Deck 1 - Every Day Flashcards
Prattle
To babble or chatter idly or foolishly
Babies and noor prattle a lot
Spendthrift
One who spends wastefully or unwisely
(Emphasis on spends - since spend and thrift are opposites)
Nope spendthrifts unwisely on clothes and jewelry
Apprise
To inform, tell, or give notice to
Weather man apprises his viewers about the weather for them to know what to wear
Protean
Able to assume many forms or meanings
Protein is protean (comes in lots of forms - beans, eggs, etc.)
Actors are also protean (they can be superhero’s, act in drama, act as many different things)
Sybaritic
Fond of luxury or pleasure, self-indulgent
Many celebrities’ lifestyles are very sybaritic; I might have a sybaritic day (bubble bath, get pizza, ice cream, adale3 nafsy)
Hackneyed
Unoriginal, overused
If a comedic goes on stage and just says chicken and knock-knock jokes, he’s hackneyed (think of hacked not good)
Sequester
Isolate or seclude
Big courtcase where there’s a lot of attention, the jury gets sequestered so they are put in a hotel and can’t to talk anyone about the case so they are isolated
Secluded - sequestered mnemonic
Innocuous
Harmless
(Innoc of innocuous comes from innocent)
Used to clarify that something may be bad is actually fine - ex: ask friend do you want mint, friend says: are you saying my breath is bad? Me: no I just have some mints, so my initial comment was innocuous, harmless
Static
Stationary, not changing
A picture is static (not moving)
Pariah
An outcast
Someone is pariah if it’s perceived something is wrong with them or did something bad so they are rejected from society
Example: Dumbo has big ears so he’s considered weird so he’s an outcast; Pariah in office: someone whose loud, makes a lot of noise in office,
Bellicose
Aggressive, willing to fight
Example: dude in the bar has too many and wants to fight
Enigma
A mystery
Example: an enigma Sherlock Holmes would investigate, a dead body
Obstreperous
Noisy and difficult to control
Example: in concerts people are obstreperous (but happy)
Gadfly
(n) a biting fly; a person who deliberately irritates or provokes
Example: that person in a party with the unpopular opinion whose a gadfly everyone gets annoyed at
Carp
(n) constantly complain or find fault
Example: think of a carp fish just complaining about the slow snails and other fish around him..the carp is carping 🐟🐠
Deign
To do something one considers beneath oneself
Example: deign rhymes with reign, imagine a reigning king who makes people wash his feet, feed him salad, etc. do things beneath them
Baleful
(adj.) Intending harm
Example: if I’m in a car talking on the phone and someone’s doing something loud, I’m sending them baleful stares or Christian bales in American psycho is baleful - intending harm
Dilatory
(adj.) Delaying, moving slowly
Ex: if late to reply to email: please excuse this dilatory reply
Euphony
(n) the quality of being pleasing to the ear; especially in regard to words
Example: phon”
Nadir
(n) low point
Physical or emotional low point so low point in earth is deep in the sea or low point in my life, a nadir, was when I got rejected from all schools when I was applying for undergrad
Blanched
(adj) whitened or made pale; bleached
Example: her face blanched as if she saw a ghost; or she blanched her shirt by putting it in the dryer
Gambit
(n) A calculated move or strategy, designed to gain advantage
Ex: play Rock Paper Scissors, I know hamada will start with rock always so my gambit (opening advantage) is I start with paper
Or
Negotiating salary, gambit is opening with a big number
Skimping
(Adj.) Giving insufficient attention or barely adequate attention, effort or funds
Example: skimping on sleep or money or guacamole in a restraint like no give me more
Truncate
(v) to shorten, as if by cutting
Example: Imagine a tree in a forest, and a woodcutter comes and chops it down so all that’s left is the trunk (trunk —> truncate) or think of number PI if I take first few digits —> truncate (shorten)
Ferret
(V) to search out or discover
(Like an actual ferret, searching for shelter or food) usually used for someone pursuing news or information like journalists searching for news
Withering
(adj.) shrinking or drying up; or intended to shame or humiliate
2 definitions, second is more likely to come up
Example: if someone litters, I give them a withering stare
Nascent
(Adj.)
Beginning to develop, coming into existence
Example: someone beginning a career: nascent career
Anamoly
(n) something that deviates from what’s standard or expected
(Could be used in form of anomalous)
Example: if it snows in Miami, no one expects that, that’s an anamoly
Aberrant
(Adj) Diverging from accepted standards, especially social behavior
Example: I have a friend who when on an elevator stands in direction of people who are facing the door, that’s aberrant behavior..
A way to remember is: aberrant behavior= abnormal behavior
Artful
(Adj.) artistic, or skillful using crafty or indirect means
Example: a pickpocketer is artful or politician or a good chess player
Gesticulate
(v) to gesture dramatically while speaking
Example: like gesture but using hands more dramatically
Sylvan
(adj.) living or located in the woods; characteristic of the woods or forest
Example: Pennsylvania is related to sylvan
(Penn is a guy who named Pennsylvania and he lived in a cabin in the woods)
Scintilla
(N) a minute quantity, trace or bit
Example: someone’s whose allergic to nuts can’t even have a scintilla of nuts in their food
Jaunty
(Adj.) Having a lively, cheerful self confident manner (sprightly or lively yg)
Example: if your boss calls you in and you get a promotion, you will jump back into your office in a jaunty manner
Insouciant
(adj.)
Unconsidered, lighthearted, or nonchalant (could have a negative meaning; being indifferent)
Example: someone could have a deadline today but they’re walking around the office carefree, they are insouciant
Bile
(N) ill (bad) humor or inclination to anger
Example: someone whose negative, you could be excited about the sunny day and they’re in a bad mood in response; they’re are bile
Or if someone ate your sandwich at work, you’d be bile towards them (inclination to anger)
Madcap
(Adj.) Impulsive, reckless, or foolishly wild
Example: (remember the word mad in it, someone has to be a bit mad - crazy - to be madcap) like imagine people driving motorcycles in a highway, fast and in between cars, it’s reckless and madcap
Recalcitrant
(Adj.) stubbornly resisting authority or guidance
Example: (looks like resistant) parents and teenage kid; parents telling kid to take over family business that’s been in 4 generations but teenager doesn’t want to
Penchant
(N) a pronounced tendency
Example: I have a penchant towards eating donuts or sleeping up too late (think of someone who has a penchant for changing —> tendency to chant)
Eschew
(V) to purposely avoid something
Example: (a common phrase: eschewing my responsibilities like chores)
Vitriolic
(adj) scathing, filled with bitter criticism
Example: (other negative v words: venomous or vicious)
someone who writes a really vitriolic review of a restaurant in between all the good reviews
Fracas
(n) a noisy, loud quarrel, brawl, or disturbance
Example: two people in a bar, rooting for different sport teams, they’re loud; this is a fracas
Choleric
(adj) hot-tempered or easily angered; irritable
Example: if in the morning I’m irritated and haven’t had my coffee yet, I am choleric
Dulcet
(adj.) melodious or pleasant in sound
Example: dulcet music, or wake up in the morning and partner whispers nice things in ear
Accrete
(V) to grow by gradual addition
Example: (sounds similar to accumulate and it is similar): snow accreting in the night, wake up and see a big mound of snow
Machination
(n) a crafty scheme, plot, or intrigue, often underhanded and secretive
Example: imagine evil villain movie in front of their machines plotting some scheme (machination)
Perquisite
(n) a privilege or payment given in addition to one’s salary
Example: (perks come from perquisite) perquisite like getting free food at work
Badger
(v) to persistently harass or irritate
Example: raakooon constantly badgers me to give him takiiis
Wastrel
(n) one who foolishly wastes money or resources
Example: us girls are wastrel when we shop online (esp from Net-a-Porter and farfetch)
Pugnacious
(adj) belligerent, quarrelsome, or quick to fight
Example: imagine two pugs in a ring about to fight cus it’s the big match
Flippant
(adj) not serious or respectful enough
Example (not being serious that it’s disrespectful) —> remember it by thinking of flipping something away from lack of importance
Sentence example: if I’m talking to hubby about serious topic and he’s being flippant, I’ll be annoyed af
Plutocracy
(n) government by the wealthy
Government by plutocrats (wealthy people)
Sentence: Dalal sat in her class, pensive, lost in her thoughts, thinking about the plutocratic European government the teacher was talking about who used their wealth to silence their misdeeds.
