Hit Parade #2 Flashcards
Abate
Verb
to lessen in intensity or degree
Accolade
Noun
an expression of praise
Adulation
Noun
excessive praise; intense adoration
Aesthetic
Adj.
dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
Ameliorate
Verb
to make better or more tolerable
Ascetic
Noun
one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
Avarice
Noun
greed, esp. for wealth
Adj. form: Avaricious
Axiom
Noun
a universally recognized principle
Adj. form: Axiomatic
Burgeon
Verb
to grow rapidly or flourish
Bucolic
Adj.
rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
Cacophony
Noun
harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
Adj. form: Cacophonous
Canon
Noun
an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
(Adj. form: Canonical)
Castigation
Noun
severe criticism or punishment
Verb form: Castigate
Catalyst
Noun
a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
Caustic
Adj.
burning or stinging; causing corrosion
Chary
Adj.
wary; cautious; sparing
Cogent
Adj.
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
Complaisance
Noun
the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
Adj. form: Complaisant
Contentious
Adj.
argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
Contrite
Adj.
regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
Noun form: Contrition
Culpable
Adj.
deserving blame
Noun form: Culpability
Dearth
Noun
smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
Demur
Verb
to question or oppose
Didactic
Adj.
intended to teach or instruct
Discretion
Noun
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
(Adj. form: Discrete)
Disinterested
Adj.
free of bias or self-interest; impartial
Dogmatic
Adj.
expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles
(Noun form: Dogma)
Ebullience
Noun
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
(Adj. form: Ebullient)
Eclectic
Adj.
composed of elements drawn from various sources
Elegy
Noun
a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
Adj. form: Elegiac