Letter I Flashcards
ichthyology
study of fish
icon
a statue or idol
iconoclast
a rebel; one who breaks with tradition
idealist
one with very high standards
idiosyncrasy
a peculiar personality trait
idolatry
excessive or blind adoration; worship of idols
idyllic
charmingly simple or poetic
igneous
pertaining to fire
ignoble
dishonorable
ignominious
shameful; disgraceful
ignoramus
a stupid person
ilk
type; sort; kind
illicit
unlawful; illegal
illiterate
uneducated
illumine
to brighten; to inspire
illusion
fake impression
illustrious
distinguished; bright
imbibe
to drink; to absorb
imbroglio
a difficult or confusing situation
imbue
to fill completely; to penetrate
immaculate
spotless; pure
imminent
likely to happen; threatening
immolate
to kill someone as a sacrificial victim, usually by fire
immortal
not subject to death
immunity
freedom from disease
immutable
unchangeable
impair
to weaken; to cause to become worse
impale
to pierce with a sharp stake through the body
impalpable
vague; not understandable
impartial
without prejudice
impasse
a dead-end; a problem without a solution
impeach
to accuse
impeccable
flawless; without fault
impecunious
without money; penniless
impede
to hinder; to obstruct
impediment
a barrier; an obstruction
impel
push into motion; urge
impending
likely to happen soon
imperative
extremely necessary
imperious
domineering; haughty
impermeable
not permitting passage
impertinent
rude; disrespectful
imperturbable
steady; calm
impervious
not capable of being affected; hardened
impetuous
acting without thought; impulsive
impetus
a stimulus; a moving force
impinge
to strike; to collide; to encroach
impious
disrespectful toward God
implacable
unbending; inflexible; merciless
implausible
unbelievable
implement
(two meanings) a tool (noun); to carry out or put into practice (verb)
implication
an indirect indication; a statement that suggests something
implicit
suggested, but not plainly expressed
imply
to suggest
import
(two meanings) significance; meaning (noun); to bring in from a foreign country (verb)
importune
to persistently ask; to beg
impostor
a person who goes about under an assumed name or character
impotent
powerless; lacking strength
imprecation
a curse
impregnable
unconquerable
impromptu
without preparation; offhand
impropriety
pertaining to something that is not proper or suitable
improvident
wasteful
improvise
to do without preparation
impudent
disrespectful; shameless
impugn
to attack a person with words; to challenge a person in regard to motives
impunity
freedom from punishment
impute
to accuse a person of some wrongdoing; to attribute a fault or a crime to a person
inadvertent
unintentional
inalienable
not able to be transferred to another
inane
silly; meaningless
inanimate
lifeless; dull; dead
inarticulate
pertaining to speech that is not clear or understandable
incandescent
very bright; shining
incapacitated
disabled; unable to function
incarcerate
to imprison
incarnadine
blood-red; flesh-colored
incarnate
in human form
incendiary
causing fire; stirring up trouble
incense
to inflame; to enrage
incentive
something that incites to action
inception
beginning; start
incessant
continuous; without pause
inchoate
at an early stage; just beginning
incipient
beginning to exist or appear
incisive
sharp; keen
incite
to urge to action; to stir up
inclement
(usually refers to weather) harsh; unfavorable; severe
incognito
disguised
incoherent
rambling; not logically connected
incongruous
unsuited; inappropriate
inconsequential
unimportant
incontrovertible
certain; undeniable
incorrigible
bad beyond correction or reform
incredulous
skeptical; disbelieving
increment
an increase; a gain
incriminate
to charge with a crime; to connect or relate to a wrongdoing
incubus
nightmare
inculcate
(in or upon) to teach earnestly; to influence someone to accept an idea
incumbent
(two meanings) resting or lying down (adjective); one who holds a political office (noun)
incur
to bring upon oneself; to run into some undesirable consequence
incursion
a raid; an invasion
indefatigable
incapable of being tired out
indelible
incapable of being erased
indemnify
to insure; to repay
indicative
signifying; implying
indict
to charge with a crime; to accuse of a wrong-doing
indigenous
native to a particular area; inborn
indigent
extremely poor
indignant
angry as a result of unjust treatment
indisputable
unquestionable; without doubt
indissoluble
permanent
indoctrinate
