English Flashcards
leer
a lascivious or unpleasant look.
“he gave me a sly leer”
jump/leap out of your skin
to be extremely surprised by something:
The loud noise made me jump out of my skin.
drip
verb
display a copious amount or degree of a particular quality or thing.
“the women were dripping with gold and diamonds”
noun
a small drop of a liquid.
“she put the bucket on top of the dresser to catch the drips”
nonchalantly
(of a person or manner) feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.
“she gave a nonchalant shrug”
ominous
giving the worrying impression that something bad is going to happen; threateningly inauspicious.
“there were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead”
sap
gradually weaken or destroy (a person’s strength or power).
“our energy is being sapped by bureaucrats and politicians”
pushover
a person who is easy to overcome or influence.
“Colonel Moore was benevolent but no pushover”
backhand
strike with a backhanded blow or stroke.
“in a flash, he backhanded Ace across the jaw”
anguished
experiencing or expressing severe mental or physical pain or suffering.
brim
be full to the point of overflowing.
“my eyes brimmed with tears”
swig
drink in large gulps.
“Dave swigged the wine in five gulps”
husky
(of a voice or utterance) sounding low-pitched and slightly hoarse.
“his voice became a husky, erotic whisper”
linger
stay in a place longer than necessary because of a reluctance to leave.
“she lingered in the yard, enjoying the warm sunshine”
reverie
a state of being pleasantly lost in one’s thoughts; a daydream.
“a knock on the door broke her reverie”
unblemished
not damaged or marked in any way.
“her body was perfectly formed and unblemished”
unheeded
heard or noticed but disregarded.
“my protest went unheeded”
congested
(of a part of the body) abnormally full of blood.
“congested arteries”
(of a road or place) so crowded with traffic or people as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement.
“the congested streets of the West End”
contorted
twisted or bent out of the normal shape.
“contorted limbs”
swerve
change or cause to change direction abruptly.
“a lorry swerved across her path”
wench
a girl or young woman.
nitwit
a silly or foolish person (often as a general term of abuse).
“I want nothing to do with that bunch of nitwits!”
snub
rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully.
“he snubbed faculty members and students alike”
rebuff
reject (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious manner.
“I asked her to be my wife, and was rebuffed in no uncertain terms”
drab
lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull.
“the landscape was drab and grey”
inbred
existing from birth.
inarticulate
unable to express one’s ideas or feelings clearly or easily.
“an inarticulate man of action”
panacea
a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
sturdy
(of a person or their body) strongly and solidly built.
spite
a desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone.
malice
the desire to harm someone; ill will.
splite
bad temper; spite.
“he could vent his spleen on the institutions which had duped him”
prattle
talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way.
“she began to prattle on about her visit to the dentist”
shrewdness
the quality of having or showing good powers of judgement.
“he is a man of some tactical shrewdness”
uncanny
strange or mysterious, especially in an unsettling way.
“an uncanny feeling that she was being watched”
fickle
changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties or affections.
“celebs trying to appeal to an increasingly fickle public”
tame
(of an animal) not dangerous or frightened of people; domesticated.
“the fish are so tame you have to push them away”
whining
the making of a long, high-pitched cry or sound.
“dogs may exhibit signs of anxiety, such as whining, chewing, and excessive barking”
harp
talk or write persistently and tediously on (a particular topic).
“I don’t want to harp on about the past”
perch
(of a person) sit on something high or narrow.
“Eve perched on the side of the armchair”
gale
a very strong wind.
“I slept well despite the howling gales outside”
an outburst of laughter.
“she collapsed into gales of laughter”
fireplug
a short, stocky person, especially an athlete.
“a feisty fireplug who played six seasons as a league catcher”
menace
a person or thing that is likely to cause harm; a threat or danger.
“a new initiative aimed at beating the menace of drugs”
moocher
a person who lives off others without giving anything in return.
“no one gave me any handouts like these moochers expect”
pompadour
a woman’s hairstyle in which the hair is turned back off the forehead in a roll.
“she combed her hair into a high, curly pompadour”
holster
a holder for carrying a handgun or other firearm, typically made of leather and worn on a belt or under the arm.
lurid
unpleasantly bright in colour, especially so as to create a harsh or unnatural effect.
“lurid food colourings”
sleaze
immoral, sordid, and corrupt behaviour or activities.
“political campaigns that are long on sleaze and short on substance”
primps
spend time making minor adjustments to one’s hair, make-up, or clothes.
