June 4 - Common Words IV (part b) Flashcards
soporific
- inducing mental lethargy; sleep inducing
Although the professor is brilliant, his bland monotone gives his lectures a soporific effect.
burgeon
- grow and flourish
China’s housing market is burgeoning, but some predict that the growth is merely a bubble and will burst much like the U.S. real estate bubble of 2008.
espouse
- to adopt or support an idea or cause
As a college student, Charlie espoused Marxism, growing his beard out and railing against the evils of the free-market.
discrete
- constituting a separate entity or part
What was once known as Czechoslovakia has since split into two discrete, independent nations.
unscrupulous
- without scruples or principles
In the courtroom, the lawyer was unscrupulous, using every manner of deceit and manipulation to secure a victory for himself.
idiosyncrasy
- a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
Peggy’s numerous idiosyncrasies include wearing mismatched shoes, laughing loudly to herself, and owning a pet aardvark.
bumbling
- lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands
Within a week of starting, the bumbling new waiter was unceremoniously fired.
myopic
- lacking foresight or imagination
The company ultimately went out of business because the myopic managers couldn’t predict the changes in their industry.
pundit
- someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
Steven Pinker’s credentials are unquestioned as a pundit; he has taught at MIT and Stanford, teaches at Harvard, and has published a number of influential books on cognition, language, and psychology.
forthcoming
- available when required or as promised
The President announced that the senators were about to reach a compromise, and that he was eager to read the forthcoming details of the bill.
- at ease in talking to others
As a husband, Larry was not forthcoming: if Jill didn’t demand to know details, Larry would never share them with her.
implacable
- incapable of making less angry or hostile
Win or lose, the coach was always implacable, never giving the athletes an easy practice or a break.
pragmatic
- guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory
Rather than make a philosophical appeal to the Congressmen, the Speaker decided to take a far more pragmatic approach, making small side-deals that would add votes to his bill.
denigrate
- charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
Count Rumford denigrated the new theory of heat, demonstrating that it was wholly inadequate to explain the observations.
admonitory
- serving to warn; expressing reproof or reproach especially as a corrective
At the assembly, the high school vice-principal gave the students an admonitory speech, warning them of the many risks and dangers of prom night.
provincial
- characteristic of a limited perspective; not fashionable or sophisticated
Maggie’s enthusiasm about her high school teams seemed provincial to her college classmates, all of whom were following a nationally ranked college team.
apocryphal
- being of questionable authenticity
The web is notorious for sandwiching apocryphal stories between actual news.
exalt
- praise or glorify
The teenagers exalted the rock star, covering their bedrooms with posters of him.
largess
- extreme generosity and giving
Uncle Frank was known for his largess, so his nephew was sad when he did not receive a present for his birthday.
expound
- add details or explanation; clarify the meaning; state in depth
The CEO refused to expound on the decision to merge our department with another one, and so I quit.
underscore
- give extra weight to (a communication)
While the hiking instructor agreed that carrying a first aid kit could be a good idea under certain circumstances, he underscored the importance of carrying enough water.
incorrigible
- impervious to correction by punishment
Tom Sawyer seems like an incorrigible youth until Huck Finn enters the novel; even Sawyer can’t match his fierce individual spirit.
ignoble
- dishonorable
In 1919, the World Series was rigged–an ignoble act which baseball took decades to recover from.
aberrant
- markedly different from an accepted norm
When the financial director started screaming and throwing food at his co-workers, the police had to come in to deal with his aberrant behavior.
acerbic
- harsh in tone
Most movie critics are acerbic towards summer blockbusters, often referring to them as garbage.
intransigent
- unwilling to change one’s beliefs or course of action
Despite many calls for mercy, the judge remained intransigent, citing strict legal precedence.
