Cum Quiz Flashcards
Abstruse
(Adj) Difficult to understand
Acrimony
(N) Bitterness of ill feeling
Bombastic
(Adj) Overblown, histrionic inflated language
Buoyancy
(N) Resilience of spirit
Connotative
(Adj) Suggestive of an associative or secondary meaning
Consternation
(N) A sudden, alarming dread or dismay
Cynical
(Adj) Negative, pessimistic, cutting
Despondent
(Adj) In low spirits from lack of confidence
Effusive
(Adj) Expressing feelings of gratitude or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner
Enmity
(N) Being actively opposed or resistant to something
Euphemistic
(Adj) Polite language, politically correct
Flippant
Sarcastic, irreverent
Homespun
(Adj) Plain, unpolished, unsophisticated speech
Idiomatic
Peculiar to a particular language or dialect
Ex: Brits say “bloody” or “crappy”
Insolent
(Adj) Rude or disrespectful
Jargon
Special words or expressions used by a particular group
Lugubrious
(Adj) Dismal or gloomy in an affected way
Pedantic
(Adj) Precise, over-exacting meticulous
Picturesque
(Adj) Particularly detailed in rich visual imagery
Sanguine
(Adj) Optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation
Serene
(Adj) Calm, peaceful, tranquil
Somber
(Adj) Extremely serious, grave, depressing
Trite
(Adj) Hackneyed or stale
Turgid
(Adj) Tediously pompous or bombastic
Asyndeton
Omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words
Ex: He was brave, fearless, afraid of nothing
Personification
Giving a non-living thing human/active qualities
Synecdoche
A figure of speech in which a part is used to designate the whole or the whole is used to designate a part
Ex: All hands on deck
Horatian
Light-hearted, intended for fun
Juvenalian
Bitter, angry attacking
Dimunition
Taking a real-life situation and reducing it to make it ridiculous and showcase its faults
Understatement
The opposite of exaggeration. By contrast, it draws attention to the truth
Apostrophe
Words spoken to a person who is absent, or an object/ abstract idea
Allusion
Alludes to another piece of literature, film, etc.