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English Vocalbulary > General Vocabulary 5 > Flashcards

General Vocabulary 5 Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Offertory (n)

A

The offerings of the congregation at a religious service.

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2
Q

Inveigled (v)

A

Influence or urge by flattering.

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3
Q

Remit (n)

A

Cancel a debt or punishment OR send money in payment or as a gift.

The fines imposed on the minister were remitted.

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4
Q

Hearth (n)

A

Home symbolized as a part of the fireplace.

He was driven from hearth and home.

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5
Q

Eschew (v)

A

Avoid and stay away from deliberately.

He appealed to the crowd to eschew violence.

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6
Q

Sodden (adj)

A

Thoroughly wet.

Stood at the door drenched (or sodden) by the rain.

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7
Q

Gruel (n)

A

A thin porridge (usually oatmeal or cornmeal).

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8
Q

Gnomon (n)

A

Indicator provided by the stationary arm whose shadow indicates the time on the sundial.

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9
Q

Burble (v)

A

Make a continuous murmuring noise.

The steady burble of running water

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10
Q

Spout (n)

A

An opening that allows the passage of liquids or grain.

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11
Q

Ecumenical (adj)

A

Representing a number of different Christian Churches.

He was a member of ecumenical committees.

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12
Q

Expostulate (v)

A

Reason with (somebody) for the purpose of dissuasion.

He found Brian expostulating with a young man.

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13
Q

Precipitate (v)

A

Cause (an event or situation) to happen suddenly, or prematurely.

The incident precipitated a political crisis.

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14
Q

Gratuitous (adj)

A

Without cause, unnecessary and unwarranted.

A gratuitous insult.

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15
Q

Tarpaulin (n)

A

Waterproofed canvas.

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16
Q

Edify (v)

A

Make understand.

Can you edify me, I don’t understand this proposal.

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17
Q

Felicitous (adj)

A

Exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style.

The view was the room’s only felicitous feature.

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18
Q

Insidious (adj)

A

Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with very harmful effects.

Sexual harassment is a serious and insidious problem

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19
Q

Foment (v)

A

Bathe with warm water or medicated lotions.

His legs should be fomented.

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20
Q

Gall (n)

A

The trait of being rude and impertinent.

The bank had the gall to demand a fee.

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21
Q

Pouted (v)

A

Make a sad face and thrust out one’s lower lip.

She lounged on the steps, pouting.

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22
Q

Lumber (v)

A

Move in a slow, heavy, awkward way.

A truck lumbered past.

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23
Q

Prattle (n)

A

Idle or foolish talk.

She began to prattle on about her visit to the dentist.

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24
Q

Lurid (adj)

A

Presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms.

The lurid details of the massacre were too frightening.

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25
Q

Extenuate (v)

A

Lessen the seriousness or extent of.

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26
Q

Peremptorily (adv)

A

In an imperative and commanding manner.

Just do it!’ came the peremptory reply.

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27
Q

Grungy (adj)

A

Thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot.

A miner’s grungy face.

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28
Q

Hagiology (n)

A

Literature narrating the lives of the saints.

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29
Q

Whine (v)

A

A complaint uttered in a plaintive way.

She whined about how hard she had to work.

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30
Q

Revere (v)

A

Feel deep respect or admiration for (something).

He was revered by his contemporaries.

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31
Q

Inchoate (adj)

A

Only partly in existence, imperfectly formed.

A still inchoate democracy.

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32
Q

Wiles (n)

A

The use of tricks to deceive someone.

She had been trying out her feminine wiles on Sam

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33
Q

Siren (n)

A

Women or winged creatures whose singing lured unwary sailors on to rocks.

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34
Q

Maudlin (adj)

A

Effusively or insincerely emotional.

A bout of maudlin self-pity.

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35
Q

Prelate (n)

A

A bishop or other high ecclesiastical dignitary.

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36
Q

Restitution (n)

A

Money paid in compensation for loss or injury.

He was ordered to pay £6,000 in restitution.

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37
Q

Chancel (n)

A

Area around the altar of a church for the clergy and choir.

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38
Q

Effacement (n)

A

Withdrawing into the background, making yourself inconspicuous OR To wipe out or do away with.

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39
Q

Probity (n)

A

The quality of having strong moral principles.

Financial probity is a must for the job.

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40
Q

Ebullient (adj)

[ee ba lient]

A

Joyously unrestrained.

She sounded ebullient and happy.

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41
Q

Putative (adj)

A

Generally considered or reputed to be.

The putative benefits of the medicine.

42
Q

Recreant (adj)

A

Lacking even the rudiments of courage, abjectly fearful.

What a recreant figure must he make.

43
Q

Staid (adj)

A

Characterized by dignity and propriety.

Staid law firms

44
Q

Simper (n)

A

A silly self-conscious smile.

45
Q

Raffish (adj)

A

Marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputably.

From an early age, Mr. Trump encountered these raffish types with their unscrupulous methods.

46
Q

Runes (n)

A

Letters of Germanic alphabets used before adoption of the Latin script.

Runic inscription.

47
Q

Risque (adj)

A

Suggestive of sexual impropriety.

A risqué joke.

48
Q

Risible (adj)

A

Arousing or provoking laughter.

An amusing film with a steady stream of pranks and risible pratfalls.

49
Q

Officious (adj)

A

Intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner.

He security people were very officious.

50
Q

Blurb (n)

A

A short description of a book, film for promotional purposes.

