July - October Flashcards
spinet
a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ
lexicon
the vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge (dictionary)
Odin
a widely revered god in Germanic mythology. Associated with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and portrayed as the husband of the goddess Frigg.
wry
using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor. “a wry smile”
WNBA teams
Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, Washington Mystic, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm
Alex Trebek
host of Jeopardy!
épée
a sharp-pointed dueling sword, designed for thrusting and used, with the end blunted, in fencing
tête
“head” in French
John Jacob Astor
a German–American businessman, merchant, real estate mogul and investor who mainly made his fortune in a fur trade monopoly and by investing in real estate in or around New York City
MMR Vaccine
a vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella
poindexter
a boringly studious and socially inept person (dweeb)
K-tel International
a company which specialized in selling consumer products through infomercials and live demonstration. Its products include compilation music albums. “K-Tel Records: The Spotify of the 70s”
Arlo Davy Guthrie
an American folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his father Woody Guthrie. Guthrie’s best-known work is his debut piece, “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a satirical talking blues song about 18 minutes in length that has since become a Thanksgiving anthem.
pyre
a heap of combustible material, especially one for burning a corpse as part of a funeral ceremony. A structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral rite or execution. As a form of cremation, a body is placed upon or under the pyre, which is then set on fire.
Kabul
the capital and largest city of Afghanistan, located in the eastern section of the country
amoi
“mine” in French
Kal-El
Superman was born on the planet Krypton and was given the name Kal-El at birth
Ell
In architecture, a wing of a building perpendicular (at a right angle) to the length of the main portion (main range).
Eros
In Greek mythology, the Greek god of love and sex. His Roman counterpart was Cupid (“desire”).
nene
also known as Hawaiian goose, a species of bird endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The official bird of the state of Hawaiʻi, the nene is exclusively found in the wild on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokai, and Hawaiʻi.
eft
juvenile salamander
eke out
to make up for the deficiencies of
riata
lasso, loop of rope
surface lifts
a means of cable transport for snow sports in which skiers and snowboarders remain on the ground as they are pulled uphill. J-bar, T-bar, and platter lifts are employed for low-capacity slopes in large resorts and small local areas. These consist of an aerial cable loop running over a series of wheels, powered by an engine at one end. Hanging from the rope are a series of vertical recoiling cables, each attached to a horizontal J- or T-shaped bar – which is placed behind the skier’s buttocks or between the snowboarder’s legs – or a plastic button or platter that is placed between the skier’s legs.
gridiron
a field for football, marked with regularly spaced parallel lines
Jacob and Esau
The Book of Genesis speaks of the relationship between the fraternal twins, sons of Isaac and Rebekah, focusing on Esau’s loss of his birthright to Jacob and the conflict that ensued between their descendant nations because of Jacob’s deception of their aged and blind father, Isaac, in order to receive Esau’s birthright/blessing from Isaac.
lath
a thin flat strip of wood, especially one of a series forming a foundation for the plaster of a wall or the tiles of a roof, or made into a trellis or fence
sport-ute
sport utility vehicle
Roy Orbison
an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. He performed standing still, wearing black clothes to match his dyed black hair and dark sunglasses. (Oh, Pretty Woman)
suet
the hard white fat on the kidneys and loins of cattle, sheep, and other animals, used to make foods including puddings, pastry, and mincemeat. Suet is made into tallow in a process called rendering, which involves melting and extended simmering, followed by straining, cooling and usually by repeating the entire process.
The Acme Corporation
a fictional corporation that features prominently in the Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote animated shorts as a running gag featuring outlandish products that fail or backfire catastrophically at the worst possible times.
Émile Zola
a French novelist, playwright, journalist, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of naturalism, and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
an intergovernmental organization of 13 nations. Founded on 14 September 1960 in Baghdad by the first five members (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela), it has since 1965 been headquartered in Vienna, Austria. As of September 2018, the 13 member countries accounted for an estimated 44 percent of global oil production and 81.5 percent of the world’s “proven” oil reserves, giving OPEC a major influence on global oil prices that were previously determined by the so-called “Seven Sisters” grouping of multinational oil companies. A larger group called OPEC+ was formed in late 2016, to have more control on global crude oil market
all wet
completely wrong
op art
short for optical art, is a style of visual art that uses optical illusions
feed the kitty
togivemoneytoacollectionorpool(A”kitty”issuchacollectionofmoney.) Ante.
