List 1 Flashcards
abscond (v.)
to depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide
aberrant (adj.)
deviating from the norm (noun: aberration)
alacrity (n.)
eager and enthusiastic willingness
anomaly (n.)
deviation from the normal order, form, or rule; abnormality (adj. anomalous)
approbation (n.)
an expression of approval or praise
arduous (adj.)
strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort
assuage (v.)
to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
audacious (adj.)
daring and fearless; recklessly bold (n. audacity)
austere (adj.)
without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic (n. austerity)
ascetic (adj.)
characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons
axiomatic (adj.)
taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth (n. axiom)
canonical (adj.)
following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards (n. canon)
capricious (adj.)
inclined to change one’s mind impulsively; erratic, unpredictable
censure (v.)
to criticize severely; to officially rebuke
chicanery (n.)
trickery or subterfuge
connoisseur (n.)
an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
convoluted (adj.)
complicated or complex
disabuse (v.)
to undeceive; to set right
discordant (adj.)
conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound
disparate (adj.)
fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
effrontery (n.)
extreme boldness; presumptuousness
eloquent (adj.)
well-spoken, expressive, articulate (n. eloquence)
enervate (v.)
to weaken; to reduce in vitality
ennui (n.)
dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
equivocate (v.)
to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent (adj. equivocal)
erudite (adj.)
very learned; scholarly (n. erudition)
exculpate (v.)
exonerate; to clear of blame
exigent (adj.)
urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
extemporaneous (adj.)
improvised; done without preparation
filibuster (n.)
intentional obstruction, esp. using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action
fulminate (v.)
to loudly attack or denounce
ingenuous (adj.)
artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication
inured (adj.)
accustomed to accepting something undesirable
laud (v.)
to praise highly (adj. laudatory)
lucid (adj.)
clear; easily understood
magnanimity (n.)
the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, esp. in forgiving (adj. magnanimous)
martial (adj.)
associated with war and the armed forces
mundane (adj.)
of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary
nascent (adj.)
coming into being; in early developmental stages
nebulous (adj.)
vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
neologism (n.)
a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses
noxious (adj.)
harmful, injurious
obtuse (adj.)
lacking sharpness or intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
obviate (v.)
to anticipate and make unnecessary
onerous (adj.)
troubling; burdensome
paean (n.)
a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
parody (n.)
a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, esp. in literature and art
perennial (adj.)
recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly
perfidy (n.)
intentional breach of faith; treachery (adj. perfidious)
perfunctory (adj.)
cursory; done without care or interest
perspicacious (adj.)
acutely perceptive; having keen discernment (n. perspicacity)
prattle (v.)
to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
precipitate (adj.)
acting with excessive haste or impulse
predilection (n.)
a disposition in favor of something; preference
prescience (n.)
foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring (adj. prescient)
prevaricate (v.)
to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
qualms (n.)
misgivings; reservation; causes for hesitancy
recant (v.)
to retract, esp. a previously held belief
refute (v.)
to disprove; to successfully argue against
relegate (v.)
to forcibly assign, esp. to a lower place or position
reticent (adj.)
quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts or feelings
solicitous (adj.)
concerned and attentive; eager
sordid (adj.)
characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul
sporadic (adj.)
occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances
squander (v.)
to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
static (adj.)
not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
stupefy (v.)
to stun, baffle, or amaze
stymie (v.)
to block, to thwart
synthesis (n.)
the combination of parts to make a whole
torque (n.)
a force that causes rotation
tortuous (adj.)
winding, twisting; excessively complicated
truculent (adj.)
fierce and cruel; eager to fight
veracity (n.)
truthfulness, honesty
virulent (adj.)
extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
voracious (adj.)
having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
waver (v.)
to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion
jettison (v.)
abandon or discard (something that is no longer wanted)
histrionic (adj.)
overly theatrical or melodramatic in character or style
virility (adj.)
the quality of having strength, energy, and a strong sex drive; manliness
iota (n.)
an extremely small amount
besotted (adj.)
strongly infatuated
unvarnished (adj.)
(of a statement or manner) plain and straightforward
nepotism
the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs
inducement
a thing that persuades or influences someone to do something
impropriety
a failure to observe standards or show due honesty or modesty; improper language, behavior, or character
tacit
understood or implied without being stated
aspersion
usually used with ‘cast’; a disparaging remark; an abusive attack on a person’s character or good name
profligate (adj.)
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources; (n.) a licentious, dissolute person
feckless (adj.)
lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible
exophthalmic (adj.)
having or characterized by protruding eyes
pellucid
translucently clear; lucid in style or meaning; easily understood
