list 8 Flashcards
acumen
- noun a tapering point; shrewdness shown by keen insight
albatross
- noun large web-footed birds of the southern hemisphere having long narrow wings; noted for powerful gliding flight; (figurative) something that hinders or handicaps
beguile
- verb attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
burgeon
- verb grow and flourish
chagrin
noun strong feelings of embarrassment; verb cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
constraints
limitations or restrictions
debacle
noun a sudden and violent collapse; flooding caused by a tumultuous breakup of ice in a river during the spring or summer; a sound defeat
ductile
adj. capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out; easily influenced
effusion
noun flow under pressure; an unrestrained expression of emotion
enthrall
verb hold spellbound
fastidious
adj. giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness; having complicated nutritional requirements; especially growing only in special artificial cultures
fickle
adj. marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments; liable to sudden unpredictable change
fulsome
adj. unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech
gossamer
adj. characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy; so thin as to transmit light; noun a gauze fabric with an extremely fine texture; filaments from a web that was spun by a spider
importune
verb beg persistently and urgently
indigenous
adj. originating where it is found
inundate
verb fill or cover completely, usually with water; fill quickly beyond capacity; as with a liquid
knave
noun one of four face cards in a deck bearing a picture of a young prince; a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
malapropism
noun the unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one that sounds similar
miscegenation
noun reproduction by parents of different races (especially by white and non-white persons)
mnemonic
adj. of or relating to or involved the practice of aiding the memory; noun a device (such as a rhyme or acronym) used to aid recall
neophyte
noun a plant that is found in an area where it had not been recorded previously; a new convert being taught the principles of Christianity by a catechist; any new participant in some activity
obfuscate
verb make obscure or unclear
onus
noun an onerous or difficult concern
pariah
noun a person who is rejected (from society or home)
pilgrimage
noun a journey to a sacred place
posthumous
adj. occurring or coming into existence after a person’s death
purloin
verb make off with belongings of others
quixotic
adj. not sensible about practical matters; unrealistic
raucous
adj. unpleasantly loud and harsh; disturbing the public peace; loud and rough
remonstrate
verb argue in protest or opposition; present and urge reasons in opposition; censure severely or angrily
rescind
verb annul by recalling or rescinding
sedentary
adj. requiring sitting or little activity
sinewy
adj. (of a person) possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful; (of meat) full of sinews; especially impossible to chew; consisting of tendons or resembling a tendon
sojourn - noun a temporary stay (e.g., as a guest); verb spend a certain length of time; reside temporarily
succinct
adj. briefly giving the gist of something
sundry
adj. consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds (even to the point of incongruity)
tarry
adj. having the characteristics of pitch or tar; verb leave slowly and hesitantly; be about
tensile
adj. of or relating to tension; capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out
sojourn
noun a temporary stay (e.g., as a guest); verb spend a certain length of time; reside temporarily
traduce
verb. to speak maliciously and falsely, slander, badmouth
