Deck 4 Flashcards
1
Q
exhort
A
verb: to strongly urge on; encourage
Nelson’s parents exhorted him to study medicine, urging him to choose respectable profession.
2
Q
cardinal
A
adjective: of primary importance, fundamental
3
Q
check
A
verb: to limit (usually modifying the growth of something)
Deserted for six months, the property began to look more like a jungle and less like a residence - weeks gew unchecked in the front yard.
noun: the condition of being held back or limited
When government abuses are not kept in check, that government is likely to become autocratic.
4
Q
replete
A
adjective: completely stocked or furnished with something
a replete supermarket shelf
5
Q
disparate
A
adjective: two things are fundamentally different
Biology and religion are two disparate fields.
6
Q
junta
A
noun: an aggressive takeover by a group (usually military); the group that executes such a takeover
As dangerous of a threat as North Korea is, some analysts believe that were a junta suddently to gain power, it could be eben more unpredictable and bellicose than the current leadership.
7
Q
virago
A
noun: an ill-tempered or violent woman
8
Q
pugnacious
A
adjective: eager to fight or argue; verbally combative
the comedian told one flat joke after another, and when the audience started booing, he pugnaciously spat back at them, “Hey, you think this is easy - why don’t you buffoons give it a shot?”.
9
Q
avarice
A
noun: greed
10
Q
catalyst
A
noun: something that speeds up an event
11
Q
obdurate
A
adjective: unable to be persuaded or moved emotionally; stubborn; unyielding
No number of pleas and bribes would get him to change his obdurate attitude.
12
Q
ornate
A
adjective: marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborate with decorative details
an ornate home
13
Q
fledgling
A
adjective: young and inexperienced
noun: any new participant in some activity
14
Q
boon
A
noun: a desirable state; something helpful or beneficial
Modern technology has been a boon to the travel industry.
adjective: very close and convivial
He was a boon companion to many, and will be sadly missed.
15
Q
endemic
A
adjective: native; originating where it is found
16
Q
patronize
A
verb: treat condescendingly
17
Q
inclement
A
adjective: (of weather) unpleasant, stormy
adjective: used of persons or behaviour; showing no mercy
18
Q
archaic
A
adjective: so old as to appear to belong to a different period
19
Q
impede
A
verb: be a hindrance or obstacle to
20
Q
snide
A
adjective: exporessive of contempt; derogatory or mocking in an indirect way
The chairman interpreted Taylor’s question about promotions as a snide remark, but in all innocence Taylor was trying to figure out the company’s process.
21
Q
dearth
A
noun: a lack or shortage
I am suprised by the dearth of fast food chains; this is America and I assumed they were on every street.
22
Q
incessant
A
adjective: uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
I don’t mind small children in brief doses, but I think the incessant exposure that their parents have to them would quickly wear me down.
23
Q
avid
A
adjective: marked by active interest and enthusiasm
An avid reader will read many books in a month.
24
Q
fete
A
verb: to celebrate a person
25
entice
verb: get someone to do something through (often false of exaggerated) promises
Harold enticed his wife, Maude, to go on a vacation to Hawaii, with promises of luaus on the beach and all-you-can-eat seafood buffets.
26
appreciable
adjective: large enough to be noticed (usually refers to an amount)
There is an appreciable difference between those who say they can get the job done and those who actually get it done.
27
quandary
noun: state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
Steve certainly is in a quandary: if he doesn't call Elaine, she will blame him for everything, but if he does call her, the evidence of where he currently is could cost him his job.
28
raffish
adjective: marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness
The men found him raffish, but the women adored his smart clothes and casual attitude.
29
guffaw
verb: laugh boisterously/loudly and heartily
Whenever the jester fell to the ground in mock pain, the king guffawed, exposing his yellow, fang-like teeth
30
pithy
adjective: concise and full of meaning
I enjoy reading the Daodejing for its pithy and insightful prose; it always gives me something to think about.
31
plodding
adjective: (of movement) slow and laborious
Charlie may seem to run at a plodding pace, but he is an ultramarathoner, meaning he runs distances of up to 100 miles, and can run for ten hours at a stretch.
