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.