E-1 Flashcards
1
Q
earthy
A
unrefined; coarse (Eg: His earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in the audience. )
2
Q
ebb
A
recede; lessen (Eg: His fortunes began to ebb during the recession. )
3
Q
ebullient
A
showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm (Eg: )
4
Q
eccentric
A
odd; whimsical; irregular (Eg: The comet passed close by the earth in its eccentric orbit. )
5
Q
eccentricity
A
oddity; idiosyncrasy (Eg: Some of his friends tried to account for his rudeness to strangers as the eccentricity of genius. )
6
Q
ecclesiastic
A
pertaining to the church (Eg: The minister donned his ecclesiastic garb and walked to the pulpit. )
7
Q
eclectic
A
selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources (Eg: His style of interior decoration was eclectic: bits and pieces of furnishings from widely divergent periods- )
8
Q
eclipse
A
darken; extinguish; surpass (Eg: The new stock market high eclipsed the previous record set in 1985. )
9
Q
ecologist
A
person concerned with the interrelationship between living organisms and their environment (Eg: The ecologist was concerned that the new dam would upset the natural balance of the creatures living in )
10
Q
economy
A
efficiency or conciseness in using something (Eg: Reading the epigrams of Pope- I admire the economy of his verse: in few words he conveys worlds of )
11
Q
ecstasy
A
rapture- joy; any overpowering emotion (Eg: The announcement that the war had ended brought on an ecstasy that resulted in many uncontrolled )
12
Q
eddy
A
swirling current of water- air- etc. (Eg: The water in the tide pool was still- except for an occasional eddy. )
13
Q
edify
A
instruct; correct morally (Eg: Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his audience- many of his listeners were amused )
14
Q
eerie
A
weird (Eg: In that eerie setting- it was easy to believe in ghosts and other supernatural beings. )
15
Q
efface
A
rub out (Eg: The coin had been handled so many times that its data had been effaced. )
16
Q
effectual
A
efficient (Eg: If we are to succeed- we must seek effectual means of securing our goals. )
17
Q
effeminate
A
having womanly traits (Eg: His voice was high-pitched and effeminate. )
18
Q
effervescence
A
inner excitement; exuberance (Eg: Nothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon reasserted itself. )
19
Q
effete
A
worn out; exhausted; barren (Eg: The literature of the age reflected the effete condition of the writers; no new ideas were forthcoming. )
20
Q
efficacy
A
power to produce desired effect (Eg: The efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage. )
21
Q
effigy
A
dummy (Eg: The mob showed its irritation by hanging the judge in effigy. )
22
Q
effluvium
A
noxious smell (Eg: Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities; the effluvium and the poisons in the air are )
23
Q
effrontery
A
shameless boldness (Eg: She had the effrontery to insult the guest. )
24
Q
effusion
A
pouring forth (Eg: The critics objected to her literary effusion because it was too flowery. )
25
effusive
pouring forth; gushing (Eg: Her effusive manner of greeting her friends finally began to irritate them. )
26
egoism
excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in (Eg: others )
27
egotism
conceit; vanity (Eg: She thought so much of herself that we found her egotism unwarranted and irritating. )
28
egregious
notorious; conspicuously bad; shocking (Eg: She was an egregious liar; we all knew better than to believe a word she said. )
29
egress
exit (Eg: Barnum's sign To the Egress fooled many people who thought they were going to see an animal and )
30
ejaculation
exclamation (Eg: He could not repress an ejaculation of surprise when he heard the news. )
31
elaboration
addition of details; intricacy (Eg: Tell what happened simply- without any elaboration. )
32
elated
overjoyed; in high spirits (Eg: Grinning from ear to ear- Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her Olympic victory. )
33
elegy
poem or song expressing lamentation (Eg: )
34
elicit
draw out by discussion (Eg: The detectives tried to elicit where he had hidden his loot. )
35
elixir
cure-all; something invigorating (Eg: The news of her chance to go abroad acted on her like an elixir. )
36
ellipsis
omission of words from a text (Eg: Sometimes an ellipsis can lead to a dangling modifier- as in the sentence Once dressed- you should )
37
elliptical
oval; ambiguous- either purposely or because key words have been left out (Eg: An elliptical billiad ball wobbles because it is not perfectly round; an elliptical remark baffles because it is )
38
eloquence
expressiveness; persuasive speech (Eg: The crowds were stirred by Martin Luther King's eloquence. )
39
elucidate
explain; enlighten (Eg: He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points in his article. )
40
elusive
evasive; baffling; hard to grasp (Eg: His elusive dreams of wealth were costly to those of his friends who supported him financially. )
41
elysian
relating to paradise; blissful (Eg: An afternoon sail on the bay was for her an elysian journey. )
42
emaciated
thin and wasted (Eg: His long period of starvation had left him emaciated. )
43
emanate
issue forth (Eg: A strong odor of sulfur emanated from the spring. )
44
emancipate
set free (Eg: At first- the attempts of the Abolitioninst to emancipate the slaves were unpopular in New England as well )
45
embargo
ban on commerce or other activity (Eg: As a result of the embargo- trade with colonies was at a standstill. )
46
embark
commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey (Eg: In devoting herself to the study of gorillas- Dian Fossey embarked on a course of action that was to cost )
47
embed
enclose; place in something (Eg: Tales of actual historical figures like King Alfred have become embedded in legends. )
48
embellish
adorn (Eg: )
49
embezzlement
stealing (Eg: The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds. )
50
embroil
throw into confusion (Eg: He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to arbitrate the dispute. )
51
embryonic
undeveloped; rudimentary (Eg: The evil of class and race hatred must be eliminated while it is still in an embryonic state; otherwise- it may )
52
emend
correct- usually a text (Eg: The critic emended the book by retranslating several passages. )
53
emendation
correction of errors; improvement (Eg: Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract. )
54
emetic
substance causing vomiting (Eg: The use of an emetic like mustard is useful in cases of poisoning. )
55
eminent
high; lofty (Eg: After his appointment to this emiment position- he seldom had time for his former friends. )
56
emissary
agent; messenger (Eg: The secretary of State was sent as the President's special emissary to the conference on disarmament. )
57
emollient
soothing or softening remedy (Eg: He applied an emollient to the inflamed area. )
58
emolument
salary; compensation (Eg: In addition to the emolument this position offers- you must consider the social prestige it carries with it. )
59
empathy
ability to identify with another's feelings- ideas- etc (Eg: What made Ann such a fine counselor was her empathy- her ability to put herself in her client's place and )
60
empirical
based on experience (Eg: He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his reliance entirely on empirical data. )
61
emulate
rival; imitate (Eg: As long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great leaders of this country- we shall flourish. )
62
enamored
in love (Eg: Narcissus became enamored of his own beauty. )
63
enclave
territory enclosed within an alien land (Eg: The Vatican is an independent enclave in Italy. )
64
encomiastic
praising; eulogistic (Eg: Some critics believe that his encomiastic statements about Napoleon were inspired by his desire for )
65
encomium
high praise; eulogy (Eg: Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters- Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise. )
66
encompass
surround (Eg: Although we were encompassed by enemy forces- we were cheerful for we were well stocked and could )
67
encroachment
gradual intrusion (Eg: The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood lowered the value of the real estate. )
68
encumber
burden (Eg: Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage- when they take short trips. )
69
endearment
fond word or act (Eg: Your gifts and endearments cannot make me forget your earlier insolence. )
70
endemic
prevailinig among a specific group of people or in a specific are or country (Eg: This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80 percent of the population are at one time or )
71
endorse
approve; support (Eg: Everyone waited to see which one of the rival candidates for the city council the mayor would endorse. )
72
endue
provide with some quality; endow (Eg: He was endued with a lion's courage. )
73
enduring
lasting; surviving (Eg: Keats believed in the enduring power of great art- which outlast its creator's brief lives. )
74
energize
invigorate; make forceful and active (Eg: Rather than exhausting Maggie- dancing energized her. )
75
enervate
weaken (Eg: She was slow to recover from her illness; even a short walk to the window evervated her. )
76
enfranchise
admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote) (Eg: Although blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War- women did not receive the right to vote )
77
engage
attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront (Eg: Your case has engaged my interest- my lord- said Holmes- You many engage my services. )
78
engender
cause; produce (Eg: To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child. )
79
engross
occupy fully (Eg: John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not hear his mother call. )
80
enhance
advance; improve (Eg: Your chances for promotion in this department will be enhanced if you take some more courses in evening )
81
enigma
puzzle (Eg: Depite all attempts to decipher the code- it remained an enigma. )
82
enigmatic
obscure; puzzling (Eg: Many have sought to fathom the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa. )
83
enjoin
command; order; forbid (Eg: The owners of the company asked the court to enjoin the union from picketing the plant. )
84
enmity
ill will; hatred (Eg: At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the enmity that prevented Egypt and Israel )
85
ennui
boredom (Eg: The monotonous routine of hopital life induced a feeling of ennui which made him moody and irritable. )
86
enormity
hugeness (in a bad sense) (Eg: He did not realize the enormity of his crime until he saw what suffering he had caused. )
87
enrapture
please intensely (Eg: The audience was enraptured by the freshness of the voices and the excellent orchestration. )
88
ensconce
settle comfortably (Eg: The parents thought that their children were ensconced safely in the private school and decided to leave )
89
ensue
follow (Eg: The evils that ensued were the direct result of the miscalculations of the leaders. )
90
enthrall
capture; enslave (Eg: From the moment he saw her picture- he was enthralled by her beauty. )
91
entice