32
discriminate
verb: recognize or perceive the difference
Sarah couldn't discriminate between a good wine and a bad wine, so she avoided wine tastings.
33
flounder
verb: behave awkawardly; have difficulties
Sylvia has excelled at advanced calculus, but ironically, when she has to deal with taxes, she flounders.
34
morose
adjective: ll-tempered and not inclined to talk; gloomy
After Stanley found out he was no longer able to go on vacation with his friends, he sat in his room morosely.
35
elusive
adjective: difficult to capture or difficult to remember
Many first time skydivers say that describing the act of falling from the sky is elusive.
36
deter
verb:
1) turn away from by persuasion
His mother tried to deter him from joining the army.
2) try to prevent; show opposition to
The government's primary job should involve deterring paths of war, not finding ways to start them.
37
muted
adjective: softened, subdued
Helen preferred muted earth colors.
38
smattering
noun: a slight or superficial understanding of a subject; a small amount of something
39
spurn
verb: reject with contempt
40
cornucopia
noun: an abundant supply of something good
The International Food Expo was a cornucopia of culinary delights.
41
precedent
noun: an example that is used to justify similar occurences at a later time
There are several precedents for promoting people who don't have formal qualifications.
42
credence
noun: belief in something
43
irresolute
adjective: uncertain how to act or proceed
44
derisive
adjective: abusing vocally; expressing contempt or ridicule
I was surprised by her derisive tone; usually, she is sweet, soft spoken, and congenial.
45
pertinent
adjective: having precise or logical relevance to the matter at hand
While the salaries of the players mmight draw attention in the media, such monetary figures are not pertinent to the questions of who plays the best on the field.
46
genial
adjective: agreeable
Betty is a genial young woman: everyone she meet sis put at ease by her elegance and grace.
47
urbane
adjective: showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience
Because of his service as an intelligence officer and his refined tastes, W. Somerset Maugham became the inspiration for the urbane and sophisticate spy James Bond.
48
impeccable
adjective: without fault or error
to dress impeccably
49
surly
adjective: inclined to anger or bad feelings with overtones of menace
Every morning, Bhavin was a surly, unhappy person, but once he ate breakfast, he became loving, laughing, and a joy to be around.
50
glib
adjective: (of a person) speaking with ease but without sincerity
I have found that the more glib the salesman, the worse the product.
51
buck
verb: resist
52
hamstrung
verb: make ineffective or powerless
53
rankle
verb: make resentful or angry
His constant whistling would rankle her, sometimes causing her to leave in a huff.
54
tawdry
adjective: tastelessly showy; cheap and shoddy
Carol expected to find New York city magical, but she was surprised how often tawdry displays took the place of genuine elegance.
55
debase
verb: reduce the quality or value of something
The third-rate script so debased the film that not even the flawless acting could save it from being a flop.
56
banish
verb: expel from a community, residence, or location; drive away
The most difficult part of the fast was banishing thoughts of food.
57
benign
adjective:
1) kind
2) (medicine) not dangerous to health; not recurrent or progressive
58
genteel
adjective: marked by refinement in taste and manners
A live string quartet would provide a more genteel air to the wedding than would a folk singer.
59
assuage
verb: make something intense less severe
Her fear that the new college would be filled with unknown faces was assuaged when she recognized her childhood friend standing in line.
60
assail
verb: attack in speech or writing
In the weekly paper, the editor assailed the governor for wasting money in public projects that quickly failed.
61
conducive
adjective: making a situation or outcome more likely to happen
Studying in a quiet room is conducive to learning; studying in a noisy environment makes learning more difficult.
62
contemptuous
adjective: scornful, looking down at others with a sneering attitude
Always on the forefront of fashion, Vanessa looked contemptuously at anyone wearing dated clothing.
63
grovel
verb: show submission or fear
Every time Susan comes to the office, Frank grovels as if she were about to fire him.
