Deck 4 Flashcards
multifarious
having many different parts, elements, forms, etc.
Modern technology is so complex and multifarious that it requires thousands of specialitsts to devise and operate.
mundane
worldly as opposed to spiritual; concerned with the ordinary; この世の、平凡な
Fundamentalists contend that the Bible’s account of the creation is literally true, while others believe that it is the retelling of a powerful myth current in the Middle East that sought to explain the mundane in spiritual language.
necromancy
black magic; a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead
Television might seem like necromancy to a time traveler from the fifteenth century.
neologism
/niˈɒləˌdʒɪzəm/
new word or expression
The word “anesthesia” was the neologism of the American physician and poet Oliver Wendell Holmes, who used it in 1846…
neophyte
/ˈniəˌfaɪt/
novice; beginner
The school provides extensive support and guidance for neophyte teachers.
nexus
a means of connection; a connected group or series; a center
Wall Street is the nexus of America’s financial system.
nonplussed
bewildered; 途方に暮れて、窮地に追い込まれて
The members of the football team were nonplussed by the presence of a female reporter in the locker room.
nostrum
medicine or remedy of doubtful effectiveness; supposed cure
Although there are many nostrums urged on obese consumers, the only effective remedy for this condition is prosaic but nonetheless valid: eat less and exercise more.
nugatory
/ˈnugəˌtɔri, -ˌtoʊri, ˈnyu-/
of no real value; trifling; worthless; invalid
The historian has a knack for focusing on information that appears nugatory but that, upon examination, illuminates the central issue.
obdurate
/ˈɒbdʊrɪt, -dyʊ-/
stubborn
Coach Knight is obdurate about one thing: the offensive line is the heart of his football team.
obsequious
/əbˈsikwiəs/
overly submissive
Tom’s tendency to submit meekly to any bullying authority is so great that his wife suggested he overcome this obsequiousness by taking an assertiveness training course.
obsequy
/ˈɒbsɪkwi/
funeral ceremony (usually plural)
Solemn obsequies were held for President John F. Kennedy following his assassination on November 22, 1963.
obviate
/ˈɒbviˌeɪt/
to make unnecessary; to anticipate and prevent
An experienced physician can often discern if a patient’s symptoms are psychosomatic, thus obviating the need for expensive medical tests.
occlude
to shut; block
Space is an environment uniquely suited to solar cells since it has no weather to occlude the Sun and it is not susceptible to interruptions in sunlight caused by the rotation of the Earth.
officious
/əˈfɪʃəs/
too helpful; meddlesome
Some of us on the tour found the guide officious, but others thought she was helpful and courteous.
olfactory
/ɒlˈfæktəri, -tri, oʊl-/
concerning the sense of smell
Wine connoisseurs say that the olfactory senses play as important a part in appreciating good wine as the sense of taste.
oligarchy
/ˈɒlɪˌgɑrki/
form of government in which power belongs to ony a few leaders
In 411 B.C., democratic government was overthrown in Athens and a conservative oligarchy called the Four Hundred came to power.
onerous
/ˈɒnərəs, ˈoʊnər-/
burdensome
The duty the judge considers most onerous is sentencing convicted criminals.
opprobrium
/əˈproʊbriəm/
disgrace; contempt; 非難、軽蔑
It is difficult to imagine the opprobrium heaped on a person who is a traitor to his or her group.
ornithology
/ˌɔrnəˈθɒlədʒi/
the branch of zoology that deals with birds
ostentatious
showy; trying to attract attention; pretentious
A member of the bourgeoisie might purchase a vacation home on Maui or Cape Cod that some would regard as an ostentatious display of wealth, but that the person regards as simply a pleasant place to go on vacation.
overweening
presumptuous; arrogant; overbearing; 傲慢な
The ancient Greeks believed that overweening pride - what they called hubris - would be punished, eventually, by the gods.
paean
/ˈpiən/
song of joy or triumph; a fervent expression of joy
Fundamentally, the poem is a paean of joy, celebrating the coming of democracy to the country.
paleontology
古生物学
pallid
lacking color or liveliness
Archeological evidence indicates that women have been using makeup to give color to pallid face for millennia.
panegyric
/ˌpænɪˈdʒɪrɪk, -ˈdʒaɪrɪk/
elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise
Many panegyrics were written to Abraham Lincoln in the years after his death, and he has become one of the most revered figures in American history.
