FLASHCARDS
1
Q
epistemology
A
branch of philosophy tha texamines the nature of knowledge
2
Q
abdicate
A
to give up a position; right; or power
3
Q
aberrant
A
deviating from what is normal
4
Q
abeyance
A
temporary suppression or suspension
5
Q
abject
A
miserable; pitiful
6
Q
abjure
A
to reject; abandon formally
7
Q
abscission
A
the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant
8
Q
abscond
A
to depart secretly
9
Q
abstemious
A
moderate in appetite
10
Q
abstinence
A
the giving up of certain pleasures
11
Q
abysmal
A
very bad
12
Q
accretion
A
growth in size or increase in amount
13
Q
accrue
A
to accumulate; grow by additions
14
Q
adamant
A
uncompromising; unyielding
15
Q
adjunct
A
something added; attached; or joined
16
Q
admonish
A
to caution or reprimand
17
Q
adulterate
A
to corrupt or make impure
18
Q
aesthetic
A
relating to beauty or the arts
19
Q
affected
A
pretentious; phony
20
Q
affinity
A
fondness; liking; similarity
21
Q
aggrandize
A
to make larger or greater
22
Q
aggregate
A
amounting to a whole; total
23
Q
alacrity
A
cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed
24
Q
alchemy
A
medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold; a seemingly magical power or process of transmutation
25
allay
to lessen; ease; soothe
26
alleviate
to relieve; improve partially
27
alloy
a combination; a mixture of two or more metals
28
allure
the power to entice by charm
29
amalgamate
to combine into a unified whole
30
ambiguous
unclear or doubtful in meaning
31
ambivalence
the state of having conflicting emotional attitudes
32
ambrosia
something delicious; the food of the gods
33
ameliorate
to improve
34
amenable
agreeable; cooperative; suited
35
amenity
something that increases comfort
36
amulet
ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
37
anachronism
something out of the proper time
38
analgesic
medication that reduces or eliminates pain
39
analogous
comparable
40
anarchy
absence of government; state of disorder
41
anodyne
something that calms or soothes pain
42
anomalous
irregular; deviating from the norm
43
antecedent
something that comes before
44
antediluvian
prehistoric
45
antipathy
dislike; hostility
46
apathy
indifference
47
apex
the highest point
48
apogee
the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited; the highest point
49
apothegm
a terse; witty saying
50
appease
to calm; pacify; placate
51
appellation
name
52
apposite
strikingly appropriate and relevant
53
apprise
to inform
54
approbation
praise; approval
55
appropriate
to take possession of for one's own use; confiscate
56
apropos
relevant
57
arabesque
ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body
58
archeology
the study of material evidence of past human life
59
ardor
great emotion or passion
60
arduous
extremely difficult; laborious
61
argot
a specialized vocabulary used by a group
62
arrest
to stop; to seize
63
artifact
item made by human craft
64
artless
guileless; natural
65
ascetic
one who practices self-denial
66
asperity
severity; harshness; irritability
67
aspersion
slander; false rumor
68
assiduous
diligent; hard-working
69
assuage
to make less severe
70
astringent
harsh; severe
71
asylum
place of refuge or shelter
72
atavism
in biology; the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence
73
attenuate
to weaken
74
audacious
bold; daring
75
austere
stern; unadorned; simple
76
autonomous
self-governing; independent
77
avarice
greed
78
aver
to affirm; declare to be true
79
avocation
secondary occupation
80
avuncular
like an uncle; benevolent and tolerant
81
axiomatic
taken for granted; self-evident truth
82
bacchanalian
pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry
83
banal
commonplace; trite
84
banter
playful conversation
85
bard
poet
86
bawdy
obscene
87
beatify
to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to
88
bedizen
to dress in a vulgar; showy manner
89
behemoth
huge creature; anything very large and powerful
90
belie
to contradict; misrepresent; give a false impression
91
beneficent
kindly; doing good
92
bifurcate
to divide into two parts
93
blandishment
flattery
94
blase
bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned
95
bolster
to give a boost to; prop up; support
96
bombastic
pompous; using inflated language
97
boorish
rude; insensitive
98
bovine
cowlike
99
brazen
bold; shameless
100
broach
to mention for the first time
101
bucolic
characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral
102
burgeon
to grow and flourish
103
burnish
to polish
104
buttress
to reinforce; support
105
cacaphonous
unpleasant or harsh-sounding
106
cadge
to beg; sponge
107
callous
thick-skinned; insensitive
108
calumny
false and malicious accusation; slander
109
canard
false; deliberately misleading story
110
canon
an established set of principles; a basis or standard for judgment; a group of literary works
111
cant
insincere talk; language of a particular group
112
cantankerous
irritable; ill-humored
113
capricous
fickle
114
captious
faultfinding; intended to entrap; as in an argument
115
cardinal
of foremost importance
116
carnal
of the flesh or body; related to physical appetities
117
carping
to find fault; complain
118
cartography
science of making maps
119
caste
any of the hereditary social classes in Hindu society; social stratification
120
castigation
punishment; chastisement; criticism
121
cataclysm
a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change
122
catalyst
something that causes change
123
categorical
absolute; without exception
124
caucus
smaller group within an organization
125
causal
involving a cause
126
caustic
burning; stinging; causing corrosion
127
celestial
concerned with sky or heavens; sublime
128
centrifugal
moving away from a center
129
centripetal
moving or directed toward a center
130
champion
to defend or support
131
chasten
to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue
132
chicanery
trickery; fraud
133
chivalry
the qualities idealized by knighthood such as bravery and gallantry toward women
134
churlish
rude; boorish
135
circuitous
roundabout
136
clamor
noisy outcry
137
clique
a small; exclusive group
138
cloister
to confine; seclude
139
coagulate
thicken; congeal
140
coalesce
to cause to become one
141
coda
concluding part of a literary or musical composition; something that summarizes or concludes
142
codify
to systematize
143
cognizant
informed; conscious; aware
144
collage
artistic composition of materials pasted over a surface; an assemblage of diverse elements
145
commensurate
proportional
146
compendium
brief; comprehensive summary
147
complacent
self-satisfied
148
complaisant
overly polite; willingness to comply with the wishes of others
149
complement
something that completes or makes up a whole
150
compliant
yielding
151
compunction
uneasiness caused by guilt
152
concave
curving inward
153
conciliatory
overcoming distrust or hostility
154
concoct
to invent
155
concomitant
existing concurrently
156
condone
to overlook voluntarily; forgive
157
confound
to baffle; perplex; mix up
158
congenial
similar in tastes and habits; friendly; suited to
159
conjugal
pertaining to marriage agreement
160
connoisseur
expert in matters of taste; expert knowledge or training
161
conscript
a person compulsorily enrolled for military service
162
consecrate
to declare sacred
163
contend
to assert
164
contentious
quarrelsome; causing quarrels
165
contiguous
touching; neighboring; connecting without a break
166
continence
self-control; abstention from sexual activity
167
contrite
very sorrowful for a wrong; seeking forgiveness
168
contumacious
disobedient; rebellious
169
conundrum
riddle; puzzle with no solution
170
convention
practice widely observed in a group; custom; accepted technique or device
171
converge
to approach; come together; tend to meet
172
convex
curved outward
173
convivial
sociable
174
convoluted
twisted; complicated
175
copious
abundant; plentiful
176
coquette
woman who flirts
177
cornucopia
horn overflowing with fruit and grain; state of abundance
178
cosmology
study of the universe as a totality; theory of the origin and structure of the universe
179
covert
hidden; secret
180
covetous
desiring something owned by another
181
cozen
to mislead by trick or fraud; decieve
182
craven
cowardly
183
credence
acceptance of something as true
184
credo
statement of belief or principle; creed
185
daunt
to discourage; intimidate; dishearten
186
dearth
scarcity
187
debauchery
corruption
188
decorum
proper behavior
189
defame
to malign; harm someone's reputation
190
default
to fail to act
191
deference
respect; regard for another's wish
192
defunct
no longer existing
193
delineate
to represent or depict
194
demographic
related to population balance
195
demotic
pertaining to people
196
demur
to express doubt; question or oppose
197
denigrate
to slur someone's reputation
198
denizen
an inhabitant; a regular visitor
199
denouement
