F451 Vocab

(of a person) calm, dependable, and showing

reduce to fine particles

a level or class to which people are assigned according to their social status, education, or income

a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition toward a particular thing

extremely unpleasant; repulsive

extremely hungry

a tool used for cutting crops such as grass or wheat, with a long curved blade at the end of a long pole attached to which are one or two short handles

(of something regarded as unpleasant) continuing without pause or interruption

• (of a body of water or the
• atmosphere of a confined space) having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence

of or like an animal or animals

of or connected with the sense of touch

a formal pronouncement from an authoritative source

an abundance or large quantity of something

proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects

a state of complete emptiness or destruction

ward off (a weapon or attack), esp. with a countermove

deserving contempt; despicable

never ending or changing

concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty

absolute certainty or conviction that something is the case

make white or pale by extracting color; bleach

the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening

talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way

(of a person, animal, or other living organism) grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, esp. as the result of a particularly favorable environment

a distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition

a statement or proposition that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or self-contradictory

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable

• the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect
• a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result

the state of being strikingly different from something else, typically something in juxtaposition or close association

visually descriptive or figurative language, esp. in a literary work