Deck 1 Flashcards
spate
A large number; a sudden, unexpected rise.
a spate of attacks on travelers
saxicolous
Living among rocks; growing among rocks or boulders.
calliope
A steam organ; a musical instrument similar to an organ in which sound is produced by compressed air or steam.
redoubtable
Arousing respect; evoking fear or reverence.
he was a redoubtable debater
devolution
The passing of property from one person to another, as by hereditary succession.
scurrilous
Abusive; obscene; inappropriate; indecent.
a scurrilous attack on his integrity
wangle
To acquire by cleverness or deception; to trick.
I wangled an invitation to her party
garret
A room; an attic.
propitiate
To appease; to conciliate.
hale
Healthy and strong; full of stamina.
festoon
adorn with decorations
the room was festooned with balloons and streamers.
unwonted
Rare and unaccustomed; unusual.
there was an unwonted gaiety in her manner
chary
Cautious; wary; showing forethought.
most people are chary of allowing themselves to be photographed
pelf
Currency; wealth; riches, especially if acquired illegally or unscrupulously.
indecorum
failure to conform to good taste
effluvium
A noxious, foul smelling odor; a harmful invisible gas.
the unwholesome effluvia of decaying vegetable matter
scurvy
Contemptible; mean.
that was a scurvy trick.
ululate
To howl; to wail.
women were ululating as the body was laid out
risible
Amusing; comic; laughable.
a risible scene of lovemaking in a tent
espy
To see unexpectedly; to suddenly notice.
she espied her daughter rounding the corner
piebald
Of different colors; mottled; speckled.
moue
A pouting grimace
expiation
The process of atonement or reparation for a wrong.
an act of public expiation
fiat
A command; an arbitrary order; a decree.
adopting a legislative review program, rather than trying to regulate by fiat
samovar
A metal urn; a teakettle.
A highly decorated tea urn used in Russia
insouciant
Unconcerned; without anxiety; indifferent.
an impression of boyish insouciance
restive
(of a person) unable to keep still because of dissatisfaction or boredom
zaftig
Pleasantly plump; having a full body.
bandy
To discuss lightly or glibly; to pass back and forth; to circulate.
they bandied words and laughs from one to another
proscribe
To denounce as dangerous; to condemn as harmful.
certain practices which the Catholic Church proscribed, such as polygyny
limn
suffuse or highlight (something) with a bright color or light
a crescent moon limned each shred with white gold
plenary
Attended by all qualified members; unqualified, absolute
a plenary session of the European Parliament; crusaders were offered a plenary indulgence by the pope
boondoggle
To waste money or time on a project; a project of that sort
writing off the cold fusion phenomenon as a boondoggle best buried in literature
gelid
Wintry; very cold; icy.
the gelid pond
peregrination
A trip
He ventures out in his pajamas and makes a dreamlike peregrination through the town’s deserted streets
salmagundi
A mixture of items.
stentorian
Loud; extremely powerful.
he introduced me to the staff with a stentorian announcement
iniquitous
Wicked; perceived to be immoral.
a liberal lawyer could uncover the iniquities committed on his own doorstep
winnow
To sift; to separate the good parts from the bad parts.
guidelines that would help winnow out those not fit to be soldiers
fortuitous
happening by accident rather than design
the similarity between the paintings may not be simply fortuitous
putative
Supposed; inconclusively accepted as true.
the putative father of a boy of two
ingratiate
To become popular with somebody.
a social climber who had tried to ingratiate herself with the city gentry
austerity
sterness or severity of manner or attitude
he was noted for his austerity and his authoritarianism
sublimate
divert or modify into a culturally higher or socially more acceptable activity
he sublimates his hurt and anger into humor
miscegenation
Characterized as a mixture of races; cohabitation of two people of different races.
derogate
To deviate from (a set of rules or agreed form of behavior)
one country has derogated from the Rome Convention
sesquipedalian
Tending to use long words; grossly wordy.
