Essential words Flashcards
solvent
adj. able to meet financial obligations
sordid
filthy; contemptible and corrupt
spendthrift
person who spends money recklessly
squalor
filthy; wretched condition”The family lives in squalor in the slums.”
stanch
to stop or check the flow of”… to stanch the flow of money out of the country.”
stentorian
extremely loud”The stentorian speaker prefers not to use a microphone…”
stint
v. to be sparing”Stinting on funding for education strikes many people as shortsighted.n. a period of time spent doing something”…did a short stint in the army”
stratified
adj. arranged in layersn. stratum (layers)stratification: hierarchical arrangement of individuals in a society into classes
stricture
something that restrains; negative criticism”…a set of ethical strictures in their practice of the law.”
strident
loud; harsh”Call for the prime minister’s resignation became more strident after it was discovered that he had strong connections to organised crime.”
strut
to swagger; display to impress others
stultify
to impair or reduce to uselessness”…overreliance on rote learning stultifies students’ creativity.”
stupefy
to dull the senses of; stun; astonish
stygian
dark and gloomy; hellish
subpoena
n. notice ordering someone to appear in court
subside
to settle down; grow quiet”… to wait for the violence to subside”
substantive
essential; pertaining to the substance”… should present evidence that was substantive to the case.”
subversive
intended to undermine or overthrow, e.g. a governmentv. subvert
succor
relief; help in time of distress or want”The woman was accused of providing succour to the enemy in the form of food and medical help.”
sundry
various”…safely returns after his sundry adventures.”
supine
lying on the back; marked by lethargy”… the suspects were held supine on the floor.”
supplant
to replace; substitute
suppliant
beseeching”The worshippers raised their suppliant voices to god”
supplicant
one who asks humbly and earnestly”…appeared as a supplicant before the governor.”
syllogism
a form of deductive reasoning that has a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion
sylvan
related to the woods or forest
talisman
charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune
tenet
belief; doctrine”… based on the tenets of a behavioural psychology ..”
theocracy
government by priests representing a god
thespian
actor/ actress
timbre
the characteristic quality of sound produced by an instrument or voice
toady
flatterer; yes-man
tome
book, usually large and academic
torque
twisting force
tout
to promote or praise energetically”The critic touted Moby Dick…”
travail
work, esp arduous work; tribulation; anguish
travesty
parody; exaggerated imitation; caricature
treatise
article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly”The thesis of the philosopher’s treatise is…”
tremulous
trembling; frugal; timid
trepidation
fear and anxiety
tryst
agreement between lovers to meet; rendezvous
tumid
swollen; distended”The prose of writers can sometimes becomes tumid.”
turbid
muddy; opaque; in a state of confusion
tutelary
serving as a guardian or protector”Tutelary spirits”
uncanny
strange
undulating
moving in waves”The undulating terrain of the area has made it difficult for engineers to build roads there.”
unfeigned
not false; genuine
untoward
not favorable; troublesome adverse; unruly”Police investigated whether anything untoward had happened to the missing man.”
usury
practice of lending money at exorbitant rates… the state’s usury laws.”“usurious”
turgid
swollen; pompous
valedictory
pertaining to a farewell”The retiring actor gave a valedictory performance.”
vaunt
to boast; brag
venal
bribable; mercenary; corruptible
vertigo
dizziness
vexation
irritation; annoyance; confusion; puzzlement
vindictive
spiteful; vengeful; unforgiving”The Treaty of Versailles was deliberately vindictive, imposing tremendous penalties on Germany.”
visage
countenance; appearance aspect”The infant studied its mother’s visage intently.”
vivisection
dissection; surgery; experiments on living animal for scientific research … used in animal rights context
vogue
prevailing fashion or practice
warranted
justified
wary
careful; cautious
welter
to wallow or roll; be in turmoil”The pigs weltered about happily in the mud.”
wistful
vaguely longing; sadly thoughtful
simian
apelike
sinecure
well-playing job or office that requires little or no work
sinuous
winding; intricate; complex”…sinuous line of reasoning.”
