure language
- deference / noun : respect and esteem due a superior or an elder; also
: affected or ingratiating regard for another's wishes
- naught / noun 1 : NOTHINGNESS,
NONEXISTENCE
2 : the arithmetical symbol 0 : ZERO,
CIPHER
- dwindling / verb intransitive senses : to become steadily
less : SHRINK
transitive senses : to make steadily less
- abyss / noun 1 : the bottomless gulf, pit, or chaos of the
old cosmogonies
2 a : an immeasurably deep gulf or great space b :
intellectual or moral depths
- intimation / noun : to make known especially publicly or formally :
ANNOUNCE
2 : to communicate delicately and indirectly3. Suggestions
- formidable / adj 1 : causing fear, dread, or apprehension
<a formidable prospect>
2 : having qualities that discourage approach or attack
3 : tending to inspire awe or wonder
- trepidation / noun 1 archaic : a tremulous motion :
TREMOR
2 : timorous uncertain agitation : APPREHENSION
- titillate / verb 1 : to excite pleasurably : arouse
by stimulation
2 : TICKLE
- notorious / adj generally known and talked of; especially :
widely and unfavorably known
- prodigious / adj 1 a obsolete : being an omen :
PORTENTOUS
b archaic : resembling or befitting a prodigy
: STRANGE,
UNUSUAL
2 : exciting amazement or wonder
3 : extraordinary in bulk, quantity, or degree : ENORMOUS
- fathom / noun 1 : a unit of length equal to six feet (1.83
meters) used especially for measuring the depth of water
2 : COMPREHENSION
verb. to penetrate and come to understand <couldn't fathom the
problem>
-
defamation/: noun
Date: 14th century
: the act of defaming
another : CALUMNY
- anarchy/ Function: noun
Etymology: Medieval Latin anarchia, from Greek, from anarchos having
no ruler, from an- + archos ruler -- more at ARCH-
Date: 1539
- avidly/Function: adjective
Etymology: French or Latin; French avide, from Latin avidus, from
avEre to desire, crave; akin to Welsh ewyllys desire, Old
Irish con-oí he protects
Date: 1769
1. desirous to the point of greed : urgently eager :
GREEDY
<avid for publicity>
2 : characterized by enthusiasm and vigorous pursuit <avid
readers>
synonym see
EAGER
- licentious/Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin licentiosus, from licentia
Date: 1535
1 : lacking legal or moral restraints; especially :
disregarding sexual restraints
2 : marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness
- blanched/Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English blaunchen, from Middle French blanchir, from
Old French blanche, feminine of blanc, adjective, white --
more at BLANK
Date: 15th century
- evade/ Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): evad·ed; evad·ing
Etymology: Middle French & Latin; Middle French evader, from
Latin evadere, from e- + vadere to go, walk -- more at WADE
Date: 1513
intransitive senses
1 : to slip away
2 : to take refuge in evasion
- subservient/ Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin subservient-, subserviens, present participle of subservire
Date: 1632
1 : serving to promote some end
2 : useful in an inferior capacity : SUBORDINATE
-
clamor/noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French clamour, from Latin clamor,
from clamare to cry out -- more at CLAIM
Date: 14th century
1 a : noisy shouting b : a loud continuous noise
- calumny/noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -nies
Etymology: Middle French & Latin; Middle French calomnie, from
Latin calumnia, from calvi to deceive; perhaps akin to Old
English hOlian to slander, Greek kElein to beguile
Date: 15th century
1 : a misrepresentation intended to blacken another's
reputation
2 : the act of uttering false charges or misrepresentations
maliciously
- ingratiating/transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -at·ed; -at·ing
Etymology: 2in- + Latin gratia grace
Date: 1622
: to gain favor or favorable acceptance for by deliberate effort --
usually used with with <ingratiate themselves with the
community leaders -- William Attwood>
1 : capable of winning favor :
PLEASING
<an ingratiating smile>
2 : intended or adopted in order to gain favor :
FLATTERING
Advanced:
- diabolism/noun
Date: 1614
1 : dealings with or possession by the devil
2 : belief in or worship of devils
3 : evil character or conduct
- cosmology /noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -gies
Etymology: New Latin cosmologia, from Greek kosmos + New Latin
-logia -logy
Date: circa 1656
1 a : a branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature of
the universe b : a theory or doctrine describing the natural
order of the universe
- inculcation /transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -cat·ed; -cat·ing
Etymology: Latin inculcatus, past participle of inculcare, literally,
to tread on, from in- + calcare to trample, from calc-, calx heel
Date: 1550
: to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
- succubi / a demon assuming female form to have sexual intercourse with men
in their sleep
- abrogation /: to abolish by authoritative action :
ANNUL
2 : to treat as nonexistent <abrogating their
responsibilities>
synonym see
NULLIFY
- congeries : AGGREGATION, COLLECTION
- scourge:WHIP;
especially : one used to inflict pain or punishment
2 : an instrument of punishment or criticism
3 : a cause of widespread or great affliction
- propitiation: to gain or regain the favor or goodwill of :
APPEASE,
CONCILIATE
synonym see
PACIFY
- klatch:a gathering characterized usually by informal conversation
- laxity: the quality or state of being lax -not tense, firm, or
rigid :
SLACK
- lascivious :
LEWD,
LUSTFUL
- yeomanry: the body of small landed proprietors of the middle class
- ecclesiast: A minister or priest; a cleric.
- exaltation: an excessively intensified sense of well-being, power, or
importance; an increase in degree or intensity
- exude :to ooze out ; to undergo diffusion; to cause to ooze
or spread out in all directions; to display conspicuously or abundantly