Key Terms Group 1 Flashcards
aberrant
deviating from the norm
abscond
to depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide
alacrity
eager and enthusiastic willingness
anomaly
deviation from the normal order, form, or rule; abnormality
approbation
an expression of approval or priase
arduous
strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort
assuage
to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
audacious
daring and fearless; recklessly bold
austere
without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic
axiomatic
taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth
canonical
following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
capricious
inclined to change one’s mind impulsively; erratic, unpredictable
censure
to criticize severely; to officially rebuke
chicanery
trickery or subterfuge
connoisseur
an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
convoluted
complex or complicated
disabuse
to undeceive; to set right
discordant
conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound
disparate
fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
effrontery
extreme boldness; presumptuousness
eloquent
well-spoken, expressive, articulate
enervate
to weaken; to reduce in vitality
ennui
dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
equivocate
to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
erudite
very learned; scholarly
exculpate
to exonerate; to clear of blame
exigent
urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
extemporaneous
improvised; done without preparation
filibuster
intentional obstruction, especially using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action
fulminate
to loudly attack or denounce
ingenuous
artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication
inured
accustomed to accepting something undesirable
irascible
easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts
laud
to praise highly
lucid
clear; easily understood
magnanimity
the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, especially in forgiving
martial
associated with war and the armed forces
mundane
of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary
nascent
coming into being; in early developmental stages
nebulous
vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
neologism
a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses
noxious
harmful, injurious
obtuse
lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
obviate
to anticipate and make unnecessary
onerous
troubling; burdensome
paean
a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
parody
a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, especially in literature and art
perennial
recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly
perfidy
intentional breach of faith; treachery
perfunctory
cursory; done without care or interest
perspicacious
acutely perceptive; having keen discernment
prattle
to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
precipitate
acting with excessive haste or impulse
precipitate
to cause or happen before anticipated or required
predilection
a disposition in favor or something; preference
prescience
foreknowledge of event; knowing of events prior to their occurring
prevaricate
to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
qualms
misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy
recant
to retract, especially a previously held belief
refute
to disprove; to successfully argue against
relegate
to forcibly assign, especially to a lower place or position
reticent
quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts and feelings
solicitous
concerned and attentive; eager
sordid
characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul
sporadic
occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances
squander
to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
static
not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
stupefy
to stun, baffle, or amaze
stymie
to block; to thwart
synthesis
the combination of parts to make a whole
torque
a force that causes roation
tortuous
winding, twisting, excessively complicated
truculent
fierce and cruel; eager to fight
veracity
truthfulness, honesty
virulent
extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
voracious
having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
waver
to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion
