Advanced English Vocabulary Set 11 Flashcards
Pauline took her ____________ dose of medicine.
daily
quotidian
The king ____________ his guests until the early morning hours.
to delight， entertain with a splendid fest
regaled
The wail of a police siren disturbed my _____________.
calmness， tranquility， peace of mind
repose
The deer ____________ its thirst at the river.
to satisfy
slaked
Edmund _____________ for hours before solving the problem.
to work laboriously
toiled
The CEO’s remarks did not ________ the concerns of the employees.
alleviate
allay
In science class， the children tried to identify which objects on the table would be ______________.
able to float
buoyant
Natalie needed to __________ Charles of his belief that she was in love with him.
to correct a false impression or erroneous belief
disabuse
Car’s __________ comments were not taken seriously by anyone in the room.
insincere， calculating
disingenuous
We should have known that splashing salt water on the wound would _____________ the pain.
to make worse
exacerbate
Julie’s ____________ nature makes it a pleasure to be near her.
merry， cheerful
jocund
Billy looks like a fool， acting so ______________ over losing a silly bet.
excessivery mournful or dismal
lugubrious
The main part of the hospital is pretty _________ but the children’s ward is really lively.
sad and depressing
dismal
The dog was ____________， and it took a great deal of coaxing to get him to come near the car.
fearful， afraid
timorous
Abraham Lincoln made ______________ gestures toward the South at the end of the Civil War.
making concesions to reconcile or comfort
conciliatory
The family became concerned listening to their grandmother’s ___________ ramblings.
done without any particular plan or purpose
desultory
The professor’s _____________ style of conversations was not very popular with his students.
having ideas that you won’t change
dogmatic
His ___________ sermon challenged the congregation to devote more time to charitable causes.
englightening with the aim of improving moral development
edifying
Margaret’s _____________ approach to her job in the collections department made her a favorite with the CEO.
acting effectively， producing the desired effect
efficacious
Five _____________ devices were found in her house.
used to cause large fires
incendiary
It was completely ______________ how the escape artist got out of the trunk.
baffling， unfathomable
inscrutable
Senator Waterson’s ____________ argument made me change my vote.
very clear， easy to understand
pellucid
George didn’t fool me with his _____________ argument.
seemingly plausible but false
specious
This TV show is yet another ____________ sitcom.
empty， purposeless
vacuous
Construction of the highway is in _____________ until we get agency approval.
suspension
abeyance
The __________ that Mark brought to the weekly meetings usually resulted in an early adjourment.
harshness， severity
asperity
Richard was asked to give an ___________ for his fallen comrade.
a formal speech or piece of writing in praise of sb
eulogy
An _____________ developed when the bus drivers went on， leaving thousands of commuters stranded on the bus station.
a confused， difficult situation， usually involving disagreement
imbroglio
After ten years of __________， it’s good to be financially secure again.
extreme poverty
penury
We had to go through a great deal of ___________ to get this approved.
a complicated， petty procedure
rigmarole
I would put calculus under the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ of college mathematics， not high school. a class or category
rubric
_________ ______ is essential if you want to be a successful diplomat.
knowledge of the right thing to do or say in a social situation
savoir faire
A quick divorce was an _____________ end to the couple’s two-month marriage.
appropriate for a purpose， a suitable means to an end
expedient
The turbulent flight proved to be a _______________ experience for Jane.
distressing， creating great stress or torment
harrowing
The job requires the ability to handle _____________ tasks.
occuring in great variety
multifarious
Nancy’s opponent started a _____________ rumor that destroyed her chances of winning.
deadly， harmful， destructive
pernicious
Janice’s _______________ voice made me decide to stay and comfort her longer.
expressing sorrow
plaintive
The new announcer at the stadium has a wonderfully _______________ voice.
echoing， resounding
resonant
The ____________ items in her backpack reveal a great deal about her personality.
various， miscellaneous
sundry
It was a ______________ argument， and it forced me to change my mind about the issue.
clear-cut， sharply defined
trenchant
It was another ____________ day for the stock market， and fluctuating prices wreaked havoc for investors.
creating an upproar， disorderly， noisy
tumultuous
Jake tried to ______________ when explaining why he came home after his curfew.
to use unclear or ambiguous language in order to mislead
equivocate
Professor Carlton is unpopular because he doesn’t have one _______ of respect for his students.
a very small amount
iota
The ______________ child refused to go to bed.
noisily and stubbornly defiant
obstreperous
The _______________ journalist finally uncovered the truth about the factory’s illegal disposal of toxins.
holding firmly to a belief， purpose or course of action
pertinacious
Quit ______________ and tell me what really happened.
to tell lies
prevaricating
Angela is very _____________， so don’t expect her to tell you much about herself.
tending to keep one’s thoughts and feelings to oneself
reticent
She has not one ________________ of doubt about his guilt.
a trace or particle
scintilla
My _____________ roommate has failed all of his classes.
lazy and inefficient
shiftless
The outspoken congresswoman gave a _______________ speech arguing against the proposal.
