Advanced R-Z Flashcards
semantic (adj)
sih-MAN-tick
Relating to the different meaning of words or other symbols
shard (n)
SHARD
Fragment of some brittle substance
variegated (adj)
VAIR-ee-uh-gay-ted
Varied in color, having multicolored patches or spots; diverse
winsome (adj)
WIN-sum
Charming, engaging, esp. in a sweet and innocent way
via (prep)
VY-uh or VEE-uh
Through, by means of, by way of
tyro (n)
TY-roh
Beginner
syntax (adj)
SIN-tacks
The rules governing grammar; any system or orderly arrangement
surrogate (n, adj)
SER-uh-git or SER-uh-gayt
Substitute, person who acts for another (n); acting as a replacement (adj)
subpoena (verb, n)
suh-PEE-nuh
A court order requiring a person to appear in court and give testimony
yoke (n, verb)
YOHK
A burden or something that oppresses; a frame for attaching animals to each other (n); to unite together or to burden (verb)
tawdry (adj)
TAW-dree
Gaudy, cheap or cheap-looking; indecent
sinecure (n)
SY-nih-kyoor or SIN-uh-kyoor
A job or position that pays while requiring little or no work
stint (n, verb)
STINT
Period of time spent doing something, or a specific, limited amount of work (n); to be frugal, to get by on little (verb)
ruminate (verb)
ROO-min-ayt
Turn over in the mind, reflect on; chew cud (as a cow)
repertorial (adj)
reh-per-TOR-ee-ull
Pertaining to a repertory or repertoire, a stock of available things or a number of theatrical performances presented regularly or in sequence
recapitulate (verb)
ree-cah-PIT-chull-ayt
Summarize, repeat in a concise way
*précis
recant (verb)
rih-CANT
Withdraw, retract, or disavow something one has previously said, esp. formally
rejoinder (n)
rih-JOIN-der
Response or reply, esp. a witty comeback
reprobate (n, adj)
REP-ruh-bayt
Disreputable, unprincipled, or damned person (n); shameless, depraved (adj)
redress (n, verb)
rih-DRESS
Setting something right after a misdeed, compensation or relief for injury or wrongdoing (n); correct, set right, remedy (verb)
vicissitude (n)
viss-ISS–it-ood
Changes or variations over time, esp. regular changes from one thing to another
strut (n)
STRUHT
A structural support or brace
stratum (n)
STRAY-tum or STRAT-um
One of many layers (such as in a rock formation or in the classes of a society)
sybarite (n)
SIB-uh-rite
Person devoted to pleasure and luxury
wanton (adj)
WAHN-tuhn
Reckless, vicious, without regard for what is right; unjustifiable, deliberately done for no reason at all; sexually unrestrained or excessively luxurious
supplant (verb)
suh-PLANT
Take the place of, displace, especially through sneaky tactics
solecism (n)
SAH-liss-izm
Nonstandard use of grammar or words; mistake, esp. in etiquette
stentorian (adj)
sten-TOR-ee-un
Very loud and powerful (generally of a human voice)
toady (n)
TOH-dee
Someone who flatters or acts in a servile manner for self-serving
*sycophant, lackey, myrmidon
truculent (adj)
TRUCK-yuh-lent
Fierce, cruel, savage; belligerent
slake (verb)
SLAYK
Satisfy (esp. thirst), cool, or refresh; make less active
rarefied (adj)
RARE-if-ide
Lofty, very high up or elevated (in a metaphorical way); exclusive, select; thin, pure, or less dense (as air at the top of a mountain)
scintilla (n)
sin-TILL-uh
A tiny bit or trace
surly (adj)
SER-lee
Bad-tempered, hostile, unfriendly, or rude
stasis (n)
STAY-siss
Equilibrium, a state of balance or inactivity, esp. caused by equal but opposing forces
symbiosis (n)
sim-bee-OH-siss
Mutually dependent relationship between two organisms, people, groups, etc.
