Definitons Flashcards
Approbation
(n) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval.
Assuage
(v) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench.
Coalition
n) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose.
Decadence
(n) decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence.
Elicit
v) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person).
Expostulate
v) to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning.
Hackneyed
adj) used so often as to lack freshness or originality.
Hiatus
n) a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing).
Innuendo
n) a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense).
Intercede
v) to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or to go between in a disagreement.
Jaded
adj) wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)
Lurid
adj) causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint.
Meritorious
(adj) worthy, deserving recognition and praise.
Petulant
adj) peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset. SYN: irritable, testy, waspish.
Prerogative
n) a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence
Provincial
adj) pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; (n) a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier from a province or colony
Simulate
v) to make a pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of.
Transcend
v) to rise above or beyond, exceed
Umbrage
n) shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; and overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion.
Unctuous
adj) excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety; fatty, oily; pliable.
Ameliorate
v) to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
Aplomb
n) poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity.
Bombastic
adj) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal lack a of ideas
Callow
adj) without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers.
Drivel
n) saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense; (v) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly.
Epitome
n) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality.
Exhort
v) to urge strongly, advise, earnestly.
Ex officio
(adj, adv) by virtue of holding a certain office.
Infringe
v) to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
Ingratiate
v) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense).
Interloper
n) one who moves in where he or she in not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder.
Intrinsic
adj) belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part.
Inveigh
v) to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval
Lassitude
n) weariness of body or mind, lack of energy.
Millennium/ millennia
n) a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy;
Occult
adj) mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; (v) to hide, conceal; eclipse; (n) matters involving the supernatural.
Permeate
v) to spread through, penetrate, soak through
Precipitate
v) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; to give distinct form to; (adj) characterized by excessive haste; (n) moisture; the product of an action or process
Stringent
adj) strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste.
Surmise
v) to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n) likely idea that lacks definite proof.
Abominate
v) to have intense dislike or hatred for.
Acculturation
n) the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend.
Adventitious
adj) resulting from chances; not essential
Ascribe
(v) to assign or refer to (as a cause or source), attribute
Circuitous
adj) roundabout, not direct.
Commiserate
v) to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress.
Enjoin
v) to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in a an authoritative way; to prohibit
Expedite
v) to make easy, cause to progress faster.
Expiate
v) to make amends, make up for; to avert
Ferment
n) a state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence; (v) to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action
Inadvertent
adj) resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental.
Nominal
adj) existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously.
Noncommittal
adj) not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no.
Peculate
v) to steal something that has been given into one’s trust; to take improperly for one’s own use.
Proclivity
n) a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior).
Sangfroid
n) composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances.
Seditious
adj) resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government
Tenuous
adj) thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported.
Vitriolic
adj) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid).
Wheedle
v) to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end.
