MasterList 2011 Random Flashcards
cynicism (adj. form: cynical)
(n) an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness
precursor
(n) one that precedes and indicates or announces another
fortuitous
(adj.) happening by accident or chance
prevaricate
(v) to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
bent
(n) leaning, inclination, proclivity, tendency [He had a naturally artistic bent]
mince
(v) pronounce or speak affectedly, euphemize, speak too carefully-[Don’t mince words.[ Also, to take tiny steps, tiptoe
laud (adj. form; laudatory)
(v) to praise highly
wag
(n) wit, joke [Groucho Max was a well-known wag]
nonplussed
(adj.) baffled, bewildered, at a loss for what to do or think
quotidian
(adj.) occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
table
(v) to remove (as a parliamentary motion) from consideration-[They tabled the motion and will consider it again later]
grouse
(v) to complain or grumble
hedonism
(n) devotion to pleasurable pursuits, esp. to the pleasure of the senses (a hedonist is someone who pursue pleasure)
recondite
(adj.) hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
maverick
(n) an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
equivocate (adj. form: equivocal)
(v) to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
consequential
(adj.) pompous, self-important (primary definitions are: logically following; important)
reverent (n. form: reverence)
(adj.) marked by, feeling or expressing a feeling of profound awe and respect
diffident
(adj.) reserved, shy, unassuming; lacking in self-confidence-[Surprisingly, the CEO of the corporation had been a diffident youth]
ubiquitous
(adj.) existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; wide-spread
pervade (adj. form: pervasive)
(v) to permeate throughout
timorous
(adj.) timid, fearful, diffident
odious
(adj.) evoking intense aversion or dislike
asseverate
(v) to aver, allege, assert
mollify
(v) to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
hubris
(n) overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
voracious
(adj.) having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
emollient
(adj./n.) soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smooths the skin
satire (adj. form: satirical)
(n) a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision
contiguous
(adj.) sharing a border; touching; adjacent
plastic
(adj.) moldable, pliable, not rigid
prattle
(v) to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
rhetoric
(n) the art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion
adulation
(n) excessive praise; intense adoration
opaque
(adj.) impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
eschew
(v) to shun or avoid-[She chose to eschew the movie theater, preferring to watch DVDs at home]
cavil
(v) to find fault without good reason
saturnine
(adj.) gloomy, dark, sullen, morose
luminous
(adj.) characterized by brightness and the emission of light
sententious
(adj.) aphoristic or moralistic; epigrammatic; tending to moralize excessively
abscond
(v) to depart clandestinely; to steal off an hide
anathema
(n) a solemn or ecclesiastical (religious) curse; accursed or thoroughly loathed person or thing
adumbrate
(v) to foreshadow vaguely or intimate; to suggest or outline sketchily; to obscure or overshadow
intrepid
(adj.) steadfast and courageous
prolific
(adj.) producing large volumes or amounts; productive
acerbic
(adj.) having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
specious
(adj.) seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive; plausible but false
morose
(adj.) sad; sullen; melancholy
die
(n) a tool used for shaping, as in a tool-and-die shop
idolatrous (n. form: idolatry)
(adj.) given to intense or excessive devotion to something
ineluctable
(adj.) certain, inevitable
immutable
(adj.) not capable of change
sparse
(adj.) thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
discretion (adj. form: discreet)
(n) cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
untenable
(adj.) indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
quixotic
(adj.) foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
axiomatic (n. form: axiom)
(adj) taken as a given; posessing self-evident truth
pungent
(adj.) characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
contumacious
(adj.) insubordinate, rebellious; contumely means insult, scorn, aspersion
rent
(v/n) torn, past or rend-[He rent his garments]; an opening tear caused by such-[a large rent in the fabric]
culpable (n. form: culpability)
(adj.) deserving blame
dirge
(n) a song of grief or lamentation-[We listened to the slow, funeral dirge]
sap
(adj.) a fool or nitwit-[Don’t be a sap]
dearth
(n) smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
brook
(v) to tolerate, endure, countenance
arduous
(adj.) strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort
burgeon
(v) to grow rapidly or flourish
tirade
(n) a long and extremely critical speech; a harsh denunciation
intransigent (n. form: intransigence)
(adj.) refusing to compromise
martial
(adj) associated with war and the armed forces
imminent
(adj.) about to happen; impending
minatory
(adj.) menacing, threatening (reminds you of the Minotaur, a threatening creature indeed)
adulterate
(v) to reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
salubrious
(adj.) promoting health or well-being
disparate
(adj.) fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
pedagogy
(n) the profession or principles of teaching, or instructing
debacle
(n) rout, fiasco, complete failure-[My first attempt at a souffle was a total debacle]
nadir
(n) low point, perigee
impunity
(n) immunity from punishment or penalty
gregarious
(adj.) sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
propensity
(n) a natural inclination or tendency; penchant
subpoena
(n) a court order requiting appearance and/or testimony
aggrandize
(v) to increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige
ostentatious
(adj.) characterized by or given to pretentious play; showy
extirpate
(v) to destroy, exterminate, cut out, exscind
magnanimity (adj. form: magnanimous)
(n) the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart esp. in forgiving
fell
(adj.) inhumanely cruel-[Fell beats surrounded the explorer]
synthesis (v. form: synthesize)
(n) the combination of parts to make a whole
perennial
(adj.) recurrent throughout the years or many years; happening repeatedly
impecunious
(adj.) lacking funds; without money
tortuous
(adj.) winding, twisting; excessively complicated
sporadic
(adj.) occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances
divulge
(v) to disclose something secret
prolix
(adj.) long-winded, verbose; prolixity means verbosity-[Mikhail Gorbachev is famous for his prolixity]
avarice (adj. form: avaricious)
(n) greed, esp. for wealth
fallacy (adj. form: fallacious)
(n) an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief
puissance
(n) power, strength; puissant means powerful, strong-[The senator delivered a puissant speech to the convention]
malevolent (n. form: malevolence)
(adj.) having or showing often vicious ill will, spite, or hatred
list
(v) to tilt or lean on one side-[The ship’s broken mass listed helplessly in the wind]
dogmatic (n. form: dogma)
(adj.) expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or unprovable principles
rancorous (n. form: rancor)
(adj.) characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
fulminate
(v) to loudly attack or denounce
infelicitous
(adj.) unfortunate; inappropriate
parody
(n) a humorous imitation intended for ridicule of comic effect, esp. in literature and art
veracity
(n) truthfulness, honesty
asperity
(n) severity, rigor; roughness, harshness; acrimony, irritability
palliate
(v) to make something seem less serious, to gloss over, to make less severe or intense
plangent
(adj.) pounding, thundering, resounding
steep
(v) to saturate or completely soak, as a in to let a tea bag steep-[She was steeped in esoteric knowledge]
exact
(v) to demand, call for, require, take [Even a various war exacts a heavy price]
accolade
(n) an expression of praise
chicanery
(n) trickery or subterfuge
voluble
(adj.) fluent, verbal, having easy to use of spoken language
meet
(adj.) fitting, proper-[It is altogether meet that Jackie Robinson is in the baseball hall of fame.]
calumniate
(v) to slander, make a false accusation; calumny means slander, aspersion
sagacious
(adj.) having sound judgement; perceptive, wise, like a sage
halcyon
(adj.) calm and peaceful
proclivity
(n) a natural predisposition or inclination
complaisance (adj. form: complaisant)
(n) the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
superfluous
(adj.) exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
cacophony (adj. form: cacophonous)
(n) harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
preen
(v) to dress; to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
indifferent
(adj.) having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
opprobrium
(n) disgrace; contempt; scorn
pluck
(n) courage, spunk, fortitude-[Churchill’s speeches inspired a pluck of his countrymen during the war.]
