Advanced Flashcards
1
Q
hardscrabble
A
hardscrabble
adj.
involving hard work and struggle
2
Q
dross
A
dross
n.
something regarded as worthless; rubbish
3
Q
Midrash
A
Midrash
n.
an ancient commentary on part of the Hebrew scriptures, attached to the biblical text
4
Q
shopworn
A
shopworn
adj.
(of an article) made dirty or imperfect by being displayed or handled in a store
5
Q
quo vadis?
A
quo vadis?
latin phrase
where are you going?
6
Q
cosset
A
cosset
v.
care for and protect in an overindulgent way
7
Q
provenance
/ˈprävənəns/
A
provenance
n.
the place of origin or earliest known history of something
8
Q
buffet
A
buffet
v.
(especially of wind or waves) strike repeatedly and violently; batter
n.
[dated] a blow, typically of the hand or fist
9
Q
elide
A
elide
v.
omit (a sound or syllable) when speaking
10
Q
stet
A
stet
v.
let it stand (used as an instruction on a printed proof to indicate that a correction or alteration should be ignored)
11
Q
lode
A
lode
n.
a vein of metal ore in the earth
- a rich source of something
12
Q
cordon
A
cordon
n.
- a line or circle of police, soldiers, or guards preventing access to or from an area or building
- an ornamental cord or braid
v.
prevent access to or from an area or building by surrounding it with police or other guards
13
Q
gringo
A
gringo
n.
(in Spanish-speaking countries and contexts, chiefly in the Americas) a person, especially an American, who is not Hispanic or Latino
14
Q
insurrection
A
insurrection
n.
a violent uprising against an authority or government
15
Q
junket
A
junket
n.
- [informal] an extravagant trip or celebration, in particular one enjoyed by a government official at public expense
- a party or event held for journalists in order to publicize a new film or other product - a dish of sweetened and flavored curds of milk, often served with fruit
v.
[informal] attend or go on a trip or celebration at public expense.
16
Q
bower
A
bower
n.
a pleasant shady place under trees or climbing plants in a garden or wood.
- [literary] a summerhouse or country cottage.
- [literary] a lady’s private room or bedroom.
v.
[literary] shade or enclose (a place or person).
n.
each of two anchors carried at a ship’s bow.
17
Q
trousseau
A
trousseau
n.
the clothes, household linen, and other belongings collected by a bride for her marriage.
18
Q
funereal
/fyəˈnērēəl/
A
funereal
adj.
having the mournful, somber character appropriate to a funeral.
19
Q
dossier
/ˈdôsēˌā,ˈdäsēˌā/
A
dossier
n.
a collection of documents about a particular person, event, or subject.
20
Q
denouement
/ˌdāno͞oˈmäN/
A
denouement
n.
the final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.
- the climax of a chain of events, usually when something is decided or made clear.
21
Q
welter
A
welter
v.
[literary] move in a turbulent fashion.
- lie steeped in blood with no help or care.
n.
a large number of items in no order; a confused mass.
- a state of general disorder.
22
Q
Bedouin
A
Bedouin
n.
a nomadic Arab of the desert
adj.
relating to the Bedouin
23
Q
potsherd
/ˈpätˌSHərd/
A
potsherd
n.
a broken piece of ceramic material, especially one found on an archaeological site.
24
Q
raison d’être
A
raison d’être
n.
the most important reason or purpose for someone or something’s existence.
25
raison d'état
/rāˌzän dāˈtä/
raison d'état
n.
a purely political reason for action on the part of a ruler or government, especially where a departure from openness, justice, or honesty is involved.
26
fulgent
fulgent
adj.
[literary] shining brightly.
27
gall
gall
n.
1. annoyance; irritation.
2. (especially of a horse) a sore on the skin made by chafing.
v.
1. make (someone) feel annoyed.
2. make sore by rubbing.
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n.
an abnormal growth formed on plants and trees, especially oaks, in response to the presence of insect larvae, mites, or fungi.
- denoting insects or mites that produce galls.
