First 49 Words Flashcards
INCHOATE (adj)
adj.) Incipient, still developing or incomplete (adj.) Imperfectly formed, incoherent or lacking order
OBDURATE (adj)
(adj.) Unyielding to persuasion; Resistant to appeals or softening influences (adj.) Persistent in wrongdoing or impenitent; hardened against emotions
AMALGAMATE (verb)
(v) To mix, merge, or combine into a whole
EFFRONTERY (noun)
(n) Insolence, boldness, or presumption
RAREFY (verb)
(v) To make or become thin, less compact, or less dense (v) To purify, refine, or make more spiritual
DIATRIBE (noun)
(n) Bitter, abusive criticism or denunciation
PRECIPITATE (verb/adj)
(v) To throw or fall down headlong (v) To bring about or cause to happen, especially abruptly or prematurely (v) To cause (a substance) to separate from a solution; To condense or cause to condense and fall from the sky as snow, rain, etc. (adj.) Speeding headlong, rapidly, or dangerously; Proceeding with undue haste and without necessary forethought (adj.) Occurring abruptly or unexpectedly (adj.) Steep or rushing steeply downward
DISABUSE (verb)
(v) To free someone from a misconception or deception
AVER (verb)
(v) To assert or affirm positively (v) To formally assert or prove in pleading a case or cause
BOLSTER (verb)
(v) To support, uphold, hearten, or boost
UNDERMINE (verb/adj)
(v) To weaken by washing away the support or foundation underneath (v) To weaken, injure, or ruin by degrees or a little at the time; to sap (v) To subvert secretly or insidiously (adj.) To dig a mine or tunnel underneath
DELIBERATE (verb/adj)
(v) To think carefully or consider (adj.) 1. Carefully considered 2. Slowly, unhurriedly decided 3. Done intentionally or with awareness of the consequences
ASSUAGE (verb)
(v) To make less intense or severe; to ease (v) To satisfy, appease, or quench (v) To pacify, sooth, or quiet
LACONIC (adj)
(adj.) Concise, terse, or extremely sparing with words
LUCID (adj)
(adj.) Intelligible or readily understandable; (adj.) Sane or rational (adj.) Translucent or clear; bright or luminous
ENERVATE (verb)
(v) To weaken or sap the strength, vigor, or vitality of
MOROSE (adj)
(adj.) Sullen, gloomy, or melancholy
EULOGY (noun)
(n) A praising speech or tribute, especially honoring someone who has died (n) High praise
PLACATE (verb)
(v) To soothe the anger of, mollify, or appease
ANTAGONISM (noun)
(n) Hostility, opposition, or active resistance
SKEPTICAL (adj)
(adj.) Showing, expressing, or given to doubt or questioning
INTREPID (adj)
(adj.) Resolutely fearless or undaunted
MOLLIFY (verb)
(v) To soothe or calm the temper or feelings (v) To soften or make less rigid; to temper or lessen the intensity of
ANOMALOUS (adj)
(adj.) Deviating from the norm or expectations; irregular (adj.) Uncertain or incongruous in nature
MUNDANE (adj)
(adj.) Ordinary, practical, commonplace; banal or uninteresting (adj.) Of or related to this world, as opposed to the heavens
BURGEON (verb)
(v) To produce or send out new growth; to sprout or bloom (v) To grow, expand, or develop quickly and often profusely
SAP (noun/verb)
(n) 1. The circulatory fluid of a plant; an essential bodily fluid 2. Health, vitality, or energy (metaphor related to “essential body fluid”) 3. A gullible person, fool, or dupe (v) 1. To deplete, drain, or weaken, especially of energy or vitality 2. To diminish the intensity or supply of 3. To undermine the foundations of
OCCULT (adj)
(adj.) Secret or withheld from the uninitiated (adj.) Mysterious, inscrutable, difficult or impossible to comprehend (adj.) Of, related to, or concerned with magic or the supernatural
GAINSAY (verb)
(v) To deny or prove false; (v) To oppose or speak out against
PITH (noun)
(n) The core, essence, or substance of a matter (n) Mettle or vigor; (n) Importance or significance
GIST (noun)
(n) The central point or essence; the heart of the matter (n) The grounds of a legal action
HACKNEYED (adj)
(adj.) Unoriginal, so commonplace as to be stale; trite, or banal
CORROBORATE (verb)
(v) To support with evidence, make more certain, or confirm
PLASTICITY (noun)
(n) Capacity to be molded or made to assume or hold a shape
