Barron's 1-5 Flashcards
poseur
poerson who affects an attitude to impress others
reverent
expressing deep respect, worshipful
ostentatious
showy; pretentious
avocation
secondary occupation
disseminate
to spread; scatter; disperse
purport
to profess, suppose, claim
virtuoso
someone with master skills, expert musician
repine
fret, complain
saturnine
gloomy
sylvan
related to the woods or forest
physiognomy
facial features
defame
to malign; harm someone’s reputation
primordial
original; existing from the beginning
confound
to baffle; perplex; mix up
cloister
to confine; seclude
default
to fail to act
log
record of a voyage; record of daily activities
modicum
limited quantity
travail
work, especially arduous work
indigence
poverty
guise
outward appearance; false appearance
machiavellian
crafty; double-dealing
autonomous
self-governing; independent
lilliputian
extremely small
broach
to mention for the first time
proscribe
to condemn, forbid, outlaw
transient
temporary, fleeting
delineate
to represent or depict
emollient
soothing; mollifying
sodden
thoroughly soaked, saturated
plaintive
melancholy; mournful
refractory
stubborn, resisting ordinary methods of treatment
asperity
severity; harshness; irritability
sensuous
relating to the senses
subsume
to include, incorporate
puissant
powerful
prehensile
capable of grasping
intangible
not material
resolution
determination, resolve
Elysian
delightful; blissful
tortuous
having many twists and turns, highly complex
distill
extract the essential elements
fissure
crevice
hallowed
holy; sacred
ingenous
naive and trusting; lacking sophistication
convention
practice widely observed in a group; custom; accepted technique or device
egoism
the tendency to see things in relation to oneself; self-centeredness
venal
mercenary, corruptible
platonic
spiritual; theoretical
supplicant
one who asks humbly and earnestly
document
to provide with written evidence to support
execrable
detertable; abhorrent
cant
insincere talk; language of a particular group
dichotomy
division into two usually contradictory parts
piquant
pleasantly pungent; attractive
piety
devoutness
equable
steady; unvarying; serene
alchemy
medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold; a seemingly magical power or process of transmutation
skeptic
one who doubts
solicitous
concerned, attentive, eager
clamor
noisy outcry
visage
appearance, aspect
fervor
warmth and intensity of emotion
analgesic
medication that reduces or eliminates pain
arduous
extremely difficult; laborious
solvent
able to meet financial obligations
carnal
of the flesh or body; related to physical appetities
fauna
animals of a period o region
insouciant
indifferent; lacking concern or care
astringent
harsh; severe
apprise
to inform
welter
wallow or roll, toss about, be in turmoil
extemporaneous
unrehearsed
demographic
related to population balance
egotistical
excessively self-centered; conceited
impede
to hinder; block
clique
a small, exclusive group
provident
providing for future need, frugal
impute
to attribute the fault to; relate to a particular cause or source
permeable
penetrable
recalcitrant
resisting authority or control
stricture
something that restrains, negative criticism
occult
relating to practices connected with supernatural phenomena
gossamer
sheer; light and delicate; like cobwebs
interdict
to forbid; prohibit
hirsute
covered with hair
celestial
concerned with sky or heavens; sublime
talisman
charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune
evince
to show plainly; be an indication of
extrapolation
the act of estimation by projecting known information
problematic
posing a problem; doubtful
causal
involving a cause
simile
comparison of one thing with another using “like” or “as”
churlish
rude; boorish
apropos
relevant
fetter
to bind; confine
gustatory
affecting the sense of taste
salutary
expecting an improvement, favorable to health
vapid
tasteless, dull
concoct
to invent
rue
regret
appease
to calm, pacify, placate
quibble
to argue over insignificant and irrelevant details
facetious
homorous
internecine
deadly to both sides
blase
bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned
codify
to systematize
contentious
quarrelsome; causing quarrels
premonition
forewarning; presentiment
stint
to be sparing
imbroglio
complicated situation; an entanglement
ornithologist
scientist who studies birds
substantiate
to support with proof or evidence
rubric
protocol, title or heading
vituperative
using or containing harsh, abusive censure
tutelary
serving as a guardian or protector
fresco
a painting done on plaster
clairvoyant
one who can predict the future; psychic
factotum
a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman
adjunct
something added, attached, or joined
gauche
coarse and uncouth; clumsy
cognizant
informed; conscious; aware
misogynist
one who hates women
mnemonic
realated to memory; assisting memory
mettle
courage; endurance
query
question
lucre
money or profits
callous
thick-skinned; insensitive
canon
an established set of principles; a basis or standard for judgment; a group of literary works
demotic
pertaining to people
bawdy
obscene
disjointed
lacking order or coherence; dislocated
insinuate
to suggest; say indirectly; imply
taxonomy
science of classification
cardinal
of foremost importance
prate
to talk idly; chatter
brazen
bold; shameless
cosmology
study of the universe as a totality; theory of the origin and structure of the universe
strut
to swagger, display to impress others
lustrous
shining
flourish
en embellishment or ornamentation
vortex
whirpool, center of turbulence
archeology
the study of material evidence of past human life
juxtapose
place side by side
megalomania
delusions of power or importance
intimate
marked by close acquaintance
stanch
to stop or check the flow of
explicate
to explain;interpret;clarify
inadvertenly
carelessly; unintentionally
subversive
intended to undermine or underthrow, especially an established government
