28-33 Flashcards
laity
laypersons; persons not connected with the clergy
lap
take in food or drink with tongue; splash gently
larder
pantry
lascivious
lustful
lassitude
listlessness
lectern
reading desk or stand for a public speaker
leonine
like a lion
levee
embankment to prevent flooding
libel
defamatory written statement
libertine
dissolute or licentious person
libidinous
lustful
licentious
amoral; lewd
lien
legal claim or right on a property
ligneous
like wood
liliputian
extremely small
limn
draw; outline
limpid
crystal clear
lineaments
features especially of the face
lionize
treat a person as a celebrity
litany
prayer in which the priest calls out and the people replies in the same words
lithe
flexible
willowy
flexible
litotes
understatement for emphasis
livid
angry
loath
reluctant; unwilling
lope
gallop slowly
lout
clumsy person
lucre
money; profit
lugubrious
mournful; sorrowful
lull
moment of calm
lumen
unit of light energy
lurid
wild; graphic; gruesome
macerate
soften by soaking in liquid; waste away
Machiavellian
crafty; double-dealing
maculated
spotted; stained
madrigal
pastoral song
maelstrom
violent whirlpool; violent or turbulent situation
magisterial
authoritative; imperious
magnanimity
generosity
magniloquent
boastful; pompous
maim
mutilate
malapropism
comic misuse of a word
malapropos
inappropriate
malefactor
evildoer
malingerer
one who feigns illness to escape duty
manacle
restrain; handcuff
manifest
evident; visible
manifesto
public declaration of principles
manifold
many in number or kind
mannered
affected; not natural
manumit
emancipate
marred
damaged
martinet
strict disciplinarian
matrix
point of origin
maudlin
effusively sentimental
maverick
rebel; non comformist
mawkish
sentimental
mealymouthed
indirect in speech; hypocritical
meek
submissive; patient and long-suffering
megalomania
mania for doing grandiose things
mellifluous
sweetly or smoothly flowing
mendacious
lying; habitually
alms
money or goods given to the poor
mercantile
concerning trades or merchants
mercurial
capricious; quick and changing
meretricious
flashy; tawdry; attractive only on the surface
mete
measure; distribute; administer
mettle
courage
miasma
swamp gas
militate
work against
minatory
menacing
mincing
affectedly dainty
mire
entangle; stick in swampy ground
misadventure
mischace; ill luck
misnomer
wrong or improper name
missive
letter; written statement
mitigate
appease; moderate
modicum
limited quantity
modulate
tone down in intensity
monastic
solidly uniform
moratorium
legal delay of payment or action
mores
conventions; moral standards
mote
small speck
motley
multi-colored
mottled
blotched, in coloring
mountebank
charlatan
muggy
warm and damp (weather)
mulct
swindle
munificent
very generous in giving
natty
neatly or smartly dressed
nettle
irritate
nexus
connection
nib
beak
nicety
precision; accuracy
niggle
spend too much time on minor points
nihilist
total rejection of established laws and institutions.
noisome
foul smelling; very unpleasant
nonplus
put at a loss
nostrum
questionable medicine
nubile
marriageable
nugatory
worthless
numismatist
person who collects coins
obdurate
stubborn
obloquy
slander
slavish
of or like a slave; servile
obsequy
funeral ceremony
obstreperous
boisterous; noisy annd uncontrollable
occlude
shut; close
odious
arousing strong dislike
odium
detestation
officious
meddlesome
onerous
burdensome
onus
burden
ordain
decree or commandoustrip
outstrip
surpass
overweening
arrogant; presumptuous