Lexophilia Flashcards
1
Q
Panglossian
A
Overly optimistic
2
Q
Solipsistic
A
a theory holding that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing…also : extreme egocentrism
3
Q
Amorous
A
Showing, feeling, or relating to sexual desire. “The XX activities of a young couple nearby”
4
Q
Parsimonious
A
Frugal to the point of stinginess.
5
Q
Stentorian
A
Loud and booming
6
Q
Tantamount
A
Virtually the same as. Eg His statement was XX to an admission of guilt.
7
Q
Equanimity
A
Maintain equanimity. Calmness/composure, esp. in difficult situations “When everything was going to shit, she maintained XX”
8
Q
Rapacious
A
Grasping or greedy
9
Q
Dearth vs. Surfeit
A
Scarcity vs. Surplus
10
Q
Simpatico
A
Shared interests, alike
11
Q
Plaudits
A
Words of affirmation/approval
12
Q
Tacit
A
Understood or implied without being stated “Your silence may be taken to mean XX approval”
13
Q
a missive
A
A letter, especially a long or official one
14
Q
Surfeit
A
An excessive amount of something “A XX of food and drink”
15
Q
Philomath
A
Lover of learning
16
Q
Vicissitudes
A
a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant. (“The SLT’s XX of business outcomes”)
17
Q
Affable
A
Likeable
18
Q
Punctilious
A
Showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.
Punctilious host
“He was punctilious in providing every amenity for his guests”
19
Q
Verdant
A
Green, plant-like, lush
20
Q
Krummholtz
A
The stunted trees that mark the last gasp of forest at treeline
21
Q
Apricity
A
The warmth of the winter sun
22
Q
Solipsistic
A
A theory holding that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing…also : extreme egocentrism
23
Q
Eschatological anxiety
A
Fear the world will end
24
Q
Paroxysm
A
Fit or convulsion; a sudden attack or violent expression of a particular emotion or activity.
“a XX ofweeping”
25
Invective
Insulting, abusive, or highly critical language ("He let out a stream of XX")
26
Vituperative
Bitter and abusive
| "The criticism soon turned into a XX attack"
27
Parvenue
Recent wealth but not attitudinally adjusted
28
Interregnum
Period between two rulers
29
Discomfit
Make (someone) feel uneasy or embarassed
30
Philomath
Lover of learning
31
Lexophile
Person who likes words
32
Portmanteau
Word formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two different words, such as chortle, from chuckle and snort
33
Alfresco
Eating in the open air
34
Panglossian
Overly optimistic
35
Sanguine
Cheerfully optimistic
36
Succor
Assistance during hardship
37
Atavistic
Reversion to something ancient or ancestral
38
Temerity
Boldness
39
Malfeasance
Wrongdoing, especially by a public official
40
Inveigh
Rail against
41
Gadfly
Annoying person who provokes others into action by criticism
42
Pyrrhic victory
Costly to the point of negating or outweighing benefits; a victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat
43
Printing canards
Unfounded rumor. The newspaper was sued for printing a XX about a popular celebrity. Microsoft may say our claims are XXs.
44
Superlative
Excessively good
45
Omertà
Their omerta - A code of silence about criminal activity and refusal to give evidence to authorities
46
travails
Will's travails with a diesel engine in the Montana winter - Painful/laborious effort
47
Promulgation
To state or announce something ("The XX of our new corporate commitments")
48
Sartorial
Relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress (“poor sartorial taste”)
49
Solipsism
The view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist
50
Gossamer
Insubstantial, delicate ("The XX threads that hold us together")
51
Apoplectic
Extremely angry ("He was XX over the news")
52
Epistemic dependence
Our reliance on others' knowledge
53
Anachronism
Artifact from earlier time
54
Slaverous
Drooly, slobbery
55
Convalescence
Period of recovery
56
Acrimony
Big drama ("Their friendship ended in an acrimonious dispute")
57
Anhedonia
Inability to experience pleasure in anything
58
Catechism
a series of fixed questions, answers, or precepts used for instruction in other situations.
"the preventive health XX “more exercise, less tobacco and alcohol, and better diet”"
59
Cupidity
Avarice, greed
60
Grift
V. Engage in petty or small-scale swindling
N. Petty or small-scale swindle
"A surprising number of XX are timeless"
61
Impecunious
Impecunious traveler. Without money
62
Pyrrhic
a victory that comes at a great cost, perhaps making the ordeal to win not worth it. “A Pyrrhic victory where many lives were lost”
63
Sordid
Dark, morbid, dirty
“sordid motives”
64
Eponymous
Named after itself
65
Garrulous
Talkative
66
Fecund
Fertile/fruitful in offspring or vegetation; a fecund breed of cattle.
