Group 2 Flashcards
Accolade
An expression of praise
Adulation
Excessive praise; intense adoration
Aesthetic
Dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
Ameliorate
To make better or more tolerable
Ascetic
One who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
Avarice
Greed, esp. for wealth
Axiom
A universally recognized principle
Burgeon
To grow rapidly or flourish
Bucolic
Rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
Cacophony
Harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
Canon
An established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
Castigation
Severe criticism or punishment
Catalyst
A substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
Caustic
Burning or stinging; causing corrosion
Chary
Wary, cautious; sparing
Cogent
Appealing forcibly to the mid or reason; convincing
Complaisance
The willingness to comply with the wishes of others
Contentious
Argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
Contrite
Regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
Culpable
Deserving blame
Dearth
Smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
Demur
To question or oppose
Didactic
Intended to teach or instruct
Discretion
Cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
Disinterested
Free of bias or self-interest; impartial
Dogmatic
Expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improbable principles
Ebullience
The quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
Eclectic
Composed of elements drawn from various sources
Elegy
A mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
Emollient
Soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin