Day 18 Flashcards
malediction
A curse
I taunted him, ridiculed him, and loaded him with maledictions
malinger
Pretend to be sick, esp. to get out of work,
duties, etc.
His boss suspected him of malingering because of his frequent absences from work.
manifest
Obvious, apparent, perceptible to the eye
(adj); to show, make clear, or prove (verb)
Their sadness was manifest in their faces.
mar
Damage, spoil, ruin
mannered
Having a particular manner, esp. an
artificial one
passages … so mannered as to be unintelligible
martinet
Person who adheres to rules extremely
closely; strict disciplinarian
The prison’s warden was a cruel martinet.
maudlin
Excessively sentimental, showing sadness
or some other emotion in a foolish or silly
way
maxim
A general truth or fundamental principle,
esp. expressed as a proverb or saying
mercurial
flighty
an actress who specializes in playing silly, flighty women
you have to be quiet while the deer are grazing, as they are flighty animals and will run if they hear you
meretricious
Attractive in a vulgar or flashy way,
tawdry; deceptive
the paradise they found was a piece of meretricious trash
metamorphosis
A complete change or transformation (in
biology, a change such as a caterpillar
becoming a pupa and then a butterfly)
metaphysical
Concerned with abstract thought, related to metaphysics (branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the nature of being and of the world); very subtle or abstruse
Malick’s movie is deeply open-hearted, metaphysical and ruminative.
milieu
Environment, atmosphere; the
environmental setting in which something
happens or develops
Theirs was a bohemian milieu in which people often played romantic musical chairs.
militate
Have a great effect, weigh heavily (often as
militate against)
New infectious diseases come out of the blue, each with its own idiosyncrasies that militate against detailed advance planning.
mired
Stuck, entangled (in something, like a
swamp or muddy area), soiled
found themselves in a mire of debt
Puerto Rico is mired in a 13-year recession,
mirth
Jollity, merriment; amusement or laughter
His clumsy attempt at dancing caused much mirth.
missive
Letter, written message
She received yet another lengthy missive from her father.
the two old friends like to fire off missives filled with good-natured teasing and mock insults
modest
Humble; simple rather than showy; decent
(esp. “covering up” in terms of dress);
small, limited
modicum
A little bit or limited quantity
Madoff humbly asks this court for a modicum of compassion.
only a modicum of skill is necessary to put the kit together
modish
Stylish, contemporary
The modish decor includes brightly colored furniture, vaulted glass ceilings, and meeting rooms named for the Millennium Falcon and Hogwarts Express.
molt
Shed or cast off, esp. to regularly shed skin,
feathers, etc. (as a snake)
a spider, like a lobster, molts its covering as it grows
monastic
Relating to or resembling a monastery
(where monks or nuns live), esp. by being
quiet, secluded, contemplative, strict,
and/or lacking luxuries
He shows a monastic dedication to his job.
But where these actresses took a monastic approach, covering themselves up (albeit artfully), Gerber went for a more sultry vibe.
mores
: the fixed morally binding customs, morals and manners of a particular group
have tended to withdraw and develop a self-sufficient society of their own, with distinct and rigid mores
morose
Gloomy, sullen
Billie poured herself into the emotions of every syllable, doing her best to let the morose piano track swell and fill the arena.
