A man called Ove Flashcards
Pariah
a person who is not accepted by a social group, especially because he or she is not liked, respected, or trusted
Exonerate
to show or state that someone or something is not guilty of something:
The report exonerated the crew from all responsibility for the collision.
Inebriate
someone who has drunk too much alcohol or who regularly does this:
Her husband was a chronic inebriate.
sod
something or someone considered unpleasant or difficult:
Apparently he’s a sod to work for.
What did you do that for, you stupid sod?
It was a sod of a car to repair.
Blunt
saying what you think without trying to be polite or considering other people’s feelings:
I’ll be blunt - that last piece of work you did was terrible.
Decrepit
in very bad condition because of being old, or not having been cared for, or having been used a lot:
Most of the buildings were old and decrepit.
A decrepit old man sat on a park bench.
Lambaste
to pillory;
to criticize someone or something severely:
His first novel was well and truly lambasted by the critics.
bellicose
wishing to fight or start a war:
The general made some bellicose statements about his country’s military strength.
Rib
to joke and laugh at someone in a friendly way about something:
His brothers ribbed him about his new girlfriend.
Irascible
made angry easily:
She’s becoming more and more irascible as she grows older.
plum
very good and worth having:
How did you manage to get such a plum job (TPIB)?
Cluck
to express disapproval or other emotion by making a short, sharp sound with your tongue:
to cluck in disapproval/amazement
She shakes her head, smiles, and clucks her tongue.
Extricate
to remove something or set something free with difficulty:
It took hours to extricate the car from the sand.
I tried to extricate myself from the situation.
natter
to talk continuously for a long time without any particular purpose:
Once he starts nattering you just can’t stop him.
My mother and her friends natter away on the phone all evening.
incandescent
showing extreme anger or happiness:
He was incandescent with rage.
Her beauty had an incandescent quality to it.
extremely bright:
The mountain’s snow-white peak was incandescent against the blue sky.
Tenuous
A tenuous connection, idea, or situation is weak and possibly does not exist:
The police have only found a tenuous connection between the two robberies.
sway
to move slowly from side to side:
The trees were swaying in the wind.
The movement of the ship caused the mast to sway from side to side/back and forth.
A drunk was standing in the middle of the street, swaying uncertainly and trying hard to stay upright.
exertion
the use of something such as authority, power, influence, etc. in order to make something happen:
the exertion of influence over who was appointed to the job
the use of a lot of mental or physical effort:
I get out of breath with any kind of physical exertion.
We were exhausted after our exertions.
wonky
weak, unsatisfactory, or not firm:
One of the legs on this chair is a bit wonky.
He may have to stop playing tennis because of his wonky knee.
The jury system may be a bit wonky but nobody’s ever thought of
edible
suitable or safe for eating:
Only the leaves of the plant are edible.
Food was edible - Ove to give some praise to Parvaneh.
stomp
to walk with intentionally heavy steps, especially as a way of showing that you are annoyed:
She stomped up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door.
He woke up in a bad mood and stomped off to the bathroom.
