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AA Memrise ACT Vocabularies > Deck012 > Flashcards

Deck012 Flashcards

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1
Q

ubi·qui·tous ​

```
adjective
BrE /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/
NAmE /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/
[usually before noun]
formal or humorous
~~~

A

seeming to be everywhere or in several places at the same time; very common
 the ubiquitous bicycles of university towns
 the ubiquitous movie star, Tom Hanks
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 19th cent.: from modern Latin ubiquitas (from Latin ubique ‘everywhereʼ, from ubi ‘whereʼ) + -ous.

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2
Q

trucu·lent ​

adjective
BrE /ˈtrʌkjələnt/
NAmE /ˈtrʌkjələnt/
formal, disapproving

A

tending to argue or be bad-tempered; slightly aggressive
 ‘What do you want?ʼ he asked, sounding slightly truculent.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent.: from Latin truculentus, from trux, truc- ‘fierceʼ.

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3
Q

tren·chant ​

adjective
BrE /ˈtrentʃənt/
NAmE /ˈtrentʃənt/
formal

A

(of criticism, remarks, etc.) expressed strongly and effectively, in a clear way
➔ SYNONYM ​incisive
 His trenchant views on the subject are well known.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English (referring to a weapon or tool with a sharp edge): from Old French, literally ‘cuttingʼ, present participle of trenchier, based on Latin truncare ‘to maimʼ.

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4
Q

tremu·lous ​

adjective
BrE /ˈtremjələs/
NAmE /ˈtremjələs/
literary

A

shaking slightly because you are nervous; causing you to shake slightly
➔ SYNONYM ​trembling
 a tremulous voice
 He was in a state of tremulous excitement.
▼︎ Word Origin
early 17th cent.: from Latin tremulus (from tremere ‘trembleʼ) + -ous.

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5
Q

tract·able ​

adjective
BrE /ˈtræktəbl/
NAmE /ˈtræktəbl/
formal

A

easy to deal with or control
➔ SYNONYM ​manageable
 This approach helps to make the issues more tractable.
➔ OPPOSITE ​intractable
▼︎ Word Origin
early 16th cent.: from Latin tractabilis, from tractare ‘to handleʼ, frequentative of trahere ‘drawʼ.

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6
Q

tor·tu·ous ​

```
adjective
BrE /ˈtɔːtʃuəs/
NAmE /ˈtɔːrtʃuəs/
[usually before noun]
formal
~~~

A

1 (usually disapproving) not simple and direct; long, complicated and difficult to understand
➔ SYNONYM ​convoluted
 tortuous language
 the long, tortuous process of negotiating peace
2 (of a road, path, etc.) full of bends
➔ SYNONYM ​winding
 a tortuous mountain track
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: via Old French from Latin tortuosus, from tortus ‘twisting, a twistʼ, from Latin torquere ‘to twistʼ.

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7
Q

sub·ju·gate ​

verb
BrE /ˈsʌbdʒuɡeɪt/
NAmE /ˈsʌbdʒuɡeɪt/

A

[usually passive] subjugate somebody/​something (formal) to defeat somebody/​something; to gain control over somebody/​something
 a subjugated race
 Her personal ambitions had been subjugated to (= considered less important than) the needs of her family.
 The west Siberian Tatars were subjugated or dispersed among the steppe nomads.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from late Latin subjugat- ‘brought under a yokeʼ, from the verb subjugare, based on jugum ‘yokeʼ.

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8
Q

stolid ​

adjective
BrE /ˈstɒlɪd/
NAmE /ˈstɑːlɪd/
usually disapproving

A

not showing much emotion or interest; remaining always the same and not reacting or changing
 Mark sat stolid and silent.
 She looked up at her stolid employer and wished he would unbend just a little.
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: from obsolete French stolide or Latin stolidus (perhaps related to stultus ‘foolishʼ).

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9
Q

staid ​

adjective
BrE /steɪd/
NAmE /steɪd/
staid·er, staid·est

A

not amusing or interesting; boring and old-fashioned
 The museum is trying to get rid of its staid image.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent.: archaic past participle of the verbstay.

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10
Q

som·no·lent ​

adjective
BrE /ˈsɒmnələnt/
NAmE /ˈsɑːmnələnt/
formal

A 
1 almost asleep
 a somnolent cat
 (figurative) a somnolent town
2 making you feel tired
 a somnolent Sunday afternoon
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (in the sense ‘causing sleepinessʼ): from Old French sompnolent or Latin somnolentus, from somnus ‘sleepʼ.
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11
Q

sinu·ous ​

adjective
BrE /ˈsɪnjuəs/
NAmE /ˈsɪnjuəs/
literary

A

turning while moving, in an elegant way; having many curves
 a sinuous movement
 the sinuous grace of a cat
 the sinuous course of the river
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: from French sinueux or Latin sinuosus, from sinus ‘a bendʼ.

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12
Q

scur·ril·ous

​adjective
BrE /ˈskʌrələs/
NAmE /ˈskɜːrələs/
formal

A

very rude and insulting, and intended to damage somebodyʼs reputation
 scurrilous rumours
 He wrote a scurrilous piece about me in the local press.
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: from French scurrile or Latin scurrilus (from scurra ‘buffoonʼ) + -ous.

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13
Q

sanc·ti·mo·ni·ous ​

adjective
BrE /ˌsæŋktɪˈməʊniəs/
NAmE /ˌsæŋktɪˈmoʊniəs/
disapproving

A

giving the impression that you feel you are better and more moral than other people
➔ SYNONYM ​self-righteous
 a sanctimonious voice
 I wish sheʼd stop being so sanctimonious.
 Iʼm fed up with his sanctimonious attitude.
▼︎ Word Origin
early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘holy in characterʼ): from Latin sanctimonia ‘sanctityʼ (from sanctus ‘holyʼ) + -ous.