64
lucid
adjective: (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
65
fickle
adjective: liable to sudden unpredictable change, especially in affections or attachments
She was so fickle in her politics, it was hard to pinpoint her beliefs; one week she would embrace a side, and the next week she would denounce it.
66
unruly
adjective: (of persons) noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline; unwilling to submit to authority
Walk in to any preschool and I am sure that you will find an unruly and chaotic scene - unless it's nap time.
67
lucid
adjective: very clear and easy to understand
68
assuage
verb: to make an (unpleasant) feeling less intense
A massage can assuage the soreness in your muscles.
69
fervid
adjective: intensely enthusiastic or passionate
The child showed a fervid fascination for superheroes, pouring over comic books for hours.
70
zeal
noun: a strong feel of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone very eager or determined to do something
The great emperor’s crusading zeal led him to conquer many lands.
71
dessicate
verb: remove the moisture from (something)
The heat and energy from the sun can desiccate even the most hearty plants.
72
pedant
noun: a person who makes an excessive display of learning
Professor Blackwell, a well-known pedant, required his pre-med students to speak in Latin throughout the entire semester.
73
vacillate
verb: to waver between different opinions or actions
Undergraduate students often vacillate among various majors before deciding which degree to pursue.
74
adulterate
verb: to make (something) impure or weaker by adding something of inferior quality
Many chefs use fresh produce and refuse to adulterate their dishes with canned ingredients.
75
loquacious
adjective: tending to talk a great deal
The loquacious professor was known for his five-hour lectures.
76
corroborate
verb: to confirm or make more certain
The scientist was able to corroborate his hypothesis with data gathered from multiple sources.
77
deride
verb: to express contempt for; ridicule
The unreasonable supervise was known to deride his employees on a daily basis.
78
philantropic
adjective: seeking to promote the welfare of others
The students were grateful to receive financial support from philanthropic organizations that promote education.
79
garrulous
adjective: excessively talkative
The garrulous hair stylist talked to each customer for hours at a time.
80
despot
noun: a cruel and oppressive dictator
The Emperor Caludius was regarded a a fair-minded leader; his successor, Nero, was an absolute despot.
81
pillory
verb: ridicule or expose to public scorn
After the candidate confessed, the press of the opposing party took the opportunity to pillory him, printing editorials with the most blatantly exaggerated accusations.
82
palaver
verb: soeak (aber unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
During the rain delay, many who had come to see the game palavered, probably hoping that idle chatter would make the time go by faster.
83
row
noun: an angry dispute
The Prime Minister looked very foolish after his row with the foreign dignitary was caught on video and posted on youtube.
84
graft
noun: corruption, usually through bribery
In countries with rampant graft, getting a driver's license can require no more than paying an official.
85
bastardization
noun: an act that debases or corrupts
The movie World War Z is a complete bastardization of the book with little more in common than zombies and a title.
86
adjudicate
verb: to serve as a judge in a comptetition; to arrive at a judgement or conclusion
Oly those with the most refined palates were able to adjudicateduring the barbeque competition.
87
diminutive
noun: to indicate smallness
He prefers to be called a diminutive of his name: "Bill" instead of "John William".
adjective: very small
When he put on his father's suit and shoes, his appearance was that of a diminutive youth.
88
trenchant
adjective: characterized by or full of force and vigor; having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought, expression, or intellect
Jill presented a rather superficial treatment or sales in Asia, but her trenchant analysis of sales in Europe inspired a number of insights into how to proceed in that market.
89
modicum
noun: a small or moderate or token amount
If my sister had even a modicum of sense, she wouldn't be engaged to that barbarian.
90
bereft
adjective:
1) unhappy in love, suffering from unrequited love
1) sorrowful through loss or deprivation
91
ineluctable
adjective: impossible to avoid or evade
For those who smoke cigarettes for years, a mojor health crisis brought on by smoking is ineluctable.
92
countermand
verb: a contrary command cancelling or reversing a previous command
By the time the colonel cocuntermanded his soldiers not to land in enemy territory, a few helicopters had already touched down amid heavy gunfire.
