Hit Parade 4 Flashcards by Randall Morgan

acerbic

(adj.) having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting

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aggrandize

(verb) to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige

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alchemy (an alchemist is one who practices alchemy)

(noun) a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into gold

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amenable

(adj.) agreeable; responsive to suggestion

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anachronism

(noun) something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context

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astringent

(adj.) having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue

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contiguous

(adj.) sharing a border; touching; adjacent

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convention

(noun) a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude

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credulous (noun form: credulity)

(adj.) tending to believe too readily; gullible

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cynicism (adj. form: cynical)

(noun) an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness

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decorum (adj. form: decorous)

(noun) polite or appropriate conduct or behavior

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derision (adj. form: derisive; verb form: deride)

(noun) scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment

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desiccate

(verb) to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull

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dilettante

(noun) one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge

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disparage

(verb) to slight or belittle

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divulge

(verb) to disclose something secret

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fawn

(verb) to flatter or praise excessively

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flout

(verb) to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention

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garrulous

(adj.) pointlessly talkative; talking too much

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glib

(adj.) marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in dept; superficial

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hubris

(noun) overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance

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imminent

(adj.) about to happen; impending

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immutable

(adj.) not capable of change

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impetuous

(adj.) hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement

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indifferent

(adj.) having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice

inimical

(adj.) damaging; harmful; injurious

intractable

(adj.) not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate

intrepid

(adj.) steadfast and courageous

laconic

(adj.) using few words; terse

maverick

(noun) an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party

mercurial

(adj.) characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood

mollify

(verb) to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity

neophyte

(noun) a recent convert; a beginner; novice

obfuscate

(verb) to deliberately obscure; to make confusing

obstinate

(adj.) stubborn; hard-headed; uncompromising

ostentatious

(adj.) characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy

pervade (adj. form: pervasive)

(verb) to permeate throughout

phlegmatic

(adj.) calm; sluggish; unemotional

plethora

(noun) an overabundance; a surplus

pragmatic

practical rather than idealistic

presumptuous

(adj.) overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties

pristine

(adj.) pure; uncorrupted; clean

probity

(noun) adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness

proclivity

(noun) a natural predisposition or inclination

profligate (noun form: profligacy)

(adj.) excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant

propensity

(noun) a natural inclination or tendency; penchant

prosaic

(adj.) dull; lacking in spirit or imagination

pungent

(adj.) characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste

quixotic

(adj.) foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals

quotidian

(adj.) occurring or recurring daily; commonplace

rarefy

(verb) to make or become thin, less dense; to refine

recondite

(adj.) hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure

refulgent

(adj.) radiant; shiny; brilliant

renege

(verb) to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise

sedulous

(adj.) diligent; persistent; hard-working

shard

(noun) a piece of broken pottery or glass

soporific

(adj.) causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep

sparse

(adj.) thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals

spendthrift

(noun) one who spends money wastefully

subtle

(adj.) not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern

tacit

(adj.) implied; not explicitly stated

terse

(adj.) brief and concise in wording

tout

(verb) to publicly praise or promote

trenchant

(adj.) sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating

unfeigned

(adj.) genuine; not false or hypocritical

untenable

(adj.) indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable

vacillate

(verb) to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another

variegated

(adj.) multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color

vexation (noun form: vex)

(noun) annoyance; irritation

vigilant (noun form: vigilance)

(adj.) alertly watchful

vituperate

(verb) to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; to berate

volatile (noun form: volatility)

(adj.) readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive