C1 Flashcards
1
Q
Abate
A
Reduce, diminish
Her stress over spending so much money on a house
abated when the real estate broker told her about the property’s 15-year tax abatement.
2
Q
abdicate
A
Formally give up the throne (or some other power or
responsibility)
King Edward VIII of England famously abdicated the throne in order to marry an American divorcée.
Parents can be charged with neglect for abdicating their
responsibilities towards their children.
3
Q
aberrant
A
Abnormal, deviant
The teen’s aberrant behavior made his family suspect that he was using drugs. / Losing rather than gaining weight over the holidays is certainly an aberration.
4
Q
abhor
A
Detest, regard with disgust
“Go out with you?” she replied. “I abhor you! I would rather stab myself with a rusty bread knife than be your girlfriend!”
5
Q
abjure
A
Give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or shun (especially
formally or under oath)
To become a citizen of the United States, you must abjure loyalty to the nation of your birth.
Since enrolling in that nutrition class, she has abjured sugar and saturated fats.
6
Q
abrasive
A
Rough, suitable for grinding or polishing (such as sandpaper); causing irritation
or annoyance
Could the inside of this mascot costume be any more abrasive?
It’s rubbing my skin raw! I have some seriously abrasive remarks for whomever designed this thing.
7
Q
abstain
A
Hold back, refrain (especially from something bad or
unhealthy); decline to vote
The church board voted on
whether to hold an abstinence rally to encourage young people not to become sexually active; while most members voted in favor, one voted against and two
abstained, with one abstainer
commenting that, as far as she knew, the church’s teens were pretty abstemious already.
8
Q
acme
A
Summit, peak, highest point
The acme of my vacation was when I finally climbed to the acme of the mountain and enjoyed the gorgeous vista.
9
Q
account for
A
1) Take into consideration or make adjustments based on;
Ex. I accounted for the fact that Joe is always late by telling him to meet us at 1:30 when the event is really at
2) cause. This is not the same as give an account of, which just means explain.
Ex. I did get us the meeting, but Ellen’s hard work ac-
counted for the rest of our success. (Here, accounted for means caused.)
10
Q
given
A
1) something taken for
granted, something assumed or that does not require proof
Ex. When planning my wedding, it was a given
that my parents would invite anyone they
wanted, since they were paying for everything.
Ex. It’s a given that everyone here is against
human trafficking—what we disagree about is the best way to fight it.
11
Q
albatross
A
A constant burden or worry; an obstacle. Literally, an albatross is a bird. The expression an albatross around one’s neck creates the silly image of a person wearing a (dead?) bird—but that certainly sounds like a constant burden or worry!
Ex. The city has done an admirable job of re-
building its infrastructure and marketing itself, but the crime rate continues to be an albatross around the city’s neck in trying to attract tourists.
12
Q
All but
A
All but – Almost definitely. The bill’s passage is all but assured means that the bill will almost certainly pass.
Ex. Your objections have arrived too late; the matter is all but decided.
13
Q
And yet
A
A stronger way of saying yet. The expression and yet seems ungrammatical (two conjunctions right next to each other is very strange—we don’t say and but), but it is an idiom used for emphasis. It indicates a surprising twist, an ironicrealization, etc. It is often used at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, and can even be used on its own, although this usage is casual.
Ex. The company was lauded for its commitment
to the environment. And yet its employees
regularly fly in private jets, creating carbon footprints that would embarrass any true environmentalist.
14
Q
arms race
A
Arms race – Competition between two countries to
build up the best and largest supply of weapons.
This term is often associated with the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Metaphorically, an arms race is a competition that implies a competitive and perhaps not entirely
rational series of escalations.
Ex. Analysts carefully watched stock prices as the two Internet giants competed in an arms race, expanding rapidly by buying up smaller
companies with little due diligence.
15
Q
aside from
A
Aside from the obvious financial benefits of
investing in a socially responsible fund, you can rest assured that your money is used to
maximize social good.
16
Q
As (Adjective) it is, ….
A
This pattern is used to contrast the part after the comma with the part before. For instance, Charming as
she is, I just don’t want to be friends with her anymore.
Ex 2. As pleased as we are to see more minorities on the board than ever be-
fore, discrimination in hiring and promotion is still a serious problem.
17
Q
as well as
A
But as well as can also beused to mention one thing as a way to contrast with or emphasize another.
Ex. I had ramen for lunch, as
well as a hot dog.
18
Q
at best
A
At the most, interpreted in the most favorable way.
Ex. The seminar drew 20
people at best means that 20 or fewer people attended.
Ex. My college algebra teacher can barely
factor a polynomial! He is qualified to teach elementary school math, at best.
19
Q
at facult
A
Guilty
Ex. The insurance company is investigating who is at fault for the collision.
20
Q
at loggerheads
A
In conflict, at a standstill
The strike is not likely to end soon—the transit authority and the union representatives have been at loggerheads for weeks.
21
Q
abase (a-/ an-, not, without) opposite to
A
Degrade or humble; to lower in rank, status, or esteem Ex. After messing up at work, the man faced a thorough abasement from his boss; when he realized he had forgotten his own wedding anniversary, he further abased himself in front of his wife.
22
Q
abeyance (N.)
A
Temporary suspension, inactivity Ex. The baseball player's contract negotiations are in abeyance while doctors try to determine whether his injuries will heal in time for the season.
23
Q
abreast (Adjective)
A
side-by-side (with preposition of); keeping up
with, staying aware of, or
remaining equal in
progress with.
