Amin Words 3 Flashcards
Adrift
- Drifting or floating freely; not anchored.
- Without direction or purpose; aimless: “The report is about people in their twenties and how alienated and adrift they feel” (Tom Shales).
- off course or amiss: the project went adrift.
“How wonderful is the certainty that each human life is not adrift in the midst of hopeless chaos, in a world ruled by pure chance or endlessly recurring cycles!” (Pope Francis I)
Vocation
- A regular occupation, especially one for which a person is particularly suited or qualified.
2.
a. An inclination or aptness for a certain kind of work: a vocation for medicine.
b. Theology A calling of an individual by God, especially for a religious career.
“We were created with a vocation to work. The goal should not be that technological progress increasingly replace human work, for this would be detrimental to humanity. Work is a necessity, part of the meaning of life on this earth, a path to growth, human development and personal fulfillment.” (Pope Francis I)
“Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving our world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the areas in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good.” (Pope Francis I)
Sobriety
səˈbraɪ ɪ ti, soʊ-
- the state or quality of being sober: three years of drug-free sobriety
- the quality of refraining from excess; temperance or moderation, esp. in the use of alcoholic beverages; abstinence
- the quality of being serious or sedate
“Such sobriety, when lived freely and consciously, is liberating. It is not a lesser life or one lived with less intensity. On the contrary, it is a way of living life to the full. In reality, those who enjoy more and live better each moment are those who have given up dipping here and there, always on the look-out for what they do not have.” (Pope Francis I)
Vituperative
Using, containing, or marked by harshly abusive criticism or irate language.
“From the point of view of my inquiry, the negative implication of the terms “reaction” and “reactionary” is unfortunate, as I would like to be able to use them without constantly injecting a value judgment. For this reason I resort on occasion to alternative, more neutral terms such as “counterthrust,” “reactive,” and so on. Most of the time, however, I adhere to the more common usage, occasionally employing quotation marks to signal that I do not mean to write in a vituperative mode.” (Albert O. Hirschman)
Semantic
of or pertaining to meaning or arising from the different meanings of words or other symbols: semantic change; semantic confusion.
“Exploring the semantics of the term “reaction” points straight to an important characteristic of “reactionary” thinking.” (Albert O. Hirschman)
The phrase “It’s a matter of semantics” is often used to Indicate that the real meaning of a statement is being lost in verbiage.
“While there is some debate among recruiters and analysts about what constitutes a talent pool versus a talent community, it’s mostly semantic.”
Lofty
of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
“They are up against an intellectual climate in which a positive value attaches to whatever lofty objective is placed on the social agenda by self-proclaimed “progressives.” Given this state of public opinion, reactionaries are not likely to launch an all-out attack on that objective.” (Albert O. Hirschman)
“I think we need to lift our spirits and have high lofty expectations for this great country of ours.” Jeb Bush
“The United States didn’t create religious liberty. Religious liberty created the United States of America,” Bobby Jindal said in a lofty statement. “This is an essential freedom and an essential right and I don’t think that you give up this right by simply taking a job.” Rolling Stone
Prognosis
Prognostic
Prognosis
- a forecasting of the probable course and outcome of a disease, esp. of the chances of recovery.
- a forecast or prognostication: a gloomy prognosis for economic recovery.
Prognostic
- (Medicine) of or pertaining to prognosis.
- predictive of something in the future.
Burke prognosticated that “an ignoble oligarchy, founded on the destruction of the crown, the church, the nobility, and the people [would] end all the deceitful dreams and visions of the equality and the rights of men.” Also he conjured up the spectacle of military interventions during various civil disorders and exclaimed, “Massacre, torture, hanging! These are your rights of men!”
Conjure up
- to present to the mind; evoke or imagine: he conjured up a picture of his childhood.
