Common Words Appendix C Flashcards
Decorum
Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; Propriety
Deference
Respect; Courtesy
Deride
To mock or laugh at someone, treat with contempt
Dessicate
To dry out thorougly
Desultory
Jumping from one thing to another, disconnected
Diatribe
An abusive, condemnatory speech
Diffident
Lacking self-confidence, shy
Dilate
Become wider, make bigger, to expand
Dilatory
Intentionally delaying
Dilettenate
A person who takes up an art or activity just for amusement or superficial reasons
Disparate
Fundamentally different, completely unlike
Dissemble
To present a false appearance; to hide one’ true intentions
Dissonance
A harsh or disagreeable combination, often of sounds
Dogma
A firmly held opinion; a religious belief
Dogmatic
Dictatorial in one’s opinion
dupe
to deceive; a person who is easily deceived
Dirge
A funeral hymn, mournful song or poem
Disabuse
To get rid of someone’s false knowledge
Discern
To perceive, recognize
Eclectic
Selecting from or made up of a variety of sources
Efficacy
Effectiveness
Elegy
A sorrowful poem or speech
Eloquent
Persuasive or moving, especially in speech
Emulate
To copy, to try to equal or excel
Enervate
To reduce in strength or energy
Engender
To produce, cause or bring about
Enigma
A riddle or mystery
Enumerate
To count, list or itemize
Ephemeral
Lasting a short time
Equivocal
Open to more than one interpretations; misleading
Equivocate
To use expressions of doble meanings in order to mislead
Erratic
Unpredictable and wandering
Erudite
Learned, scholarly or bookish
Esoteric
Known or understood by only a few
Estimable
Admirable
Eulogy
A speech in praise of someone
Euphemism
Use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
Exacerbate
To make worse
Exculpate
To clear from blame, prove innocent
Exigent
Urgent, requiring immediate action
Exonerate
To clear of blame
Explicit
Clearly stated or shown, forthright in expression
Fanatical
acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
Fawn
Giving someone too much attention to gain favors or forgiveness
Fervid
Intensely emotional, feverish
Florid
Excessively decorated or embellished
Foment
To arouse or incite, to stir up something
Frugality
Tendency to be thrifty or cheap
Garrulous
Tending to talk a lot
Gregarious
Outgoing, sociable
Guile
Deceit, trickery
Gullible
Easily deceived
Homogenous
Of a similar kind
Iconoclast
Someone who opposes established beliefs, customs or institutions
Imperturbable
Not capable of being disturbed
Impervious
Incapable of being penetrated, incapable of being affected
Impetuous
Quick to act without thinking
Implacabele
Unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
Inchoate
Not fully formed, disorganized
Ingenuous
Showing innocence or childlike simplicity
Inimical
Hostile or unfriendly
Innocuous
Harmless
Insipid
Lacking interest or flavor
Intransigent
Uncompromised, refusing to be reconciled
Inundate
To overwhelm; cover with water
Irascible
Easily made angry
Laconic
Using few words
Lament
To express sorrow, grieve
Laud
To give praise, to glorify
Lavish
to give unsparingly (v); extremely generous or extravagant (adj)
Lethargic
Acting in an indifferent, slow or sluggish manner
Loquacious
Talkative
Lucid
Clear and easily understood
Luminous
Bright, brilliant and glowing
Malinger
To evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
Malleable
Capable of being shaped
Metaphor
A figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol
Meticulous
Extremely careful about the details
Misanthrope
A person who dislikes others
Mitigate
To soften, to lessen
Mollify
To calm or make less severe
Monotony
Lack of variation
Naive
Lackung sophistication or experience
Obdurate
Hardened in feeling or resistant to persuasion
Obsequious
Overly submissive and eager to please
Obstinate
Stubborn and unyielding
Obviate
To prevent, to make unnecessary
Occlude
To stop up, to prevent the passage of
Onerous
Troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
Opaque
Impossible to see through, preventing the passage of light; not clearly understood or expressed
Opprobrium
Public digrace
Ostentation
Excessive showiness
Paradox
A contradiction or dilemma
Paragon
A model of excellence or perfection
Pedant
Someone who shows off learning
Perfidious
Willing to betray one’s trust
Perfunctory
Done in a routine way; Indifferent
Permeate
To penetrate
Philanthropy
Charity, a desire or an effort to promote goodness
Placate
To soothe or pacify
Plastic
Able to be molded, altered or bent
Plethora
Excess
Pragmatic
Practical, as opposed to idealistic
Precipitate
Hasty or rash, cause to happen
To throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
Prevaricate
To lie or deviate from the truth
Pristine
Fresh and clean, uncorrupted
Prodigal
Lavish and wasteful
Proliferate
To increase in number quickly
Prolific
Abundantly fruitful; intellectually productive
Propitiate
To conciliate; to appease
Propriety
Correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
Prudent
Wisdom, caution or restraint
Pungent
Sharp and irritating to the senses
Quiescent
Motionless
Rarefy
To make thinner or sparser
Repudiate
To reject the validity of
Reticent
Silent, Reserved
Rhetoric
Effective writing or speaking
Satiate
To satisfy fully or overindulge
Soporific
Causing sleep or lethargy
Specious
Deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious
Stigma
A mark of shame or discredit
Stolid
Unemotional, lacking sensitivity
Sublime
Lofty or grand
Tacit
Done without using words.
