EC3.5 Flashcards
perfunctory
without effort/interest
cursory, brief, indifferent, apathetic, superficial (smile)
perfunctorily (adverb)
perfunctoriness (noun)
diligent, careful (ant)
The perfunctory signing of the Treaty of Tilsit by Prussia in 1807 reflected the kingdom’s lack of leverage, as Napoleon dictated most of the terms without genuine negotiation.
perpetuate
keep sth going indefinitely
sustain, continue (syn)
terminate (ant)
perpetuable (adj)
perpetuation (noun)
perpetuator (noun)
By amplifying sensationalist headlines without context, social media algorithms often perpetuate socio-political divisions, reinforcing echo chambers and deepening polarization among users.
emulate
follow, imitate to perfect of become equal
emulative (adj)
emulatively (adverb)
emulator (noun)
be original, diverge from (ant)
Cecilia Payne sought to emulate Annie Jump Cannon’s trailblazing spirit, pushing the boundaries of what women could achieve in the male-dominated field of astronomy.
Annie - the stellar classification chart OBAFGKM (overcoming gender biases)
Cecilia - used Annie’s framework, and in her doctoral thesis demonstarted star composition (helium and hydrogen), fist female to head a department at harvard
preclude
prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of; make impossible
eliminate (syn)
precludable (adj)
preclusion (noun)
preclusive (adj)
preclusively (adverb)
Before the advances of the first wave of feminism in the early 20th century, societal norms and institutional barriers in many countries precluded women from pursuing higher education and scholarly careers.
relegate
downgrade (syn)
upgrade, promote (ant)
relegable (adj)
relegation (noun)
Despite the groundbreaking implications of his research, Clair Patterson’s warnings about lead pollution were initially relegated to obscurity, as industries prioritized profit over public health.
viable
capable of working successfully
feasible, applicable (syn)
unfeasible (ant)
viability (noun)
viably (adverb)
Implementing advanced sprinkler systems has emerged as a viable solution to protect homes from the devastating wildfires currently ravaging Los Angeles.
verbose
expressed in more words than are needed
wordy, long-winded (syn)
brief, succinct (ant)
verbosely (adverb)
verboseness (noun)
Despite the fascinating nature of neutrinos, the scientist’s verbose lecture on their properties left the audience overwhelmed, with too many technical details obscuring the broader implications of the research.
predilection
a preference or special liking for something; a bias
bias/leaning/liking (syn)
dislike, disinclination (ant)
Bertolt Brecht’s predilection for socialist ideals is evident in his Epic Theatre, where the alienation effect (Verfremdungseffekt) and other techniques were used to critique capitalism and encourage revolutionary thinking among audiences.
idiosyncratic
idiosyncrasy
having strange or unusual habits, ways of behaving, or features
individual, distinctive (syn)
common, general (ant)
The idiosyncratic teaching methods of Socrates, which rejected traditional didactic lectures in favor of relentless questioning and debate, were considered unconventional in ancient Athens.
expedite
expeditious
make (an action or process) happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly.
accelerate, hurry (syn)
delay (ant)
The Manhattan Project was established during World War II to expedite the development of nuclear weapons in order to ensure that the United States maintained a strategic advantage.
