Group 3 Flashcards
What does ‘abate’ mean?
To reduce in amount, degree, or intensity.
Example: The storm suddenly abated.
What does ‘abjure’ mean?
To renounce a belief, cause, or claim.
Example: He abjured his allegiance to the king.
What does ‘anomalous’ mean?
Deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected.
Example: The anomalous results were difficult to explain.
What does ‘antipathy’ mean?
A deep-seated feeling of aversion.
Example: She felt a strong antipathy towards the new policy.
What does ‘arcane’ mean?
Understood by few; mysterious or secret.
Example: The arcane rituals of the ancient tribe fascinated researchers.
What does ‘arduous’ mean?
Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.
Example: Climbing the mountain was an arduous task.
What does ‘artless’ mean?
Without guile or deception; innocent and simple.
Example: Her artless charm won everyone over.
What does ‘ascetic’ mean?
Characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence.
Example: The ascetic monk lived a life of poverty.
What does ‘assuage’ mean?
To make an unpleasant feeling less intense.
Example: He tried to assuage his guilt.
What does ‘betray’ mean?
To reveal or disclose something, often in a treacherous manner.
Example: She felt he would betray her trust.
What does ‘bucolic’ mean?
Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
Example: The bucolic scenery was breathtaking.
What does ‘burgeon’ mean?
To begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish.
Example: The city’s population continued to burgeon.
What does ‘cacophonous’ mean?
Involving a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.
Example: The cacophonous noise made it hard to concentrate.
What does ‘canonize’ mean?
To officially declare a deceased person to be a saint.
Example: The church decided to canonize the revered leader.
What does ‘censure’ mean?
To express severe disapproval of someone or something.
Example: The senator faced censure for his actions.
What does ‘chicanery’ mean?
The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose.
Example: The deal was marred by chicanery.
What does ‘coalesce’ mean?
To come together to form one mass or whole.
Example: The various factions coalesced into a single party.
What does ‘cogent’ mean?
Clear, logical, and convincing.
Example: She presented a cogent argument.
What does ‘compelling’ mean?
Evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way.
Example: The story was so compelling that I couldn’t put it down.
What does ‘contend’ mean?
To assert something as a position in an argument.
Example: He contended that the policy was ineffective.
What does ‘copious’ mean?
Abundant in supply or quantity.
Example: She took copious notes during the lecture.
What does ‘cosmopolitan’ mean?
Familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures.
Example: The cosmopolitan city attracted people from all over the world.
What does ‘deference’ mean?
Respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, or will of another.
Example: He showed deference to his elders.
What does ‘desultory’ mean?
Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.
Example: The conversation was desultory and unfocused.
What does ‘diffident’ mean?
Modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence.
Example: She was diffident about speaking in public.
What does ‘dilatory’ mean?
Slow to act; intended to cause delay.
Example: His dilatory tactics frustrated the committee.
What does ‘equivocate’ mean?
To use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.
Example: The politician tended to equivocate when asked direct questions.
What does ‘polarize’ mean?
To divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs.
Example: The issue polarized the community.
What does ‘prodigal’ mean?
Spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.
Example: The prodigal son returned home after squandering his inheritance.
What does ‘verbose’ mean?
Using more words than are needed; wordy.
Example: His verbose explanation confused the audience.
