Basic VI Flashcards
antedate
antedate
verb: precede in time
Harry was so unknowledgable that he was unaware the Egyptian pharaohs antedated the American Revolution.
begrudge
begrudge
verb: to envy someone for possessing or enjoying something
Sitting all alone in his room, Harvey begrudged the happiness of the other children playing outside his window.
verb: to give reluctantly
We never begrudge money spent on ourselves.
melancholy
melancholy
noun: a deep, long-lasting sadness
Hamlet is a figure of tremendous melancholy: he doesn’t have a truly cheerful scene throughout the entire play.
avert
avert
verb: turn away
Afraid to see the aftermath of the car crash, I averted my eyes as we drove by.
verb: ward off or prevent
The struggling video game company put all of its finances into one final, desperate project to avert bankruptcy.
piquant
piquant
adjective: having an agreeably pungent taste
The chef, with a mere flick of the salt shaker, turned the bland tomato soup into a piquant meal.
presumptuous
presumptuous
adjective: excessively forward
Many felt that Barney was presumptuous in moving into the large office before the management even made any official announcement of his promotion.
profusion
profusion
noun: the property of being extremely abundant
When Maria reported that she had been visited by Jesus Christ and had proof, a profusion of reporters and journalists descended on the town.
coalesce
coalesce
verb: fuse or cause to grow together
Over time, the various tribes coalesced into a single common culture with one universal language.
foolhardy
foolhardy
adjective: marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
The police regularly face dangerous situations, so for a police officer not to wear his bullet-proof vest is foolhardy.
redress
redress
noun: an act of making something right
Barry’s redress for forgetting his wife’s birthday two years in a row was surprising her with a trip to Tahiti.
buttress
buttress
verb: make stronger or defensible
China’s economy has been buttressed by a global demand for the electronic parts the country manufactures.
industrious
industrious
adjective: characterized by hard work and perseverance
Pete was an industrious student, completing every assignment thoroughly and on time.
ascribe
ascribe
verb: attribute or credit to
History ascribes The Odyssey and The Iliad to Homer, but scholars now debate whether he was a historical figure or a fictitious name.
preempt
preempt
verb: take the place of or have precedence over
A governmental warning about an imminent terrorist attack would preempt ordinary network programming on television.
humdrum
humdrum
adjective: dull and lacking excitement
Having grown up in a humdrum suburb, Jacob relished life in New York City after moving.
impicate
implicate
verb: convey a meaning; imply
By saying that some of the guests were uncomfortable, the manager implicated to the hotel staff that it needed to be more diligent.
verb: to indicate in wrongdoing, usually a crime
The crime boss was implicated for a long list of crimes, ranging from murder to disturbing the peace.
consecrate
consecrate
verb: to make holy or set apart for a high purpose
At the church of Notre Dame in France, the new High Altar was consecrated in 1182.
rakish
rakish
adjective: marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness
As soon as he arrived in the city, the rakish young man bought some drugs and headed straight for the seedy parts of town.
celmency
clemency
noun: leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
In the final moments of the trial, during his closing speech, Phillips was nearly begging the judge for clemency.
rile
rile
verb: cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
Dan is usually calm and balanced, but it takes only one intense glare from Sabrina to rile him.
precarious
precarious
adjective: fraught with danger
People smoke to relax and forget their cares, but ironically, in terms of health risks, smoking is far more precarious than either mountain-climbing or skydiving.
deride
deride
verb: treat or speak of with contempt
The nun derided the students for trying to sneak insects and worms into the classroom.
veneer
veneer
noun: covering consisting of a thin superficial layer that hides the underlying substance
Mark Twain referred to the Victorian Period in America as the “Gilded Age”, implying the ample moral corruption that lay beneath a mere veneer of respectability.
incumbent
incumbent
adjective: necessary (for someone) as a duty or responsibility
Middle managers at times make important decisions, but real responsibility for the financial well-being of the corporation is ultimately incumbent on the CEO.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
eccentric
eccentric
adjective: highly unconventional or unusual (usually describes a person)
Mozart was well-known for his eccentricities, often speaking words backward to confuse those around him.