bitterly expressing opposition
truculent
Hitler was the most infamous __________ of the twentieth century.
a leader who obtains power by appealing to people’s feelings and prejudices
demagogue
The independent monitors were at polling locations to ensure neither party tried to ______________ incoming voters.
to deprive of the rights of citizenship， especially the right to vote
disenfranchise
Hannah was moved by the candidate’s ____________ speech.
charactarized by the principle of equal rights for all persons
egalitarian
A military takeover in the impoverished country secured the ___________ of the Centrist Party in its bid for power.
predominant influence or leadership
hegemony
The opponents wanted to _____________ the bill before it became a law.
to make null， invaliade
nullify
The small governing body calls itself a democracy， but it is clearly an ___________.
form of government in which the power is in the hands of a select few
oligarchy
The headmaster reviewed the _____________ of the school with the students.
a rule establishing standards of conduct
precepts
The king ___________ the worship of idols in his kingdom.
to prohibit， forbid
proscribe
The president appointed a ___________ to handle business matters during his absence.
a person or agent authorized to represent or act for another
proxy
It should be an interesting marriage - he’s a ___________ and she’s as liberal as they come.
a person who favors political conservativism
reactionary
Part of Sue’s job as a public defender was to ___________ people of their legal rights.
to inform， give notice to
apprise
The state legislature will _____________ two million dollars from the budget to build a new bridge.
to take for one’s own use
appropriate
The chief engineer wanted a laboratory to _________ the steel.
to try， put to a test， examine
assay
The survey will clearly ____________ where their property ends.
to draw， outline， depict， portray
delineate
Polly hated to _________， but she didn’t think adding so much garlic was a good idea.
to raise objections
demur
Tom needed to __________ his goal of taking his boss’s job by acting supportive of his boss’s planned job change.
to disguise or conceal one’s true motives
dissemble
I tried to ____________ them from painting their house yellow.
to discourage from
dissuade
During a crisis， it’s important to have a leader who will not ___________.
to hesitate， be indecisive or uncertain
dither
The reporter refused to ___________ her source.
to disclose
divulge
The teacher tried to __________ the complexity of the material to be covered in the exam.
to show or demonstrate
evince
Fred claimed that _____________ circumstances forced him to commit forgery.
that reduce the strength or lessen the seriousness of
extenuating
Natasha had to ______________ her allegiance to her homeland in order to become a citizen of the new country.
to give up， renounce
forswear
Doctors ____________ the reduction of cancer deaths to the nationwide decrease in cigarette smoking.
to attribute to a cause
impute
They have ___________ their offer， so we must find another buyer.
to repeal or cancel
rescinded
The negotiations were ___________ by yet another attack.
to hinder， obstruct
stymied
You could never eliminate risk， but preparation and training could ____________ it.
to reduce， weaken
attenuate
Victoria believed it an ____________ beginning when it rained on the day that she opened her umbrella store.
favorable
auspicious
Stephanie’s cutting remarks managed to ___________ Harry.
to weaken
enervate
The hostage negotiator’s ____________ during the standoff was remarkable.
calmness of temperament
equanimity
The exterminator said he would _____________ the vermin from the house.
to root out and utterly destroy
eradicate
After finishing probation， juveniles can petition the courts to ___________ their criminal records.
to wipe or rub out， delete
expunge
The ________________ turn of events during her promotional tour propelled Susan’s book to the bestseller list.
marked by good fortune
felicitous
The crying child was quickly ______________ by her mother.
to soothe the anger of
mollified
Kendall was _______________ after he repeatedly stole from his friends.
to reject， cast out from a group
ostracized
Don’t be so ______________ - I don’t want to fight.
contentious， eager to fight， quarrelsome
pugnacious
I wish I had Jenny’s _____________ when I find myself in a confrontational situation.
composure， especially in dangerous circumstances
sangfroid
I’ve never seen such a ________ outfit as that prom dress!
flashy and tasteless
tawdry
To preserve family harmony， Lenny became very ____________ when his in-laws came to visit.
tending to comply， obliging， willing to do what pleases others
complaisant
Ursula’s ____________ remarks in front of her fiancé’s parents were an embarrassment to us all.
not showing proper seriousness
flippant
Stell was relieved with her new job transfer because she would no longer be under the control of such an _____________ boss.
overbearing， bossy
imperious
Wendy’s ______________ attitude toward her future concerned her father.
unconcerned， carefree
insouciant
Alice’s ____________ attitude was infectious and inspired us all to press on.
courageous， high-spirited
mettlesome
My daughter has been _____________ ever since our dog ran away.
gloomy， sullen
morose
He’s a picky and _____________ old man， but I still love him.
complaining， peevish
querulous
The ______ Larry brought to the campaign made him a natural campaign spokesperson.
fiery intensity of feeling
ardor
There was little hope for peace following the election of a candidate known for his ____________ nature.
eager to wage war， quarrelsome
bellicose
With Andrew as their leader， the members of the unit readied themselves to begin the __________.
a scheme or conspiracy
cabal
Norman had a ___________ belief that aliens had already landed on earth.
