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English Vocalbulary > General Vocabulary 9 > Flashcards

General Vocabulary 9 Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Zeitgeist (n)

A

The defining mood of an age or period.

The story captured the zeitgeist if the 1960s.

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2
Q

Carte Blanche

A

Complete freedom to do as one wishes.

The architect was given carte blanch to design as he wished.

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3
Q

Fiduciary (adj)

A

Relationship involving trust especially between a trustee and beneficiary.

The company has a fiduciary duty to shareholders.

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4
Q

Sturgeon roe

A

Fish eggs(Cavier).

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5
Q

Extant (adj)

A

Still in existence.

There might still be a number of extant civilizations in the Milky Way.

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6
Q

Sentient (adj)

A

Able to feel or perceive things.

She had been instructed about the sentient quality of all life forms.

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7
Q

Holler (v)

A

Give a loud shout or cry.

He hollers when he wants feeding.

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8
Q

Douche (n)

A

A shower of water.

A device to clean the vagina.

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9
Q

Commission (n)

A

An instruction, command or duty given to a person.

One of his first commissions was to redesign the Great Exhibition building.

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10
Q

Lament (n)

A

Complaint about a distress.

His mother’s night-long laments for his father.

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11
Q

Expediency (n)

A

The act of being convenient or necessary despite being morally incorrect.

An act of political expediency.

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12
Q

Feint (v)

A

A deceptive movement or action.

A brief feint at the opponent’s face.

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13
Q

Hostler (n)

A

A person who looks after the horses of people staying at an inn.

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14
Q

Gaunt (adj)

A

Weak lean and haggard looking.

A tall, gaunt woman in black.

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15
Q

Bilious (adj)

A

Affected by nausea.

The food I ate made me feel bilious.

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16
Q

Cognoscenti (n)

A

A person with superior knowledge or understanding in a particular field especially for arts fashion.

It’s worth taking a tip from the fashion cognoscenti.

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17
Q

Imprimatur (n)

[im prey ma ter]

A

Approval or sanction.

The plan has the presidents imprimatur.

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18
Q

Bedeviled (v)

A

Plagued by continuous trouble and unfortunate events.

Projects like these are bedeviled by the lack of cash.

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19
Q

Antecedent (n)

A

Anything that logically precedes it comes before another.

Some antecedents in the African novel might exists the African oral tradition.

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20
Q

Litigious (adj)

A

Prone to go the legal way to settle disputes.

Our increasingly litigious society.

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21
Q

Lothario (n)

A

A man who seduces women and then deceives them.

They are seduced by a handsome Lothario who gains control of their financial affairs.

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22
Q

Aplomb (n)

A

Self confidence or assurance.

Jane passed the test with great aplomb.

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23
Q

Rasher (n)

A

A thin slice of bacon.

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24
Q

Sedulous (adj)

A

Showing dedication and diligence.

He watch over himself with the most sedulous care.

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25
Q

Doleful (adj)

A

Causing grief or sorrow.

A doleful look.

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26
Q

Surly (adj)

A

Bad tempered.

The porter left with a surly expression.

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27
Q

Fusty (adj)

A

Stale damp or stuffy.

The fusty of odour of the room.

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28
Q

Burlesque (n)

A

A mimicking parody or caricature in poor taste.

A novel which is a burlesque of the literary life.

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29
Q

Moratorium (n)

A

Temporary freeze on an activity.

There was a moratorium on fishing in river waters.

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30
Q

Dromedary (n)

A

A single hump Arabian camel.

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31
Q

Remonstrate (v)

A

To make a forceful protest.

He turned angrily to remonstrate with Tom.

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32
Q

Xenophobia (n)

A

Intense dislike of people from other countries or civilizations.

Racism and xenophobia are steadily growing in Europe.

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33
Q

Bedlam (n)

A

A scene of confusion and lack of order.

There was bedlam in the court of law when the judgement was pronounced.

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34
Q

Ecumenical (adj)

A

Representing a number of different churches.

