High-frequency words Flashcards
1
Q
Abate
A
Subside/Moderate
2
Q
Abeyance
A
Temporarily inactive
- Matters were held in abeyance pending further enquiries.
3
Q
Abscond
A
Depart secretly and hide
- the barman absconded with a week’s takings.
4
Q
Alacrity
A
Cheerful readiness
- We accepted the invitation with alacrity.
5
Q
Abstemious
A
Indulging only very moderately in something #Temperate, #Moderate, #Austere, #Self-denial.
6
Q
Alleviate
A
Make easier to endure
- alleviate pain/sorrow.
7
Q
Anachronism
A
Something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time
- the town is a throwback to medieval times, an anachronism that has survived the passing years.
8
Q
Animosity
A
Ill will, #Acrimony, #Antipathy
9
Q
Antipathy
A
Ill will, dislike
10
Q
Appease
A
Pacify, #Mollify
11
Q
Apprise
A
Inform
- I thought it right to apprise Chris of what had happened.
12
Q
Approbation
A
Approval, acceptance, praise
13
Q
Artless
A
Guileless, free of deceit.
14
Q
Assiduous
A
Diligent
15
Q
Assuage
A
Make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense. #Alleviate, #Soothe, #Mitigation
16
Q
Attenuate
A
Reduce in force
- this research provides a glimmer of hope that coral reefs can attenuate the effects of ocean acidification.
17
Q
Aver
A
Assert confidently
18
Q
Bolster
A
Support, #Buttress
19
Q
Bombastic
A
High sounding but with little meaning
20
Q
Boorish
A
Rude
21
Q
Capricious
A
Unpredictable, #Fickle
22
Q
Caustic
A
Able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action
Sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way
- the players were making caustic comments about the refereeing.
23
Q
Coagulate
A
change to a solid or semi-solid state #Solidify
24
Q
Coda
A
a concluding event, remark, or section
- his new novel is a kind of coda to his previous books.
25
Cogent
clear, logical, and convincing
26
Compendium
a collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject
27
Complaisant
willing to please others or to accept what they do or say without protest, #amenable, $agreeable
- there are too many complaisant doctors signing sick notes.
28
Compliant
disposed to agree with others or obey rules, #amenable
| - a compliant labor force.
29
Conciliatory
intended or likely to placate or pacify
30
Condone
accept (behaviour that is considered morally wrong or offensive)
- the college cannot condone any behaviour that involves illicit drugs.
31
Contention
heated disagreement
| - the captured territory was the main area of contention between the two countries.
32
Contentious
likely to cause an argument; controversial
33
Contrite
```
feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition that one has done wrong
#regretful
```
34
Convoluted
extremely complex and difficult to follow
35
Craven
Coward
36
Deride
express contempt for
- the decision was derided by environmentalists.
#ridicule
37
Desiccate
become completely dry
| - the man tried unsuccessfully to get water from the desiccated well.
38
Desultory
lacking purpose or enthusiasm
| - the desultory conversation faded.
39
Deterrent
intended to deter
intended to discourage someone from doing something
- My daughter views the loss of cellphone privileges as a cruel deterrent against having bad grades.
40
Diatribe
```
angry rant
#tirade, #harangue
```
41
Diffuse
spread over a wide area or between a large number of people
42
Disabuse
to free someone of a belief that is not true
| - It is my job as a teacher to disabuse students of the notion they can be successful without an education.
43
Discerning
having or showing good judgement
| - It's nice to meet someone with such a discerning eye.
44
Discordant
lack of agreement or harmony
| - Darian closed his eyes and watched the discordant memories flickering through her mind.
45
Discrepancy
the difference between two measured values of a quantity
46
Disparage
```
#belittle, #denigrate, #depriciate
- he never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors.
```
47
Dissemble
```
conceal or disguise one's true feelings or beliefs
#masquerade
```
48
Disseminate
```
Spread widely
#diffuse, #disperse
```
49
Dissolution
the action of formally ending or dismissing an assembly, partnership, or official body.
- the dissolution of their marriage.
#termination, #break-up, #cessation
50
Dissonance
```
marked by lack of agreement
#discordance, #disagreement
```
51
Distill
Purify
52
Divest
deprive someone of
| - men are unlikely to be divested of power without a struggle.
53
Dormant
```
temporarily inactive
#abeyance
```
54
Ebullient
```
cheerful and full of energy
#exuberant, #buoyant
```
55
Efficacy
```
the ability to produce a desired or intended result
- there is little information on the efficacy of this treatment.
#effectiveness
```
56
Elegy
a poem of serious reflection (a passionate expression of grief or sorrow)
57
Elicit
draw out
58
Embellish
to make beautiful with ornamentation
59
Empirical
based on, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic
- they provided considerable empirical evidence to support their argument.
60
Endemic
```
regularly found among particular people or in a certain area
#indigenous
```
61
Equanimity
calmness and composure
62
Erudite
```
having or showing great knowledge or learning
- Ken could turn any conversation into an erudite discussion.
#knowledgable
```
63
Esoteric
intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people
64
Eulogy
a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly
65
Euphemism
a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt
- For example, someone might say they're “taking an early retirement” instead of admitting they got fired.
66
Exculpate
```
to free from a charge
#vindicate, #exonerate
```
67
Exigency
an urgent need or demand
| - women worked long hours when the exigencies of the family economy demanded it.
68
Extrapolation
extend the application of to an unknown situation by assuming that existing trends will continue or similar methods will be applicable
It would be wrong to extrapolate that all Californians are surfers, based only on a few personal experiences.
69
Facetious
```
treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour
#insincere, #flippant
```
70
Fatuous
silly and pointless
| - a fatuous comment.
71
Fawning
```
displaying exaggerated flattery or affection
#obsequious
```
72
Felicitous
well chosen or suited to the circumstances
| - a felicitous phrase.
73
Fervor
```
intense and passionate feeling
#zeal, #vehemence
```
74
Flagged
worn out or weak
75
Flout
openly disregard
76
Forestall
```
prevent or obstruct by taking advance action
#preclude
```
77
Goad
```
provoke or annoy
#hound, #badger
```
78
Gouge
scoop out
79
Grandiloquent
Pompous, ostentatious, bombastic
80
Hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally
81
Idolatry
the worship of idols
| extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone
82
Impassive
not feeling or showing emotion
83
Impede
hinder, obstruct, hamper
| - the sap causes swelling which can impede breathing.
84
Imperturbable
```
marked by extreme calm, impassivity
#composed, #calm, #serene
```
85
Implacable
unappeasable
86
Implicit
suggested though not directly expressed
87
Implode
collapse or cause to collapse violently inwards
- both the windows had imploded.
end or fail suddenly or dramatically
88
Inadvertently
without intention, accidentally
89
Inchoate
just begun and so not fully formed or developed
| - a still inchoate democracy.
90
Incorporate
take in or contain (something) as part of a whole; include
| - he has incorporated in his proposals a number of measures.
91
Indigence
```
extreme poverty
#destitution
```
92
Indolent
lazy, slothful, apathetic
93
Inert
```
not moving, sluggish
#idle, #inactive
```
94
Insinuate
suggest or hint in an indirect and unpleasant way
| - he was insinuating that I had no self-control.
95
Insularity
the quality of being isolated or detached
96
Inundate
overwhelm, overburden, flooded
97
Inured
to accustom to accept something undesirable
| - children inured to violence.
98
Invective
insulting, abusive
99
Irascible
```
irritable, quick-tempered
#petulant
```
100
Irresolute
showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain
| - she stood irresolute outside his door.
101
Latent
```
hidden or concealed
#inactive, #dormant
```
102
Levity
the treatment of a serious matter with humour or lack of due respect
103
Loquacious
```
over-talkative
#garrulous
```
104
Malinger
pretend to be ill in order to escape duty or work
| (kind of)#circumvent
105
Malleable
easily influenced
106
Maverick
```
an unorthodox or independent-minded person
#dissident, #non-conformist
```
107
Mendacious
dishonest, untruthful, deceitful
108
Metamorphosis
a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one
109
Neophyte
```
a person who is new to a subject or activity
#beginner, #noob
```
110
Obdurate
stubborn, intransigent
111
Obviate
```
to hinder or stop something
#preclude, #prevent, #avert
```
112
Officious
assertive of authority in a domineering way, especially with regard to trivial matters
- the security people were very officious.
113
Onerous
involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty
| - he found his duties increasingly onerous.
114
Opprobrium
```
harsh criticism
#villification, #censure
```
115
Paragon
a person or thing viewed as a model of excellence
116
Partisan
a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person
117
Penchant
```
a strong or habitual liking for something
#predilection
```
118
Penury
```
extreme poverty
#indigence
```
119
Perennial
eternal
120
Pervasive
spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people
| - a pervasive odor
121
Piety
the quality of being religious or reverent
122
Placate
```
make (someone) less angry or hostile
#mollify
```
123
Plasticity
the quality of being easily shaped
124
Plummet
fall or drop straight down at high speed
125
Preamble
a preliminary or preparatory statement, an introduction
126
Precipitate
to cause to happen suddenly or unexpectedly
| - The misunderstanding precipitated a quarrel.
127
Precursor
predecessor
128
Pristine
```
in its original condition
#immaculate
```
129
Probity
```
the quality of having strong moral principles
#integrity
```
130
Proliferate
increase rapidly in number
131
Propensity
an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way
- During hot days he had a propensity for walking around in just his boxers.
132
Propitiate
appease, mollify, pacify
133
Propriety
conformity to conventionally accepted standards
134
Proscribe
forbid, especially by law
135
Quibble
a slight objection or criticism about a trivial matter
| - the only quibble about this book is the price.
136
Quiescent
marked by inactivity
137
Rarefied
```
relating to, or interesting to a select group
#esoteric
```
138
Recant
to withdraw a statement
139
Reproach
an expression of rebuke or disapproval
140
Repudiate
```
to reject with denial
#dismiss, #rescind
```
141
Sage
a profoundly wise person
142
Salubrious
beneficial, healthy
143
Satiate
satisfied to the full
144
Savor
to fully feel, enjoy
| - savor life
145
Solicitous
characterized by or showing interest or concern
| - she was always solicitous about the welfare of her students.
146
Specious
spurious
147
Stigma
```
a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance
#disgrace
```
148
Stipulate
demand or specify (a requirement)
| - he stipulated certain conditions before their marriage.
149
Strut
```
walk with a stiff, erect, and apparently arrogant or conceited gait
#swagger
```
150
Substantiate
provide evidence to support or prove the truth of
| - they had found nothing to substantiate the allegations.
151
Supersede
supplant
152
Tacit
understood or implied without being stated
| - your silence may be taken to mean tacit agreement.
153
Tenuous
very weak, insubstantial
154
Transgression
offense, wrongdoing, misdemeanour
155
Vacillate
be indecisive
156
Verbose
talkative, garrulous, loquacious
157
Vituperative
bitter, abusive
158
Welter
```
a large number of items in no order
#hotchpotch
```
159
Whimsical
capricious
160
Zeal
great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause
161
complacency
a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements
