essential 2 Flashcards
cosmopolitan
(adj) belonging to the entire world, at home globally; free from local or national prejudices or attachments
countenance
(n, v) facial expression or face (noun); approve or tolerate (verb)
counterintuitive
(adj) against what one would intuitively expect
counterpoint
(n) contrasting item, opposite; a complement; the use of contrast or interplay in a work of art
counterproductive
(adj) defeating the purpose; preventing the intended goal
covert
(adj) secret, veiled, undercover
crafty
(adj) cunning, skillful in deception or underhanded schemes
craven
(adj) very cowardly, lacking courage
credibility
(n) believability, trustworthiness
credulous
(adj) gullible; prone to believing or trusting too easily or without enough evidence
cescendo
(n) steady increase in force, intensity, or the loudness of a musical passage; a climactic moment or peak
culminate
(v) reach the highest point or final stage
cynical
(adj) thinking the worst of others’ motivations; bitterly pessimistic
daunt
(v) discourage, dishearten, lessen the courage of
debase
(v) degrade; lower in quality, value, rank, etc.; lower in moral quality
debunk
(v) expose, ridicule, or disprove false or exaggerated claims
decorous
(adj) behaving with propriety and good taste; polite
deem
(v) judge; consider
deface
(v) vandalize, mar the appearance of
defamatory (adj.)
slanderous, injurious to someone’s reputation
default
(n, v) failure to act, neglect (noun); fail to fulfill an obligation, esp. a financial one (verb)
deference
(n) respectful submission; yielding to the authority or opinion of another
deflect
(v) cause to curve; turn aside, esp. from a straight course; avoid
deleterious
(adj) harmful, unhealthy
delineate
(v) mark the outline of; sketch; describe in detail
denigrate
(v) belittle, attack the reputation of
denote
(v) be a name or symbol for
deride
(v) mock, scoff at, laugh at contemptuously
derivative
(adj) derived from something else; not original
desiccate
(v) thoroughly dried up, dehydrated
detached
(adj) impartial, disinterested; unconcerned, distant, aloof
deterrent
(n) something that restrains or discourages
diatribe
(n) bitter, abusive attack or criticism; rant
didactic
(adj) intended to instruct; teaching, or teaching a moral lesson
digress
(v) go off-topic when speaking or writing
din
(n) loud, confused noise, esp. for a long period of time
disabuse
(v) free someone from a mistake in thinking
discerning
(adj) having good judgment or insight; able to distinguish mentally
discredit
(v) injure the reputation of, destroy credibility of or confidence in
discrepancy
(n) difference or inconsistency