He was a member of ecumenical committees.

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35
Q

Vivisection (n)

A

Operations on live animals as experimentation.

The abolition of vivisection.

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36
Q

Compost (n)

A

Decayed organic material used as plant fertilizer.

Cover with a layer of fine compost.

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37
Q

Feckless (adj)

A

Lacking strength of character.

Her feckless younger brother.

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38
Q

Dissolute (adj)

A

Lacking in morals. Licentious.

Unfortunately, his heir was feckless and dissolute.

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39
Q

Derisively (adj)

A

In a manner expressing contempt or ridicule.

She snorted derisively at him.

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40
Q

Overlordship (n)

A

A ruler especially a vassal ruler.

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41
Q

Syncretism (n)

A

The amalgamation of different religions and cultures.

Interfaith dialogue can easily slip into syncretism.

42
Q

Endogamous (adj)

A

Marrying within the community.

43
Q

Ecumenical (adj)

A

Representing a number of different Christian churches.

He was a member of ecumenical committees.

44
Q

Insouciant (adj)

A

Showing a casual lack of concern.

Her insouciant shrug when discussing matters of importance.

45
Q

Isomorphic (adj)

A

Having similar appearance but different genetic makeup.

46
Q

Polemicist (n)

A

Someone who indulges in controversial debates and arguments.

A brilliant polemicist with an independent critical mind.

47
Q

Fetish (n)

A

An inanimate object worshiped because it’s believed to be processed by a living spirit.

A man with a fetish for surgical masks.

48
Q

Skittle (n)

A

A game played with wooden pins.

49
Q

Genus (n)

A

A principle taxonomic category that ranks above species and below family.

The largest genus of plants with fleshy fruits.

50
Q

Dystopia (n)

A

An imaginary place where everything is bad.

51
Q

Traipsed (v)

[treyps]

A

To walk or go aimlessly without finding one’s goal.

We traipsed all over town looking for a copy of the book.

52
Q

Grist (n)

A

Ground grain OR Something employed to one’s profit or advantage.

Every delay was so much more grist for her mill.

53
Q

Camber (n)

A

The rise of the curve of an airfoil.

54
Q

Jaunty (adj)

A

Easy and sprightly in manner or bearing.

To walk with a jaunty step.

55
Q

Contrails (n)

A

A visible condensation of water droplets or ice crystals from the atmosphere, occurring in the wake of an aircraft - exhaust trail

56
Q

Contingent (adj)

A

Dependent on something not yet certain or liable to happen or not.

Our plans are contingent on the weather.

57
Q

Gratuitous (adj)

[gruh-too-i-tuh s, -tyoo-]

A

Being without apparent reason, cause, or justification.

A gratuitous insult.

58
Q

Fetish (n)

A

Any object, idea, etc., eliciting unquestioning reverence, respect, or devotion.

A man with a fetish for surgical masks.

59
Q

Schooner (n)

[skoo-ner]

A

Any of various types of sailing vessel having a foremast and mainmast, with or without other masts.

60
Q

Prow (n)

A

The pointed front part of a ship; the bow.

61
Q

Rakish (adj)

A

Smart jaunty dashing.

A hat worn at a rakish angle.

62
Q

Palindromic (adj)

A

A word, line, verse, number, sentence, etc., reading the same backward as forward

63
Q

Vindication (n)

A

To clear, as from an accusation, imputation, suspicion, or the like.

To vindicate someone’s honor.

64
Q

Ballyhoo (n)

A

A clamorous and vigorous attempt to win customers or advance any cause.

After all the ballyhoo, the film was a flop.

65
Q

Anthropomorphic (adj)

A

Ascribing human form or attributes to a being or thing not human, especially to a deity.

66
Q

Girth (n)

[gurth]

A

The measure around anything; circumference.

67
Q

Nip (v)

A

To take off by pinching, biting, or snipping (usually followed by off).

He nipped off a piece of steak and gave it to the dog.

