June 5 - Common Words V (part b) Flashcards
tractable
- readily reacting to suggestions and influences; easily managed (controlled or taught or molded)
Compared to middle school students, who have an untamed wildness about them, high school students are somewhat more tractable.
ostracize
- exclude from a community or group
Later in his life, Leo Tolstoy was ostracized from the Russian Orthodox Church for his writings that contradicted church doctrine.
obsequious
- attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
The obsequious waiter did not give the couple a moment’s peace all through the meal, constantly returning to their table to refill their water glasses and to tell them what a handsome pair they made.
pedestrian
- acking imagination
While Nan was always engaged in philosophical speculation, her brother was occupied with far more pedestrian concerns: how to earn a salary and run a household.
irrevocable
- incapable of being retracted or revoked
Once you enter your plea to the court, it is irrevocable so think carefully about what you will say.
arbitrary
- based on a random, groundless decision
One of the arbitrary decrees in place during the emperor’s rule is that all citizens pay him weekly homage at his palace.
admonish
- to warn strongly, even to the point of reprimanding
Before the concert began, security personnel admonished the crowd not to come up on stage during the performance.
pernicious
- exceedingly harmful; working or spreading in a hidden and injurious way
The most successful viruses are pernicious: an infected person may feel perfectly healthy for several months while incubating and spreading the virus.
munificent
- very generous
Uncle Charley was known for his munificence, giving all seven of his nephews lavish Christmas presents each year.
poignant
- emotionally touching
After the Montagues and Capulets discover the dead bodies of Romeo and Juliet, in the play’s most poignant moment, the two griefstricken families agree to end their feud once and for all.
intrepid
- fearless
Captain Ahab was an intrepid captain whose reckless and fearless style ultimately lead to his downfall.
inimical
- hostile (usually describes conditions or environments)
Venus, with a surface temperature that would turn rubber to liquid, is inimical to any form of life.
sporadic
- recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances
The signals were at first sporadic, but now we detect a clear, consistent pattern of electromagnetic radiation emanating from deep space.
vacillate
- be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
Some students vacillate between schools when deciding which to attend, while others focus only on one school.
rescind
- cancel officially
The man’s driver’s license was rescinded after his tenth car accident, which meant he would never be allowed to legally drive again.
foment
- try to stir up public opinion
After having his pay cut, Phil spread vicious rumors about his boss, hoping to foment a general feeling of discontent.
prodigious
- so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
After the relatively small homerun totals in the “dead ball” era, Babe Ruth’s homerun totals were truly prodigious: every year, he set a new all-time record.
precipitous
- done with very great haste and without due deliberation
Instead of calling his financial advisor, Harold acted precipitously, buying 4,000 shares of the latest “hot” stock, only to find out that the company had a history of inflating its year end numbers.
brazen
- unrestrained by convention or propriety
Their large “donations” to the local police department gave the drug cartel the brazen confidence to do their business out in the open.
inscrutable
- not easily understood; unfathomable
His speech was so dense and confusing that many in the audience found it inscrutable.
constituent
- a citizen who is represented in a government by officials for whom he or she votes
The mayor’s constituents are no longer happy with her performance and plan to vote for another candidate in the upcoming election.
- an abstract part of something
The constituents of the metal alloy are nickel, copper, and tin.
taciturn
- habitually reserved and uncommunicative
While the CEO enthusiastically shares his plans and agenda with all who will listen, the CFO is far more taciturn, rarely revealing his perspective.
trite
- repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
Many style guides recommend not using idioms in writing because these trite expressions are uninteresting and show a lack of imagination on the part of the writer.
insolent
- rude and arrogant
Lilian could not help herself from being insolent, commenting that the Queen’s shoes were showing too much toe.
hegemony
- dominance over a certain area
Until the Spanish Armada was defeated in 1587, Spain had hegemony over the seas, controlling waters stretching as far as the Americas.
