Common Words III Flashcards
cardinal
of great importance
reprisal
a retaliatory action against an enemy in wartime
screed
1.
a long speech or piece of writing, typically one regarded as tedious.
“her criticism appeared in the form of screeds in a local film magazine”
2.
a levelled layer of material (e.g. cement) applied to a floor or other surface.
unstinting
not restricting or holding back : giving or being given freely or generously
conciliate
to win over or regain the support, friendship etc of
tendentious
likely to lean towards a controversial view
concomitant
something that accompanies or is collaterally connected with something else
precipitous
done suddenly and without careful consideratio
maudlin
overly emotional and sad
curmudgeon
a bad-tempered person, especially an old one
temerity
fearless daring
melee
a wile, confusing fight or struggle
overweening
arrogant; presumptuous
obstreperous
noisily and stubbornly defiant; willfully difficult to control
solicitous
full of concern or fears : apprehensive;
dilapidated
in terrible condition
forlorn
marked by or showing hopelessness
tortuous
marked by repeated turns and bends; not straightforward
unimpeachable
not able to be doubted, questioned, or criticized; entirely trustworthy.
trifling
not worth considering
punctilious
marked by precise accordance with details
peripatetic
traveling by foot
vindictive
to have a very strong desire for revenge
incumbent
necessary for someone as a duty or responsibility
maunder
speak about unimportant matters rapidly; wander aimlessly
malady
a disease or sickness
effrontery
audacious (even arrogant) behaviour that you have no right to
chauvinist
a person who believes in the superiority of their group
semblance
the outward appearance or apparent form of something, especially when the reality is different.
tractable
(of a person) easy to control or influence.
contrite
to be remorseful
morose
ill tempered and not inclined to talk; gloomy
guileless
free of deceit; innocent
ingenuous
innocent
contemptuous
scornful, looking down at others with a sneering attitude
genteel
marked by refinement in taste and manners
errant
to be wandering, not sticking to a circumscribed path
peevish
easily annoyed
pollyannaish
extremely optimistic
stolid
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
austere
harsh in manner of temperament
self-effacing
not attracting attention to yoursefl
imperil
jeopardize
travesty
an absurd presentation of something; a mockery
pith
the most essential part of something
fractious
irritable and is likely to cause disruption
discrete
individually separate and distinct.
saturnine
morose or gloomy
soporific
inducing mental lethargy; sleep inducing
flippant
not showing a serious or respectful attitude.
forthcoming
at ease talking to others
blinkered
having or showing a narrow or limited outlook.
artful
clever in cunning way
lugubrious
excessively mournful
desiccated
uninteresting
confound
mistake one thing for another
heretic
a person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field
panache
distinctive and showy elegance
heyday
the time when someone or something is most popular, successful, or in power
crestfallen
brought low in spirit
rudimentary
being in the earliest stages of development
vie
compete for something
adjudicate
make a formal judgement on a disputed matter.
esoteric
confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle
diminutive
very small
implausible
unlikely
innate
existing from birth
fastidious
overly concerned with details
gauche
unsophisticated and socially awkward.
officious
OFFICIOUS is volunteering one’s services where they are neither asked nor needed : meddlesome.
besotted
very drunk
unflappable
marked by extreme calm and composure
admonitory
serving to warn
despotic
If you say that someone is despotic, you are emphasizing that they use their power over other people in a very unfair or cruel way
proselytize
convert to another religion or perspective
artifice
cunning tricks used to deceive others
advent
the time when big change started or arrived
ascendant
increasing in power or influence
inchoate
just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.
chimera
something desired or wished for but is only an illusion and impossible to achieve
miscreant
one who breaks law
ignoble
dishonourable
destitute
completely wanting or lacking
steadfast
not shakable
exorbitant
unreasonably high
contingent
dependent upon
atavism
a reappearance of an earlier characteristic; throwback
travail
use of physical or mental energy; hard work
entice
get someone to do something through false promises
disseminate
cause to become widely known
flummox
be a mystery to
lachrymose
tearful or something that induces tears; showing strong sorrow
grave
v serious
indignant
feeling anger over a perceived injustice
perfunctory
done routinely and with little interest or care
obtuse
slow to learn or understand
eclectic
comprised of a variety of styles
tactful
careful not to do things that hurt or anger other people
peruse
to read very carefully
vituperate
to criticize harshly
subversive
in opposition to an established system or institution
profuse
plentiful
quotidian
found in the ordinary course of events
irrefutable
impossible to deny or disprove
imprude
not wise
apocryphal
being of questionable authenticity
antiquated
old fashioned
portentous
ominously prophetic
derelict
abandoned
elegiac
expressing sorrow
ornate
elaborately or highly decorated.
recapitulation
a summary
prolixity
boring verbosity
hue
colour
sanguine
cheerful
parochial
narrowly restricted in scope or outlook
docile
easily handled or managed
aphroistic
something that is concise and instructive of a general truth or principle
insidious
working in a subtle but a destructive way
humdrum
dull and lacking excitement
infelicitous
inappropriate
astute
able to see the most important information to make a decision
sulling
showing a brooding ill humour
peril
serious danger
probity
integrity, strong moral principles
leery
openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
antic
ludicrously odd
tenacious
stubbornly unyielding
grandiloquent
puffed up with vanity
conciliate
to make peace with
ferret
to search for something persistently
moribund
being on the point of death
insipid
dull and uninteresting
picayune
trifling or petty
extenuating
making less guilty or more forgivable
ephemeral
lasting a very short time
qualm
uneasiness about the fitness of an action
malleable
easily influenced
industrious
characterized by hard work and perseverance
inviolable
never to be broken, infringed or dishonoured
dreary
sad and boring or colourless
winsome
charming in a childlike or naive way
transitory
lasting a very short time
inclement
used for persons or behaviour showing no mercy
fete
to celebrate a person
impede
to be a hindrance or obstacle
dilatory
wasting time
debonair
having a sophisticated charm
edifying
providing moral or intellectual instruction.
piquant
having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavour.
dubious
doubtful
mettlesome
filled with courage or valor
complacent
feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need to try any harder:
cupidity
greed for money
maverick
a person who thinks and acts in an independent way, often behaving differently from the expected or usual way:
ersatz
not real or genuine
treacherous
dangerously unstable and unpredictable
furtive
behaving secretly and often dishonestly, or (of actions) done secretly and often dishonestly:
disheveled
extremely disorderly
simulacrum
something that looks like or represents something else
malapropism
the wrong use of one word instead of another word because they sound similar to each other, with results that are unintentionally funny
inanity
the quality of being extremely silly or having no real meaning or importance, or something that is extremely silly like this
collusion
agreement on a secret plot
