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Direct Hits Personalised > Direct Hits 11 The Toughest Words II > Flashcards

Direct Hits 11 The Toughest Words II Flashcards

1
Q

idiosyncrasy

A

a trait or mannerism that is peculiar to an individual

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2
Q

censorious, captious

A

highly critical; fault-finding

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3
Q

consternation

A

a state of great dismay and confusion

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4
Q

didactic

A

tending to give instruction or advice; inclined to teach or lecture others too much; containing a political or moral lesson

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5
Q

elucidate

A

to make clear or plain, especially by explanation

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6
Q

effusive

A

expressing excessive emotion in an unrestrained manner; gushing

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7
Q

prolific

A

very productive

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8
Q

furor

A

a general commotion; an uproar

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9
Q

paranoia

A

a tendency toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness; irrational fear; delusions of persecution

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10
Q

marginal, peripheral

A

of secondary importance; not central; on the perimeter

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11
Q

obfuscate

A

to deliberately confuse; to make something so confusing that it is hard to understand

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12
Q

flummox

A

to confuse; to perplex

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13
Q

spate

A

a large number or amount

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14
Q

ineffable

A

too overwhelming to be put into words; indescribable; inexpressible

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15
Q

histrionic, overwrought

A

excessively dramatic or melodramatic; theatrical; overacted

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16
Q

placate

A

to soothe or calm; to appease

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17
Q

eschew

A

to avoid; to shun; to stay clear of

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18
Q

stopgap

A

a temporary solution designed to meet an urgent need

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19
Q

flotsam

A

the floating wreckage of a ship; debris

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20
Q

churlish, sullen, surly

A

ill-tempered; rude; lacking civility

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21
Q

restitution

A

the act of making good or compensating for a loss, damage, or injury

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22
Q

disquieting

A

disturbing; upsetting; vexing; causing unease; worrisome

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23
Q

ornate

A

characterized by elaborate and expensive decorations; lavish

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24
Q

execrable, odious, repugnant

A

detestable; repulsive; extremely bad

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25
Q

perspicacious, prescient, discerning

A

insightful, perceptive

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26
Q

eclectic

A

choosing or using a variety of sources

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27
Q

hiatus

A

an interruption in time or continuity; a break

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28
Q

vertiginous

A

characterized by or suffering from dizziness; having vertigo

29
Q

esoteric, arcane

A

characterized by knowledge that is known only to a small group of specialists; obscure; recondite

30
Q

supercilious

A

showing haughty disdain or arrogant superiority

31
Q

blithe

A

joyous; sprightly; mirthful; light; vivacious

32
Q

underwrite

A

to assume financial responsibility for

33
Q

discomfited

A

uneasy; in a state of embarrassment

34
Q

taciturn

A

habitually quiet; uncommunicative

35
Q

sinecure

A

an office or position that provides an income for little or no work

36
Q

cosmopolitan

A

worldly; sophisticated; open-minded and aware of the big picture

37
Q

provincial, parochial, insular

A

limited in perspective; narrow; restricted in scope and outlook

38
Q

lugubrious

A

sad, mournful, melancholic

39
Q

fecund

A

intellectually productive or inventive, fertile

40
Q

ostentatious

A

showy; intended to attract notice; pretentious

41
Q

guile

A

treacherous cunning; skillful deceit

42
Q

sanguine

A

cheerfully confident; optimistic

43
Q

scintillating

A

sparkling; shining; brilliantly clever

44
Q

pristine

A

remaining in a pure state; uncorrupted by civilization

45
Q

rampant

A

unrestrained; unchecked

46
Q

pernicious

A

highly injurious; destructive; deadly

47
Q

oblivious

A

lacking conscious awareness; unmindful; unaware

48
Q

refractory

A

obstinately resistant to authority or control

49
Q

garrulous, verbose, loquacious

A

annoyingly talkative; voluble

50
Q

convivial

A

sociable; fond of feasting, drinking, and good company

51
Q

brusque, curt

A

abrupt in manner or speech; discourteously blunt

52
Q

tepid

A

lukewarm; mild; half-hearted

53
Q

protean

A

readily taking on varied forms and meanings

54
Q

solicitous

A

showing great care and concern; attentive

55
Q

disingenuous

A

insincere; not straightforward; not candid

56
Q

venerate, revere

A

to regard with great respect; to hold in high esteem

57
Q

contentious

A

quarrelsome; argumentative; likely to provoke a controversy; disputatious

58
Q

preclude

A

to make impossible; to rule out; to prevent

59
Q

compunction, contrition, remorse, penitence

A

feelings of sincere and deep regret

60
Q

demography

A

the study of the characteristics of human populations

61
Q

aphorism, axiom

A

a statement universally accepted as true; a maxim

62
Q

juxtapose

A

to place side by side or in close proximity

63
Q

juxtaposition

A

the position of being close together or side by side

64
Q

bombastic

A

pompous or pretentious in speech or writing; ostentatiously lofty in style

65
Q

forbearance

A

abstaining from the enforcement of a right; the act of refraining from acting on a desire or impulse

66
Q

unfettered

A

freed from restraint of any kind; liberated

67
Q

prescribe

A

to require; to order; to direct

68
Q

proscribe

A

to forbid; to prohibit; to outlaw

Direct Hits Personalised (11 decks)

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