“I spend hours primping in front of the mirror”
browbeats
intimidate (someone), typically into doing something, with stern or abusive words.
“a witness is being browbeaten under cross-examination”
naughty
(especially of a child) badly behaved; disobedient.
“you’ve been a really naughty boy”
mildly rude or indecent, typically because related to sex.
“naughty goings-on”
muffled
(of a sound) not loud because of being obstructed in some way; muted.
“they heard the sounds of muffled voices”
skitter
move lightly and quickly or hurriedly.
“the girls skittered up the stairs”
eggnog
a drink consisting of rum, brandy, or other alcohol mixed with beaten egg, milk, and sugar.
sting
wound or pierce with a sting.
“he was stung by a jellyfish”
corroborative
to support with evidence or authority
indictment
a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime.
“an indictment for conspiracy”
offset
a consideration or amount that diminishes or balances the effect of an opposite one.
“widow’s bereavement allowance is an offset against income”
tinsel
a form of decoration consisting of thin strips of shiny metal foil attached to a long piece of thread.
“a room bedecked with tinsel and fairy lights”
grace
smoothness and elegance of movement.
helluva
a hell of a (representing a non-standard pronunciation).
brunette
a person with dark brown hair (typically used of a woman).
“she’s a gorgeous, green-eyed brunette”
sabotage
deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct (something), especially for political or military advantage.
“power lines from South Africa were sabotaged by rebel forces”
incandescent
full of strong emotion; passionate.
“she felt an incandescent love for life”
reconciliation
the restoration of friendly relations.
“his reconciliation with your uncle”
nihilist
a person who believes that life is meaningless and rejects all religious and moral principles.
“it is impossible to argue against a nihilist”
brawl
fight or quarrel in a rough or noisy way.
“he ended up brawling with a lout outside his house”
misogynist
a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women.
“a bachelor and renowned misogynist”
machoism
strong or aggressive masculine pride.
“the exaggerated machismo displayed in the tango”§
brio
vigour or vivacity of style or performance.
“she told her story with some brio”
enrapture
give intense pleasure or joy to.
invigorate
give strength or energy to.
stan
an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.
foil
prevent (something considered wrong or undesirable) from succeeding.
“a brave policewoman foiled the armed robbery”
metamorphosis
a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one.
“her metamorphosis from aspiring unknown to internationally acclaimed author”
colossal
extremely large or great.
“a colossal amount of mail”
avow
assert or confess openly.
“he avowed that he was no longer in perfect health”
vanity
excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or achievements.
“it flattered his vanity to think I was in love with him”
the quality of being worthless or futile.
“the vanity of human wishes”
vicious
deliberately cruel or violent.
trepidation
a feeling of fear or anxiety about something that may happen.
“the men set off in fear and trepidation”
despondent
in low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
“she grew more and more despondent”
docile
obedient
dagger
a short knife with a pointed and edged blade, used as a weapon.
plait
a single length of hair, straw, rope, or other material made up of three or more interlaced strands.
“she wore her dark hair in plaits”
strand
leave (someone) without the means to move from somewhere.
placid
not easily upset or excited.
“a placid, contented man”
hapless
(especially of a person) unfortunate.
“the hapless victims of the disaster”
doctrine
a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church political party , or other group
prick
(especially of a horse or dog) make (the ears) stand erect when on the alert.
“the dog’s ears were pricked”
sermon
a talk on a religious or moral subject, especially one given during a church service and based on a passage from the Bible.
squabble
quarrel noisily over a trivial matter.
“the boys were squabbling over a ball”
labyrinth
a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way; a maze.
“you lose yourself in a labyrinth of little streets”
subsided
become less intense, violent, or severe.
“I’ll wait a few minutes until the storm subsides”
notoriety
the state of being famous or well known for some bad quality or deed.
“the song has gained some notoriety in the press”
convalescent
(of a person) recovering from an illness or medical treatment.
“a convalescent child”
yarn
a long or rambling story, especially one that is implausible.
“he never let reality get in the way of a good yarn”
autocratic
taking no account of other people’s wishes or opinions; domineering.
“a man with a reputation for an autocratic management style”
ascendancy
occupation of a position of dominant power or influence.
“the ascendancy of good over evil”
relinquish
voluntarily cease to keep or claim; give up.
“he relinquished his managerial role to become chief executive”
congenial
(of a person) pleasing or liked on account of having qualities or interests that are similar to one’s own.
