Intermediate Flashcards
MALINGER
V
TO AVOID WORK
Pronunciation: ma- linger
Example: He malingered at home and took a sick day.
Noun: malingerer
EXACTING
Adj
DEMANDING
Example:
His piano teacher was exacting.
DISINTERESTED
Adj
UNBIASED
Example: the jury must be comprised of disinterested members only to ensure a fair vote.
JINGOIST
N
OVERLY PATRIOTIC
Jingoists really dislike people from outside their own borders. Jingoism is an extreme form of patriotism that often calls for violence towards foreigners and foreign countries.
Pronunciation: jing- a- wist
GRANDILOQUENT
Adj
POMPOUS
Pronunciation: grand-i-lo-kwent
Example:
The pastor was known for his grandiloquent sermons.
SOLICITOUS *
Hint
Eager to…
EAGER TO PLEASE
Example
Her boss was very difficult to work for despite her solicitous nature.
DESTITUTE
POOR
JEAN VALJAN (les mis)
RELEGATE
V
TO LOWER IN POSITION
Demote
EPIGRAM
A WITTY SAYING
ARTLESS
WITHOUT DECEPTION
Example:
Despite the president’s artless speeches, he was a skilled and ruthless negotiator.
CELERITY
QUICKNESS
Example: customer service by phone always promises to assist with celerity, tho they have you on hold for far longer than the time it takes to assist you.
ENDEMIC
NATIVE
Example: potatoes are not endemic to Ireland.
ADJUDICATE
V
TO JUDGE
ANTEDATE
PRECEDE
CLUE( ANT- in Spanish =antes… before it happens)
Example:
Egyptian pharaohs antedated the American revolution.
CAPITULATE
TO SURRENDER
OPULENCE
WEALTH
Example:
Russian oligarchs were often known for their opulence, living in fancy homes and dining on expensive caviar.
TRUCULENCE*
Tend to ….
TENDENCY TO FIGHT
SYNONYM: BELLIGERENCE
Example:
when boss confronted him, he responded with truculence and threw water in the boss’ face.
PRECARIOUS
DANGEROUS
Example:
Smoking is more precarious than climbing a mountain.
DISPARATE
FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT
BELLIGERENT
EAGER TO FIGHT
DOVETAIL
FIT TOGETHER TIGHTLY
Example:
Although the Star Wars films were filmed separately, they dovetail very well.
PERFUNCTORY
DONE ROUTINELY
Example:
Perfunctory cleaning rituals are practiced daily.
UNDERSCORE
TO EMPHASIZE
Example:
He underscored the importance of the vote
SARDONIC
MOCKING
Example:
Comedians are often sardonic.
NOISOME
FOUL SMELLING
Example:
The dump produced a noisome vapor that spread through the town.
SAGACIOUS
WISE
Example:
Steve Jobs is one of the most sagacious people in the world
MALODOROUS
STINKY
DERIDE
TO PUT DOWN
Example:
the nun derided the students
SURREPTITIOUS
STEALTHY
SOLICITUDE
Feeling of…
FEELING OF CONCERN
Example:
I walked to his house in the rain to see if he was OK but he did not seem to appreciate my solicitude
UNPROPITIOUS*
UNLIKELY TO SUCCEED
DOLOROUS
SORROWFUL
Chopins melodies were dolorous to many, but beautiful none the less
HALCYON
PEACEFUL
Example
The decade following WW2 was a halcyon period.
TRANSMUTE
ALTER IN FORM
Example
Process of alchemy attempted to transmute lead into gold
DENOUEMENT
RESOLUTION OF A STORY
CHIMERA
ILLUSION
Example
Many believe that a world free of war is a chimera, a dream that ignores humanity’s violent tendencies
MITIGATE
LESSEN SEVERITY OF
Example
I can only mitigate between you and the boss so long, eventually you’ll have to speak with her yourself.
AFFABLE
LIKEABLE
REBUKE*
CRITICIZE SEVERELY
SPENDTHRIFT
WASTEFUL WITH MONEY
PRECIPITATE
(N) precipitately
Hint precipice
Propelling forward HASTILY
HASTY
THe governor acted precipitately and fired his entire staff before finding the mole.
DERIVATIVE*
UNORIGINAL
Example
Because the movies were utterly derivative of popular movies, they did well at the box office.
EVENHANDED
FAIR AND UNBIASED
PELLUCID
EASY TO UNDERSTAND
Example
The professor made even the most difficult of concepts seem pellucid.
AUGMENT*
Hint Not simply to change
TO INCREASE
Example
The restaurant augmented the menu and many customers were happy with the additional items.
FRUGAL
SPENDING $ WISELY
IMPEDE
TO SLOW DOWN
IMPERVIOUS*
UNAFFECTED BY
The castle walls were IMPERVIOUS to the siege of bandits.
TRANSIENT
SHORT LASTING
IMBIBE
ABSORB IDEAS
Plato imbibed Socrates
BANALITY*
Hint
Barbie is a ___ of valley girls
CLICHE TALK
DISINGENUOUS*
Hint
All actors must possess this ability
PRETENDING TO BE HONEST
DOLEFUL
VERY SAD
No event was more doleful than my mother’s funeral