Erato
In Greek mythology, one of the Greek Muses. Erato is the Muse of love poetry.
“vim and vigor”
ebullient vitality and energy
Roche
Swiss pharma giant that bilked US federal and state governments out of $1.5 billion by misrepresenting clinical studies and falsely claiming that its well-known influenza medicine Tamiflu was effective at containing potential pandemics (according to a recently unsealed whistleblower lawsuit)
bilk
obtain or withhold money from (someone) by deceit or without justification; cheat or defraud
Plebeian
(in ancient Rome) a commoner. In the U.S. military, plebes are freshmen
carom
in billiards, a stroke in which the cue ball strikes two balls successively
Fez (also called Tarboosh)
a felt headdress in the shape of a short cylindrical peakless hat, usually red, and sometimes with a tassel attached to the top. The name “Fez” refers to the Moroccan city of Fez, where the dye to color the hat was extracted from crimson berries.
Edward Elgar
an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. He was appointed Master of the King’s Musick in 1924.
rove
travel constantly without a fixed destination; wander
roil
make (someone) annoyed or irritated
poi
the primary traditional staple food in the native cuisine of Hawaii, made from the underground stem (corm) of taro
rout
a disorderly retreat of defeated troops
Ken Jennings
an American game show contestant and author. He is the highest-earning American game show contestant of all time. Jennings holds the record for the longest winning streak on the U.S. game show Jeopardy! with 74 wins.
goon
a bully or thug, especially one hired to terrorize or do away with opposition
Bizarro World
a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. In popular culture, “Bizarro World” has come to mean a situation or setting which is weirdly inverted or opposite to expectations. Also known as Thrae (earth spelled backwards).
apse
a large semicircular or polygonal recess in a church, arched or with a domed roof, typically at the eastern end, and usually containing the altar
ipso facto
by that very fact or act (“the enemy of one’s enemy may be ipso facto a friend”)
Lucretia Mott
a U.S. Quaker, abolitionist, women’s rights activist, and social reformer. She had formed the idea of reforming the position of women in society when she was amongst the women excluded from the World Anti-Slavery Convention in 1840. In 1848 she was invited by Jane Hunt to a meeting that led to the first meeting about women’s rights. Mott helped write the Declaration of Sentiments during the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention.
ire
anger
née
originally called; born (used especially in adding a woman’s maiden name after her married name)
reed
a piece of thin cane or metal, sometimes doubled, that vibrates in a current of air to produce the sound of various musical instruments, as in the mouthpiece of a clarinet or oboe, at the base of some organ pipes, and as part of a set in the accordion and harmonica.
Sherpa
one of the indigenous group native to the most mountainous regions of Nepal and the Himalayas.
amulet
an ornament or small piece of jewelry thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease
flanked
be on each or on one side of
avaricious
selfishly desiring wealth to the extreme
magnanimous
giving a lot of money or time than is expected
consequential
important
trite
overused and consequently of little import
subservient
prepared to do what someone wants unquestioningly
obstinate
stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion
red herring
something, especially a clue, that is or is intended to be misleading or distracting
Edam
a semi-hard cheese that originated in the Netherlands, and is named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland. Edam is traditionally sold in rounded cylinders with a pale yellow interior and a coat, or rind, of red paraffin wax.
tau cross
a T-shaped cross, sometimes with all three ends of the cross expanded.
Eloi
one of the two fictional post-human races, along with the Morlocks, in H. G. Wells’ 1895 novel The Time Machine.
