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English Vocalbulary > General Vocabulary 16 > Flashcards

General Vocabulary 16 Flashcards

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1
Q

Domino (n)

A

Any of 28 small oblong pieces marked with 0–6 pips in each half.

Everyone will fall over like a row of dominoes.

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2
Q

Immiseration (n)

A

Economic impoverishment.

Rapid modernization had an impact on the level of urban immiseration.

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3
Q

Spruce (n)

A

A widespread coniferous tree which has a distinctive conical shape and hanging cones, widely grown for timber, pulp, and Christmas trees.

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4
Q

Rubegoldbergian (adj)

A

Achieving a simple objective by absurdly complicated means

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5
Q

Confederate (adj)

A

Joined by an agreement or treaty.

Some local groups united to form confederate councils.

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6
Q

Comeuppance (n)

A

A punishment or fate that someone deserves.

He got his comeuppance in the end.

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7
Q

Coldcocks (v)

A

To strike someone so forcefully that they are rendered unconscious.

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8
Q

Tattling (v)

A

Gossip idly or tell tales.

According to some tattling sources, he never quite gave her up.

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9
Q

Psychotherapeutic (adj)

A

Relating to or denoting the treatment of mental disorder by psychological rather than medical means.

Psychotherapeutic treatments for childhood anxiety disorders.

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10
Q

Granule (n)

A

A small compact particle of a substance.

Granules of sugar.

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11
Q

Compendium (n)

A

A collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject, especially in a book or other publication.

An invaluable compendium of useful information about language.

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12
Q

Rubberneck (v)

A

Turn one’s head to stare at something in a foolish manner.

A passer-by rubbernecking at the accident scene.

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13
Q

Schlemiel (n)

A

A stupid, awkward, or unlucky person.

He seems like the classic underdog schlemiel.

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14
Q

Excised (adj)

A

Having been cut out surgically.

Excised tissue.

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15
Q

Sub rosa (adj)

A

Happening or done in secret.

The committee operates sub rosa.

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16
Q

Thespian (n)

A

An actor or actress.

An ageing thespian.

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17
Q

Patter (n)

A

A repeated light tapping.

The splashing patter of steady rain.

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18
Q

Causation (n)

A

The relationship between cause and effect.

A strong association is not a proof of causation.

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19
Q

Schadenfreude (n)

A

Pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune.

A business that thrives on schadenfreude.

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20
Q

Intercessory (adj)

A

Having the function of interceding.

An intercessory prayer.

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21
Q

Rhetorician (n)

A

An expert in formal rhetoric

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22
Q

Onomatopoeia (n)

A

Formation of a word that phonetically imitates the sound that it describes such as “oink”, “meow”, “roar” and “chirp”.

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23
Q

Sesquipedalian (adj)

A

Characterized by long words or long winded sentences.

The sesquipedalian writings in scientific journals.

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24
Q

Smorgasbord (n)

A

A range of something; a variety.

The album is a smorgasbord of different musical styles.

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25
Q

Unswerving (adj)

A

Not changing or becoming weaker.

Unswerving loyalty to his people.

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26
Q

Perforce (adv)

A

Used to express necessity.

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27
Q

Salient (n)

A

Most important or noticeable.

The salient features of the event were well captured in the book.

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28
Q

Drivel (n)

A

Nonsense

Don’t talk such drivel.

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29
Q

Infantilize (v)

A

Treat (someone) as a child or in a way which denies their maturity in age or experience.

My generation grew up in a time when women were infantilized and treated as property

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30
Q

Profane (adj)

A

Not showing respect for religious or holy things.

A discussion was organized on topics both religious and profane.

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31
Q

Antediluvian (adj)

A

Very old fashioned OR before the period of the biblical floods.

Gigantic bones of antediluvian animals.

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32
Q

Prophylactic (n)

A

A medicine, device or course of action that prevents or slows down the course of an illness.

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33
Q

Inter Alia(adv)

A

Among other things.

The study includes, inter alia, computers, aircraft, and pharmaceuticals.

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34
Q

Lodestar (n)

A

A person or thing that serves as an inspiration or guide.