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n.
1. bold and impudent behavior.
2. the contents of the gallbladder; bile (proverbial for its bitterness).
28
sodden
sodden
adj.
saturated with liquid, especially water; soaked through.
- having drunk an excessive amount of a particular alcoholic drink.
v.
[archaic] saturate (something) with water.
29
somatic
somatic
adj.
relating to the body, especially as distinct from the mind.
30
prosit
/ˈprōzət,-sət/
prosit
exclamation
an expression used as a toast when drinking to a person's health.
[German, from Latin, literally ‘may it benefit’]
31
pram
pram
n.
[British] a four-wheeled carriage for a baby, pushed by a person on foot.
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n.
a flat-bottomed sailboat.
32
aplomb
aplomb
n.
self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.
33
gam
gam
n.
[informal] a leg, especially in reference to the shapeliness of a woman's leg.
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n.
1. [rare] a school of whales, porpoises, or dolphins.
2. [dialect - US] a social meeting or informal conversation (originally one among whalers at sea).
34
politesse
politesse
n.
formal politeness or etiquette.
35
academe
academe
n.
the academic environment or community; academia.
36
gaslight
gaslight
v.
manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity.
37
quip
quip
n.
a witty remark
v.
make a witty remark
38
Arcadian
Arcadian
n.
1. a person who lives a simple quiet life
2. a native or inhabitant of Arcadia
3. the dialect of ancient Greek used in Arcadia
adj.
of or relating to Arcadia or the Arcadians
39
leery
leery
adj.
cautious or wary due to realistic suspicions.
40
scads
scads
n.
[informal - North American] a large number or quantity.
41
effete
/əˈfēt/
effete
adj.
(of a person) affected, overrefined, and ineffectual.
- no longer capable of effective action.
42
natty
natty
adj.
[informal] (of a person or an article of clothing) smart and fashionable.
43
bailiwick
/ˈbāləˌwik/
bailiwick
n.
1. one's sphere of operations or particular area of interest.
2. [law] the district or jurisdiction of a bailie or bailiff.
44
paradigm
paradigm
n.
1. an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype
2. an example of a conjugation or declension showing a word in all its inflectional forms
3. a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated
45
adjudicate
/əˈjo͞odəˌkāt/
adjudicate
v.
make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter.
- act as a judge in a competition.
- pronounce or declare judicially.
46
plumbago
/ˌpləmˈbāɡō/
plumbago
n.
1. old-fashioned term for graphite.
2. an evergreen flowering shrub or climber which is widely distributed in warm regions and grown elsewhere as a greenhouse or indoor plant.
47
fealty
fealty
n.
[historical] a feudal tenant's or vassal's sworn loyalty to a lord.
- formal acknowledgement of loyalty to a lord.
48
apperception
apperception
n.
[dated | psychology] the mental process by which a person makes sense of an idea by assimilating it to the body of ideas he or she already possesses.
- fully conscious perception.
49
charlatan
charlatan
n.
a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill; a fraud.
50
specious
/ˈspēSHəs/
specious
adj.
superficially plausible, but actually wrong.
- misleading in appearance, especially misleadingly attractive.
51
fusillade
/ˈfyo͞osəˌläd,ˈfyo͞osəˌlād/
fusillade
n.
a series of shots fired or missiles thrown all at the same time or in quick succession.
v.
[archaic] attack (a place) or shoot down (someone) by a series of shots fired at the same time or in quick succession.
52
encomium
encomium
n.
[formal] a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly.
53
progeny
progeny
n.
a descendant or the descendants of a person, animal, or plant; offspring.
54
progenitor
progenitor
n.
a person or thing from which a person, animal, or plant is descended or originates; an ancestor or parent.
- a person who originates an artistic, political, or intellectual movement.
55
protégé
protégé
n.
a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person.
56
garret
garret
n.
a top-floor or attic room, especially a small dismal one (traditionally inhabited by an artist).
57
shearling
shearling
n.
a sheep that has been shorn once.