paragon
model of excellence or perfection
The epic poet Homer was regarded by the ancient Greeks as a paragon of literary excellence.
partisan
one-sided; committed to a party, group, or cause; prejudiced
Supporters of constitutional monarchy believe that while in this system, as it is generally practiced today, virtually all power is vested in popularly elected assemblies, the institution of the monarchy continues to serve a purpose as a focus of national unity above the furor of partisan politics.
pathological
departing from normal condition; 病理学の、病的な
Psychology is the science that studies cognitive and affective functions, both normal and pathological, in human beings and other animals.
patois
/ˈpætwɑ, ˈpɑtwɑ; Fr. paˈtwa/
a regional dialect; nonstandard speech; jargon
In Singapore the lingua franca is increasingly becoming Singapore English, widely regarded as a patois.
paucity
/ˈpɔsɪti/
scarcity
An argument sometimes advanced for euthanasia is that the amount of money spent on prolonging a person’s life for several months is exorbitant in relation to the paucity of funds available for preventive health programs and child health, both of which are highly cost-effective.
pedantic
/pəˈdæntɪk/
showing off learning
The Sophists have acquired a reputation as being learned but rather pedantic entertainers who gave didactic talks on every subject under the Sun; the truth, however, is that some of the Sophist philosophers were very able thinkers.
pellucid
/pəˈlusɪd/
transparent; translucent; easily understood
Two writers often mentioned as having an admirably pellucid style are Bertrand Russell and George Orwell.
penchant
inclination; 好み、傾向
Sue has a penchant for science, while her brother is more interested in the arts.
penury
/ˈpɛnyəri/
extreme poverty
The autobiography tells the story of the billionaire’s journey from penury to riches beyond his imagining.
peregrination
a wandering from place to place
Swami Vivekananda’s peregrinations took him all over India.
peremptory
/pəˈrɛmptəri, ˈpɛrəmpˌtɔri, -ˌtoʊri/
imperative; leaving no choice
The general’s words were spoken in the peremptory tone of a man who is used to having his commands obeyed without question.
perennial
present throughout the years; persistent
Perennial warfare has left most of the people of the country in poverty.
perfidious
faithless; disloyal; untrustworthy
The novel tells the story of the hero’s perfidious lover.
perfunctory
/pərˈfʌŋktəri/
superficial; not thorough; performed really as a duty
The perfunctory inspection of the airplane failed to reveal structural faults in the wing.
perigee
/ˈpɛrɪˌdʒi/
point in an orbit that is closest to the Earth
The Earth observation satellite reaches a perigee of 320 miles above the Earth’s surface.
permeable
penetrable
Wetsuits, used by divers in cold water, are permeable to water but designed to retain body heat.
perturb
/pərˈtɜrb/
to disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious; cause a body to deviate from its regular orbit
The findings that violence is increasing in schools greatly perturbed government officials.
pervasive
adj. spread throughout every part
It is a plausible hypothesis that the atheistic and materialistic philosophy of Marxism was readily accepted in China because of its similartities with Confucian views on spiritual matters, which had a pervasive influence in China for many centuries.
petulant
/ˈpɛtʃələnt/
rude; peevish
The boy’s father worried that his disobedient and petulant child would grow up to be a bitter and annoying man.
phlegmatic
/flɛgˈmætɪk/
calm in temperament; sluggish; 不活発な、冷静な
Phlegmatic natures can be inspired to enthusiasm only by being made into fanatics.
physiognomy
/ˌfɪziˈɒgnəmi, -ˈɒnəmi/
facial features
The art teacher assigned her students to make drawings of people with a wide variety of physiognomy.
piety
/ˈpaɪɪti/
devoutness; 心身深さ、敬虔
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux was a medieval French monk revered for his piety.
piquant
/ˈpikənt, -kɑnt, piˈkɑnt/
appealingly stimulating; pleasantly pungent; attractive
Many of the guests enjoyed the piquant barbecue sauce, but others found it too spicy for their taste.
pique
/pik/
fleeting feeling of hurt pride; 不興、立腹
Sally left the restaurant in a fit of pique after her date called to say he couldn’t come beause he was working late.
placate
/ˈpleɪkeɪt, ˈplækeɪt/
to lessen another’s anger; to pacify
to placate an outraged citizenry
placid
calm
We were amazed how the monk was able to remain placid despite the fire that was raging through the building.