Ex. As the professor walked
abreast down the street with her mentor, she was amazed that the old man, long since
retired, still kept abreast of all the latest developments in
neurobiology.
24
Q
abscission (without, away from; section) (n.)
A
Cutting off; sudden termination; the separation
of leaves, petals, or other parts from a plant or animal
Ex 1. The abscission of leaves from the trees is normal in fall.
Ex. 2 An inflamed appendix calls for an immediate
surgical abscission.
25
abscond (v.) (abs- away, cond to stow: to hold or receive; stow away)
Syn. escape, flee, get away, bolt
```
Depart suddenly and
secretively
Ex. The robber absconded
with stolen goods.
Ex. The couple who ate at
the table next to me at
the restaurant absconded before the bill came.
```
26
abyss
A deep and vast space or cavity; anything profound or
infinite
Ex. Walking a tightrope over an active volcano, the acrobat was terrified of falling into the abyss.
Ex. Now recovering, the patient remembered her
experience with clinical depression as an abyss of hopelessness.
27
accede (ad- to + cēdere to go, yield)
Agree, give consent; assume power (usually as “accede to”)
While the Englishman was a strong believer in democracy, he had to accede that watching Prince Charles someday accede to the throne would indeed be exciting.
28
accretion (ad-, to + crescere, to grow: see crescent)
Gradual increase; an added part or addition
Ex. Malik enjoyed tracking the slow accretion of money in his retirement account.
Ex. Some charitable funds keep the principal in their
accounts untouched and use only the accretion for
philanthropic purposes.
29
acerbic
Sour; harsh or severe
Ex. Lemons are acerbic.
Ex. Her harsh comments were so acerbic, it felt like she was putting lemon juice on a wound.
30
acidulous
Slightly acid or sour; sharp or caustic
Ex. Grapefruit juice is acidulous.
Ex. I'm skipping Thanksgiving this year just to avoid my mother's acidulous comments about what she thinks I ought to be doing with my life.
31
acumen
Keen, quick, accurate
insight or judgment
His political acumen allowed him to bargain behind the scenes and get bills passed despite being in the minority party.
32
adulterate
Make impure by adding inappropriate or inferior
ingredients
Ex. Some bars adulterate
top-shelf liquor by pouring cheaper brands into the more expensive brands’ bottles.
33
adumbrate
```
Give a rough outline of;
foreshadow; reveal only
partially; obscure
Ex. When I took on the lead role in the movie, I
agreed not to give away
the plot, but I suppose
I could give a brief
adumbration of the
premise.
```
34
albeit
Although, even
though
Ex. The village leader was illiterate albeit highly intelligent.
Ex. The trip was exciting albeit brief.
35
amalgamate
blend, merge, or unite
Ex. The Amalgamated Transit Union is so called because it contains many local unions of bus operators,
subway operators, baggage handlers, etc.
Ex. When turning her life story into a memoir, she
amalgamated two important relatives into a single character, even amalgamating their names (Mary and Rose) into the character “Aunt Mary Rose.”
36
aloof
distant physically or emotionally; reserved; indifferent
| Ex. Perceiving her parents as cold and aloof, the child was naturally drawn to her warm, genial aunt.
37
ameliorate
improve; make better or more bearable
Ex. If you spill water on your computer keyboard, you can ameliorate the damage by leaving the keyboard upside down to dry; it may still be ruined, but that's still the best chance you've got of saving it.
38
amortize
Gradually pay off a debt, or gradually write off an asset
| Ex. A mortgage is a common form of amortized debt--spreading the payments out over as long as 30 years is not uncommon.
39
anachronism (ana- without, chro-chronicle/time)
Something that is not in its correct historical time; a mistake in chronology, such as by assigning a
person or event to the wrong time period
Ex. The Queen of England is a bit of an anachronism with her old-fashioned pillbox
hats.
Ex. Did you catch the
anachronisms in the latest action blockbuster set in ancient Rome? One of the characters was wearing a wrist watch with his toga!
40
analgesia (an-without)
Pain relief; inability to feel pain
Ex. While natural-birth
advocates decline analgesia in childbirth, many women are very eager to take advantage of modern anesthesia.
Ex. A disease of the spinal cord can cause
analgesia, which can be
dangerous because the
patient doesn't know when he has injured himself.
41
anull
Make void or null, cancel, abolish (usually of laws or
other established
rules)
Ex. Can we appreciate the art of a murderer? For many, the value of these paintings is annulled by the artist's crimes.
Ex. They had the marriage annulled after one week.
42
anodyne
Medicine that relieves pain (noun); soothing,
relieving pain (adj)
Ex. While aspirin is a nice analgesic, the construction worker argued that, for sore
and tired muscles, nothing beat the anodyne effects of a
six-pack of beer.
43
antedate (ante: before)
Be older than, precede in time; assign to an
earlier date
Ex. Dinosaurs antedate the first human beings by about 65 million years.
Ex. Jamal didn't get around to writing the “Best Vocabulary Words of 2010” blog post until
January 3rd, but he
antedated the post for December 31st so at least the infrequent readers wouldn't notice.
44
antithetical
Directly opposed, opposite; involving
antithesis (the rhetorical act of placing two phrases opposite one another for contrast, as in love me or hate me)
Ex. Partying all night, every night, is antithetical to one's academic performance.
45
apostate
Person who deserts a party, cause, religion, etc.
Ex. Many people considered “freedom
fighters” by some are considered apostates by others.
Ex. Some women's
rights leaders in very
conservative nations receive death threats from religious leaders who consider them
apostate.