Pensive
(adj.) deeply, dreamily, lost in thought
Sentence: Dalal sat in her class, pensive, lost in her thoughts, thinking about the plutocratic European government the teacher was talking about who used their wealth to silence their misdeeds.
Lumber
(v) to move in a clumsy, heavy way; to rumble
(Lumber into work on a morning Monday; move clumsily; not on the mood)
Sentence: she lumbered into the office, bumping into desks and not in the mood at all on Sunday, not noticing that a magnate in industrial engineering, dr Abdullah, was visiting the office today, and she felt embarrassed
Magnate
(n) someone with power and influence, especially in a specific field of industry
(Like Jeff bezos, Oprah)
Sentence: she lumbered into the office, bumping into desks and not in the mood at all on Sunday, not noticing that a magnate in industrial engineering, dr Abdullah, was visiting the office today, and she felt embarrassed
Mercenary
(adj.) motivated by or working solely for money or material gain
Mercenary hitman: they don’t have a motive to kill, they were just hired by someone and did it for the purpose of money
Sentence: the mercenary hitman, hired for a high salary to chase the nighttime killer, quit his job so he can have a more salutary lifestyle starting by getting enough sleep
Salutary
(adj.) beneficial in effect; conducive to health
Examples: washing our hands, saving money for the future, getting enough sleep, getting exercise
Sentence: the mercenary hitman, hired for a high salary to chase the nighttime killer, quit his job so he can have a more salutary lifestyle starting by getting enough sleep
Celerity
(n) speed, rapidness of movement or action
Example: Dash out of house then remember u forgot something and dash back in with celerity to get it
Sentence: Her parsimonious father, who was stingy about his money, hesitantly took the money out of the wallet and so she dashed and grabbed it in celerity before he changed his mind.
Parsimonious
(adj.) excessively frugal or sparing; stingy
(Usually in relation to money)
Sentence: Her parsimonious father, who was stingy about his money, hesitantly took the money out of the wallet and so she dashed and grabbed it in celerity before he changed his mind.
Cow
(v) to intimidate, bully, or crush the resolve of
usually past tense
example bully in school, I got out of the way, cowed by fear
Sentence: my friend dragged me to a part I didn’t want to, left me alone with the dregs of the party, the losers, and then our school bully, Fatma, showed up and started making fun of the group, so I cowed away before she could get to my turn to make fun of me
Dregs
(n) the sediment or grounds at the bottom of a liquid; least desirable part
example: when making coffee at home, dregs at the bottom of the cup;
friend dragging me to party, and she ditched me to hang out with cool kids and left with me losers, then when she’s bk I say why did you leave me with the dregs of the party
Sentence: my friend dragged me to a part I didn’t want to, left me alone with the dregs of the party, the losers, and then our school bully, Fatma, showed up and started making fun of the group, so dalal cowed away before she got to her
Quack
(n) a person who pretends to have a knowledge that they don’t
example: pretends to be a doctor, haven’t even gone to medical school
Sentence: she exhorted her student, Sara, that if she didn’t behave right this instant, she would kick her out of class, Sarah replied to her ‘you’re a quack, you’re not even teaching us real things, you’re making it up’ which angered the teacher
Exhort
(v) to urge of give warning to
Ex: huge hurricane and newscast is exhorting me to get out
Sentence: she exhorted her student, Sara, that if she didn’t behave right this instant, she would kick her out of class, Sarah replied to her ‘you’re a quack, you’re not even teaching us real things, you’re making it up’ which angered the teacher
Loll
(V) to lie around lazily
(Usually body stretched, lying around lazily)
Sentence: Dalal liked when Mohammed was jocular, making jokes amidst work, it would lead her to go to bed and stretch out and loll comfortably
Jocular
(adj. ) humorous or playful
example: looks like joke, imagine someone in office whose always jocular
Sentence: Dalal liked when Mohammed was jocular, making jokes amidst work, it would lead her to go to bed and stretch out and loll comfortably
Extenuate
(v) to lessen the seriousness of an offense
example: if I’m running late but because there was an accident in the road, so it’s an extenuating circumstance. Extenuate -> good excuse
Sentence: the project of building a cross-selling dashboard was in its incipient phase, just beginning to look like a dashboard, but she had to stop before it came into full form because of an extenuating circumstance of her friend’s death
Incipient
(adj.) coming into existence or beginning to appear
Example: singularity to the creation of the world, oceans, land, etc. or if you’re creating a novel, it’s in the beginning a jumble of a words, but will later come together
Sentence: the project of building a cross-selling dashboard was in its incipient phase, just beginning to look like a dashboard, but she had to stop before it came into full form because of an extenuating circumstance of her friend’s death
Rabble
(n) a disorganized, tumultuous crowd
(n) the lowest order of people, as seen by those more powerful
Example: example people in the beginning of a concert, Loya
Example: king sees people as lower people
Sentence: the crowd waiting outside were in a rabble outside the president’s office, demanding a revote. The president looked at them from his office and he glanced at the welter of chaos of papers and things on his desk and it represented the rabble waiting outside for him.
Welter
(n) a confused jumble or mass
Example: grad student, and my table is a chaotic mess, my desk is in a welter, or waves in a storm, in a welter
Sentence: the crowd waiting outside were in a rabble outside the president’s office, demanding a revote. The president looked at them from his office and he glanced at the welter of chaos of papers and things on his desk and it represented the rabble waiting outside for him.
Rancor
(n) bitter, deep, persistent resentment or ill-will
Sentence: she felt rancor for the longest time for her mom not letting her study abroad. She finally was able to graft her beliefs into her mom who finally was convinced it was the right thing to do.
Graft
(v) to join or connect onto another (join one thing new into something existing) ; often used with plant shoots or other living tissue
Example: companies integrating into each other (big company taking over smaller company, integrating culture there); take skin from one part of body to another
Sentence: she felt rancor for the longest time for her mom not letting her study abroad. She finally was able to graft her beliefs into her mom who finally was convinced it was the right thing to do.
Accretion
(n) growth by gradual addition or buildip
Example: oyster making a pearl, starts with sand then adds layer after layer to become pearl
Sentence: usually a convivial person, a social person fun to be around, Dalal started feeling gloomy and became untalkative as she saw an accretion of papers and work pile on her desk
Convivial
(adj.) festive; sociable and friendly
Remember: con: with, vive: life (with life) example: convivial people r sociable and very fun to be around; family get together in thanksgiving, food and laughter..it’s a convivial event
Sentence: usually a convivial person, a social person fun to be around, Dalal started feeling gloomy and became untalkative as she saw an accretion of papers and work pile on her desk
Peruse
(v) to read or examine with great care
(v) to examine or look over something casually
Example: In library, peruse books or peruse carefully one book, study it)
Sentence: she was walking in the library, perusing the books and paused to peruse one book carefully when she turned around as she saw someone odiously ripping pages of a book.
Odious
(adj.) offensive, repugnant, or abhorrent
Example: something really awful, someone really awful or odious behavior doing something bad…reminds me of odor, an odious odor
Sentence: she was walking in the library, perusing the books and paused to peruse one book carefully when she turned around as she saw someone odiously ripping pages of a book.
