E Flashcards
1
Q
Earthy
A
unrefined; coarse
His earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in the audience.
2
Q
ebb
A
recede; lessen
His fortunes began to ebb during the recession.
3
Q
ebullient
A
showing excitement, overflowing wth enthusiasm
His ebullient nature could not be repressed.
4
Q
eclectic
A
selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources
His style of interior decoration was eclectic: bits and pieces of furnishings from widely divergent periods, strikingly juxtaposed to create a unique color.
5
Q
eddy
A
swirling current of water, air, etc.
The water in the tide pool was still, except for an occasional eddy.
6
Q
edify
A
instruct; correct morally
Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his audience, many of his listeners were amused and not enlightened.
7
Q
eerie
A
weird
In that eerie setting, it was easy to believe in ghosts and other supernatural beings.
8
Q
efface
A
rub out
The coin had been handled so many times that its data had been effaced.
9
Q
effectual
A
efficient
If we are to succeed, we must seek effectual means of securing our goals.
10
Q
effeminate
A
having womanly traits
His voice was high-pitched and effeminate.
11
Q
effervescence
A
inner excitement; exuberance
Nothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon reasserted itself.
12
Q
effete
A
worn out; exhausted; barren
The literature of the age reflected the effete condition of the writers; no new ideas were forthcoming.
13
Q
effluvium
A
noxious smell
Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities; the effluvium and the poisons in the air are hazards to life.
14
Q
effrontery
A
shameless boldness
She had the effrontery to insult the guest.
15
Q
effusion
A
pouring forth
The critics objected to her literary effusion because it was too flowery.
16
Q
effusive
A
pouring forth; gushing
Her effusive manner of greeting her friends finally began to irritate them.
17
Q
egoism
A
excessive interest in one’s self; belief that one should be interested in one’s self rather than in others
His egoism prevented him from seeing the needs of his colleagues.
18
Q
egotism
A
conceit; vanity
She thought so much of herself that we found her egotism unwarranted and irritating.
19
Q
egregious
A
notorious; conspicuously bad; shocking
She was an egregious liar; we all knew better than to believe a word she said.
20
Q
egress
A
exit
Barnum’s sign “To the Egress” fooled many people who thought they were going to see an animal and instead found themselves in the street.
21
Q
ejaculation
A
exclamation
He could not repress an ejaculation of surprise when he heard the news.
22
Q
elaboration
A
addition of details; intricacy
Tell what happened simply, without any elaboration.
23
Q
elated
A
overjoyed; in high spirits
Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her Olympic victory.
24
Q
elegy
A
poem or song expressing lamentation
On the death of Edward King, Milton composed the elegy “Lycidas.”
25
elicit
draw out by discussion
The detectives tried to elicit where he had hidden his loot.
26
ellipsis
omission of words from a text
Sometimes an ellipsis can lead to a dangling modifier, as in the sentence "Once dressed, you should refrigerate the potato salad.
27
elucidate
explain; enlighten
He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points in his article.
28
elysian
relating to paradise; blissful
An afternoon sail on the bay was for her an elysian journey.
29
emaciated
thin and wasted
His long period of starvation had left him emaciated.
30
emancipate
set free
At first, the attempts of the Abolitioninst to emancipate the slaves were unpopular in New England as well as in the South.
31
embargo
ban on commerce or other activity
As a result of the embargo, trade with colonies was at a standstill.
32
embark
commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey
In devoting herself to the study of gorillas, Dian Fossey embarked on a course of action that was to cost her her life.
33
embellish
adorn
My mother-in-law's stories about her journey from Russia made us laugh because she embellished the bare facts of her travels with humourous acecdotes.
34
embezzlement
stealing
The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds.
35
embroil
throw into confusion
He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to arbitrate the dispute.
36
emend
correct, usually a text
The critic emended the book by retranslating several passages.
37
emendation
correction of errors; improvement
Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract.
38
emetic
substance causing vomiting
The use of an emetic like mustard is useful in cases of poisoning.
39
eminent
high; lofty
After his appointment to this emiment position, he seldom had time for his former friends.
40
emollient
soothing or softening remedy
He applied an emollient to the inflamed area.
41
emolument
salary; compensation
In addition to the emolument this position offers, you must consider the social prestige it carries with it.
42
empirical
based on experience
He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his reliance entirely on empirical data.
43
emulate
rival; imitate
As long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great leaders of this country, we shall flourish.
44
enclave
territory enclosed within an alien land
The Vatican is an independent enclave in Italy.
45
encomiastic
praising; eulogistic
Some critics believe that his encomiastic statements about Napoleon were inspired by his desire for material advancement rather than by an honest belief in the Emperor's genius.
46
encomiun
high praise; eulogy
Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters, Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise.
47
encroachment
gradual intrusion
The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood lowered the value of the real estate.
