331 Flashcards
Abase
Degrade or humble; to lower in rank, status, or esteem
Abate
Reduce, diminish
abdicate
Formally give up the throne (or some other
power or responsibility
aberrant
Abnormal, deviant
abeyance
Temporary suspension, inactivity
abhor
Detest, regard with disgust
abjure
Give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or shun (especially formally or under oath)
abrasive
Rough, suitable for grinding or polishing (such as sandpaper); causing irritation or annoyance
abreast
Side-by-side. The more common “abreast of” means keeping up with, staying aware of, or remaining equal in progress with.
abridge
Reduce or lessen; shorten by omitting parts throughout while retaining the main idea
abscission
Cutting off; sudden termination; the separation of leaves, petals, or other parts from a plant or animal
abscond
Depart suddenly and secretively
abstain
Hold back, refrain (especially from something bad or unhealthy); decline to vote
abyss
A deep and vast space or cavity; anything profound or infinite
accede
Agree, give consent; assume power (usually as “accede to”)
accretion
Gradual increase; an added part or addition
acerbic
Sour; harsh or severe
acidulous
Slightly acid or sour; sharp or caustic
acme
Summit, peak, highest point
activism
The practice of pursuing political or other goals through vigorous action, often including protests and demonstrations
acumen
Keen, quick, accurate insight or judgment
adhere
Stick (to), such as with glue, or to a plan or belief
admonish
Mildly scold; caution, advise, or remind to do something
adulterate
Make impure by adding inappropriate or inferior ingredients
adumbrate
Give a rough outline of; foreshadow; reveal only partially; obscure
adverse
Opposing, harmful
advocate
Speak or argue in favor of (verb); a person who pleads for a cause or on behalf of another person (noun)
aerie
Dwelling or fortress built on a high place; the nest of a bird of prey, such as an eagle or hawk, built on a mountain or cliff
aesthetic
Concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste, pertaining to the science of what is beautiful (adj); a sense of beauty and taste of a
particular time and place (noun)
affable
Warm and friendly, pleasant, approachable
affectation
Fake behavior (such as in speech or dress) adopted to give a certain impression
aggrandize
Make greater; exaggerate
aggregate
Gather together, amount to (verb);
constituting a whole made up of constituent parts (adj)
alacrity
Cheerful or speedy willingness
albeit
Although, even though
alienate
Cause to become unfriendly, hostile, or distant
alleviate
Lessen, make easier to endure
aloof
Distant physically or emotionally; reserved; indifferent
amalgamate
Blend, merge, or unite
ambiguous
Not clear, hard to understand, open to having several meanings or interpretations
ambivalent
Uncertain; unable to decide, or wanting to do two contradictory things at once
ameliorate
Improve; make better or more bearable
amortize
Gradually pay off a debt, or gradually write off an asset
anachronism
Something that is not in its correct historical time; a mistake in chronology, such as by assigning a person or event to the wrong time period
analgesia
Pain relief; inability to feel pain
analogous
Comparable, corresponding in some
particular way (making a good analogy)
anarchy
Absence of law or government; chaos,
disorder
annul
Make void or null, cancel, abolish (usually of laws or other established rules)
anodyne
Medicine that relieves pain (noun); soothing, relieving pain (adj)
anoint
Rub or sprinkle oil on; make sacred, such as by a ceremony that includes applying oil to someone
anomaly
Deviation from what is common;
inconsistency
antagonize
Make hostile or unfriendly
antedate
Be older than, precede in time; assign to an earlier date
antithetical
Directly opposed, opposite; involving
antithesis (the rhetorical act of placing two phrases opposite one another for contrast, as in love me or hate me)
apathy
Not caring; absence of feeling; lack of interest or concern
apocryphal
Of questionable authenticity; false
apostate
Person who deserts a party, cause, religion, etc.