Corfu
a Greek island in the Ionian Sea
Rollie Fingers
an American retired professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, and Milwaukee Brewers
cel
short for celluloid, a transparent sheet on which objects are drawn or painted for traditional, hand-drawn animation
daft
silly; foolish
Exxon Valdez oil spill
occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, March 24, 1989, when Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker owned by Exxon Shipping Company, bound for Long Beach, California, struck Prince William Sound’s Bligh Reef, 1.5 mi west of Tatitlek, Alaska, at 12:04 a.m. and spilled 10.8 million US gallons of crude oil over the next few days. It is considered the worst oil spill worldwide in terms of damage to the environment.
Aldo Gucci
the chairman of Gucci Shops Inc. from 1953 to 1986. He was the eldest son of Guccio Gucci, who founded the company bearing his name in 1921
tare
an allowance made for the weight of the packaging in order to determine the net weight of goods.
Elie Wiesel
a Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He authored 57 books, written mostly in French and English, including Night, a work based on his experiences as a Jewish prisoner in the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps.
sot
a habitual drunkard
The Western Wall (Wailing Wall, Kosel or Kotel. Known in Islam as the Buraq Wall)
an ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is a relatively small segment of a far longer ancient retaining wall, known also in its entirety as the “Western Wall”. The wall was originally erected as part of the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple begun by Herod the Great, which resulted in the encasement of the natural, steep hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount, in a huge rectangular structure topped by a flat platform, thus creating more space for the Temple itself, its auxiliary buildings, and crowds of worshipers and visitors.
tam o’ shanter
or ‘tammie’ is a name given to the traditional Scottish bonnet worn by men.
reed
a tall, slender-leaved plant of the grass family, which grows in water or on marshy ground
Montreal Expos
a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (NL) East division from 1969 until 2004. Following the 2004 season, the franchise relocated to Washington, D.C., and became the Washington Nationals.
Edwin Hubble
an American astronomer. He played a crucial role in establishing the fields of extragalactic astronomy and observational cosmology and is regarded as one of the most important astronomers of all time.
leery
cautious or wary due to realistic suspicions
ewer
a large jug with a wide mouth, formerly used for carrying water for someone to wash in
copse
a small group of trees
tapir
a large, herbivorous mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk
prone
lying flat, especially face downward
Mario Andretti
an Italian-born American former racing driver and one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport
taws
name for “marbles” in Northern England
carom
a stroke in which the cue ball strikes two balls successively
Henrik Ibsen
a Norwegian playwright and theatre director; one of the founders of modernism in theatre, often referred to as “the father of realism” and one of the most influential playwrights of his time. He is the most frequently performed dramatist in the world after Shakespeare. A Doll’s House.
rue
bitterly regret (something one has done or allowed to happen). “Ferguson willrue the dayhe turned down that offer”
satyr
one of a class of lustful, drunken woodland gods. In Greek art they were represented as a man with a horse’s ears and tail, but in Roman representations as a man with a goat’s ears, tail, legs, and horns.
A.J. Foyt
an American retired auto racing driver who has raced in numerous genres of motorsports.
Genoa
Christopher Columbus’ birthplace (port city in Italy)
Amati
the last name of a family of Italian violin makers who lived at Cremona from about 1538 to 1740
quagmire
a soft boggy area of land that gives way underfoot (swamp)
Nyota Uhuru
a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. A translator and communications officer who specializes in linguistics, cryptography, and philology. One of the first black characters to be portrayed in a non-menial role on an American television series.
abeam
on a line at right angles to a ship’s or an aircraft’s length (crosswise)
hie
go quickly. “I hied down to New Orleans.”
awl
a small pointed tool used for piercing holes, especially in leather
rill
a small stream
Brontë sisters
a nineteenth-century literary family, born in England. The sisters, Charlotte (1816–1855), Emily (1818–1848), and Anne (1820–1849), are well known as poets and novelists. Like many contemporary female writers, they originally published their poems and novels under male pseudonyms: Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. Their stories immediately attracted attention for their passion and originality. Charlotte’s Jane Eyre was the first to know success, while Emily’s Wuthering Heights, Anne’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and other works were later to be accepted as masterpieces of literature.
sitz bath
a warm, shallow bath that cleanses the perineum, which is the space between the rectum and the vulva or scrotum. A sitz bath can also provide relief from pain or itching in the genital area.