68
Q

Tuck (v)

A

To put into a small, close, or concealing place.

Tuck the money into your wallet.

69
Q

Updraft (n)

A

The movement upward of air or other gas.

70
Q

Aft (n)

A

The hind portion of an airplane.

71
Q

Cleaved (v)

A

To remain faithful (usually followed by to)

To cleave to one’s principles in spite of persecution.

72
Q

Roil (v)

A

To disturb or disquiet; irritate; vex.

To be roiled by a delay.

73
Q

Stanchions (n)

A

An upright bar, beam, post, or support, as in a window, stall, ship, etc.

74
Q

Yokes (n)

A

A device for joining together a pair of draft animals, especially oxen, usually consisting of a crosspiece.

75
Q

Quaint (adj)

A

Strange, peculiar, or unusual in an interesting, pleasing, or amusing way.

A quaint sense of humor.

76
Q

Way point (n)

A

A place or point between major points on a route.

77
Q

Fairings (n)

A

A structure on the exterior of an aircraft or boat, for reducing drag.

78
Q

Winglets (n)

A

A short, near-vertical projection on a wing tip that reduces drag and improves fuel efficiency.

79
Q

Gentrified (adj)

A

Very or excessively refined or elegant.

A gentrified Irish American.

80
Q

Gritty (adj)

A

Consisting of, containing, or resembling grit, sandy.

81
Q

Cavernous (adj)

A

Being, resembling, or suggestive of a large cave.

A vast, cavernous room.

82
Q

Symbiosis (n)

A

A relationship between two people in which each person is dependent upon and receives reinforcement, whether beneficial or detrimental, from the other.

83
Q

Umbilicus (n)

A

The depression in the center of the surface of the abdomen indicating the point of attachment of the umbilical cord to the embryo; navel.

84
Q

Transome (n)

A

A crosspiece separating a door or the like from a window or fanlight above it.

85
Q

Stubby (adj)

A

Short and thick or broad; thick-set or squat.

Stubby fingers.

86
Q

Kitter (n)

A

Another word for cat.

87
Q

Luridly (adj)

A

Gruesome; horrible; revolting

The lurid details of an accident.

88
Q

Keels (n)

A

A structural member in the bottom of a hull to provide stability.

89
Q

Wicker (n)

A

A slender, pliant twig.

A wicker’s chair.

90
Q

Spar (n)

A

A principal lateral member of the framework of a wing of an airplane.

91
Q

Threadbare (adj)

A

Having the nap worn off so as to lay bare the threads of the warp and woof OR meager, scanty, or poor.

A threadbare emotional life.

92
Q

Lapels (n)

A

Either of the two parts of a garment folded back on the chest, especially a continuation of a coat collar.

93
Q

Gangly (adj)

A

Awkwardly tall and spindly; lank and loosely built.

94
Q

Patois (n)

[pat-wah]

A

A regional form of a language differing from the standard, literary form of the language.

The nurse talked to me in a patois that even Italians would have had difficulty in understanding.

95
Q

Rite (n)

A

A formal or ceremonial act or procedure prescribed or customary in religious or other solemn use.

The Roman rite.

96
Q

Hunker (v)

A

To hunch.

The driver hunkered over the steering wheel.

97
Q

Circadian (adj)

A

Pertaining to rhythmic biological cycles recurring at approximately 24-hour intervals.

One of the most important things you can do for your sleep is to have a routine to keep your circadian rhythm normal

98
Q

Cachet (adj)

[ka-shey]

A

A distinguishing mark or feature; stamp.

Courtesy is the cachet of good breeding.

99
Q

Luddite (n)

A

A member of any of various bands of workers in England (1811–16) organized to destroy manufacturing machinery, under the belief that its use diminished employment.

100
Q

Claptrap (adj)

A

Pretentious but insincere or empty language.

His speeches seem erudite but analysis reveals them to be mere claptrap.

English Vocalbulary (31 decks)

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