Chapter 4: Every SAT Word Has A History (131-155) Flashcards
draconian
characterized by very strict laws, rules, and punishments
laconic
very brief, concise
spartan
plain, simple, strict
halcyon
calm and peaceful, an untroubled time of satisfaction, happiness, and peace
sophistry
a plausible but deliberately misleading argument designed to deceive someone
chimerical
existing only in the imagination, impossible, unrealistic
ostracize
to deliberately exclude from a group
impecunious
poor
nefarious
famous for being wicked, unpleasant
jovial
good humored, cheerful
dirge
a funeral hymn, a slow, sad musical composition
mauldlin
tearful, excessively sentimental
sentimental
feeling rather than reason or thought, emotional
quixotic
impractical in the pursuit of ideals
pandemonium
a wild uproar
martinet
a person who demands strict adherence to rules
fiasco
a complete failure
bowdlerize
to remove or delete parts of a work that are considered offensive
galvanize
to electrify, to stir into action
picayune
small value or importance
gerrymander
to divide an area up into voting districts to give an unfair advantage to one party in elections
maverick
an independent person who does not go along with a group or party; a nonconformist
juggernaut
an irresistible force that crushes everything in its path
zenith
the highest point, the peak, the apex
nadir
the lowest point, the bottom
serendipity
discovery by fortunate accident