48
encumber
burden
Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage, when they take short trips.
49
endearment
fond word or act
Your gifts and endearments cannot make me forget your earlier insolence.
50
endemic
prevailinig among a specific group of people or in a specific are or country
This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80 percent of the population are at one time or another affected by it.
51
endue
provide with some quality; endow
He was endued with a lion's courage.
52
enervate
weaken
She was slow to recover from her illness; even a short walk to the window evervated her.
53
enfranchise
admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote)
Although blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War, women did not receive the right to vote until 1920.
54
engender
cause, produce
To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child.
55
engross
occupy fully
John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not hear his mother call.
56
enmity
ill will; hatred
At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the enmity that prevented Egypt and Israel from living in peace.
57
ennui
boredom
The monotonous routine of hopital life induced a feeling of ennui which made him moody and irritable.
58
enrapture
please intensely
The audience was enraptured by the freshness of the voices and the excellent orchestration.
59
ensconce
settle comfortably
The parents thought that their children were ensconced safely in the private school and decided to leave for Europe.
60
ensue
follow
The evils that ensued were the direct result of the miscalculations of the leaders.
61
enthrall
capture; enslave
From the moment he saw her picture, he was enthralled by her beauty.
62
entice
lure; attract; tempt
She always tried to entice her baby brother into mischief.
63
entomology
study of insects
I found entomology the least interesting part of my course in biology; studying insects bored me.
64
entrance
put under a spell; carry away with emotion
Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her spellbound.
65
entreat
plead; ask earnestly
She entreated her father to let her stay out till midnight.
66
entree
entrance; a way in
Because of his wealth and social position, he had entree into the most exclusive circles.
67
enunciate
speak distinctly
How will people understand you if you do not enunciate?
68
environ
enclose; surround
Paris was environed by a wall
69
eon
long period of time; an age
It has taken eons for our civilization to develop.
70
epaulet
ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.)
The shoulder loops on Sam Spade's trench coat are the nonmilitary counterparts of the fringed epaulets on George Washington's uniform.
71
ephemeral
short-lived; fleeting
The mayfly is an ephemeral creature.
72
epic
long heroic poem, novel, or similar work of art
Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the struggle of seven warriors to destroy a band of robbers.
73
epicure
connoisseur of food and drink
epicures frequent this restaurant because it features exotic wines and dishes.
74
epigram
witty thought or saying, usually short
Poor Richard's epigrams made Benjamin Franklin famous.
75
epilogue
short speech at conclusion of dramatic work
The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not remain to hear the epilogue.
76
episodic
loosely connected
Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity's Rainbow, John found the novel too episodic.
77
epistemologist
philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge
"What is more important, a knowledge of nature of the nature of knowledge?" the epistemologist asked the naturalist.
78
epitaph
inscription in memory of a dead person
In his will, he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his tombstone.
79
epithet
word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing
So many kings of France were named Charles that modern students need epithets to tell them apart: Charles the Wise, for example, was someone far different from Charles the Fat.
80
epitome
perfect example or embodiment
Singing "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" in The Pirates of Penzance, Major-General Stanley proclaimed himself the epitome of an officer and a gentleman.
81
epoch
period of time
The glacial epoch lasted for thousands of years.
82
equable
tranquil; steady; uniform
After the hot summers and cold winters of New England, he found the climate of the West Indies equable and pleasant.
83
equanimity
calmness of temperament
In his later years, he could look upon the foolishness of the world with equanimity and humor.
84
equestrian
rider on horseback
These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds.
85
equine
resembling a horse
His long, bony face had an equine look to it.
86
equinox
period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn
The vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms.
87
equipoise
balance; balancing force; equilibrium
The high-wire acrobat used his pole as an equipose to overcome the swaying caused by the wind.
88
equitable
fair; impartial
I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute, one which will be fair and acceptable to both sides.
89
equity
fairness; justice
Our courts guarantee equity to all.
90
equivocal
doubtful; ambiguous
Macbeth was misled by the equivocal statements of the witches.
91
equivocate
lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth
The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the subject under discussion and ridiculed his remarks.
92
errant
wandering
Many a charming tale has been written about the knights-errant who helped the weak and punished the guilty during the Age of Chivalry.
93
erratic
odd; unpredictable
Investors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic.
94
erudite
earned; scholarly
His erudite writing was difficult to read because of the many allusions which were unfamiliar to most readers.
95
escapade
prank; flighty conduct
The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a boyish joke and expelled the young man.
96
eschew
avoid
He tried to eschew all display of temper.
97
espouse
adopt; support
She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause.
98
estranged
separated; alienated
The estranged wife sought a divorce.
99
ethereal
light; heavenly; fine
Visitors were impressed by her ethereal beauty, her delicate charm.