- to call up or command (a spirit or devil) by an incantation
Burke prognosticated that “an ignoble oligarchy, founded on the destruction of the crown, the church, the nobility, and the people [would] end all the deceitful dreams and visions of the equality and the rights of men.” Also he conjured up the spectacle of military interventions during various civil disorders and exclaimed, “Massacre, torture, hanging! These are your rights of men!”
Pith
- the soft, spongy central cylinder of parenchymatous tissue in the stems of dicotyledonous plants.
- the soft inner part of a feather, a hair, etc.
- the important or essential part; core: the pith of the matter. The pith of your argument is controversial.
- substance; solidity: an argument without pith.
- (Archaic) spinal cord or bone marrow.
- strength or vigor; mettle.
Hirschman on perversity thesis: “Expressing these ideas with poetic pith toward the end of the century, Goehte defined his Mephisto as “a part of that force that ever wills evil, but ever brings forth good.”
Gestalt
a form or configuration having properties that cannot be derived by the summation of its component parts.
“Large scale and seemingly abrupt ideological shifts may take place in precisely this fashion. Formally they require only a slight modification of familiar patterns of thought, but the new variant has an affinity for very different beliefs and propositions and becomes embedded in them to form a wholly new gestalt, so that in the end the intimate connection between the old and new is almost unrecognizable.”
Stigma
Plural: Stigmata/ stigmas
Stigmatize
- An association of disgrace or public disapproval with something, such as an action or condition: “Depression … has become easier to diagnose, and seeking treatment does not carry the stigma it once did” (Greg Critser).
- Medicine
a. A visible indicator of disease.
b. A small bodily mark, especially a birthmark or scar, that is congenital or indicative of a condition or disease.
“The optimistic message of this construction was enhanced further when the pursuit of self-interest through trade and industry lost its stigma and was accorded social prestige instead” (Albert O. Hirschman).
Stigmatize
1. To characterize or brand as disgraceful or ignominious.
2. To mark with stigmata or a stigma.
3. To cause stigmata to appear on.
“An enlightened zeal for the energy and efficiency of the government will be stigmatized as the offspring of a temper fond of power and hostile to the principles of liberty.” Federalist No.1.
Ms. Bonauto: “Telling same-sex couples who have made that commitment to one another and have committed to raising children that they can’t is what is stigmatizing”.
Pageant
- An elaborate public dramatic presentation that usually depicts a historical or traditional event.
2.
a. A spectacular procession or celebration, especially one involving costumed performers or contestants.
b. A beauty contest.
“Univision canceled its broadcast of Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, which Trump partially owns, over his controversial remarks about Mexicans in his campaign announcement speech.” (CNN) - A usually pompous or ostentatious display or sequence: “[She] looks on at the pageant of make-believe affections: mannered smiles, overblown handshakes” (Michael Lowenthal).
Unpalatable
- not palatable; unpleasant to the taste: an unpalatable meal.
- disagreeable; unacceptable; difficult to accept: the unpalatable truth. unpalatable behavior.
Justice Scalia: “Miss Bonauto, I’m concerned about the wisdom of this court imposing through the Constitution a requirement of action which is unpalatable to many of our citizens for religious reasons”.
Emphatic
adj
1. expressed, spoken, or done with emphasis: responded with an emphatic “no.”
2. forceful and positive; definite; direct: an emphatic personality.
3. sharp or clear in form, contour, or outline
4. important or significant; stressed: the emphatic points in an argument.
5. (Phonetics & Phonology) phonetics denoting certain dental consonants of Arabic that are pronounced with accompanying pharyngeal constriction.
Solicitor general Verrilli: “But what these gay and lesbian couples are doing is laying claim to the promise of the Fourteenth Amendment now. And it is emphatically the duty of this court, in this case, as it was in Lawrence, to decide what the Fourteenth Amendment requires”.
Untenable
- (of theories, propositions, etc) incapable of being maintained, defended, or vindicated: an untenable position.
- Not capable of being occupied or lived in: untenable quarters.
“Most political scientists do not believe anarchism to be a tenable theory of government.”