Or
intellectually productive or inventive; a fecund imagination
67
Supplications
Prayers - Supplications are when you are ingratiating yourself to God
68
Alacrity
Speed
69
Ineffable
Unable to be described in words
70
Frenetic
Hectic, crazy, fast
71
Alacrity
Speed, quickness
72
Alacrity
Speed, quickness
73
Veritable
Seems to resemble something (used to stress the aptness of a metaphor)
74
Apostasy
Defection, abandonment of previous loyalty
75
Inamorata
a woman with whom one is in love or has intimate relations
76
Diffidently
She approaches diffidently - shyly, modestly, shows lack of confidence
“Dis” + “fidere” (fidelity) = the absence + trust
77
Adroitly
He adroitly navigated the tight turns - deftly
78
Prurient
Taking a prurient interest - Sordid, unwholesome
79
Quotidian
Disconnected from quotidian reality - day-to-day life
80
Abase
Abase his credibility - make someone lower
81
Eructations
His exhalations and eructations - burps
82
aegis
Brought up under his aegis - shield
83
salacious
“Salacious sexual details” “salacious gossip” - promoting sexual desire or lust
84
propitious
"the timing for such a meeting seemed propitious" - giving or indicating a good chance of success; favourable
85
Ingratiating
Ingratiating manner - sucking up. Supplications are when you are ingratiating yourself to God
86
nadir
The housing market was at its nadir - lowest point
87
miasma
miasma of stale alcohol, miasma of despair - an unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor
88
preponderance
Preponderance of evidence - large amount
89
diaspora
Human diaspora across the continent- spreading around
90
prandial
Post-prandial stupor - a meal
91
parlous
The world will be in a parlous state - full of risk
92
desiccated
A desiccated artist - dried up
93
beatific
To his beatific delight - blissful happiness or great joy
94
exegesis
Trained in academic exegesis - explanation or interpretation of a text
95
bathetics
Laundry list of bathetics - sudden appearance of commonplace
96
Soporific
Soporific tones - dulling, causing sleep
97
louche
I look louche - not reputable or decent
98
perfidious
With a perfidious smile - devious, cannot be trusted
Fides: Faith, trust
99
assiduously
Assiduously avoided all armed conflict - diligently, with great detail, purposely
100
esoteric
Picking esoteric words - understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge
101
assignation
1. An appointment to meet someone in secret, typically one made by lovers.
"his assignation with an older woman" (rendezvous)
2. A point of assignation, nothing more - assigned
102
modicum
A modicum of phlegm- a modest amount
103
inamorata
My inamorata - a person's female lover
104
prurience
The nun repented for the prurience of her thoughts but couldn't get sex off of her mind - characterized by lascivious or lustful thoughts desires, etc.
105
turpitude
Acts of moral turpitude - depraved or wicked behavior or character
106
piquancy
Piquancy of his wit - a pleasantly sharp and appetizing flavour; spiciness.
107
effrontery
He had the effrontery to say I was lying - insolent or impertinent behavior
108
ignoble
Not noble - Ignoble reputation - not honorable in character or purpose
109
prevaricate
He can prevaricate no longer - lie
110
baulked
Singing of their baulked passion - thwart or hinder
111
apotheosis
The apotheosis of his career - culmination or climax, or elevation to divine status
112
aria
Teresa’s soaring arias ignite no spark in him - a long accompanied song for a solo voice
113
pert
That model's pert physique - attractively lively or cheeky
114
precocious
A precocious child - having developed certain abilities or inclinations at an earlier age than is usual or expected
115
imperious
His imperious demands - arrogant and domineering
116
purloined
Purloined songs will not be good enough - stolen
117
derisively
Laughed derisively at him - in a manner expressing contempt or ridicule
118
pejoratively
Pejoratively known as witch doctors - expressing contempt or disapproval
119
pugilistic
His pugilistic rage - inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile
120
ribald
Our ribald companions - course, rude
121
scupper
Threatening to scupper our plans - prevent from working or succeeding; thwart.
122
furtive
A furtive glance - secretive, stealthy, surreptitious
123
recondite
A recondite joke - of something little known or obscure
124
recalcitrant
Recalcitrant local boys - obstinately defiant of authority or restraint
125
zenith
(astronomy) the point in the sky vertically above a given position or observer; the point in the celestial sphere opposite the nadir
126
pugnacious
Quarrelsome. Prone to fighting. Pugnacious lovers (similar: Pugilistic)
127
intrepid
characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance
128
Who is Theseus?
Ship of Theseus - replaced every part, is it still the same ship?
129
Replaced every part, is it still the same ship?
Ship of Theseus
130
allopathic
Conventional medical treatment using drugs.
"Allopathic medicine focuses on pharmaceutical interventions for treating illnesses."
131
incised
Cut or engraved into a surface.
"She incised intricate patterns onto wood."
132
sublimity
State of being awe-inspiring.
"She experienced the sublimity of nature."
133
staid
Characterized by seriousness or dignity.
"He maintained a staid demeanor throughout the meeting."
134
sastrugi
Wind-sculpted snow features.
"They navigated carefully around the sastrugi."
135
austral
Relating to the southern regions.
"They embarked on an austral expedition."
136
contravenes
Acts in opposition to.
"The decision contravenes company policy."
137
discursive
Digressing from subject to subject.
"His speech was often discursive and hard to follow."
138
supercilious
Displaying haughty disdain.