mendacious
Lying; habitually dishonest; untruthful.
mendacious propaganda
frowzy
Dirty; untidy; smelling bad.
a frowzy nightclub
anile
Of or resembling a foolish, old woman.
gravid
Pregnant; enlarged or burdened with something.
the scene is gravid with unease
caper
To jump in a playful manner; to skip.
children were capering about the room
aplomb
Poise; composure; assurance.
skittish
lively and unpredictable; playful
expostulate
express strong disapproval or disagreement
I expostulated with him in vain
conflate
To combine; to fuse.
the urban crisis conflates a number of different economic and social issues
cloying
Excessively distasteful; overly rich and sweet.
ostensible
Apparent; appearing as such but not necessarily so; pretended.
odium
Contempt; intense dislike; aversion.
anile
Of or resembling a foolish, old woman.
celerity
Speed; rapidity; quickness.
unsparing
merciless, severe; given freely, generously
thrall
A slave; a serf; a person in bondage.
inveigh
To attack and complain verbally; to denounce; to vehemently object.
vitiate
To spoil the effect of; make inoperative; corrupt morally; to make imperfect.
defray
To pay; to assume the payment of.
the proceeds from the raffle help to defray the expenses of the evening
panjandrum
A person who believes that he is important; a pretentious official.
notorious
famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed
meretricious
Attractive on the surface only; flashy; showy, but in a tasteless way.
meretricious souvenirs for the tourist trade
tonsure
The act of shaving one’s head, especially by persons who are entering a religious order.
mawkish
Sentimental; weakly emotional; slightly nauseating.
involved
difficult to comprehend; complicated
espy
To see unexpectedly; to suddenly notice.
tenon
To join; to fasten securely.
penitential
relating to or expressing regret for having done wrong
- penitential tears*
retinue
A following; the attendants associated with an important person.
disquieting
(N) inducing feelings of anxiety or worry; (V) worrying someone
he found Jean’s gaze disquieting
vituperative
Abusive; scolding; defamatory.
scurvy
Contemptible; mean.
effulgent
Brilliant; sparkling; shining brightly.
prognathous
Having a jaw that sticks out; having protrusive teeth.
unwonted
Rare and unaccustomed; unusual.
cosmorama
A type of art exhibit.
dint
by means of
he had gotten to where he was today by dint of sheer hard work
mulct
To deprive someone of (money or possessions) by fraudulent means
he mulcted Shelly of $75,000
viand
An article of food; nourishment; a delicate, dainty food article.
prognathous
Having a jaw that sticks out; having protrusive teeth.
satori
The state in which a person suddenly acquires enlightenment.
descant
An additional melody that is sung above the principal melody.
–
to talk tediously or at length
I have descanted on this subject before
escutcheon
A ceremonial shield; a coat of arms; a protective, ornate plate.
unseemly
inappropriate
an unseemly squabble
horripilation
The process by which hair bristles in response to cold weather or fear; often referred to as having goose flesh.
scurrilous
Abusive; obscene; inappropriate; indecent.
a scurrilous attack on his integrity
expedient
Likely to be useful; worthwhile; advantageous.
stipple
To engrave, draw, or paint by small dots or small motions.
anneal
To increase the integrity of; to make more hard by repeated heating and cooling.
manumission
The act of freeing from slavery.
pablum
Something that is trite; something simplistic.
quietus
A final acquittance from debt or an obligation; a rest.
dissemble
To disguise; to hide the real nature of; to pretend.
- an honest, sincere person with no need to dissemble*
- she smiled, dissembling her true emotion*
paroxysm
An uncontrollable attack, which can be either of pain or laughter.
a paroxysm of weeping
internecine
Mutually destructive.
gimcrack
An ornamental object; something of no practical value.
plastic gimcrack cookware
eschatological
Pertaining to end-matters; referring to the final state.
tutelary
Custodial; protective.
animadversion
Censure; severe criticism.
her animadversion against science
poltroon
A coward.
pellucid
lucid in style or meaning; translucently clear; clear in tone
he writes, as always, in pellucid prose
emetic
Something that induces vomiting.