Exult
(v) to rejoice or express great joy
Example: I won the lottery, I am exulting joy
Sentence: she exulted in joy after getting the score she desired for the gre, so she mollycoddled her family for the next month, showering them with gifts, cooking them lunch and dinner, showering them with compliments
Mollycoddle
(v) to indulge or pamper to an excessive degree
Example: mollycoddle a child by giving them loads of desserts, finest clothes to wear, compliments
Sentence: she exulted in joy after getting the score she desired for the gre, so she mollycoddled her family for the next month, showering them with gifts, cooking them lunch and dinner, showering them with compliments
Sanction
(v) official permission or authorization
Example if government sanctions use of something like mariujana it allows it
(v) a military or economic measure imposed by one nation to punish another
Example: US govt might sanction North Korea for some punishment for wrong doings
Opposite meanings
Sentence: she started doing her work with alacrity after her boss sanctioned her sponsorship to get her masters
Alacrity
(n) cheerful willingness or promptness
Example: as a kid I might finish chores with alacrity and speed so that I get more tv time
Sentence: she started doing her work with alacrity after her boss sanctioned her sponsorship to get her masters
Prosaic
(Adj) ordinary or mundane; characteristic of prose (every day life unlike poetry), rather than verse
Example: getting a valentine card with a prosaic, generic message
Sentence: she was a lachrymose person over the last few weeks, crying over everything, ever since she’d gone through her last break up. Her everyday life started feeling prosaic, her tasks and work, she missed the excitement he brought to her days.
Lachrymose
(Adj) tearful, weepy, likely to cry
Example: someone whose gone through a breakup, they’re lachrymose for a few weeks after, crying, listening to sad songs etc
Sentence: she was a lachrymose person over the last few weeks, crying over everything, ever since she’d gone through her last break up. Her everyday life started feeling prosaic, her tasks and work, she missed the excitement he brought to her days.
Lambent
(Adj) softly bright or flickering light
Example: fireflies are lambent, cat eyes
Sentence: Islam hallows Fridays as a day for Muslims to gather and pray together and usually the mosques are lambent with bright lights
Hallow
(v) to make holy; to revere or worship
Example: hallowed halls of Harvard that are lined with books almost worship as sites of great intellectual history; or hallow Friday as a day of islam good for du32 and prayer
Sentence: Islam hallows Fridays as a day for Muslims to gather and pray together and usually the mosques and streets on those days are lambent with bright lights
Extemporaneous
(adj) done or said with little or no preparation
Example: in a wedding, last minute decide to give a toast - give an extemporaneous speech
Sentence: after getting back the scientific report and found out that it was empirically true that her mom was not her biological mom, she got up at dinner and gave an extemporaneous speech about how her parents had lied to her
Empirical
(adj) based on observation or data
Example: something that’s empirically true is sun rises
Sentence: after getting back the scientific report and found out that it was empirically true that her mom was not her biological mom, she got up at dinner and gave an extemporaneous speech about how her parents had lied to her
Halcyon
(adj) donating a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy, peaceful or prosperous
Example: remembering halcyon childhood of dancing in the garden, everything was great, maybe exaggerated
Sentence: she was in class when her mind wandered back to her halcyon childhood where everything was perfect, everyone was happy, she would dance in the garden, paint, run in the park with that winsome little face of hers
Winsome
(adj.) sweetly or innocently charming
Example: often used to describe facial expressions or smile
Sentence: she was in class when her mind wandered back to her halcyon childhood where everything was perfect, everyone was happy, she would dance in the garden, paint, run in the park with that winsome little face of hers
Brassy
(adj.) bold, loud, showy or brazen
Example: leading ladies in Broadway musicals like elphaba in wicked
Sentence: her mom was a strong, brassy woman who would do things her way, she proscribed her children from going out after 7 PM
Proscribe
(v) to prohibit or forbid
Example: town maybe proscribe certain behaviors like littering
Sentence: her mom was a strong, brassy woman who would things her way, she proscribed her children from going out after 7 PM
Doughty
(adj.) courageous, resolute or valiant
Example: imagine a warrior on a horse with a sword, doughty
Sentence: Dalal was a doughty person, staying resolute and courageous when students constantly called her a nerd, she was so precocious that they moved her up a grade in school
Precocious
(adj.) shaking exceptionally early development or maturity, especially mentally
Example: children who develop early and smart are moved a grade up
Sentence: Dalal was a doughty person, staying resolute and courageous when students constantly called her a nerd, she was so precocious that they moved her up a grade in school
Guile
(n) cleverness or cunning (using clever techniques to get out off tough problems)
Example: chess player about to lose match then used their guile to make a move and win instead or tom and jerry, jerry almost always caught but never does
Sentence: she felt languid after the chess match where she was about to move but used a guile movie at the last moment to win over her opponent
Languid
(adj) weak from exhaustion
Example: languid after a long day or week
Sentence: she felt languid after the chess match where she was about to move but used a guile movie at the last moment to win over her opponent
Harrowing
(adj) very distressing or troubling
Example: Harry Potter as he’s trying to fight off the whomping willow tree, he’s going through a harrowing experience
Sentence: after Harry Potter went through a harrowing experience, fighting off the whomping willow tree from sucking him into the tree. The next day he went to professor McGonnogal’s office, in a suit, all stilted, trying to explain to her what happened and why he wasn’t in bed with scratches all over his face
Stilted
(adj) stiff, self-conscious, or overly formal .. (Think awkward)
Example: someone going to interview, in a suit, unnecessarily formal, he is stilted
Sentence: after Harry Potter went through a harrowing experience, fighting off the whomping willow tree from sucking him into the tree. The next day he went to professor McGonnogal’s office, in a suit, all stilted, trying to explain to her what happened and why he wasn’t in bed with scratches all over his face
Quell
(v) to suppress or subdue
Example: if you feel nauseous or sick, you might quell (push that feeling down) by drinking water or laying down
Sentence: she was walking with her friends and found herself feeling nauseous, so to quell the feeling, she balked walking and lied down on the street pavement
Balk
(v) to stop short and refuse to go on
Example: reading a book but very dense and boring so close the book, so I have balked at reading
Sentence: she was walking with her friends and found herself feeling nauseous, so to quell the feeling, she balked walking and lied down on the street pavement
Gossamer
(adj) extremely light, delicate or sheer
Example: wedding veil, light and sheer; fine tiny spider webs
Sentence: she had to drink lots of coffee to keep herself indefatigable while preparing things for her wedding, but it was all worth it when she came across this cute little store and found the perfect, beautiful gossamer little veil.
Indefatigable
(adj) untiring or unyielding to fatigue
Example: someone whose a climber and climbing to the top, have to indefatigable to get to the top
Sentence: she had to drink lots of coffee to keep herself indefatigable while preparing things for her wedding, but it was all worth it when she came across this cute little store and found the perfect, beautiful gossamer little veil.
Equanimity
(n) calmness; mental or emotional stability under stress
Example: boat is about to drown, everyone freaking out, but there’s someone whose displaying equanimity and says everyone it’s ok, hands out life vests and gets them ready
Sentence: although the girl displayed equanimity in the earthquake that took place and helped everyone to the basement and stayed calm, she felt deep dolor afterwards for the wrecking of her house and the loss of her friend.
Dolor
(n) sorrow, grief, or anguish
Example: Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh is dolor; profound kind of sadness, sadness might experience to due a major loss
Sentence: although the girl displayed equanimity in the earthquake that took place and helped everyone to the basement and stayed calm, she felt deep dolor afterwards for the wrecking of her house and the loss of her friend.