93
veritable
adjective: truthfully, without a doubt
Frank is a veritable life-saver - last year, on two different occasions, he revived people using CPR.
94
demonstrative
adjective: given to or marked by the open expression of emotion
When Sally told James that she wanted to break up with him, she expected he would act demonstratively, but he quietly nodded his head and left without saying a word.
95
ebullient
adjective: joyously unrestrained
Can you blame him for his ebullient mood? He just graduated from medical school.
96
oblique
adjective: not straightforward; indirect
97
obtain
verb: be valid, applicable, or true
The custom of waiting your turn in line does not obtain in some contries, in which many people try to rush to front of the line at the same time.
98
lachrymose
adjective: showing sorrow
99
cataclysm
noun: an event resultingin great loss and misfortune
The introduction of smallpox was a cataclysm for Nativ Americans, killing off more than half of their population.
100
panacea
noun hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; a universal solution
101
elucidate
verb: make clearer and easier to understand
102
belligerent
adjective: characteristic of one eager to fight
Tom said that he was arguing the matter purely for philosophical reasons, but his belligerent tone indicated an underlying anger about the issue.
103
subsume
verb:
1) contain or include
The rogue wave quickly subsumed the pier and boardwalk, destroying everything in its path.
2) consider (an instance of something) as part of a general rule or principle
Don Quixote of La Mancha subsumes all other modern novels, demonstrating modern literary devices and predating even the idea of a postmodern metanarrative.
104
rudimentary
adjective: being in the earliest stages of development; being or involving basic facts or principles
105
precocious
adjective: characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude)
106
itinerant
adjective: traveling from place to place to work
107
circumvent
verb: cleverly find a way out of one's duties or obligations
108
magnanimous
adjective: noble and generous in spirit, especially towards a rival or someone less powerful
He was a great sportsman: in defeat he was complimentary and in victory he was magnanimous.
109
spurious
adjective: plausible but false
110
delineate
verb: describe in detail
111
contrive
verb: to pull of a plan or scheme, usually through skill or trickery
112
jingoism
noun: fanatical patriotism
113
fallacious
adjective: of a belief that is based on faulty reasoning
114
languid
adjective: not inclined towards physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed
a languid week lying around the house
115
guileless
adjective: free of deceit
At first I thought my neice was guileless, but I then found myself buying her ice cream every time we passed a shop.
116
vilify
verb: spread negative information about
117
frustrate
verb: hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
I thought I would finish writing the paper by lunchtime, but a number of urgent iterruptions served to frustrate my plan.
118
tantamount
adjective: being essentially equal to something
In many situations, remaining silent is tantamount to admitting guilt, so speak to prove your innocence.
119
insidious
adjective: working in a subtle but destructive way
Plaque is insidious: we cannot see it, but each day it eats away at our enamel, causing cavities and other dental problems.
120
espouse
verb: adopt or support an idea or cause
As a college student, Charlie espoused Marxism, growing his beard out and railing against the evils of the free market.
121
discrete
adjective: constituing a separate entity or part
What was once known as Czechoslovakia has since split into two discrete, independent nations.
122
apocryphal
adjective: being of questionable authenticity
123
incorrigible
adjective: impervious to correction by punishment
Tom Sawyer seems like an incorrigible youth until Huck Finn enters the novel; eben Sawyer can't match his fierce individual spirit.
124
intransigent
adjective: unwilling to change one's beliefs or course of action
Despite many calls for mercy, the judge remained intransigent, citing strict legal precedence.
125
bumbling
adjective: lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands
Within a week of starting, the bumbling new waiter was unceremoniously fired.
126
admonitory
adjective: serving to warn; expressing reproof or reproach especially as a corrective
At the assembly, the high school vice-principal gave the students an admonitory speech, warning them of the many risks and dangers of prom night.
127
adamant
adjective: refusing to change one's mind
128
copious
adjective: in abundant supply
In midsummer, there are copious popsicle stands at the beach.
129
insolent
adjective: rude and arrogant
130
antithetical
adjective: sharply contrasted in character or purpose
