Lesson 19 Flashcards
epicurean (e pi kyū´ rē ən) adj.
taking pleasure in food and drink
The epicurean chef taught his students not only how to cook food, but also how to enjoy it.
syn: hedonistic; gourmet
mellifluous (mə li´ flōō wəs) adj
having a rich, smoothly flowing sound
The singer’s mellifluous voice contributed to the relaxed atmosphere of the lounge.
syn: harmonious ant: strident; discordant
oeuvre (ë´ vrə or ōō vrə) n.
the complete work of an artist, composer, or writer
Shakespeare’s oeuvre is one of the most respected groups of literary works ever written.”“syn: canon
arbiter (är´ bə tər) n.
a person with the ability to resolve a disagreement; a judge
The principal ended the conflict by acting as an arbiter between the two angry students.
verdant (vər´ dənt) adj.
fresh and green, referring to plant life
The verdant landscape reminded the O’Connells of their native Ireland so much that they decided to build a home there.
syn: lush ant: arid; sere
vagary (vā´ gə rē) n.
unpredictable action or behavior
Kristin’s vagaries prevented her from holding a job as an air traffic controller.
syn: whim; caprice
vacuous (va´ kyə wəs) adj.
lacking intelligence
The student’s vacuous expression revealed his failure to study for the test.
syn: empty-headed ant: brilliant; shrewd
attrition (ə tri´ shən) n.
a wearing down over time
The company faced a severe attrition of its stock price because of bad publicity.
syn: erosion ant: buildup; accretion
archetype (är´ ki tīp) n.
a prototype or original model
The archetype for the first airplane was only a toy model, but it has led to modern jets and supersonic fighter planes.
syn: model ant: product
approbation (a prə bā´ shən) n.
formal approval of an act
The president gave his approbation for the rescue of ten citizens who were being held hostage at a foreign embassy.
syn: authorization ant: disapproval; opprobrium”
burgeon (bər´ jən) v.
to grow, expand, or bloom
Increased colonization caused the island city to burgeon.
syn: swell ant: shrink; diminish
commensurate (kə men´ sər it) adj.
an equal measure; corresponding in size and measurement
Though Margie and Liz attended different universities, they received commensurate educations.
syn: equivalent; comparable ant: unequal
confluence (kän´ flōō ənts) n.
a meeting or gathering together
The United Nations General Assembly is a confluence of world thought.
syn: convergence; concourse ant: divergence
coup (kōō) n.
a surprising, brilliant, and usually successful act
The rebels planned a coup to overthrow the current Prime Minister and install a new leader.
syn: plot
secular (se´ kyə lər) adj.
not spiritual or religious; worldly
Many religions warn of the dangers of the secular world because they believe it is full of sin.
syn: earthly ant: religious”
