22 Short Flashcards
riveting
adjective
completely engrossing; compelling: the book is a riveting account of the legendary freedom fighter.
roil
verb
1 [with object] literary make (a liquid) turbid or muddy by disturbing the sediment: winds roil these waters.
• [no object] (of a liquid) move in a turbulent, swirling manner: the sea roiled below her | figurative : a kind of fear roiled in her.
2 another term for rile.
rote
noun
mechanical or habitual repetition of something to be learned: a poem learned by rote in childhood.
rouse
verb [with object]
1 bring out of sleep; awaken: she was roused from a deep sleep by a hand on her shoulder.
• [no object] cease to sleep or to be inactive; wake up: she roused and looked around.
• startle out of inactivity; cause to become active: once the enemy camp was roused, they would move on the castle | she’d just stay a few more minutes, then rouse herself and go back.
• startle (game) from a lair or cover.
2 cause to feel angry or excited: the crowds were roused to fever pitch by the drama of the race.
• cause or give rise to (an emotion or feeling): his evasiveness roused my curiosity.
3 stir (a liquid, especially beer while brewing): rouse the beer as the hops are introduced.
rubicund
adjective
(especially of someone’s face) having a ruddy complexion; high-colored.
rue
verb (rues, rueing or ruing, rued) [with object] bitterly regret (something one has done or allowed to happen): Ferguson will rue the day he turned down that offer | she might live to rue this impetuous decision.
ruffle
verb [with object]
1 disorder or disarrange (someone’s hair), typically by running one’s hands through it: he ruffled her hair affectionately.
• (of a bird) erect (its feathers) in anger or display: on his departure to the high wires, the starling ruffled his feathers and flirted his wings.
• disturb the smoothness or tranquility of: the evening breeze ruffled the surface of the pond in the yard.
• disconcert or upset the composure of (someone): Brian had been ruffled by her questions.
2 (usually as adjective ruffled) ornament with or gather into a frill: a blouse with a high ruffled neck.
noun
1 an ornamental gathered or goffered frill of lace or other cloth on a garment, especially around the wrist or neck.
2 a vibrating drumbeat.
ruminate
verb [no object]
1 think deeply about something: we sat ruminating on the nature of existence.
2 (of a ruminant) chew the cud.
rumple
verb [with object] (usually as adjective rumpled)
give a creased, ruffled, or disheveled appearance to: a rumpled bed.
noun [in singular]
an untidy state.
ruse
noun
an action intended to deceive someone; a trick: Eleanor tried to think of a ruse to get Paul out of the house.
rustic
adjective
1 relating to the countryside; rural.
• having a simplicity and charm that is considered typical of the countryside: the unblemished charm of rustic life has been a perennial source of inspiration for the painter | bare plaster walls and a terra-cotta floor give a rustic feel.
• lacking the sophistication of the city; backward and provincial: you are a rustic halfwit.
2 made in a plain and simple fashion: rustic pottery.
• made of untrimmed branches or rough timber: a rustic oak bench.
• with rough-hewn or roughened surface or with deeply sunk joints: a rustic bridge.
• denoting freely formed lettering, especially a relatively informal style of handwritten Roman capital letter.
rustle
verb
1 [no object] make a soft, muffled crackling sound like that caused by the movement of dry leaves or paper: she came closer, her skirt swaying and rustling.
• [with adverbial of direction] move with a rustling sound: a nurse rustled in with a syringe.
• [with object] move (something), causing it to make a rustling sound: Dolly rustled the paper irritably.
2 [with object] round up and steal (cattle, horses, or sheep).
3 [no object] North American informal move or act quickly or energetically; hustle: rustle around the kitchen, see what there is.
noun [usually in singular]
a soft, muffled crackling sound like that made by the movement of dry leaves or paper: there was a rustle in the undergrowth behind her.
saccharine
adjective [attributive]
1 excessively sweet or sentimental.
2 dated relating to or containing sugar; sugary.
sacrilege
noun
violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred: putting ecclesiastical vestments to secular use was considered sacrilege.
saddle
verb [with object]
put a saddle on (a horse): he was in the stable saddling up his horse.