Temper
(v) to soften or lessen
(Almost opposite of the common meaning of temper)
Example: I’m hungry, so to wait till lunch, I temper my hunger with chips
Sentence: to temper the palpable anger and slight disrespect that was displayed in the letter, I wrote a coda: PS: I’m just saying this because I care, don’t be mad
Coda
(n) a concluding remark or section
Example: if you write a letter, and write ps then I’ve used a coda
Sentence: to temper the palpable anger and slight disrespect that was displayed in the letter, I wrote a coda: PS: I’m just saying this because I care, don’t be mad
Equivocate
(v) to use ambiguous language in order to avoid commitment
Example: someone asks you if you’re coming to a party, i equivocate and say maybe yeah, might be idk
Equi= equal, vocate = speak
Sentence: the verdant garden was filled with rich green grass, although she equivocated to her friend that it might or might not be verdant (she told her: yeah it is but it also isn’t green you know?)
Verdant
(adj) green and rich with vegetation
Sentence: the verdant garden was filled with rich green grass, although she equivocated to her friend that it might or might not be verdant (she told her: yeah it is but it also isn’t green you know?)
Diffident
(adj) shy or hesitant due to a lack of self-confidence
Note: diffident looks like confident, it’s opposite though
Sentence: she was a diffident kid, shy of her school peers so she implored her parents not to throw a birthday party and invite them although they insisted
Implore
(v) to beg, beseech, or appeal to
Sentence: she was a diffident kid, shy of her school peers so she implored her parents not to throw a birthday party and invite them although they insisted
Disseminate
(v) to scatter, spread, or disperse widely
In gre used in terms of: usually spreading information
Sentence: she disseminated the papers on her desk in frustration after reading series of doggerel poetry verses
Doggerel
(n) crude verse; often irregular in measure and risqué
Example: poetry about folks going to brothel and bars, it’s doggerel
Sentence: she disseminated the papers on her desk in frustration after reading series of doggerel poetry verses
Ferment
(v) to undergo or cause fermentation (in food: turn sugar into alcohol)
(v) to excite or agitate (more common in gre)
Ex: leader might ferment revolution by stirring people into state of agitation
Gild
(v) to cover in a thin layer of gold
(v) to give an improved or deceitfully pleasing appearance
Sentence: Instead of fermenting the class by telling them many did badly on the test, the teacher gilded the students by telling them the class average was 70.
Wane
(V) to decrease in intensity, quantity or strength
Sentence: she quailed as her gre date was getting closer and her deadlines too, but the fear started to wane as she prepared more readily
Quail
(v) to feel or show fear
Sentence: she quailed as her gre date was getting closer and her deadlines too, but the fear started to wane as she prepared more readily
Obesiant
(adj) deferential, paying homage to
Example: kind of like obey (showing so much respect towards)
Sentence: as a kid, Dalal was obeisant towards her mom, following her around and giving her whatever she wanted, her love for her mom was nonpareil
Nonpareil
(Adj) unparalleled, without equal
Sentence: as a kid, Dalal was obeisant towards her mom, following her around and giving her whatever she wanted, her love for her mom was nonpareil
Addle
(v) to confuse or cloud someone’s thinking
Sentence: her friend was continuously addling her with different conspiracy theories that were contradictory to each other; she suddenly lost it and screamed at her friend to stop, and although she felt bad, it was a great cathartic moment
Catharsis
(n) a release of strong emotions, and corresponding feeling of relief
Sentence: her friend was continuously addling her with different conspiracy theories that were contradictory to each other; she suddenly lost it and screamed at her friend to stop, and although she felt bad, it was a great cathartic moment
Sacrosanct
(adj) sacred and unchallengeable
Example: mosque might have a sacrosanct holiday, or special hour that has. A show you like so it’s a sacrosanct hour to you
Sentence: at the church’s sacrosanct holiday in January, people noticed she had a latent talent for choir music
Latent
(adj) existing but not apparent or active
Example: you didn’t know you had a talent for dancing but you dance and realize you have a latent talent for dancing
Sentence: at the church’s sacrosanct holiday in January, people noticed she had a latent talent for choir music
Portend
(v) to predict or forecast
Example: fortune teller: i portend great future for you
Sentence: after she lambasted her teacher for her teaching method, sara portended that her friend would get expelled from school
Lambaste
(v) to criticize harshly
(Over criticism)
Example: think of criticizing a lamb harshly
Sentence: after she lambasted her teacher for her teaching method, sara portended that her friend would get expelled from school
Listless
(adj) lacking energy or enthusiasm
Example: it’s February, gloomy weather, you feel listless
Immutable
(adj) fixed, unchanging
(Opposite of mutate - change forms)
Sentence: her mind was immutable, she was not going to let her daughter study abroad, so Dalal felt listless and lay in bed all day
Fetid
(adj) foul-smelling
Example: awful smelling socks in the summer all day
Sentence: she eked to support herself and get her necessities like food, that her clothes often reeked of fetid
Eke
(v) to obtain narrowly or barely support oneself
Example: barely able to support yourself in your 20s, win a basketball game by a mere point, barely
Sentence: she eked to support herself and get her necessities like food, that her clothes often reeked of fetid
Credulity
(n) a tendency to believe things too easily
Example: believing April fools pranks - have credulity to believe things easily
Sentence: she had credulity to believe that the man was actually going to give her the lucre he promised - but he was actually a thief
Lucre
(n) money or profit
Has a bit of negative connotation - if you go into a job you hate just to get lucre
Sentence: she had credulity to believe that the man was actually going to give her the lucre he promised - but he was actually a thief
Enervate
(v) to weaken or sap the strength of
example: like Harry Potter dementors enervate you suck your energy out of you
Sentence: her stepping on a crack was a harbinger that something ominous was going to happen to her mother. That thought enervated all her energy
Harbinger
(n) one that foreshadows or suggests something approaching
Sentence: her stepping on a crack was a harbinger that something ominous was going to happen to her mother. That thought enervated all her energy
Zealot
(n) someone who is excessively zealous or enthusiastic
example: usually religious - zealous supporters following politician or religion
Sentence: she was a zealot of the politician and that at backfired because he borrowed a lot of money from her and she had do to try to get him to amortize it when he lost
Amortize
(v) to gradually and systemically pay off
Example: taking loan and then amortizing it after graduating
Sentence: she was a zealot of the politician and that at backfired because he borrowed a lot of money from her and she had do to try to get him to amortize it when he lost
Laggard
(adj) slow, sluggish, or lagging behind
Example: in a hike with people, and struggling to keep up then i am laggard
Sentence: the girl was laggard in keeping up with social queues, she made gauche comments about her friends weight at her wedding rehearsal
Gauche
(adj) lacking in tact, sensitivity, or other social graces
Sentence: the girl was laggard in keeping up with social queues, she made gauche comments about her friends weight at her wedding rehearsal
Maudlin
(adj) tearfully sentimental, sometimes due to drunkness
Sentence: at her goodbye party, she was maudlin after a few drinks and inveigled her friends to join her new startup firm without offering them a salary for a few months
Inveigle
(v) to lure, induce, or win over by using flattery (or trickery)
Sentence: at her goodbye party, she was maudlin after a few drinks and inveigled her friends to join her new startup firm without offering them a salary for a few months
Voluble
(adj) characterized by ready, constantly flowing words
Someone who talks a lot or writer who puts out a ton of books a year
Sentence: she liked confabulating with her friends but one of her friends was voluble, just talking nonstop about everything and nothing
Confabulate
(v) to chat or converse
Sentence: she liked confabulating with her friends but one of her friends was voluble, just talking nonstop about everything and nothing
Aberration
(n) a departure from the normal or expected (negative way)
Sounds like it has error in it, if you make a mistake then you end up with aberration
Sentence: she was cooking her family dinner but there was an aberration in one of the tomatoes she was cooking and received a angry, diatribe from her dad
Diatribe
(n) a strong, negative verbal attack
Sentence: she was cooking her family dinner but there was an aberration in one of the tomatoes she was cooking and received a angry, diatribe from her dad
Friable
(Adj) easily crumbled
Example: mummy in a museum and you can’t touch because it’s old cloth and if you touch it will crumble, it’s friable
She gave an encomium at her school, thanking them for providing her with such great education and then they celebrated by eating crispy fried chicken with friable skin that crumbled into the plates.