“his need for some congenial company”
“settled down to more congenial life of a country squire”
squire
a man of high social standing who owns and lives on an estate in a rural area, especially the chief landowner in such an area.
“country squire”
shrewd
having or showing sharp powers of judgement; astute.
“she was shrewd enough to guess the motive behind his gesture”
the whip hand
a position of power or control over someone.
“he had the whip hand over other members of the cabinet”
ruefully
in a way that expresses sorrow or regret, especially in a wry or humorous manner.
“the actor ruefully remarked that you are only as good as your last film”
factotum
an employee who does all kinds of work.
“he was employed as the general factotum”
cottoned
cotton on
have a liking for something.
“his rivals didn’t cotton to all the attention he was getting”
barefaced
shameless and undisguised.
“a barefaced lie”
stout
(of a person) rather fat or of heavy build.
“stout middle-aged men”
tweed
a rough-surfaced woollen cloth, typically of mixed flecked colours, originally produced in Scotland
fleck
a rough-surfaced woollen cloth, typically of mixed flecked colours, originally produced in Scotland
stentorian
(of a person’s voice) loud and powerful.
“a stentorian roar”
couch
express (something) in language of a specified style.
“the assurances were couched in general terms”
coop
confine in a small space.
“being cooped up indoors all day makes him fidgety”
fidget
make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience.
“the audience began to fidget and whisper”
slender
(of a person or part of the body) gracefully thin.
“her slender neck”
twany
of an orange-brown or yellowish-brown colour.
“tawny eyes”
stimulating
encouraging or arousing interest or enthusiasm.
“a rich and stimulating working environment”
deference
polite submission and respect.
“he addressed her with the deference due to age”
effusion
an act of talking or writing in an unrestrained or heartfelt way.
“literary effusions”
ingratiating
intended to gain approval or favour; sycophantic.
“an ingratiating manner”
unctuous
excessively flattering or ingratiating; oily.
“he seemed anxious to please but not in an unctuous way”
volubility
the quality of talking fluently, readily, or incessantly; talkativeness.
“her legendary volubility deserted her”
intervening
extending or occurring between events.
“in the intervening years there were several unsuccessful attempts to renovate and reopen the building”
hankering
a strong desire to have or do something.
“a hankering for family life”
dandy
a man unduly concerned with looking stylish and fashionable.
“his floppy handkerchiefs and antique cufflinks gave him the look of a dandy”
hoodwink
deceive or trick.
“staff were hoodwinked into thinking the cucumber was a sawn-off shotgun”
vigour
physical strength and good health.
“I was 79, but still full of vigour and vitality”
auburn
(of hair) of a reddish-brown colour.
grimly
in a very serious, gloomy, or depressing manner.
““It’s not good,” I replied grimly”
grimace
an ugly, twisted expression on a person’s face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement.
“she gave a grimace of pain”
avail
help or benefit.
“no amount of struggle availed Charles”
persuade
induce (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument.
“it wasn’t easy, but I persuaded him to do the right thing”
throb
beat or sound with a strong, regular rhythm; pulsate steadily.
“the war drums throbbed”
staunch
very loyal and committed in attitude.
“a staunch supporter of the anti-nuclear lobby”
gloomy
dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing or frightening.
“a gloomy corridor badly lit by oil lamps”
recapitulate
summarize and state again the main points of.
“he began to recapitulate his argument with care”
elicited
evoke or draw out (a reaction, answer, or fact) from someone.
“I tried to elicit a smile from Joanna”
reconciled
restore friendly relations between.
“the king and the archbishop were publicly reconciled”
a fly in the ointment
a minor irritation that spoils the success or enjoyment of something.
expedition
.
a journey undertaken by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration, research, or war.
“an expedition to the jungles of the Orinoco”
sanctum
1.holy place
2.a private place from which most people are excluded.
“he ushered her into his sanctum and gave her something to drink”
bestow
confer or present (an honour, right, or gift).
“the office was bestowed on him by the monarch of this realm”
proffered
hold out or put forward (something) to someone for acceptance.
“she proffered a glass of wine”
quaint
attractively unusual or old-fashioned.
“quaint country cottages”
baffling
impossible to understand; perplexing.
“the crime is a baffling mystery for the police”
boudoir
a woman’s dressing room, bedroom
banister
the structure formed by the uprights and handrail at the side of a staircase.
