Elite Vocab 1 Flashcards
0
Q
cataclysm
A
n. a disastrous event, usually one that brings about great change
adj. cataclysmic
1
Q
acrimony
A
n. bitter, sharp hostility in speech or behavior
adj. acrimonious
2
Q
catastrophe
A
n. disaster; sudden misfortune
adj. catastrophic
3
Q
debacle
A
n. an overwhelming defeat or failure
4
Q
fiasco
A
n. a major disaster
5
Q
fray
A
n. a fight or brawl
6
Q
melee
A
n. a noisy, confused fight
7
Q
querulous
A
adj. inclined to find fault; complaining; full of complaint
8
Q
squabble
A
n. a noisy argument, esp. over an unimportant matter
9
Q
tribulation
A
n. a great misery or distress
10
Q
circumlocution
A
n. an indirect or wordy way of expressing an idea
11
Q
colloquial
A
adj. appropriate to spoken, as opposed to written, language; informal
12
Q
colloquy
A
n. conversation, esp. a formal one
13
Q
elocution
A
n. the art of public speaking, with attention to delivery
14
Q
eloquent
A
adj. articulte; convincing and effective in speech
15
Q
grandiloquent
A
adj. using excessively fancy or pompous words
16
Q
interlocutor
A
n. someone who takes part in a conversation, esp. formally
17
Q
loquacious
A
adj. very talkative
18
Q
soliloquy
A
n. a dramatic speech delivered by a character to himself
19
Q
tautology
A
n. needless repetition of an idea in different words (e.g., “widow woman”); a statement that is logically true no matter what (e.g., “the committee’s term shall last one year or until it ends)
20
Q
crop
A
v. to cut or bite the ends off; to trim
21
Q
exact
A
v. to demand and obtain by force or authority
n. exaction
22
Q
graphic
A
adj. described in vivid and explicit detail
23
Q
hedge
A
v. to protect against possible loss by taking compensatory measures; to avoid making a direct statement
24
novel
adj. strikingly new
| n. novelty
25
occasion
v. to cause; to provide appropriate opportunity for
26
own
v. to admit, esp. taking personal responsibility for one's own actions or thoughts
27
plastic
adj. capable pf being shaped or molded; easily influenced
28
qualify
v. to modify, limit, or restrict, as by giving expectations
| n. qualification
29
start
v. to move suddenly or involuntarily
30
abate
v. to lessen in amount, intensity or strength
| n. abatement
31
abstruse
adj. difficult to understand
32
ado
n. trouble; fuss
33
aegis
n. a protection; sponsorship
34
awry
adv. away from the correct course; wrong; deviant
35
bask
v. to enjoy a warm or pleasant feeling
36
bilk
v. to swindle; to cheat
37
brusque
adj. abrupt or curt of manner
38
catharsis
n. purging of the emotions
| adj. cathartic
39
cavalier
adj. casual, disdainful
40
coax
v. to persuade or obtain by pleading or flattery
41
comport
v. to conduct or behave oneself; to be compatible or in agreement with
42
courteous
adj. polite and gracious; considerate toward others; well-mannered
43
covet
v. to desire strongly
| adj. covetous
44
deadlock
n. a tie; a standstill
45
decadence
n. a period of decline, as in morals
| n. decadence
46
defile
v. to corrupt; to desecrate or sully
47
demeanor
n. outward behavior, esp. that reveals one's personality or attitude
48
demur
v. to object; to disagree with something
49
desolate
adj. left alone; lonely; deserted
| n. desolation
50
douse
v. to wet thoroughly
51
efface
v. to rub out, as from a surface; to erase
52
empirical
adj. based on experience rather than a theory
| n. empiricism
53
excruciating
adj. severely painful
54
fitful
adj. occurring in irregular outbursts; occurring in spurts
55
flora
n. plants as a group, esp. of a specified region or time
56
forbear
v. to be patient or avoid doing
57
garner
v. to get or earn; to collect or gather
58
giddy
adj. dizzy; lightheaded
59
gist
n. the main objective or point
60
hallmark
n. any mark or symbol of genuineness or high quality
61
haunt
v. to visit often or continually; n. a place visited frequently
62
hodgepodge
n. a mixture; combination
63
inculcate
v. to teach or impress by frequent repetition; to instill
64
infer
v. to reason or conclude from evidence
| n. inference
65
jest
v. to be playful in speech and actions; to joke
| n. jester
66
lachrymose
adj. causing tears; weeping or inclined to weep
67
laity
n. all the people not belonging to a given profession, esp. the clergy
68
libertine
n. one who lives an immoral life
69
martial
adj. warlike
70
memento
n. a reminder or a souvenir
71
naïve
adj. simple; childlike; lacking worldly wisdom
72
neologism
n. new word or phrase
73
nihilism
n. a belief that rejects all moral or religious values; the belief that the destruction of political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement
adj. nihilistic
74
officious
adj. interfering; trying to give unwanted advice
75
overweening
adj. excessively arrogant; overbearing
76
pariah
n. a social outcast
77
pliant
adj. easily bent; pliable; adaptable or compliant
78
privation
n. lack of basic necessities
79
quagmire
n. Wet, boggy ground; a difficult situation
80
rapport
n. concord; a trustful relationship; harmony
81
reimburse
v. to repay
82
renege
v. to fail or carry out a promise
83
reproof
n. an expression of disapproval; a rebuke
| v. reprove
84
rout
n. an overwhelming defeat; a disorderly retreat or flight following a defeat; v. to defeat overwhelmingly
85
shoddy
adj. inferior or cheap
86
stifle
v. to interrupt or cut off; to keep in or hold back; to suffocate or smother
adj. stifling
87
surly
adj. sullen and rude
88
trifle
n. something that lacks significance or worth
| adj. trifling
89
wield
v. to handle (for example a tool); to exert (for example power)
90
charlatan
n. a fake; one who pretends to have expert knowledge
91
disingenuous
adj. not straightforward or candid; crafty; insincere or calculating
92
facade
n. outward appearance; the face of a building
93
fictitious
adj. not real; false
94
forgery
n. something counterfeit; an illegally produced imitation
| v. forge
95
impostor
n. a person using a false identity
96
masquerade
v. to wear a disguise; to put on a false appearance
97
mendacious
adj. lying; false, esp. habitually
98
prevaricate
v. to speak or write evasively in order to avoid telling the truth
n. prevarication
99
ruse
n. an action or device intended to deceive
100
altercation
n. a heated or noisy argument
101
bellicose
adj. warlike
102
churlish
adj. having a bad disposition; rude; boorish
| n. churl
103
disgruntled
adj. discontented; displeased
104
embitter
v. to make bitter; to cause resentment
105
grievance
n. a cause or reason for protest
106
infuriate
v. to cause to become very angry; to enrage
107
invidious
adj. tending to arouse hostility or resentment
108
ire
n. anger
| adj. irate
109
vendetta
n. a bitter feud or quarrel; fight
110
dismal
adj. causing gloom or depression
111
maladroit
adj. awkward; clumsy; bungling
112
malady
n. a disease; illness; sickness
113
malaise
n. a vague feeling of physical discomfort or uneasiness
114
malapropism
n. a ridiculous misuse of words
| adj. malapropos
115
malediction
n. evil talk about someone; slander; a curse
116
malefactor
n. one who does wrong; a villain
117
malevolent
adj. showing hatred; dangerous
| n. malevolence
118
malignant
adj. very harmful; threatening death; cancerous (of a tumor)
| n. malignancy
119
malinger
v. to act sick in order to avoid work
120
badger
v. to nag
121
bait
v. to torment or harass; to lure
122
bridle
v. to restrain
123
brook
v. to tolerate
124
court
v. to attempt to gain, esp. love or favor; to behave so as to invite
125
ferret
v. search; to seek (with "out")
126
grave
adj. serious; dignified; formal
| n. gravity
127
motion
n. a formal proposal
128
produce
n. fresh fruits and vegetables
129
pronounced
