Direct Hits Toughest Vocabulary 10 Flashcards
Lambaste
denounce; strongly criticize
Ire
anger
Qiescent
marked by inactivity; in a state of quiet repose
Provisional
tentative; temporary; for the time being
Lurid
sensational; shocking; ghastly
Truculent, Pugnacious, Belligerent
defiantly aggressive; eager to fight
Latitude
leeway
belli
war
Bellicose
fond of war, disposed to quarrel or fight
Bellatrix
Actient Roman, female warrior
Propitiate
to appease; to conciliate; to regain the favor or goodwill of
Élan
a vigorous spirit; great enthusiasm
Perfunctory
in a spiritless, mechanical, and routine manner
Aplomb
self-assurance; confident composure; admirable poise under pressure
Opaque
hard to understand; impenetrably dense and obscure
Lucid
clear
Craven
cowardly; contemtibly (deserving of scorn) faint-hearted; base
Venal
corrupt; dishonest; open to bribery
Lucentious
emmoral; dissolute; debauched
Noxious
harmful; injurious to physical, mental, or moral health; pernicious
Superfluous, Extraneous
unnecessary; extra
Enhance
make greater
super, supra
over, above, greater in quality
Superlicious
overbearing, proud, haughty
Superficial
on the surface, shallow
Superlative
the best, in the highest degree
Supersede
to take the place of, to supplant (replace)
Duplicitous
deliberately deceptive in behavior or speech
Profligate
wasteful; squandering time and money by living for the moment
Squandering
wasting
Epiphany
a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something
Insidious
causing harm in a subtle or stealthy manner; injurious
Retribution
act of taking revenge
Vacuous, Inane
empty; lacking serious purpose; vapid
Harbinger, Portent, Presage
something that foreshadows a future event; an omen; a prognostic
Beleaguer
to beset; to surround with problems
Burgeon
to grow rapidly; to expand
Imperious
domineering and arrogant; haughty
Petulant, Querulous
peevish, irritable; whining or complaining in a childlike way
Fractious
unruly
Complaisant
agreeable; marked by a pleasing personality; affable; amiable
Complacent
over0contented, smug, and self-satisfied
Fawning, Obsequious
behaving in a servile or subservient manner; sycophantic; overly obdeient; submissive
Behest
bidding, commanding
Deferring
yielding
Obdurate, Intransigent
very stubborn; obstinate; unyieldingly persistent; inflexible; intractable
Redolent, Reminiscent
having a strong specific smell; bringing to mind; suggestive of
Waft
float
Chicanery
deception by subterfuge; deliberately trickery and artifice
Conundrum
a difficult problem; a dilemma with no easy solution
Slight
to treat as unimportant; to deliberately ignore; to disrespect
Capitulate
to surrender; to comply without protest
Disheartening
very discouraging; dismaying; dispiriting
Apocryphal
of doubtful authenticity; false; spurious
Magisterial
learned and authoritative
Plastic, Malleable, Pliable
flexible; easily shaped, especially by outside influences or forces
Feigns
pretends
Chagrin
the feeling of distress caused by humiliation, failure, or embarrassment
Obstreperous
noisily and stubbornly defiant; unruly; boisterous
Idyllic
charmingly simple and carefree
Dilapidated
in a state or disrepair; broken-down; in deplorable condition
Extemplorize, Improvise
to lecture or speak without notes, in an impromptu way
Myriad
many; numerous
Ungainly
awkward; clumsy; not graceful
Dilatory
habitually late; tardy
Implore
urge
Vituperative
characterized by verbal abuse and bitter criticism
Discordant
not in harmony; incompatible; at variance with, as in a discordant detail that doesn’t fit a pattern
Perfidy
deliberate breach of faith or trust; disloyalty
Perfidious
treacherous; traitorous; deceitful; faithless
Cronyism
favoritism shown to friends without regard to qualifications
fid
faith, trust
Fidelity
faithfulness to a trust or vow
Infidelity
unfaithfulness to a trust or vow
Infidel
one who does not accept a particular faith, an unbeliever
Perfidy
deliberate breach of faith or trust, disloyalty
Proliferate
to increase rapidly
Dichotomy
division into contrasting parts
Indomitable, Resolute
very determined; unwavering
Moribund
approaching death; about to become obsolete
mors
death
Nuance
a subtle shade of meaning or feeling; a slight degree of difference
Flippant, Facetious
treating serious matters with lighthearted humor or lack of respect
Credulous
easily convinced; tending to believe too readily; gullible
Incredulous
disbelieving; skeptical
Florid
flowery in style; very ornate
Excoriating, Scathing
expressing strong dissaproval; condemning; loudly decrying
Interloper
an intruder; a gatecrasher
Cerebal
intellectual rather than emotional
Visceral
instinctive rather than rational (derived from organs “gut-feeling”)
Nonplussed, Confounded
utterly perplexed; completely puzzled; totally bewildered
Ignominious
humiliating; shameful; disgraceful
Envelop
surround entirely
Euphony
soothing or pleasant sounds; harmony
Cacophony
harsh, clashing, jaring, grating sounds; disharmony
eu-
good
Vacillate
to waver; to hesitate; to swing back and forth; to be indecisive
Entrenched
securely established
Timorous
showing nervousness or fear
Narcissist
a person with a psychological condition characterized by self-preoccupation, lack of empathy, vanity, and a feeling of self-entitlement
Disdain
contempt
Insolent, Impudent
boldly insulting; brash; rude