List 8 Flashcards
Divertimento
an instrumental composition in several movements, light and diverting in character, similar to a serenade
Al Dente
cooked enough to be firm but not soft; spaghetti al dente
Cognoscenti
persons who have superior knowledge and understanding of a particular field esp. in the fine arts, literature, and world of fashion
Dilettante
a person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, esp. in a desultory or superficially way; dabbler
Fiasco
a complete and ignominious failure
Imbroglio
a misunderstanding, disagreement, etc., of a complicated or bitter nature, as between persons or nations
Vendetta
a private feud in which the members of the family of a murdered person seek to avenge the murder by killing the slayer or one of the slayer’s relatives, esp. such vengeance as once practiced in Corsica and parts of Italy
Poltergeist
a ghost or spirit supposed to manifest its presence by noises, knockings, etc.
Auslander
foreigner, alien, outlander
Probity
integrity and uprightness; honesty
Gestalt
a configuration, pattern, or organized field having specific properties that cannot be derived from the summation of its component parts; a unified whole
Doppelganger
a ghostly double or counterpart of a living person
Schuss
a fast straight downhill run in skiing; a straight steep course for skiing
Zeitgeist
the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time
Verboten
forbidden as by law; prohibited
De Facto
in fact; in reality; actually existing esp. when without lawful authority
Kaput
ruined; done for; demolished; unable to operate or continue
Schlemiel
an awkward and unlucky person for whom things never turn out right