Man's Search For Meaning Flashcards
uncanny
strange or mysterious, especially in an unsettling way
• an uncanny feeling that she was being watched.
commiseration
sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others; compassion
• the other actors offered him clumsy commiseration.
perdition
- (in Christian theology) a state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unrepentant person passes after death.
- complete and utter ruin
• she used her last banknote to buy herself a square meal before perdition.
desolate
adjective — desolate /ˈdɛs(ə)lət /
- (of a place) uninhabited and giving an impression of bleak emptiness
• a desolate Pennine moor. - feeling or showing great unhappiness or loneliness
• I suddenly felt desolate and bereft.
immense
adjective
extremely large or great, especially in scale or degree
• the cost of restoration has been immense
• a factor of immense importance.
grotesque
adjective
- comically or repulsively ugly or distorted
• a figure wearing a grotesque mask. - incongruous or inappropriate to a shocking degree
• a lifestyle of grotesque luxury.
reprieve
verb — [with obj.]
- cancel or postpone the punishment of (someone, especially someone condemned to death)
• under the new regime, prisoners under sentence of death were reprieved. - abandon or postpone plans to close or abolish (something)
• the threatened pits could be reprieved.
oblivion
noun — [ mass noun]
- the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening around one
• they drank themselves into oblivion. - the state of being forgotten, especially by the public
• his name will fade into oblivion. - destruction or extinction
• only our armed forces stood between us and oblivion.
suppurate
verb — [no obj.]
- undergo the formation of pus; fester.
emaciated
adjective
abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food
• she was so emaciated she could hardly stand.
apathy
noun — [ mass noun]
- lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern
• widespread apathy among students.
hasten
verb — [no obj., with infinitive]
- be quick to do something
• he hastened to refute the assertion. - [with adverbial of direction] — move or travel hurriedly
• we hastened back to Paris. - [with obj.] — cause (something, especially something undesirable) to happen sooner than it otherwise would
• this tragedy probably hastened his own death from heart disease.
delirious
adjective
- in an acutely disturbed state of mind characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence; affected by delirium.
• he became delirious and couldn’t recognize people. - in a state of wild excitement or ecstasy
• there was a great roar from the delirious crowd.
moribund
adjective
- (of a person) at the point of death.
• on examination she was moribund and dehydrated. - (of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigour
• the moribund commercial property market.
trivial
- of little value or importance
• huge fines were imposed for trivial offences
• trivial details. - (of a person) concerned only with petty things.
incorrigible
adjective (of a person or their behaviour)
not able to be changed or reformed
• she’s an incorrigible flirt.
irrepressible
adjective
not able to be controlled or restrained
• an irrepressible rogue
• a great shout of irrepressible laughter.
aversion
noun
- a strong dislike or disinclination
• they made plain their aversion to the use of force. - someone or something that arouses a strong dislike or disinclination.
• my dog’s pet aversion is visitors, particularly males.
desolation
noun — [ mass noun]
- a state of complete emptiness or destruction
• the stony desolation of the desert. - great unhappiness or loneliness
• in choked desolation, she watched him leave.
trifling
adjective unimportant or trivial
• a trifling sum.
transcend
verb — [with obj.]
- be or go beyond the range or limits of (a field of activity or conceptual sphere)
• this was an issue transcending party politics. - surpass (a person or achievement).
• he doubts that he will ever transcend Shakespeare.
conspicuous
adjective
- clearly visible
• he was very thin, with a conspicuous Adam’s apple. - attracting notice or attention
• he showed conspicuous bravery.
sublimate
verb
- [with obj.] — (in psychoanalytic theory) divert or modify (an instinctual impulse) into a culturally higher or socially more acceptable activity
• people who sublimate sexuality into activities which help to build up and preserve civilization. - transform (something) into a purer or idealized form
• attractive rhythms are sublimated into a much larger context.
void
Adjective
- not valid or legally binding
• the contract was void. - (of speech or action) ineffectual; useless
• all the stratagems you’ve worked out are rendered void. - completely empty
• void spaces surround the tanks. - ( void of) — free from; lacking
• what were once the masterpieces of literature are now void of meaning.
predicament
noun
- a difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation
• the club’s financial predicament.
contend
verb
- [no obj.] ( contend with/against) — struggle to surmount (a difficulty)
• she had to contend with his uncertain temper. - ( contend for) — compete with others in a struggle to achieve (something)
• factions within the government were contending for the succession to the presidency.
conceivable
adjective
capable of being imagined or grasped mentally
• a mass uprising was entirely conceivable
• in every conceivable way that action was entirely wrong • the body was photographed from every conceivable angle.
content
adjective
- in a state of peaceful happiness
• he seemed more content, less bitter. - willing to accept something; satisfied
• he had to be content with third place
transitory
adjective
not permanent
• transitory periods of medieval greatness.
panacea
noun
a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases
• the panacea for all corporate ills
consolation
noun — [ mass noun]
- the comfort received by a person after a loss or disappointment
• there was consolation in knowing that others were worse off. - [ count noun] — a person or thing providing consolation
• the Church was the main consolation in a short and hard life.
tantamount
adjective — ( tantamount to)
- equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as
• the resignations were tantamount to an admission of guilt.
abhor
verb — [with obj.]
- regard with disgust and hatred
• he abhorred sexism in every form.
cognizant
adjective ‹formal›
having knowledge or awareness
• statesmen must be cognizant of the political boundaries within which they work.
promulgate
verb — [with obj.]
- promote or make widely known (an idea or cause)
• these objectives have to be promulgated within the organization. - put (a law or decree) into effect by official proclamation
• in January 1852 the new Constitution was promulgated.
complacency
noun — [ mass noun]
- a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements
• the figures are better, but there are no grounds for complacency.
smug
adjective
having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one’s achievements
• he was feeling smug after his win.
steadfast
adjective
resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering
• steadfast loyalty.
upheaval
noun
- a violent or sudden change or disruption to something
• major upheavals in the financial markets
• [ mass noun] times of political upheaval. - an upward displacement of part of the earth’s crust.
• the first upheaval produced a hill which was called Roof Mountain.