sobriety
seriousness
sodden
thoroughly soaked; saturated
sedition
behaviour prompting rebellion”… an act of sedition”
sedulous
diligent
seismic
relating to earthquakes; earthshaking”The study of seismic waves…”
servile
submissive; obedient”None of the dictator’s servile citizens dared question his decree.”
sextant
navigation tool that determines latitude and longitude
shard
a piece of broken glass or pottery
sidereal
relating to the stars
sardonic
cynical; scornfully mocking”Nature that is too sardonic often loses its effectiveness.”
saturnine
gloomy”… the mood in the room was saturnine.”
satyr
half-man half-beast with horns etc.
savor
to enjoy
reverent
expressing deep respect; worshipfulv. revere
riposte
a retaliatory action or retort
rococo
excessively ornate; highly decorated, a form of architecture”… the Rococo period/ style”
rubric
title or heading; category; protocol”.. to design a new rubric to organise it.”
rue
respect”… to rue his decision to commit the crime.”
ruse
trick; crafty stratagem
salacious
lascivious; lustful”… the book is too salacious to be in the school library.”
reparation
amends; compensation”… pay full reparation to the family hurt by his crime.”
repine
fret; complain
reprise
repetition; esp of a music
reproach
to find fault with; blame
presage
to foretell; indicate in advance
preternatural
beyond the normal course of nature; supernatural
primordial
original; existing from the beginning”…a primordial monotheism”
provident
providing for future needs; frugal
puissant
powerful
punctilious
careful in observing rules of behaviour or ceremony”…must be punctilious in following protocol”
purport
to profess; suppose; claim”…nearly everyone purports to believe in God”
pusillanimous
cowardly
quagmire
marsh; difficult situation
quail
to cower; lose heart”The defendant quailed when the judge entered the room to announce the sentence.”
qualm
sudden feeling of faintness or nausea
quibble
to argue over insignificant and irrelevant details
raconteur
witty; skillful storyteller
rail
to scold with bitter or abusive language”The critic railed against…”
raiment
clothing
ramification
implication; outgrowth; consequence
rebus
puzzle in which pictures or symbols represent words”Egyptian writing uses the principle of the rebus.”
recluse
person who lives in seclusion and often in solitude
redoubtable
formidable; arousing fear; worthy of respect”…a redoubtable attorney.”
refulgent
brightly shining; resplendent”…a large, refulgent diamond”
regale
to entertain”…often regaled visitors with amusing political anecdotes.”
remonstrate
to object or protest”…the committee remonstrated with the majority members.”
renege
to go back on one’s word
pallid
lacking colour or liveliness
panegyric
elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise”Many panegyrics were written to Lincoln “
patois
a regional dialect; jargon
peregrination
a wandering from place to place”…his peregrinations took him all over India.”
peremptory
imperative; leaving no notice”…in a peremptory tone”
perennial
present throughout the years; persistent
perigee
point in an orbit that is closest to the Earth
petulant
rude; peevish”the petulant child”
physiognomy
facial features
piquant
appealing stimulating; pleasantly pungent; attractive”…the piquant barbecue sauce”
placid
calm
plaintive
melancholy; mournful
plumb
to determine the depth; to examine deeply”…plumbs the depths of despair”
plutocracy
a society ruled by the wealthy
poseur
person who affects an attitude or identity to impress others
prate
to talk idly; chatter
prattle
meaningless; foolish talk
preamble
preliminary statement (noun)
precept
principle; law
preempt
to supersede appropriate for oneself
prehensile
capable of grasping”…animals with prehensile tails”
fracas
a loud quarrel; brawl
fresco
a painting done on plaster
frieze
ornamental band on a wall
froward
stubbornly contrary; obstinately disobedient
fulsome
so excessive as to be disgusting
“…embarrassed by the fulsome praise”
gambol
to frolic; leap playfully
“The children gambled on the lawn…”
gauche
coarse; clumsy
geniality
cheerfulness; kindliness
gerrymander