Taciturn
Silent, not talkative
Tirade
Long, harsh speech or verbal attack
Torpor
Extreme mental or physical sluggishness
Transitory
Temporary, lasting a short time
Vacillate
To sway physically, to be indecisive
Venerate
To respect deeply
Veracity
Filled with truth and accuracy
Verbose
Wordy
Vex
To annoy
Volatile
Easily aroused or changeable; lively and explosive
Waver
To fluctuate between choices
Whimsical
Acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable
Zeal
Passion; excitement
Abate
To reduce or lessen
Abscond
To leave secretly
Abstain
To choose not to do something
Abyss
An extremely deep hole
Adulterate
To make impure
Advocate
To speak in favor of
Aesthetic
Concerning the appreciation of beauty
Aggrandize
To exaggerate, to increase in power, fame or reputation
Alleviate
To make more bearable
Amalgamate
To combine, mix together
Ambiguous
doubtful or uncertain, able to be interpreted in a number of ways
Ameliorate
To make better, improve
Anachronism
Being out of it’s time
Analogous
Similar or alike in some way, equivalent to
Anomaly
A deviation from normal
Antagonize
To provoke, annoy or to anger
Antipathy
Extreme dislike
Apathy
Lack of interest or emotion
Arbitrate
To judge a dispute between two opposing parties
Archaic
Ancient, old-fashioned
Ardor
Intense and passionate feeling
Articulate
Able to speak clearly and expressively
Assuage
To make something unpleasant less severe
Attenuate
To weaken or make thinner
Audacious
Fearless and daring
Austere
Simple and ascetic; harsh in manner
Banal
Predictable, cliche, boring
Bolster
To strengthen or support
Bombastic
Over acting, pompous in speech or manner
Cacophony
A harsh or unpleasant noise
Candid
Impartial, natural and honest in speech
Capricious
Changing one’s mind quickly and often
Castigate
To punish or reprimand harshly
Catalyst
Something that brins about a change in something else
Caustic
Burning, biting in wit or nature
Chaos
Great disorder or confusion
Chauvinist
Over patriotic, biased to a particular group one belongs
Chicanery
Deception by means of craft and guile
Cogent
Logical, convincing and well-reasoned
Condone
To overlook, pardon or disregard
Convoluted
Twisted and complicted
Corroborate
To provide evidence to support to shed any doubt
Credulous
Easily trusts other people, gullible
Crescendo
Steadily increasing in volume or force
Venality
Condition of being susceptible to bribes or corruption
Maintain
To assert
Galvanize
To excite or inspire someone to take action
Profligate
Spending resources recklessly or wastefully
Betray
To reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally
Acrimony
Bitterness and ill-will
Involved
Complicated and difficult to comprehend
Auspicious
Favorable. the opposite of sinister
Parsimonious
Extremely frugal, miserly
Belie
Give a false representation to; misrepresent
Impertinent
Being disrespectful, improperly forward or bold
Intimate
To suggest something subtly
Parochial
Narrowly restricted in scope or outlook
Censure
To express strong disapproval
Amorphous
Shapeless
Harangue
A long pompous speech, a tirade
Wanting
Lacking
Calumny
Making of a false statement meant to injure a person’s reputation
Extant
Still in existence (usually refers to documents)
Qualify
To make less severe, to limit
Undermine
To weaken
Upbraid
To reproach, to scold
Amenable
Easily persuaded
demur
To object or show reluctance
aberration
A deviation from what is normal or expected
egregious
Standing out in a negative way, shockingly bad
mercurial
Prone to unexpected or unpredictable changes in mood
commensurate
To be in proportion or corresponding in degree or amount
restive
Restless
ambivalent
Mixed or conflicting emotions about something
gall
The trait of being rude or impertinent.
Feeling of deep or bitter anger and ill will.
To bother strongly, vex, annoy, exasperate.
predilection
A strong liking
perfidy
An act of deliberate betrayal; a breach of trust
germane
Relevant and appropriate
mawkish
Overly sentimental to the point that it is disgusting
recondite
Incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge; difficult to penetrate
frivolous
Not serious in content, attitude or behavior
eschew
avoid or stay clear of deliberately; stay clear of
culminate
Reaching the highest or most decisive point
concede
acknowledge defeat; admit to a wrondoing; surrender control to another
gainsay
Deny or contradict; speak against or oppose
bucolic
Relating to the pleasant aspects of the country
lambast
Criticize severely or angrily
didactic
instructive (especially excessively)
volubility
The quality of writing or speaking easily and continuously
chortle
To chuckle, laugh merrily, often in a muffled way
cryptic
Mysterious or vague, usually intentionally
superfluous
Serving no useful purpose; more than is required
conspicuous
Without any attempt at concealment, completely obvious
obscure
To make unclear; known by only a few
entrenched
Fixed firmly or securely
querulous
Habitually complaining
rustic
Characteristics of a rural life
platitude
A trite or an obvious remark
culpability
A state of guilt
incisive
Having the ability to recognize fine distinctions
fortuitous
Occurring by happy chance; having no apparent cause
gossamer
Characterized by unusual lightness or delicacy
vociferous
conspicuously or offensively loud; given to vehement outcry
prescience
the power to foresee the future
glut
an excessive supply
inexorable
Impossible to stop or prevent
impudent
improperly forward or bold
preclude
Keep from happening or arising; make impossible
vilify
spread negative information about
treacherous
Tending to betray; dangerously unstable or unpredictable
elucidate
to make clearer or easier to understand
tantamount
Being essentially equal to somethong
panache
Distinctive or showy elegance
haughty
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one considers unworthy
subsume
contain or include; to consider something as part of a general rule or principle
juxtaposed
place side by side for contrast
disaffected
discontented as towards authority
avaricious
Excessively greedy
rudimentary
being in the earliest stages of development; being or involving basic facts or principles
itinerant
travelling from place to place for work
insidious
working in a subtle but destructive way
refractory
stubbornly resistant to authority and control
precocious
exceptionally early development or maturity (especially mentally)
ascetic
practicing self-denial
delineate
Describe in detail
frustrate
to hinder or prevent (plans or efforts)
quotidian
found in the ordinary course of events
eminent
standing above others in quality or position
immutable
not able to be changed
forelorn
marked by or showing hopelessness
vehement
extreme intensity of emotions or convictions
languid
not inclined towards physical exertion or efforts, slow and relaxed
jubilant
high spirited delight because of triumoh or success
spurious
plausible but false
tenacious
stubbornly unyielding
jingoism
fanatical patriotism
supplant
to take the place or move into the position of
contrive
to pull off a plan or scheme, usually through skill or trickery
guileless
free of deceit
magnanimous
noble or generous, especially towards enemy or someone less powerful
travesty
an absurd presentation of something, a mockery
staunch (adj)
loyal and dpendable
circumvent
cleverly find a way to avoid one’s duties
fallacious
of a belief that is based on faulty reasoning
incongruous
lacking in harmony, compatibility or appropriateness
belligerent
eager to fight
heretic
a person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field
apocryphal
being of questionable authenticity
copious
in abundant supply
idiosyncrasy
a behavioral attribute that is distinctive to an individual
forthcoming
available when required or as promised; at ease when talking to others
exacting
demanding accuracy
discrete
constituting a separate part
provincial
limited perspective; not fashionable or sophisticated
blatant
conspicuous; without any attempt at concealment, completely obvious
eradicate
to completely destroy
ignoble
dishonorable
largess
extreme generosity and giving
laudable
worthy of high praise
refute
prove to be false or incorrect
temperance
the trait of avoiding excesses
unscrupulous
lacking principles
adamant
refusing to change one’s mind
abstruse
difficult to understand, incomprehensible
pundit
someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
incorrigible
ineffective to correction by punishment
ingratiate
fawn; gain favors with somebody by deliberate efforts
exalt
to praise or glorify
expound
add details or explanation, to clarify the meaning, to state clearly
espouse
to adopt or support an idea or a cause
confound
to cause confusion
hackneyed
losing significance because of overuse (trite, platitude)
contingent
a gathering of persons representatives of some larger group; dependent upon
bumbling
lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands
acerbic
harsh in tone
admonitory
to warn; to scold mildly to correct
implausible
describing a statement that is not believable
pedantic
to show off learnings
myopic
lacking foresight or imagination
denigrate
charge falsely in order to injure a person’s reputation; calumny
burgeon
to grow and flourish
indifference
seeming not to care
construe
interpreted in a particular way
petulant
easily annoyed or irritated
underscore
give extra weight to (a communication)
tortuous
repeated turns and bends; not straightforward
brazen
unrestrained by convention or propriety
reverent
venerate; showing profound respect
arcane
requiring secret or mysterious knowledge
accolade
an award or praise granted as a special honor
pedestrian
lacking imagination
haphazard
carelessness; dependent upon chance
winsome
charming in a childlike or naive way
subversive
in opposition to a system
insolent
rude and arrogant
constituent
a citizen who votes for someone; an abstract part of something
ravenous
extremely hungry; craving food
sanction
to give permission; a legal penalty
hegemony
dominance over a certain area
propitious
favorable circumstances, show signs of success
lionize
assign great social importance to
scrupulous
characterized by extreme efforts; having principles
rescind
cancel officially
gauche
lacking social polish
irrevocable
incapable of being returned or revoked
pernicious
extremely harmful, working in a hidden and injurious way
prodigious
so great as to elicit awe
antithetical
sharply contrasted in character or purpose
inscrutable
not easily understood
intrepid
fearless
myriad
a large indefinite number
circumscribe
restrict or confine
inveterate
habitual
tempered
moderated in effect
tractable
reacting readily to suggestions and influences; easily controlled, taught or molded
munificent
extremely generous
precipitous
done with great haste and without deliberation
admonish
to warn or scold strongly
ostracize
exclude from a community or a group
sporadic
recurring in scattered, irregular and unpredictable instances
trite
an obvious remark; used too often
resurgent
rising again as to new life or vigor
poignant
emotionally touching
sycophant
a person who tries to please someone in order to gain advantage
duress
compulsory force or threat
jovial
showing high spirited merriment
nuance
a subtle difference in meaning, opinion or attitude
rebuke
criticize severely or angrily; censure
imprudent
not wise
mendacity
tendency to be untruthful
harried
troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances
disseminate
become widely known
dispassionate
unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
sullen
showing a brooding ill humor
opulence
wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living
maladroit
clumsy
indecorous
not behaving properly according to society
maverick
someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action
truncate
reduce the length of something
fastidious
overly concerned with details; fussy
banality
a trite or an obvious remark; platitude
polemic
a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something
craven
pathetically coward
stringent
demanding strict attention to rules and procedures
furtive
marked by quiet, caution and secrecy; taking pains to not be observed
arduous
demanding considerable mental skill and effort; testing endurance`
flux
a state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following something important)
appease
pacify by accepting the demands of
mundane
repetitive and boring; relating to the ordinary world
misconstrue
interpret in the wrong way
contrition
the feeling of remorse or guilt that comes from doing something bad
elicit
call forth (emotions, feelings or responses)
economical
avoiding waste, efficient
edifying
enlightening; causing intellectual improvement
timorous
timid by nature, revealing fear or nervousness
pejorative
expressing disapproval (usually refers to a term)
askance
with a look of suspicion or disapproval
deleterious
harmful to living things
nonplussed
unsure how to act or respond
reproach
to express criticism towards