46
apostle
| evangelist, herald, missionary, preacher
Pioneer of a reform movement (originally, an
early follower of Jesus)
Ex. In the 1980s, when low-fat
diets were all the rage, Dr.
Rubens became an apostle of the Mediterranean diet,
which was high in healthy
fats, and traveled the world proselytizing to groups of physicians and nutritionists.
47
apposite
Highly appropriate, suitable, or relevant
```
Ex. He searched his brain for an apposite word to
describe wealthy
Americans’ addiction to
consumer goods, until he
discovered the neologism
“affluenza.”
```
48
proselytize
| convert, win over, spread the gospel to, evangelize to
If you proselytize, you try to persuade someone to share your beliefs, especially religious or political beliefs.
Ex. Christians were arrested for trying to convert people, to proselytize them.
49
affluenza ˌ/æflʊˈɛnzə/
the guilt or lack of motivation experienced by people who have made or inherited large amounts of money
50
apprise /əpraɪz/
| make aware, tell, warn, advise
inform, give notice to
Ex. I can't believe you failed to apprise me that my child was biting the other children in his preschool class. If I had known, I could've addressed this issue before all the other
parents threatened to sue.
51
approbation /æprəbeɪʃən/
approval, support, favour, praise
```
praise or approval, especially formal approval
Ex. In her speech for class president, she won the approbation of her peers by promising not only to save the prom, but to raise enough money to make it free for everyone.
```
52
appropriate Verb
Set aside or authorize (such as money) for a
particular purpose; take for one's own use
Ex. The school board
appropriated money for
new textbooks.
Ex. In putting together the perfect outfit for Career Day at her high school, Mackenzie appropriated her mother's stethoscope and her little brother's stuffed pig, making it clear to everyone that she wanted to be a
veterinarian.
53
stethoscope (steθəskoʊp
A stethoscope is an instrument that a doctor uses to listen to your heart and breathing. It consists of a small disc that is placed on your body, connected to a hollow tube with two pieces that the doctor puts in his or her ears.
54
arbiter
judge, umpire, person empowered to decided matters at hand
Ex. Professional mediators arbitrate disputes.
Ex. The principal said, “As the final arbiter of what is and is not appropriate in the classroom, I demand that you take down that poster of the rapper (A rapper is a person who performs rap music.) Ice-T and his scantily-clad wife Coco.”
55
clad
dressed, clothed, invested, arrayed
Something that is slack is loose and not firmly stretched or tightly in position.
If you are clad in particular clothes, you are wearing them.
Ex. Johnson was clad casually in slacks and a light blue golf shirt.
56
scanty
| meager, sparse, poor, thin
So far, what scanty evidence we have points to two suspects.
If someone is wearing scanty clothing, he or she is wearing clothes which are sexually revealing.
...a model in scanty clothing.
57
ardent/ardor
Very passionate, devoted, or enthusiastic
Ex. He was an ardent heavy metal lover and became offended anytime someone
referred to Poison as a
“hair band.”
Ex. They were so in love that not even meeting each other's awful
relatives could dampen (To dampen something such as someone's enthusiasm or excitement means to make it less lively or intense.)
their ardor.
58
arrogate
If someone arrogates to themselves something such as a responsibility or privilege, they claim or take it even though they have no right to do so.
seize, demand, assume, appropriate
claim presumptuously or without the right to do so
Ex. In order to build the oil pipeline, the government
arrogated the land of many
small farmers who are still
fighting for compensation.
Ex. The bride's mother
arrogated the right to
decide on the venue (The venue for an event or activity is the place where it will happen.), the food, and even the wedding
dress!
59
presumptuous
If you describe someone or their behaviour as presumptuous, you disapprove of them because they are doing something that they have no right or authority to do.
60
ascribe
attribute, credit, refer, charge
Assign or credit to a certain cause or source
Ex. He ascribed his good
grades to diligent studying.
If you ascribe an event or condition to a particular cause, you say or consider that it was caused by that thing.
Ex. The young boy ascribed to his imaginary friend all the powers he wished he had himself—being able to fly, having dozens of friends, and never having to eat broccoli.
61
aseptic
The prefix “a-” almost always means that a word means the opposite of its base. The adjective aseptic, “a-” plus the root “septic,” describes anything that is not septic or is without sepsis. The origin of septic is the Greek word septikos meaning “characterized by putrefaction.” Putrefaction is the rot that happens to flesh after it dies, and when something is aseptic it is free of any rot, filth, bacteria or viruses that could cause disease or death.
Free from germs
If something is aseptic it is sterile, sanitized, or otherwise clean of infectious organisms.
```
Ex. It is very important to
perform surgery in an
aseptic environment, lest
a patient contract sepsis
(a systemic infection)
and die.
Ex. Hospitals make every effort to keep operating rooms aseptic so that patients don’t contract infections after surgery.
```
62
asperity
```
Rigor, severity; harshness or sharpness of tone; roughness of surface
Ex. Used to a more lax
school environment, the
freshman at military
school was shocked by
the asperity of
punishments meted out
for even the most minor
offenses, as well as the
asperity with which his
drill sergeant bossed him
around.
Ex. The asperity of her cheap, scratchy
sweater made her wish
she could afford
cashmere.
```
63
aspersions
```
Damaging remarks,
defamation, slander
Ex. He could no longer work with his duplicitous
business partner, who
acted friendly to his face
but then spewed
aspersions about him
behind his back.