sardonic (adj)
sar-DAH-nick
Scornfully or ironically mocking, cynically derisive
vanguard (n)
VAN-gard
Leading units at the front of an army; leaders in a trend or movement, people on the “cutting edge;” the forefront of a trend or movement
squalid (adj)
SKWAH-lid
Disgusting, filthy, foul, extremely neglected
*sordid
vex (verb)
VECKS
Annoy or bother; puzzle or distress
*irk; nettle
skittish (adj)
SKIT-ish
Shy, fickle, uncertain, or prone to act suddenly due to nervousness; lively in a restless or excessive way
tumultuous (adj)
tuh-MULT-choo-uss
Riotous, violently agitated, marked by disturbance or uproar; noisy, chaotic
vim (n)
VIM
Pep, enthusiasm, vitality, lively spirit
salient (adj)
SAY-lee-uhnt
Obvious, standing out; projecting, protruding, jutting out
tome (n)
TOHM
Large or scholarly book; one of the volumes in a set of books
welter (n, verb)
WELL-ter
Confused mass or pile, jumble; confusion or turmoil (n); roll around, wallow, toss about, writhe (verb)
viscid or viscous (adj)
VISS-id / VISS-cuss
Thick adhesive, or covered in something sticky
travesty (n)
TRAV-est-ee
Exaggerated, debased, or grotesque imitation
*burlesque
vestige (n)
VEST-idge
Trace or sign of something that once existed
*scintilla, residue
umbrage (n)
UM-bridge
Offense or annoyance
xenophobia (n)
zen-noh-FOH-bee-uh
Fear or hatred of foreigners or that which is foreign
stigma (n)
STIG-muh
Mark of disgrace, a figurative stain or mark on someone’s reputation
steeped (adj)
STEEPT
Immersed (in), saturated (with)
secrete (verb)
sih-CREET
Produce and release a substance from a cell or gland of the body for a functional purpose
ridden (adj)
RID-un
Dominated or burdened by
somatic (adj)
soh-MAT-ick
Of the body
verisimilar (adj)
ver-uh-SIM-ill-er
Having the appearance of truth, probable
*feasible, plausible
upbraid (verb)
up-BRAID
Find fault with, criticize or scold severly
refulgent (adj)
rih-FULL-jent
Shining, radiant
raconteur (n)
rack-uhn-TOOR
Witty storyteller
*bard
seraphic (adj)
sih-RAFF-ick
Like an angel; serene, spiritually carried off or transported
*cherubic
reactant (n)
ree-ACK-tint
Something that reacts; a substance that undergoes a change in a chemical reaction
whet (verb)
WET
Stimulate, make keen or eager (esp. of an appetite)
untempered (adj)
un-TEM-perd
Not toned down; not moderated, controlled, or counterbalanced; unqualified
turgid (adj)
TER-jid
Swollen, inflated; or, metaphorically “inflated,” such as in overblown, pompous speech
*tumid, distend, balloon
transgression (n)
tranz-GRESH-un
Violation of a low, moral rule, order, etc.; sin
*contravene, err
rue (n, verb)
ROO
Regret, remorse (n); to feel regret or remorse (verb)
*contrite, penitent
searchingly (adv)
SER-ching-lee
In a searching or penetrating manner; while examining closely or probing for answers
rococo (adj)
ruh-COH-coh
Very elaborate and ornate (in decorating, art, architecture, or metaphorically)
sublime (adj)
sub-LIME
Lofty or elevated, inspiring reverence or awe; excellent, majestic; complete, utter
sully (verb)
SULL-ee
Make dirty, stain, tarnish, defile
*adulterate, debauch, vitiate, debase
scurvy (adj)
SKER-vee
Contemptible, mean
*reprobate
squelch (verb)
SKWEL’ch
Crush, squash; suppress or silence; walk through ooze or in wet shoes, making a smacking or sucking sound
stipulate (verb)
STIP-yuh-layt
Specify; make an open demand, esp. as a condition of agreement
vociferous (adj)
voh-SIFF-er-uss
Noisily crying out, as in protest
rend (verb)
REND
Tear violently, esp. to tear one’s clothing or hair out of grief; pull apart, split, or tear away
resurgent (adj)
rih-SER-jent
Having a revival, renewing, rising or surging again
*recrudescent, renascent
recrudescent (adj)
ree-croo-DESS-ent
Revival, breaking out into renewed activity
*renascent, resurgent
vitriol (n)
VIT-tree-ohl
Something highly caustic, such as criticism (literally, one of a number of chemicals including sulfuric acid)
token (n, adj)
TOH-kin
Sign, symbol, mark, badge; souvenir, memento; coin-like disk used as currency for subways, etc.