cavalier
cavalier
adjective: given to haughty disregard of others
Percy dismissed the issue with a cavalier wave of his hand.
wanton
wanton
adjective: without check or limitation; showing no moral restraints to one’s anger, desire, or appetites
Due to wanton behavior and crude language, the drunk man was thrown out of the bar and asked to never return.
emulate
emulate
verb: strive to equal or match, especially by imitating; compete with successfully
To really become fluent in a new language, emulate the speech patterns of people who speak the language.
intermittent
intermittent
adjective: stopping and starting at irregular intervals
The intermittent thunder continued and the night was punctuated by cracks of lightning—a surreal sleepless night.
docile
docile
adjective: easily handled or managed; willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed
Barnyard animals are considerably more docile than the wild animals.
tribulation
tribulation
noun: something, especially an event, that causes difficulty and suffering
As of 2013, nearly 1.5 million Syrians have fled their country hoping to escape the tribulations of a civil war tearing their country to pieces.
forthright
forthright
adjective: characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
I did not expect the insurance agent to give us any straight answers, but I was pleasantly surprised by how forthright he was.
conundrum
conundrum
noun: a difficult problem
Computers have helped solve some of the mathematical conundrums which have puzzled man for many centuries.
incense
incense
verb: make furious
When Herb bought football tickets for a game on the day of their wedding anniversary, Jill was incensed.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
glean
glean
verb: collect information bit by bit
Herb has given us no formal statement about his background, but from various hints, I have gleaned that he grew up in difficult circumstances.
besmirch
besmirch
verb: damage the good name and reputation of someone
The prince’s distasteful choice of words besmirched not only his own name but also the reputation of the entire royal family.
lethargic
lethargic
adjective: lacking energy
Nothing can make a person more lethargic than a big turkey dinner.
finagle
finagle
verb: achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods
Steven was able to finagle one of the last seats on the train by convincing the conductor that his torn stub was actually a valid ticket.
belittle
belittle
verb: lessen the importance, dignity, or reputation of
A good teacher will never belittle his students, but will instead empower them.
prevail
prevail
verb: be widespread in a particular area at a particular time; be current:
During the labor negotiations, an air of hostility prevailed in the office.
verb: prove superior
Before the cricket match, Australia was heavily favored, but India prevailed.
irascible
irascible
adjective: quickly aroused to anger
If Arthur’s dog is not fed adequately, he becomes highly irascible, even growling at his own shadow.
cerebral
cerebral
adjective: involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct
A cerebral analysis of most pop music finds it to be simple and childish, but that ignores the point–the music’s effect on the listener.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
delegate
delegate
verb: give an assignment to (a person)
Since the senior manager had to go on many international business trips, she was forced to delegate many of her responsibilities to two lower-level managers.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
cohesive
cohesive
adjective: well integrated, forming a united whole
A well-written, cohesive essay will keep on topic at all times, never losing sight of the main argument.
uncanny
uncanny
adjective: suggesting the operation of supernatural influences; surpassing the ordinary or normal
Reggie has an uncanny ability to connect with animals: feral cats will readily approach him, and sometimes even wild birds will land on his finger.
fawn
fawn
verb: try to gain favor by extreme flattery
The media fawned over the handsome new CEO, praising his impeccable sense of style instead of asking more pointed questions.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
insipid
insipid
adjective: dull and uninteresting
The movie director was known for hiring beautiful actors in order to deflect attention away from the insipid scripts he would typically use.
behoove
behoove
verb: to be one’s duty or obligation
The teacher looked down at the student and said, “It would behoove you to be in class on time and complete your homework, so that you don’t repeat freshman English for a third straight year.”
analogous
analogous
adjective: similar in some respects but otherwise different
In many ways, the Internet’s transformative effect on society has been analogous to that of the printing press.
evenhanded
evenhanded
adjective: without partiality
Teachers often have trouble being evenhanded to all of their varied students.