georgic
rustic, pastoral
mien
a person’s look or manner, especially one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood
jigsaw
an electric machine saw with a narrow blade mounted vertically in a frame, for cutting curves or other difficult lines or patterns
bloop
in baseball slang, a weakly hit fly ball
yaw
(of a moving ship or aircraft) twist or oscillate about a vertical axis, veer off course
rhubarb
slang for fight, originated in baseball
Māori
the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand
agar
a gelatinous substance obtained from various kinds of red seaweed and used in biological culture media and as a thickener in foods
denizen
an inhabitant or occupant of a particular place
skid row
an impoverished area, typically urban, in English-speaking North America whose inhabitants are people “on the skids”. This specifically refers to the poor, the homeless or others either considered disreputable or forgotten by society.
wino
a person who drinks excessive amounts of cheap wine or other alcohol, especially one who is homeless
roe
a small Eurasian deer which lacks a visible tail and has a reddish summer coat that turns grayish in winter
Jack Paar
an American author, movie actor, radio and television comedian, and talk show host. He is best known for his stint as the second host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962.
edify
instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually
eaves
the part of a roof that meets or overhangs the walls of a building
Ian Fleming
a British writer, journalist and naval intelligence officer who is best known for his James Bond series of spy novels
gamut
the complete range or scope of something
abash
make (someone) feel embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed
Spiro Agnew
the 39th vice president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1973 (Nixon). He is the second and most recent vice president to resign the position
back forty
the remote part of a farm
furrow
a long narrow trench made in the ground by a plow, especially for planting seeds or for irrigation
flit
move swiftly and lightly
Three Sisters
a play by the Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov
Olav V
King of Norway from 1957 until his death (1991), very popular
hot mic
an apparent error whereby a microphone is switched on in proximity of a subject who is unaware that their remarks are being recorded
British thermal unit (BTU)
a unit of heat; it is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit
lagniappe
something given as a bonus or extra gift
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created under President Jimmy Carter in 1978. The agency’s primary purpose is to coordinate the response to a disaster that has occurred in the United States and that overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities.
coda
in music, the concluding passage of a piece or movement, typically forming an addition to the basic structure
unmitigated
being so definitely what is stated as to offer little chance of change or relief // anunmitigateddisaster
Erato
in Greek mythology, the Muse of love poetry, holds a lyre
Anwar Sadat
an Egyptian politician who served as the third President of Egypt, from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981. the first Muslim Nobel laureate.
L. Ron Hubbard
an American author of science fiction and fantasy stories who founded the Church of Scientology.
Cro-Magnons
the first early modern humans (Homo sapiens) to settle in Europe
carob
a sweet and healthy substitute for chocolate. thetree has fruit that looks like a dark brown pea pod, which carries pulp and seeds
panacea
solution to all problems, cure-all
keystone
a central stone at the summit of an arch, locking the whole together
mush
sled dog command
tress
a long lock of a woman’s hair
ouzo
a dry anise-flavored aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece and Cyprus
bray
the loud, harsh cry of a donkey or mule
epode
a form of lyric poem written in couplets, in which a long line is followed by a shorter one
arid
(of land or a climate) having little or no rain; too dry or barren to support vegetation
Bantu
relating to or denoting a group of Niger–Congo languages spoken in central and southern Africa, including Swahili, Xhosa, and Zulu
brogue
generally refers to an Irish accent
Jean Arp
a German-French sculptor, painter, and poet. He was known as Dadaist and abstract artist.
kith and kin
friends and relatives
Obie awards
annual awards originally given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City
asp
any one of several venomous snake species found in the Nile region.
lagom
the principle of living a balanced, moderately paced, low-fuss life
adverse
preventing success or development
recalcitrant
having an obstinately uncooperative attitude
piddling
pathetically trivial; trifling
ibis
a large wading bird with a long down-curved bill, long neck, and long legs
dah
(in Morse code) another term fordash
sago
a starch extracted from the spongy centre, or pith, of various tropical palm stems. It is a major staple food for the lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Moluccas.
