The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Glossary

adroit

(adj.)

clever or skillful in using the hands or mind

Charlie's sister was adroit at thinking of timely excuses.

bourgeoisie

(n.)

the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes

corpulent

(adj.)

fat or overweight (refers to people)

After constantly eating sweets, he became corpulent.

cynical

(adj.)

(1) 1 believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity

• doubtful as to whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile: "Most residents are cynical about efforts to clean mobsters out of the city."

• contemptuous; mocking

(2) concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted or appropriate standards in order to fulfill these interests

daze

(v.)

to make someone unable to think or react properly; stupefy; bewilder

He was dazed and confused after talking to his parents.

(n.)

a state of stunned confusion or bewilderment

Charlie's life had become a sad daze.

documentary

(adj.)

a movie, television or radio program, or photography feature that uses pictures or interviews with people involved in real events to provide a factual record or report

PBS produced an educational documentary on Hurricane Katrina.

idealist

(n.)

(1) a person who is guided more by ideals than by practical considerations

(2) a person who believes in the theory of idealism

He earned a reputation as a left-wing idealist on account of his outspoken liberalism.

impersonation

(n.)

an act of pretending to be another person for the purpose of entertainment or fraud

Patrick did his best impersonation of being surprised even though he knew that Charlie was his Secret Santa.

infinite

(adj.)

limitless or endless in space, extent, or size; impossible to measure or calculate

There is an infinite number of stars in the universe.

jaded

(adj.)

tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something

The commencement speaker urged the students not to become jaded later in life.

jaundice

(n.)

(1) bitterness, resentment, or envy

(2) a medical condition involving yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, caused by liver disease

She desperately wanted the book that the other girl had taken, and so she was filled with jaundice.

LSD

(n.) a synthetic crystalline compound that is a potent hallucinogenic drug

Charlie had a bad reaction when he was high on LSD.

masturbate

(v.)

to stimulate one's own genitals for sexual pleasure

Charlie was embarrassed by how much he liked to masturbate.

molest

(v.)

(1) pester or harass (someone), typically in an aggressive or persistent manner

(2) assault or abuse (a person, especially a woman or child) sexually

The boy was molested when he was a child.

objectify

(v.)

(1) to express (something abstract) in a concrete form

(2) to degrade to the status of a mere object

Your deeply sexist attitude objectifies women.

psychiatrist

(n.)

a medical practitioner specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness

He went to see a psychiatrist once a week in order to cope with his personality disorder.

sacrifice

(n.)

an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy

We must be prepared to make sacrifices.

transcendental

(adj.)

of or relating to a spiritual or nonphysical realm

Listening to that song was a transcendental experience.

wallflower

(n.) (informal)

a person who has no one to dance with or who feels shy, awkward, or excluded at a party

At the Homecoming Dance, Charlie did not have a date: he felt like a wallflower.

Zen

(n.)

A Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism emphasizing the value of meditation and intuition

Mary Elizabeth loved to discuss Zen with Charlie at school.