She was his intellectual lodestar.

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35
Q

Habeas corpus (n)

A

A writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court, especially to secure the person’s release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention.

His application for habeas corpus.

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36
Q

Ad hominem (adv)

A

In a way that is directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining.

These points come from some of our best information sources, who realize they’ll be attacked ad hominem.

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37
Q

Epochal (adj)

A

Of or relating to an epoch- a period of time in history that’s important.

The epochal health crises that brought the world to its knees.

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38
Q

Dilettantism (n)

A

Amateurish interest in a subcategory matter.

This is dilettantism raised to the level of sociopathy.

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39
Q

Sociopath (n)

A

A person manifesting extreme abnormal behavior related to antisocial activities.

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40
Q

Factious (adj)

A

Relating or inclined to dissension.

A factious country.

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41
Q

Facetious (adj)

A

Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour; flippant.

A facetious remark.

42
Q

Factitious (adj)

A

Artificially created or developed.

A largely factitious national identity.

43
Q

Fatuous (adj)

A

Silly and pointless.

A fatuous comment.

44
Q

Repost (v)(n)

A

Post a piece of writing online for a second or further time.

He left a comment on the thread which I think deserves more attention so I’m reposting it this morning.

45
Q

Retort (n)

A

A sharp or witty reply.

She opened her mouth to make a suitably cutting retort.

46
Q

Underwrite (v)

A

Accept financial liability in case of damage or loss
OR
Pledge to buy all unsold shares in an IPO.

47
Q

Subvention (n)

A

A grant of money given by a government to institutions or sections of the economy.

48
Q

Dirigiste (adj)

A

A system of government which has a lot of control over economic matters.

A dirigiste state which was commanded from the top.

49
Q

Affable (adj)

A

Friendly and good natured.

He makes for an affable companion.

50
Q

Eminence grise (n)

A

A person having power or influence in a particular sphere without holding official position.

51
Q

Driblets (n)

A

A thin stream or small drops off.

Driblets of spittle run down from her mouth.

52
Q

Grandee (n)

A

A person of rank or eminence.

53
Q

Partisanship (n)

A

Prejudice in favor of a particular cause.

An act of blatant political partisanship.

54
Q

Laissez faire (n)

A

Policy of letting things take their own course without interference.

A laissez faire attitude to life.

55
Q

Flailing (adj)

A

Floundering clumsy and ineffective.

Their flailing attempts to save the company.

56
Q

Tinderbox (n)

A

A potentially explosive situation.

The Balkans are the tinderbox of Europe.

57
Q

Exegesis (n)

A

An explanation or critical interpretation of a scripture or other text.

The task of biblical exegesis.

58
Q

Lodestone (m)

A

Naturally magnetized portion of the mineral magnetite.

Bombay was the lodestone of the country during the days of early independence.

59
Q

Lemmings (n)

A

A small rat like rodent famed to commit mass suicides.

They took to alcohol like lemmings to the sea.

60
Q

Simulacra (n)

A

A representation or imitation of a person or thing.

A small-scale simulacrum of a skyscraper

61
Q

Epistemic (adj)

A

One of the 4 main branches of philosophy relating to knowledge or the study of it.

The disagreement is not due to one party’s epistemic negligence or obliviousness to relevant evidence.

62
Q

Reposte (n)

A

A quick, intelligent and funny reply to a criticism.

63
Q

Mollycoddle (v)

A

To treat someone with excessive care or concern.

64
Q

Leitmotif (n)

A

A word, phrase, theme or image that is repeated often in a book or work of art, or is typical of a particular person.

65
Q

Scurrilous (adj)

A

Making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention to cause damage.

A scurrilous attack on the mayor’s integrity.

66
Q

Groundswell (n)

A

An increase in a particular opinion among a large section of the population.

A groundswell of opposition developed.

67
Q

Epiphenomenon (n)

A

A secondary symptom, occurring simultaneously with a disease but not directly related to it.

The struggle for democracy in Hong Kong is not some marginal epiphenomenon

68
Q

Hither (adj)

A

Situated on this side.

The hither side of Severn.

