Magoosh Basic - VI Flashcards
finagle
verb: achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods
How can I finagle a place on the guest list for the big party?
veneer
noun: covering consisting of a thin superficial layer that hides the underlying substance
She managed to hide her corrupt dealings under a veneer of respectability.
forthright
adjective: (too) honest or direct in behavior or speech:
I did not expect the insurance agent to give us any straight answers, but I was pleasantly surprised by how forthright he was.
lethargic
adjective: lacking energy
Nothing can make a person more lethargic than a big turkey dinner.
wanton
adjective: A wanton action deliberately causes harm, damage, or waste without having any reason to.
Due to wanton behavior and crude language, the drunk man was thrown out of the bar and asked to never return.
adjective: If someone describes a woman as wanton, they disapprove of her because she clearly enjoys sex or has sex with a lot of men.
presumptuous
adjective: A person who is presumptuous shows little respect for others by doing things they have no right to do:
Many felt that Barney was presumptuous in moving into the large office before the management even made any official announcement of his promotion.
analogous
adjective: similar in some respects
In many ways, the Internet’s transformative effect on society has been analogous to that of the printing press.
behoove
verb: to be one’s duty or obligation
The teacher looked down at the student and said, “It would behoove you to be in class on time and complete your homework, so that you don’t repeat freshman English for a third straight year.”
humdrum
adjective: dull and lacking excitement
Having grown up in a humdrum suburb, Jacob relished life in New York City after moving.
prevail
verb: be widespread in a particular area at a particular time; be current:
During the labor negotiations, an air of hostility prevailed in the office.
verb: to get control or influence:
Before the cricket match, Australia was heavily favored, but India prevailed.
preempt
verb: prevent it from happening by doing something that makes it unnecessary or impossible.
A governmental warning about an imminent terrorist attack would preempt ordinary network programming on television.
insipid
adjective: dull and uninteresting
The movie director was known for hiring beautiful actors in order to deflect attention away from the insipid scripts he would typically use.
conundrum
noun: a difficult problem
Computers have helped solve some of the mathematical conundrums which have puzzled man for many centuries.
delegate
verb: to give a particular job, duty, right, etc. to someone else so that they do it for you:
Since the senior manager had to go on many international business trips, she was forced to delegate many of her responsibilities to two lower-level managers.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
belittle
verb: lessen the importance, dignity, or reputation of
A good teacher will never belittle his students, but will instead empower them.
redress
noun: an act of making something right
Barry’s redress for forgetting his wife’s birthday two years in a row was surprising her with a trip to Tahiti.
rakish
adjective: A rakish person or appearance is stylish in a confident, bold way.
As soon as he arrived in the city, the rakish young man bought some drugs and headed straight for the seedy parts of town.
buttress
verb: make stronger or defensible
China’s economy has been buttressed by a global demand for the electronic parts the country manufactures.
intermittent
adjective: stopping and starting at irregular intervals
The intermittent thunder continued and the night was punctuated by cracks of lightning—a surreal sleepless night.
melancholy
noun: sad:
Hamlet is a figure of tremendous melancholy: he doesn’t have a truly cheerful scene throughout the entire play.
begrudge
verb: to envy someone for possessing or enjoying something
Sitting all alone in his room, Harvey begrudged the happiness of the other children playing outside his window.
verb: to allow or give unwillingly:
He’s worked every weekend for the last three months, so you can’t begrudge him a little time off now..
piquant
adjective: having an agreeably pungent taste
The chef, with a mere flick of the salt shaker, turned the bland tomato soup into a piquant meal.
adjective: interesting and exciting, especially because of being mysterious:
example: More piquant details of their private life were revealed.
tribulation
noun: a problem or difficulty
As of 2013, nearly 1.5 million Syrians have fled their country hoping to escape the tribulations of a civil war tearing their country to pieces.
glean
verb: collect information bit by bit
Herb has given us no formal statement about his background, but from various hints, I have gleaned that he grew up in difficult circumstances.
