Magoosh Basic - IV Flashcards
empathetic
adjective: having the ability to imagine how someone else feels:
Most discrimination and hatred is based on a lack of empathetic awareness of people that have the same aspirations and fears.
unruly
adjective: Unruly people are difficult to control and often do not obey rules:
Walk in to any preschool and I am sure that you will find an unruly and chaotic scene—unless it’s nap time.
egotist
noun: a conceited and self-centered person
An egotist, Natasha had few friends because of her inability to talk about anything except her dream of becoming the next American Idol.
surly
adjective: often in a bad mood, unfriendly, and not polite:
Every morning, Bhavin was a surly, unhappy person, but once he ate breakfast, he became loving, laughing, and a joy to be around.
conducive
adjective: making a situation or outcome more likely to happen
Studying in a quiet room is conducive to learning; studying in a noisy environment makes learning more difficult.
tumult
noun: a state of chaos, noise and confusion
Riots broke out just in front of our apartment building, and the tumult continued late into the night.
fickle
adjective: likely to change your opinion or your feelings suddenly and without a good reason:
She was so fickle in her politics, it was hard to pinpoint her beliefs; one week she would embrace a side, and the next week she would denounce it.
uncompromising
adjective: not making concessions
The relationship between Bart and Hilda ultimately failed because they were both so uncompromising, never wanting to change their opinions.
benign
adjective: kind
I remember my grandfather’s face was wrinkled, benign, and calm.
adjective: (medicine) not dangerous to health; not recurrent or progressive
The tumor located in your ear lobe seems to be benign and should not cause you any trouble.
sentimental
adjective: effusively or insincerely emotional, especially in art, music, and literature
I don’t like romanticism for the same reason I don’t like melodramatic acting and soap operas—overly sentimental.
grovel
verb: show submission or fear
Every time Susan comes to the office, Frank grovels as if she were about to fire him.
smattering
noun: a slight or superficial understanding of a subject; a small amount of something
I know only a smattering of German, but Helen is able to read German newspapers and converse with natives.
perennial
adjective: lasting an indefinitely long time; eternal; everlasting
Even at the old-timers games, Stan Musial would get the loudest cheer: he was a perennial favorite of the fans there.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
illicit
adjective: contrary to or forbidden by law
Though Al Capone was engaged in many illicit activities, he was finally arrested for income tax evasion, a relatively minor offense.
genial
adjective: friendly and pleasant:
Betty is a genial young woman: everyone she meets is put at ease by her elegance and grace.
glib
adjective: (of a person) speaking with ease but without sincerity
I have found that the more glib the salesman, the worse the product.
assail
verb: to attack someone violently or criticize someone strongly:
example:
- The victim had been assailed with repeated blows to the head and body.
- He was assailed with insults and abuse as he left the court.
verb: If you are assailed by something unpleasant such as fears or problems, you are greatly troubled by a large number of them.
example: She is assailed by self-doubt and emotional insecurity.
precedent
noun: an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
example:
- There are several precedents for promoting people who don’t have formal degrees.
- Some politicians fear that agreeing to the concession would set a dangerous precedent.
martial
adjective: suggesting war or military life
Americans tend to remember Abraham Lincoln as kindly and wise, not at all martial, despite the fact that he was involved in the fiercest war America has even fought.
genteel
adjective: being very polite, gentle, or graceful:
example: a genteel southern lady
derisive
adjective: A derisive noise, expression, or remark expresses contempt.
I was surprised by her derisive tone; usually, she is sweet, soft spoken, and congenial.
augment
verb: enlarge or increase; improve
Ideally, the restaurant’s augmented menu will expand its clientele and increase its profits.
lucid
adjective: (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
Though Walters writes about physics and time travel, his writing is always lucid, so readers with little scientific training can understand difficult concepts.
altruism
noun: Altruism is unselfish concern for other people’s happiness and welfare.
