Eng List 1 & 2 Flashcards

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0
Q

bellwether

A

(n) the leading sheep of a flock, with a bell on its neck

a person who leads

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1
Q

adjunct

A

(n) something added to another thing but not essential to it

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2
Q

caterwaul

A

to utter long wailing cries like cats in rutting time

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3
Q

chimeral

A

(adj) imaginary

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4
Q

effete

A

(of a person) affected, overrefined and ineffectual

(adj) no longer capable of effective action

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5
Q

fait accompli

A

a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with nothing to do but accept it

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6
Q

hidebound

A

unwilling or unable to change because of convention

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7
Q

hierarchy

A

a system/organization in which people are ranked based on status or authority

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8
Q

laissez-faire

A

policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering

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9
Q

liturgy

A

a form or formulary to which public religious worship esp. Christian worship is conducted

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10
Q

morass

A

tract of low, soft, wet ground

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11
Q

noisome

A

offensive or disgusting, as an odor.

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12
Q

oblivious

A

unmindful; unconscious; unaware

forgetful

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13
Q

poltroon

A

a wretched coward; craven

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14
Q

proselyte

A

a person who has changed from one opinion, belief, religion; convert

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15
Q

quasi

A

seemingly; resembling; virtual

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16
Q

raillery

A

good-humored ridicule; banter

17
Q

ribald

A

vulgar or indecent in speech, language, etc.; coarsely mocking, abusive, or irreverent; scurrilous.

18
Q

supine

A

lying on the back, face or front upward.

inactive, passive, or inert, especially from indolence or indifference.

(of the hand) having the palm upward.

19
Q

vignette

A

a decorative design or small illustration used on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter.

an engraving, drawing, photograph, or the like that is shaded off gradually at the edges so as to leave no definite line at the border.

a decorative design representing branches, leaves, grapes, or the like, as in a manuscript.

any small, pleasing picture or view.
a small, graceful literary sketch.

20
Q

aegis

A

protection; support

sponsorship; auspices

(Classical Mythology) the shield or breastplate of Zeus or Athena, bearing at its center the head of the Gorgon.

21
Q

apprise

A

to give notice to; inform; advise (often followed by “of”)

22
Q

bibulous

A

fond of or addicted to drink

absorbent, spongey

23
Q

claque

A

a group of persons hired to applaud an act or performer.

a group of sycophants.

24
Q

deracinate

A

to pull up by the roots; uproot; extirpate; eradicate.

to isolate or alienate (a person) from a native or customary culture or environment.

25
Q

exegesis

A

critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially of the Bible.

26
Q

indigenous

A

originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country; native (often followed by to)

innate; inherent; natural (usually followed by to )

27
Q

lachrymose

A

suggestive of or tending to cause tears; mournful.

given to shedding tears readily; tearful.

28
Q

lexicon

A

a wordbook or dictionary, especially of Greek, Latin, or Hebrew.

the vocabulary of a particular language, field, social class, person, etc.

inventory or record

29
Q

melee

A

a confused hand-to-hand fight or struggle among several people.

confusion; turmoil; jumble

30
Q

microcosm

A

a little world; a world in miniature (opposed to macrocosm).

anything that is regarded as a world in miniature.

human beings, humanity, society, or the like, viewed as an epitome or miniature of the world or universe.

31
Q

minuscule

A

very small

32
Q

obfuscate

A

to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy.

to make obscure or unclear.

to darken.

33
Q

paternalism

A

the system, principle, or practice of managing or governing individuals, businesses, nations, etc., in the manner of a father dealing benevolently and often intrusively with his children

34
Q

polarize

A

to cause polarization in.

to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc.

to give polarity to.

35
Q

purview

A

the range of operation, authority, control, concern, etc.

the range of vision, insight, or understanding.

the full scope or compass of any document, statement, subject, book, etc.

36
Q

sanguine

A

cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident: a sanguine disposition; sanguine expectations.

reddish; ruddy.

bloody; sanguinary.

blood-red; red.

(Heraldry) a reddish-purple tincture.

(in old physiology) having blood as the predominating humor and consequently being ruddy-faced, cheerful, etc.

37
Q

solecism

A

a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage

a breach of good manners or etiquette.

any error, impropriety, or inconsistency.

38
Q

vassal

A

(in the feudal system) a person granted the use of land, in return for rendering homage, fealty, and usually military service or its equivalent to a lord or other superior; feudal tenant.

a person holding some similar relation to a superior; a subject, subordinate, follower, or retainer.

a servant or slave.

39
Q

verisimilitude

A

the appearance or semblance of truth; likelihood; probability.

something, as an assertion, having merely the appearance of truth.