```
64
duplicitous; duplicity
duplicity, which means "doubleness." Someone who is duplicitous is almost like two people, saying one thing but then doing something very different, even contradictory. Someone who is duplicitous can also be called "two-faced," a vivid way to remember that this person shouldn't be trusted or taken at face value.
Janus-faced, ambidextrous, deceitful, double-dealing, double-faced, double-tongued, two-faced
dishonest, dishonorable
You describe the North Koreans as “duplicitous and wicked, certainly...” after describing all the tyrants who disarmed only to be overthrown, and the fear of the same fate by the North Koreans as paranoia.
65
assail
```
attack violently, assault
One strategy for winning in
boxing is to simply assail
your opponent with so many
blows that he becomes
disoriented. / The debate
team assailed the opposition
with more evidence than they
could respond to.
```
66
disoriented
criticize, abuse, blast, flame,
attack, charge, assault, invade
1.
(of a person) having lost his or her bearings
We've taken so many turnings I'm completely disorientated.
The tourist became disorientated on one of the park's walking trails.
2.
(of a person) confused
I feel dizzy and disorientated.
After the attack she became disorientated, depressed, and suicidal.
67
assiduous
```
Persevering, diligent, constant
Ex. Through assiduous effort
over a substantial period of
time, anyone can develop a
prodigious vocabulary.
```
68
prodigious
huge, giant, massive, vast
Something that is prodigious is very large or impressive.
This business generates cash in prodigious amounts.
He impressed all who met him with his prodigious memory.
69
attenuate
C16: from Latin attenuāre to weaken, from tenuis thin
```
weaken or thin out
Sadly, the day care center
was so understaffed that the
caregivers’ efforts were
attenuated, and many of the
children barely received any
attention at all.
```
70
attuned
In harmony; in sympathetic relationship
If you are attuned to something, you can understand and appreciate it.
```
Research shows that new
mothers are keenly attuned
to their babies’ cries; even
those who were formerly
heavy sleepers often find that
they now wake up
immediately when their
babies need attention.
```
In the sixth week of Melanie's
foreign study program, she
finally attuned herself to life
on a French farm.
71
augury
omen, sign, warning, promise
Telling the future, such as through supernatural
means
a sign of what will happen in the future.
```
Value investors such as
Warren Buffett (who attempt
to buy shares in undervalued
companies by analyzing the
businesses themselves)
consider others’ attempts to
“time the market” as mere
augury, equivalent to trying
to predict rain by reading tea
leaves
```
72
august
noble, great, kingly, grand
verneable, majestic, inspiring admiration
Someone or something that is august is dignified and impressive.
```
“I welcome you to this
august institution, where
presidents and Nobel Prize
winners have received the
fruits of erudition,” said the
university president (rather
bombastically) to the new
crop of first-year students.
```
73
erudition
learning, education, knowledge, scholarship
Erudition is great academic knowledge.
[formal]
His erudition was apparently endless.
74
avarice /ævərɪs/
greed, meanness, penny-pinching, parsimony
Insatiable greed; a miserly desire to hoard wealth
Avarice is extremely strong desire for money and possessions.
```
It is hard to fathom the sheer
avarice of a company that
would fraudulently
overcharge a struggling
school system for new
computers.
```
75
fathom /fæðəm/
understand, grasp, comprehend, interpret
If you cannot fathom something, you are unable to understand it, although you think carefully about it.
I really couldn't fathom what Steiner was talking about. [VERB wh]
Jeremy's passive attitude was hard to fathom. [VERB noun]
76
axiom
principle, fundamental, maxim, gnome
```
Self-evident truth
requiring no proof;
universally or
generally accepted
principle
```
An axiom is a statement or idea which people accept as being true.
```
Given the last decade of
research into the brain—as
well as our own experience
trying to function while
deprived of sleep or
food—we must take as
axiomatic that the brain is
influenced by the body.
```
77
ballon
Swell or puff out; increase rapidly
During the dot-com bubble, the university's investments
ballooned to three times their
former value.
78
banal /bənɑːl/
Lacking freshness and originality; cliché (kliːʃeɪ)
If you describe something as banal, you do not like it because you think that it is so ordinary that it is not at all effective or interesting.
The drama professor despaired at reading another banal play from his uninspired students.
“Oh look,” he said sarcastically, “yet another young person has decided to write a play about a young person breaking free of
society's constraints. Can you
see me yawning?”
79
bane
Something that ruins or spoils
Mosquitoes are the bane of my existence! They just love me, and by “love” I mean ruin my summer!
The closure of the hospital could not have been more baneful to the already strained community.
80
cliche
platitude, stereotype, commonplace, banality
A cliché is an idea or phrase which has been used so much that it is no longer interesting or effective or no longer has much meaning.
[disapproval]
I've learned that the cliche about life not being fair is true. [+ about]
It's a cliche but true that pubs are the lifeblood of many communities.
81
baying
Howling in a deep way, like a dog or wolf
The lonely dog bayed all night.
82
bent
Personal inclination or tendency
He had a pedantic bent—he was just naturally inclined to correct people's grammar and otherwise act like an imperious
83
pedantic
academic, pompous, schoolmasterly, stilted
If you think someone is pedantic, you mean that they are too concerned with unimportant details or traditional rules, especially in connection with academic subjects.
[disapproval]
His lecture was so pedantic and uninteresting.
84
beneficient
doing good
The billionaire had been a mean and stingy fellow, but after his death, his beneficent widow gave all his money to charity, even accompanying the donations with handwritten notes thanking
the charities for all the good
work they did.
