0401-0500 Flashcards
perdition
eternal damnation
greenwashing
the act or practice of making a product, policy, activity, etc. appear to be more environmentally friendly
honorific
conferring or conveying honor
gibbet
to expose to infamy or public scorn; a post for hanging the bodies of executed criminals as a warning
axiom
a statement accepted as true as the basis for argument or inference; an established rule or principle
chaplet
a wreath to be worn on the head; a string of beads
execrate
to declare to be evil or detestable
contrapuntal
of, relating to, or marked by counterpoint; polyphonic
besotted
blindly or utterly infatuated; intoxicated or stupefied especially with drink
dross
the unwanted material that forms on the surface of molten metal; waste or foreign matter
pertinent
having a clear decisive relevance to the matter in hand
quotidian
occurring every day; common, ordinary
leaven
a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid; something that modifies or lightens
nigh
near
unctuous
marked by a smug, ingratiating, and false earnestness; smooth and greasy in texture or appearance
thrum
to sound with a monotonous hum; to play or pluck a stringed instrument idly
dogbane
often poisonous plants chiefly of temperate-zone regions with milky juice and fibrous bark
bawd
one who keeps a house of prostitution
beneficent
doing or producing good; beneficial
nave
the hub of a wheel; the main part of the interior of a church
blear
to make (the eyes) sore or watery; dim or blur
leviathan
a large sea animal; something large or formidable
booby
an awkward foolish person; tropical seabirds
dactylic
a metrical foot consisting of one long (or stressed) and two short syllables (as in tenderly)
rataplan
the iterative sound of beating
egress
an exit; a means of going out
cholo
a man or boy of Mexican descent; often disparaging
habiliment
the dress characteristic of an occupation or occasion
predestinate
destined, fated, or determined beforehand
brood
the young of an animal or a family; a group having a common nature or origin
indolent
averse to activity, effort, or movement; habitually lazy
rhombus
a parallelogram with four equal sides
breeches
knee length trousers
ulterior
motives, objectives, reasons, agendas, etc. that are kept hidden in order to achieve a particular result
libation
an act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice (as to a deity); a drink containing alcohol
orlop
the lowest deck in a ship having four or more decks
febrile
marked or caused by fever
oakum
loosely twisted fiber impregnated with tar; used in caulking seams and packing joints
pretentious
characterized by pretension; expressive of unwarranted or exaggerated importance
deportment
the manner in which one conducts oneself
scoria
the refuse from melting of metals or reduction of ores; rough vesicular cindery lava
shrewd
marked by clever discerning awareness and hardheaded acumen
fop
a man who is devoted to or vain about his appearance or dress
denude
strip (something) of its covering, possessions, or assets; make bare
lenitive
alleviating pain or harshness
redoubt
a small fort
assail
to attack violently; to oppose, challenge, or criticize harshly and forcefully
nape
the back of the neck
erstwhile
in the past; formerly
tyranny
oppressive power; a rigorous condition imposed by some outside agency or force
austere
stern and cold in appearance or manner; morally strict
roustabout
an unskilled or semiskilled laborer especially in an oil field or refinery
dissemble
to hide under a false appearance; to put on the appearance of
hillock
a small hill
veracity
conformity to facts; accuracy
lugger
a small fishing or coasting boat that carries one or more lugsails
deprecate
to express disapproval of; to belittle
miasma
an influence or atmosphere that tends to deplete or corrupt
whinge
to complain fretfully; whine
culverin
an early firearm or cannon
alight
to come down from something; dismount; being on fire
arbor
a shelter of vines or branches or of latticework covered with climbing shrubs or vines
intransigent
characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an often extreme position or attitude
stern
the rear end of a boat
portent
something that foreshadows a coming event
abrogate
to abolish by authoritative action; to treat as nonexistent
dour
stern, harsh
fusee
a red signal flare used especially for protecting stalled trains and trucks
theodicy
defense of God’s goodness and omnipotence in view of the existence of evil
brusque
markedly short and abrupt; blunt in manner or speech often to the point of ungracious harshnes
sepia
a reddish brown color associated with photography
voluble
characterized by ready or rapid speech; easily rolling or turning
futurity
time to come; future event or prospect
oblique
neither perpendicular nor parallel; having no right angle
centerboard
a retractable keel used especially in sailboats
proboscis
any long flexible snout, especially an elephant trunk or a prominent human nose
prodigious
causing amazement or wonder; extraordinary in bulk, quantity, or degree
flail
to strike with or as if with a flail; to move, swing, or beat as if wielding a flail
placard
a notice posted in a public place; a small card or metal plaque
beatitude
a state of utmost bliss
forsook
to have renounced or turned away from
somnolent
of a kind likely to induce sleep; inclined to or heavy with sleep
solipsism
a theory holding that the self is the only existent thing
tunic
a simple slip-on garment knee-length or longer, belted at the waist
pone
corn bread often made without milk or eggs and baked or fried
apotheosis
the perfect form or example of something; the highest or best part of something
hautboy
an archaic word for an oboe
acquiesce
to accept, comply, or submit tacitly or passively
lucent
glowing with light; marked by clarity or translucence
yarrow
a Eurasian herb with small corymbose flowers
clamber
to climb awkwardly or with effort especially by using both the hands and the feet
interminable
having or seeming to have no end
pareidolia
the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern
fag
to work hard
gentry
people of a specified kind, especially upper class; the condition or rank of a gentleman
disputation
the action of disputing; an academic exercise in oral defense of a thesis by formal logic
muntin
wood pieces separating panes of glass in a window sash
staminal
of, relating to, or constituting stamina; of, relating to, or consisting of a stamen
antimacassar
a piece of cloth put over the back of a chair to protect it from grease and dirt or as an ornament.
lambaste
to assault violently; to attack verbally