irascible
adjective: quickly aroused to anger
If Arthur’s dog is not fed adequately, he becomes highly irascible, even growling at his own shadow.
emulate
verb: to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have:
To really become fluent in a new language, emulate the speech patterns of people who speak the language.
incense
verb: make furious
When Herb bought football tickets for a game on the day of their wedding anniversary, Jill was incensed.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
foolhardy
adjective: brave in a silly way, taking unnecessary risks:
The police regularly face dangerous situations, so for a police officer not to wear his bullet-proof vest is foolhardy.
profusion
noun: an extremely large amount of something:
When Maria reported that she had been visited by Jesus Christ and had proof, a profusion of reporters and journalists descended on the town.
consecrate
verb: to officially make something holy and able to be used for religious ceremonies:
At the church of Notre Dame in France, the new High Altar was consecrated in 1182.
incumbent
adjective: If it is incumbent upon you to do something, it is your duty or responsibility to do it.
Middle managers at times make important decisions, but real responsibility for the financial well-being of the corporation is ultimately incumbent on the CEO.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
noun: An incumbent is someone who holds an official post at a particular time.
the first/last/previous incumbent
ascribe
verb: attribute or credit to
History ascribes The Odyssey and The Iliad to Homer, but scholars now debate whether he was a historical figure or a fictitious name.
implicate
verb: To implicate someone means to show or claim that they were involved in something wrong or criminal.
The crime boss was implicated for a long list of crimes, ranging from murder to disturbing the peace.
cavalier
adjective: not considering other people’s feelings or safety:
That’s a rather cavalier attitude.
besmirch
verb: damage the good name and reputation of someone
The prince’s distasteful choice of words besmirched not only his own name but also the reputation of the entire royal family.
precarious
adjective: in a dangerous state because of not being safe or not being held in place firmly:
The truck was lodged in a very precarious way, with its front wheels hanging over the cliff.
adjective: A precarious situation is likely to get worse:
Many borrowers now find themselves caught in a precarious financial position.
uncanny
adjective: strange or mysterious, often in a way that is slightly frightening:
Reggie has an uncanny ability to connect with animals: feral cats will readily approach him, and sometimes even wild birds will land on his finger.
cohesive
adjective: well integrated, forming a united whole
A well-written, cohesive essay will keep on topic at all times, never losing sight of the main argument.
evenhanded
adjective: without partiality
Teachers often have trouble being evenhanded to all of their varied students.
coalesce
verb: come or grow together to form one thing or system.
Over time, the various tribes coalesced into a single common culture with one universal language.
docile
adjective: easily handled or managed; willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed
Barnyard animals are considerably more docile than the wild animals.
deride
verb: treat or speak of with contempt
The nun derided the students for trying to sneak insects and worms into the classroom.
cerebral
adjective: involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct
A cerebral analysis of most pop music finds it to be simple and childish, but that ignores the point–the music’s effect on the listener.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
clemency
noun: leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
In the final moments of the trial, during his closing speech, Phillips was nearly begging the judge for clemency.
antedate
verb: precede in time
Harry was so unknowledgeable that he was unaware the Egyptian pharaohs antedated the American Revolution.
industrious
adjective: characterized by hard work and perseverance
Pete was an industrious student, completing every assignment thoroughly and on time.
fawn
verb: to give someone a lot of attention and praise in order to get that person’s approval:
The media fawned over the handsome new CEO, praising his impeccable sense of style instead of asking more pointed questions.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study
rile
verb: to make someone angry or annoy someone
Dan is usually calm and balanced, but it takes only one intense glare from Sabrina to rile him.
avert
verb: turn away
Afraid to see the aftermath of the car crash, I averted my eyes as we drove by.
verb: ward off or prevent
The struggling video game company put all of its finances into one final, desperate project to avert bankruptcy.
eccentric
adjective: strange or unusual, sometimes in a humorous way:
Mozart was well-known for his eccentricities, often speaking words backward to confuse those around him.
