J,K,L Flashcards
1
Q
jaded
A
fatigued; surfeited (Eg: He looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded appetite. )
2
Q
jargon
A
language used by special group; gibberish (Eg: We tried to understand the jargon of the peddlers in the market place but could not find any basis for )
3
Q
jaundiced
A
yellowed; prejudiced; envious (Eg: She gazed at the painting with jaundiced eyes; she knew it was better than hers. )
4
Q
jaunt
A
trip; short journey (Eg: He took a quick jaunt to Atlantic City. )
5
Q
jaunty
A
lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree (Eg: In Singing in the Rain- Gene Kelly sang and danced his way throughtthe lighthearted title number in a )
6
Q
jeopardy
A
exposure to death or danger (Eg: Legally- one cannot be placed in double jeopardy. )
7
Q
jettison
A
throw overboard (Eg: In order to enable the ship to ride safely through the storm- the captain had to jettison much of his cargo. )
8
Q
jingoism
A
extremely aggressive and militant patriotism (Eg: We must be careful to prevent a spirit of jingoism from spreading at this time. )
9
Q
jocose
A
given to joking (Eg: The salesman was so jocose that many of his customers suggested that he become a stand-up comic. )
10
Q
jocular
A
said or done in jest (Eg: Do not take my jocular remarks seriously. )
11
Q
jocund
A
merry (Eg: Santa Claus is always vivacious and jocund. )
12
Q
jollity
A
gaiety; cheerfulness (Eg: The festive Christmas dinner was a merry one- and old and young alike joined in the general jollity. )
13
Q
jostle
A
shove; bump (Eg: In the subway he was jostled by the crowds. )
14
Q
jovial
A
good natured; merry (Eg: A frown seemed out of place on his invariably jovial face. )
15
Q
jubilation
A
rejoicing (Eg: There was great jubilitation when the armistice was announced. )
16
Q
judicious
A
sound in judgment; wise (Eg: At a key moment in his life- he made a judicious investment that was the foundation of his later wealth. )
17
Q
juggernaut
A
irresistible crushin force (Eg: Nothing could survive in the path of the juggernaut. )
18
Q
juncture
A
crisis;joining point (Eg: At this critical juncture- let us think carefully before determining the course we shall follow. )
19
Q
junket
A
trip- especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public expense (Eg: Though she maintained she had gone abroad to collect firsthand data on the Common Market- the )
20
Q
junta
A
group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal (Eg: As soon as he learned of its existence- the dictator ordered the execution of all of the members of the )
21
Q
jurisprudence
A
science of law (Eg: He was more a student of jurisprudence than a practitioner of the law. )
22
Q
juxtapose
A
place side by side (Eg: Comparison will be easier if you juxtapose the two objects. )
23
Q
kaleidoscope
A
tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass- etc.- (Eg: produce interesting symmetrical effects )
24
Q
ken
A
range of knowledge (Eg: I cannot answer your question since this matter is beyond my ken. )
25
killjoy
grouch; spoilsport (Eg: At breakfast we had all been enjoying our bacon and eggs until that killjoy John started talking about how )
26
kindle
start a fire; inspire (Eg: Her teacher's praise kindled a spark a hope inside her. )
27
kindred
related; similar in nature or character (Eg: Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were two kindred spirits. )
28
kinetic
producing motion (Eg: Designers of the electric automobile find that their greatest obstacle lies in the development of light and )
29
kismet
fate (Eg: kismet is the Arabic word for ''fate.'' )
30
kleptomaniac
person who has a compulsive desire to steal (Eg: They discovered that the wealthy customer was a kleptomaniac when they caught her stealing some cheap )
31
knavery
rascality (Eg: We cannot condone such knavery in public officials. )
32
knead
mix; work dough (Eg: Her hands grew strong from kneading bread. )
33
knell
tolling of a bell- especially to indicate a funeral- disaster- etc.; sound of the funeral bell (Eg: ''The curfew tolls the knell of parting day.'' )