EBULLIENCE (adj)
(adj.) Liveliness or exuberance, especially in manner or expression
PLETHORA (noun)
(n) Excess, profusion, or overabundance
ARTLESS (adj)
(adj.) Uncultured or ignorant, lacking in knowledge (adj.) Poorly or crudely made; (adj.) Without artificiality; natural, sincere
ARTIFICE (noun)
(n) A crafty, cunning trick or stratagem; (n) Deception or false behavior (n) Cleverness, skill, or ingenuity
DIN (noun)
(n) A loud, clamorous noise
PRECARIOUS (adj)
(adj.) Lacking stability, dangerously uncertain, or subject to unknown circumstances; (adj.) Based on uncertain or dubious premises
DEFAULT (noun/verb)
(n) failure to meet an obligation, especially a financial obligation; failure to make a court appearance; failure to participate in a contest (v) to fail to do any of the above
TORTUOUS (adj)
(adj.) Winding; containing numerous twists, turns, or bends (adj.) Crooked, tricky, or devious; (adj.) Highly involved, circuitous, or complex
TENUOUS (adj)
(adj) Not dense; thin or diluted in consistency (adj.) Slender; (adj) Lacking substance or strength; flimsy; shaky
PROPITIATE (verb)
(v) To gain or regain the favor of; appease or conciliate
ZENITH (noun)
(n) The highest point, culmination
DESICCATE (verb)
(v) To dry out completely; (v) To preserve (food) by drying
VENERATION (noun)
(n) The act of regarding or treating with profound respect, awe, or admiration
PROFUSE (adj)
(adj.) Present or available in great amount; plentiful, bountiful, or copious (adj.) Pouring forth freely or abundantly; extravagant
SANCTION (noun)
(n) 1. (POSITIVE meaning) Official or authoritative permission or authorization; support or encouragement; (v) To approve or authorize officially; to support or tolerate by showing approval 2. (NEGATIVE meaning) A penalty meant to force compliance; a military or economic measure adopted by several nations and meant to coerce another nation violating international law; (v) To penalize, especially for a violation of international law
COMPLAISANT
(adj.) Agreeable, eager to please, obliging
UBIQUITOUS
(adj.) Existing or present everywhere; constantly encountered or widespread
DISTEND
(v) To extend (v) To swell or extend from internal pressure
VACILLATE
(v) To hesitate or waver in forming an opinion or make a decision (v) To fluctuate or oscillate
PERFIDY
(n) 1. The quality or state of being disloyal; treachery; faithlessness 2. An act of disloyalty
DERIVATIVE
(adj.) Not original, secondary, or copied (adj.) Derived
FRACAS
(n) A noisy, loud quarrel, brawl, or disturbance
EXPLICIT
(adj.) Fully and clearly expressed, without leaving anything to implication (adj.) Fully developed or defined (adj.) Forthright and unambiguous in expression
PRESUMPTUOUS
(adj.) Overstepping the bounds of what’s right or proper; inappropriately forward or taking liberties
EXTRANEOUS
(adj.) Irrelevant, unrelated, not pertinent (adj.) Nonessential, not vital (adj.) Coming from outside
SLIGHT
(v) 1. To treat as unimportant or make light of 2. To treat with disdain or discourteous inattention 3. To do inattentively or negligently (n) An instance of being slighted (adj.) 1. Slim or delicate of body 2. Small in size, extent, or quantity 3. Trifling, trivial, or unimportant 4. Lack strength or substance; flimsy
VIGOR
(n) Active strength or energy; vitality
TRANSPARENT
(adj.) Permitting the passage of light, sheer enough to see through (adj.) Frank, candid, and free of deceit or pretense (adj.) Obvious; readily seen or understood (adj.) Open with regards to methods or practices, especially in business
PRISTINE
(adj.) Belonging or related to the original, earliest condition; primitive (adj.) Remaining in a pure, unspoiled state, untouched by civilization (adj.) Clean as if new
CONFOUND
(v) To confuse, perplex, or stump; To throw into disorder (v) To mix up, fail to notice differences (v) To refute, prove wrong, or put to shame
CONSOLE
(v) To comfort, alleviate someone’s grief, suffering, or sense of loss (n) 1. a cabinet (such as for a television) designed to stand on the floor 2. the control unit of a computer, electrical system, vehicle, etc.