This is the first time I have blurbed a whole line of books

51
Q

Misanthrope (n)

A

Someone who dislikes people in general.

52
Q

Polemic (adj)

A

A strong verbal or written attack.

His polemic against the cultural relativism.

53
Q

Sinew (n)

A

Possessing muscular strength, OR

A cord or band of inelastic tissue connecting a muscle with its bony attachment.

54
Q

Philistine (adj)

A

Ignorant or indifferent, hostile to artistic and cultural values.

I am a complete philistine when it comes to paintings.

55
Q

Wanton (adj)

A

Casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior. OR deliberate and unprovoked.

Sheer wanton vandalism.

56
Q

Truculent (adj)

A

Defiantly aggressive

A truculent speech against the new government.

57
Q

Docent (n)

A

A teacher immediately below professorial rank.

58
Q

Swain (n)

A

A young lover or suitor.

59
Q

Mahout (n)

A

The rider and keeper of an elephant.

60
Q

Sullen (adj)

A

Darkened by clouds, showing a brooding ill humor.

61
Q

Portent (n)

A

A sign of something about to happen.

He looked for an omen before going into battle.

62
Q

Squally (adj)

A

Characterized by brief periods of violent wind or rain.

Squally showers.

63
Q

Tousled (adj)

[taʊz(ə)l]

A

In disarray, extremely disorderly or untidy.

Her clothing was disheveled and tousled.

64
Q

Posit (n)

A

A proposition that is accepted as true in order to provide a basis for logical reasoning.

65
Q

Predicate (n)

A

One of the two main constituents of a sentence, the predicate contains the verb and its complements
OR
Something which is affirmed or denied concerning an argument of a proposition.

66
Q

Epithet (n)

A

Descriptive word or phrase.

67
Q

Existentialism (n)

A

A 20th-century philosophical movement chiefly in Europe.

68
Q

Machismo (n)

A

Exaggerated masculinity.

The exaggerated machismo displayed by the boys.

69
Q

Expiate (v)

A

Make amends for

Expiate one’s sins.

70
Q

Venal (adj)

A

Capable of being corrupted.

71
Q

Compunction (n)

A

A feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed).

They used their tanks without moral compunction.

72
Q

Mantle (n)

A

A loose sleeveless cloak or shawl, worn especially by women OR an important role or responsibility.

73
Q

Musing (n)

A

Deep or serious thought and reflection.

His musings were interrupted by the sound of the telephone.

74
Q

Engender (v)

A

To cause to happen, make (offspring) by reproduction.

The issue engendered continuing controversy.

75
Q

Quay (n)

A

Wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline.

76
Q

Decry (v)

A

Express strong disapproval of.

We decry the racism in South Africa.

77
Q

Scourge (n)

A

A whip used to inflict punishment OR something that causes great suffering.

The scourge of mass unemployment.

78
Q

Easel (n)

A

An upright tripod for displaying something (usually an artist’s canvas).

79
Q

Vicarious (adj)

A

Experienced in the imagination through the feelings or actions of another person.

This catalog brings vicarious pleasure in luxury living

80
Q

Repose (n)

A

A state of rest, sleep, or tranquility.

In repose her face looked relaxed.

81
Q

Pusillanimous (adj)

A

Showing a lack of courage or determination.

82
Q

Spurious (adj)

A

False or fake, not what it appears to be.

A spurious work of art.

83
Q

Morphology (n)

A

The branch of biology that deals with the structure of animals and plants.

84
Q

Emendation (n)

A

A correction by emending, a correction resulting from critical editing.

85
Q

Sarcophagus (n)

A

A stone coffin usually bearing sculpture or inscriptions.

86
Q

Mortification (n)

A

The action of subduing one’s bodily desires.

Mortification of the flesh has a long tradition in some religions.

87
Q

Thurible (n)

A

A container for burning incense and swung on a chain in a religious ritual.

88
Q

Noisome (adj)

A

Offensively malodorous, a foul odor.

89
Q

Sardonic (adj)

A

Disdainfully or scornful and mocking.

Starkey attempted a sardonic smile.

90
Q

Contingency (n)

A

A future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.

Allow an extra fifteen per cent on the budget for contingencies.

91
Q

Diminutive (adj)

A

Very small diminutive in stature.

A diminutive figure dressed in black.

92
Q

Mien (n)

A

Dignified manner or conduct.

He has a cautious, academic mien.

93
Q

Remission (n)

A

An abatement in intensity or degree or forgiveness.

The prisoners earn one day’s remission of their sentence.

94
Q

Arraign (v)

A

Call before a court to answer an indictment.

Her sister was arraigned on charges of attempted murder.

95
Q

Doctrinaire (adj)

A

Stubbornly insistent on theory without regard for practicality or suitability.

The administration’s doctrinaire economic policy.

96
Q

Stringent (adj)

A

Demanding strict attention to rules and procedures.

They had stringent guidelines on air pollution.

97
Q

Conciliatory (adj)

A

Intended to placate.

Spoke in a conciliating tone.

98
Q

Eviscerate (adj)

A

To remove the entrails of or to remove the essential character of.

The goat had been skinned and eviscerated.

99
Q

Affront (n)

A

A deliberately offensive act or something producing disrespect.

He took his son’s desertion as a personal affront.

100
Q

Incendiary (adj)

A

Tending to inflame the senses, arouse strife and tension.

Incendiary speeches intended to cause trouble.

English Vocalbulary (31 decks)

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