lure; attract; tempt (Eg: She always tried to entice her baby brother into mischief. )
92
entity
real being (Eg: As soon as the charter was adopted- the United Nations became an entity and had to be considered as a )
93
entomology
study of insects (Eg: I found entomology the least interesting part of my course in biology; studying insects bored me. )
94
entrance
put under a spell; carry away with emotion (Eg: Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her spellbound. )
95
entreat
plead; ask earnestly (Eg: She entreated her father to let her stay out till midnight. )
96
entree
entrance; a way in (Eg: Because of his wealth and social position- he had entree into the most exclusive circles. )
97
entrepreneur
businessperson; contractor (Eg: Opponents of our present tax program argue that it discourages entrepreneurs from trying new fields of )
98
enumerate
list; mention one by one (Eg: Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson enumerated his many flaws. )
99
enunciate
speak distinctly (Eg: How will people understand you if you do not enunciate? )
100
environ
enclose; surround (Eg: Paris was environed by a wall )
101
eon
long period of time; an age (Eg: It has taken eons for our civilization to develop. )
102
epaulet
ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform- etc.) (Eg: The shoulder loops on Sam Spade's trench coat are the nonmilitary counterparts of the fringed epaulets on )
103
ephemeral
short-lived; fleeting (Eg: The mayfly is an ephemeral creature. )
104
epic
long heroic poem- novel- or similar work of art (Eg: Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the struggle of seven warriors to destroy a band of )
105
epicure
connoisseur of food and drink (Eg: epicures frequent this restaurant because it features exotic wines and dishes. )
106
epigram
witty thought or saying- usually short (Eg: Poor Richard's epigrams made Benjamin Franklin famous. )
107
epilogue
short speech at conclusion of dramatic work (Eg: The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not remain to hear the epilogue. )
108
episodic
loosely connected (Eg: Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity's Rainbow- John found the novel too episodic. )
109
epistemologist
philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge (Eg: What is more important- a knowledge of nature of the nature of knowledge? the epistemologist asked the )
110
epitaph
inscription in memory of a dead person (Eg: In his will- he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his tombstone. )
111
epithet
word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing (Eg: So many kings of France were named Charles that modern students need epithets to tell them apart: )
112
epitome
perfect example or embodiment (Eg: Singing I am the very model of a modern Major-General in The Pirates of Penzance- Major-General )
113
epoch
period of time (Eg: The glacial epoch lasted for thousands of years. )
114
equable
tranquil; steady; uniform (Eg: After the hot summers and cold winters of New England- he found the climate of the West Indies equable )
115
equanimity
calmness of temperament (Eg: In his later years- he could look upon the foolishness of the world with equanimity and humor. )
116
equestrian
rider on horseback (Eg: These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds. )
117
equilibrium
balance (Eg: After the divorce- he needed some time to regain his equilibrium. )
118
equine
resembling a horse (Eg: His long- bony face had an equine look to it. )
119
equinox
period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn (Eg: The vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms. )
120
equipoise
balance; balancing force; equilibrium (Eg: The high-wire acrobat used his pole as an equipose to overcome the swaying caused by the wind. )
121
equitable
fair; impartial (Eg: I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute- one which will be fair and acceptable to both sides. )
122
equity
fairness; justice (Eg: Our courts guarantee equity to all. )
123
equivocal
doubtful; ambiguous (Eg: Macbeth was misled by the equivocal statements of the witches. )
124
equivocate
lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth (Eg: The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the subject under discussion and ridiculed his )
125
erode
eat away (Eg: The limestone was eroded by the dripping water )
126
erotic
pertaining to passionate love (Eg: The erotic passages in this novel should be removed as they are merely pornographic. )
127
errant
wandering (Eg: Many a charming tale has been written about the knights-errant who helped the weak and punished the )
128
erratic
odd; unpredictable (Eg: Investors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic. )
129
erroneous
mistaken; wrong (Eg: I thought my answer was correct- but it was erroneous. )
130
erudite
learned; scholarly (Eg: His erudite writing was difficult to read because of the many allusions which were unfamiliar to most )
131
escapade
prank; flighty conduct (Eg: The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a boyish joke and expelled the young man. )
132
eschew
avoid (Eg: He tried to eschew all display of temper. )
133
esoteric
hard to understand; known only to the chosen few (Eg: New Yorker short stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events: the implication is if )
134
espionage
spying (Eg: In order to maintain its power- the government developed a system of espionage that penetrated every )
135
espouse
adopt; support (Eg: She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause. )
136
esteem
