C Flashcards
cacophonous, adj.
unpleasant or harsh-sounding
cadge, v.
to beg; sponge
callous, adj.
thick-skinned; insensitive
calumny, n.
false and malicious accusation; slander
canard, n.
false, deliberately misleading story
canon, n.
an established principle; a basis or standard for judgment; a group of literary works
Rococo, n.
refers to a style of architecture in eighteenth-century Europe that made use of elaborate curved forms. The word is often used to refer to something that is excessively ornate.
cant, n.
insincere talk; language of a particular group
cantankerous, adj.
irritable; ill-humored
capricious, adj.
fickle
captious, adj.
faultfinding; intended to entrap, as in an argument
cardinal, adj.
or foremost importance
carnal, adj.
of the flesh or body; related to physical appetites
carping, v.
to find fault; complain
cartography, n.
science of making maps
caste, n.
any of the hereditary social classes of Hindu society; social stratification
castigation, n.
punishment; chastisement; criticism
cataclysm, n.
a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change
catalyst, n.
something causing change
categorical, adj.
absolute; without exception
caucus, n.
smaller group within an organization
causal, adj.
involving a cause
caustic, adj.
sarcastically biting; burning
celestial, adj.
concerning the sky or heavens; sublime
centrifugal, adj.
moving away from a center
centripetal, adj.
moving or directed toward a center
champion, v.
to defend or support
chasten, v.
to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue
chicanery, n.
trickery; fraud
chivalry, n.
the qualities idealized by knighthood such as bravery and gallantry toward women
churlish, adj.
rude; boorish
circuitous, adj.
roundabout
clairvoyant, n.
one who can predict the future; psychic
clamor, n.
noisy outcry
clique, n.
a small, exclusive group
cloister, v.
to confine; seclude. CLOISTER, n. 1. monastery or convent. CLOISTERED, adj., 1. shut away from the world.
coagulate, v.
to thicken; congeal
coalesce, v.
to cause to become one
coda, n.
concluding part of a literary or musical composition; something that summarizes or concludes.
codify, v.
to systematize
cognizant, adj.
informed; conscious; aware
collage, n.
artistic composition of materials pasted over a surface; an assemblage of diverse elements.
commensurate, adj.
proportional
compendium, n.
brief, comprehensive summary
complacent, adj.
self-satisfied
complaisant, adj.
overly polite; willing to please; obliging
complement, n.
something that completes or makes up a whole
compliant, adj.
yielding
compunction, n.
uneasiness caused by guilt
concave, adj.
curving inward
conciliatory, adj.
overcoming distrust or hostility
concoct, v.
to invent
concomitant, n.
existing concurrently
condone, v.
to overlook voluntarily; forgive
confound, v.
to baffle; perplex; mix up
congenial, adj.
similar in tastes and habits; friendly; suited to
conjugal, adj.
pertaining to marriage agreement
connoisseur, n.
a person possessing expert knowledge or training; a person of informed and discriminating taste.
conscript, n.
a person compulsorily enrolled for military service
consecrate, v.
to declare sacred
contend, v.
to assert
contentious, adj.
quarrelsome; causing quarrels
contiguous, adj.
touching; neighboring; connecting without a break
continence, n.
self-control; abstention from sexual activity
contrite, adj.
very sorrowful for a wrong
contumacious, adj.
disobedient; rebellious
conundrum, n.
riddle; puzzle with no solution
convention, n.
practice widely observed in a group; custom; accepted technique or device
converge, v.
to approach; come together; tend to meet
convex, adj.
curved outward
convivial, adj.
sociable
convoluted, adj.
twisted; complicated
copious, adj.
abundant; plentiful
coquette, n.
woman who flirts
cornucopia, n.
horn overflowing with fruit and grain; state of abundance
cosmology, n.
study of the universe as a totality; theory of the origin and structure of the universe
covert, adj.
hidden; secret
covetous, adj.
desiring something owned by another
cozen, v.
to mislead by trick or fraud; deceive
craven, v.
cowardly
credence, n.
acceptance of something as true
credo, n.
statement of belief or principle; creed
