Lesson 7 Flashcards
Implacable (adj.)
Syn: can not be pacified; inexorable; inflexible
- The detective was implacable in his search for the murder weapon.
Jurisdiction (n.)
Syn: power; range of authority
- Saying that it was beyond his jurisdiction, judge Klein refused to rule on the case.
Paroxysm (n.)
Syn: sudden outburst; a fit; attack
- In a paroxysm of rage, the tenant stormed out of the landlord’s office.
Skirmish (n.) (vi.)
Syn: fight; encounter; battle; combat
- The precocious boy enjoyed an intellectual skirmish with his elders.
Reprehensible (adj.)
Syn: worthy of blame; shameful
- The brash student was forced to apologize for her reprehensible conduct.
Cause celebre (idiom)
A famous law case or controversy
- It was a minor dispute, but the ambitious lawyer sought to turn it into a cause celebre.
Fray (n.)
Syn: fight; combat; conflict
- After the fray, the feuding families agreed to patch up their differences.
Indigent (adj.)
Syn: poor; needy
- The indigent client was surprised when she was accosted by her social worker in the elegant restaurant.
Arbitrary (adj.)
Syn: based on whim; dictatorial; chance
- To my mind the decision was unreasonable and arbitrary.
Monolithic (adj.)
Syn: massively solid
- George Orwell’s 1984 depicts a frightening, monolithic government.
Harass (vt.)
Syn: trouble; torment
- if anonymous telephone callers harass you, the phone company will give you an unlisted number.
One swallow does not make a summer (idiom)
Don’t jump to conclusions based on incomplete evidence
- Sure, the Yankees won their opening game, but one swallow does not make a summer.
Effigy (n.)
Syn: a likeness (usually of a hated person); idol; figure
- Coach of losing team hanged in effigy.
Stymie (n.) (vt.)
Syn: to hinder, impede
- Cause of cancer continues to stymie doctors.
Cognizant (adj.)
Syn: aware
- F.B.I. cognizant of clandestine gangland meetings.
Flout (vt.)
Syn: show contempt; scorn; scoff
- Many motorists flout traffic laws, study reveals.
Turbulent (adj.)
Syn: unruly; agitated
- Turbulent atmosphere in angry senate chamber.
A bitter pill to swallow (idiom)
A humiliating defeat
- It was a bitter pill to swallow for the famous billiard player to be overwhelmed by the 12-year old girl.
Terminate (vi.) (vt.)
Syn: to end
- It seemed incongruous to terminate his employment just when he was so successful.
Forthwith (adv.)
Syn: immediately; right away
- Upon seeing the show he called the TV studio forthwith to protest.
Oust (vt.)
Syn: to drive out; eject
- The ushers moved with alacrity to oust the disorderly patrons.
Revert (vi.)
Syn: return
- after taking the drug, she began to revert to the days of her childhood.
Exacerbate (vt.)
Syn: to irritate; make worse
- The arrest of the spy did much to exacerbate relations between the two countries.
An ax to grind (idiom)
Having a selfish motive in background
- I am always dubious about a motives of a man who tell me that he has no ax to grind.