Encomium
(n) high praise for something, usually in a formal way
She gave an encomium at her school, thanking them for providing her with such great education and then they celebrated by eating crispy fried chicken with friable skin that crumbled into the plates.
Aspersion
(n) an attack on something’s reputation
Example: this celebrity’s getting divorced because they cheated —> it’s an aspersion (in context of taking it out into the world to see)
Sentence: there was an aspersion on the newspaper that Jennifer Aniston was getting a divorce because brad Pitt cheated on her, but it was a specious from the truth, he hadn’t cheated on her they just disagreed on something
Specious
(adj) plausible, but untrue or misleading
Example: health guru who tells you eat six avocados a day and you will lose weight
Sentence: there was an aspersion on the newspaper that Jennifer Aniston was getting a divorce because brad Pitt cheated on her, but it was a specious from the truth, he hadn’t cheated on her they just disagreed on something
Rapport
(n) a relationship with affinity and trust
Basically you like each other
Example: rapport with a friend, first date, a waiter you develop a joke with
Amorphous
(adj) without a clearly defined form
Example: a blob (remember the book amorphous)
An idea can be amorphous, or schedule (freelancer)
Sentence: she had an amorphous schedule, that changed everyday but she made sure to make time for her friend who she had rapport with
Finagle
(v) to get something through unusual and dishonest means
example get stopped by police for going fast and I say sorry officer my wife is preggers
Sentence: she finagled her way out of getting a ticket from the police by saying her friend was drunk and distracting her, but that annoyed her friend so to assuage her she took her out for some ice cream
Assuage
(v) to lessen the intensity of a bad feeling; to satisfy or sate
Example friend trying to assuage her friend whose sad by getting her magazines and ice cream or craving food and so eat greasy fatty food to assuage desire
Sentence: she finagled her way out of getting a ticket from the police by saying her friend was drunk and distracting her, but that annoyed her friend so to assuage her she took her out for some ice cream
Harried
(adj) stressed and overwhelmed by tasks
Example professor harried by students papers, research obligations, class obligations etc
Sentence: the teacher was harried by all the work she had to write the test, grade the papers and prepare class material, but the students seemed aloof and couldn’t care less about seeing their teacher stressed
Aloof
(adj) cool and distant
Example person in party who isn’t chatty, standing by the side not welcoming
Sentence: the teacher was harried by all the work she had to write the test, grade the papers and prepare class material, but the students seemed aloof and couldn’t care less about seeing their teacher stressed
Disparate
(adj) distinct, separate or contrasting
Example: soccer game, fans supporting different teams and so they are disparate fans
Think of disparate as a combo of distinct and separate
Sentence: part of her quotidian routine was to pick up the trash and place them in disparate trash cans (recycling, plastic, etc)
Quotidian
(adj) daily, or ordinary
Example: quotidian routines - brush your teeth everyday
Sentence: part of her quotidian routine was to pick up the trash and place them in disparate trash cans (recycling, plastic, etc)
Effluvium
(n) an offensive odor
If I smell a skunk bad smell, that’s an effluvium
Sentence: she was a polyglot businessperson and conversed easily with Italians, French, and Chinese. Her least favorite country to go to though was India because there was an effluvium coming from the cows there
polyglot
(adj) knowing it using several languages
poly - many
Sentence: she was a polyglot businessperson and conversed easily with Italians, French, and Chinese. Her least favorite country to go to though was India because there was an effluvium coming from the cows there
Erroneous
(adj) containing or marked by error; mistaken
Sentence: she was erroneous when she told her friends that the guy was just unctuous with her to get her into bed, he actually really liked her
Unctuous
(adj) oily (literally) excessively flattering (metaphorically)
Sentence: she was erroneous when she told her friends that the guy was just unctuous with her to get her into bed, he actually really liked her
Apex
(n) pinnacle (peak, successful point) or high point
Imagine letter A as mountain I’m climbing trying to get to the high point
High point of career (apex)
Sentence: when she got to the apex of her career, she became capricious and decided to quit her job and become a freelance traveler
Capricious
(adj) flighty, impulsive, changing on a whim
As a kid, everyday dream job changes for new reasons, they are capricious
Someone who rearranges furniture in house everyday
Sentence: when she got to the apex of her career, she became capricious and decided to quit her job and become a freelance traveler
Bridle
(v) to hold back or restrain
or to take offense
imagine a bride who takes offense to someone who brings 5 plus 1s, she bridles
Or she bridles her friend from lashing out on the man
Sentence: the girl bridled when Sara fooled her with an acrid fruit, since Sara knew the girl hated acidic tasting food
Acrid
(adj) harsh to the taste or smell;
or bitter or angry
Remember acid also harsh taste smell- lemon is acidic and also has harsh sharp flavor so it is acrid
Someone could have an acrid sense of humor
Sentence: the girl bridled when Sara fooled her with an acrid fruit, since Sara knew the girl hated acidic tasting food
Chimera
(n) something imaginary, or visionary to the point of being unrealistic
A land with unicorns, magical creatures is chimera
Sentence: she always dreamed of a chimera filled with unicorns, speaking butterflies and flying dogs who wouldn’t dog their owners’ slippers
Dogged
(adj) very determined, persistent, stubborn
Dog is very dogged (stubborn) he won’t let go of the remote
Sentence: she always dreamed of a chimera filled with unicorns, speaking butterflies and flying dogs who wouldn’t dog their owners’ slippers
Loquacious
(adj) talkative
Long word - talkative
Sentence: she was very loquacious and spoke nonstop and even wrote a long paean about her love for things like sushi in the form of a haiku so she could recite it to her friends later
Paean
(n) something that expresses enthusiastic praise
Example I love a pecan pie and so I write a paean in the form of haiku to show my love for it
Sentence: she was very loquacious and spoke nonstop and even wrote a long paean about her love for things like sushi in the form of a haiku so she could recite it to her friends later
Exigent
(adj) pressing or demanding
Dog in morning jumps on me, licks etc because she has exigent need to go outside
Ceiling falls so exigent problem that needs to be dealt with right away
Sentence: she had an exigent desire to redeem herself from her awful sins and received a benediction from the Imam to seek forgiveness
Benediction
(n) a formal blessing
- often seen in a religious context
Receive a benediction from a religious leader in a mosque for example
Sentence: she had an exigent desire to redeem herself from her awful sins and received a benediction from the Imam to seek forgiveness
Imperious
(adj) commanding, domineering or overbearing
Comes from the same root as empire
Empires were imperious - they tell you how to live and just take over
Sentence:
The country was teeming with empires who were imperious and told everyone exactly how to live and dress and what to eat
Teem
(v) to be full of, or swarming with
Example: the new neighborhood is teeming with restaurants
Sentence:
The country was teeming with empires who were imperious and told everyone exactly how to live and dress and what to eat
Pertinacious
(adj) persistently holding to an opinion or goal
Remember persistent sounds similar; pertinacious car salesman trying to sell a car
Sentence: she was pertinacious about going to study abroad, that she showed her mom articles with veracity about the higher success rates in life of those who do
Veracity
(n) accuracy, truthfulness
Article has veracity because it was fact checked by journalist
Sentence: she was pertinacious about going to study abroad, that she showed her mom articles with veracity about the higher success rates in life of those who do
Largess
(An) generosity in gift-giving
Grandma gives generous gifts and I say oh grandma you’re largess this year
Limpid
(adj) clear or transparent
Lucid and pellucid also mean the same thing
Sentence:
Compendious
(adj) concise but thorough and comprehensive
Sparknotes for example goes through highlights of book
