Find Me Flashcards
Prettify
Make someone or something appear superficially attractive
“The movie prettified what was in reality a bloody battle”
Doddle
A very easy task
“It was a doddle”
Cordial
Friendly and kind
“She was cordial”
Gaping
Wide open hole
“His death left a big gaping hole in our lives”
Plaintive
Sounding sad or mournful
“A room full of plaintive cries”
Jeer
Shout rude and mocking remarks at someone
“My classmates jeered at me”
Embolden
Give someone the courage or confidence to do something or to behave in a certain way
“Great teachers embolden us to rise to our highest potentials”
Ambivalent
Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone
“Her feelings about our dad are more ambivalent”
Deference
Humble submission and respect
“Her relatives treat one another with deference”
Defiance
Bold disobedience
“She married him in defiance of her parents”
Elapse
Pass or go by
“A moment of silence elapsed”
Acquiescence
The reluctant acceptance of something without protest
“His silent acquiescence”
Perfunctory
(Of an action or gesture) carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection
“he gave a perfunctory nod”
“his tasks were completed in a perfunctory manner”
Mused
Be absorbed in thought
“I paused and mused”
Defunct
No longer existing or functioning
“A now defunct model that only people of a certain age will remember”
Flummoxed
So confused that you don’t know what to do
“You look flummoxed”
Chasten
Make someone understand that they have failed or done something wrong and make them want to improve
“I was somewhat chastened by my bad report card”
Refurbish
Renovate and redecorate
“It needs some refurbishing”
Snuff out
Put a sudden end to
“She snuffed out the candle”
Up to snuff
Meeting the required standards
“My math skills are not up to snuff this year”
Begrudging
Given reluctantly or resentfully
“She begrudgingly gave me an A”
In a vice
A moral fault or weakness in someone’s character
“My mind was in a vice”
Meek
Quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive
“She’s meek”
Keep at bay
To control something and prevent it from causing you problems
“I keep my fears at bay by focusing on the positive”
Momentous
Having great significance or lasting influence
“This will be a momentous day in history”
Blunder
A stupid or careless mistake
“I made a blunder”
Squabble
A noisy quarrel about something petty or trivial
“We would squabble all the time”
Spurt
Gush out in a sudden and forceful stream
“Blood was spurting out of his nose”
Lose my thread
To get distracted and lose track of something
“He lost the thread of his argument”
Detain
Keep from proceeding; hold back
“Unexpected and overdue work had detained me”
Mystify
Utterly bewilder or perplex
“I was mystified by her decision”
Awry
Away from the appropriate, planned, or expected course; amiss
“He is totally awry in his comments”
Resolute
Admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering
“Her voice was calm but resolute”
Replenish
Fill up again
“May you please help me replenish the fridge with vegetables”
Run it’s course
Comes to a natural end
“My initial burst of enthusiasm had run its course”
Interpose
Place or insert between one thing and another
“He tried to interpose himself between the people that were fighting”
Deflect
Cause (something) to change direction by interposing something; turn aside from a straight course.
“She wanted to deflect the attention from herself”
“They are trying to deflect attention from the troubled economy”
Chastise
Rebuke or reprimand severely
“She would not quit chastising me about my overdue work”
Impervious
Assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering
“His attitude is impervious at times”
Brusquely
In a way that is quick and slightly rude
“She was rather brusque”
Preclude
To make impossible beforehand
“She suffered an injury that precluded the possibility of an athletic career”
