Book4 Flashcards
1
Q
cantata
A
story set to music to be sung by a chorus (shorter than an oratorio)
2
Q
canter
A
slow gallop; V. CF. trot
3
Q
canto
A
division of a long poem
4
Q
canvass
A
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through (a region) to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; N.
5
Q
capacious
A
spacious
6
Q
capacity
A
mental or physical ability; role; position or duty; ability to accommodate; Ex. in my capacity as president
7
Q
capillary
A
having a very fine bore; resembling a hair; fine and slender; Ex. capillary attraction; N: very fine hairlike tube; CF. capillarity
8
Q
capitulate
A
surrender; give up all resistance
9
Q
caprice
A
whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause
10
Q
capricious
A
unpredictable; fickle
11
Q
caption
A
title; chapter heading; text under illustration
12
Q
captious
A
faultfinding; too critical
13
Q
carafe
A
glass water bottle; decanter
14
Q
carapace
A
shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.)
15
Q
carat(karat)
A
unit of weight for precious stones; measure of the purity of gold
16
Q
carcinogenic
A
causing cancer; N. carcinogen
17
Q
cardinal
A
chief; most important; N: priest; cardinal number: number that shows quantity rather thatn order
18
Q
cardiologist
A
doctor specializing in ailments of the heart
19
Q
careen
A
lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger
20
Q
career
A
rush wildly; go at full speed
21
Q
sway
A
swing from side to side; influence (someone) to change one’s opinion; N.
22
Q
caricature
A
distortion; burlesque
23
Q
carillon
A
a set of bells (often in a tower) capable of being played
24
Q
carnage
A
destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals
25
carnal
fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body
26
carnivorous
meat-eating; N. carnivore; CF. herbivore
27
carousal
drunken revel; V. carouse
28
carping
petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble
29
carrion
rotting flesh of a dead body; CF. vulture
30
cartographer
map-maker
31
cascade
small waterfall
32
caste
one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society; social stratification; prestige
33
castigation
punishment; severe criticism or disapproval
34
casualty
serious or fatal accident; person killed or wounded in an accident or battle
35
casual
happening by chance; irregular; occasional; informal; showing or feeling little interest; Ex. casual reader/labor/remark
36
cataclysm
deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change
37
catalyst
agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged; CF. catalysis
38
catapult
slingshot; hurling machine; V: fire from catapult
39
hurl
throw forcefully; shout out violently
40
cataract
great waterfall; eye abnormality (causing a gradual loss of eyesight)
41
catastrophe
calamity ; disaster
42
catcall
shout of disapproval or displeasure (made at the theater or a sports match); boo; V.
43
catechism
book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize
44
categorical
without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute
45
qualify
reach a necessary standard; limit the meaning of something stated
46
catharsis
purging or cleansing of any passage of the body; purging and weakening of strong emotions as a result of experiencing a dramatic work of art
47
cathartic
purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; ADJ.
48
catholic
(of likings and interests) universal; general; broad; including many different parts; wide-ranging liberal; Ex. catholic opinions/tastes
49
caucus
private meeting of a group of people in a political party to select officers or determine policy; CF. the Caucus club of Boston
50
caulk(calk)
make watertight (by blocking up cracks as in a ship)
51
causal
implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality
52
caustic
burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical action; sarcastically biting; (of remarks) intended to hurt; bitter; harmful; OP. harmless
53
cauterize
burn (a wound or snakebite, etc.) with hot iron or caustic substance to stop bleeding and prevent infection
54
cavalcade
procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages; parade; CF. cavalry
55
cavalier
casual and offhand; arrogant; N: knight
56
cavil
quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault unnecessarily
57
cede
yield (title or territory) to (esp. after losing a war); surrender formally; N. cession
58
celerity
speed; rapidity
59
celestial
heavenly
60
hereafter
life after death
61
afterlife
life after death; later part of one's life
62
celibate
abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy
63
censor
(in ancient Rome) overseer of morals (also taking the census); person who eliminates inappropriate matter; V.
