C Flashcards
cabal
small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
cache
hiding place; V.
cacophonous
discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony:
unpleasant mixture of loud sounds
cadence
rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat; regular beat of sound; rhythm
cajole
persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle
coax
persuade by flattery
calamity
disaster; misery
callous
hardened; unfeeling; without sympathy for the
sufferings of others; unkind
callow
youthful; immature; inexperienced
calumny
malicious misrepresentation; slander
camaraderie
good-fellowship; CF. comrade
canard
unfounded false rumour; exaggerated false report
candor
frankness; open honesty; ADJ. candid
canny
shrewd in money matters; thrifty
cant
insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people
cantankerous
ill-humored; irritable
capacious
spacious
capitulate
surrender; give up all resistance
caprice
whim; sudden change of mind without any real
cause
capricious
unpredictable; fickle
captious
faultfinding; too critical
carapace
shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.)
carcinogenic
causing cancer; N. carcinogen
careen
lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger
canvass
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through (a region) to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; N.
caricature
distortion; burlesque
carnage
destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals
carnal
fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body
carousal
drunken revel; V. carouse
carping
petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble
castigation
punishment; severe criticism or disapproval
cataclysm
deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change
cataract
great waterfall; eye abnormality (causing a
gradual loss of eyesight)
catastrophe
calamity ; disaster
catalyst
agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged; CF. catalysis
catcall
shout of disapproval or displeasure (made at the theater or a sports match); boo; V.
catechism
book for religious instruction in question- and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize
categorical
without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute
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
cathartic
purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; ADJ.
candid
frank, straight forward
canon
a basic law or principle by which something is judged
catholic
(of likings and interests) universal; general; broad; including many different parts; wide-ranging liberal; Ex. catholic opinions/tastes
caucus
private meeting of a group of people in a polit- ical party to select officers or determine policy; CF. the Caucus club of Boston
causal
implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality
caustic
burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical ac- tion; sarcastically biting; (of remarks) intended to hurt; bitter; harmful; OP. harmless
cauterize
burn (a wound or snakebite, etc.) with hot iron or caustic substance to stop bleeding and prevent infection
cavalier
casual and offhand; arrogant; N: knight
cavil
quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault un-
necessarily
cede
yield (title or territory) to (esp. after losing a war); surrender formally; N. cession
celibate
abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy
censor
(inancientRome)overseerofmorals(alsotaking the census); person who eliminates inappropriate mat- ter; V.
censorious
severely critical
censure
blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N:
severe criticism; strong disapproval
celerity
speed; rapidity
cerebral
pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; CF. cerebrum
cerebration
thought; working of the brain
ceremonious
marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy
certitude
certainty
cessation
stoppage
cession
yielding to another; ceding
chafe
warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N.
chaff
- worthless products of an endeavor; husk(outer seed cover) separated from grain; Ex. separate the wheat from the chaff
- light hearted joking, tease good-naturedly,banter
chaffing
bantering; joking
chagrin
annoyance and disappointment;
caused by humiliation or injured pride
champion
support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly (a principle, movement, person, etc.)
charisma
divine gift; great popular charm or appeal;
magnetism
charlatan
quack; pretender to knowledge (esp. in medicine)
chary
cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or re- strained about giving; OP. bold
chaste
morallypure;virginal;abstainingfromillicitsex- ual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere
chasten
discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. casti- gate
chauvinist
blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex; ADJ. chauvinistic; CF. chauvin- ism; Nicolas Chauvin
chivalrous
courteous; faithful; brave; N. chivalry
choleric
hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily
angered; CF. cholera
churlish
boorish; rude; N. churl: boor; yahoo
cipher
nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V.
circumscribe
limit; confine; draw a line around
circumspect
prudent; cautious; acting after careful
thought
circumvent
outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart; baffle; avoid; get around
clairvoyant
having foresight; fortuneteller; N. clairvoyance
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
clandestine
secret
chaperon
older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman/another person/group of people
claustrophobia
fear of being locked in
scrimmage
disorderly fight between two or more people
clemency
disposition to be lenient in deciding punish-
ments; mildness as of the weather; ADJ. clement
cliche ́
phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; plati- tude; ADJ. cliche ́d
clique
small exclusive group of people
cloister
monastery or convent
clout
greatinfluence(especiallypoliticalorsocial);hard blow with fist
cloying
distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess
coagulate
congeal; thicken; clot; N. coagulant
coalesce
combine; fuse; N. coalescence
coddle
treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mol- lycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs
codicil
supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will
coercion
use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce
coeval
living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time; contemporary; of the same age
cogent
convincing
cogitate
think over; ponder
cognate
having a common origin; related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature; Ex. cognate languages; N.
cognitive
having to do with knowing or perceiving re- lated to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing
cognizance
knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowl- edge; aware
cohabit
live together
cohere
stick together
cohesion
tendency to keep together
cohorts
groupofpeoplewhosharesomecommonqual- ity; armed band; a group of between 300 and 600 sol- diers under one commander (in the ancient Rome)
coiffure
hairstyle
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. coinci- dent; CF. coincidental
colander
utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
collate
examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order (the sheets of a book before they are bound)
collateral
security given for loan; ADJ: secondary; de- scended from the same person but through different sons or daughters
collation
a light meal; collating
colloquial
pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression
colloquy
informal discussion; conversation
collusion
conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or
deceive others; V. collude
colossal
huge
colossus
gigantic statue; person or thing of great size or importance
comatose
in a coma; extremely sleepy
comely
attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance
comeuppance
deserts; well-deserved punishment or misfortune; rebuke
comity
courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations
coax
persuade/manipulate (someone) gradually or by flattery to do something
commemorative
remembering; honoring the memory of; Ex. commemorative stamp
commensurate
equal in extent; of the same size
commiserate
feel or express pity or sympathy for
commune
small (often rural) community whose mem- bers share work and income; V: exchange thoughts or feelings; Ex. commune with nature
compelling
overpowering; irresistible in effect; holding one’s attention; that compels one to do something; Ex. a compelling adventure story; V. compel
compendium
brief, comprehensive summary; ADJ. compendious
complacency
self-satisfaction; smugness; ADJ. complacent
complaisant
trying to please; obliging; willing to please
others
complement
complete; consummate; make perfect; N.
complementary
serving to complete something
compliance
conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield; disposition to yield to others; V. comply
compliant
readily acting in accordance with a rule, order, or the wishes or others; yielding; comforming to requirements
complicity
participation; involvement (in a question- able act or a crime)
comport
bear one’s self; behave; Ex. comport oneself;
N. comportment
composure
mental calmness
comprehensive
broad; including a lot or everything; thorough; inclusive
comprehend
include; understand
compunction
remorse; strong uneasiness caused by guilt
concede
admit; acknowledge as being true (often reluc- tantly); yield; grant; Ex. concede a goal
conceit
vanity or self-love; too high opinion of one’s own value; extravagant metaphor (in poetry)
conception
beginning; forming of an idea; fertilization; V. conceive: form an idea in the mind; devise; become pregnant; CF. inception
concerted
mutually agreed on; done together by agree- ment; Ex. concerted effort; CF. in concert: working together
concession
an act of yielding; conceding; something conceded; point, right, etc. given unwillingly; privilege of maintaining a business in a certain place; Ex. oil con- cessions in the North sea; CF. concessionaire
conciliatory
reconciling; soothing; V. conciliate: recon- cile; soothe; win the friendly feelings (by removing anger)
conclave
private secret meeting
concoct
prepare by mixing or combining; make up in concert; devise (something false) so as to deceive; Ex. concoct an elaborate excuse for being late; N. concoction
concomitant
that which accompanies; Ex. Deafnes is a frequent concommitant of old age; ADJ: existing or hap- pening together with something else
concord
harmony; accord
concordat
formal agreement
concur
agree; coincide; happen at the same time
condescend
(derog.) bestow courtesies with a superior air; descend to the level of one considered inferior
condole
express condolences; N. condolence: sympathy
for someone who has experienced great sorrow
condone
overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
conducive
helpful; contributive; V. conduce; Ex. con- duce to/towards
confidant(confidante)
trusted friend (to whom one tells one’s secret)
confide
tell in confidence (to a person one trusts); be confident about
confiscate
seize; take possession of (private property) by official order (usu. as a punishment); commandeer
conflagration
great fire
confluence
flowing together;the place where two rivers flow together; crowd; gathering together
conformity
harmony; agreement with established rules or customs; similarity; Ex. behave in conformity with; V. conform: be similar; act in agreement; comply; Ex. conform to the rule; CF. conformance
conformist
person who uncritically conforms to the customs of a group; OP. nonconformist: one who does not conform to accepted beliefs of norms
confound
confuse; puzzle
congeal
freeze; coagulate
congenial
pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one’s tastes and nature; Ex. congenial weather
congenital
existing at birth
conglomerate
corporation made up of several different companies in diversified fields; mass of various material gathered together; rock consisting of small stones held together by clay; V.
congruence
correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship; CF. congruity
congruent
in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly; CF. congruous
conjecture
surmise; guess; V.
conjugal
pertaining to marriage
conjure
cause to appear by magic; summon (a devil or a spirit) by magical power; practice magic (esp. by very quick movement of the hands); evoke; conjure up: bring into the mind; Ex. The magician conjured a rabbit out of his hat.
connivance
pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend; V. connive: feign igno- rance (of a wrong); cooperate secretly in an illegal ac- tion; conspire
connoisseur
person competent to act as a judge of art, etc. (whose judgments are respected); a lover of an art
connotation
suggested or implied meaning of an ex- pression; V. connote
connubial
pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state
consanguinity
kinship; relationship by birth
consanguineous(consanguine)
having a common ancestor
conscientious
scrupulous; through and careful; Ex. conscientious worker
conscript
draftee; person forced into military service; V.
consecrate
dedicate; sanctify; declare as sacred; Ex. consecrate one’s life to helping the poor
consensus
general agreement; opinion reached by a group
consequential
self-important; significant; consequent; following as a result; Ex. consequential air; CF. subsequent
consign
send to a person or place for sale; deliver of- ficially; entrust; put into the care of another; set apart (for a special purpose); N. consignment; CF. consignor, consignee
console
lessen sadness or disappointment; give com- fort; allay the sorrow of; N. consolation
consolidation
unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger; V. consolidate: merge; strengthen
consonance
harmony; agreement
consort
associate with; keep company; N: husband or wife (or a ruler)
consternation
great shock; dismay
construe
explain; interpret; Ex. construe her silence as meaning that she agreed; CF. misconstrue
consummate
complete; V.
contagion
infection (by contact); ADJ. contagious; CF. infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air
contempt
scorn; disdain; ADJ. contemptuous; CF. contemptible
contend
struggle; compete; assert earnestly; state strongly
contention
assertion; claim; thesis; struggling; competition
contentious
quarrelsome; controversial; likely to cause arguments
contiguous
adjacent to; touching upon
continence
self-restraint; sexual chastity; sexual abstinence; voluntary control over bladder and bowel func- tions; ADJ. continent
contingent
dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional; happening by chance; accidental; N: a group of soldiers, ships to a larger force; CF. contingency: future event that may or may not occur; possibility; Ex. prepare for every contingency
contortions
twistings; distortions; V. contort: twist violently out of shape; CF. contortionist
contraband
illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods; ADJ.
contravene
contradict; oppose; violate (a rule, law, or custom); N. contravention
contrite
Feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong , penitent; repentant; N. contrition
contrived
unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous; Ex. The ending was rather contrived.
contrive
invent or fabricate in a clever way (by improvisation); manage; Ex. contrive to attract his attention
controvert
oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict; ADJ. controversial; N. controversy
contumacious
stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority (esp. disobedient to an order made by a court)
contusion
bruise
conundrum
riddle; difficult problem
convene
come together; assemble; call to meet; Ex. convene the council
convention
social or moral custom; established prac- tice; formal meeting; international agreement
converge
approach; tend to meet; come together
conversant
familiar with; having knowledge of
conviction
judgment that someone is guilty of a crime; strongly held belief
convivial
pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; characterized by joviality; jovial
convoke
call together; Ex. convoke Parliament; N. convocation
convoluted
coiled around; twisted; involved; complicated; intricate; complex; N. convolution: twist; one of the convex folds of the surface of the brain
convulsion
violent uncontrollable shaking movement (caused by illness); V. convulse; ADJ. convulsive
copious
plentiful
coquette
flirt; flirtatious woman; woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without sincere feelings; V.
cordial
warmly friendly; gracious; heartfelt; Ex. cordial welcome
cordon
extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress
corollary
natural consequence (which naturally follows from something else)
corporeal
bodily (rather than spiritual); of a bodily form; material; tangible
corpulent
very fat; N. corpulence
corpuscle
red or white cell in the blood
correlation
mutual relationship
corroborate
confirm; support; strengthen
countenance
approve; support; tolerate; Ex. countenance his rude behavior; N: face; appearance
coup
highly successful action or sudden attack; coup(s) d’e ́tat; CF. coup de graˆce: deathblow or shot which kills
covenant
binding agreement between two groups or people; compact; V: enter into a covenant; promise
covert
secret; hidden; implied; OP. overt
covetous
avaricious; desirous of (someone else’s possessions); V. covet: desire eagerly (someone else’s possessions)
cow
terrorize; intimidate
cower
shrink quivering as from fear; cringe
coy
shy (flirtatiously); showing a (pretended) lack of self-confidence; modest; coquettish; CF. job offer
cozen
cheat; hoodwink; swindle
crabbed
sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting
crass
very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating; Ex. crass behavior
craven
cowardly
credence
belief
credulity
belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete ́; ADJ. credulous
crescendo
increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; CF. crescent
crestfallen
dejected; dispirited
crevice
crack; fissure
cringe
shrink back as if in fear; cower
culinary
relating to cooking or kitchen
cull
pick out from others (to kill the weakest members); reject; select; collect (information); N.
culpable
deserving blame; blameworthy
culprit
one guilty of a crime
cumbersome
heavy and awkward to carry or wear;burdensome; Ex. cumbersome parcel/uniform
cupidity
greed (for wealth); CF. cupid; CF. Cupid
curmudgeon
churlish, tempered old person miserly individual; badempered
cursive
(of writing) flowing; running; having the successive letters joined
cursory
casual; hastily done with little attention to detail
cynosure
object of general attention; person or thing that is a center of attention; CF. Ursa Minor
caveat
- a warning or caution, admonition
cachinnate
laugh loudly
