English, 5 Flashcards
Inscrutable
not expressing anything clearly and thus hard to interpret
Extrude
to force or squeeze something out
Bilious
extremely unpleasant to look at
Jingoism
extreme patriotism expressing itself especially in hostility toward other countries
Largesse
the generous giving of gifts, money, or favors
Cronyism
special treatment and preference given to friends or colleagues, especially in politics
Inchoate
just beginning to develop; imperfectly formed
Vanguard
the leading position of a movement, field, or cultural trend, or the people who are foremost in a movement, field, or cultural trend
Cosset
to give somebody or something excessive care and protection
Excoriate
to severely criticize somebody or something
Plucky
showing courage and determination, especially in the face of danger
Ire
anger
Mire
1) an area of very marshy ground; 2) a troublesome or oppressive situation that is difficult to escape from
Warble
to sing with trills and often changing notes
Puerile
regarded as childishly silly or immature
Woolly
1) confused, vague, and lacking focus; 2) rough and boisterous and reminiscent of the old American West
Ombudsman
somebody responsible for investigating and resolving complaints from members of the public against an institution
Litany
a long and repetitious list of things such as complaints or problems
Incursion
a brief, hostile, and usually sudden invasion of somebody’s territory
Grouse
to complain regularly and continually, often in a way that is not constructive
Plenum
a full or general assembly, e.g. of all the branches of a legislature
Lambast
to criticize somebody or something severely
Panache
a sense or display of spirited style and self-confidence
Din
a loud persistent noise, especially one composed of confused sounds
Schism
a major split within an established religious denomination, usually because of different beliefs
Vainglorious
excessively proud or boastful
Burnish
to polish metal until it shines
Rancor
a bitter, deeply held, and long-lasting ill will or resentment
Innocuous
not intended to cause offense or provoke a strong reaction and unlikely to do so
Bedevil
to be a continual source of problems or irritation to something or somebody
Luxuriate
1) to enjoy something in a self-indulgent way; 2) to grow vigorously and successfully
Inexorable
impossible to stop
Pallid
lacking color, spirit, or intensity
Forbear
to show patient and unruffled self-control and restraint under adversity
Imprimatur
formal and explicit approval
Stymie
to prevent progress
Stopgap
a temporary solution
Profusion
the property of being extremely abundant
Bevy
a large group
Potable
suitable for drinking because clean and uncontaminated
Plod
to work heavily or slowly
Credence
the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true
Formative
susceptible to alteration by development and experience
Purvey
to supply, especially food or provisions, usually as a business or service; to spread rumors
Morass
1) something that overwhelms, confuses, or impedes; 2) an area of soggy ground
Sleight
dexterity or skill in doing something
Putative
thought-to-be
Trenchant
1) direct, incisive, and deliberately hurtful; 2) clearly or sharply defined to the mind
Panoply
a complete and impressive array
Consilience
concurrence; coincidence
Fulminate
to criticize severely
Transduce
to change or convert
Cadaster
A public record, survey, or map of the value, extent, and ownership of land as a basis of taxation
Salient
particularly noticeable, striking, or relevant
Abstemious
not indulging in or characterized by excessive eating or drinking
Senescent
approaching an advanced age
Murine
relating to or belonging to the family of long-tailed rodents that includes rats and mice.
Doughty
brave and determined (archaic or humorous)
Wry
combining or expressing a mixture of mild amusement and irony
Segue
to make a smooth, almost imperceptible transition from one state, situation, or subject to another
Verisimilitude
the appearance of being true or real
Churlish
characteristic of somebody with bad manners
Garish
crudely showy
Diffident
lacking self-confidence and rather shy
Tractable
very easy to control or persuade
Skein
a length of yarn or thread wound loosely and coiled together
Filial
relating or appropriate to a child’s relationship with, or feelings toward, his or her parents
Demur
to delay or try to avoid doing something because of personal reservations or objections
Besotted
made confused through affection for or attraction to somebody
Collate
1) to assemble pages in the correct order; 2) to bring together pieces of information and compare them in detail
Delusive
leading to a belief in something untrue or unreal
Lexical
relating to the individual words that make up the vocabulary of a language
Monolithic
massive, uniform in character, and slow to change
Atavistic
1) relating to or displaying the recurrence of a genetic feature that has been absent for several generations; 2) relating to or displaying the kind of behavior that seems to be a product of impulses long since suppressed by society’s rules
Fatuous
showing a lack of intelligence or thought combined with complacency
Adulation
excessive flattery or admiration
Pestiferous
1) troublesome or annoying; 2) causing infectious disease; 3) evil and corrupting
Subsume
1) to include or incorporate something into a larger order, category, or classification; 2) to show that a rule applies to something
Pithy
brief, yet forceful and to the point, often with an element of wit
Denude
to strip somebody or something bare
Voluptuary
somebody whose life is devoted to enjoying luxury and the pleasures of the senses
Impinge
1) to affect the limits of something, especially a right or law, often causing some kind of restriction; 2) to strike or hit something
Bowdlerize
to remove parts of a work of literature that are considered indecent
Ineluctable
inescapable
Venial
easily forgiven or excused
Flout
to show contempt for a law or convention by openly disobeying or defying it
Enviable
likely to evoke feelings of envy
Aphorism
a succinct statement expressing an opinion or a general truth
Derogate
1) to deviate from conditions; 2) to make something seem inferior; 3) to criticize somebody or something; 4) to repeal a law partially
Welter
a state of confusion or chaos or a disorderly or chaotic situation
Disgorge
1) to let a large number of people come out of a building or vehicle at the same time; 2) to pour substances out
Mendacity
deliberate untruthfulness
Prodigal
spendthrift or extravagant to a degree bordering on recklessness
Transient
lasting for only a short time and quickly coming to an end, disappearing, or changing
Countenance
1) somebody’s face, or the expression on it; 2) to support or approve something
Obsolescence
to become obsolete
Propitiate
to appease or conciliate somebody or something
Interdiction
a court order that prohibits something
Portend
to be an indication that something, especially something unpleasant, is going to happen