• (usually be saddled with) burden (someone) with an onerous responsibility or task: he’s saddled with debts of $12 million.
salient
adjective
1 most noticeable or important: it succinctly covered all the salient points of the case.
• prominent; conspicuous: it was always the salient object in my view.
noun
a piece of land or section of fortification that juts out to form an angle.
• an outward bulge in a line of military attack or defense.
salubrious
adjective
health-giving; healthy: salubrious weather.
• (of a place) pleasant; not run-down.
salutary
adjective
(especially with reference to something unwelcome or unpleasant) producing good effects; beneficial: a salutary reminder of where we came from.
salve
noun
an ointment used to promote healing of the skin or as protection.
• something that is soothing or consoling for wounded feelings or an uneasy conscience: the idea provided him with a salve for his guilt.
verb [with object]
1 soothe (wounded pride or one’s conscience): charity salves our conscience.
sanctify
verb (sanctifies, sanctifying, sanctified) [with object]
set apart as or declare holy; consecrate: a small shrine was built to sanctify the site.
• make legitimate or binding by religious sanction: they see their love sanctified by the sacrament of marriage.
• free from sin; purify.
• cause to be or seem morally right or acceptable: ancient customs that are sanctified by tradition.
sanctimonious
adjective derogatory
making a show of being morally superior to other people: what happened to all the sanctimonious talk about putting his family first?
sanguine
adjective
1 optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation: he is sanguine about prospects for the global economy | the committee takes a more sanguine view.
noun
a blood-red color.
sap
noun
the fluid, chiefly water with dissolved sugars and mineral salts, that circulates in the vascular system of a plant.
• vigor or energy: the hot, heady days of youth when the sap was rising.
verb (saps, sapping, sapped) [with object]
gradually weaken or destroy (a person’s strength or power): our energy is being sapped by bureaucrats and politicians.
• (sap someone of) drain someone of (strength or power): her illness had sapped her of energy and life.
sapient
adjective
1 formal wise, or attempting to appear wise.
• (chiefly in science fiction) intelligent: sapient life forms.
2 relating to the human species (Homo sapiens): our sapient ancestors of 40,000 years ago.
noun
a human of the species Homo sapiens.
sartorial
adjective [attributive]
relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress: sartorial elegance.
sate
verb [with object]
satisfy (a desire or an appetite) to the full: sate your appetite at the resort’s restaurant.
• supply (someone) with as much as or more of something than is desired or can be managed.
satiate
verb
another term for sate1: he folded up his newspaper, his curiosity satiated.
saturnine
adjective
(of a person or their manner) slow and gloomy: a saturnine temperament.
• (of a person or their features) dark in coloring and moody or mysterious: his saturnine face and dark, watchful eyes.
• (of a place or an occasion) gloomy: a saturnine setting.
saunter
verb [no object, with adverbial of direction]
walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry or effort: Adam sauntered into the room.
noun
a leisurely stroll: a quiet saunter down the road.
savant
noun
a learned person, especially a distinguished scientist.
savory
adjective
1 (of food) belonging to the category which is salty or spicy rather than sweet.
• having an appetizing taste or smell: she carried in a pie from the kitchen, steaming and savory.
2 [usually with negative] morally wholesome or acceptable: everyone knew it was a front for less savory operations.
scads
plural noun informal, chiefly North American
a large number or quantity: they raised scads of children | [in singular] : he’s installed a scad of microprocessors.
scant
adjective
barely sufficient or adequate: companies with scant regard for the safety of future generations.
• [attributive] barely amounting to a specified number or quantity: she weighed a scant two pounds.
verb [with object] chiefly North American
provide grudgingly or in insufficient amounts: he does not scant his attention to the later writings.
• deal with inadequately; neglect: the press regularly scants a host of issues relating to safety and health.
scathing
adjective
witheringly scornful; severely critical: she launched a scathing attack on the governor.
schism
noun
a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief.
scintillate
verb [no object]
emit flashes of light; sparkle.
seditious
adjective
inciting or causing people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch: the letter was declared seditious.s
scission
noun technical
the action or state of cutting or being cut.