69
Q

Tither (adj)

A

To or towards that place.

No trickery had been necessary to attract him thither.

70
Q

Convivial (adj)

A

Happy and friendly in atmosphere or character.

The group chat must remain convivial at all times.

71
Q

Corral (v)

A

Gather together and confine (a group of people or things).

The organizers were corralling the crowd into marching formation.

72
Q

Bluster (v)(n)

A

Talk in a loud, aggressive, or indignant way with little effect.

You threaten and bluster, but won’t carry it through.

73
Q

Kosher (adj)

A

Proper or appropriate.

It’s kosher to agree with the powers that be.

74
Q

Encumbrance (n)

A

An impediment or burden.

The horse raised its hind leg as if to rid itself of an encumbrance.

75
Q

Contingent (adj)

A

Dependent on something else
OR
Happening by chance or unforeseen causes.

A plan contingent on the weather.

76
Q

Sui generis (adj)

A

In a class of its own or unique.

The sui generis nature of animals.

77
Q

Clotted (adj)

A

A thick mass of coagulated liquid.

Blood clotted over the superating wound.

78
Q

Animistic (adj)

A

The belief in a supernatural power that animates and governs the material world.

Their animistic ceremonies used ganja frequently.

79
Q

Animus (n)

A

Hostility or ill feeling.

The author’s animus towards her.

80
Q

Modus Vivendi (n)

A

A mode of living.

Also an agreement that allows 2 or more parties to coexist in peace.

81
Q

Postprandial (adj)

A

Period after eating a meal.

An annual postprandial glucose test.

82
Q

Statist (n)

A

An advocate of a policy in which the state has significant control over social and economic affairs.

83
Q

Semiotic (adj)

A

Relating to signs and symbols.

The gestures, images, and objects notated in his scripts share a semiotic importance equal to the spoken text.

84
Q

Neurosis (n)

A

A mild mental illness with no

organic cause possibly related to stress.

85
Q

Kafkaesque (adj)

A

Characteristic or reminiscent of the oppressive or nightmarish qualities of Franz Kafka’s fictional world.

A Kafkaesque bureaucratic office.

86
Q

Skein (n)

A

An element that forms part of a complex or complicated whole.

He weaves together the skeins of philosophy, ecology, folklore, and history.

87
Q

Raison d’être (n)

[Re zon detra]

A

The most important reason or purpose for someone or something’s existence.

Seeking to shock is the catwalk’s raison d’être.

88
Q

Simulacra (n)

A

An image or representation of someone or something.

A small-scale simulacrum of a skyscraper.

89
Q

Hamming (v)

A

Overacting or relying on stock gestures or mannerisms.

She was hamming more than genuinely acting.

90
Q

Errant (adj)

A

Behaving badly in some way, especially by disobeying.

91
Q

Potemkin (adj)

A

Having a false or deceptive appearance, especially one presented for the purpose of propaganda.

A Potemkin news network, set up only to give the appearance of a free press.

92
Q

Pantomime (n)

A

A form of drama in which performers communicate through movement and expressions of their face, not words, to tell a story.

93
Q

Tosh (n)

A

Rubbish; nonsense.

It’s a piece of sentimental tosh.

94
Q

Quiescence (n)

[kwe essence]

A

Inactivity or dormancy.

The migrant labour who’s quiescence we take for granted.

95
Q

Fetter (v)(n)

A

Restrain with chains or manacles, typically around the ankles.

The Supervisor tossed a key to the old slave to unlock the chain that fettered the prisoners together.

96
Q

Charnel (adj)

A

Associated with death.

I gagged on the charnel stench of the place.

97
Q

Betoken (v)

A

Be a warning or indication of (a future event).

The mass of young men on the streets betokens a society that has no sense of its future.

98
Q

Plenitude (n)

A

An abundance of.

The plenitude of the Pope’s powers.

99
Q

Canon (n)

A

A general law / principle OR a collection of scared books.

The appointment violated the canons of fair play and accounts.

100
Q

Ex ante (adv)

A

Based on forecasts rather than actual results.

The bill ex ante named some communities and excluded others.

English Vocalbulary (31 decks)

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