plaintive
melancholy; mournful
After the battle all that could be heard was the plaintive cries of women who had lost their husbands.
plasticity
condition of being able to be shaped or formed; pliability
The sociologist is continually amazed by the plasticity of social institutions.
platitude
stale, overused expression
Though Sarah’s marriage didn’t seem to be going well, she took comfort in the platitude that the first six months of a marriage were always the most difficult.
platonic
/pləˈtɒnɪk, pleɪ-/
spiritual; without sensual desire; theoretical; 観念的な、純精神的な
Gradually what had been a platonic relationship between Tim and Kyoko became a romantic one.
plethora
/ˈplɛθərə/
excess; overabundance
Because it deals with death and grieving, the funeral business has produced a plethora of euphemisms such as “slumber room” for the place where the corpse is placed for viewing.
plumb
to determine the depth; to examine deeply
A recurrent theme of mystical experience is “the dark night of the soul,” in which a person plumbs the depths of despair before finding a transcendent reality that brings the person closer to what he or she regards as God.
plummet
/ˈplʌmɪt/
to fall; plunge
The fighter jet, struck by an enemy missile, plummeted to earth.
plutocracy
/pluˈtɒkrəsi/
society ruled by the wealthy
It has been argued that modern democracies are plutocracies to the extent that wealth allows certain people to have a disproportionately large influence on political decision-making.
porous
/ˈpɔrəs, ˈpoʊr-/
full of holes; permeable to liquids
If you go camping, make sure to spend enough money to buy a tent with a roof that is not porous.
poseur
/poʊˈzɜr; Fr. pɔˈzœr/
person who affects an attitude or identity to impress others; 気取り屋、目立ちたがり屋
The critic labeled the writer a poseur who was more interested in getting the public’s attention than in writing good books.
pragmatic
practical
The cult of romantic love was a major factor in making a marriage for love, rather than for more pragmatic reasons, a ubiquitous phenomenon in the West by the nineteenth century.
prate
to talk idly; chatter
The “talk radio” program allows people to call in and prate about their pet peeves.
prattle
meaningless, foolish talk
The sociologist theorizes that what may seem like prattle often has an important social function: what might be labeled “gossip” is an important means for people to communicate valuable information about themselves and others.
preamble
/ˈpriˌæmbəl, priˈæm-/
preliminary statement; 序文、前文
the preamble to the Constitution of the United States contains…
precarious
uncertain
The prime minister’s precarious hold on power ended when she lost a vote of confidence in Parliament.
precept
/ˈprisɛpt/
principle; law
A good precept to follow in writing is to avoid redundancies such as “track record”, “revert back,” “free gift,” and “general consensus.”
precipitate (v.)
to cause to happen; throw down from a height
Full-scale American entry into World War II remained unpopular with the vast majority of Americans until a declaration of war was precipitated by the Japanese attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor, a day that President Roosevelt predicted, in a memorable phrase, would “live in infamy.”
precipitate (adj.)
rash; hasty; sudden
The secretary of state advised the president not to take precipitate action.
precursor
/prɪˈkɜrsər, ˈprikɜr-/
forerunner; predecessor
The precursor to the theory of plate tectonics was the theory of continental drift.
preempt
/priˈɛmpt/
to occupy (land) in order to establish a prior right to buy; to supersede; appropriate for oneself
The movie was preempted for the president’s emergency address to the nation.
prehensile
/prɪˈhɛnsɪl, -saɪl/
capable of grasping; adapted for seizing, grasping, or taking hold of something
Many more animals in South America have prehensile tails than those in Southeast Asia and Africa, possibly because the greater density of the forest there favored this adaptation over the ability to glide through the trees.
premonition
/ˌpriməˈnɪʃən, ˌprɛmə-/
a feeling of anticipation of or anxiety over a future event;
Shortly after his reelection in 1864, President Abraham Lincoln had a premonition of his impending death, and on April 14, 1865, he was shot and died the next day.
presage
/n. ˈprɛsɪdʒ; v. ˈprɛsɪdʒ, prɪˈseɪdʒ/
to foretell; indicate in advance
The English poet William Blake believed his work presaged a new age in which people would achieve political, social, psychological, and spiritual freedom.
presumptuous
/prɪˈzʌmptʃuəs/
rude; improperly bold
The new employee did not offer her advice to her boss because she was afraid he might consider it presumptuous for a recent graduate to make a suggestion to someone with 30 years experience in the field.
