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English IV > Lessons One, Two, Three, and Four > Flashcards

Lessons One, Two, Three, and Four Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Frangible (adj.)

A

Fragile; easy to break

Mom seldom uses the ___, antique dishes in the china cabinet.

Syn: Delicate; breakable

Ant: Sturdy; strong

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2
Q

Litany (n.)

A

Any long, repetitive, or dull recital

The dissatisfied customer read a ____ of complaints to the company representative.

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3
Q

Moratorium (n.)

A

A suspension of activity; an authorized delay

The warring factions declared a ____ on combat during the peace talks.

Syn: Postponement; cessation

Ant: Rush; continuation

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4
Q

Zealous (adj.)

A

Fervent; fanatical

The ____ gardener planted so many flowers that a number of them did not have the necessary space in which to grow.

Syn: Passionate; enthusiastic

Ant: Uninterested; indifferent

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5
Q

Desiccate (v.)

A

To dry out; to remove moisture

Janet ____ flowers and then uses them to make wreaths.

Syn: Dehydrate

Ant: Moisten; dampen

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6
Q

Wrenching (adj.)

A

Causing mental or physical pain

The ____ photographs of the starving children prompted Mike to send a donation.

Syn: Distressing; agonizing

Ant: Pleasant; Comforting

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7
Q

Replete (adj.)

A

Full; abundant

The anglers were happy to find their stream ____ with trout.

Syn: Abounding; rife

Ant: Lacking; empty

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8
Q

Interminable (adj.)

A

Tiresome and long; seemingly endless

The last few hours of school before the holiday vacation seemed ____.

Syn: Tedious

Ant: Fleeting; limited

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9
Q

Arable (adj.)

A

Suitable for cultivation of land

Death Valley and the Badlands are both characterized by their lack of ____ soil.

Syn: Fecund; fertile

Ant: Barren; infertile

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10
Q

Lugubrious (adj.)

A

Mournful; gloomy

The ____ funeral scene temporarily interrupted the comic tone of the play.

Syn: Somber; depressing

Ant: Joyful

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11
Q

Truncate (v.)

A

To shorten

The candidate ____ his campaign because of a family illness.

Syn: Abridge; abbreviate

Ant: Lengthen; increase

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12
Q

Ubiquitous (adj.)

A

Occurring or seeming to occur everywhere; omnipresent

The camping trip was horrible; the mosquitoes were ____ and hungry.

Syn: Universal

Ant: Nonexistent

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13
Q

Vernacular (n.)

A

Everyday language

Using slang or ____ in a formal term paper is inappropriate.

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14
Q

Equanimity (n.)

A

Composure; calmness

Oddly enough, the plaintiff recounted the story of her attack with perfect ____.

Syn: Sangfroid; poise

Ant: Anxiety; agitation

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15
Q

Camaraderie (n.)

A

Rapport and goodwill

The coach attributed the team’s success to the ____ among the players.

Syn: Friendship; amity

Ant: Enmity; hostility

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16
Q

Metamorphosis (n.)

A

A transformation or dramatic change

That butterfly will experience a physical ____ as it passes from the pupa stage to the adult stage.

Syn: Mutation

Ant: Stasis

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17
Q

Donnybrook (n.)

A

A fight; an uproar

During the last minute of the close championship game, a referee’s foolish decision caused a ____ among the fans of both teams.

Syn: Brawl; quarrel; altercation

Ant: Agreement

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18
Q

Nonchalant (adj.)

A

Unconcerned; indifferent

The ____ banker looked at the million-dollar check as though he saw one every day.

Syn: Detached; relaxed

Ant: Excited; concerned; alarmed

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19
Q

Vestige (n.)

A

A trace or evidence of something that once existed

The rich vein of coal is a ____ of Earth’s lush, prehistoric forests.

Syn: Remanant; hint

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20
Q

Interlocutor (n.)

A

Someone who participates in a conversation

The delusional man wandered down the street, conversing with some invisible ____.

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21
Q

Procrustean (adj.)

A

Strictly disregarding individual differences or circumstances

The ____ teacher warned the class that he would accept no excuses for tardiness.

Syn: Ruthless; undiscriminating

Ant: Sympathetic; compassionate

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22
Q

Stygian (adj.)

A

Dark and forbidding

The ____ house, empty for decades, was often the source of unexpected phenomena.

Syn: Shadowy

Ant: Bright; illuminated

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23
Q

Sophistry (n.)

A

A deliberately deceptive or misleading argument

Syn: Chicanery; ruse

Ant: Truth

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24
Q

Carte blanche (n.)

A

Boundless authority; unlimited power to act

The secret agent had ____ to complete the extremely vital mission.

Syn: License; sanction; free rein

Ant: Restriction

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25
Q

Incantation (n.)

A

A chant; a recited magical spell

The sorceress uttered a long ____ as she mixed the magic potion.

Syn: Invocation

26
Q

Cosmopolitan (adj.)

A

Worldly; sophisticated

Brett longer to have the ____ lifestyle of an international investor.

Syn: Cultured

Ant: Provincial

27
Q

Rife (adj.)

A

Abundant; prevalent

Syn: Overflowing; rampant

Ant: Lacking; limited

28
Q

Nomenclature (n.)

A

Technical names or naming system in an art or science

Students often spend hours memorizing the ____ of organic chemistry.

Syn: Terminology

29
Q

Brigand (n.)

A

A robber or bandit

The stagecoach driver kept a nervous watch for ____ while transporting the heavy cash box.

Syn: Highwayman; outlaw

30
Q

Contemptuous (adj.)

A

Haughty; scornful

The ____ bank loan officer was rude to the poorly dressed applicants.

Syn: Arrogant; derisive

Ant: Humble; polite

31
Q

Scapegoat (n.)