"She regarded him with a supercilious glance."
139
tautology
Repetition of the same idea.
"Using 'free gift' is a tautology." “5am in the morning”
140
efface
To erase or wipe out.
"She tried to efface the memories of the past."
141
prodigious
Remarkably great in extent, size, or degree.
"The storm unleashed prodigious amounts of rainfall."
142
syncretic
Combining different beliefs or practices.
"The festival is a syncretic celebration of various cultural traditions."
143
hegemony
Leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group.
"The party is barely clinging to its hegemony in these changing times."
144
prevaricate
To speak or act evasively, to the point of lying.
"He was known to prevaricate when confronted with difficult questions."
145
sardonic
Mocking, cynical, sarcastic, bitter
146
inexorable
Inexorable: Impossible to stop or prevent.
"The inexorable march of time waits for no one."
147
silvaculture
The cultivation of trees or forests.
148
lugubriously
Mournfully or gloomily.
"He recounted the tragic tale lugubriously."
149
inchoate (in-koh-it)
Just begun and so not fully formed or developed.
"Their plans for the project remained inchoate."
150
titular
Holding or constituting a purely formal position or title without any real authority.
"The titular head of the organization had no actual decision-making power."
151
austerity
Austerity: Sternness or severity of manner or attitude.
"Her face showed an austerity that masked her warmth."
152
immiserated
Living in extreme poverty or deprivation.
"The immiserated families struggled to make ends meet."
153
recidivist
A person who relapses into criminal behavior.
"The judge imposed a harsher sentence on the recidivist."
154
ascetic
Characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from indulgence.
"The ascetic monk lived a life of simplicity and austerity."
155
lignin
A complex organic polymer that strengthens cell walls in plants.
"Lignin provides structural support in wood and plant tissues."
156
ebullient
Cheerful and full of energy.
"Her ebullient personality brightened the room."
157
sororal
Relating to sisters.
"Their sororal bond was unbreakable."
158
epiphytes
Plants that grow harmlessly on other plants or structures.
159
Plants that grow harmlessly on other plants or structures.
epiphytes
160
malaprop/malapropism
The unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one that sounds similar/an example of that
161
coda
a concluding event, remark, or section
162
ablutions
an act of washing oneself
163
pollarded
(of a tree) having had the top and branches cut off to encourage new growth at the top.
164
capacious
having a lot of space inside; roomy, able to hold a lot.
"After living in a van, their tiny apartment seemed capacious to hold all their gear”
165
impudence
rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties
im - lacking
pudence (prude) - modesty
166
situ
in the original place.
"mosaics and frescoes have been left in situ"
167
wraithlike
looks like a shadow or a ghost. "The people walking on the foggy beach looked wraithlike from far away."
168
numinous
indicating or suggesting the presence of a divinity
169
malevolent
having or showing a wish to do evil to others. "malevolent dictator"
170
bacchanal
a wild and drunken celebration + a priest, worshipper, or follower of Bacchus aka Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, fertility, ecstasy, and theatre
171
laconic
brevity to the point of seeming rude, indifferent, or mysterious. "an aloof and laconic stranger."
172
sedition
conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch. incitement, agitation, rabble-rousing.
173
fecund
producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth; highly fertile.
174
verisimilitude
the appearance of being true or real. "the detail gives the novel some verisimilitude"
175
desiccated
having had all moisture removed; dried out.
"the withered, desiccated landscape"
176
taciturn
reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.
"after such gatherings she would be taciturn and morose"
177
aberrant
departing from an accepted standard. "this aberrant behaviour requires an explanation"
178
lassitude
a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy.
"she was overcome by lassitude and retired to bed"
179
involute
involved or intricate.
"the Atlantic piece has grown increasingly involute"
180
profligate
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources.
"profligate consumers of energy"
181
truculent
eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant.
182
conflagration
an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land or property.
183
avocation
a hobby or minor occupation.
184
dissembling
conceal or disguise one's true feelings or beliefs.
"an honest, sincere person with no need to dissemble"
185
inscrutible
impossible to understand or interpret.
"Guy looked blankly inscrutable"
186
effusive
showing or expressing gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner.
"an effusive welcome"
187
magnanimity/magnanimously
In a way that is kind and generous, especially towards an enemy or someone you have defeated
188
abject
(of something bad) to the maximum degree.
"his letter plunged her into abject misery"
189
intransigent
unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something. Stubborn, uncompromising, inflexible.
190
baleful
threatening harm; menacing.
"a baleful glance"
191
erudite
having or showing great knowledge or learning.
192
Bacchus
a god of wine and giver of ecstasy, identified with Dionysus.
193
Plants that grow harmlessly on other plants or structures.
Epiphytes
194
impetuous
done quickly without thought or care - "my wild and impetuous youth"
195
sinecure
position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit - "Bonnie's role was a sinecure; she did not real work but had great status"
196
quixotic
impractical and unrealistic. Quixotic decisions are made on the whim without a second thought of possible consequences. "A quixotic vacation to Hawaii despite being in debt"