to teach someone principles or beliefs
indolent
lazy
indomitable
unconquerable; unyielding
indubitable
unquestionable; certain
induce
to cause; to bring about
indulgence
gentle treatment; tolerance
inebriated
drunk
ineffable
not able to be described; unspeakable
ineluctable
inevitable; inescapable
inept
unfit; bungling; inefficient
inert
without power to move; inactive
inevitable
unavoidable; sure to happen
inexorable
unyielding
infallible
certain; without mistakes
infamous
having an extremely bad reputation; detestable
infantile
childish; immature
infectious
passing on a disease with germs; likely to spread; contagious
infer
to conclude; to derive by reasoning
infernal
hellish; fiendish; diabolical
infidel
unbeliever
infinitesimal
exceedingly small; minute (pronounced my-newt)
infirmity
weakness; feebleness
inflated
puffed up; swollen
influx
a flowing in
infraction
the breaking of a law or rule
infringe
(on or upon) to break a law; to violate; to trespass
ingenious
clever
ingenuous
simple; innocent; naive
ingrate
ungrateful person
ingratiate
(oneself ) to work one.s way into another.s favor
inherent
inborn
inhibition
restraint; reserve
inimical
harmful; unfriendly
inimitable
not able to be imitated or equaled
iniquity
wickedness
initiate
to begin
injunction
a command; an order
inkling
a hint
innate
inborn; existing from birth
innocuous
harmless
innovate
to introduce a new idea
innuendo
indirect remark; hint
inordinate
unusual; excessive
insatiable
unable to be satisfied
inscrutable
mysterious; difficult to understand
insidious
treacherous
insightful
having a penetrating understanding of things; mentally alert and sharp
insinuate
to hint; to suggest
insipid
tasteless; dull
insolent
boldly disrespectful
insolvent
bankrupt; unable to pay creditors
insomnia
sleeplessness
insouciant
carefree; happy-go-lucky
instigate
to provoke; to stir up
insubordinate
disobedient
insular
pertaining to an island; detached; isolated
insuperable
unconquerable
insurgence
rebellion; action against authority
insurrection
uprising; rebellion
intact
entire; left whole; sound
integral
essential; whole
integrate
unify; to bring together into a whole
integrity
honesty; sincerity
intellectual
intelligent; having mental capacity to a high degree
intelligentsia
highly educated, cultured people
inter
to bury
interdict
to prohibit; to ban
interim
meantime; period of time between
interlocutor
one who takes part in a conversion
interloper
an intruder
interlude
a period of time between two events
interminable
endless
intermittent
starting and stopping; periodic
interpolate
to insert between; to estimate
interpose
to place between
interregnum
pause; interval; any period during which a nation is without a permanent ruler
interrogate
to question
interstellar
between or among stars
intervene
to come between
intimate
(two meanings) private or personal (adjective); to imply (verb)
intimidate
make afraid; threaten
intolerant
bigoted; narrow-minded
intractable
hard to manage
intransigent
stubborn; refusing to give in
intrepid
fearless; courageous
intricate
complex; hard to understand
intrinsic
essential; pertaining to a necessary part of something
introspective
looking into oneself
introvert
a person who is concerned with his own thoughts or feelings
intuitive
insightful; knowing by a hidden sense
inundate
to fill to overflowing; to flood
inured
(to) accustomed to
invalidate
deprive of legal value; to make null and void
invariably
constantly; uniformly; without changing
invective
strong verbal abuse
inveigh
(against) to make bitter verbal attack
inveigle
trick; lure; deceive
invert
to turn inside out or upside down
inveterate
firmly established; deep-rooted
invidious
causing resentment; offensive
invigorate
to fill with energy
invincible
not able to be defeated; unconquerable
invoke
to call upon
invulnerable
not able to be hurt; immune to attack
iota
a small quantity
irascible
easily angered
ire
anger; wrath
iridescent
displaying a wide range of colors like those of the rainbow
irksome
annoying; bothersome
ironic
contrary to what was expected
irrational
senseless; unreasonable
irreconcilable
unable to agree
irredeemable
hopeless; unable to be brought back
irremediable
unable to be corrected or cured
irreparable
beyond repair
irrepressible
unable to be controlled or restrained
irresolute
indecisive; doubtful; undecided
irreverent
disrespectful
irrevocable
final; unchangeable
itinerant
traveling from place to place