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14
Q

sa·li·ent ​

adjective
BrE /ˈseɪliənt/
NAmE /ˈseɪliənt/
[only before noun]

A

most important or noticeable
 She pointed out the salient features of the new design.
 He summarized the salient points.
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent. (as a heraldic term): from Latin salient- ‘leapingʼ, from the verb salire.

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15
Q

ru·min·ate ​

verb
BrE /ˈruːmɪneɪt/
NAmE /ˈruːmɪneɪt/

A

[intransitive, transitive] ruminate (on/​over/​about something) | + speech (formal) to think deeply about something
➔ SYNONYM ​ponder
▼︎ Word Origin
mid 16th cent.: from Latin ruminat- ‘chewed overʼ, from the verb ruminari.

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16
Q

rife ​

adjective
BrE /raɪf/
NAmE /raɪf/
[not before noun]

A

1 if something bad or unpleasant is rife in a place, it is very common there
➔ SYNONYM ​widespread
 It is a country where corruption is rife.
 Rumours are rife that he is going to resign.
2 rife (with something) full of something bad or unpleasant
 Los Angeles is rife with gossip about the starsʼ private lives.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Old English rȳfe, probably from Old Norse rīfr ‘acceptableʼ.

17
Q

rib·ald ​

adjective
BrE /ˈrɪbld/ , /ˈraɪbɔːld/
NAmE /ˈrɪbld/ , /ˈraɪbɔːld/
(of language or behaviour) referring to sex in a

A 
rude but humorous way
 a ribald sense of humour
 ribald comments/​jokes/​laughter
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English (as a noun denoting a lowly servant or a licentious or disrespectful person): from Old French ribauld, from riber ‘indulge in licentious pleasuresʼ, from a Germanic base meaning ‘prostituteʼ.
18
Q

re·splen·dent ​

adjective
BrE /rɪˈsplendənt/
NAmE /rɪˈsplendənt/

A

resplendent (in something) (formal or literary) brightly coloured in an impressive way
 He glimpsed Sonia, resplendent in a red dress.
 the resplendent tail of the male peacock
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin resplendent- ‘shining outʼ, from the verb resplendere, from re- (expressing intensive force) + splendere ‘to glitterʼ.

19
Q

rep·ro·bate ​

noun
BrE /ˈreprəbeɪt/
NAmE /ˈreprəbeɪt/
formal or humorous

A

a person who behaves in a way that society thinks is immoral
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (as a verb): from Latin reprobat- ‘disapprovedʼ, from the verb reprobare, from re- (expressing reversal) + probare ‘approveʼ.

20
Q

re·plete ​

adjective
BrE /rɪˈpliːt/
NAmE /rɪˈpliːt/

A

1 [not before noun] replete (with something) (formal) filled with something; with a full supply of something
 literature replete with drama and excitement
2 (old-fashioned or formal) very full of food
 We all felt pleasantly replete.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English: from Old French replet(e) or Latin repletus ‘filled upʼ, past participle of replere, from re- ‘back, againʼ + plere ‘fillʼ.

21
Q

re·fract ​

verb
BrE /rɪˈfrækt/
NAmE /rɪˈfrækt/

A 
refract something (physics) (of water, air, glass, etc.) to make waves, such as those of light, sound or energy, change direction when they go through at an angle
 Light is refracted when passed through a prism. 
▼︎ Word Origin
early 17th cent.: from Latin refract- ‘broken upʼ, from the verb refringere, from re- ‘backʼ + frangere ‘to breakʼ.
22
Q

rec·ti·tude

```
​noun
BrE /ˈrektɪtjuːd/
NAmE /ˈrektɪtuːd/
[uncountable]
formal
~~~

A

the quality of thinking or behaving in a correct and honest way
➔ SYNONYM ​uprightness
 She is a model of rectitude.
 Most of them led lives of selfless moral rectitude.
▼︎ Word Origin
late Middle English (denoting straightness): from Old French, from late Latin rectitudo, from Latin rectus ‘right, straightʼ.

23
Q

re·cap·itu·late ​

verb
BrE /ˌriːkəˈpɪtʃuleɪt/
NAmE /ˌriːkəˈpɪtʃuleɪt/

A

(formal) (also recap) [intransitive, transitive] recapitulate (on something) | recapitulate something | recapitulate what, where, etc… to repeat or give a summary of what has already been said, decided, etc.
 To recapitulate briefly, the three main points are these…
▼︎ Word Origin
late 16th cent.: from late Latin recapitulat- ‘gone through heading by headingʼ, from re- ‘againʼ + capitulum ‘chapterʼ (diminutive of caput ‘headʼ).

24
Q

ran·cour ​

```
noun
US English ran·cor
BrE /ˈræŋkə(r)/
NAmE /ˈræŋkər/
[uncountable]
(formal)
~~~

A

feelings of hatred and a desire to hurt other people, especially because you think that somebody has done something unfair to you
➔ SYNONYM ​bitterness
 There was rancour in his voice.
 They divorced with remarkably little rancour.
 She learned to accept criticism without rancour.
▼︎ Word Origin
Middle English: via Old French from late Latin rancor ‘ranknessʼ (in the Vulgate ‘bitter grudgeʼ), related to Latin rancidus ‘stinkingʼ.

25
Q

quix·ot·ic ​

adjective
BrE /kwɪkˈsɒtɪk/
NAmE /kwɪkˈsɑːtɪk/
formal

A

having or involving ideas or plans that show imagination but are usually not practical
From the character Don Quixote in the novel by Miguel de Cervantes, whose adventures are a result of him trying to achieve or obtain things that are impossible.

AA Memrise ACT Vocabularies (22 decks)

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