34
knit
contract into wrinkles (Eg: Whenever David worries- his brow knits in a frown. )
35
knoll
little- round hill (Eg: Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach the grave site- you must climb uphill and )
36
knotty
intricate; difficult; tangled (Eg: What to Watson had been a knotty problem to Sherlock Holmes was simplicity itself. )
37
kudos
honor; glory; praise (Eg: The singer complacently received kudos on his performance from his entourage. )
38
labile
likely to change; unstable (Eg: Because the hormonal changes they undergo affect their spirits- adolescents may become emotionally labile )
39
laborious
demanding much work or care; tedious (Eg: In putting together his dictionary of the English language- Doctor Johnson undertook a laborious task. )
40
labyrinth
maze (Eg: Tom and Becky were lost in the labyrinth of secret caves. )
41
lacerate
mangle; tear (Eg: Her body was lacerated in the automobile crash. )
42
lachrymose
producing tears (Eg: His voice has a lachrymose quality that is more appropriate at a funeral than a class reunion. )
43
lackadaisical
affectedly languid (Eg: He was lackadaisical and indifferent about his part in the affair. )
44
lackluster
dull (Eg: We were disappointed by the lackluster performance. )
45
laconic
brief and to the point (Eg: Many of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are laconic types: strong men of few words. )
46
laggard
slow; sluggish (Eg: The sailor had been taught not to be laggard in carrying out orders. )
47
lagoon
shallow body of water near a sea; lake (Eg: They enjoyed their swim in the calm lagoon. )
48
laity
laypersons; persons not connected with the clergy (Eg: The laity does not always understand the clergy's problems. )
49
lambaste
beat; thrash verbally or physically (Eg: It was painful to watch the champion lambaste his opponent- tearing into him mercilessly. )
50
lament
grieve; express sorrow (Eg: Even advocates of the war lamented the loss of so many lives in combat. )
51
lampoon
ridicule (Eg: This article lampoons the pretensions of some movie moguls. )
52
languid
weary; sluggish; listless (Eg: Her siege of illness left her languid and pallid. )
53
languish
lose animation; lose strength (Eg: In stories- lovelorn damsels used to languish and pine away. )
54
languor
lassitude; depression (Eg: His friends tried to overcome the languor into which he had fallen by taking him to parties and to the )
55
lank
long and thin (Eg: lank- gaunt- Abraham Lincoln was a striking figure. )
56
larceny
theft (Eg: Because of the prisoner's record- the district attorney refused to reduce the charge from grand larceny to )
57
larder
pantry; place where food is kept (Eg: The first thing Bill did on returning home from school was to check what snacks his mother had in the )
58
largess
generous gift (Eg: Lady Bountiful distributed largess to the poor. )
59
lascivious
lustful (Eg: Because they might arouse lascivious impulses in their readers- the lewd books were banned by the clergy. )
60
lassitude
languor; weariness (Eg: The hot- tropical weather created a feeling of lassitude and encouraged drowsiness. )
61
latent
dormant; hidden (Eg: Her latent talent was discovered by accident. )
62
lateral
coming from the side (Eg: In order to get good plant growth- the gardener must pinch off all lateral shoots. )
63
latitude
freedom from narrow limitations (Eg: I think you have permitted your son too much latitude in this matter. )
64
laudable
praiseworthy; commendable (Eg: His laudable deeds will be remarked by all whom he aided. )
65
laudatory
expressing praise (Eg: The critics' laudatory comments helped to make her a star. )
66
lavish
liberal; wasteful (Eg: The actor's lavish gifts pleased her. )
67
lax
careless (Eg: We dislike restaurants where the service is lax and inattentive. )
68
leaven
cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven (Eg: As bread dough is leavened- it puffs up- expanding in volume. )
69
lechery