- wool or fleece from a shearling sheep.
- [US] a coat made from or lined with shearling wool.
58
coffer
coffer
n.
1. a strongbox or small chest for holding valuables.
- the funds or financial reserves of a group or institution.
2. a recessed panel in a ceiling.
59
anagnorisis
/ˌaˌnaɡˈnôrəsəs/
anagnorisis
n.
the point in a play, novel, etc., in which a principal character recognizes or discovers another character's true identity or the true nature of their own circumstances.
60
taurine
taurine
n. /ˈtôrēn/
[biochemistry] a sulfur-containing amino acid important in the metabolism of fats.
---------
adj. /ˈtôˌrīn/
of or like a bull.
- relating to bullfighting
61
miscegenation
/məˌsejəˈnāSHən,ˌmisəjəˈnāSHən/
miscegenation
n.
the interbreeding of people considered to be of different racial types.
62
kowtow
kowtow
v.
1. act in an excessively subservient manner.
2. [historical] kneel and touch the ground with the forehead in worship or submission as part of Chinese custom.
n.
[historical] an act of kowtowing as part of Chinese custom.
63
cocksure
cocksure
adj.
presumptuously or arrogantly confident.
64
tartan
tartan
n.
a woolen cloth woven in one of several patterns of plaid, especially of a design associated with a particular Scottish clan.
adj.
used allusively in reference to Scotland or the Scots.
65
indictment
indictment
n.
1. [North American] a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime.
- the action of indicting or being indicted.
2. a thing that serves to illustrate that a system or situation is bad and deserves to be condemned.
66
scrub
scrub
n.
1. vegetation consisting mainly of brushwood or stunted forest growth.
- land covered with scrub.
2. denoting a shrubby or small form of a plant.
- [North American] denoting an animal of inferior breed or physique.
3. [informal] an insignificant or contemptible person.
- [North American] (in sports) a player not among the best or most skilled.
67
Brobdingnagian
Brobdingnagian
adj.
gigantic
n.
a giant
68
rajah
/ˈräjə/
rajah
n.
an Indian king or prince.
69
sclerosis
sclerosis
n.
1. [medicine] abnormal hardening of body tissue.
2. excessive resistance to change.
70
multiple sclerosis
multiple sclerosis
n.
a chronic, typically progressive disease involving damage to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, whose symptoms may include numbness, impairment of speech and of muscular coordination, blurred vision, and severe fatigue.
71
tort
tort
n.
[law] a wrongful act or an infringement of a right (other than under contract) leading to civil legal liability.
72
diaspora
diaspora
n.
the dispersion of the Jewish people beyond Israel.
- Jewish people living outside Israel.
- the dispersion of any people from their original homeland.
- the people so dispersed.
73
cabana
cabana
n.
a cabin, hut, or shelter, especially one at a beach or swimming pool.
74
subterfuge
subterfuge
n.
deceit used in order to achieve one's goal.
75
gawky
gawky
adj.
nervously awkward and ungainly.
76
inveigle
inveigle
v.
persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery.
- gain entrance to (a place) by persuading (someone) with deception or flattery.
77
petulant
petulant
adj.
(of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered.
78
auricle
auricle
n.
[anatomy | Biology] a structure resembling an ear or earlobe.
- another term for atrium (of the heart).
- strictly, a small muscular appendage of each atrium.
- the external part or pinna of the ear.
79
Charleston
Charleston
n.
a lively dance of the 1920s that involved turning the knees inward and kicking out the lower legs.
v.
dance the Charleston.
80
jubilee
jubilee
n.
a special anniversary of an event, especially one celebrating twenty-five or fifty years of a reign or activity.
- (in Jewish history) a year of emancipation and restoration, celebrated every fifty years.
- a period of remission from the penal consequences of sin, granted by the Roman Catholic Church under certain conditions for a year, usually at intervals of twenty-five years.
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adj.
flambé
81
thrombosis
thrombosis
n.
local coagulation or clotting of the blood in a part of the circulatory system.