adj. strongly marked; clearly indicated
130
accouterment
n. secondary items of equipment or dress (usually plural)
| n. accoutrement
131
allure
n. the power to attract with something desirable
| adj. alluring
132
arbiter
n. a person selected to judge a dispute
| v. arbitrate
133
avatar
n. an embodiment, as of a quality or concept
134
bellow
v. to yell very loudly; to shout
135
blasé
adj. indifferent or bored with life; unimpressed as if because of too much worldly experience
136
buttress
v. to prop up or support
| n. buttress
137
contour
n. outline of an object or a figure
138
dally
v. to waste time; loiter
139
debunk
v. to expose the falsehood of
140
deciduous
adj. shedding or disappearing at the end of a season, e.g., leaves
141
defame
v. to attack a person's reputation; to slander
| n. defamation
142
demented
adj. insane; crazy
143
despondent
adj. so sad as to lack all hope
| n. despondency
144
deter
v. to prevent or discourage from acting by means of fear or doubt
n. deterrence
145
eccentric
adj. unconventional; odd
| n. eccentricity
146
éclat
n. great brilliance, as of performance or achievement; conspicuous success
147
egress
n. going out; the right to go out or exit
148
elegy
n. a poem that mourns a death; a composition (e.g. a piece of music) that resembles such a poem in mood
adj. elegiac
149
emend
v. to correct
| n. emendation
150
entice
v. to attract or lure
| n. enticement
151
environs
n. surroundings
152
expedient
adj. suitable for a purpose; convenient but based on self-interest rather than principle; n. a means to an end, especially when based on self-interest
153
expiate
v. to make amends for
| n. expiation
154
fickle
adj. unreliable in faith; changing in affections
155
flout
v. to intentionally and obviously disobey
156
gruff
adj. rough; harsh
157
hearten
v. encourage; give strength
158
iconoclast
n. one who attacks and seeks to destroy widely accepted ideas
adj. iconoclastic
159
inaugurate
v. to formally bring into office at the beginning of a term
| n. inauguration
160
infraction
n. a violation of a law or rule
161
iridescent
adj. shining with colors
162
jostle
v. to push and shove; to move by pushing or elbowing
163
karma
n. destiny; in Hinduism and Buddhism: the total effect of a person's conduct in successive phases of existence, believed to influence individual destiny
164
kowtow
v. to show servile deference; to touch the forehead to the ground as an act of respect
165
lacuna
n. an empty space or missing portion
| pl. lacunae
166
languid
adj. sluggish; lacking energy
| n. languor
167
leer
v. to look at lustfully; to ogle
168
lurk
v. to lie in wait; to wait furtively
169
machination
n. an artful or secret plot or scheme
170
maul
v. to injure; mangle
171
menagerie
m. a collection of wild and strange animals kept in cages
172
miasma
n. a noxious or poisonous atmosphere
173
nonpareil
adj. having no equal
| n. nonpareil
174
opportunist
n. one who takes advantage of every opportunity, whether or not it is moral to do so
175
philippic
n. a harsh verbal attack or denunciation
176
polyglot
n. one who speaks many languages; adj. speaking many languages
177
profess
v. to declare or claim openly
178
pugnacious
adj. belligerent, ready to fight
179
quirk
n. a rapid twist and turn; an individual mannerism
180
realm
n. a region; a kingdom
181
reproach
v. to express disapproval for a fault, usually out of a sense of disappointment
n. reproach; adj. reproachful
182
resolute
adj. firmly determined
| n. resolution
183
rudimentary
adj. elementary; basic
| n. rudiment
184
saccharine
adj. overly or sickeningly sweet
185
sedulous
adj. working hard and steadily; diligent
186
tally
v. to count; to add
187
terse
adj. without unnecessary words; succinct
188
tranquil
adj. calm, unruffled
| n. tranquility
189
vagabond
n. a person without a permanent home