85
besiege
Attack, overwhelm, crowd in on or surround
The regiment was besieged by attackers on all sides and finally surrendered.
I cannot go out this weekend—I am besieged by homework!
86
bevy (ˈbɛvɪ)
```
Group of birds
or other animals
that stay close
together; any
large group
```
The bar owner cringed when a bevy of women in plastic tiaras came in.
“Another drunken
bachelorette party,” he sighed.
87
bifurcate
| /bai-/
To fork into two
branches or
divide into two
halves/parts
The medical student
carefully bifurcated the cadaver brain, separating it precisely into right and left hemispheres. / The bifurcate tree stood tall,
its two massive branches reaching for the sky.
88
bilk
| bɪlk
```
Cheat or defraud
The con artist bilked
many elderly people out
of their savings,
promising to cure
illnesses from diabetes to
cancer with only 36
monthly payments of
$99.99—for which the
victims received nothing
but useless placebo pills.
```
89
placebo
| KK[pləˋsibo]
a. A substance that has positive effects as a result of a patient's perception that it is beneficial rather than as a result of a causative ingredient.
b. An inactive substance or preparation used as a control in an experiment or test to determine the effectiveness of a medicinal drug.
90
blight
Disease that kills plants rapidly, or any cause of decay or
destruction (noun); ruin or cause to wither (verb)
Many potato farmers have fallen into poverty as a
result of blight killing their crops. / Gang violence is a blight on our school system, causing innocent students to fear even attending classes. / Violence has blighted our town.
91
blithe (blaɪð)
heedless, casual, rash, reckless, indifferent, careless, oblivious, negligent, unconcerned, untroubled, thoughtless, nonchalant, unthinking, imprudent, neglectful, incautious, unmindful
happy, sunny, cheerful, merry, upbeat (informal), buoyant, airy, cheery, carefree, jaunty
```
Adj. Joyous, merry; excessively
carefree (so as to ignore more important concerns)
Delighted about making the
cheerleading team, she
blithely skipped across the
street without looking, and
just narrowly avoided being
hit by a bus.
It does so with blithe disregard for best scientific practice.
```
92
bombastic
| baombast
adj. (Of speech or writing) far too showy or dramatic
than is appropriate; pretentious
```
Professor Knutsen's friends
joked that he became quite
bombastic after a few drinks,
once asking a woman in a
bar, “Is your daddy an
aesthete? Because you are
the epitome of ineffable
pulchritude.” She replied,
“I'm not impressed by your
bombast.”
```
93
aesthete (ˈɛs θit)
one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature
94
epitome n.
| (ɪˈpɪtəmɪ)
1. epitome - a standard or typical exampleepitome - a standard or typical example; "he is the prototype of good breeding"; "he provided America with an image of the good father"
prototype, paradigm, image
example, model - a representative form or pattern; "I profited from his example"
concentrate - a concentrated example of something; "the concentrate of contemporary despair"
imago - (psychoanalysis) an idealized image of someone (usually a parent) formed in childhood
2. epitome - a brief abstract (as of an article or book)
precis, synopsis, abstract, outline - a sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory
95
ineffable (ɪnˈɛfəbəl)
adj. Incapable of being expressed; indescribable or unutterable: ineffable joy.
indescribable, unspeakable, indefinable, beyond words, unutterable, inexpressible, incommunicable the ineffable sadness of many of the portrait
96
pulchritude (ˈpʌlkrɪˌtjuːd)
n.
| formal or literary physical beauty
97
bonhomie(ˈbɒnəmiː; French bɔnɔmi)
n.
exuberant friendliness
Friendliness, open and simple good heartedness
98
exuberant (ɪgˈzu bər ənt)
1. Full of unrestrained enthusiasm or joy: exuberant sports fans; exuberant smiles.
2. Unrestrained or lavish, as in decoration; extravagant: exuberant floral displays.
3. Abundant; plentiful: "Threads of her exuberant hair showed up at the bottom of the sink" (Anne Tyler)
99
brook V.
```
Suffer or tolerate
“You will do your
homework every night
before you go
anywhere, you will do
your chores, and you
will be home by 9pm I
will brook no
disobeying of these
rules, young man!”
```
100
bucolic
| bjuːˈkɒlɪk
```
Suggesting a peaceful and pleasant view
of rural life
City dwellers often
idealize a bucolic
lifestyle, but once
they're actually out in
the country, all they do
is complain about the
bugs and the boredom!
```
101
burnish
Polish, make
smooth and
lustrous
Mr. Hoffenstotter replaced all of the rustic wood doorknobs
with newer models made of burnished steel. “So shiny,” said his delighted wife.
102
bonhomie
N. Friendliness,
open and simple good hearedness
By the end of the summer, the campers were overflowing with
bonhomie, vowing to
remain Facebook friends forever.
103
brandish
V. Shake, wave, or
flourish, as a weapon
The Renaissance Fair ended badly, with one drunken fellow brandishing a sword
and refusing to leave the ladies’ dressing tent.
104
calumny
```
N. Malicious lie
intended to hurt
someone's
reputation; the act
of telling such
lies
Ex. I've had enough of your calumnious accusations!
Admit that you made up all
those wicked things about
me, or I will see you in court when I sue you for
slander!
```
105
canard
N. Rumor, a false or baseless story
Ex. The idea that we only use 10% of our brains is a tired, old canard; actually, even
the dumbest people use all
of their brains.
106
cardinal
Adj. Chief, most
important
Ex. The cardinal rule of Fight
Club is that you don't talk about Fight Club.