82
gefilte fish
/ɡəˈfiltə/
gefilte fish
n.
a dish of stewed or baked stuffed fish, or of fish cakes boiled in a fish or vegetable broth and usually served chilled.
83
Seder
/ˈsādər/
Seder
n.
a Jewish ritual service and ceremonial dinner for the first night or first two nights of Passover.
84
yom tov
yom tov
n.
a Jewish holiday or festival
85
yeshiva
yeshiva
n.
an Orthodox Jewish college or seminary.
- an Orthodox Jewish elementary or secondary school.
86
mimeograph
mimeograph
n.
a duplicating machine which produces copies from a stencil, now superseded by the photocopier.
- a copy produced on a mimeograph.
v.
make a copy of (a document) with a mimeograph.
87
shock
shock
n.
a group of twelve sheaves of grain placed upright and supporting each other to allow the grain to dry and ripen.
v.
arrange (sheaves of grain) in a shock.
-----
n.
an unkempt or thick mass of hair.
88
mensch
mensch
n.
a person of integrity and honor.
89
gaucho
gaucho
n.
a cowboy of the South American pampas.
90
pampas
/ˈpampəs,ˈpampəz/
pampas
n.
extensive, treeless plains in South America.
91
greenhorn
greenhorn
n.
a person who is new to or inexperienced at a particular activity.
92
incendiary
incendiary
adj.
(of a device or attack) designed to cause fires.
- tending to stir up conflict.
- very exciting.
93
amity
amity
n.
[formal] a friendly relationship.
94
batiste
batiste
n.
a fine, light linen or cotton fabric resembling cambric.
95
cordovan
cordovan
n.
a kind of soft leather made originally from goatskin and now from horsehide.
96
jonquil
/ˈjänkwəl/
jonquil
n.
a widely cultivated narcissus with clusters of small fragrant yellow flowers and cylindrical leaves, native to southern Europe and northeastern Africa.
97
suppository
suppository
n.
a solid medical preparation in a roughly conical or cylindrical shape, designed to be inserted into the rectum or vagina to dissolve.
98
senna
senna
n.
the cassia tree.
- a laxative prepared from the dried pods of the cassia tree
99
callow
callow
adj.
(of a young person) inexperienced and immature.
100
corollary
corollary
n.
a proposition that follows from (and is often appended to) one already proved.
- a direct or natural consequence or result.
101
dredge
dredge
v.
clean out the bed of (a harbor, river, or other area of water) by scooping out mud, weeds, and rubbish with a dredge.
- bring up or clear (something) from a river, harbor, or other area of water with a dredge.
- bring to people's attention an unpleasant or embarrassing fact or incident that had been forgotten.
n.
an apparatus for bringing up objects or mud from a river or seabed by scooping or dragging.
---
v.
sprinkle (food) with a powdered substance, typically flour or sugar.
102
inguinal
/ˈiNGɡwənəl/
inguinal
adj.
of the groin.
103
vin ordinaire
vin ordinaire
n.
cheap table wine for everyday use.
104
neurasthenia
neurasthenia
n.
an ill-defined medical condition characterized by lassitude, fatigue, headache, and irritability, associated chiefly with emotional disturbance.
105
apostasy
apostasy
n.
the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.
106
execrable
execrable
adj.
extremely bad or unpleasant.
107
lush
lush
n.
a heavy drinker, especially a habitual one.
v.
[dated] make (someone) drunk.
108
stole
stole
n.
a woman's long scarf or shawl, especially of fur or similar material, worn loosely over the shoulders.
- of a strip of fabric used as an ecclesiastical vestment, worn over the shoulders and hanging down to the knee or below.
109
cogent
cogent
adj.
(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.
110
incorrigible
incorrigible
adj.
(of a person or their tendencies) not able to be corrected, improved, or reformed.
n.
an incorrigible person.
111
shiva
shiva
n.
[Judaism] a period of seven days' formal mourning for the dead, beginning immediately after the funeral.