“he vaulted the banister”
agitated
feeling or appearing troubled or nervous.
“there’s no point getting agitated”
endure
remain in existence; last.
“these cities have endured through time”
ignominious
deserving or causing public disgrace or shame.
“the party risked ignominious defeat”
despatch
send off to a destination or for a purpose.
“he dispatched messages back to base”
wrining
extremely wet; soaked.
“he was wringing with sweat”
heaved
produce (a sigh).
“he heaved a euphoric sigh of relief”
convulsion
a sudden, violent, irregular movement of the body, caused by involuntary contraction of muscles and associated especially with brain disorders such as epilepsy, the presence of certain toxins or other agents in the blood, or fever in children.
stride
walk with long, decisive steps in a specified direction.
“he strode across the road”
ghastly
causing great horror or fear.
“one of the most ghastly crimes ever committed”
feebly
in a way that lacks strength or force.
“I smiled feebly”
in a way that fails to convince or impress.
“he feebly attempted to defend the challenge”
strangled
uttered with difficulty, as if from a constricted throat.
“he let out a strangled gasp”
alleviate
make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe.
“he couldn’t prevent her pain, only alleviate it”
bustling
(of a place) full of activity.
“the bustling little town”
trooped
(of a group of people) come or go together or in large numbers.
“the girls trooped in for dinner”
(of a lone person) walk at a slow or steady pace.
“Caroline trooped wearily home from work”
surmise
suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it.
“he surmised that something must be wrong”
dilating
make or become wider, larger, or more open.
“her eyes dilated with horror”
inexplicable
unable to be explained or accounted for.
“for some inexplicable reason her mind went completely blank”
decorous
in keeping with good taste and propriety; polite and restrained.
“Charlotte gave David a decorous kiss”
inquest
a judicial inquiry to ascertain the facts relating to an incident.
broach
raise (a difficult subject) for discussion.
“he broached the subject he had been avoiding all evening”
chary
cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something.
“she had been chary of telling the whole truth”
accosted
approach and address (someone) boldly or aggressively.
“reporters accosted him in the street”
revulsion
a sense of disgust and loathing.
“news of the attack will be met with sorrow and revulsion”
consummate
showing great skill and flair.
“she dressed with consummate elegance”
unbar
unlock; remove the bars from (a gate or door)
“she unbarred the gate”
allusive
using or containing suggestion rather than explicit mention.
“allusive references to the body”
allusion
an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.
“an allusion to Shakespeare”
disparaging
expressing the opinion that something is of little worth; derogatory.
“disparaging remarks about council houses”
cherub
a beautiful or innocent-looking child.
plural noun: cherubs
“a wistful cherub of eighteen months, photographed at her playgroup”
quail
feel or show fear or apprehension.
“she quailed at his heartless word
peril
serious and immediate danger.
“you could well place us both in peril”
deplorable
deserving strong condemnation; completely unacceptable.
“children living in deplorable conditions”
obliterate
destroy utterly; wipe out.
“the memory was so painful that he obliterated it from his mind”
forbearance
patient self-control; restraint and tolerance.
“his unfailing courtesy and forbearance under great provocation”
mantelpiece
a structure of wood, marble, or stone above and around a fireplace.
twirl
spin quickly and lightly round, especially repeatedly.
“she twirled in delight to show off her new dress”
deter
discourage (someone) from doing something by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.
“only a health problem would deter him from seeking re-election”
dreadful
causing or involving great suffering, fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious.
“there’s been a dreadful accident”
(of a person) unwell or troubled.
“I feel dreadful—I hate myself”
strapping
(especially of a young person) big and strong.
“they had three strapping sons”
ghoulish
morbidly interested in death or disaster.
“she told the story with ghoulish relish”
relish
great enjoyment.
“she swigged a mouthful of wine with relish”
physiognomy
a person’s facial features or expression, especially when regarded as indicative of character or ethnic origin.
“friends began to notice a change in his physiognomy”
acqueished
accept something reluctantly but without protest.
“Sara acquiesced in his decision”
entails
involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence.
“a situation which entails considerable risks”
gravely
in a serious or solemn manner.
“the guard nodded gravely”
demeanour
outward behaviour or bearing.
“his happy demeanour”
bereaved
deprived of a close relation or friend through their death.
“bereaved families”
sphinxlike
difficult to interpret or understand; inscrutable.