to divide an area into voting districts in a way that favours a political party
goad
to prod; urge on
“Goaded by his friends into trying out for the football team…”
gossamer
sheer; light and delicate
gouge
to tear out; scoop out
grouse
to complain
“stop grousing about the policy”
guise
outward appearance; pretense
gustatory
affecting the sense of taste
halcyon
calm and peaceful; happy
hallowed
holy; sacred
harrowing
extremely distressing; terrifying
hermetic
tightly sealed; magical
hieroglyphics
a system of writing in which pictorial symbols represent meaning or sounds
hirsute
covered with hair
imbroglio
complicated situation; an entanglement
impecunious
poor; having no money
“…an impecunious students…”
impede
to hinder; block
exact
verb: to force the payment of; demand
exhort
to urge by strong appeals
exorcise
to expel evil spirits
expatiate
to speak or write at length
“…a speaker to expatiate on the art of writing”
expatriate
to send into exile
expiate
to atone for
explicate
to explain; interpret; clarify
expository
explanatory
extemporaneous
unrehearsed
“….the speaker’s extemporaneous remarks…”
extirpate
to root up; to destroy
“…extirpate corruption in the state”
factotum
a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman
fallow
slowed but not sowed; uncultivated
“… a fallow field…”
fauna
animals of a period or region
fawning
seeking favour by flattering
“…fawning employees.”
feral
existing in a wild or untamed state
“Feral dogs…”
fetid
having a bad smell
fetter
to bind; combine
”..fetter his natural instincts and spirit”
fiat
arbitrary order; authorisation
filibuster
use of obstructive tactics in a legislature to block passage of a law
finesse
to handle with a deceptive or evasive strategy
“…the problem can be finessed by…”
fissure
crevice
“…the width of the fissure”
flag
to droop; grow weak
flora
plants of a region or era
florid
ruddy; reddish; flowery
flout
to treat scornfully
forbearance
patience
formidable
menacing; threatening
forswear
renounce; repudiate
founder
to sink; fail; collapse
ethnocentric
based on the attitude that one’s group is superior
etiology
causes or origins
etymology
origin and history of a word
eulogy
high praise
euphoria
a feeling of extreme happiness
evince
to show plainly; be an indication of
“The student’s response to the question evinced his ignorance of the subject.”
evocative
tending to call to mind or produce a reaction
epistemology
branch of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge
equable
steady; unvarying; serene
“Throughout the crisis he remained equable.”
errant
mistaken; straying form the proper course
essay
to make an attempt; subject to a test
“He began to work on a music form that he had not previously essayed.”
estimable
admirable; possible to estimate
emollient
soothing; mollifying
encomium
a formal expression of praise
engender
to cause; produce
“…traumatic events of infancy often engender person that creates neuroses.”
entomology
study of insects
enunciate
to pronounce clearly
elixir
a substance believed to have the power to cure ills
Elysian
blissful; delightful (in Greek/ Roman mythology, refers to an otherworld where spirits of the virtuous and heroic dwell)
emaciated
thin and wasted
“The prisoner was emaciated…”
doggerel
poor verse
dross
waste; worthless matter; trivial matter
dupe
to deceive; trick
“The mind is always duped by the heart.”
effervescence
state of high spirits or liveliness; the process of bubbling as gas escapes
dissident
person who disagrees about beliefs
distend
to expand; swell out
“People in an advanced stage of starvation often have distended bellies.”
distrait
inattentive; preoccupied
divest
to strip; deprive; rid
divulge
to make known something that is secret
“…forced to divulge information”
discretion
quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions; circumspection; freedom to act on one’s own
disjointed
lacking order or coherence; dislocated
discomfit
to make uneasy; disconcert
digression
act of straying from the main point
dirge
funeral hymn
discerning
perceptive; exhibiting keen insight and good judgement
deride
to mock
desuetude
state of disuse
“…a program fallen into desuetude.”