Sentence: Beowulf was a recondite read in high school, but the spark notes highlights was compendious and gave me the full story
Recondite
(adj.) obscure (unclear), hard to understand
Beowulf in high school reading it was recondite
Sentence: Beowulf was a recondite read in high school, but the spark notes highlights was compendious and gave me the full story
Chary
(adj.) cautious or wary
Example: chary to run a yellow light (think of it as cautious and wary’s couple name)
Sentence: she was chary of what to say in front of her friend, because her friend always ended up giving her scathing remarks, criticizing her opinions
Scathing
(adj.) bitterly, harshly critical or severe
Example: bad if someone writes a scathing review of you (remember it by thinking of scab similar ring to it, if someone gives you a scathing remark, it hurts like a scab)
Sentence: she was chary of what to say in front of her friend, because her friend always ended up giving her scathing remarks, criticizing her opinions
Tacit
(adj.) expressed without words, unspoken
Example: we have a tacit agreement that whenever we go out, I order salad you order fries and we share
Sentence: I have a tacit agreement with rawaa, that when we go out, we have a snack to curb our appetite before going to jeser jaber
Curb
(v) to check or restrain
Example: have a little snack to curb my appetite when I’m hungry
Sentence: I have a tacit agreement with rawaa, that when we go out, we have a snack to curb our appetite before going to jeser jaber
Inundate
(v) to overwhelm
example: 6-11 am shift barista making coffee inundates her
Sentence: the sight of the impecunious beggar boys on the street inundated the poor girl, they kept coming after her begging for money
Impecunious
(adj.) penniless, without money
Example: rich country with poor boys begging for money, that’s an impecunious lot
Sentence: the sight of the impecunious beggar boys on the street inundated the poor girl, they kept coming after her begging for money
Boon
(n) a timely blessing or benefit
Example: grandma gives me a calculator as a gift and I had just lost mine so it’s a boon (came right on time
Sentence: the great gatsby threw parties full of panache, in one of them, he gave out fur coats that was a boon for the New York’s soon to come cold winter
Panache
(n) flair in style or manner
Sentence: the great gatsby threw parties full of panache, in one of them, he gave out fur coats that came as a boon for the New York’s soon to come cold winter
Occlude
(v) to obstruct or block off
Example: construction occludes street
Sentence: she’s been learning many neologisms for the GRE. One word she learned was occluded and a sentence for that was: the construction occluded the streets
Neologism
(n) a new word or phrase
Roots: neo means new, logism sounds like language, means word
Example: selfie, 10 years ago didn’t exist
Sentence: she’s been learning many neologisms for the GRE. One word she learned was occluded and a sentence for that was: the construction occluded the streets
Saturnine
(adj.) gloomy, dark
Example: people that Saturn ruled sadness
Sentence: the house was saturnine because all the lights were turned off, when she asked her mom to turn them on she told her you’re being profligate with energy!
Profligate
(Adj.) wasteful
Example: being profligate with energy by keeping electricity on all day long
Sentence: the house was saturnine because all the lights were turned off, when she asked her mom to turn them on she told her you’re being profligate with energy!
Caustic
(Adj.) bitterly sarcastic
Example: if everyone’s in a meeting, and you’re late your boss says caustically: oh how nice of you to finally join us
Sentence: she lived a hermetic life, her mom kept her inside her house as to not catch any diseases, one day she caustically told her mother ‘are you planning on locking me up here forever? Cus if you are let me know and I will kill my self’ which her mom took seriously and got frightened
Hermetic
(adj.) airtight; isolated from outside influence
Example: Amish are a hermetic community, isolated from the rest of the world
Sentence: she lived a hermetic life, her mom kept her inside her house as to not catch any diseases, one day she caustically told her mother ‘are you planning on locking me up here forever? Cus if you are let me know and I will kill my self’ which her mom took seriously and got frightened
Munificence
(Adj.) great generosity
Example: episode when Oprah just gave everyone a car, Oprah is munificent here
Sentence: she felt extreme felicity when Oprah was munificent and handed everyone in the audience a free car and explained how she felt with felicity
Felicity
(n) intense happiness; or, the ability to express things clearly
Example: feel felicity in Christmas with friends; friend express felicity when being angry and clearly explaining why she’s mad
Sentence: she felt extreme felicity when Oprah was munificent and handed everyone in the audience a free car and explained how she felt with felicity
Animus
(n) hostility, ill will; the motivation to do something
First meaning; similar to animosity (feeling hostility towards someone) other is about being motivated to do something
Sentence: her friend was feeling dour that day and spreading negativity towards everyone in the party, and so her the people in the party felt animus towards her, until someone felt animus to turn the party back up and started dancing in the middle of the dance floor
Dour
(adj.) ill-humored, sullen, or gloomy
Reminds me of sour - someone whose not having fun, ill-humored
Sentence: her friend was feeling dour that day and spreading negativity towards everyone in the party, and so her the people in the party felt animus towards her, until someone felt animus to turn the party back up and started dancing in the middle of the dance floor
Axiom
(n) a statement regarded as universal truth
Example: the only guarantee in life is death and taxes (that’s an axiom, kind of like idiom: it’s raining cats and dogs but more serious)
Sentence: polemical cousin, dana, always stirs up pot in family gatherings with her ‘israel isn’t bad’ arguments, that an axiom was made ‘Dana is polemical, and that’s an axiom to everyone who knows her’
Polemical
(adj.) controversial, provoking dispute
Tongue twister: a polemical person is purposefully provocative
Example: cousin stirring up problem in family gatherings
Sentence: polemical cousin, dana, always stirs up pot in family gatherings with her ‘israel isn’t bad’ arguments, that an axiom was made ‘Dana is polemical, and that’s an axiom to everyone who knows her’
Rebuff
(v) to reject or repel
Re: means to object/oppose
Example: rebuffed from a friend when you say let’s hang out
Sentence: she rebuffed her friend’s offer to come to her house because she secretly didn’t like her but then she felt contrite for being mean for no real reason
Contrite
(adj.) feeling remorse for wrongdoing
Dog is feeling contrite after ripping pillows in couch and owner comes home looking contrite
Sentence: she rebuffed her friend’s offer to come to her house because she secretly didn’t like her but then she felt contrite for being mean for no real reason
Superfluous
(adj.) extra, beyond what is necessary
Remember: super flowing, bath water super flowing with water
Example: Superfluous amount of cream cheese on bagel
Sentence: the radio played a superfluous amount of Christmas music in December which was actually apposite because of the season
Apposite
(adj) appropriate, relevant or apt
Example: if radio puts Christmas music in December, that’s apposite.
Apposite is the opposite of opposite. So if opposite means not relevant to what we’re talking about, apposite means it is relevant.
Sentence: the radio played a superfluous amount of Christmas music in December which was actually apposite because of the season
Ersatz
(adj) an imitation or substitute: artificial or synthetic
Example: this girl has a store that sells fake brands, so fake Gucci bags etc
Sentence: keeping up with the kardashians is such a histrionic show, full of drama and crying about the silliest things! In one episode, one kardashian was caught with an ersatz Gucci bag, which was so unlikely!
Histrionic
(adj) affected or dramatic or excessively emotional
Sentence: keeping up with the kardashians is such a histrionic show, full of drama and crying about the silliest things! In one episode, one kardashian was caught with an ersatz Gucci bag, which was so unlikely!
Pyrrhic
(adj) achieved at such a cost as to negate the victory
Example: win a lawsuit but amount of money you win is less than what you spent on the lawsuit
Sentence: the bane of my existence is the pyrrhic lawsuit that i thought would give me a profit but actually end up robbing me because I spent on it more than I got.
