Barron's top vocab Flashcards
apocryphal
of doubtful authenticity but well-known [crypt = secret]; spurious
canard
a false story or belief [duck, French]
chicanery
trickery, deception
dissemble
to hide your true feelings [simulate]
ersatz
copied and inferior to the original [err + set]
guile
the use of clever and dishonest means to achieve something;
guileless
perfidy
the act of betraying [per = thru/detrimental to + faith]
prevaricate
to avoid telling the truth by not directly answering the question [fabricate]
specious
falsely appearing to be fair or just [species = visually pleasing]
spurious
not genuine or sincere [spurn a bastard]; apocryphal
spurious Picasso painting wouldn’t have fooled an art expert for a second
artifice
dishonest behavior meant to deceive [artificial]
mendacious
dishonest
reproach
noun: an expression of disapproval, scandal, disgrace
verb: to reprove, criticize
aberration
something unusual or unexpected, unsoundness of mind
belie
to give a false idea of [lie]
endemic
common in a particular area or field [disease, demos = people]
salubrious
making good health possible [salud]
aspersion
false charge meant to hurt reputation [disperse]; censure, reproach, calumny
calumny
noun: aspersion
verb: to censure, reproach [challenge]
decry
to say publicly and forcefully that something is bad or wrong [cry]; disparage, belittle
diatribe
noun: angry and long speech meant to criticize [rub]; harangue, rant
excoriate
to criticize harshly [ex + carnal = meat, skin, hide]
gainsay
to deny or show that is not true [against]
He repeatedly tried to gainsay me, even though everything I said was backed up by facts
harangue
noun: forceful or angry speech, diatribe, rant
verb: to expatiate, declaim
[angry]
inveigh
to protest against bitterly [vehement]
lambaste
to criticize harshly [bastard, Bastille]
objurgate
to harshly rebuke [ob = against + jur = law, quarrel]
obloquy
harsh statements, bad repute of someone [ob = against + loqui = speak]
opprobrium
strong disapproval; reproach
pillory
to publicly and harshly criticize [pillories!]
reprehend
to reprimand, to voice disapproval of
reprove
to criticize gently, disapprove
vituperate
to abuse or censure severely
priest vituperated parishioners for vices
revile
to despise, speak insultingly
precipitate
to cause to happen suddenly, to hurl violently [as in a solid out of solution]
assuage
verb: to make less painful/severe [suave = soft, smooth]
noun: grief, thirst
erudite
having or showing knowledge learned by studying [e = without + rudis = rude]
prodigal
carelessly or foolishly spending time, money, etc. [prod = push + agere = agility (i.e. too much agility)] unthrifty
desiccate
to dry up, drain or emotional or intellectual vitality [secar = dry]
vacillate
to repeatedly change opinions, desires [oscillate]
pedant
noun
capricious
changing often, not logical or predictable, ephemeral, fickle, unpredictable
adulterate
to make impure or weaker [corrupt]
engender
to be the source or cause of [generate]
corroborate
to support or help prove by providing evidence [co = together + robust]
laconic
succinct [concise]
multifarious
of many and different types
inculcate
to cause to be learned by repetition [in + calc = heel (calcetines) (i.e. stepping on again and again)]
abrogate
to formally annul or cancel, to fail to fulfill a responsibility [ab = away (abdicate) + rogare = to ask/beg]
abrogate old treaties, abrogate contracts through bankruptcy
obviate
to make no longer necessary, to avoid or prevent [avoid]
unequivocal
without doubt [un + equivocar]
abeyance
a suspended action; The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival
abscond
to leave secretly and hide
abstemious
adj: sparing in eating and drinking, temperate [abstain]
alacrity
cheerful promptness, eagerness
amalgamate
to combine, unite
apprise
to inform
approbation
approval
artless
guileless, open, honest
ascetic
practicing self-denial, austere
an ascetic diet of rice and beans