107
catholic
Adj. Universal,
broad-minded
Ex.Some precursors to the
Constitution (such as documents governing the
colonies) enumerated the
rights of male property holders only. The U.S. Constitution took a more catholic approach, declaring that “All men are created equal.” Today,
policy writers would probably catholicize a step further and write “All people.”
108
chicanery
```
N. Trickery,
deception by
knowingly false
arguments
Ex. The defense lawyer's strategy for getting her
client acquitted by
knowingly misinterpreting
words in an obscure precedent was nothing but
chicanery.
```
109
circumscribe
```
V. Strictly limit a
role, range of
activity, or area; in
math, to be
constructed
around so as to
touch as many
points as possible
Ex. Sara's parent circumscribed
her after-school activities;
she was permitted only to
study and to join
organizations directly
related to academic
subjects. / A square
circumscribed in a circle
has all four of its vertices
on the circle's
circumference. / Our land
is circumscribed by hedges
and fences.
```
110
circumspect
```
Adj.
Cautious, prudent; careful to consider the circumstances
and consequences
Ex. Tiana immediately forked
over an initiation fee to
become a vitamin
distributor, but her more
circumspect brother had a
list of at least 20 questions
he wanted answered before
he would consider joining.
```
111
fork over
V. to surrender someone or something to another; "the guard delivered the criminal to the police"; "render up the prisoners"; "render the town to the enemy"; "fork over the money"
Syn. fork out, fork up, hand over, turn in, deliver, render
hand, pass on, turn over, pass, reach, give - place into the hands or custody of; "hand me the spoon, please"; "Turn the files over to me, please"; "He turned over the prisoner to his lawyers"
112
clamber
```
V. Climb awkwardly or with difficulty, scramble
Ex. The hiker had spent the last
hour plodding lethargically
up the side of the
mountain, but when she
caught sight of the summit,
she excitedly began to
clamber up even the
steepest inclines.
```
113
plod
1. To move or walk heavily or laboriously; trudge: "donkeys that plodded wearily in a circle round a gin" (D.H. Lawrence).
2. To work or act perseveringly or monotonously; drudge: plodding through a mountain of paperwork.
114
lethargically
| lethargy
Adv. 1. lethargically - without energy lethargically - without energy; in a lethargic manner; "he hung around the house lethargical
a. A lack of energy or vigor; sluggishness.
b. A lack of interest or enthusiasm; apathy: held a pep rally to shake the students out of their lethargy.
115
cloying
Adj. Disgustingly or
distastefully
sweet
Ex. I do like visiting our grandmother, but I can't stand those cloying movies she watches—last time it was some heart-tugging story where an orphan
saves a suffering pony. / I do like cake, but I find that
honey-covered angel food cake positively cloying.
116
coda
```
n.
1. Music The concluding passage of a movement or composition.
2. A conclusion or closing part of a statement.
“You play this middle
section twice, then
move to the coda,” the
music teacher
explained to the child.
“The coda always
comes last.” /
Dropping my purse in a
mud puddle right
outside my own front
door was a fine coda to
a horrible evening.
```
117
puddle
| (ˈpʌdəl)
n
1. a small pool of water, esp of rain
2. a small pool of any liquid
118
coffer
```
n. Chest for
storing
valuables;
financial
resources, a treasury
Ex. The dishonest
employee called it
“dipping into the
company coffers,” but
the arresting officer called it “embezzlement.”
```
119
embezzlement
```
To take (money one has been entrusted with) for personal use.
syn. misappropriation, peculation, defalcation, misapplication
```
120
collude
co-: together
lude: lure
Conspire; cooperate for
illegal or fraudulent
purposes
```
After two competing
software companies
doubled their prices on
the same day, leaving
consumers no
lower-priced alternative,
the federal government
investigated the
companies for
collusion.
```
121
fraudulent
1. Engaging in fraud; deceitful.
| deceitful, fallacious
122
compendium
| kəmˈpɛndɪəm
Concise but complete
summary; a list or collection
```
Coming from a more
uptight corporate
background, Josiah
found the soup kitchen
volunteers remarkably
complaisant; when he
asked the greeters to
sweep the floor and the
cooks to wash dishes,
everyone happily
moved to their new
positions.
```
123
complaisant
| kəmˈpleɪzənt
adj showing a desire to comply or oblige polite
124
oblige
| əˈblaɪdʒ
If something obliges you to do something, it makes it necessary for you to do it.
This decree obliges unions to delay strikes.
Security requirements obliged her to stop.
compel, make, force, require
125
confound
V. Confuse, frustrate; mix up or make worse
Ex. He was positively
confounded by a map
that seemed to show
```
“East Bethlehem” as
being to the west of
“West Bethlehem.” / He
was already a little
flummoxed in regards to
differential equations,
but reading an
incorrectly edited
Wikipedia page on the
topic only confounded
the problem.
```
126
flummox (ˈflʌməks)
baffle, confuse, stump, perplex ,
flummoxed adjective
No wonder Josef was feeling a bit flummoxed.
Synonyms: baffled, confused, puzzled, stumped
If someone is flummoxed by something, they are confused by it and do not know what to do or say.
The two leaders were flummoxed by the suggestion. [be VERB-ed]
127
connote
Suggest or imply in
addition to the precise, literal meaning
Ex.The word “titanic”
simply means large or
majestic, but because of the word's association
with the sunken ship,
“titanic” has a negative
connotation to many
people.
verb
If a word or name connotes something, it makes you think of a particular idea or quality.