“Hughes will forever remain a sphinxlike enigma”
inscrutable
impossible to understand or interpret.
“Guy looked blankly inscrutable”
langour
tiredness or inactivity, especially when pleasurable.
“her whole being was pervaded by a dreamy languor”
replenish
fill (something) up again.
“he replenished Justin’s glass with mineral water”
etiquette
the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group.
“the rules of etiquette are changing”
interpolate
interject (a remark) in a conversation.
“‘I dare say,’ interpolated her employer”
imperturtable
unable to be upset or excited; calm.
“an imperturbable tranquillity”
composed
mumbled
say something indistinctly and quietly, making it difficult for others to hear.
“he mumbled something she didn’t catch”
briskly
in an active, quick, or energetic way.
“she walked briskly into the building”
elucidate
make (something) clear; explain.
“work such as theirs will help to elucidate this matter”
extricate
free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty.
“he was trying to extricate himself from official duties”
endavour
try hard to do or achieve something.
“he is endeavouring to help the Third World”
voluminous
.
(of writing) very lengthy and detailed.
“we all scribbled down voluminous notes”
veil
a thing that serves to cover, conceal, or disguise.
“a veil of mist and snow lay over the landscape”
pang
a sudden sharp pain or painful emotion.
“Lindsey experienced a sharp pang of guilt”
reproach
express to (someone) one’s disapproval of or disappointment in their actions.
“critics reproached him for his failure to tackle the deficiency”
precipitate
cause (an event or situation, typically one that is undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely.
“the incident precipitated a political crisis”
Mademoiselle
a title or form of address used of or to an unmarried French-speaking woman, corresponding to Miss.
“Mademoiselle Rossignol”
glib
(of words or a speaker) fluent but insincere and shallow.
“the glib phrases soon roll off the tongue”
imbecilea
stupid person.
gape
stare with one’s mouth open wide in amazement or wonder.
“he gaped at Sharp in silence”
reticent
not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.
“she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs”
leer
look or gaze in a lascivious or unpleasant way.
“bystanders were leering at the nude painting”
jocose
playful or humorous.
“a jocose allusion”
supposition
a belief held without proof or certain knowledge; an assumption or hypothesis.
“they were working on the supposition that his death was murder”
elicit
evoke or draw out (a reaction, answer, or fact) from someone.
“I tried to elicit a smile from Joanna”
insolence
rude and disrespectful behaviour.
“she was sacked for insolence”
deprecating
expressing disapproval; disapproving.
“he sniffed in a deprecating way”
ruffle
disorder or disarrange (someone’s hair), typically by running one’s hands through it.
“the father laughs and jovially ruffles his son’s hair”
gleam
shine brightly, especially with reflected light.
“light gleamed on the china cats”
insinuate
1.
suggest or hint (something bad) in an indirect and unpleasant way.
“he was insinuating that I had no self-control”
tomfoolery
foolish or silly behaviour.
“the tomfoolery of MPs at question time”
halter
a strap or rope placed around the head of a horse or other animal, used for leading or tethering it.
staggered
astonish or deeply shock.
“I was staggered to find it was six o’clock”
something up one’s sleeve
you have an idea or plan which you have not told anyone about.
to have/keep a secret method, trick, etc., that one can use when it is needed.
brow
a person’s forehead.
“he wiped his brow”
grin
smile broadly.
“Dennis appeared, grinning cheerfully”
cognizant
having knowledge or awareness.
“statesmen must be cognizant of the political boundaries within which they work”
salient
most noticeable or important.
“it succinctly covered all the salient points of the case”
stoop
bend one’s head or body forwards and downwards.
“he stooped down and reached towards the coin”
lower one’s moral standards so far as to do something reprehensible.
“Craig wouldn’t stoop to thieving”
deceit
the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.
“a web of deceit”
subterfuge
deceit used in order to achieve one’s goal.
“he had to use subterfuge and bluff on many occasions”
sagacious
having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgement; wise or shrewd.
“they were sagacious enough to avoid any outright confrontation”
discernment
the ability to judge well.
“an astonishing lack of discernment”
sanguine
optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.
“he is sanguine about prospects for the global economy”
cynosure
a person or thing that is the centre of attention or admiration.
“Kirk was the cynosure of all eyes”
stupefy
make (someone) unable to think or feel properly.
“the offence of administering drugs to a woman with intent to stupefy her”
obliged
be indebted or grateful.