apposite
Highly appropriate, suitable, or relevant
apprise
Inform, give notice to
apostle
Pioneer of a reform movement (originally, an
early follower of Jesus)
approbation
Praise or approval, especially formal approval
appropriate
Set aside or authorize (such as money) for a particular purpose; take for one’s own use
arbiter
Judge, umpire, person empowered to decide matters at hand
arcane
Known or understood by only a few; obscure, secret
archaic
Characteristic of an earlier period, ancient, primitive
ardent
Very passionate, devoted, or enthusiastic
arduous
Very difficult, strenuous; severe, hard to endure
arrogate
Claim or take presumptuously or without the right to do so
articulate
Using language in a clear, fluent way (adj); speak distinctly or give clarity to an idea (verb)
artifact
Any object made by humans, especially those from an earlier time, such as those excavated by archaeologists
artless
Free of deceit or craftiness, natural, genuine; lacking skill or knowledge, crude, uncultured
ascertain
Find out with certainty
ascetic
abstinent or austere in lifestyle (adj); a person who leads an austere and simple life without material pleasures, esp. someone who does this for religious reasons
ascribe
Assign or credit to a certain cause or source
aseptic
Free from germs
asperity
Rigor, severity; harshness or sharpness of tone; roughness of surface
aspersions
Damaging remarks, defamation, slander
assail
Attack violently, assault
assiduous
Persevering, diligent, constant
assuage
Make milder, relieve; soothe, pacify, or calm
attenuate
Weaken or thin out
attuned
In harmony; in sympathetic relationship
audacious
Very bold or brave, often in a rude or reckless way; extremely original
augment
Make larger
augury
Telling the future, such as through
supernatural means
august
Venerable, majestic; inspiring admiration
austere
Severe in manner or appearance; very selfdisciplined, ascetic; without luxury or ease; sober or serious
autonomous
Self-governing, independent
avarice
Insatiable greed; a miserly desire to hoard wealth
aver
Declare or affirm with confidence
avid
Enthusiastic, dedicated, passionate;
excessively desirous
axiom
Self-evident truth requiring no proof;
universally or generally accepted principle
balk
Refuse to proceed or to do something
balloon
Swell or puff out; increase rapidly
bane
Something that ruins or spoils
banal
Lacking freshness and originality; cliché
base
Morally low, mean, dishonorable; of little or
no value; crude and unrefined; counterfeit
baying
Howling in a deep way, like a dog or wolf
belie
Contradict or misrepresent
beneficent
Doing good
benign
Harmless; favorable; kindly, gentle, or
beneficial; not cancerous
bent
Personal inclination or tendency
besiege
Attack, overwhelm, crowd in on or surround
bevy
Group of birds or other animals that stay close together; any large group
bifurcate
To fork into two branches or divide into two halves
bilk
Cheat or defraud
blight
Disease that kills plants rapidly, or any cause of decay or destruction (noun); ruin or cause to wither (verb)
blithe
Joyous, merry; excessively carefree (so as to ignore more important concerns)
bogus
Fake, fraudulent
bolster
Strengthen or support
bombastic
(Of speech or writing) far too showy or dramatic than is appropriate; pretentious
bonhomie
Friendliness, open and simple good heartedness
boor
Rude, ill-mannered, or insensitive person; a peasant or country bumpkin
brandish
Shake, wave, or flourish, as a weapon
brook
Suffer or tolerate
bucolic
Pertaining to shepherds; suggesting a peaceful and pleasant view of rural life
buffer
Something that shields, protects, absorbs shock, or cushions
bureaucracy
Government characterized by many bureaus and petty administrators or by excessive, seemingly meaningless requirements
burgeon
Grow or flourish rapidly; put forth buds or shoots (of a plant)
burnish
Polish, make smooth and lustrous
buttress
Support or encourage (verb); a support or
prop, esp. projecting from and supporting the wall of a building (noun)
bygone
Past, former (adj); that which is in the past (usually plural noun)
cacophony
Harsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture of sounds
calumny
Malicious lie intended to hurt someone’s reputation; the act of telling such lies
canard
Rumor, a false or baseless story
candid
Open, sincere, honest
canonical
Authorized, recognized; pertaining to the canon, or body of accepted rules, standards or artistic works
capricious
Acting on impulse, erratic
cardinal
Chief, most important
cartography
Mapmaking
castigate
Criticize severely; punish in order to correct
catalyst
Causer of change
catholic
Universal, broad-minded
caustic
Capable of corroding metal or burning the skin; very critical or sarcastic
censure
Strong disapproval or official reprimand (noun); to issue such disapproval or reprimand (verb)
chauvinism
Fanatical patriotism or blind enthusiasm for military glory; undue or biased devotion to any group, cause, etc.