preternatural
/ˌpritərˈnætʃərəl, -ˈnætʃrəl/
beyond the normal course of nature; supernatural
Most scientists believe that putative preternatural phenomena are outside the scope of scientific inquiry.
prevaricate
/prɪˈværɪˌkeɪt/
to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie
Journalists accused government leaders of prevaricating about the progress of the war.
primordial
/praɪˈmɔrdiəl/
original; existing from the beginning
Scholars are divided as to whether polytheism represents a degeneration from a primordial monotheism, or was a precursor to a more sophisticated view, monotheism.
pristine
/ˈprɪstin, prɪˈstin; especially Brit. ˈprɪstaɪn/
untouched; uncorrupted
The bank’s hermetically sealed vault has kept the manuscript in pristine condition for 50 years.
probity
honesty; high-mindedness
No one questioned the probity of the judge being considered for elevation to the U.S. Supreme Court; what was at issue was his controversial views on several important issues.
prodigal
/ˈprɒdɪgəl/
wasteful; extravagant; lavish
Betty warned her husband that he must stop his prodigal spending on sports cars and expensive clothing.
prohibitive
so high as to prevent the purchase or use of; preventing; forbidding; 手が出せない
Most people in poor countries are unable to purchase a computer because of its prohibitive price.
proliferate
/prəˈlɪfəˌreɪt/
to increase rapidly
With the pervasive influence of American culture, “fast-food” restaurants are proliferating in many countries.
propensity
inclination; tendency
There is a natural propensity to stress the importance of what one is saying by exaggerating it.
propitiate
/prəˈpɪʃiˌeɪt/
to win over; appease
“But for four years there was a contagion of nobility in the land, and the best blood of North ad South poured itself out a libation to propitiate the deities of Truth and Justice. The great sin of slavery was washed out, but at what a cost!”
propriety
/prəˈpraɪɪti/
correct conduct; fitness
Judges are expected to conduct themselves with propriety, especially in the courtroom.
proscribe
/proʊˈskraɪb/
to condemn; forbid; outlaw
The expert in English believes that since the tendency to use hyperbole is natural and often enriches the language, it should not be proscribed.
provident
providing for future needs; frugal; 将来に備えた、先見の明のある
Most people have heard the story of the prodigal grasshopper and the provident ant that spends the summer saving food for the winter.
puissant
/ˈpyuəsənt, pyuˈɪsənt, ˈpwɪsənt/
powerful
The article analyzes the simiarities and differences between the Roman Empire and the British Empire when each was at its most puissant.
punctilious
/pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/
careful in observing rules of behavior or ceremony
The prime minister reminded his staff that they must be punctilious in following protocol during the visit by the foreign head of state.
pungent
/ˈpʌndʒənt/
strong or sharp in smell or taste; penetrating; caustic; to the point
Slang frequently expresses an idea succinctly and pungently.
purport
/v. pərˈpɔrt, -ˈpoʊrt, ˈpɜrpɔrt, -poʊrt; n. ˈpɜrpɔrt, -poʊrt/
to profess; suppose; claim; 〔偽って〕～であると称する［主張する］
The United States is generally considered to be a secular society in which church and state are separate; however, religion plays a large role, since nearly everyone purports to believe in God and many people are members of churches.
pusillanimous
/ˌpyusəˈlænəməs/
cowardly
Traditionally, a ship captain is considered pusillanimous if he abandons his ship before everyone else has.
quagmire
/ˈkwægˌmaɪər, ˈkwɒg-/
marsh; difficult situation
The federal government’s antitrust suit in the 1990s against Microsoft created a legal quagmire.
quail
/kweɪl/
to lose heart or courage in difficulty or danger; shrink with fear
The defendant quailed when the judge entered the room to announce the sentence.
qualm
/kwɑm, kwɔm/
sudden feeling of faintness or nausea; uneasy feeling about the rightness of actions; 気がとがめること、めまい
The judge had no qualms about sentencing the thief to five years imprisonment.
query
to question
Until widespread industrialization caused massive pollution in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the ability of the biosphere to dissipate and assimilate waste created by human activity was not queried.
quibble
/ˈkwɪbəl/
to argue over insignificant and irrelevant details
The lawyers spent so much time quibbling over details that they made little progress in reaching an agreement on the central issue.
quiescent
/kwiˈɛsənt, kwaɪ-/
inactive; still
Although malignant tumors may remain quiescent for a period of time, they never become benign.