- that emetic music in department stores*
putative
Supposed; inconclusively accepted as true.
iniquitous
Wicked; perceived to be immoral.
aleatory
Uncertain and unpredictable; dependent on luck.
life is aleatory
vitiate
To lower the quality of; to weaken; to spoil.
turpitude
Wickedness; shamefulness; a depraved act.
devolve
To deputize; to pass duties on to somebody else.
his duties devolved on a comrade
accede
assent or agree to a demand; assume an office or position
- he acceded to the post of director in September*
droll
curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement
his unique brand of droll self-mockery
enmesh
To catch within a new.
adventitious
Accidental; happening by chance; not natural.
my adventures were always adventitious, always thrust on me
recreant
Craven; disloyal; cowardly.
- what a recreant figure must he make*
sententious
given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner
he tried to encourage his men with sententious rhetoric
derogate
To stray from a normal course of action; to act contrary to what is expected; to deviate from normal modes of conduct.
contumely
Contemptuous treatment; harsh language.
the church should not be exposed to gossip and contumely
scurvy
Contemptible; mean.
convoluted
extremely complex and difficult to follow
invective
Abuse; belittlement; severe scolding.
aplomb
Poise; composure; assurance.
dint
Means; effort; force.
limn
To depict verbally or through the use of pictures.
ample
plentiful; large and accomodating
agog
Eager and excited; driven by anticipation.
New York is agog at the gossip
concupiscence
strong sexual desire; lust
evince
To show clearly; to prove; to reveal.
incongruous
not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something
the duffel coat looked incongruous with the black dress she wore underneath.
compunction
Remorse; uneasiness caused by guilt.
cunctation
Procrastination or delay; tardiness.
temperance
moderation or self-restraint, esp. in eating and drinking.
jangling
Harsh; cacophonous.
Ryan stood on the terrace jangling his keys
gallimaufry
A confused mess; a hodgepodge.
bluster
To bully; to threaten; to domineer.
you threaten and bluster, but won’t carry it through
palimpsest
A parchment or piece of writing material used for a second time after the original writing has been erased.
raiment
Clothing; garments.
stinginess
unwilling to give or spend; ungenerous : his employer is stingy and idle | he was stingy with his information.
sunder
To separate; to part; to cleave or sever.
- the crunch of bone when it is sundered*
vitreous
Pertaining to or resembling glass.
the toilet and bidet are made of vitreous china
incubus
a male demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; a cause of distress or anxiety
debt is a big incubus in developing countries
indite
To write; to produce a literary work.
he indites the wondrous tale of Our Lord
bailiwick
A person’s area of knowledge or ability; the jurisdiction of a bailiff.
you never give the presentations—that’s my bailiwick
thew
Muscle or sinew (usually used in the plural); muscular power or strength.
prognathous
Having a jaw that sticks out; having protrusive teeth.
orotund
Full; strong; bombastic; pompous; pretentious.
Certain literary devices afford tyros the opportunity to coin orotund phrases concerning the irony of fate, the haplessness of true lovers, and kindred favorite topics.
phatic
Having a function whose sole purpose is to express or convey emotion or to fulfill a social task; lacking informational content.
