Chapter 1 Flashcards
Unprecedented adj.
never done or experienced before
Behold v.
to look or see something
Beholden adj.
Being under obligation for a favor or gift
Ex. He feels beholden for having his life spared
Stirring adj.
Causing strong feelings
Ex. The I had a dream speech was an incredibly stirring event
Rendition n.
A performance of something
Ex. Les Mis is a moving rendition
Insufferable adj.
too unpleasant to endure
Ex. The idea that something is insufferable is just that, and idea.
Nebbish n.
a timid or ineffectual person
Curry favor
to seek to gain favor by flattery or attention
Anomoly n.
something that is unusual or unexpected
Ex. The rejection of his application is anomolous
Grizzled adj.
having grey hair
Ex. Andrew has a slightly grizzled beard
Stipulated v.
to demand or require as part of an agreement
Ex. Syrian negotiations constantly stipulate a cease fire but it has not been working out too well
Congenital adj.
Innate, naturally being that way
Ex. Introversion/extroversion may certainly be a congenital personality trait
Abstentation v.
to abstain
Enclave n.
An area with people who are different in some way from the people in the areas around it
Ex. The Gaza Strip is an enclave surrounded by Egyptians and Israelis
Foist v.
to force someone to accept
Ex. Kim Jong-Un foists his citizens to view him as a sort of God
Notwithstanding
without being prevented by something
Ex. I will eat the mushroom, my taste buds not withstanding
Guerilla n.
A small group of soldiers who dont belong to a regular army and fight wars as an independant unit
Ex. I currently think the Palestinians are forced into guerilla warfare because Israel doesn’t let them form an army
Soverign n.
Autonomous, holding complete power
Ex. The territories are not soverign states
Wrest v.
to take from someone with much effort
Ex. Cynics think 9/11 was a hoax to wrest oil from the Middle East
Ostensible adj.
Seeming to be true at first but may very well not be
Ex. The notion that mediation will immediatly calm is an ostensible idea
Hapless adj.
very unlucky
Ex. The hapless fellow lost his shoe, then wallet, then watch, then eyebrow
Ornate adj.
Covered in decorations
Using many fancy words
Ex. The ornate classroom fits the teacher’s personality
Encroach v.
To gradually move into an area that is beyond the desired limits or belongs to someone else
Argot n.
The language used by a certain group of people
Ex. Waaaaack is part of the friends argot
Vogue n.
Something currently fashionable or popular
Reverberate v.
To refelct sound, to echo
Ex. It was a historic event that still reverberates today
Curb v.
Something that controls or limits something else
Their appetite was curbed by the disgusting image of poop
Swath n
A long strip of land
Ex. When mowing the lawn you can create swaths of green through the yard
Indiscriminate adj.
Affecting or harming many people in a careless or unfair way
Ex. The dictator was indiscriminate of a persons gender, faith, or age while killing those who opposed him.
Comely adj.
Pretty, attractive
Unflappable adj.
Not easily upset
Cherubic adj.
having childlike innocence
With morality comes a cherubic way of interacting with others
Demur v.
To disagree politely with a statement of suggestion
A difference between dialogue and debate is that people demur rather than argue.
Consolidate v.
to combine together
Ex. the company was consolidated with it competing rival after losing a lot of demand for their product
Vagaries n.
An erratic, extravagant manifestation, action, or notion
Ex. The vagaries of a person in the manic state or relatively common
Windfall n.
an unexpected profit or gift of money
Ex. He received a windfall because of the new manager