A

One who bears the blame for others

Andy was frequently absent, so other workers made him the ____ for their own mistakes.

Syn: Patsy, sucker

32
Q

Peremptory (adj.)

A

Not allowing refusal or delay; imperative

The guard issued a ____ warning to step away from the fence or be fired upon.

Syn: Authoritative; unconditional

Ant: Roundabout; passive; equivocal

33
Q

Atelier (n.)

A

An artist’s or a designer’s workshop

The painter converted his garage into an ____ to work on his creative masterpieces.

34
Q

Axiom (n.)

A

A universal truth; an established rule

According to some people, the most important ____ of all is, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Syn: Fundamental; theorem

Ant: Absurdity

35
Q

Dulcet (adj.)

A

Melodious; pleasing to the ear

The opera singer’s ____ voice earned her a prominent place in the upcoming production.

36
Q

Usurp (v.)

A

To take over; to seize power

The evil heir planned to ____ the throne while the king was ill.

Syn: Commandeer; seize; co-opt

Ant: Abdicate; relinquish

37
Q

Patronizing (adj.)

A

Treating with condescension; acting superior

Despite his ____ treatment of the employees, the foreman was still well liked.

Syn: Lofty; arrogant

Ant: Humble; friendly

38
Q

Iniquity (n.)

A

An evil or wicked act

He heartily repented his ____, but only after he faced a lifelong prison sentence.

Syn: Abomination; injustice; sin

39
Q

Archaic (adj.)

A

No longer current or applicable; antiquated

Some states still have ____ laws that regulate horse-and-buggy traffic.

Syn: Obsolete; outmoded

Ant: Current; modern

40
Q

Vacillate (v.)

A

To waver; to sway indecisively

For years Bobby ____ between liking one band and then another.

Syn: Fluctuate; swing; waffle

Ant: Decide

41
Q

Perspicacious (adj.)

A

Keen; mentally sharp

The ____ gambler knew that he would need to make a hasty exit after winning most of the cowboy’s money.

Syn: Shrewd; keen; clever

Ant: Dull; stupid

42
Q

Abstemious (adj.)

A

Using or consuming sparingly

Bill, who wants to lose weight, is ____ in eating foods high in fat.

Syn: Frugal; moderate

Ant: Gluttonous; greedy

43
Q

Talisman (n.)

A

A magic charm or superstitious object for protection or luck

The wizard claimed that no harm would come to anyone holding the ____.

44
Q

Expurgate (v.)

A

To remove vulgar or objectionable material

Censors sometimes feel that it is necessary to ____ offensive scenes from movies.

Syn: Censor; bowdlerize; sanitize

45
Q

Pellucid (adj.)

A

Transparent; clear

Eliminate extraneous words if you want to have a ____ message.

Syn: Limpid

Ant: Obscure; opaque

46
Q

Efficacious (adj.)

A

Effective; producing the desired outcome

The shot of adrenaline was ____ in restarting the victim’s heart.

Syn: Productive; useful

Ant: Ineffective

47
Q

Catharsis (n.)

A

A release of emotional tension

The movie lacked a ____ because the villain received no punishment.

Syn: Purgation

48
Q

Inundate (v.)

A

To overwhelm; to fill beyond capacity

Callers ____ the radio station with requests for the popular new song.

Syn: Flood; overwhelm

49
Q

Revere (v.)

A

To regard with respect, awe, or adoration

Alexander the Great’s soldiers ____ their leader because he led the troops into every battle.

Syn: Venerate; respect; honor

Ant: Revile

50
Q

Internecine (adj.)

A

Mutually destructive

The ____ battle resulted in thousands of casualties, but neither side gained new land.

Ant: Constructive; beneficial

51
Q

Risible (adj.)

A

Relating to laughter; laughable

The ____ statement made by the gentleman in the front row was completely ridiculous, but it was amusing.

Syn: Comical; jocular; jocund

Ant: Grave; solemn

52
Q

Sybaritic (adj.)

A

Marked by luxury or pleasure

Ice sculptures, massive chandeliers, and live entertainment were commonplace at Lauren’s ____ parties.

Syn: Luxurious; ostentatious; grandiose

Ant: Modest; simple; plain

53
Q

Crepuscular (adj.)

A

Pertaining to twilight

That species of trout has ____ feeding habits, so you’ll catch the most at daybreak or sunset.

54
Q

Kudos (n.)

A

Acclaim or praise

The director of the successful new musical won ____ from most critics.

Syn: Honor; distinction

Ant: Disapproval; projection

55
Q

Estrange(v.)

A

To alienate

Jill’s overbearing mother-in-law ____ Jill from her husband.

Syn: Disaffects; antagonize

Ant: Unites; endear

56
Q

Intrinsic (adj.)

A

Of relating to a thing’s basic nature; inherent

Humans have an ____ desire to be loved.

Syn: Basic; elemental; inborn

Ant: Extrinsic

57
Q

Maxim (n.)

A

An established principle; a truth or rule of conduct

The coach frequently spoke the ____, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”

Syn: Axiom; apothegm; proverb

58
Q

Putrid (adj.)

A

Rotten and foul smelling

We rolled up the car windows to escape the ____ smell of a dead skunk on the road.

Syn: Fetid; rancid; malodorous

Ant: Aromatic; fragrant

59
Q

Servile (adj.)

A

Submissive; slavish

The ____ dog coward before its intimidating master.

Syn: Subservient; ignoble

Ant: Haughty; domineering

60
Q

Apocryphal (adj.)

A

Of questionable authenticity, but widely believed

Modern historians dismiss the ____ story that George Washington cut down a cherry tree.

Syn: Dubious; equivocal; spurious

Ant: Genuine; authentic

English IV (1 decks)

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