112
macrocephalic
macrocephalic
adj.
having an unusually large head.
113
covey
/ˈkəvē/
covey
n.
a small party or flock of birds, especially partridge.
- a small group of people or things.
114
bouffant
bouffant
adj.
(of a person's hair) styled so as to puff out in a rounded shape.
n.
a bouffant hairstyle.
115
chattel
chattel
n.
[law] an item of property other than real estate.
116
damask
damask
n.
1. a figured woven fabric with a pattern visible on both sides, typically used for table linen and upholstery.
2. short for damask rose
3. [historical] another term for Damascus steel
adj.
made of or resembling damask.
- [literary] having the velvety pink or light red color of a damask rose.
v.
[literary] decorate with or as if with a variegated pattern.
117
naïf
/nīˈēf,näˈēf/
naïf
adj.
naive or ingenuous
n.
a naive or ingenuous person.
118
jet set
jet set
n.
wealthy and fashionable people who travel widely and frequently for pleasure.
119
augur
augur
v.
(of an event or circumstance) portend a good or bad outcome.
- portend or bode (a specified outcome).
- [archaic] foresee or predict
n.
(in ancient Rome) a religious official who observed natural signs, especially the behavior of birds, interpreting these as an indication of divine approval or disapproval of a proposed action.
120
aureole
aureole
n.
a circle of light or brightness surrounding something, especially as depicted in art around the head or body of a person represented as holy.
121
areola
areola
n.
[anatomy] a small circular area, in particular the ring of pigmented skin surrounding a nipple.
- [biology] any of the small spaces between the veins on a leaf or the nervures on an insect's wing.
- [medicine] a reddened patch around a spot or papule.
122
moll
moll
n. [dated]
1. a gangster's female companion.
2. a prostitute
123
alderman
alderman
n.
[North American | Australian] an elected member of a municipal council.
- (in England before 1974) a member of a county or borough council, next in status to the Mayor.
- (in Anglo-Saxon England) a noble serving the king as a chief officer in a district or shire.
124
punim
/ˈpo͝onim/
punim
n.
(chiefly in Jewish use) a person's face.
125
hayseed
hayseed
n.
1. grass seed obtained from hay.
2. [North American] a person from the country, especially a simple, unsophisticated one.
126
arch
arch
adj.
deliberately or affectedly playful and teasing.
127
palomino
palomino
n.
1. a pale golden or tan-colored horse or pony with a white mane and tail, originally bred in the southwestern US.
2. a variety of white grape, originally grown around Jerez in southern Spain, used especially to make sherry and fortified wines.
128
argot
argot
n.
The jargon or slang of a particular group or class.
129
purvey
purvey
v.
provide or supply (food, drink, or other goods) as one's business.
- spread or promote (an idea, view, etc.).
130
dandle
dandle
v.
move (a baby or young child) up and down in a playful or affectionate way.
- move (something) lightly up and down.
131
jib
jib
n.
1. a triangular staysail set forward of the forwardmost mast.
2. the projecting arm of a crane.
– – – –
v.
(of an animal, especially a horse) stop and refuse to go on.
- (of a person) be unwilling to do or accept something
132
cotillion
/kəˈtilyən/
cotillion
n.
1. an 18th-century French dance based on the contredanse.
- [US] a quadrille.
2. [US] a formal ball, especially one at which debutantes are presented.
133
quadrille
quadrille
n.
a square dance performed typically by four couples and containing five figures, each of which is a complete dance in itself.
– – – –
n.
a trick-taking card game for four players using a deck of forty cards (i.e., one lacking eights, nines, and tens), fashionable in the 18th century.
– – – –
n.
a ruled grid of small squares, especially on paper.
134
contredanse
/ˈkôntrədäns,ˌkäntrəˈdäns/
contredanse
n.
a French form of country dance, originating in the 18th century and related to the quadrille.
- a piece of music for a contredanse.
- another term for contradance.
135
contradance
contradance
n.
a country dance in which the couples form lines facing each other.