“if you can give me a few minutes of your time I’ll be much obliged”
mare’s nest
: a false discovery, illusion, or deliberate hoax
persecuted
subject (someone) to hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of their ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation or their political beliefs.
“his followers were persecuted by the authorities”
spite
a desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone.
“he’d think I was saying it out of spite”
malign
speak about (someone) in a spitefully critical manner.
“don’t you dare malign her in my presence”
baleful
threatening harm; menacing.
“Bill shot a baleful glance in her direction”
crestfallen
sad and disappointed.
“he came back empty-handed and crestfallen”
hastened
be quick to do something.
“he hastened to refute the assertion”
expostulate
express strong disapproval or disagreement.
“he found Fox expostulating with a young man”
acquit
free (someone) from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty.
“she was acquitted on all counts”
vindicated
clear (someone) of blame or suspicion.
“hospital staff were vindicated by the inquest verdict”
genial
friendly and cheerful.
“our genial host”
innuendoes
an allusive or oblique remark or hint, typically a suggestive or disparaging one.
“she’s always making sly innuendoes”
avidity
keen interest or enthusiasm.
“he read detective stories with avidity”
skein
a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled and knotted.
industrious
diligent and hard-working.
“an industrious people striving to make their country prosperous”
mallet
a hammer with a large, usually wooden head.
accomplice
a person who helps another commit a crime.
“an accomplice in the murder”
exhumation
the action of digging up something buried, especially a corpse.
“the exhumation of bodies was ordered following protests by the villagers”
feigned
simulated or pretended; insincere.
“her eyes widened with feigned shock”
tooth and nail
to try very hard to get something you want
acquit
free (someone) from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty.
“she was acquitted on all counts”
benefactor
a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.
“a low-interest loan from a benefactor allowed them to build a floor for the exhibition hall”
profligate
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources.
“profligate consumers of energy”
unimpeachable
not able to be doubted, questioned, or criticized; entirely trustworthy.
“an unimpeachable witness”
strenous
with great effort and determination.
“he strenuously denied any wrongdoing”
resolute
admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.
“she was resolute and unswerving”
in the teeth of
in spite of (opposition or difficulty).
“the firm has expanded its building contracting division in the teeth of recession”
pugnacious
eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.
“his public statements became increasingly pugnacious”
disapprobation
strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds.
“she braved her mother’s disapprobation and slipped out to enjoy herself”
geniality
the quality of having a friendly and cheerful manner.
“he was endowed with geniality and good humour”
efficacy
the ability to produce a desired or intended result.
“there is little information on the efficacy of this treatment”
effectiveness , success
edifice
a large, imposing building.
hoot
(with reference to a car horn, siren, etc.) make or cause to make a hoot.
“a car horn hooted, frightening her”
complacency
a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements.
“the figures are better, but there are no grounds for complacency”
carte blanche
complete freedom to act as one wishes.
“the architect given carte blanche to design the store”
marshal
assemble and arrange (a group of people, especially troops) in order.
“the general marshalled his troops”
premonition
a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant.
“he had a premonition of imminent disaster”
vestige
1.
a trace or remnant of something that is disappearing or no longer exists.
“the last vestiges of colonialism”
restraint
a measure or condition that keeps someone or something under control.
“decisions are made within the financial restraints of the budget”
electic
deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.
“universities offering an eclectic mix of courses”
hoarse
(of a person’s voice) sounding rough and harsh, typically as the result of a sore throat or of shouting.
“a hoarse whisper”
dispersion
the action or process of distributing things or people over a wide area.
“some seeds rely on birds for dispersion”
invincible
too powerful to be defeated or overcome.
“an invincible warrior”
salvation
reservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.
“they try to sell it to us as economic salvation”
prerogative
a right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class.
“in some countries, higher education is predominantly the prerogative of the rich”
entitlement , right, privelege
discretion
the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation.
“local authorities should use their discretion in setting the charges”
inadvertently
without intention; accidentally.
“his name had been inadvertently omitted from the list”
grisy
causing horror or disgust
“the town was shaken by a series of grisly crimes”
chiseled
(of a man’s facial features) strongly and clearly defined.
“the chiselled features of a male model”
conspicuous
clearly visible.
“he was very thin, with a conspicuous Adam’s apple”
whataboutery
the technique or practice of responding to an accusation or difficult question by making a counter-accusation or raising a different issue.
“all too often, well-intentioned debate descends into whataboutery”
