Magoosh Vocab (Basic Words) Flashcards
1
Q
macabre
A
(adj) suggesting the horror of death and decay; gruesome
2
Q
insolvent
A
(adj) unable to pay one’s bills; bankrupt
3
Q
demure vs demur
A
demure: (adj) to be modest and shy
Demur: to voice objection
4
Q
peruse
A
(v) to read very carefully
5
Q
err
A
(v) to make an error
6
Q
retiring
A
(adj) to be shy, and to be inclined to retract from company
7
Q
reprobate
A
(n) a person without morals who is disapproved of
8
Q
miser
A
(n) a person who doesn’t like to spend money because they are greedy
9
Q
tender
A
(v) to offer up something formally
Ex: government tendering money
10
Q
affable
A
(adj) likeable; easy to talk to
11
Q
voracious
A
(adj) very hungry approaching an activity with gusto
12
Q
profuse
A
(adj) plentiful; pouring out in abundance
13
Q
indict
A
(v) to formally charge or accuse of wrong-doing (indicted)
14
Q
underwrite
A
(v) to support financially
15
Q
telltale
A
(adj) revealing
16
Q
screed
A
(n) an abusive rant (often tedious)
17
Q
thoroughgoing
A
(adj) very through; complete
18
Q
serendipity
A
(n) the instance in which an accidental, fortunate discovery is made
19
Q
remiss
A
(adj) to be negligent in one’s duty
20
Q
indigenous
A
(adj) originating in a certain area
21
Q
replete
A
(adj) completely stocked or furnished with something
22
Q
disparate
A
(adj) two things are fundamentally different
23
Q
cogent
A
(adj) clear and persuasive
24
Q
errant
A
(adj) to be wandering; not sticking to a circumscribed path
25
cadaverous
(adj) emaciated; gaunt
26
raft
(n) a large number of something
27
aboveboard
(adj) open and honest
28
fleece
(v) to deceive
29
start
(v) to suddenly move in a particular direction
30
imponderable
(adj) impossible to estimate or figure out
31
amok
(adverb) frenzied state
32
exhort
(v) to strongly urge on; encourage
33
chauvinist
(n) a person who believes in the superiority of their group
34
checkered
(adj) marked by disreputable or unfortunate happenings
35
corroborate
(v) to confirm or lend support to (usually and idea or claim)
36
beatific
(adj) blissfully happy
37
paucity
(n) a lack of something
Ex: a paucity of jobs
38
stem
(v) to hold back or limit the flow or growth of something
39
sanguine
(adj) cheerful, optimistic
40
sanctimonious
(adj) making a show of being pious; holier-than-thou
41
virago
(n) an ill-tempered or violent women
42
wax
(v) to gradually increase in size or intensity
43
extenuating
(adj) making less guilty or more forgivable
44
melee
(n) a wild, confusing fight or struggle
45
scintillating
(adj) describes someone who is brilliant and lively
46
obdurate
(adj) unable to be persuaded or moved emotionally; stubborn; unyielding
47
inclement
(adj) unpleasant, stormy (of weather); (adj) used of persons or behavior; showing no mercy
48
pithy
(adj) concise and full of meaning
49
plodding
(adj) slow and laborous
50
transitory
(adj) lasting a very short time
51
dearth
(n) a lack or shortage
52
renege
(v) to fail to fulfill a promise or obligation
53
raffish
(adj) marked by a carefree unconventionally or disreputableness
54
fete
(v) to celebrate a person
55
muted
(adj) softened, subdued
56
endemic
(adj) native; originating where it was found
57
disenfranchise
(v) to deprive of voting rights
58
ingenuity
(n) the power of creative imagination
59
consummate
(adj) having or revealing supreme mastery or skill
Ex: the consummate musician
(v) to make perfect and complete in every respect
60
boon
(n) a desirable state
| adj) very close and convivial (boon companion
61
convivial
(adj) describing a lively atmosphere
62
vacuous
(adj) devoid of intelligence, matter, or significance
63
facetious
(adj) cleverly amusing in tone
Ex: Facetious behavior will not be tolerated in sex ed.
64
benign
(adj) kind
| (adj) non dangerous to health
65
buck
(v) to resist
66
credence
(n) belief in something
67
rankle
(v) gnaw into; make resentful or angry
68
smattering
(n) a slight or superficial understanding of a subject; a small amount of something
69
glib
(adj) speaking with ease but without sincerity (of a person)
Ex: the more glib the salesperson, the worse the product
70
tumult
(n) a state of chaos, noise or confusion
71
martial
(adj) suggesting war or military life
72
precedent
(n) an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
73
whimsical
(adj) determined by impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
74
illicit
(adj) contrary to or forbidden by law
75
derisive
(adj) abusing vocally; expressing contempt or ridicule
76
urbane
(adj) showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience
77
genteel
(adj) marked by refinement in taste and manners
78
enmity
(n) a state of deep-seated ill-will
79
unprecedented
(adj) something novel, never been done before
80
elude
(v) to escape understanding
81
travail
(n) use of physical or mental energy; hard work; agony or anguish
82
presumption
(n) an assumption that is taken for granted
| (n) audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to
83
eke
(v) to live off meager resources, to scrape by
84
malevolent
(adj) wishing or appearing to wish evil to others; arising from intense ill will or hatred
85
foible
(n) a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
86
aphoristic
(adj) something that is concise and instructive of a general truth or principal
87
exemplify
(v) be characteristic of
| (v) clarify by giving an example of
88
devolve
(v) to pass on or delegate to another
| v) grow worse (into
89
placid
(adj) not easily irritated
90
credulity
(n) tendency to believe readily
91
brusquely
(adverb) in a blunt, direct manner
92
humdrum
(adj) dull and lacking excitment
93
prevail
(v) to be widespread in a particular area at a particular time; be current
(v) prove superior
94
wanton
(adj) without check or limitation; showing no moral restraints to one's anger, desire or appetites
95
industrious
(adj) characterized by hard work and perseverance
96
preempt
(v) take the place of or have precedence over
97
insipid
(asj) dull or uninteresting
98
rakish
(adj) marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness
99
rile
(v) cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
100
coalesce
(v) to fuse or cause to grow together
101
cavalier
(adj) given to haughty disregard of others
102
buttress
(v) make stronger or defensible
103
incumbent
(adj) necessary (for someone) as a duty or responsibility
Ex: the success is ultimately incumbent on the CEO
104
behoove
(v) to be one's duty or obligation
105
profusion
(n) the property of being extremely abundant
Ex: a profusion of reporters
106
glean
(v) to collect information bit by bit
107
ascribe
(v) to attribute or credit to
Ex: History ascribes _____ to _____
108
perquisite
(n) a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (hereditary or official right for example)
109
sordid
(adj) involving ignoble actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt; foul and run-down and repulsive
110
sordid
(adj) involving ignoble actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt; foul and run-down and repulsive
Ex: all the sordid details of the interaction
111
aphorism
(n) a short instructive saying about a general truth
112
relegate
(v) to assign to a lower position
113
decimation
(n) destroying or killing a large part of the populations
114
compound
(v) make more intense, stronger, or more marked
115
malodorous
(adj) having an unpleasant smell
116
staid
(adj) characterized by dignity and propriety
117
boorish
(adj) ill-mannered and coarse or contemptible in behavior or appearance
118
dispatch
(n) the property of being prompt and efficient
Ex: She finished her thesis with dispatch
(v) dispose of rapidly and without delay and efficiently