[formal]
The term 'organization' often connotes a sense of neatness. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: imply, suggest, indicate, intimate
128
contraries
```
Things that are opposing; either of two
opposite things
Ex. The Machiavellian
among us would say
that ethics and
expedience are
contraries—at some
point, one must win out
over the other.
```
129
expedience
Expediency means doing what is convenient rather than what is morally right.
[formal]
Political expediency, rather than economic need, will determine who gains from the conflict.
This was a matter less of morals than of expediency.
Tax plans born out of political ideology rather than economic expediency almost always end in failure.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
130
contrite
Adj. Remorseful; feeling sorry for one's offenses
or sins
Ex. He would have
punished his son more
severely for breaking his
car's windshield in a
“rock throwing contest,”
but the boy seemed truly contrite.
adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If you are contrite, you are very sorry because you have done something wrong.
[formal]
She was instantly contrite. 'Oh, I am sorry! You must forgive me.'
Synonyms: sorry, humble, chastened, sorrowful
131
remorse
Remorse is a strong feeling of sadness and regret about something wrong that you have done.
He was full of remorse.
He has shown no remorse for his actions.
Synonyms: regret, shame, guilt, pity
132
contumacious
| kɑntjuˈmeɪʃəs
```
Adj. Rebellious;
stubbornly disobedient
Ex. The psychologist's book
Dealing with Your
Contumacious Teenager
would have sold many
more copies to parents
of rude and rebellious
youth if only people
knew what contumacious
meant.
```
133
convoke
V. Call together, as
to a meeting
The dean has convoked
this gathering to discuss the Honor Code.
134
cosset
```
V. Treat as a pet,
pamper
The cosseted toddler
was lovingly wrapped up
in his snow gear, so
much so that he could
barely even move his
arms enough to make
his first snowball.
```
135
pamper
If you pamper someone, you make them feel comfortable by doing things for them or giving them expensive or luxurious things, sometimes in a way which has a bad effect on their character.
Why don't you let your mother pamper you for a while? [VERB noun]
Pamper yourself with our luxury gifts. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
The only son had been pampered and spoiled. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: spoil, indulge, gratify, baby
136
coterie ˈkəʊtərɪ
```
N. Close or
exclusive group,
clique
he pop star never
traveled anywhere
without a coterie of
assistants and managers.
A coterie of a particular kind is a small group of people who are close friends or have a common interest, and who do not want other people to join them.
[formal]
The songs he recorded were written by a small coterie of dedicated writers. [+ of]
Synonyms: clique, group, set, camp
```
137
clique
If you describe a group of people as a clique, you mean that they spend a lot of time together and seem unfriendly towards people who are not in the group.
[disapproval]
Synonyms: group, set, crowd, pack
138
cupidity kjuːˈpɪdɪtɪ
```
N. Greed, great or excessive desire
Ex. The doctor's medical
license was revoked after
it was discovered that,
out of sheer cupidity, he
had diagnosed people
with illnesses they didn't
have and pocketed
insurance money for
performing procedures
they didn't need.
```
139
curmudgeon
```
N. Bad-tempered,
difficult person;
grouch
Ex. The college students’ party was hampered by constant complaints from a curmudgeonly
neighbor who insisted
that making noise after
8pm was unreasonable,
and called the police
over a single beer can on his lawn.
If you call someone a curmudgeon, you do not like them because they are mean or bad-tempered.
[old-fashioned, disapproval]
...such a terrible old curmudgeon.
Synonyms: grump [informal], bear, grumbler, grouser
```
140
declaim
speak, lecture, proclaim, recite
v. If you declaim, you speak dramatically, as if you were acting in a theatre.
He raised his right fist and declaimed: 'Liar and cheat!'. [VERB with quote]
He used to declaim French verse to us. [VERB noun]
Speak in an impassioned, pompous, or oratorical
Ex. After a drink or two, Gabe will declaim all night about campaign
finance reform—you won't be able get a word in edgewise in between all his grandstanding and
“expertise.”
141
impassioned
Syn. intense, heated, passionate, warm
An impassioned speech or piece of writing is one in which someone expresses their strong feelings about an issue in a forceful way.
[journalism, written]
He made an impassioned appeal for peace.
142
pompous
Adj. If you describe someone as pompous, you mean that they behave or speak in a very serious way because they think they are more important than they really are.
143
oratorical ˌɔrəˈtɔrɪkəl
rhetorical, verbal, linguistic, eloquent
Adj. Oratorical means relating to or using oratory.
[formal]
He reached oratorical heights which left him and some of his players in tears.
144
declivity
dɪˈklɪvɪtɪ
```
Not just any declivity can
serve as a wheelchair
ramp—I'm pretty sure
this thing is too steep to
pass regulations.
```
145
delimit
```
V. Fix, mark, or
define the
boundaries of
Ex. The role of an executive
coach is delimited by our code of conduct—we may not counsel people for psychological conditions, for instance.
```
146
demagogue
ˈdɛməˌɡɒɡ
If you say that someone such as a politician is a demagogue you are criticizing them because you think they try to win people's support by appealing to their emotions rather than using reasonable arguments.
Syn. agitator, firebrand, haranguer, rabble-rouser, soapbox orator
```
N. A leader who
lies and gains
power by arousing the
passions and especially
prejudices of the people
Ex. Political demagogues
lie and twist the facts,
depending more on
their natural charisma
and ability to determine exactly what their
audience wants to hear
than any actual
understanding or
perspicacity.
