Magoosh Set 4 Flashcards
expunge
erase or remove completely (something unwanted or unpleasant): I’ve kind of expunged that period from my CV.
decant
gradually pour (liquid, typically wine or a solution) from one container into another, esp. without disturbing the sediment: the wine was decanted about 40 minutes before being served.
confound
cause surprise or confusion in (someone), esp. by acting against their expectations: the inflation figure confounded economic analysts.
prevarication
speak or act in an evasive way: he seemed to prevaricate when journalists asked pointed questions.
vacillation
alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive: I had for a time vacillated between teaching and journalism.
shroud
a length of cloth or an enveloping garment in which a dead person is wrapped for burial: he was buried in a linen shroud.
patina
a green or brown film on the surface of bronze or similar metals, produced by oxidation over a long period.
conundrum
a confusing and difficult problem or question: one of the most difficult conundrums for the experts.
snub
rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully: he snubbed faculty members and students alike | he snubbed her request to wind up the debate.
simper
smile or gesture in an affectedly coquettish, coy, or ingratiating manner: she simpered, looking pleased with herself.
snide
derogatory or mocking in an indirect way: snide remarks about my mother.
• (of a person) devious and underhanded: a snide divorce lawyer.
derogate
[ with obj. ] disparage (someone or something): it is typical of Pirandello to derogate the powers of reason.
cornucopia
a symbol of plenty consisting of a goat’s horn overflowing with flowers, fruit, and corn.
glean
extract (information) from various sources: the information is gleaned from press clippings.
valor
great courage in the face of danger, esp. in battle: the medals are awarded for acts of valor.
pugnacity
eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight: the increasingly pugnacious demeanor of politicians.
truculence
eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant: his days of truculent defiance were over.
cumbersome
large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use; unwieldy: cumbersome diving suits.
ponderous
slow and clumsy because of great weight: her footsteps were heavy and ponderous.
• dull, laborious, or excessively solemn: Liz could hardly restrain herself from finishing all his ponderous sentences.
halcyon
denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful: the halcyon days of the mid-1980s, when profits were soaring.
tumult
a loud, confused noise, esp. one caused by a large mass of people: a tumult of shouting and screaming broke out.
torpor
a state of physical or mental inactivity; lethargy: they veered between apathetic torpor and hysterical fanaticism.
panacea
hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; once sought by the alchemists
elixir
noun – hypothetical substance that the alchemists believed to be capable of changing base metals into gold
exegesis
noun – an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of the Bible)
forlorn
adjective – marked by or showing hopelessness
tropes
a significant or recurrent theme; a motif: she uses the Eucharist as a pictorial trope.
bristle
verb – rise up as in fear
noun – a stiff hair
pugnacity
noun – a natural disposition to be hostile
valor
noun – the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle)