Mork & Mindy
an American sitcom television series that aired on ABC from 1978 to 1982. A spin-off after a highly successful episode of Happy Days, it starred Robin Williams as Mork, an extraterrestrial who comes to Earth from the planet Ork in a small, one-Orkan egg-shaped spaceship and Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell, his human friend and roommate, and later his wife and the mother of his child. “Nanu nanu” is the typical Orkan greeting.
Yser
a river that rises in French Flanders (the north of France), enters the Belgian province of West Flanders and flows through the Ganzepoot and into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.
loge
a private box or enclosure in a theater
trouvaille
(troo-vay) a lucky find
asceticism
severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons
auspicious
conducive to success; favorable (“it was not the most auspicious moment to hold an election”)
itinerant
traveling from place to place
tenet
a principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy
depredation
an act of attacking or plundering (“protecting grain from the depredations of rats and mice”)
insurrection
a violent uprising against an authority or government
seminal
strongly influencing later developments (“his seminal work on chaos theory”)
nous
common sense; practical intelligence
skein
a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled and knotted
Brian Eno
an English musician, record producer, visual artist, and theorist best known for his work in ambient music and contributions to rock, pop and electronica. A self-described “non-musician”, Eno has helped introduce unique conceptual approaches and recording techniques to contemporary music
moue
a pouting expression used to convey annoyance or distaste
proverbial
well known, especially so as to be stereotypical
red giant
a luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass in a late phase of stellar evolution
nave
the central part of a church building, intended to accommodate most of the congregation
ria
a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley
hoser
a foolish or uncultivated person
Mount Etna
an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy
weather vane
an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind. It is typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building.
ampere
the SI base unit of electrical current
Emerald Isle
the poetic name for Ireland due to its green countryside
Éire
Irish for “Ireland”
arioso
(especially in opera and oratorio) vocal music that is more melodic than recitative but less formal than an aria
paean
a song of praise or triumph
Imelda Marcos
a Filipino politician who was First Lady of the Philippines for 21 years, amassing a personal fortune estimated to have been worth US$5 to 10 billion by the time they were deposed in 1986
yew
a coniferous tree which has red berrylike fruits, and most parts of which are highly poisonous. Yews are linked with folklore and superstition and can live to a great age; the timber is used in cabinetmaking and (formerly) to make longbows.
eudaemonic
conducive to happiness “Getting the promotion was a eudaemonic boost for the rest of her week.”
exhortation
an address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something
ankh
an object or design resembling a cross but having a loop instead of the top arm, used in ancient Egypt as a symbol of life
“cut to the quick”
to injure someone emotionally, to hurt someone with words or an action
abbess
a woman who is the head of an abbey of nuns
embed
attach (a journalist) to a military unit during a conflict
okapi
also known as the forest giraffe, an artiodactyl mammal native to the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. Although the okapi has striped markings reminiscent of zebras, it is most closely related to the giraffe.
fête
honor or entertain (someone) lavishly
Miriam Makeba
nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, United Nations goodwill ambassador, and civil rights activist
Enrico Fermi
was an Italian physicist and the creator of the world’s first nuclear reactor, the Chicago Pile-1
talc
a clay mineral, used as baby powder
agate
a common rock formation, consisting of chalcedony and quartz as its primary components, consisting of a wide variety of colors
bon mot
a witty remark
Count Bosie (1904-1984)
an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer
floe
a sheet of floating ice
ergot
a fungal disease of rye and other cereals in which black elongated fruiting bodies grow in the ears of the cereal
dun
make persistent demands on (someone), especially for payment of a debt
martinet
a strict disciplinarian, especially in the armed forces
mire
a stretch of swampy or boggy ground
cut-up
a person who is fond of making jokes or playing pranks
cor anglais (English horn)
a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family
abound
exist in large numbers or amounts “rumors of a further scandal abound”
teem
be full of or swarming with
SETI
search for extraterrestrial intelligence
uzi
a family of Israeli open-bolt, blowback-operated submachine guns; one of the first weapons to use a telescoping bolt design which allows the magazine to be housed in the pistol grip for a shorter weapon
cairn
a mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark, typically on a hilltop or skyline