having or showing great emotion
fervent
The ____________ of the fans in the stands helped propel the team to victory.
zeal， ardor
fervor
The barbarians _____________ the village before destroying it with fire.
to forcibly rob of goods， especially in time of war
pillaged
Greg is full of _____________ towards his brother.
a bitter feeling of ill will
rancor
The president promised a swift __________ for the attack.
the practice of using political or military force without actually resorting to war
reprisal
Many atrocities have been committed because of ____________.
a strong dislike， distrust or fear for foreigners
xenophobia
Martin’s liberal parenting style is the _____________ of my conservative style.
the direct or exact opposite
antithesis
Many ____________ immigrants in the United States eventually were able to make comfortable lives for themselves.
having little or no money
impecunious
The young colt was _______________， and training had to be cancelled temporarily.
unmanageable， stubborn
intractable
With its casinos and attractions， some people consider Las Vegas the most ________________ city in the country.
showily attractive but false or insincere
meretricious
The spicy shrimp saland is wonderfully ___________.
pleasantly sharp in taste
piquant
The two scientific elements demonstrate a remarkable ________________.
affinity， similarity in nature
propinquity
Someone _____________ the local cemetery by spray-painting graffiti on tombstones.
to violate the sacredness of
desecrated
Some find the __________ inherent in religion a comfort， whereas others find it too restrictive.
a prescribed doctrine
dogma
It was a _______________ supermarket for such a small town.
gigantic， huge
gargantuan
In the book I’m reading， the gypsy queen levies an _____________ on the lead character.
an invocation of evil， a curse
imprecation
Fiona is so _______________ that you never know what kind of reaction to expect.
liable to change moods suddenly
mercurial
The book was criticized by the church for being ______________.
disrespectful or irreverent towards sth sacred
sacrilegious
You can be certain to find at least one __________ character in a Stephen King horror novel.
harmful， sinister
baleful
Some of the people who call the customer service desk are _____________.
incapable of being appeased
implacable
His performance on the tennis court was _________________.
unmatchable
inimitable
Young children can be _____________ when it comes to what food they will eat.
unwilling to compromise
intransigent
Elena is a counselor for ____________ children in an alternative school setting.
resisting control or discipline.
refractory
The ______ actress glided around the room in her elegant gown.
slender and graceful
svelte
Upon reaching the ________ of the mountain， the climbers placed their flag in the snow.
the highest point
apex
The local authorities issued an ___________ to close the street for a festival on St. Patrick’s Day.
approval
approbation
There was a lively __________ of eager bingo fans waiting outside the bingo hall.
a large group or assemblage
bevy
The students sat at the edge of their seats as they listened to the ____________ of the story.
the resolution of the plot at the end of a narrative
denouement
Professor Sorenson’s support worked to __________ Samantha’s desire to pursue a Ph. D.
to produce， bring into existence
engender
Trisha had become ___________ to her boss’s criticism， so it no longer bothered her.
accustomed to， adapted
inured
Hiring Magdalena would ___________ the need to hire a music tutor， for she is also a classical pianist.
to get rid of
obviate
Creationists do not believe that humans have ____________ ancestors.
of or like an ape or monkey
simian
The _____________ begged for forgiveness.
a person who asks humbly for sth
supplicants
This pamphlet describes the _____________ of Amnesty International.
a belief， principle held to be true
tenets
The curtains ___________ in the breeze.
to move in waves or in a wavelike fashion
undulated
His conduct was totally _________ to an officer in the British armed services.
shocking and unsuitable
unbecoming
His accountant had ______ and ______ him in the fraud.
to help or encourage someone to do sth wrong or illegal
aided and abetted
He ________ his religion.
to state publicly that you no longer agree with sth
abjured
old fashioned: evil and wicked
dastardly
I don’t think this is the time to ______ at the wording of the report.
to make unnecessary complaints
cavil
obeying laws， religious rules， etc.
observant
It __________ us to think of these dangers.
it’s right， necessary or useful to do it
behoves
The sex scandal is ________ the American public.
to make sb feel excited or interested， esp. in a sexual way
titillating
The men are ______ and reactionary.
having old-fashioned attitudes and ideas
hide-bound
He assembled it in one fluid， ______ motion.
quick， neat in action， skillful
deft
At best， her remark was an ________.
not appropriate， not correct for a particular situation
infelicity
Just a _______ of cake for me， please.
a very small thin piece
sliver
The contract contained a restrictive _________ against building on the land.
a formal agreement， a promise
covenant
6% of our profits are _________ to charity.
to promise to pay a fixed sum of money regularly
covenanted
I resent it that my job is starting to _________ on my family life.
to gradually take away someone’s rights， to take control on sb’s time
encroach
They have promised that the development will not ________ on public land.
to gradually cover more and more of an area of land
encroach
She _______ her novel as a musical comedy.
to change the form of sth
recast
In despair， the director ________ the leading role.
change an actor
recast
The scandal put the President in an __________ position.
one that has become so difficult that it’s impossible to continue
untenable