Solicitor general Verrilli: “And I would that in a world in which gay and lesbian couples live openly as our neighbors, they raise their children side by side with the rest of us, they contribute fully as members of the community, that it is simply untenable – untenable to suggest that they can be denied the right of equal participation in an institution of marriage, or that they can be required to wait until the majority decides that it is ready to treat gay and lesbian people as equals. Gay and lesbian people are equal. They deserve equal protection of the laws, and they deserve it now. Thank you.”
Ensconce
- to establish or settle firmly or comfortably: She ensconced herself in an armchair. The kitten was ensconced in an armchair.
- to place in safety; to cover or shelter; hide securely.
Mr. Bursch: “If this Court ensconces in the Constitution a new definition of marriage and it reduces the rate that opposite-sex couples stay together, bound to their children, because of that different understanding, even a 1 percent change is many many children” (Probably the single worst argument ever made in front of the SCOTUS)
Animus
Anima
Animus
- A feeling of animosity; ill will.
- motive, intention, or purpose
- (Psychology) (in Jungian psychology) the masculine principle present in the female unconscious.
Mr. Bursch: “What these statutes do is they have disparate impact, and you would have to demonstrate them under Washington v. Davis and Feeney that there is some animus that motivates this”.
Justice Ginsburg: “It is not to start an impact. It’s leaving a group out altogether. It’s not that more of this group and less of that group”.
Mr. Bursch: “Right. But as you said in Bray v. Alexandria, a 100 percent impact doesn’t necessarily mean animus. We still have to determine a discriminatory intent”….”Your Honors, these are obviously very emotional issues where reasonable people can disagree. This court has never assumed that people have act out of animus when they’re voting in the democratic process”…“Michigan has no animus. It doesn’t intend to take away dignity from anyone”.
Anima
- soul; life.
- (in the psychology of C. G. Jung)
a. the inner personality (contrasted with persona).
b. the feminine principle, esp. as present in men (contrasted with animus).
Odious
- Arousing or deserving hatred or strong dislike; hateful; detestable.
- Extremely unpleasant; repulsive; highly offensive; repugnant; disgusting: an odious smell.
“Perhaps this development came about as the result of some inevitable contamination of the means by the end. If the outcome of some process is odious, it is difficult, in the longer run, to maintain that the motives and activities leading up to it are wholly commendable” (Albert O. Hirschman).
Providence
- (Theology)
a. Christianity God’s foreseeing protection and care of his creatures
b. such protection and care as manifest by some other force - (Theology) a supposed manifestation of such care and guidance
- the foresight or care exercised by a person in the management of his affairs or resources
“Once there is no longer a sharp contrast between the means and the end, or between process and outcome, the need for the magical intervention of Divine Providence becomes less compelling _Adam Smith in fact barely allowed it to survive, secularized and a bit anemic, as the Invisible Hand” (Albert O. Hirschman).
Anemia
Anemic
Anomia
Anomic
Anemia
- a reduction in the hemoglobin of red blood cells with consequent deficiency of oxygen in the blood, leading to weakness and pallor.
- a lack of power, vigor, vitality, or colorfulness.
Anemic
- Relating to or suffering from anemia.
- Lacking vitality; listless and weak: an anemic attempt to hit the baseball; an anemic economic recovery.
“Once there is no longer a sharp contrast between the means and the end, or between process and outcome, the need for the magical intervention of Divine Providence becomes less compelling _Adam Smith in fact barely allowed it to survive, secularized and a bit anemic, as the Invisible Hand” (Albert O. Hirschman).
Anomia
Aphasia characterized by the impaired ability to recall the names of persons and things.
Anomic
socially disoriented: anomic loners musing over their fate.
“None too good at reasoning, the crowd is on the contrary much given to action. This action takes typically the form either of anomic outbreaks by “criminal crowds” or of enthusiastic, hypnotic mass movements organized by demagogic leaders (meneurs not chefs) who know how to enslave the crowd” (Le Bon explained by Hirschman).