Bane
(n) a cause of distress or destruction
Example: the bane of my existence is the cold winter in Kuwait (awful thing that gets under your skin)
Sentence: the bane of my existence is the pyrrhic lawsuit that i thought would give me a profit but actually end up robbing me because I spent on it more than I got.
Inchoate
(adj) incomplete, not fully developed
Example: inchoate plan to steal the exam
Sentence: her friend acted mawkish when she received a gift, as if she received a million dollars when she only gave her a Claire’s necklace. Turns out she had rehearsed this reaction, but her plan wasn’t inchoate because she didn’t consider the fact that the gift she would receive could be simple
Mawkish
(adj) sickeningly sentimental
Sentence: her friend acted mawkish when she received a gift, as if she received a million dollars when she only gave her a Claire’s necklace. Turns out she had rehearsed this reaction, but her plan wasn’t inchoate because she didn’t consider the fact that the gift she would receive could be simple
Digress
(v) to deviate from the main point
Example: talk about something then deviate from it and talk about something else
Sentence: she was talking about flip-phones but quickly digressed the conversation when she realized it was antediluvian and no one used them anymore
Antediluvian
(adj) extremely old (before the biblical flood)
Ante: before
Diluvian: flood
Sentence: she was talking about flip-phones but quickly digressed the conversation when she realized it was antediluvian and no one used them anymore
Burgeon
(v) to grow or develop quickly
Example: Years ago: Silicon Valley is really burgeoning maybe we should develop our business here
Sentence: she wanted to burgeon her business globally and got impetuous and started knocking objects off the table when Darren gave her a reality check that it wouldn’t work out.
Impetuous
(adj) impulsive, reckless
‘pet’: petty
Example: impetuous child who is mad about not getting what they want
Sentence: she wanted to burgeon her business globally and got impetuous and started knocking objects off the table when Darren gave her a reality check that it wouldn’t work out.
Countenance
(n) appearance, especially facial expression
Example: tell someone: your countenance flips my heart
Sentence: the countenance on his face looked like he was up to no good…he was obsequious to his evil master, so he probably was
Obsequious
(adj) excessively obedient or attentive
Example: Peter Pettigrew to Voldemort
Sentence: the countenance on his face looked like he was up to no good…he was obsequious to his evil master, so he probably was
Austere
(adj.) severe or stern in manner (example strict teacher in school); very simple and unadorned (example space that hasn’t been decorated for years just simple)
Sentence: she had an austere teacher and felt compunction after eating the cake she hid in her austere fridge for her birthday
Compunction
(n) a feeling of guilt that prevents or follows doing something bad
Example: experience of compunction before doing something bad so I don’t do it, or I do it then I feel compunction
Sentence: she had an austere teacher and felt compunction after eating the cake she hid in her austere fridge for her birthday
Inured
(adj.) to be accustomed to something unpleasant
Rhymes with endured (think of it that way: endured something for so long) that you get used to it
Sentence: the teacher was inured to her students who were acting fractious when she was teaching fractions. She just got used to it and decided to go on teaching as they resisted
Fractious
(adj.) unruly, difficult to control, or quarrelsome
Example: often applied to children, imagine kids in school studying fraction they’re not focusing and being hard to control
Sentence: the teacher was inured to her students who were acting fractious when she was teaching fractions. She just got used to it and decided to go on teaching as they resisted
Dawdle
(v) to waste time or move slowly
Example: hamada always dawdles before it’s sleeptime
Sentence: hamada was dawdling as it was bed time and tried to use chicanery to convince his mom not to sleep
Chicanery
(n) deception for political or financial gain
Everything about fyre festival is chicanery
Sentence: hamada was dawdling as it was bed time and tried to use chicanery to convince his mom not to sleep
Abscond
(v) to sneak away in a hurry, often with something you’re hiding
Example: abscond (sneak away) with cookies not supposed to eat from kitchen
Sentence: she was mettlesome for absconding those cookies from the kitchen even though it was for her father’s work party..she knew he might hit her
Mettlesome
(adj.) courageous; full of mettle
Example: knight in shining armor wearing metal going into battle he is courageous
Sentence: she was mettlesome for absconding those cookies from the kitchen even though it was for her father’s work party..she knew he might hit her
Disillusion
(v) to cause someone to realize their belief is false
Dis- negating, illusion: false belief
Make you realize belief is wrong
Sentence: she disillusioned the girl’s belief that she whet her appetite by showing her a picture of juicy food, she was actually hungry because she smelled food near by
Whet
(v) to stimulate or to sharpen
Example: someone stimulating your hunger by describing yummy food
Sentence: she disillusioned the girl’s belief that she whet her appetite by showing her a picture of juicy food, she was actually hungry because she smelled food near by
Pedestrian
(adj.) so commonplace as to be uninteresting, unexciting (boring)
Just fancy way of saying boring
Sentence: it was abstruse why her teacher kept on using words like pedestrian to describe the play instead of boring, what a snob!
Abstruse
(adj.) difficult to understand
Physics problem is abstruse or reading a Shakespeare play
Sentence: it was abstruse why her teacher kept on using words like pedestrian to describe the play instead of boring, what a snob!
Stolid
(adj.) unemotional or inexpressive
Example: if manhattan showed words without being emotional like they actually are, it would be boring
Sentence: she felt ennui during most days on covid when she had to stay inside, and when her family talked to her she would respond with stolid, reflecting her boredom
Ennui
(n) weariness or dissatisfaction due to boredom
Sentence: she felt ennui during most days on covid when she had to stay inside, and when her family talked to her she would respond with stolid, reflecting her boredom
Chagrin
(n) humiliation or disappointment (with frustration)
Example: chagrin - think of cha - shaking your head
Example say I’m good at chess then lost a simple game, would feel chagrin
Sentence: she took umbrage to the fact that she lost the game she was supposedly so good at and everyone smirked at her and she felt chagrin
Umbrage
(n) offense or resentment at a perceived insult
Example: if someone said you smell really bad, say ‘I take umbrage with that’ like I’m offended
Prof. Umbridge in Harry Potter took umbrage to a lot of things
Sentence: she took umbrage to the fact that she lost the game she was supposedly so good at and everyone smirked at her and she felt chagrin
Salubrious
(adj) healthy
Sentence: she tried to alleviate the pain she was feeling by starting to be salubrious and eat healthily and exercise
Alleviate
(v) to make a problem better
Sentence: she tried to alleviate the pain she was feeling by starting to be salubrious and eat healthily and exercise
Sanguine
(adj.) optimistic; blood red in color
Example: curtain that comes down in theater: red, or someone who is positive about the future is optimistic
Sentence: her friend was fickle in making decisions about where to go and eat all the time, but she sanguine that she would develop and start becoming more decisive
Fickle
(adj.) changing our mind a lot
Sentence: her friend was fickle in making decisions about where to go and eat all the time, but she sanguine that she would develop and start becoming more decisive
Panacea
(n) a cure-all; a single solution to everything
Example: universal remedy for all diseases - skeptical about that..
Sentence; : she believed that it was prodigal to have multiple medications for different diseases, let alone the same ones! She believed there was a panacea medicine that would heal everyone from any disease!
Prodigal
(adj.) wastefully extravagant (excessive)
Example: have so much money that I throw out the pool
Sentence; : she believed that it was prodigal to have multiple medications for different diseases, let alone the same ones! She believed there was a panacea medicine that would heal everyone from any disease!
