4-6 Flashcards
apothegm
pithy; compact saying
apotheosis
elevation to godhood; ideal example of something
appease
pacify or soothe
application
diligent attentiont
apposite
appropriate
apprise
inform
approbation
approval
appurtenances
subordinate possessions
aquiline
curved; hooked
arbiter
person with power to decide a matter in dispute
arbitrary
unreasonable or capricious
arcane
esoteric; secret
ardor
heat; passion; zeal
arraign
charge in court
array
marshal; draw up in order
arrears
being in dept; money that should have been paid
arrhythmic
lacking rhythm or regularity
arroyo
gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater
articulate
effective; distinct; expressing ideas clearly
artifice
deception; trickery
artless
without guile; open and honest
ascendancy
controlling influence
ascetic
practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts
ascribe
refer; attribute
askance
with a sideways or indirect look
asperity
sharpness; roughness; severity
aspersion
slanderous remark
assay
analyze
assiduous
diligent
astringent
binding; causing contraction
astute
wise; shrewd; keen
asunder
into parts; apart
atavism
resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type
atrophy
wasting away
attenuate
make thin; weaken
attest
testify; bear witness
attrition
rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength
audit
examination of accounts of a business
augury
omen; prophecy; sign of coming events
august
impressive; majestic
aureole
sun’s corona; halo
auspicious
favoring success; gicing signs of future success
austere
forbiddingly stern; ascetic
autonomous
self-governing
auxiliary
offering or providing help
aver
state confidently; declare as true
avid
greedy; extremely eager for
avocation
secondary or minor occupation
avow
declare openly
awl
pointed tool used for piercing
awry
distorted; crooked; bent
axiom
self-evident truth requiring no proof
bacchanalian
drunken
badinage
teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
baleful
evil; malignant in intent or effect
balk
stop short, as if faced with an obstacle and refuse to continues; foil; stop or gen in the way of
ballast
heavy substance used to add stability or weight
pang
sudden sharp feeling of pain
bandy
discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner
bane
poison; cause of ruin
bantering
joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing
barefaced
shameless and noticeable; blatant
unregenerate
making no attempt to change one’s bad practices
barrage
barrier laid down by artillery fire
barrister
counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law
solicitor
lawyer in the lower court of law
bask
luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
bate
let down; lessen the force of
bauble
trinket; cheap jewel; trifle
trifle
unimportant thing
bawdy
indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way
bedizen
dress with vulgar finery
finery
beautiful clothes for a special occasion
bedraggle
wet thoroughly
beeline
direct quick route
beget
father; produce; give rise to
begrudge
envy; give or allow unwillingly
beguile
deceive; mislead or delude
beholden
obligated; indebted; owing thanks
behoove
be suited to; be incumbent upon
belabor
harp on; dwell on tediously
beleaguer
besiege or attack; harass
bellicose
warlike
belligerent
quarrelsome
bemoan
lament; moan for
benison
blessing
bent
determined
bequeath
leave to someone by means of will
berate
scold strongly
bereavement
state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved
beseech
beg; plead with
beset
harass or trouble from all directions
hem
surround tightly so that movement is impossible
besmirch
soile; defile
bestow
confer
betoken
signify; indicate
betroth
become engaged to marry
bevy
large group
bicameral
two-chambered as a legislative body
bifurcated
divided into two branches; forked
bilious
suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile
bilk
swindle; cheat
bivouac
temporary encampment
blandishment
flattery
blasé
bored with pleasure or dissipation
blatant
extremely (offensively) obvious
blighted
suffering from a disease; destroyed
blithe
gay; joyous
blowhard
talkative boaster; braggart
bluff
pretense; deception