Direct Hits Toughest Vocabulary 11 Flashcards
Idiosyncrasy
a trait or mannerism that is peculiar to an individual
Censorious, Captious
highly critical; fault-finding
Consternation
a state of great dismay and confusion
Decimation
destruction of a great portion
Inundated
flooded
Didactic
tending to give instruction or advice; inclined to teach or lecture others too much; containing a political or moral lession
Pedantic
tediously ostentatious about one’s knowledge
Dogmatic
asserting opinions in an authoritative, arrogant manner
Elucidate
to make clear or plain, especially by explanation
luc
to lgiht, shine
Pellucid
clear, transparent, diaphanous, limpid
Translucent
shining through, but with diffused light, partially transparent
Lucite
a crystal-clear synthetic resin
Lucifer
the Fallen Angel, who was the light-bearer to God before defying God and being cast into Hell
Effusive
expressing excessive emtion in an unrestrained manner; gushing
Prolific
very productive
Furor
a general commotion; an uproar
Paranoia
a tendency toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness; irrational fear; delusions of persecution
Marginal, Peripheral
of secondary importance; not central; on the perimeter
Obfuscate
to deliberately confuse; to make something so confusing that it is hard to understand
Venerable
respected
Flummoxed
confused or perplexed; utterly dumbfounded
Indelible
not able to be forgotten or removed
Spate
a large number or amount
Ineffable
too overwhelming to be put into words; indescribable; inexpressible
Histrionic, Overwrought
excessively framativ or melodramatic; theatrical; overacted
Measured
restrained
Placate
to soothe or calm; to oppose
Eschew
to avoid; to shun; to stay clear of
Stopgap
a temporary solution designed to meet an urgent need
Flotsam
the floating wreckage of a ship; debris
Jetsam
part of a ship, its cargo or equipment that is purposefully thrown overboard or jettisoned to lighten the load in an emergency and that sinks or is washed up on shore
Jettisoned
discarded
Debris
trash, refuse
Churlish, Sullen, Surly
ill-tempered; rude; lacking civility
Restitution
the act of making good or compensating for a loss, damage, or injury
Saboteurs
subversive agents
Disquieting
disturbing; upsetting; vexing; causing unease; worrisome
Ornate
characterized by elaborate and expensive decorations; lavish
Supplanted
replaced
Execrable, Odious, Repugnant
detestable; repulsive; extremly bad
pugn, pug
fighting
Pugnacious
disposed to fight, quarrelsome, comative
Pugilist
a boxer, one who fights with his fists
Impugn
to fight against, attack, challenge the motives of
Perspicacious, Prescient, Discerning
insightful, perceptive
spic, spect
look, watch, see, observe
Conspicious
open to view, attracting attention, obvious prominent, remarkable
Introspection
looking into one’s own mind, observation and analysis of oneself
Retrospect
looking back on the past
Eclectic
choosing or using a variety of sources
Hiatus
an interruption in time or continually; a break
Vertiginous
characterized by a feeling of whirling or spinning; suffering from dizziness; having vertigo
Iconic
idolized as an object of attention or devotion
Esoteric, Arcane
characterized by knowledge that is known only to a small group of specialists; obscure; recondite; abstruse
Supercilious
showing haughty disdain or arrogant superiority
Blithe
Joyous; sprightly; mirthful; light; vivacious
Underwrite
to assume financial responsibility for
Discomfited
uneasy; in a state of embarrassent
Taciturn
habitually quiet; uncommunicative
Astute
perceptive, shrewd
Sinecure
an office or position that provides an income for little or no work
Cosmopolitan
wordly; sophisticated; open-minded and aware of the big picture
Provincial, Parochial, Insular
limited in perpective; narrow; unrestricted in scope and outlook
Lugubrious
sad, mournful, melancholic
Fecund
intellectually productive or inventive, ferile
Ostentatious
showy; intended to attract notice; pretentious
Resplendent
dazzling
Guile
treacherous cunning; skillful deceit; duplicity
Ruse
trick
Sanguine
cheerfuly confident; optimistic
Scintillating
sparkling; shining; brilliantly clever
Pristine
remaining in a pure state; uncorrupted by civilization
Rampant
unrestrained; unchecked
Pernicious
highly injurious; destructive; deadly
Oblivious
lacking concious awareness; unmindedful; unaware
Refractory
recalcitrant; obstinately resistant to authority; hard to manage
Garrulous, Verbose, Loquacious, Voluble
annoyingly talkative; speaking incessantly; babbling
Convivial
sociable; fond of feasting, drinking, and good company
Brusque, Curt
abrupt in manner or speech; discourteously blunt
Tepid
lukewarm; mild; half-hearted
Protean
readily taking on varied forms and meanings
Solicitous
showing great care and concern; attentive
Ingenous
free from deviousness; innocent, naive; guileless; sincere
Disingenuous
insincere; not candid; not straightforward; calculating; oblique
Guileless
honest, frank
Venerate, Revere
to regard with great respect; to hold in high esteem
Contentious
quarrelsome; argumentative; likely to provokea controversy; disputatious
Preclude
to make impossible; to rule out; to prevent
Compunction, Contrition, Remorse, Penitence
feelings of sincere and deep regret
Demography
the study of the characteristics of human populations
Aphorism, Axiom
a statement universally accepted as true; a maxim
Juxtapose
to place side by side or in close proximity
Juxtaposition
the position of being close together or side by side
Bombastic
pompous or pretentious in speech or writing; ostentatiously loftly in style
Pretentious
putting on an appearence of importance
Forbearance
abstaining from the enforcement of a right; the act of refraining from acting on a desire or impulse
Unfettered
freed from restraint of any kind; liberated
Prescribe
to require; to order; to direct
Proscribe
to forbid; to prohibit; to outlaw
Puerile, Callow, Sophomoric
childishly foolish; inexperienced; immature