english words Flashcards
1
Q
lilliputian
A
a trivial or very small person or thing
2
Q
claque
A
a group of sycophantic followers
3
Q
operant
A
involving the modification of behaviour by the reinforcing or inhibiting effect of its own consequences
4
Q
antimacassar
A
a piece of cloth put over the back of a chair to protect it from dirt
5
Q
threnody
A
a lament
6
Q
termagant
A
A harsh-tempered or overbearing woman
7
Q
demotic
A
denoting or relating to the kind of language of ordinary people (colloquial)
8
Q
picayune
A
informal; of little value or significance;petty
9
Q
scrod
A
a young cod, haddock, or similar fish, especially one prepared for cooking
10
Q
stertorous
A
(of breathing) noisy and laboured
11
Q
desultory
A
passing from one thing to another especially in a fitful way
12
Q
pullulate
A
multiply or spread prolifically or rapidly
13
Q
rapine
A
the seizure of property by force
14
Q
Saturnalia
A
predecessor festival of Christmas
15
Q
obstreperous
A
noisy and difficult to control
16
Q
sententious
A
given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner
17
Q
insensate
A
lacking sensation
18
Q
florid
A
having a red or flushed complexion
19
Q
dulcet
A
soothing or pleasant
20
Q
grandiloquent
A
pompous or extravagant in language
21
Q
scrod
A
a young fish eg cod prepared for cooking
22
Q
stertorous
A
(of breathing) noisy or laboured
23
Q
desultory
A
passing from one thing to another esp in a fitful way
24
Q
pullulate
A
multiply or spread rapidly
25
rapine
seizure of property by force
26
insensate
lacking sensation
27
florid
having a red or flushed complexion
28
dulcet
soothing or pleasant
29
grandiloquent
pompous or extravagant in language
30
trucculent
defiantly aggressive
31
reify
to make (an abstract idea) or concrete
32
veracity
habitual truthfulness
33
esplanade
promenade next to the sea
34
ostensibly
apparent seeming
35
ambit
the scope extent or bounds of something
36
pertinacious
holding firmly to an opinion or course of acton
37
vitrine
glass case for works of art
38
frowsy
unkempt person
39
sophist
a person who reasons with clever but false arguments
40
somnamulate
sleep walking
41
penurious
mean; poor; unwilling to spend money
42
sybarite
a person who is self indulgent in their fondness for sensous luxury
43
simulacrum
an image or representation of someone or thing
44
pellucid
translucently clear
45
swarf
fine chips of things
46
numinous
suggesting the presence of the divine
47
ersatz
inferior substitute
48
fey
mystery
49
cavil
petty or unecessary objection
50
pusillanimous
showing a lack of courage;timid
51
apposite
appropriate
52
germane
related/relevant
53
consternate
to fill with anxiety or dread
54
usufruct
right to enjoy the use of property without damaging it
55
adumbrate
represent in outline
56
hark
to listen; pay attention
57
perfidious
deceitful and untrustworthy
58
epigram
pith saying or remark; expressing and idea in a clever or amusing way
59
lugubrious
looking or sounding sad or dismal
60
wonted
habitual;usual
61
verisimilitude
appearance of being true or real
62
nonpareil
having no match or equal
63
artifice
clever or cunning devices; especially used to trick people
64
emendation
the process of making a revision or correction to a text
65
canard
unfounded rumour or story
66
paralogism
a piece of illogical or fallacious reasoning; esp. one that appears to be superficially logical
67
sibyl
a woman in ancient times who was thought to utter the prophecies of god
68
inimical
tending to obstruct or harm
69
indolent
dislikes work or effort
70
seraphic
an angel of the highest order
71
dado
lower part of the wall especially when decorated differently
72
antimony
toxic metallic element
73
imprecations
a spoken curse
74
dotage
the period of life in which a person is old or weak
75
approbation
an act of approving formally or officially
76
commingle
to blend thoroughly into a harmonious whole
77
turpitude
moral depravity
78
sepulchral
of or relating to a tomb
79
adduce
cite as evidence
80
nictate
blink
81
solicitous
showing interest or concern
82
prolix
tediously lengthy
83
cerulean
deep blue in colour like a clear sky
84
furtive
attempting to avoid notice
85
ecumenical
representing a no. of churches
86
gamboling
to leap about playfully
87
nosegay
small bunch of flowers
88
moil
work hard
89
solipsism
the view that the self is all that can be known to exist
90
peremptory
insisting on immediate attention
91
visage
a persons face; with reference to form of prop. of features
92
dolorous
causing or involving pain or sorrow
93
licentious
sexually unrestrained
94
ribald
obscene usually in a humorous or mocking way
95
sere
dried up
96
iniquity
immoral or grossly unfair behaviour
97
tumid
especially of the body - swollen
98
slipshod
lack of care
99
farinaceous
containing starch
100
parturient
about to give birth
101
crepuscular
relating to twilight
102
portentious
of momentous significance
103
effulgent
shining brightly; radiant
104
execrate
to loath; detest
105
concupiscence
stong sexual desire;lust
106
querulous
complaining in a rather petulant or whining manner
107
calumny
the making of false and defamatory statements
108
otiose
serving a useful purpose
109
lissom
thin supple and graceful (of someone's body)
110
argosy
a large abundantly laden merchant ship or fleet
111
fustian
thick hard wearing twiled cloth
112
reverie
absent minded daydreaming
113
ensconce
to establish or settle firmly or comfortably
114
incarnadine
a bright crimson color
115
redolent
having a pleasant smell
116
andiron
a metal stand; typically one of a pair for supporting wood burning in a fireplace
117
taciturn
habitually silent, unreserved or uncommunicative
118
rondo
a musical form with a recurring leading theme, often found in final movement of a sonata or concerto
119
andante
at a moderately slow temposo
120
sot
a habitual drunk
121
descry
catch sight of
122
congeries
a collection, a mass, a heap
123
expiate
make amends or reparation for wrong doing
124
anodyne
dull
125
felicitous
well chosen or suited to the circumstances
126
preponderate
be greater in number, influence or importance
127
propitious
giving or indicating a good chance of sucess
128
ordure
excrement; dung
129
ersatz
made in imitation
130
ad hominem
directed against a person rather than his arguments
131
morendo
musical term - gradually fading away
132
perforce
used to express necessity or inevitibility
133
quern
a simple hand mill for grinding corn
134
tarry
to linger in expectation
135
sangfroid
composure or coolness shown in danger or under trying circumstances
136
bergschrund
a crevasse at the junction of a glacier or snowfield with a steep upper slope
137
syllogism
deductive reasoning as distinct from induction
138
contretemps
a minor dispute or disagreement
139
comely
good looking; attractive
140
benediction
the state of being blessed
141
peroration
the concluding part of a speech, typically intended to inspire enthusiasm in the audience
142
sedulous
(of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence
143
amanuensis
a literary or artistic assistant. in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts
144
parvenue
a person of humble origin who has gained wealth, influence or celebrity
145
privation
a state in which food and other essentials for well being are lacking
146
incommode
inconvenience
147
felicity
happiness; the ability to find appropriate expressions of ones thoughts
148
seraglio
the womens apartment (harem) in an ottoman palace
149
panoply
an extensive or impressive collection
150
expurgate
censor
151
obloquy
strong public condemnation
152
raiment
(archaic) clothing
153
votary
a person such as a monk or nun who has made vows of dedication to religous service
154
chiliad
group of a thousand things
155
consistory
the court of a diocese
156
epigraph
quotation at the beginning of a book or chapter