64
censorious
severely critical
65
censure
blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N: severe criticism; strong disapproval
66
centaur
mythical figure, half man and half horse
67
centigrade
denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as Celsius)
68
centrifugal
radiating; departing from the center
69
centrifuge
machine that separates substances by whirling them
70
centripetal
tending toward the center
71
centurion
Roman army officer (commanding a company of about 100 soldiers)
72
cerebral
pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; CF. cerebrum
73
cerebration
thought; working of the brain
74
ceremonious
marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy
75
unceremonious
not done politely without due formalities
76
certitude
certainty
77
cessation
stoppage
78
cession
yielding to another; ceding
79
chafe
warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N.
80
chaff
worthless products of an endeavor; husk(outer seed cover) separated from grain; Ex. separate the wheat from the chaff
81
chaffing
bantering; joking
82
chagrin
annoyance and disappointment; vexation (caused by humiliation or injured pride)
83
chalice
goblet; consecrated cup
84
chameleon
lizard that changes color in different situations
85
champion
support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly (a principle, movement, person, etc.)
86
championship
position of champion; defense or support; competition held to determine a champion
87
chaotic
in utter disorder
88
charisma
divine gift; great popular charm or appeal; magnetism
89
charlatan
quack; pretender to knowledge (esp. in medicine)
90
chary
cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or restrained about giving; OP. bold
91
chase
ornament a metal surface by indenting; follow rapidly to catch
92
chasm
abyss; very deep crack
93
chassis
framework and working parts of an automobile; framework to which components are attached
94
chaste
morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere
95
chasten
discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. castigate
96
chastise
punish as by beating; criticize severely
97
chauvinist
blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex; ADJ. chauvinistic; CF. chauvinism; Nicolas Chauvin
98
check
stop motion; curb or restrain
99
checkered (chequered)
marked by great changes in fortune; with many changes of fortuene; CF. checked: having a pattern of squares
100
cherubic
angelic; innocent-looking; N. cherub; CF. seraph: winged angel of the highest order
101
chicanery
trickery; deception
102
chide
scold; rebuke (someone who has done wrong)
103
chimerical
fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; N. chimera: unreal fancy; fire-breathing female creature
104
chisel
swindle or cheat; N: wedgelike tool for cutting
105
chip
lose a small piece from the surface or edge; N: small piece broken off something; CF. French fry; Potato chip/crisp
106
chivalrous
courteous; faithful; brave; N. chivalry
107
choleric
hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera
108
choreography
art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances
109
chore
daily domestic task (such as cleaning, cooking, and shopping); unpleasant task
110
chortle
chuckle with delight; N.
111
chuckle
laugh quietly
112
chronic
long established as a disease
113
chronicle
report; record (in chronological order)
114
churlish
boorish; rude; N. churl: boor; yahoo
115
ciliated
having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash
116
cipher
nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V.
