Honors Semester Exam Review Flashcards
triumvirate
n. a group of three, especially three people in authority
megalomania
n. form of mental illness in which a person has grandiose or exaggerated ideas of his own importance
sullen
adj: gloomily or resentfully silent
satiate
v. to satisfy or gratify an appetite fully
apprehensive
adj. fearful, worried about the future
disparage
v. to degrade, to speak about in an unflattering way
vacuous
empty, especially of meaning or purpose
decimate
v. to destroy every tenth person, to annihilate
disputatious
adj. having the tendency to argue
polygamy
n. a system of having more than one spouse at a time
humdrum
adj: monotonous, dull
copious
adj. plentiful, in large amounts
magniloquent
adj. extremely eloquent and well-spoken; using language of great beauty and precision
atypical
adj. different from others in the same group
monologue
n. a long speech delivered by one person
idiosyncrasy
n: a peculiar personal trait
placate
v. to soothe, to pacify, to appease
unilateral
adj. one-sided; done by or impacting one group, person etc.
magnanimous
adj. very generous, giving away great amounts
assent
n: agreement
congeal
v: to solidify, curdle, or coagulate
consolidate
v. to organize parts into a whole, to put or bring together
vulnerability
n. the condition of being open to attack or harm
chastisement
n. the act of scolding or punishing
permeate
v. to spread or to penetrate through something
incipient
young, at the beginning or early stages
minutia
n. a small or trivial detail
duplicity
n. deceitfulness, dishonestly
utmost
adj. the highest or the most
eradicate
v. to eliminate
meticulous
adj. marked by great care and attention to detail
omnivorous
eating both plants and animals; consuming all things
negate
to disprove, to deny with facts
lethargy
n. sluggishness of mind or body
palpable
adj. tangible, capable of being touched or felt
inception
the beginning of something
occlude
to close off or block
bipartisan
adj. involving two political parties
trisect
v. to cut into three parts
disingenuous
adj: not genuine; insincere or dishonest
trilogy
n. a group of three pieces of music, literature, etc.
aperture
an opening, especially one that admits light
replete
adj. well supplied, abundantly stocked
hurtle
v: to run or to race
empathy
n. the ability to understand another
quatrain
n. a stanza of poetry that has four lines
renegade
to deny one’s group and rebel
marginal
adj. on the edges or margins of something
bilateral
adj. having two sides; made between two persons or groups
duplex
n. a dwelling with two living units
totalitarian
government where one person holds absolute control: having complete control over the whole government
grimace
v. to make a facial expression of disapproval or disgust
incessant
adj. continuous, nonstop
flagrant
adj. very obviously offensive
relinquish
v. to give up something
indolence
n: laziness
sodden
adj. soaked through
centenary
n. a centennial, a period of 100 years
polychromatic
adj. containing many colors
relevant
adj. relating to the matter at hand
interminable
adj: endless, going on and on
transgression
n. a sin, the act of breaking a law or doing wrong
derisive
adj: mocking, scornful
macrocosm
n. the universe or any large whole
perjury
n. the act of lying under oath
explicit
adj: definite, clearly stated or explained
entreat
v. to beg
recompense
n: payment, reward
magnate
n. a wealthy, influential person, especially in business
validate
v. to establish as true, to check to find out if something is true
adjacent
adj: located next to
omniscient
all knowing
monomania
n. madness or lack of reason resulting from focusing on one idea
monopoly
n. sole or complete control of anything, especially sales of a particular item or service
resolve
v. to decide, to settle
quadriplegic
n. one who cannot use his/her four extremities
nihilism
the rejection of religious or moral beliefs, the belief in nothing
coddle
v: to handle with extreme care, often to the point of spoiling
panacea
a cure-all
megalopolis
n. a huge city, extended urban sprawl
interrogate
v: to question
monogram
n. a design made from a person’s initials
preclude
to prevent, to close off possibility of something
attenuate
v. to make slender, to weaken, or to reduce in force or value
impede
v. to slow the progress of, to hinder
plenitude
n. abundance
ludicrous
adj. amusing, laughable
nonchalant
adj: relaxed, showing a lack of concern
decathlon
n. an athletic contest in which each participant completes ten events
malignant
adj. tending to produce death or deterioration or evil
omnipotent
all powerful
dupe
n. one who is easily tricked or taken advantage of
anecdote
n. a short incident or story
pandemic
an outbreak of a disease which spreads throughout all of the population
magnitude
n. greatness of importance or size
germinate
v: to sprout, to begin to grow or develop
pantheistic
the worship of all or many Gods
venerable
adj: worthy of respect because of age and/or goodness
prudent
adj. wise and careful
centenarian
n. one who is 100 years old
catholic
universal, relating to the “whole” or to most things
omnipresent
present in all places
inimitable
adj. not able to be imitated or reproduced
monolith
n. a large block of stone; a large organization that acts as one
recluse
a person who closes himself off from others, a hermit
fledgling
n. a young bird; a beginner
buffoon
n. a clown or fool
polytheism
n. a religion of many gods
tenuous
adj. thin or flimsy; having little substance
insinuate
v: to imply; to introduce an idea in a subtle, indirect way
ordain
v. to establish by order, degree, etc.
microcosm
n. small or miniature world
fallible
adj. not perfect, capable of making mistakes
implement
v. to make a plan happen, to fulfill a plan
holocaust
a great destruction, especially by fire; a tragedy that destroys the whole of something
iota
n. a very small amount
microbiology
n. science dealing with microscopic forms of life
precept
n: a belief or principle, usually philosophical
bicentennial
n. a period of 200 years
distraught
adj. agitated, full of mental conflict
