Day 22 Flashcards
predisposed
Having an inclination or tendency
beforehand; susceptible
Past experiences have predisposed her to distrust people.
plutocracy
Rule by the wealthy
If only the wealthy can afford to run for public office, are we more a plutocracy than a democracy?
prattle
Talk in an idle, simple-minded,
meaningless, or foolish way; chatter,
babble
“she began to prattle on about her visit to the dentist”
polemic
Controversial argument, esp. one attacking
a specific idea
They managed to discuss the issues without resorting to polemics.
pretentious
Claiming or demanding a position of
importance or dignity, esp. when
unjustified; showing off, creating a
deceptive, false show of worth
that pretentious couple always serves caviar at their parties, even though they themselves dislike it
preternatural
Supernatural, exceptional
She has a preternatural ability to charm people.
“autumn had arrived with preternatural speed”
plebian
Of the common people
wondered what the people at the country club would think of his plebeian origins
uncultured, unrefined
plucky
Brave, spirited
Edgar, this story’s plucky and appealing young protagonist, lives with his mother and grandmother, and his father’s accidental death looms.
ponderous
Heavy; bulky and unwieldy; dull, labored
“the show is loaded down with ponderous one-liners”
“a swarthy, ponderous giant of a man”
primacy
The state of being first or most important
PREEMINENCE
eminence
the primacy of intellectual and esthetic over materialistic values
Civil law took primacy over religious law.
presumptive
Based on inference or assumption;
providing reasonable grounds for belief
credible, believable
in that climate of fear, an accusation alone was presumptive evidence of guilt
potentate
Ruler, person of great power
Charles inherited the position of potentate of the Holy Roman Empire from his grandfather, as well that of king of Spain from his father.
polyglot
Speaking or composed of many languages
(of a person, book, etc.); a person who
knows several languages
“Slovenians, being surrounded by many countries, are mostly polyglots”
“polyglot and bilingual technical dictionaries”
posit
Presume, suggest, put forward (an idea)
Psychologists posit that scale of a crisis overwhelms the human capacity for empathy; people become mere numbers.
pilfer
especially : to steal stealthily in small amounts and often again and again
what sort of person would pilfer lunches from the office refrigerator?