100
ethnology
study of mankind
Sociology is one aspect of the science of ethnology.
101
ethos
underlying character of a culture, group, etc.
Seeing how tenderly Spaniards treated her small daughter made author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how greatly children were valued in the Spanish ethos.
102
etymology
study of word parts
A knowledge of etymology can help you on many English tests.
103
eugenic
pertaining to the improvement of race
It is easier to apply eugenic principles to the raising of racehorses or prize cattle than t the development of human beings.
104
eulogistic
praising
To everyone's surprise, the speech was eulogistic rather than critical in tone.
105
eulogy
praise
All the eulogies of his friends could not remove the sting of the calumny heaped upon him by his enemies.
106
eupherism
mild expression in place of an unpleasant one
The expression "he passed away" is a euphemism for "he died."
107
euphony
sweet sound
Noted for its euphony even when it is spoken, the Italian language is particularly pleasing to the ear when sung.
108
evanescent
fleeting; vanishing
For a brief moment, the entire skyline was bathed in an orange-red hue in the evanescent rays of the sunset.
109
evasive
not frank; eluding
Your evasive answers convinced the judge that you were witholding important evidence.
110
evince
show clearly
When he tried to answer the questions, he evinced his ignorance of the subject matter.
111
evenhanded
impartial; fair
Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their teachers, or, as recent studies suggest, do
teachers pay more attention to male students than to females?
112
ewe
female sheep
The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes, together with only a handful of rams.
113
exacting
extremely demanding
The colonies rebelled against the exacting financial claims of the mother country.
114
exalt
raise in rank or dignity; praise
The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the Queen; he now is known as Sir Alec Guinness.
115
exasperate
vex
Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks.
116
exchequer
treasury
He had been Chancellor of the exchequer before his promotion to the office he now holds.
117
excise
cut away; cut out
When you excise the dead and dying limbs of a tree, you not only improve its appearance but also enhance its chances of bearing fruit.
118
excoriate
flay; abrade
These shoes are so ill-fitting that they will excoriate the feet and create blisters.
119
exculpate
clear from blame
He was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed.
120
execrable
very bad
The anecdote was in execrable taste and shocked the audience.
121
execrate
curse; express abhorrence for
The world execrates the memory of Hitler and hopes that genocide will never again be the policy of any nation.
122
exegesis
explanation, especially of biblical passages
I can follow your exegesis of this passage to a limited degree; some of your reasoning eludes me.
123
exertion
effort; expenditure of much physical work
The exertion involved in unscrewing the rusty bolt left her exhausted.
124
exhort
urge
The evangelist will exhort all sinners in his audience to reform.
125
exhume
dig out of the ground; remove from a grave
Because of the rumor that he had been poisoned, his body was exhumed in order that an autopsy might be performed.
126
exigency
urgent situation
In this exigency, we must look for aid from our allies.
127
exiguous
small; minute
Grass grew there, an exiguous outcropping among the rocks.
128
exorcise
drive our evil spirits
By incantation and prayer, the medicine man sought to exorcise the evil spirits that had taken possession of the young warrior.
129
expatiate
talk at length
At this time, please give us a brief resume of your work; we shall permit you to expatiate later
130
expedient
suitable; practical; politic
A pragmatic politician, he was guided by what was expedient rather than by what was ethical.
131
expedite
hasten
We hope you will be able to expedite delivery because of our tight schedule.
132
expiate
ke amends for (a sin)
He tried to expiate his crimes by a full confession to the authorities.
133
expletive
interjection; profane oath
The sergeant's remarks were filled with expletives that offended the new recruits.
134
explostulation
protest; remonstrance
Despite the teacher's scoldings and expostulations, the class remained unruly.
135
expunge
cancel; remove
If you behave, I will expunge this notation from your record.
136
expurgate
clean; remove offensive parts of a book
The editors felt that certain passages in the book had to be expurgated before it could be used in the classroom.
137
extant
still in existence
Although the authorities suppressed the book, many copies are extant and may be purchased at exorbitant
prices.
138
extenuate
weaken; mitigate
It is easier for us to extenuate our own shortcomings than those of others.
139
extol
praise; glorify
The astronauts were extolled as the pioneers of the Space Age.
140
extort
wring from; get money by threats, etc.
The blackmailer extorted money from his victim.
141
extraneous
not essential; external
Do not pad your paper with extraneous matters; stick to essential items only.
142
extrapolation
projection; conjecture
Based on their extrapolation from the results of the primaries on Super Tuesday, the networks predicted that George Bush would be the Republican candidate for the presidency.
143
extricate
free; disentangle
He found that he could not extricate himself from the trap.
144
exude
discharge; gve birth
The maple syrup is obtained from the sap that the trees exude in early spring.
145
exult
rejoice
We exulted when our team won the victory.
146