chicanery
Trickery, deception by knowingly false arguments
chronological
Arranged in or relating to time order
circumscribe
Strictly limit a role, range of activity, or area; in math, to be constructed around so as to touch as many points as possible
circumspect
Cautious, prudent; careful to consider the circumstances and consequences
clamber
Climb awkwardly or with difficulty,
scramble
clamor
Noisy uproar or protest, as from a crowd; a loud, continuous noise
clinch
Make final or settle conclusively; to fasten or hold together
cloying
Disgustingly or distastefully sweet
coagulate
Cause a liquid to become solid or semisolid
coalesce
Come together, unite; fuse together
coda
Final part of a musical composition; an ending, esp. one that sums up what has come before
coffer
Chest for storing valuables; financial resources, a treasury
cogent
Very convincing, logical
collude
Conspire; cooperate for illegal or fraudulent purposes
commensurate
The same in size, extent, etc., equivalent; proportional
compendium
Concise but complete summary; a list or collection
complacent
Self-satisfied, smug; overly content (and therefore lazy, neglectful, or some other bad quality)
complaisant
Eager to please; cheerfully complying
complementary
Completing; fitting together well; filling mutual needs
compliant
Obeying, submissive; following the requirements
concede
Give in, admit, yield; acknowledge reluctantly; grant or give up (such as giving up land after losing a war)
conciliatory
Reconciling, appeasing, attempting to make the peace
concur
Approve, agree
condone
Overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless
confer
Consult, compare views; bestow or give
confound
Confuse, frustrate; mix up or make worse
connoisseur
Expert, especially in the fine arts; person of educated, refined tastes
connote
Suggest or imply in addition to the precise, literal meaning
console
Lessen the suffering or grief of (verb); a control panel, or small table or cabinet (noun)
consolidate
Unite, combine, solidify, make coherent
constrict
Squeeze, compress; restrict the freedom of
construe
Interpret or translate
contentious
Controversial; prone to causing arguments, especially gratuitous or petty ones
contextualize
Place in context, such as by giving the background or circumstances
contraries
Things that are opposing; either of two opposite things
contrite
Remorseful; feeling sorry for one’s offenses or sins
contumacious
Rebellious; stubbornly disobedient
conundrum
Riddle, the answer to which involves a play on words; any mystery
converge
Move towards one another or towards a point; unite
conversant
Knowledgeable about or experienced with
conversely
In an opposite way; on the other hand
convoke
Call together, as to a meeting
convoluted
Twisted; very complicated
copious
Plentiful, bountful
corroborate
Support, add evidence to
cosmopolitan
Belonging to the entire world, at home globally; free from local or national prejudices or attachments
cosset
Treat as a pet, pamper
coterie
Close or exclusive group, clique
countenance
Facial expression or face (noun); approve or tolerate (verb)
counterintuitive
Against what one would intuitively expect
counterpoint
Contrasting item, opposite; a complement; the use of contrast or interplay in a work of art
counterproductive
Defeating the purpose; preventing the intended goal
covert
Secret, veiled, undercover
crafty
Cunning, skillful in deception or
underhanded schemes
craven
Very cowardly, lacking courage
credibility
Believability, trustworthiness
credulous
Gullible; prone to believing or trusting too easily or without enough evidence
crescendo
Steady increase in force, intensity, or the loudness of a musical passage; a climactic moment or peak
culminate
Reach the highest point or final stage
cupidity
Greed, great or excessive desire
curmudgeon
Bad-tempered, difficult person; grouch
cynical
Thinking the worst of others’ motivations; bitterly pessimistic
daunt
Discourage, dishearten, lessen the courage of
debase
Degrade; lower in quality, value, rank, etc.; lower in moral quality
debunk
Expose, ridicule, or disprove false or exaggerated claims
declaim
Speak in an impassioned, pompous, or oratorical manner; give a formal speech
declivity
Downward slope
decorous
Behaving with propriety and good taste; polite
deem
Judge; consider
deface
Vandalize, mar the appearance of
default
Failure to act, neglect (noun); fail to fulfill an obligation, especially a financial one (verb)
deference
Respectful submission; yielding to the authority or opinion of another
deflect
Cause to curve; turn aside, esp. from a straight course; avoid
deleterious
Harmful, unhealthful
delimit
