Advanced 4, 5 Flashcards
untenable
(Of theories etc.) Incapable of being defended; indefensible.
With the combination of Kepler’s brilliant theories and Galileo’s telescopic observations, the old geocentric theory became untenable to most of the educated people in Europe.
rarefied
Made more subtle or refined.
Jack’s vulgar jokes were not so successful in the rarefied environment of college professors.
equitable
Fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience.
The equitable distribution of ice cream to a group of 5 year olds will ensure little to no fighting - at least until the ice cream is gone.
hubris
Overbearing pride or presumption; Arrogance.
Bill Clinton was criticized for his hubris, since he believed he could get away with anything once in the White House.
apposite
Remarkably appropriate; Suiting.
For a writer with such quick wit, Jonathan Swift has a rather apposite name.
ribald
Humorously vulgar.
The speaker was famous for his ribald humor, but the high school principal asked him to keep the talk G-rated when he spoke to the student body.
hobble
To hold back the progress of something.
Bad weather has hobbled rescue efforts, making it difficult for crews to find bodies in the wreckage.
improvident
Not given careful consideration.
Marty was improvident, never putting money aside for the future but spending it on decorating the interior of his home.
unviable
Not able to work, survive, or succeed (also spelled inviable).
The plan was obviously unviable considering that it lead to complete environmental destruction in the river valley.
encumber
Hold back.
The costume encumbered all my movements and caused me to sweat profusely.
impetuous
Acting or done hastily or without thought or care; Without deliberation; Impulsive
Herbert is rarely impetuous, but on the spur of the moment, he spent thousands of dollars on a motorcycle today.
presentiment
A feeling of evil to come.
On the night that Lincoln would be fatally shot, his wife had a presentiment about going to Ford’s Theater, but Lincoln persuaded her that everything would be fine.
obstreperous
Noisily and stubbornly defiant; Willfully difficult to control; Unruly.
When the teacher asked the obstreperous student simply to bus his tray, the student threw the entire tray on the floor, shouted an epithet, and walked out.
dovetail
Fit together tightly, as if by means of an interlocking joint; Agree.
Although Darwin’s evolution and Mendel’s genetics were developed in isolation from one another, they dovetail very well.
surreptitious
Stealthy, taking pains not to be caught or detected; Clandestine.
Kiwi makes random shit up, somehow accusing Peewee of doing surreptitious things on his phone.
firebrand
Someone who deliberately creates trouble.
Freddie is a firebrand: every time he walks into the office, he winds up at the center of heated arguments.
puissant
Powerful.
Over the years of service, and quite to his surprise, he became a puissant advisor to the community.
tempestuous
Driven by turbulent or conflicting emotions; Highly energetic and changing; Tumultuous; Turbulent.
Chuck and Kathy had always been stable and agreeable people on their own, but when they got involved, it was a tempestuous relationship.
subterfuge
Deceit used to achieve one’s goal; Deception.
Finally deciding to abandon all subterfuge, Arthur revealed to Cindy everything about his secret affair over the past two years.
incontrovertible
Impossible to deny or disprove; irrefutable; Undeniable.
Unless you can provide incontrovertible evidence, I will remain skeptical.
magisterial
Self-assured or given to exercising unwarranted power; Dictatorial.
Though she was only a third grade teacher, Ms. Martinet was magisterial in dealing with her class, lording over them like a queen.
puerile
Childishly silly and trivial; Displaying a lack of maturity; Immature.
Helen enjoyed blowing soap bubbles, but Jim regarded this as puerile, totally unworthy of a woman with a Ph.D.
crystallize
Cause to take on a definite and clear shape.
Only after fifteen minutes of brainstorming did Samantha’s ideas for the essay crystallize.
inviolate
Must be kept sacred; Unharmed.
While the literary critic subjected most of the classics to the harshest reviews, he regarded Cervantes as inviolate, and had nothing but praise for him.
machinate
Engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together.
She needed to machinate a way to defeat the more popular girl for class president.
dispensation
Exemption from a rule or obligation; Immunity.
Since her father is a billionaire, she is given dispensation from many of the school’s policies
denouement
Final resolution of a play, movie or narrative in which complex sequence of events is explained; Finale; Outcome.
At the denouement of the movie, all questions were answered, and the true identity of the robber was revealed.
intimation
An indirect suggestion.
At first the hostess tried intimation, praising the benefits of cutlery; when Cecil continued eating with his hands, the hostess told him to use a fork at dinner.
ossify
Make rigid and set into a conventional pattern; Solidify.
Even as a young man, Bob had some bias against poor people, but during his years in social services, his bad opinions ossified into unchangeable views.
nonchalant
Coming across as uninterested or unconcerned; Unconcerned.
The twenty-something at the coffee shop always irked Sheldon, especially the way in which they acted nonchalantly towards everything, not even caring when Sheldon once spilled his mocha on them.
corollary
A practical consequence that follows naturally; Consequence.
A corollary of Hurricane Sandy, which ravaged the east coast of the US, is a push to build higher sea walls to protect against future hurricanes.
asperity
Harshness of tone or manner.
The editor was known for his asperity, often sending severe letters of rejection to amateur writers.
inimitable
Defying imitation; Matchless; Unique.
Mozart’s music follows a clear pattern that, anyone could imitate, but his music gives an overall sense of effortlessness that is inimitable.
patent
Glaringly obvious.
Since the book had been through no fewer than six proof runs, the staff was shocked to see such a patent spelling mistake remaining, right in the middle of the front cover!
stalwart
Dependable; Inured to fatigue or hardships; Faithful.
Despite all the criticism directed at the President during this scandal, Lisa has remained his stalwart supporter.
cosset
Treat with excessive indulgence; Pamper.
The king and queen cosseted the young prince, giving him a prized miniature pony for his fifth birthday.
immure
Enclose or confine, usually in walls.
The modern supermarket experience makes many feel claustrophobic, as they are immured in walls upon walls of products.
lacerate
Deeply hurt the feelings of; Distress.
The teacher was fired for lacerating a student who wrote a poor essay.
inure
Make accustomed to something unpleasant; Season or harden.
Three years of Manhattan living has inured her to the sound of wailing sirens; She could probably sleep through the apocalypse.
unpropitious
With little chance of success.
With only a bottle of water and a sandwich, the hikers faced an unpropitious task: ascending a huge mountain that took most two days to climb.