repect; value; judge (Eg: I esteem Ezra Pound both for his exciting poetry and for his acute comments on literature. )
137
estranged
separated; alienated (Eg: The estranged wife sought a divorce. )
138
ethereal
light; heavenly; fine (Eg: Visitors were impressed by her ethereal beauty- her delicate charm. )
139
ethnic
relating to races (Eg: Intolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is based on lack of information. )
140
ethnology
study of mankind (Eg: Sociology is one aspect of the science of ethnology. )
141
ethos
underlying character of a culture- group- etc. (Eg: Seeing how tenderly Spaniards treated her small daughter made author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how )
142
etymology
study of word parts (Eg: A knowledge of etymology can help you on many English tests. )
143
eugenic
pertaining to the improvement of race (Eg: It is easier to apply eugenic principles to the raising of racehorses or prize cattle than t the development of )
144
eulogistic
praising (Eg: To everyone's surprise- the speech was eulogistic rather than critical in tone. )
145
eulogy
praise (Eg: All the eulogies of his friends could not remove the sting of the calumny heaped upon him by his enemies. )
146
euphemism
mild expression in place of an unpleasant one (Eg: The expression he passed away is a euphemism for he died. )
147
euphony
sweet sound (Eg: Noted for its euphony even when it is spoken- the Italian language is particularly pleasing to the ear when )
148
euphoria
feeling of exaggerated (or unfounded) well-being (Eg: Jill's been on cloud nine ever since Jacj asked her out- said Betty- dismissing her friend's euphoria. )
149
euthanasia
mercy killing (Eg: Many people support euthanasia for terminally ill patients who wish to die. )
150
evanescent
fleeting; vanishing (Eg: For a brief moment- the entire skyline was bathed in an orange-red hue in the evanescent rays of the )
151
evasive
not frank; eluding (Eg: Your evasive answers convinced the judge that you were witholding important evidence. )
152
evince
show clearly (Eg: When he tried to answer the questions- he evinced his ignorance of the subject matter. )
153
evenhanded
impartial; fair (Eg: Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their teachers- or- as recent studies suggest- do )
154
evoke
call forth (Eg: He evoked much criticism by his hostile manner. )
155
ewe
female sheep (Eg: The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes- together with only a handful of rams. )
156
exacerbate
worsen; embitter (Eg: This latest arrest will exacerbate the already existing discontent of the people and enrage them. )
157
exacting
extremely demanding (Eg: The colonies rebelled against the exacting financial claims of the mother country. )
158
exalt
raise in rank or dignity; praise (Eg: The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the Queen; he now is known as Sir Alec )
159
exasperate
vex (Eg: Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks. )
160
excerpt
selected passage (written or musical) (Eg: The cinematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film. )
161
exchequer
treasury (Eg: He had been Chancellor of the exchequer before his promotion to the office he now holds. )
162
excise
cut away; cut out (Eg: When you excise the dead and dying limbs of a tree- you not only improve its appearance but also enhance )
163
excoriate
flay; abrade (Eg: These shoes are so ill-fitting that they will excoriate the feet and create blisters. )
164
exculpate
clear from blame (Eg: He was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed. )
165
execrable
very bad (Eg: The anecdote was in execrable taste and shocked the audience. )
166
execrate
curse; express abhorrence for (Eg: The world execrates the memory of Hitler and hopes that genocide will never again be the policy of any )
167
execute
put into effect; carry out (Eg: The choreographer wanted to see how well she could execute a pirouette. )
168
exegesis
explanation- especially of biblical passages (Eg: I can follow your exegesis of this passage to a limited degree; some of your reasoning eludes me. )
169
exemplary
serving as a model; outstanding (Eg: Her exemplary behavior was praised at commencement. )
170
exemplify
show by example; furnish an example (Eg: Three-time winner of the Super Bowl- Joe Montana exemplifies the ideal quarterback. )
171
exertion
effort; expenditure of much physical work (Eg: The exertion involved in unscrewing the rusty bolt left her exhausted. )
172
exhort
urge (Eg: The evangelist will exhort all sinners in his audience to reform. )
173
exhume
dig out of the ground; remove from a grave (Eg: Because of the rumor that he had been poisoned- his body was exhumed in order that an autopsy might be )
174
exigency
urgent situation (Eg: In this exigency- we must look for aid from our allies. )
175
exiguous
small; minute (Eg: Grass grew there- an exiguous outcropping among the rocks. )
176
existential
pertaining to existence; pertaining to the philosophy of existentialism (Eg: To the existential philosopher- human reason is inadequate to explain an irrational- meaningless universe. )
177
exodus
departure (Eg: The exodus from the hot and stuffy city was particularly noticeable on Friday evenings. )
178
exonerate
acquit; exculpate (Eg: I am sure this letter naming the actual culprit will exonerate you. )
179
exorbitant
excessive (Eg: The people grumbled at his exorbitant prices but paid them because he had a monopoly. )
180
exorcise
drive our evil spirits (Eg: By incantation and prayer- the medicine man sought to exorcise the evil spirits that had taken possession of )