117
circlet
small ring; band of gold, silver, jewel, etc. (worn on the head, arms, or neck as decoration)
118
circuitous
roundabout
119
circuit
closed circular line around an area; circumference; regularly repeated journey from place to place
120
circumlocution
indirect or roundabout expression (by using an uncecessarily large number of words esp. when trying to avoid answering a difficult question directly)
121
circumscribe
limit; confine; draw a line around
122
circumspect
prudent; cautious; acting after careful thought
123
circumvent
outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart; baffle; avoid; get around
124
cistern
reservoir or water tank
125
citadel
fortress
126
cite
quote; commend; Ex. cited for bravery in an official record
127
civil
having to do with citizens; not military or religious; courteous and polite; Ex. married in a civil ceremony; Ex. civil strife/disorder/law; N. civility; CF. civic
128
clairvoyant
having foresight; fortuneteller; N. clairvoyance
129
hindsight
understanding the nature of an event after it has actually happened
130
clamber
climb by crawling with difficulties; scramble
131
clamor
loud continous noise; continuous demand or complaint made by a large number of people; V: make a clamor; express (a demand) continually and loudly; ADJ. clamorous
132
clandestine
secret
133
chaperon
older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman
134
clangor
loud resounding noise; sound of repeated clanging
135
clapper
striker (tongue) of a bell
136
clap
strike the palms of the hands together with a sudden explosive sound; come together suddenly with a sharp sound; put or send promptly; Ex. clap the thief in jail; N: clapping; loud or explosive sound; CF. applause
137
clarion
shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times
138
claustrophobia
fear of being locked in
139
clavicle
collarbone
140
scrimmage
disorderly fight between two or more people
141
cleave
split or sever; cling to; remain faithful to; N. cleavage; ADJ. cloven
142
cleft
N: split
143
clemency
disposition to be lenient in deciding punishments; mildness as of the weather; ADJ. clement
144
cliché
phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; platitude; ADJ. clichéd
145
bromide
platitude; chemical compound used to calm excitement
146
clientele
body of customers
147
climactic
relating to the highest point; N. climax; CF. climatic
148
clime
climate
149
clique
small exclusive group of people
150
cloister
monastery or convent
151
clout
great influence (especially political or social); hard blow with fist
152
cloying
distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess
153
coagulate
congeal; thicken; clot; N. coagulant
154
clot
half-solid lump formed from a liquid (or blood); V.
155
pudding
hot sweet dish
156
coalesce
combine; fuse; N. coalescence
157
coalition
partnership; league; union of separate political parties
158
coda
concluding section of a musical or literary composition
159
coddle
treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mollycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs
160
codicil
supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will
161
codify
arrange (laws or rules) as a code; classify; N. code: system of words used instead of ordinary writing; collection of laws, rules, established social customs
162
coercion
use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce
163
coeval
living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time; contemporary; of the same age
164
cog
tooth projecting from a wheel
165
cogent
convincing
166
cogitate
think over; ponder
167
cognate
having a common origin; related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature; Ex. cognate languages; N.
168
cognitive
having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing
169
cognizance
knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowledge; aware
170
cohabit
live together
171
cohere
stick together
172
cohesion
tendency to keep together
173
cohorts
group of people who share some common quality; armed band; a group of between 300 and 600 soldiers under one commander (in the ancient Rome)
174
coiffure
hairstyle
175
coin
make coins; invent or fabricate (a word or phrase); N. coinage: word or phrase recently invented
176
coincidence
the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events; V. coincide: happen at the same time; be in agreement; CF. coincident; CF. coincidental
177
colander
utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
178
collaborate
work together; cooperate treasonably with the enemy
179
collage
work of art put together from fragments
180
scrap
small bit or fragment; discarded waste material; fight; Ex. a scrap of paper/cloth; V: break into parts for disposal; discard as worthless; fight; quarrel
181
scraps
leftover food
182
scrappy
quarrelsome
183
collate
examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order (the sheets of a book before they are bound)
184
collateral
security given for loan; ADJ: secondary; descended from the same person but through different sons or daughters
185
collation
a light meal; collating
186
colloquial
pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression
187
colloquy
informal discussion; conversation
188
collusion
conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or deceive others; V. collude
189
colossal
huge
190
colossus
gigantic statue; person or thing of great size or importance
191
comatose
in a coma; extremely sleepy
192
coma
deep prolonged unconsciousness caused by disease, poison, or a severe blow
193
combustible
easily burned; N. CF. combustion
194
comely
attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance
195
homely
not good-looking; unattractive
196
comestible
something fit to be eaten
197
comeuppance
deserts; well-deserved punishment or misfortune; rebuke
198
deserts
what someone deserves
199
comity
courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations
200
commandeer
take (private property) for military use without needing permission or giving payment; draft for military purposes