• chiefly Biochemistry breakage of a chemical bond, especially one in a long chain molecule so that two smaller chains result.
• a division or split between people or parties; a schism.
scoff
verb [no object]
speak to someone or about something in a scornfully derisive or mocking way: [with direct speech] : “You, a scientist?” he scoffed | department officials scoffed at the allegations.
noun
an expression of scornful derision.
scorch
verb
1 [with object] burn the surface of (something) with flame or heat: surrounding houses were scorched by heat from the blast.
• [no object] become burned when exposed to heat or a flame: the meat had scorched.
• (often as adjective scorched) (of the heat of the sun) cause (vegetation or a place) to become dried out and lifeless: a desolate, scorched landscape.
2 [no object, with adverbial of direction] informal (of a person or vehicle) move very fast: a sports car scorching along the expressway.
noun
the burning or charring of the surface of something: [as modifier] : a scorch mark.
scorn
noun
the feeling or belief that someone or something is worthless or despicable; contempt: I do not wish to become the object of scorn | [in singular] : a general scorn for human life.
• [in singular] archaic a person viewed with scorn: a scandal and a scorn to all who look on thee.
• archaic a statement or gesture indicating scorn.
verb [with object]
feel or express contempt or derision for: I was routinely ridiculed and scorned by conservatives and liberals alike.
• reject (something) in a contemptuous way: opponents scorned his offer to negotiate.
• [no object, with infinitive] refuse to do something because one is too proud: at her lowest ebb, she would have scorned to stoop to such tactics.
scotch
verb
1 [with object] decisively put an end to: a spokesman has scotched the rumors.
2 [with object and adverbial] wedge (someone or something) somewhere: he soon scotched himself against a wall.
scour
verb [with object]
1 clean or brighten the surface of (something) by rubbing it hard, typically with an abrasive or detergent: he scoured the bathtub.
• remove (dirt or unwanted matter) by rubbing with an abrasive or detergent: use an electric toothbrush to scour off plaque | [no object] : I’ve spent all day mopping and scouring.
• (of water or a watercourse) make (a channel or pool) by flowing forcefully over something and removing soil or rock: a stream came crashing through a narrow cavern to scour out a round pool below.
2 • archaic administer a strong purgative to.
noun
1 the action of scouring or the state of being scoured, especially by swift-flowing water.
• [in singular] an act of rubbing something hard to clean or brighten it: give the floor a good scour.
2 (also scours) diarrhea in livestock, especially cattle and pigs.
scowl
noun
an angry or bad-tempered expression.
verb [no object]
frown in an angry or bad-tempered way: she scowled at him defiantly.
scrappy
adjective (scrappier, scrappiest)
1 consisting of disorganized, untidy, or incomplete parts: scrappy lecture notes piled up unread. [mid 19th century: derivative of scrap1.]
scrawl
verb [with object]
write (something) in a hurried, careless way: Charlie scrawled his signature | [no object] : he was scrawling on the back of a used envelope.
noun
an example of hurried, careless writing: the page was covered in scrawls and doodles | reams of handwritten scrawl.
scribble
verb [with object]
write or draw (something) carelessly or hurriedly: he took the clipboard and scribbled something illegible | (as adjective scribbled) : scribbled notes | [no object] : hastily he scribbled in the margin.
• [no object] informal write for a living or as a hobby: she spent her last years scribbling and painting.
noun
a piece of writing or a picture produced carelessly or hurriedly: illegible scribbles | he would never be able to decipher your scribble.
scrupulous
adjective
(of a person or process) diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details: the research has been carried out with scrupulous attention to detail.
• very concerned to avoid doing wrong: she’s too scrupulous to have an affair with a married man.
scuff
verb [with object]
scrape or brush the surface of (a shoe or other object) against something: I scuffed the heel of my shoe on a stone.
• mark (a surface) by scraping or brushing it, especially with one’s shoes: the linoleum on the floor was scuffed.
