Vocab #4

Apostate- a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.
-Babies were killed to keep them from growing up with apostate parents
Effusive- unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve
-She was effusive, welcoming, and kissed me on both cheeks.
Impasse-a position or situation from which there is no escape;deadlock.
-Prisons are built so that the prisoners are in a position of impasse.
Euphoria-a state of intense happiness and self-confidence
-She was flooded with euphoria as she went to the podium to receive her varsity letter.
Lugubrious-mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected,exaggerated, or unrelieved manner
-Many love songs are lugubrious when singing about a lost love.
Bravado- a pretentious, swaggering display of courage.
-The hero showed bravado when he vonlunteered for the adventure.
Consensus-majority of opinion
-The club required a consensus to create or get rid of club rules.
Dichotomy-division into two parts, kinds, etc.; subdivision into halves or pairs.
-Cell division begins in a dichotomy.
Constrict-to draw or press in; cause to contract or shrink; compress.
-A snake constricts to kill its pray.
Gothic- pertaining to or designating the style of painting, sculpture, etc., produced between the13th and 15th centuries, especially in northern Europe,characterized by a tendency toward realism and interest in detail.
-Old buildings from the 13th century are considered of gothic style.
Punctilio-a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony,or procedure.
-During a Navy funeral, the way the men fold the flag is a punctilio.
Metamorphosis-any complete change in appearance, character,circumstances, etc.
-The character went through metamorphosis when his outlook on life completely changed. 
Raconteur-a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.
-English teachers are usually strong raconteurs.
Sin qua non- an indispensable condition.
Quixotic-extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical,or impracticable.
-Old time Romeos were quixotic in their shining armor.
Vendetta-any prolonged and bitter feud, rivalry, contention
-It is bad to hold grudges over vendettas.
Non sequitur-an inference or a conclusion that does not follow from the premises.
-Einsteins hypothesis' were non sequitur for his time.
Mystique-a framework of doctrines, ideas, beliefs, or the like,constructed around a person or object, endowing the person or object with enhanced value or profound meaning.
-Perhaps more than any other type of artist, the ballerina possesses a certain inexplicable mystique.
Quagmire-a situation from which extrication is very difficult.
-Today physicists are still stuck in the same quagmire.
Parlous-perilous, dangerous
-Jumping off a cliff at the lake to practice high diving is parlous.