outcome; unraveling of the plot of a play or work of literature
200
clairvoyant
one who can predict the future; psychic
201
deride
to mock
202
derivative
something derived; unoriginal
203
desiccate
to dry completely
204
desuetude
state of disuse
205
desultory
random; disconnected; rambling
206
deterrent
something that discourages or hinders
207
detraction
the act of taking away
208
diaphanous
transparent; vague; insubstancial
209
diatribe
bitter verbal attack
210
dichotomy
division into two usually contradictory parts
211
diffidence
shyness; lack of confidence
212
diffuse
to spread out
213
digression
act of straying from the main point
214
dirge
funeral hymn
215
disabuse
free from a misconception
216
discerning
perceptive; exhibiting keen insight and good judgement
217
discomfit
to make uneasy; disconcert
218
discordant
not in tune
219
discredit
to dishonor; disgrace
220
discrepancy
difference between
221
discrete
constituing a separate thing; distinct
222
discretion
quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions
223
disingenuous
not candid; crafty
224
disinterested
unpredujiced; objective
225
disjointed
lacking order or coherence; dislocated
226
dismiss
put away from consideration; reject
227
disparage
to belittle
228
disparate
dissimilar
229
dissemble
to pretend; disguise one's motives
230
disseminate
to spread; scatter; disperse
231
dissolution
disintegration;debauchery
232
dissonance
discord; lack of harmony
233
distend
to expand; swell out
234
distill
extract the essential elements
235
distrait
inattentive; preoccupied
236
diverge
to vary; go in different directions from the same point
237
divest
to strip; deprive; rid
238
divulge
to make known something that is secret
239
document
to provide with written evidence to support
240
doggerel
poor verse
241
dogmatic
stating opinions without proof
242
dormant
inactive
243
dross
waste; worthless matter
244
dupe
to deceive; trick
245
ebullient
exhilarated; overly enthusiastic
246
eclectic
selecting from various sources
247
effervescence
state of high spirits or liveliness; process of bubling as gas escapes
248
effete
depleted of vitality; overrefined; decadent
249
dissident
person who disagrees about beliefs
250
doctrinaire
dogmatic; unyielding
251
efficacy
effectiveness; efficiency
252
effrontery
shameless boldness; presumptuousness
253
egoism
the tendency to see things in relation to oneself; self-centeredness
254
egotistical
excessively self-centered; conceited
255
elegy
poem or song expressing lamentation
256
elicit
to provoke; draw out
257
elixir
a sustance believed to have the power to cure ills
258
Elysian
delightful; blissful
259
emaciated
thin and wasted
260
embellish
to adorn; enhance
261
emollient
soothing; mollifying
262
empirical
derived from observation or experiment
263
emulate
to imitate; copy
264
encomium
a formal expression of praise
265
endemic
inherent; belonging to an area
266
enervate
to weaken
267
engender
to cause; produce
268
enhance
to increase; improve
269
entomology
the scientific study of insects
270
enunciate
to pronounce clearly
271
ephemeral
short-lived; fleeting
272
epistemology
branch of philosophy tha texamines the nature of knowledge
273
equable
steady; unvarying; serene
274
equanimity
composure; calmness
275
equivocate
intentionally use vague language
276
errant
mistaken; straying from the proper course
277
erudite
learned; scholarly
278
esoteric
hard to understand; known only to a few
279
essay
to make an attempt; subject to a test
280
estimable
admirable; possible to estimate
281
ethnocentric
based on the attitude tha one's group is superior
282
etiology
causes or origins
283
etymology
origin an history of a word
284
eugenics
study of factors that influence the hereditary qualities of the human race and ways to improve those qualities
285
eulogy
high praise to a death person
286
euphemism
use of agreeable or inoffensive language in place of offensive language
287
euphoria
feeling of extreme happiness
288
euthanasia
mercy killing
289
evince
to show plainly; be an indication of
290
evocative
tending to call to mind or produce a reaction
291
exacerbate
to aggravate; make worse
292
exact
to force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority
293
exculpate
to clear of blame; vindicate
294
execrable
detertable; abhorrent
295
exhort
to urge by strong appeals
296
exigency
crisis; urgent requirements
297
existential
having to do with existence
298
exorcise