DISCRETE
(n) Separate or distinct; an individual thing (n) Consisting of unconnected individual parts; not continuous
SPECIOUS
(adj.) Deceptive in attractions or allure (adj.) Falsely appearing true, genuine, or plausible
APPROBATION
(n) Official approval (n) Commendation, praise; a warm expression of approval
CONCUR
(v) To agree, cooperate, or coincide
NADIR
(adj.) The lowest point (adj.) A point on the celestial sphere, opposite the zenith and below the observer
TRACTABILITY
(n) Capacity for being led, controlled, or taught; docility (n) Malleability; Ease of being handled or worked with
IMPERMEABLE
(adj.) Not permeable; preventing passage through or into itself
DENUNCIATION
(n) 1. public condemnation or censure 2. an accusation of a crime
LACKLUSTER
(adj.) Without luster or brilliance; dull
FOMENT
(v) To foster or promote the development of; to incite or rouse
DEFERENCE
(n) Submission to or due respect for superiors or elders
VERACITY
(n) Conformity or adherence to the truth or accuracy
DIFFUSE
(adj.) Dispersed, spread out (adj.) Wordy and poorly organized
INNOCUOUS
(adj.) Harmless or without negative effect (adj.) Unlikely to offend or inspire a strong reaction; insipid or bland
AUDACIOUS
(adj.) Recklessly bold; (adj.) Insolent or contemptuous of rules (adj.) Original and spirited
EXCULPATE
(v) To clear from a charge or guilt
ABATE
(v) To reduce in degree, amount, or intensity
OBSTINATE
(adj.) Stubbornly sticking to an attitude, opinion, purpose, or course, against argument or persuasion; difficult to control, subdue, or remedy
PRODIGIOUS
(adj.) Impressive or extraordinary in bulk, amount, or degree; enormous (adj.) Marvelous, eliciting amazement
STOLID
(adj.) Unemotional or impassive
ALLEVIATE
(v) To mitigate, lessen, or make bearable
LEVY
(v) 1. To impose and collect (such as a tax) 2. To draft troops into military service 3. To declare and wage war
EXACERBATE
(v) To make more severe, violent, or bitter; to aggravate, intensify, or inflame
COVERT
(adj.) Not openly done, acknowledged, or avowed; veiled (adj.) Sheltered or covered
APPRISE
(v) To inform, tell, or give notice to
RECALCITRANT
(adj.) Stubbornly resisting or defying authority or guidance
DERISION
(n) Ridicule, mockery, or scorn
TACITURN
(adj.) Disinclined to speak by temperament
BLITHE
(adj.) Lighthearted, carefree, joyous, or gaily cheerful (adj.) Thoughtless, heedless, or without regard or consideration
CONVOKE
(v) To call (as a group of people) to a meeting
IMPETUOUS
(adj.) Impulsive, characterized by sudden, passionate action (adj.) Violent or forceful
PONDEROUS
(adj.) Of great weight; unwieldy due to heaviness and bulk (adj.) Labored, dull, or lifeless
QUOTIDIAN
(adj.) Everyday, commonplace or ordinary
flag
(v) To signal, with or as with a flag
(v) 1. To fall off in energy, vigor, interest, or activity
2. To droop or hang loose
SOMATIC
(adj. ) 1. Pertaining to the body (as opposed to the mind, a body part, or the
environment) , 2. Relating to the wall of the body cavity
fluke
(n) A stroke of good luck; a chance occurrence or accident
doff
(v) 1. To take off or remove (as clothes); to tip or remove (one’s hat) in greeting
2. To put aside or discard
APOCRYPHAL
(adj.) Of questionable authenticity or origin; spurious
SCURVY
(n) A wasting disease caused by vitamin C deficiency
(adj. ) Contemptible, despicable, or mean
APPOSITE
(adj.) Appropriate, relevant, or apt
squalid
(adj. ) Foul, dirty, or wretched, as from extreme poverty or neglect
(adj. ) Morally repulsive or sordid
GARRULOUS
(adj.) Wordy; overly talkative and given to long, rambling, often trivial speech