Phatic communication, or small talk, is an important social lubricant
encomiastic
Praising; eulogistic; flattering.
deliquesce
To melt; to become liquid.
insouciance
The state of being light-hearted; a condition on nonchalance.
mettlesome
Courageous, high-spirited; willing to enter a dangerous situation.
the team showed their true mettle in the second half
vitreous
Pertaining to or resembling glass.
largess
generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others
dispensing his money with such largesse
ululate
To howl; to wail.
palimpsest
A parchment or piece of writing material used for a second time after the original writing has been erased.
glean
To collect in small quantities; to gather over time.
the information is gleaned from press clippings
calumny
A false misrepresentation; slander; aspersion.
sartorial
Pertaining to tailors or tailoring; pertaining to clothing.
minacious
Threatening.
sedulous
Diligent; assiduous; persevering.
animadversion
Censure; severe criticism.
pelf
Currency; wealth; riches, especially if acquired illegally or unscrupulously.
devolution
The passing of property from one person to another, as by hereditary succession.
lucifugous
Avoiding light.
refulgent
Effulgent; brilliant; brightly shining; gleaming.
arenaceous
Containing or derived from sand.
purloined
Stolen; embezzled.
cur
A mongrel dog; a mean or cowardly person.
calliope
A steam organ; a musical instrument similar to an organ in which sound is produced by compressed air or steam.
opprobrious
Showing scorn or reproach; outrageous; shameful.
their opprobrious conduct
inveigh
To attack and complain verbally; to denounce; to vehemently object.
vociferous
(esp of a person or speech) vehement or clamorous
limn
To depict verbally or through the use of pictures.
putative
Supposed; inconclusively accepted as true.
dragoon
To coerce or to force into action.
she had been dragooned into helping with the housework
cosmorama
A type of art exhibit.
mufti
Civilian clothes.
I was a flying officer in mufti
refulgent
Effulgent; brilliant; brightly shining; gleaming.
- refulgent blue eyes*
doff
To take off; to remove.
he had doffed his tie and jacket and rolled up his shirtsleeves
deliquescent
Tending to melt.
sibylline
Prophetic; oracular.
illiberality
opposed to liberal principles; restricting freedom of thought or behavior : illiberal and anti-democratic policies.
2 (rare) uncultured or unrefined.
3 (rare) not generous; mean.
reprobate
unprincipled (often used as a humorous or affectionate reproach)
- a long-missed old reprobate drinking comrade*
sesquipedalian
Tending to use long words; grossly wordy.
escutcheon
A ceremonial shield; a coat of arms; a protective, ornate plate.
sententious
Pithy; terse; short and concise; aphoristic; self-righteous; tending to be excessively moralizing.
access
A sudden outburst, often emotional in nature.
I was suddenly overcome with an access of rage
modish
conforming to or following what is currently popular and fashionable:
it seems sad that such a scholar should feel compelled to use this modish jargon.
injudicious
Not judicious; showing poor judgment; unwise.
recrudesce
break out again; recur.
These political movements recrudesce from time to time
remedial
giving or intended as a remedy or cure
remedial surgery.
diffident
modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence
a diffident youth
vivacious
(esp. of a woman) attractively lively and animated.
* a vivacious folk dance*
keen
having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm
keen believers in the monetary system
impunity
exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action
the impunity enjoyed by military officers implicated in civilian killings
salacious
treating sexual matters in an indecent way and typically conveying undue interest in or enjoyment of the subject :
salacious stories.
pulverous
Consisting of dust or powder; like powder
languid
having a disinclination for exertion or effort; slow and relaxed
they turned with languid movements from back to front so as to tan evenly
consequent
following as a result or effect
labor shortages would be created with a consequent increase in wages
understated
presented or expressed in a subtle and effective way
understated elegance
roman à clef
a novel with a key
derogate
To detract from
this does not derogate from his duty to act honestly and faithfully
derogate
To disparage (someone or something)
it is typical of Pirandello to derogate the powers of reason
immaculate
perfectly clean, neat, or tidy
an immaculate white suit.
esurient
hungry or greedy
he fell into the esurient embrance of a predatory enemy
indolent
wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy
he lives indolently with his relatives
insolence
showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect
she hated the insolent tone of his voice
provenance
the place of origin or earliest known history of something
an orange rug of Iranian provenance
milquetoast
a very timid person, who is easily dominated or intimidated
a milquetoast who’s afraid to ask for a raise