innocuous
(adj.) harmless; causing no damage
encomium
(n) glowing and enthusiastic praise; panegyric, tribute, eulogy
ameliorate
(v) to make better or make more tolerable
vigilant (n. form: vigilant)
(adj.) alertly watchful
expiate
(v) to atone or make amends for-[Pia Zadora has expiated her movie career by good works and charity]
platitude
(n) a superficial remark, esp. one offered as meaningful
quiescence (adj. form: quiescent)
(n) stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at rest
furtive
(adj.) marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
penury
(n) poverty; destitution
amalgamate (n. form: amalgamation)
(v) to combine several elements into a whole
nebulous
(adj.) vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
apogee
(n) farthest or highest point; culmination; zenith
exacerbate
(v) to make worse or more severe
squalid (n. form: squalor)
(adj.) sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
guy
(n/v) a rope, cord, or cable attached to something as a brace or guide; to steady or reinforce using a guy: Think guide
impassive
(adj.) revealing no emotion
facetious
(adj.) playful; humorous
mitigate
(v) to make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
flip
(adj.) sarcastic, impertinent, as in flippant-[a flip remark]
obstinate
(adj.) stubborn; hardheaded; uncompromising
stand
(n) a group of trees
catalyst
(n) a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that cause change
peruse (n. form; perusal)
(v) to examine with great care
esoteric
(adj.) intended for or understood by a small, specific group
soporific
(adj.) causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep (like Turkey!)
exculpate
(v) exonerate; to clear of blame
profuse
(adj.) given or coming forth abundantly; extravagant
solicitous
(adj.) concerned and attentive; eager
disabuse
(v) to undeceive; to set right
meticulous
(adj.) characterized by extreme care and precision; attentive to detail
fell
(v) to cause to fall by striking-[The lumberjacks arrived and felled many trees]
celerity
(n) speed, alacrity-[think accelerate]
cardinal
(adj.) major, as in cardinal sin
censure
(v) to criticize severely; to officially rebuke
connoisseur
(n) an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
subtle
(adj.) not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
diaphanous
(adj.) transparent, gauzy
abate
(v) to lessen in intensity or degree
vitiate
(v) to corrupt, debase, spoil, make ineffective
mundane
(adj.) of the world; typical pf or concerned with the ordinary
truculent
(adj.) fierce and cruel; eager to fight
irascible
(adj.) easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts
misanthrope (adj. form: misanthropic)
(n) one who hates all other humans
perfunctory
(adj.) cursory; done without care or interest
caustic
(adj) burning or stinging; causing corrosion
ennui
(n) dissatisfaction from restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
sanguine
(adj.) cheerful, confident, optimistic
chauvinist
(n) a blindly devoted patriot
recant
(v) to retract, esp. a previously held belief
bellicose
(adj.) belligerent, pugnacious, warlike
heretical (n. form: heresy)
(adj.) violating accepted dogma or convention
supplant
(v) to take the place of; supersede
pusillanimous
(adj.) cowardly, craven
rail
(v) to complain about bitterly-[Early American progressives railed against the railroad barons.]
credulous (n. form: credulity)
(adj.) tending to believe too readily; gullible
loquacious (n. form: loquacity)
(adj.) extremely talkative (like Michelle!)
prosaic
(adj.) dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
milk
(v) to exploit, to squeeze every ounce of-[I milked the position for all it was worth]
obviate
(v) to anticipate and make unnecessary
extemporaneous
(adj.) improvised; done without preparation
stymie
(v) to block; thwart
empirical
(adj.) based on observation or experiment
dilettante
(n) one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
intractable
(adj.) not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
fawn
(v) to flatter or praise excessively
tenuous
(adj.) having little substance or strength; flimsy; weak
prize
(v) to pry, to press or force with a lever; something taken by force, spoils-[The information was prized from him.]