• [no object] (of an object or surface) become marked by scraping or brushing: these shoes won’t scuff.
• drag (one’s feet or heels) when walking: he scuffed his feet boyishly.
• [no object, with adverbial of direction] walk while dragging one’s feet or heels: she scuffed along in her slippers.
noun
a mark made by scraping or grazing a surface or object: dark colors don’t show scuffs.
scurrilous,
adjective
making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation: a scurrilous attack on his integrity.
• humorously insulting: a very funny collection of bawdy and scurrilous writings.
scurrilous
adjective
making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation: a scurrilous attack on his integrity.
• humorously insulting: a very funny collection of bawdy and scurrilous writings.
seamy
adjective (seamier, seamiest)
sordid and disreputable: a seamy sex scandal.
secrete
verb [with object]
(of a cell, gland, or organ) produce and discharge (a substance): insulin is secreted in response to rising levels of glucose in the blood.
verb [with object]
conceal; hide: the assets had been secreted in Swiss bank accounts.
sedate
adjective
calm, dignified, and unhurried: in the old days, business was carried on at a rather more sedate pace.
• quiet and rather dull: sedate suburban domesticity.
verb [with object]
calm (someone) or make them sleep by administering a sedative drug: she was heavily sedated.
sedentary
adjective
(of a person) tending to spend much time seated; somewhat inactive.
• (of work or a way of life) characterized by much sitting and little physical exercise.
• (of a position) sitting; seated.
sedulous
adjective
(of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence: he watched himself with the most sedulous care.
seemly
adjective
conforming to accepted notions of propriety or good taste; decorous: I felt it was not seemly to observe too closely.
self-absorbed
adjective
preoccupied with one’s own feelings , interests, or situation: they are too self-absorbed to listen carefully to others.
seminal,
adjective
1 (of a work, event, moment, or figure) strongly influencing later developments: his seminal work on chaos theory.
2 relating to or denoting semen.
seminal
adjective
1 (of a work, event, moment, or figure) strongly influencing later developments: his seminal work on chaos theory.
2 relating to or denoting semen.
sepulchral
adjective
relating to a tomb or interment: sepulchral monuments.
• gloomy; dismal: a speech delivered in sepulchral tones.
septic
adjective
1 (chiefly of a wound or a part of the body) infected with bacteria.
2 [attributive] denoting a drainage system incorporating a septic tank.
sequela
noun (plural sequelae | -ˈkwelē, -ˈkwelī | ) (usually sequelae) Medicine
a condition which is the consequence of a previous disease or injury: the long-term sequelae of infection.
sequester
verb [with object]
1 isolate or hide away (someone or something): Tiberius was sequestered on an island | the jurors had been sequestered since Monday | the artist sequestered himself in his studio for two years.
• [no object] Chemistry form a chelate or other stable compound with (an ion, atom, or molecule) so that it is no longer available for reactions.
2 take legal possession of (assets) until a debt has been paid or other claims have been met: the power of courts to sequester the assets of unions.
• take forcible possession of (something); confiscate: rebel property was sequestered and a military government installed.
• legally place (the property of a bankrupt) in the hands of a trustee for division among the creditors: (as adjective sequestered) : a trustee in a sequestered estate.
sere
adjective literary
(especially of vegetation) dry or withered: small green vineyards encircled by vast sear fields.
serendipity,
noun
the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: a fortunate stroke of serendipity | a series of small serendipities.
serendipity
noun
the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: a fortunate stroke of serendipity | a series of small serendipities.
serene
adjective
1 calm, peaceful, and untroubled; tranquil: her eyes were closed and she looked very serene | serene certainty.
2 (Serene) (in a title) used as a term of respect for members of some European royal families: His Serene Highness.
rune/runic
noun
a letter of an ancient Germanic alphabet, related to the Roman alphabet.
• a mark or letter of mysterious or magic significance.
• (runes) small stones, pieces of bone, etc., bearing runes, and used as divinatory symbols: the casting of the runes.
• a spell or incantation.