GAMBOL
(v) To frolic, to skip or leap about playfully
fulminate
(v) To send out or issue with denunciation, invective, or condemnation
(v) To explode
SALUBRIOUS
(adj.) Promoting or conducive to health or well being
ABSCISSION
(n) The act of cutting off
gauche
(adj.) Lacking in tact, sensitivity, or other social graces
TRUCULENT
(adj. ) Ferocious, cruel, or savage; (adj.) Deadly or destructive
(adj. ) Scathing or harsh; (adj.) Belligerent or aggressive; disposed to fighting
ASPERITY
(n) Rigor or severity
(n) Roughness, unevenness or harshness, as of surface or sound
(n) Roughness or harshness of manner or temper
FINESSE
(n) Skillful or adroit handling
(n) Refinement or delicacy or performance, skill, or workmanship
GERMANE
(adj.) Relevant or closely related
VISCID
(adj.) Having a sticky, adhesive, or viscous quality or consistency
GLIB
(adj. ) Fluent in speaking or writing to the point of insincerity or thoughtlessness
(adj. ) Done with natural ease or offhand nonchalance
REQUITE
(v) To repay or make return for; to reciprocate
(v) To avenge
(v) To recompense for a service, benefit, or injury
GROUSE
(v) To complain, grumble
(n) A grievance, a persistent complaint
(n) Any of various types of plump, chickenlike game birds
APPRECIABLE
(adj) Possible to see, measure, or estimate
DILATE
(v) 1. To cause to expand, to widen or enlarge
2. To speak or write at length on a subject
SUBSIDE
(v) To sink to a lower or normal level (such as a fever);
to sink or settle down (as onto a couch or to the bottom of a river)
(v) To become less agitated or active
REDUNDANT
(adj. ) More than necessary; superfluous
(adj. ) Excessively wordy or repetitive
ANTIPATHY
(n) An aversion, disliking, or distaste for
(n) An object of dislike or aversion
CONVOLUTED
(adj. ) Having a great number of coils, loops, or folds
(adj. ) Intricate or involved
MITIGATE
(v) To moderate (the force, intensity, or strength of) or alleviate
SANGFROID
(n) Self‐possession or composure, especially under stress
IMPLOSION
(n) Forceful collapse inward
CONDONE
(v) To overlook, dismiss, or forgive (an offense)
CATALYST
(n) Something precipitating, provoking, or accelerating an action, event, or change
(n) A substance that starts or speeds a chemical reaction
INTEMPERANCE
(n) Indulgence of passions or appetites
(n) Excessive drinking of alcohol
STALWART
(adj.) Strong or vigorous in mind, body, or spirit
AUGMENT
(v) To enlarge, make greater, more intense, or more numerous
ABRIDGE
(v) To cut short, condense (especially of a written work)
INDIFFERENT
(n) The state or quality of being indifferent, unconcerned
VERBOSE
(adj.) Using more words than necessary, wordy
SQUELCH
(v) To crush or squash as if by trampling
(v) To quell or suppress completely
(v) To silence, as by a crushing remark
(v) To emit a splashing, sucking sound
EMACIATE
(adj.) Wasted away, enfeebled, or made extremely thin
EXTEMPORE
(adj.) Done, said, or composed with little or no preparation; unpremeditated
FORESTALL
(v) To hinder or prevent in advance
(v) To anticipate or deal with in advance
(v) To buy up goods so as to drive up prices for resale
ANALOGOUS
(adj.) Similar or related so that one can draw an analogy.
QUIESCENCE
(n) The state of being quiescent; tranquil restfulness or repose
ADULTERATE
(v) To make impure or corrupt by adding foreign or inferior materials or ingredients,
particularly in preparation for sale.
NABOB
(n) A person who is wealthy, prominent, or important
(n) A provincial governor of India’s Mogul empire (historical)
CARDINAL
(adj.) Of prime importance; chief, main
PUISSANCE
(n) Power, might