Albert Schweitzer spent most of his life doing missionary work as a doctor in Africa, seeking no reward, apparently motivated only by altruism.
impeccable
adjective: without fault or error
He was impeccably dressed in the latest fashion without a single crease or stain.
contemptuous
adjective: If you are contemptuous of someone or something, you do not like or respect them at all.
Always on the forefront of fashion, Vanessa looked contemptuously at anyone wearing dated clothing.
whimsical
adjective: determined by impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
Adults look to kids and envy their whimsical nature at times, wishing that they could act without reason and play without limitation.
cornucopia
noun: an abundant supply of something good
The International Food Expo was a cornucopia of culinary delights: gourmet foods from every continent were under one roof.
perpetuate
verb: cause to continue
If you do not let him do things for himself, you are merely perpetuating bad habits that will be even harder to break in the future.
assuage
verb: make something intense less severe
Her fear that the new college would be filled with unknown faces was assuaged when she recognized her childhood friend standing in line.
jargon
noun: special words and phrases that are used by particular groups of people, especially in their work:
To those with little training in medicine, the jargon of doctors can be very difficult to understand.
tawdry
adjective: looking bright and attractive but in fact cheap and of low quality:
Their ugly front garden and tacky, tawdry lights fail to reflect our village image.
elaborate
adjective: marked by complexity and richness of detail
Thomas, on returning from Morocco, replaced his dirty gray carpet with an elaborate one he’d brought back with him.
verb: explain in more detail
Most high school physics teachers find themselves elaborating the same point over and over again, since many concepts confuse students.
urbane
adjective: (especially of a man) confident, comfortable, and polite in social situations:
Because of his service as an intelligence officer and his refined tastes, W. Somerset Maugham became the inspiration for the urbane and sophisticate spy James Bond.
spurn
verb: reject with contempt
She spurned all his flattery and proposals, and so he walked off embarrassed and sad.
facetious
adjective: not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be funny or to appear clever :
Facetious behavior will not be tolerated during sex education class; it’s time for all of you to treat these matters like mature adults.
buck
verb: If you buck the trend, you obtain different results from others in the same area. If you buck the system, you get what you want by breaking or ignoring the rules.
While other newspapers are losing circulation, we are bucking the trend.
pertinent
adjective: relating directly to the subject being considered:
example: a pertinent question/remark
debase
verb: reduce the quality or value of something
The third-rate script so debased the film that not even the flawless acting could save it from being a flop.
commendable
adjective: worthy of high praise
The efforts of the firefighters running into the burning building were commendable.
banish
verb:
1) expel from a community, residence, or location;
2) to get rid of something completely:
The most difficult part of the fast was banishing thoughts of food.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
inadvertent
adjective: not intentional:
Although Prohibition was rooted in noble ideals, the inadvertent and costly consequences of making alcohol illegal in the U.S. led to its repeal.
euphoria
noun: a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation
The euphoria of winning her first gold medal in the 100 meter dash overwhelmed Shelly-Ann Fraser and she wept tears of immense joy.
rankle
verb: to make someone annoyed or angry for a long time:
His constant whistling would rankle her, sometimes causing her to leave in a huff.
irresolute
adjective: not able or willing to take decisions or actions:
He stood irresolute at the split in the trail, not sure which route would lead back to the camp.
vacuous
adjective: devoid of intelligence, matter, or significance
example: rick said he doesn’t want your dumb varcuous hands touching his tools.
hamstrung
verb: made ineffective or powerless
The FBI has made so many restrictions on the local police that they are absolutely hamstrung, unable to accomplish anything.
pristine
adjective: Unspoiled, untouched (usu. of nature)
The glacial lake was pristine and we filled our canteens to drink deeply.
adjective: Immaculately clean and unused
Drill sergeants are known for demanding pristine cabinets, uniforms, and beds, and often make new recruits clean and clean and clean until they meet the expected high standards.
detrimental
adjective: (sometimes followed by “to”) causing harm or injury
Many know that smoking is detrimental to your health, but processed sugar in large quantities is equally bad.
credence
noun: belief in something
He placed no credence in psychics, claiming that they offered no special powers beyond the ability to make people part with their money.
