Level 4A Flashcards by Brant Osborn

PROVIDENT

(PRAHV-i-dent)

Adjective: If you are provident, then you carefully plan for the future, especially by saving money.

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IMPUTE

(im-PYOOT)

2 Definitions

Verb: To impute is to assign blame to someone or something.

Imputing can also mean to assign a certain quality (usually negative) to a person or thing.

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ASTUTE

(uh-ST(Y)OOT)

Adjective: Being astute means that you are very intelligent and quick at seeing what to do in a particular situation, especially when it comes to gaining an advantage.

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NEOPHYTE

(NEE-uh-fyt, like knee a fight)

2 Definitions

Noun: If you are a neophyte, then you have just started learning or doing something.

A neophyte can also be a person who is new to a religion.

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ENIGMA

(i-NIG-muh)

Noun: An enigma is a person, thing, or situation that is mysterious and difficult to understand.

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CREDENCE

(KREE-dints)

2 Definitions

Noun: If you give credence to something (an idea, theory, rumor, etc.), you believe that it is true or real.

To lend credence to something means adding credibility to it.

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VENERATE

(VEN-uh-rayt)

Verb: When you venerate someone or something (a symbolic artifact, a sacred relic, a burial ground for fallen soldiers, etc.), you are sincerely expressing a great deal of respect, especially when the person or thing is considered to be holy or very important.

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GARRULOUS

(GAR-uh-lus)

Adjective: If you are garrulous, then you are very talkative, especially about topics that don’t matter and in a way that people might find annoying.

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TRENCHANT

(TREN-chint)

Adjective: When something (an analysis, a critical remark, a writer’s style, a person’s humor, etc.) is trenchant, it is very strong, clear, and effective.

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AUTONOMOUS

(aw-TAHN-uh-mus)

2 Definitions

Adjective: If you are autonomous, then you have the ability to act and make decisions without being controlled by anyone else.

Also, autonomous describes any country, region, or organization that is free to govern itself.

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PANACEA

(PAN-uh-SEE-uh)

Noun: A panacea is something (a new medicine, a brilliant idea, a scientific discovery, etc.) that will solve all the problems of a particular situation.

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EPHEMERAL

(i-FEM-uh-rul)

Adjective: If something is ephemeral, then it lasts for only a very short time.

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ONEROUS

(AHN-ur-us, like honor us)

Adjective: If something (a chore, a duty, a job, etc.) is onerous, then it is difficult and unpleasant to do or deal with.

Example: Working the customer service desk at a retail store during the Christmas season is an onerous task due to the high volume of rude customers that one is forced to serve.

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LAITY

(LAY-i-tee)

2 Definitions

Noun: If people are part of the laity, then they are the members of a church who do not belong to the clergy (priests, ministers, etc.).

Also, laity refers to people who do not belong to a given profession (medicine, law, education, etc.).

Example: A. The laity were expected to contribute funds to the church so that services could be held every Sunday.

B. The expert opinions of professionals are usually more highly regarded than the suppositions of the laity.

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PUNGENT

(PUN-jint)

2 Definitions

Adjective: If something (a spicy sauce, a strong incense, a moldy house, etc.) is pungent, then it has a strong, sharp taste or smell.

Also, pungent describes something (dialogue, satire, sarcasm, etc.) that has a strong and often painful effect on the mind or emotions because of being clever and direct and sometimes bitter or harsh.

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PROSAIC

(proh-ZAY-ik)

Adjective: If something (a writer’s style, a movie, a performance, etc.) is prosaic, then it is dull or ordinary and lacking in creativity.

Example: Most student writing is prosaic, which makes reading a stack of student essays an onerous task for even the most dedicated teacher.

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CHARLATAN

(SHAHR-luh-tin)

Noun: If a person is a charlatan, then he or she tries to deceive people by falsely claiming to have certain knowledge or skills.

Example: The Wizard of Oz is a prime Example of a charlatan because he didn’t really possess magical abilities.

PERFUNCTORY

(pur-FUHNGK-tur-ee)

Adjective: If a person’s action or performance (working on homework, doing a job, performing a gesture, etc.) is described as perfunctory, then it is being done without energy or enthusiasm because it is a habit or because the person is being forced to do something that he or she does not find enjoyable.

Example: The cashier’s perfunctory job performance led to many customer complaints and to a poor evaluation.

MORASS

(muh-RAS, rhymes with alas)

2 Definitions (literal and figurative)

Noun: Literally, a morass is an area of soft, wet ground, such as a swamp or marsh.

Figuratively, a morass is a complicated and unpleasant situation that is difficult to escape.

Example: A. After spending days lost in the morass of Dead Man’s Swamp, the men all believed that their feet would never be dry again.

B. The legal morass of divorce can sometimes take years to resolve and often leads to bitterness.

SOPHISTRY

(SAHF-i-stree)

Noun: Sophistry is the use of reasoning or arguments that sound correct but are actually false.

Example: Voters today want candidates who address the issues, not ones who engage in mudslinging and sophistry.