Eng List 3 & 4 Flashcards
bilious
pertaining to bile or an excess secretion of bile
peevish; irritable; cranky
extremely unpleasant or distasteful
affinity
a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc.
cognate
related by birth
allied or similar in nation or quality
corollary
a natural consequence or result
cul de sac
a street, lane, etc., closed at one end; blind alley; dead-end street.
any situation in which further progress is impossible.
the hemming in of a military force on all sides except behind.
Anatomy. a saclike cavity, tube, or the like, open only at one end, as the cecum.
derring-do
daring deeds; heroic daring.
divination
the practice of attempting to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge by occult or supernatural means.
augury; prophecy
perception by intuition
elixir
Pharmacology. a sweetened, aromatic solution of alcohol and water containing, or used as a vehicle for, medicinal substances.
the quintessence or absolute embodiment of anything.
a panacea; cure-all; sovereign remedy.
folderol
mere nonsense; foolish talk or ideas.
a showy useless trifle.
gamut
the entire scale or range
hoi polloi
the common people; the masses
ineffable
incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible
not to be spoken because of its sacredness; unutterable.
lucubration
laborious work, study or thought, esp. at night.
any literary effort, esp. of solemn or pretentious nature.
mnemonic
assisting or intended to assist memory.
obloquy
censure, blame, or abusive language aimed at a person/thing, esp. by numerous people or the general public
parameter
limits or boundaries; guidelines
characteristic or factor; aspect; element
pundit
a learned person, expert or authority who makes comments or judgments, esp. in an authoritative manner
risible
causing or capable of causing laughter
symptomatic
of the nature of or constituting a symptom; indicative
volte-face
a turnabout, esp. a reversal of opinion or policy
hemiola
a rhythmic pattern of syncopated beats with 2 beats in the time of 3 or 3 beats in the time of 2
ancillary
subordinate; subsidiary
auxiliary; assisting
bowdlerize
to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar.
condescend
to behave as if one is conscious of descending from a superior position, rank or dignity.
to stoop or deign to do something.