Assiduous
(adj) careful, diligent and persistent
(Sounds like studious and it’s close in meaning)
Sentence: she was an assiduous student and her boss knew, so when she supplicated that he fund her scholarship he instantly agreed
Supplicate
(v) to ask humbly
(Imagine peasant tells king I am here to supplicate your help in..) not like begging, less desperate than that
Sentence: she was an assiduous student and her boss knew, so when she supplicated that he fund her scholarship he instantly agreed
Wanton
(adj.) deliberate and reckless
Example: wanton attack of wontons
Sentence: there was a wanton attack in the hall between students which was germane to the theme of the day: everyone was fighting
Germane
(adj.) relevant
Dr jerman is germane lol maybe not
Sentence: there was a wanton attack in the hall between students which was germane to the theme of the day: everyone was fighting
Insipid
(adj.) bland; lacking favor
Example: indomie can taste insipid sometime s
Malfeasance
(N) wrongdoing or misconduct, especially by public official
Roots: mal means bad (malificent is villian, malpractice is bad practice) feasance think of feat
Sentence: these cops committed malfeasance by wrongly arresting the man driving. They threw him in jail and gave him unbearable insipid food.
Lionize
(v) to treat like a celebrity, give great approval and admiration.
So cringe when Kuwaitis lionize other Kuwaitis with well known family members
Sentence: she lionized the man and it was as pellucid as clear glass that she wanted something from him
Pellucid
(adj) transparent or clear
Sentence: she lionized the man and it was as pellucid as clear glass that she wanted something from him
Facile
(adj) easy, effortless, often to the point of being over simplistic
Sentence: her friend made quick choices, making it seem facile, almost showing off that she was decisive, while she had to always vacillate between multiple alternatives
Vacillate
(v) to waver or fluctuate between positions
Ex Vacillate between choices
Sentence: her friend made quick choices, making it seem facile, almost showing off that she was decisive, while she had to always vacillate between multiple alternatives
Pallid
(adj) pale; lacking color or liveliness
Pal - pale to remember
Sentence: at the beginning of the party she was acting blithe, cheerful and loud a bit annoying, but later on she sat in a corner and looked pallid.
Blithe
(adj) cheerful and carefree, sometimes inappropriately
Example: person life of the party but improper; blithe
Sentence: at the beginning of the party she was acting blithe, cheerful and loud a bit annoying, but later on she sat in a corner and looked pallid.
Provincial
(adj) concerning the provinces; not urban
(Imagine hills, a village) could be negative not sophisticated or could be positive
Sentence: Kuwait abuts Saudi Arabia but kuwait is more provincial
Abut
(v) to border, stand next to
Kuwait abuts Saudi Arabia
Sentence: Kuwait abuts Saudi Arabia but kuwait is more provincial
Clamorous
(adj) noisy
Example: imagine clams being clamorous in the sea
Sentence: the man displayed a lot of cupidity when it came to paying for dinner. He would make clamorous noise with his feet for the girl to pay.
Cupidity
(n) greed
Example: imagine Cupid shooting arrow into a pile of cash
Sentence: the man displayed a lot of cupidity when it came to paying for dinner. He would make clamorous noise with his feet for the girl to pay.
Prolix
(adj) excessively wordy speech or writing
Example: prolix professor talking on and on
Prolix think of professional lips like professional talker
Sentence: the farmer had fallow land this year because it hasn’t rained and he surprisingly missed the prolix workers he had who would be talking nonstop that he used to get annoyed by
Fallow
(adj) uncultivated, dormant, inactive
Example: farmer was fallow land - not cultivated
Sentence: the farmer had fallow land this year because it hasn’t rained and he surprisingly missed the prolix workers he had who would be talking nonstop that he used to get annoyed by
Mercurial
(adj) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes in mood
Mercury is in retrograde
Example: someone who is mercurial - unpredictable in mood
Sentence: her friend was often mercurial, one day speaking of quixotic dreams like flying to the moon and the other feeling like just quitting life
Quixotic
(adj) idealistic and impractical
Example: someone who has crazy dreams that won’t come true
Sentence: her friend was often mercurial, one day speaking of quixotic dreams like flying to the moon and the other feeling like just quitting life
Cabal
(N) a small, secret group of conspirators
Example cabal trying to poison king
Sentence: the cabal was planning on poisoning the king and they were thinking of truculent ways to hurt him like stabbing him with forks
Truculent
(adj) ferocious, violent or cruel
Example: imagine a monster truck..evil intent
Sentence: the cabal was planning on poisoning the king and they were thinking of truculent ways to hurt him like stabbing him with forks
Garrulous
(adj) overly talkative
Example: say a lot and about stuff doesn’t really matter
Sentence: the girl would be remiss if she didn’t tell her friend that she was sometimes to garrulous in moments she shouldn’t be.
Remiss
(adj) negligent to one’s duties
‘I would be remiss if…I didn’t tell you about that food in your teeth’
Sentence: the girl would be remiss if she didn’t tell her friend that she was sometimes to garrulous in moments she shouldn’t be.
Indolent
(adj) lazy or slothful
Beginning of word: indo like indoors — you’re definitely indoors if you’re being indolent
Sentence: the girl exacerbated her depressive episode by being indolent and staying indoors
Exacerbate
(v) to make a problem or bad situation worse
If you don’t take medication, you’ll exacerbate your medical condition
Sentence: the girl exacerbated her depressive episode by being indolent and staying indoors
Adroit
(adj) skilled, resourceful, or adept in a given situation
Ex: different friends adept in different areas like putting makeup, cooking
Sentence: most of her friends were adroit, each with their own set of skills in cooking, makeup, dancing, but she had one friend who was banal and just tried to imitate everyone’s cooking/makeup/dancing
Banal
(adj) without originality or freshness
Example: like an art critic looking at art in gallery and say it’s banal, like been done and seen before
Sentence: most of her friends were adroit, each with their own set of skills in cooking, makeup, dancing, but she had one friend who was banal and just tried to imitate everyone’s cooking/makeup/dancing
Demur
(v) to object or hesitate; to show reluctance
Sentence: she demurred to go to the show with her friend but it turned out to be so good that she told her friend ‘I’m so glad I came, the singer closed the show with such a display of bravura’
Bravura
(n) a display of brilliance or daring
Example: after performance you say oh the singer closed the show with such a display of bravura (bravo!)
Sentence: she demurred to go to the show with her friend but it turned out to be so good that she told her friend ‘I’m so glad I came, the singer closed the show with such a display of bravura’
Ephemeral
(adj) temporary
Example: life is ephemeral, pain is ephemeral
Sentence: she averred that their current situation was ephemeral and they will get back on track soon enough
Aver
(v) to assert
Example: this evidence avers that my client is innocent
Sentence: she averred that their current situation was ephemeral and they will get back on track soon enough
Lugubrious
(adj) mournful, often to an exaggerated extent
(Overly dramatically sad)
Sentence: the girl was lugubrious today and just bringing the mood down so her friend acted waggish to get her to mood up
Waggish
(adj) roguishly humorous
(Humorous in a mischievous and scandalous way)
Imagine dog - wag,
Sentence: the girl was lugubrious today and just bringing the mood down so her friend acted waggish to get her to mood up
Frenetic
(adj) wildly active, frenzied, or frantic
Imagine Put a friend in a net with a tic, they’re going to be frenetic trying to get bug off
Sentence: razan is an affable person, people liked approaching and talking to her unlike Sarah who was frenetic all the time and repelled people
Affable
(adj) pleasant and easy to talk to; approachable
Sentence: razan is an affable person, people liked approaching and talking to her unlike Sarah who was frenetic all the time and repelled people
Discomfit
(v) to confuse, disconcert, make uneasy or embarrass
It means discomfort
Sentence: she received an accolade for being the best student which made her jealous friend discomfit
Accolade
(n) an award, praise or expression of approval
Sentence: she received an accolade for being the best student which made her jealous friend discomfit
Expeditious
(adj) prompt, efficient or quick
Pay for expedited shipping for example
Sentence: she wanted to expedite the process of the king abdicating his throne so she paid him to do so
Abdicate
(v) to formally give up power
Someone abdicated thrown for example
Words like Abnormal, abstain away from ‘ab’ similar
Sentence: she wanted to expedite the process of the king abdicating his throne so she paid him to do so
