Deck 2 Flashcards
eugenics
study of factors that influence the hereditary qualities of the human race and ways to improve these qualities
The science fiction novel describes a military eugenics program designed to create a race of “super-soldiers” possessing intelligence, strength, and other qualities far in advance of the ordinary person.
eulogy
high praise, especially of a person who has recently died
After the death of Abraham Lincoln, many eulogies of him appeared in newspapers throughout America.
euphemism
use of agreeable or inoffensive language in place of unpleasant or offensive language; the expression so substituted
“To pass away” is a euphemism for “to die.”
euphoria
a feeling of extreme happiness
There was euphoria in the professor’s house after it was learned that she had received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
euthanasia
mercy killing
evince
to show clearly; be an indication of
The student’s response to the teacher’s question evinced his ignorance of the subject.
evocative
tending to call to mind or produce a reaction; tending to evoke
The perfume is evocative of spring.
exacerbate
to aggravate; make worse
The release of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels has increased the amount of this gas in the atmosphere, exacerbating the naturally occuring “greenhouse effect” that has predominated in Earth’s recent past.
exact
to force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority
The conquering rulers exacted a tax of 10% from every adult male in the country.
exculpate
to clear of blame;
The report exculpated the FBI of any wrongdoing in its handling of the investigation.
execrable
detestable; abhorrent; 嫌悪すべき,忌まわしい
When folk artists such as Bob Dylan began to use rock instruments, many folk music traditionalists considered it an execrable travesty.
exhort
to urge by strong appeals
In 1943 U.S. General exhorted American troops about to invade Hitler’s Europe, saying that victory was assured because American soldiers were more virile and courageous than their German counterparts.
virile
of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or befitting a man; masculine; manly:
virile strength.
exigency
crisis; urgent requirements
Astronauts must be prepared for exigencies such as damage to their spacecraft’s life support system.
existential
pertaining to existence; based on experience;
exorcise
to expel evil spirits; free from bad influences
A modern parallel to the shaman is the psychiatrist, who helps the patient exorcise personal demons and guides him toward mental wholeness.
expatiate
to speak or write at length
Every year the book club invites a famous author to come to expatiate on the art of writing.
expatriate
to send into exile; to banish (a person) from his or her country
People seeking asylum in another country are sometimes expatriated.
expiate
to atone for
The pilgrims undertook their long journey to expiate their sins.
explicate
to explain; interpret; clarify
The literature exam requires students to explicate three poems they studied in class and one they have not studied.
expository
explanatory
There is no one model of expository prose that a student can emulate, since each piece of good writing is unique.
extant
in existence; not lost
Unfortunately for Bible scholars, there are no extant writings of Jesus Christ.
extemporaneous
unrehearsed
I enjoyed the speaker’s extemporaneous remarks more than her prepared speech, because they gave me insight into her personality that helped me understand the decisions she made during her time as a federal judge.
extirpate
to remove or destroy totally
The new federal prosecutor promised voters that he would extirpate corruption in the state.
extraneous
not essential
The encyclopedia editors worked hard to cut out extraneous material so that readers could find information easily on a given subject.
extrapolation
the act of estimation by projecting known information
The economist’s extrapolation suggests that the economy will grow by 4% next year.
extrinsic
not inherent or essential
The experiment is designed to exclude factors that are extrinsic to the phenomenon.
facetious
humorous
The comedian’s facetious comments about prominent politicians kept the audience amused.
factotum
a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman
Malvolio aspires to become more than merely a factotum in the house of Lady Olivia.
fallacious
based on a false idea or fact; misleading
The belief of the Nazis that they could create a “master race” was based on the fallacious premise that some races are inherently superior to others.
fallow
(of land) plowed and left unseeded for a season or more; uncultivated
At the beginning of each school year the teacher looks out at the new students and thinks of a fallow field, ready to be cultivated.
fatuous
foolishly self-satisfied
The student could not understand why no one took seriously his fatuous comments.
fawning
seeking favor by flattering
The boss has a reputation for hiring fawning employees.
felicitous
suitably expressed; appropriate; well-chosen
The Gettysburg Address is full of felicitous phrases such as “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
feral
existing in a wild or untamed state
Feral dogs returning to an untamed state after domestication sometimes form packs, becoming a threat to humans.
fervor
warmth and intensity of emotion
American soldiers were welcomed back to the United States with fervor after the end of World War II.
fetid
having a bad smell
Many people find the smell of Limburger cheese fetid.
fetter
to bind; confine
William Blake believed that each person cretes “mind-forged manacles,” fettering his or her natural instincts and spirit.
manacle
a shackle for the hand; handcuff
fiat
an authoritative decree, sanction, or order: authorization
The dictator rules almost entirely by fiat.
fidelity
loyalty; exact correspondence
Monks joining the Franciscan Order pledge fidelity to the ideals and rules of the Order.
finesse
to handle with a deceptive or evasive strategy; to use finesse, that is, refinement in performance; 巧みにだます; 巧みに解決する
Engineers decided that the problem could be finessed by using lighter materials.