gross lewdness; lustfulness (Eg: In his youth he led a life of lechery and debauchery; he did not mend his ways until middle age. )
70
lectern
reading desk (Eg: The chaplain delivered his sermon from a hastily improvised lectern. )
71
leery
suspicious; cautious (Eg: Don't eat sushi at this restaurant; I'm a bit leery about how fresh it is. )
72
leeway
room to move; margin (Eg: When you set a deadline- allow a little leeway. )
73
legacy
a gift made by a will (Eg: Part of my legacy from my parents is an album of family photographs. )
74
legend
explanatory list of symbols on a map (Eg: The legend at the bottom of the map made it clear which symbols stood for rest areas along the highway )
75
legerdemain
sleight of hand (Eg: The magician demonstrated his renowned legerdemain. )
76
leniency
mildness; permissiveness (Eg: Considering the gravity of the offense- we were surprised by the leniency of the sentence. )
77
leonine
like a lion (Eg: He was leonine in his rage. )
78
lethal
deadly (Eg: It is unwise to leave lethal weapons where children may find them. )
79
lethargic
drowsy; dull (Eg: The stuffy room made her lethargic; she felt as if she was about to nod off. )
80
levee
earthen or stone embankment to prevent flooding (Eg: As the river rose and threatened to overflow the levee- emergency workers rushed to reinforce the walls )
81
levitate
float in the air (especially by magical means) (Eg: As the magician passed his hands over the recumbent body of his assistant- she appeared to rise and )
82
levity
lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity (Eg: Stop giggling abd wriggling around in the pew; such levity is improper in church. )
83
levy
impose (a fine); collect (a payment) (Eg: Crying ''No taxation withouth representation-'' the colonists demonstrated against England's power to levy )
84
lewd
lustful (Eg: They found his lewd stories objectionable. )
85
lexicographer
compiler of a dictionary (Eg: The new dictionary is the work of many lexicographers who spent years compiling and editing the work. )
86
lexicon
dictionary (Eg: I cannot find this word in any lexicon in the library. )
87
liability
drawback; debts (Eg: Her lack of an extensive vocabulary was a liability that she was able to overcome. )
88
liaison
officer who acts as go-between for two armies; intermediary (Eg: As the liason- he had to avoid offending the leaders of the two armies. )
89
libelous
defamatory; injurious to the good name of a person (Eg: He sued the newspaper because of its libelous story. )
90
libertine
debauched person- roue (Eg: )
91
libidinous
lustful (Eg: They objected to his libidinous behavior. )
92
libido
emotional urges behind human activity (Eg: The psychiatrist maintained that suppression of the libido often resulted in maladjustment and neuroses. )
93
libretto
text of an opera (Eg: The composer of an opera's music is remembered more frequently than the author of its libretto. )
94
licentious
wanton; lewd; dissolute (Eg: The licentious monarch helped bring about his country's downfall. )
95
lien
legal claim on a property (Eg: There was a delay before Ralph could take possession of his late uncle's home; apparently- another )
96
ligneous
like wood (Eg: Petrified wood may be ligneous in appearance- but it is stonelike in composition. )
97
lilliputian
extremely small (Eg: Tiny and delicate- the model was built on a lilliputian scale. )
98
limber
flexible (Eg: Hours of ballet classes kept him limber. )
99
limbo
region near heaven or hell where certain souls are kept (Eg: Among the divisions of Hell are Purgatory and limbo. )
100
limn
draw; outline; describe (Eg: Parodoxically- the more realistic the details this artist chooses- the better able to limn her fantastic- other- )
101
limpid
clear (Eg: A limpid stream ran through his property. )
102
lineage
descent; ancestry (Eg: He traced his lineage back to Mayflower days. )
103
lineaments
features- especially of the face (Eg: She quickly sketched the lineaments of his face. )
104
linguistic