Fix, mark, or define the boundaries of
delineate
Mark the outline of; sketch; describe in detail
demagogue
A leader who lies and gains power by arousing the passions and especially prejudices of the people
demur
Show reluctance or object, especially for moral reasons
denigrate
Belittle, attack the reputation of
denote
Be a name or symbol for
deride
Mock, scoff at, laugh at contemptuously
derivative
Derived from something else; not original
desiccate
Thoroughly dried up, dehydrated
desultory
Lacking consistency or order, disconnected, sporadic; going off topic
detached
Impartial, disinterested; unconcerned,
distant, aloof
deterrent
Something that restrains or discourages
diaphanous
Very sheer, fine, translucent
diatribe
Bitter, abusive attack or criticism; rant
dichotomy
Division into two parts or into two contradictory groups
dictum
Formal or authoritative pronouncement; saying or proverb
didactic
Intended to instruct; teaching, or teaching a moral lesson
diffident
Lacking confidence, shy
diffuse
Spread widely, disseminate (verb); dispersed, widely spread out, or wordy and going offtopic (adj)
digress
Go off-topic when speaking or writing
dilate
To become wider or make wider, cause to expand; to speak or write at length, elaborate upon
dilatory
Slow, late; procrastinating or stalling for time
dilettante
Person who takes up an art or activity for amusement only or in a superficial way
din
Loud, confused noise, esp. for a long period of time
dirge
A funeral or mourning song or poem
disabuse
Free someone from a mistake in thinking
discomfiting
Disconcerting, confusing, frustrating
discordant
Harsh or inharmonious in sound; disagreeing, incongruous
discredit
Injure the reputation of, destroy credibility of or confidence in
discerning
Having good judgment or insight; able to distinguish mentally
discrepancy
Difference or inconsistency
discrete
243.
Separate, distinct, detached, existing as individual parts
discriminating
Judicious, discerning, having good
judgment or insight
disingenuous
Insincere, not genuine
disinterested
Unbiased, impartial; not interested
dismiss
Allow to disperse or leave; fire from a job; put aside or reject, especially after only a brief consideration
disjointed
Disconnected, not coherent, jerky; having the joints separated
disparage
Belittle, put down; bring shame upon, discredit
disparate
Distinct, different
dispassionate
Unbiased, not having a selfish or personal motivation; calm, lacking emotion
dispatch
Speed, promptness; send off or deal with in a speedy way
disperse
Scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish
disposition
A person’s general or natural mood; tendency
disquieting
Disturbing, causing anxiety
dissemble
Mislead, conceal the truth, put on a false appearance of
disseminate
Scatter, spread about, broadcast
dissent
Disagree or take an opposing view, esp. in relation to a formal body such as a government, political party, or church; such a view
dissolution
Dissolving, the state of having been dissolved; breaking bonds or breaking up of a group of people; death, disintegration; sinking into extreme hedonism, vice, and degradation
dissonance
Harsh, inharmonious sound; cacophony; disagreement
distaff
Female, esp. relating to the maternal side of the family; women or women’s work; a staff that holds wool or flax for spinnin
distend
Swell, expand, stretch, bloat
distill
Purify; extract the essential elements of
dither
Act indecisively (verb); a state of fear or trembling excitement
diurnal
Occurring every day; happening in the daytime (rather than at night)
diverge
Differ, deviate; branch off or turn aside, as from a path
divest
Deprive or strip of a rank, title, etc., or of clothing or gear; to sell off holdings (opposite of invest)
divine
Discover through divination or supernatural means; perceive by insight
doctrinaire
Person who applies doctrine in an impractical or rigid and close-minded way (noun); merely theoretical, impractical, or fanatical about other people accepting one’s ideas (adj)
document
Support with evidence, cite sources in a detailed way, create documentary evidence of
doff
Take off (such as clothes), put aside; remove one’s hat as a gesture
dogma
A system of principles laid down by an authority; established belief
dormant
Asleep, inactive, on a break
dovetail
Join or fit together
droll
Funny in an odd way
dubious
Doubtful, questionable, suspect
dupe
Person who is easily fooled or used (noun); to fool or exploit (verb)
duplicity
Deceit, double-dealing, acting in two different ways for the purpose of deception
dyspeptic
Grumpy, pessimistic, irritable; suffering from dyspepsia (indigestion)
e.g.
For example, such as
ebullient
Very enthusiastic, lively, excited; bubbling as though being boied
eccentric
Peculiar, odd, deviating from the norm esp. in a whimsical way
echelon
A level, rank or grade; the people at that level
eclectic
Selecting the best of everything or from many diverse sources
eclipse
The obscuring of one thing by another, such as the sun by the moon or a person by a more famous or talented person (noun); to obscure, darken, make less important (verb)
edify
Uplift, enlighten, instruct or improve in a spiritual or moral way
efficacy
The quality of being able to produce the intended effect
effigy
Representation or image of a person, esp. a crude facsimile used to mock a hated person
effrontery
Shameless boldness
egalitarian
Related to belief in the equality of all people, esp. in political, economic, or social spheres
egregious
Extraordinarily or conspicuously bad; glaring
egress
An exit or the action of exiting
elated
Very happy, in high spirits
elegy
Song or poem of sorrow, esp. for a deceased person
elevate
Raise, lift up; lift the spirits of; move up to a higher rank or status or raise up to a higher spiritual or intellectual plane
elicit
Call forth, bring out, evoke
eloquent
Marked by forceful, fluid, apt speech; expressive, emotionally moving
emaciate
Make abnormally thin, cause to physically waste away
embellish
Decorate, add ornamentation; enhance (a story) with fictional or fanciful details
eminent
Prominent, distinguished, of high rank
empirical
Coming from, based on, or able to be verified by experience or experimentation; not purely based on theory
emulate
Copy in an attempt to equal or be better than
encomium
Warm, glowing praise, esp. a formal expression of praise
endemic
Native, local; natural, specific to, or confined to a particular place
enervate
Weaken, tire
engender
Produce, give rise to, cause to exist; procreate
enhance
Raise to a higher value, desirability, etc.
enigma
Puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or contradictory person
entitlement
Having the right to certain privileges; believing, sometimes without cause, that one deserves or has a right to certain privileges
enumerate
Count or list; specify one-by-one
ephemeral
Lasting only a short time, fleeting
epicure
Person with cultivated, refined tastes, esp. in food and wine
equanimity
Composure, evenness of mind; mental or emotional stability, esp. under stress
equitable
Fair, equal, just
equivocate
Use unclear language to deceive or avoid committing to a position
erratic
Inconsistent, wandering, having no fixed course
erroneous
Mistaken, in error; improper, morally incorrect
ersatz
Artificial, synthetic; being an inferior substitute
erstwhile
Former, previous (adj); in the past, formerly (adv)
erudite
Scholarly, knowledgeable; possessing deep, often systematic, knowledge
eschew
Shun, avoid, abstain from
esoteric
Understood by or intended for only a few; secret
estimable
Worthy of esteem, admirable; able to be estimated
ethos
The character, personality, or moral values specific to a person, group, time period, etc.
eulogy
Speech of praise or written work of praise, esp. a speech given at a funeral
euphemism
Substitution of a mild, inoffensive, or indirect expression for one that is considered offensive or too direct
euphony
Pleasing or sweet sound, especially as formed by a harmonious use of words
exacerbate
Make worse (more violent, severe, etc.), inflame; irritate or embitter (a person)
exacting
Very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention
exculpate
Clear from guilt or blame
exhaustive
Comprehensive, thorough, exhausting a topic or subject, accounting for all possibilities; draining, tending to exhaust
exigent
Requiring immediate attention, action, or aid; excessively demanding