to expel evil spirits; free from bad influences
299
expatiate
to speak or write at length
300
expatriate
to send into exile
301
expiate
to atone for
302
explicate
to explain;interpret;clarify
303
expository
explanatory
304
extant
in existence; not lost
305
extemporaneous
unrehearsed
306
extirpate
to root up; to destroy
307
extraneous
not essencial
308
extrapolation
the act of estimation by projecting known information
309
extrinsic
not inherent of essential
310
facetious
homorous
311
facilitate
to make less difficult
312
factotum
a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman
313
fallacious
based on a false idea or fact; misleading
314
fallow
plowed but not sowed; uncultivated
315
fatuous
foolishly self-satisfied
316
fauna
animals of a period o region
317
the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant
abscission
318
felicitous
suitable expressed; wee-chose; appropiate
319
feral
existing in a wild or untamed state
320
fervor
warmth and intensity of emotion
321
fetid
having a bad smell
322
fetter
to bind; confine
323
fiat
arbitray order; authorization
324
fidelity
loyalty; exact correspondence
325
filibuster
use of obstructive tactics in a legislature to block passage of a law
326
finesse
to handle with a deceptive or evasive strategy; refined in performance
327
fissure
crevice
328
flag
to droop; grow weak
329
fledging
beginner; novice
330
flora
plants of a region or era
331
flourish
en embellishment or ornamentation
332
flout
to treat scornfully
333
flux
flowing; a continuous moving
334
foment
to incite; arouse
335
forbearance
patience
336
forestall
to prevent; delay
337
formidable
menacing; threatening
338
forswear
renounce; repudiate
339
founder
to sink; fail; colapse
340
fracas
a loud quarrel; brawl
341
fractious
quarrelsome; unruly; rebellious
342
fresco
a painting done on plaster
343
frieze
ornamental band on a wall
344
froward
stubbornly contrary; obstinately disobedient
345
frugality
thrift
346
fulminate
to attack loudly; denounce
347
fulsome
so excessive as to be disgusting
348
fusion
union; synthesis
349
futile
ineffective; useless; fruitless
350
florid
ruddy; reddish; flowery
351
gainsay
to deny; dispute; oppose
352
gambol
to frolic; leap playfully
353
garrulous
very talkative; wordy
354
gauche
coarse and uncouth; clumsy
355
geniality
cheerfulness; kindliness; sociability
356
gerrymander
to divide an area into voting districts in a way that favors a political party
357
glib
fluent in an insincere way; offhand
358
goad
to prod; urge on
359
gossamer
sheer; light and delicate; like cobwebs
360
gouge
to tear out; scoop out; overcharge
361
grandiloquent
pompous; bombastic
362
gregarious
outgoing; sociable
363
grouse
to complain
364
guileless
free of cunning or deceit; artless
365
guise
outward appearance; false appearance
366
gullible
easily deceived
367
gustatory
affecting the sense of taste
368
halcyon
calm and peaceful; happy; golden; prosperous
369
hallowed
holy; sacred
370
harangue
long; pompous speech; tirade
371
harrowing
extremely distressing; terrifying
372
herbivorous
an animal that feeds mainly on plants
373
hermetic
tighly sealed; magical
374
heterodox
not widely accepted
375
hieroglyphics
a system of writing in which pictorial symbols represent meanings or sounds; wirting or symbols that are difficult to decipher
376
hirsute
covered with hair
377
histrionic
relating to exaggerated emotional behavior calculated for effect; theatrical acts or performances
378
homeostasis
automatic maintenance by an organism in balance with itself
379
homily
sermon; tedious moralizing lecture
380
homogeneous
composed of identical parts; uniform in composition
381
hyperbole
purposeful exaggeration for effect
382
iconoclastic
attacking cherished traditions
383
idolatry
idol worship; blind or excessive devotion
384
igneous
produced by fire; volcanic
385
imbroglio
complicated situation; an entanglement
386
immutable
inchangeable
387
impair
to damage; injure
388
impassive
showing no emotion
389
impecunious
poor; having no money
390
impede
to hinder; block
391
impermeable
impossible to permeate
392
imperturbable
not easily disturbed
393
impervious
incapable of being affected; impossible to penetrate
394
impinge
to strike; encroach
395
implacable
inflexible; incable of being pleased or calmed down
396
implausible
unlikely; unbelievable
397
implicit
implied; understood but not stated
398
implode
collapse inward violently
399
imprecation
curse; damnation
