966 Flashcards
filial
D. pertaining to a son or daughter
E. filial affection/duty
finale
\fə-ˈna-lē\
D. a conclusion
E. the finale to the festivities was a grand display of fireworks
finesse
\fə-ˈnes\
D. skill; cunning
E. maneuvered his opponent into checkmate with his customary finesse
finite
\ˈfī-ˌnīt\
D. limited
E. the earth’s finite supply of natural resources
fissure
\ˈfi-shər\
D. a narrow opening or cleft
E. a deep fissure in the ice / fissures in a political party
flaccid
\ˈfla-səd\
D. flabby, not firm or stiff
E. flaccid muscles / flaccid leadership
flag
\ˈflag\
D. to droop or loose vigor
E. flagging stock prices
flagellate
\ˈfla-jə-ˌlāt\
D. to whip or flog
E. some medieval monks believed it was necessary to flagellate themselves in order to keep their desires in check
flagitious
\flə-ˈji-shəs\
D. wicked and vile
E. “That remorseless government persisted in its flagitious project”
flagrant
\ˈflā-grənt\
D. glaring (as an error); conspicuously offensive
E. flagrant abuse of the law
flail
D. to beat, to swing
E. They were flailing their arms to drive away the insects. / The bird’s wings flailed the water.
flamboyant
flam-ˈbȯi-ənt\
D. ornate; showy
E. has a gallery of flamboyant gestures that makes him easy to imitate
flatulent
D. gas-producing; windy in speech
E. on election night TV’s self-important pundits let loose a fusillade of flatulent pontifications
flaunt
\ˈflȯnt\
D. to show off; to display; to treat contemptuously
E. She liked to flaunt her wealth by wearing furs and jewelry. / They openly flaunted the rules.
flay
\ˈflā\
D. to skin; to pillage; to censure harshly
E. her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping
fledgling
\ˈflej-liŋ\
D. a young bird that has its feathers; an immature person
E. a female bird feeding her fledglings / at hockey he’s still a fledgling and needs to work on his basic skating skills
flippant
D. pert, lacking proper respect or seriousness
E. his flippant comment that the poor save on taxes offended many people
florid
D. flowery; ornate
E. gave a florid speech in honor of the queen’s visit