treacherous (adj)
TRETCH-er-uss
Betraying trust, not faithful or trustworthy; not dependable; dangerous or deceptive
*perfidy, recreant, quisling, apostate
whitewash (n, verb)
WHITE-wash
A substance used to whiten walls, wood, etc. (n); deception, covering up of wrongs, errors, misdeeds, etc. (verb)
usury (n)
YOO-zher-ee
Charging interest on a loan, esp. charging illegally high or excessive interest
tendentious (adj)
ten-DEN-chuss
Marked by a strong point of view, biased
*partisan, bigot
wan (adj)
WAHN
Unnaturally pale, or showing some other indication of sickness, unhappiness, etc.; weak, lacking forcefulness
*pallid, sallow
supposition (n)
suh-puh-ZISH-un
Assumption, hypothesis, something that has been supposed
savant (n)
sa-VAHNT
Learned person, scholar, someone admitted to membership in a scholarly field; a person with amazing mental abilities despite having a cognitive difference or disability
virulent (adj)
VEER-yuh-lent
Extremely infectious, poisonous, etc.; hateful, bitterly hostile
*pervasive, pathogenic
vernal (adj)
VER-null
Relating to the spring fresh, youthful
*primaveral
winnow (verb)
WIN-oh
Sift, analyze critically, separate the useful part from the worthless part
sedition (n)
sih-DISH-un
Inciting rebellion against a government, esp. speech or writing that does this
*incendiary
synoptic (adj)
sin-OP-tick
Relating to a synopsis or summary; giving a general view
wizened (adj)
WIZZ-end
Withered, shriveled
tortuous (adj)
TOR-choo-uss
Twisting, winding, complex; devious, not straightforward
*convoluted
unsparing (adj)
un-SPAIR-in
Generous, lavish (in a good way); unmerciful, harsh
revamp (vern, n)
ree-VAMP
Renovate, redo, revise (verb); a restructuring, upgrade, etc. (n)
voluble (adj)
VAHL-yuh-bull
Easily fluent in regards to speech
*loquacious, verbose, prolix
recalcitrant (adj)
rih-CAL-sih-truhnt
Not obedient, resisting authority, hard to manage
*intractable, intransigent, refractory, obstreperous
rift (n)
RIFT
A gap or fissure (such as in a rock), a break in friendly relations
refractory (adj)
rih-FRAC-tuh-ree
Stubbornly disobedient, hard to manage
*intractable, intransigent, obstreperous
ribald (adj)
RIB-uld
Using or relating to obscene or vulgar humor
*bawdy, lwed
sobriquet (n)
SOH-brick-ay
A nickname
stratagem (n)
STRAT-uh-jum
Military maneuver to deceive or surprise; crafty scheme
*ruse, subterfuge
redound (verb)
rih-DOUND
To have a good or bad effect, esp. as a result of a person’s efforts or actions (usually use with to, on, or upon)
*reap
repose (n)
rih-POSE
The act or state of resting; peacefulness, tranquility; lying dead in a grave
turpitude (n)
TER-pit-ood
Depravity, baseness of character, corrupt or depraved acts
*base, debase
terrestrial (adj)
tih-RESS-tree-ull
Relating to the Earth or to land; worldly
repast (n, verb)
rih-PAST
A meal (n); to eat or feast (verb)
recondite (adj)
RECK-un-dite or rih-CAHN-dite
Not easily understood, hidden, dealing with an obscure topic
*arcane, esoteric
solidarity (n)
sah-lid-AIR-it-ee
Fellowship in interests, feelings, responsibilities, etc., such as among a group of people or among classes, nations, etc.
verdant (adj)
VER-duhnt
Green, such as with vegetation, plants, grass, etc.; young and inexperienced
*primaveral, vernal
unconscionable (adj)
un-CAHN-shun-uh-bull
Not guided by conscience; morally wrong, unjust, unreasonable
*unscrupulous, unprincipled
trenchant (adj)
TREN-chint
Forceful or vigorous, effective, keen; caustic, sharp
*keen
terse (adj)
TERSS
Concise, brief and to the point (sometimes to the point of rudeness)