pertaining to language (Eg: The modern tourist will encounter very little linguistic difficulty as English has become an almost universal )
105
lionize
treat as a celebrity (Eg: )
106
liquidate
settle accounts; clear up (Eg: He was able to liquidate all his debts in short period of time. )
107
list
tilt; lean over (Eg: That flagpole should be absolutely vertical; instead- it lists to one side. )
108
listless
lacking in spirit or energy (Eg: We had expected him to be full of enthusiasm and were surprised by his listless attitude. )
109
litany
supplicatory prayer (Eg: On this solemn day- the congregation responded to the prayers of the priest during the litany with fervor )
110
lithe
flexible; supple (Eg: Her figure was lithe and willowy. )
111
litigation
lawsuit (Eg: Try to settle this amicably; I do not want to start litigation. )
112
litotes
understatement for emphasis (Eg: To say- ''He little realizes-'' when we mean that he does not realize at all- is an example of the kind of )
113
livid
lead-coloredl; black and blue; ashen; enraged (Eg: His face was so livid with rage that we were afraid that he might have an attack of apoplexy. )
114
loath
averse; reluctant (Eg: They were both loath for him to go. )
115
loathe
detest (Eg: We loathed the wicked villain. )
116
lode
metal-bearing vein (Eg: If this lode that we have discovered extends for any distance- we have found a fortune. )
117
lofty
very high (Eg: They used to tease him about his lofty ambitions. )
118
loiter
hang around; linger (Eg: The policeman told him not to loiter in the alley. )
119
loll
lounge about (Eg: They lolled around in their chairs watching television. )
120
longevity
long life (Eg: When he reached ninety- the old man was proud of his longevity. )
121
lope
gallop slowly (Eg: As the horses loped along- we had an opportunity to admire the ever-changing scenery. )
122
loquacious
talkative (Eg: She is very loquacious and can speak on the telephone for hours. )
123
lout
clumsy person (Eg: The delivery boy is an awkward lout. )
124
low
moo (Eg: From the hilltop- they could see the herd like ants in the distance; they could barely hear the cattle low. )
125
lucid
easily understood; clear; intelligible (Eg: Her explanation was lucid enought for a child to grasp. )
126
lucrative
profitable (Eg: He turned his hobby into a lucrative profession. )
127
lucre
money (Eg: Preferring lucre to undying fame- he wrote stories of popular appeal. )
128
ludicrous
laughable; trifling (Eg: Let us be serious; this is not a ludicrous issue. )
129
lugubrious
mournful (Eg: The lugabrious howling of the dogs added to our sadness. )
130
lull
moment of calm (Eg: Not wanting to get wet- they waited under the awning for a lull in the rain. )
131
lumber
move heavily of clumsily (Eg: Still somewhat torpid after its long hibernation- the bear lumbered through the woods. )
132
lumen
unit of light energy (one candle's worth) (Eg: In buying light bulbs- she checked not only their power- as measured in watts- but their brightness- as )
133
luminary
celebrity; dignitary (Eg: A leading light of the American stage- Ethel Barrymore was a theatrical luminary whose name lives on. )
134
luminous
shining; issuing light (Eg: The sun is a luminous body. )
135
lunar
pertaining to the moon (Eg: lunar craters can be plainly seen with the aid of a small telescope. )
136
lurid
wild; sensational (Eg: The lurid stories he told shocked his listeners. )
137
lurk
stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived (Eg: ''Who knows what evils lurk in the hearts of men? The shadow knows.'' )
138
luscious
pleasing to taste or smell (Eg: The ripe peach was luscious. )
139
luster
shine; gloss (Eg: The soft luster of the silk in the dim light was pleasing. )
140
lustrous
shining (Eg: Her large and lustrous eyes gave a touch of beauty to an otherwise drab face. )
141
luxuriant
fertile; abundant; ornate (Eg: Farming was easy in this luxuriant soil. )
142
laxative
facilitating evacuation of the bowels (Eg: The effect of the constipation medicine is laxative; it empties the bowels. )
