23/11/19 Flashcards
ponderous
i. slow and clumsy because of great weight
ii. (of speech or writing) dull or laborious
adumbrate
i. to represent something in outline e.g. adumbrating the idea of a welfare state
ii. to foreshadow a future event e.g. adumbrate the fate of the convicted sinner
obdurate
unwilling to change one’s actions or opinions i.e. stubborn
acerbic
(of speech) sharp and forthright
presentiment
premonition i.e. a strong feeling that something (especially if unpleasant) is about to happen
perfidious
deceitful or untrustworthy e.g. a perfidious lover
conduit
a channel for conveying water
dialectic
investigating or discussing the truth of opinions
presumptuous
not knowing the limits of what is acceptable or permitted; overconfident, arrogant, egotistical etc.
hermetic
complete and airtight e.g. a hermetic seal
conjure
to effect or produce e.g to conjure a miracle; to recall e.g. to conjure up the past
lacerate
i. to tear roughly e.g. the barbed wire lacerated his hands
ii. to distress or torture mentally or emotionally; to wound deeply e.g. bitter criticism that lacerated my heart OR their quarrels became more frequent, more lacerating (Malay Sketches, Alfian Sa’at)
controvert
to argue about; discuss; debate e.g. many scholars controverted Book I of The Republic
assail
i. to attack vigorously or violently; assault
ii. to attack with criticism, argument, or ridicule e.g. to assail one’s opponent with slander
iii. to undertake with the purpose of mastering e.g. he assailed his studies with new determination
iv. to impinge upon; make an impact upon e.g. his mind was assailed by conflicting arguments OR the light assailed their eyes
impinge
to make an impression
genuflect
i. to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship
ii. to express a servile attitude
exigency
a case or situation that demands prompt action or remedy; emergency e.g. promising to help in any exigency OR “…she has emptied newly-opened tissue boxes and agonised over legitimate paintbrushes for his Art and Crafts exigencies…”
mendicant
pertaining to the characteristics of a beggar; a person who lives by begging
cognomen
surname OR nickname e.g. “Its author’s bizarre cognomen is his own invention…” (Lolita, Nabokov)
assuage
i. to make milder or less severe; mitigate e.g. to assuage one’s grief
ii. to appease; satisfy; relieve; allay e.g. to assuage one’s hunger
iii. to soothe, calm, or mollify e.g. to assuage his fears
mollify
i. to soften in feeling or temper, as a person; to pacify; appease
ii. to mitigate or reduce; soften e.g. to mollify one’s demands
conjure
to effect or produce e.g to conjure a miracle; to recall e.g. to conjure up the past
lacerate
i. to tear roughly e.g. the barbed wire lacerated his hands
ii. to distress or torture mentally or emotionally; to wound deeply e.g. bitter criticism that lacerated my heart OR their quarrels became more frequent, more lacerating (Malay Sketches, Alfian Sa’at)
controvert
to argue about; discuss; debate e.g. many scholars controverted Book I of The Republic
assail
i. to attack vigorously or violently; assault
ii. to attack with criticism, argument, or ridicule e.g. to assail one’s opponent with slander
iii. to undertake with the purpose of mastering e.g. he assailed his studies with new determination
iv. to impinge upon; make an impact upon e.g. his mind was assailed by conflicting arguments OR the light assailed their eyes
impinge
to make an impression
genuflect
i. to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship
ii. to express a servile attitude
exigency
a case or situation that demands prompt action or remedy; emergency e.g. promising to help in any exigency OR “…she has emptied newly-opened tissue boxes and agonised over legitimate paintbrushes for his Art and Crafts exigencies…”
mendicant
pertaining to the characteristics of a beggar; a person who lives by begging
conjure
to effect or produce e.g to conjure a miracle; to recall e.g. to conjure up the past
lacerate
i. to tear roughly e.g. the barbed wire lacerated his hands
ii. to distress or torture mentally or emotionally; to wound deeply e.g. bitter criticism that lacerated my heart OR their quarrels became more frequent, more lacerating (Malay Sketches, Alfian Sa’at)
controvert
to argue about; discuss; debate e.g. many scholars controverted Book I of The Republic
assail
i. to attack vigorously or violently; assault
ii. to attack with criticism, argument, or ridicule e.g. to assail one’s opponent with slander
iii. to undertake with the purpose of mastering e.g. he assailed his studies with new determination
iv. to impinge upon; make an impact upon e.g. his mind was assailed by conflicting arguments OR the light assailed their eyes
impinge
to make an impression
genuflect
i. to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship
ii. to express a servile attitude
exigency
a case or situation that demands prompt action or remedy; emergency e.g. promising to help in any exigency OR “…she has emptied newly-opened tissue boxes and agonised over legitimate paintbrushes for his Art and Crafts exigencies…”