```
147
perspicacity
perspicacious
(ˌpɜːspɪˈkeɪʃəs)
Syn. perceptive, aware, sharp, keen, insight, discrimination, penetration, acumen
adjective
Someone who is perspicacious notices, realizes, and understands things quickly.
[formal]
...one of the most perspicacious and perceptive historians of that .
148
demur
```
V. Show reluctance or
object, esp. for moral reasons
Ex. When asked to name
her favorite professor in
the department, she
demurred because she
was pretty sure that, if
she said anything, it
would come back to
haunt her.
```
149
desultory (ˈdɛsəltərɪ
random, vague, irregular, loose
adjective
Something that is desultory is done in an unplanned and disorganized way, and without enthusiasm.
[formal]
The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn.
```
lacking consistency or order, disconnected,
sporadic; going
off topic
Ex. Lulu said she'd been studying for the GRE
for a year, but she had
been doing so in only
the most desultory
way—a few vocab
words here and there,
then nothing for a
month, and practice
tests whenever she felt
like it, which was rarely.
/ Don't mind my
daughter; there's no
need to let a toddler's
desultory remarks pull
an adult conversation off track
```
150
constable (ˈkʌnstəbəl
1. In the United States, a constable is an official who helps keep the peace in a town. They are lower in rank than a sheriff.
2. In Britain and some other countries, a constable is a police officer of the lowest rank.
151
sporadic
spəˈrædɪk
syn. intermittent, occasional, scattered, isolated
Sporadic occurrences of something happen at irregular intervals.
...a year of sporadic fighting over northern France.
The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.
152
diaphanous
daɪˈæfənəs
dia- through+ phainein to show
Diaphanous cloth is very thin and almost transparent.
[literary]
...a diaphanous dress of pale gold.
(usually of fabrics such as silk) fine and translucent Very sheer,
fine, translucent
Ex. I've bought myself a really nice dress to wear to the terrifying dinner, it's black & A-line with 3 diaphanous layers of chiffon.
```
His gaze locked on her body, concealed only by a diaphanous silk chemise; blindly, he tossed the gown over a nearby palm.
The wedding dress was a confection of
diaphanous silk, made
of at least ten layers of
the thin fabric, each
layer of which was so
fine you could see
through it.
```
153
translucent trænzˈluːsənt
semitransparent, clear, limpid, lucent
If a material is translucent, some light can pass through it.
The building is roofed entirely with translucent corrugated plastic.
154
chiffon KK[ʃɪˋfɑn] 雪紡紗
Chiffon is a kind of very thin silk or nylon cloth that you can see through.
155
chemise KK[ʃɪˋməz] (ʃəˈmiːz
A chemise is a long, loose piece of underwear worn by women in former times.
156
confection
1.
the act or process of confecting
2.
any kind of candy or other sweet preparation, such as ice cream or preserves
3.
a sweetened mixture of drugs; electuary
4.
a product or work having a frivolous, whimsical, or contrived effect
5.
a fancy, stylish article of women's clothing
1. countable noun
You can refer to a sweet food that someone has made as a confection.
[written]
...a confection made with honey and nuts.
2. countable noun [oft NOUN of noun]
A confection is something that has been made or built and is very complicated or decorated.
[written]
He found himself staring at an extraordinary architectural confection of old and new.
157
dichotomy
| daɪˈkɒtəmɪ
If there is a dichotomy between two things, there is a very great difference or opposition between them.
[formal]
There is a dichotomy between the academic world and the industrial world. [+ between]
Division into two parts or into two contradictory
groups
Ex. There is a dichotomy in the sciences between
theoretical or “pure”
sciences, such as
physics and chemistry,and the life sciences, which often deal more with classifying than with theorizing.
158
dictum dɪktəm
“A stitch in time saves nine” is an old dictum meaning that it's easier to solve a problem before it gets too big.
A dictum is a saying that describes an aspect of life in an interesting or wise way.
...the dictum that it is preferable to be roughly right than precisely wrong.
She reminded us of Barnum's dictum: You could sell anything to anybody if you marketed it right.
syn. saying, saw [old-fashioned], maxim, adage
A dictum is a formal statement made by someone who has authority.
...Disraeli's dictum that the first priority of the government must be the health of the people.
syn. decree, order, demand, statement
159
diffident
```
adj. lacking confidence
Natasha was so
diffident that she never
believed her comments
could be worth
anything in class, even
when she knew the
answer.
```
160
diffuse
```
Spread widely,
disseminate
(verb);
dispersed, widely spread
out, or wordy and going off-topic
Ex. It will be very difficult to
diffuse the power
among the people when
transitioning from
autocracy to attempted to root out
the dissenters at the
gala, but he was only
able to detect a diffuse
sense of discontent all
around the room.
democracy. / The spy
```
161
dissenter
Dissenters are people who say that they do not agree with something that other people agree with or that is official policy.
The Party does not tolerate dissenters in its ranks.
Synonyms: objector, dissident, nonconformist, protestant
162
dilate daɪˈleɪt
| from Latin dīlātāre to spread out, amplify, from dis- apart + lātus wide
```
V. to become wider or make wider, cause to
expand; to speak or write at length,
elaborate upon
Ex. The doctor gave her eye
drops to make her
pupils dilate. / These
dinners at Professor
Hwang's house usually
run rather late; after the
meal, he'll typically
dilate on his latest research for at least an hour.
```
163
dilatory ˈdɪlətərɪ
```
Slow, late;
procrastinating
or stalling for time
Jack was supposed to
start his presentation
10 minutes ago and he
isn't even here? I'm not
surprised—he's a
dilatory fellow.
```