deterrent
something that discourages or hinders
detraction
the act of taking away
diaphanous
transparent; fine-textured; vague
“…diaphanous dreams of glory”
default
to fail to act
defunct
no longer existing
denizen
an inhabitant; a regular visitor
defame
to malign; harm someone’s reputation
debauchery
corruption
dearth
scarcity
“…a dearth of resources”
credo
statement of belief or principle; creed
cozen
to mislead by trick or fraud; deceive
covetous
desiring something owned by another
“The astronomer is covetous of the time that …”
convivial
sociable
copious
abundant; plentiful
coquette
woman who flirts
cornucopia
horn overflowing with fruit and grain; state of abundance
contumacious
disobedient; rebellious
contrite
very sorrowful for a wrong
“…he is contrite about his crime”
continence
self-control; abstention from sexual activity
contiguous
touching; neighbouring
contend
to assert
contention (n): assertion
conscript
person enrolled for military service
conjugal
pertaining to marriage agreement
congenial
similar in tastes and habits; friendly; suited to
condone
to overlook voluntarily; forgive
concoct
to invent
compunction
uneasiness caused by guilt
compliant
yielding
coalesce
cause to become one
codify
to systematize
cognizant
informed; conscious
clique
a small, exclusive group
clamor
noisy outcry
clairvoyant
one who can predict the future; psychic
circuitous
roundabout
churlish
rude; boorish
chasten
to correct by punishment
champion
to defend or support
centripetal
moving or directed toward a center
celestial
concerning the sky or heavens; sublime
caustic
sarcastically biting; burning
“The columnist’s caustic comments…”
caucus
smaller group within an organization
cataclysm
a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change
cantankerous
irritable; ill-humoured
captious
faultfinding; intended to entrap; as in an argument
cardinal
of foremost importance
carnal
of the flesh or body; related to physical appetites
carping
to find fault; complain
cartography
science of making maps
caste
any of the hereditary social classes of hindu society; social stratification
canon
an established principle
bucolic
characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral
cadge
to beg; sponge
callous
thick-skinned; insensitive
calumny
false and malicious accusation; slander
canard
false; deliberately misleading story
blandishment
flattery
blase
bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned
bolster
to give a boost to; support
brazen
bold; shameless
broach
to mention for the first time
“…to broach the subject”
axiomatic
taken for granted
bacchanalian
pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry
bard
poet
bawdy
obscene
beatify
to sanctify; to bless
bedizen
to dress in a vulgar, showy manner
behemoth
huge creature; anything very large and powerful
atavism
reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after absence; return of a trait
avarice
greed
avocation
secondary occupation
avuncular
like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant
argot
a specialized vocabulary used by a group
“…use the argot of criminals and detectives”
asperity
severity; harshness
assuage
to make less severe
astringent
harsh; severe
appellation
name
apposite
strikingly appropriate and relevant
apropos
relevant
“Apropos of nothing…”
arabesque
ornate design featuring intertwined curves
ardor
great emotion or passion
appease
to calm
apothegm
a terse, witty saying
apogee
the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited
antediluvian
prehistoric
“…knowlege of antediluvian times”
antecedent
something that comes before
anodyne
something that calms or soothes pain
ambrosia
something delicious
amenable
agreeable; cooperative; suited
amenity
something that increases comfort
amulet
ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
analgesic
medication that reduces or eliminates pain
aggrandize
to make larger or greater
allay
to lessen; ease; soothe
allure
the power to entice by charm
affected
pretentious, phony
“…an unnatural and affected speech”
adulterate
to corrupt or make impure
abysmal
very bad
accretion
growth in size or increase in amount
accrue
to accumulate; grow by additions
“…to enjoy the advantages accruing from greater monopolies”
adjunct
something added; attached
admonish
to caution or reprimand
abstinence
the giving up of certain pleasures
abscond
to depart secretly
“… to have absconded with 3 million dollars”
abscission
the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant
abjure
to reject; abandon formally
“…to abjure the use of violence to settle disputes”
abject
miserable; pitiful
abdicate
to give up a position, right, or power
“…to abdicate the throne after 10 years”
abate
to decrease; reduce