pine
(v) to lose vigor (as through grief); to yearn
convention
(n) a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
alchemy
(n) a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into gold (an alchemist is one who practices alchemy)
tout
(v) to publicly praise or promote
queries
(n) questions; inquiries; doubts in the mind; reservations
exigent
(adj.) urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
bucolic
(adj.) rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural ares and their inhabitants
capricious
(adj.) inclined to change one’s mind impulsively; erratic; unpredictable
urbane (n. form: urbanity)
(adj.) sophisticated, refined, elegant
refulgent
(adj.) radiant; shiny; brilliant
anodyne
(adj./n) soothing, something that assuages or allays pain or comfort
enigmatic (n. form: enigma)
(adj.) mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
grandiloquence (adj. form: grandiloquent)
(n) pompous speech or expression
malleable
(adj.) capable of being shaped or formed; tractable; pliable
assuage
(v) to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
flag
(v) to sag or droop, to become spiritless, to decline: Think of a flag on a windless day, as in her flagging spirits
tender
(v) to proffer or offer-[He tended his resignation]
unfeigned
(adj.) genuine; not false or hypocritical
august
(adj.) majestic, venerable
imbroglio
(n) difficult or embarrassing situation
jejune
(adj.) vapid, uninteresting, nugatory; childish, immature, puerile
peroration
(n) the concluding part of a speech; flowery, rhetorical speech
pristine
(adj.) pure; uncorrupted; clean
essay
(v) to test or try; attempt, experiment-[The newly born fawn essayed a few wobbly steps]
spurious
(adj.) lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
prodigal
(adj.) recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
pied
(adj.) multicolored, usually in blotches-[The Pied Piper of Hamlin was co called because of his multicolored coat.]
augury
(n) omen, portent
mercurial
(adj.) characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
repudiate
(v) to refuse to have anything to do with; disown
fatuous
(adj.) silly, inanely foolish-[I would ignore such a fatuous comment]
discordant
(adj) conflicting; dissonant or harsh sounding
denouement
(n) an outcome or solution, the unraveling of a plot
stoic (n. form: stoicism)
(adj.) indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
viscous (n. form; viscosity)
(adj.) thick; sticky
ephemeral
(adj.) brief;fleeting
alloy
(v) to commingle; to debase by mixing with something inferior-unalloyed means pure
sap
(v) to enervate or weaken the vitality of-[The race sapped my strength]
desultory
(adj.) random; aimless; marked by a lack of plan or purpose-[Her desultory performance impressed no one]
quaff
(v) to drink deeply
enervate
(v) to weaken; to reduce in vitality
sedulous
(adj.) diligent; persistent; hardworking (like nerds!)
bolster
(v) to provide support or reinforcement
tenacity adj. form: tenacious)
(n) the quality of adherence to something valued; persistent determination
obstreperous
(adj.) noisily and stubbornly defiant, aggressively boisterous
terse
(adj.) brief and concise in wording
pious (n. form. piety)
(adj.) extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion
inveigle
(v) to obtain by deception or flattery
intimate
(v) to imply, suggest or insinuate-[Are you intimating that I cannot be trusted?]
pervasive
(adj.) having the tendency to permeate or spread throughout
phlegmatic
(adj.) calm; sluggish; unemotional
bombastic (n. form: bombast)
(adj.) pompous; grandiloquent
rarefy
(v) to make or become thing, less dense; to refine
inured
(adj.) accustomed to accepting something undesirable
vituperate
(v) to use harsh, condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; berate
germane
(adj.) relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
apostate
(n) one who abandons long-held religious or political convictions
arrest, arresting
(v./adj.) to suspend; to engage; holding one’s attention: as in arrested adolescence, an arresting portrait
ford
(v) to wade across the shallow part of a river or stream
scurvy
(adj.) contemptible, despicable-[He was a scurvy old reprobate.]
vexation (v. form: vex)
(n) annoyance; irritation
zealous
(adj.) fervent; ardent; impassioned; devoted to a cause (a zealot is a zealous person)
chimera
(n) an illusion; originally an imaginary fire-breathing she-monster
derision (adj. form: derisive; v. form: deride)
(n) scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
castigation (v. form: castigate)
(n) severe criticism or punishment
pedantic
(adj,) overly concerned with the trivial details of learning or education; show-offish about one’s knowledge
erudite (n. form: erudition)
(adj.) very learned; scholarly
ossified
(adj.) tending to become more rigid, conventional, sterile and reactionary with age; literally, turned into bone
plethora
(n) an overabundance; a surplus
strut
(n) the supporting structural cross-part of a wing
puerile
(adj.) childish, immature, jejune, nugatory
tacit
(adj.) implied; not explicitly stated
mendacity (adj. form: mendacious)
(n) the condition of being untruthful; dishonesty
occult
(adj.) hidden, concealed, beyond comprehension
refute
(v) to disprove; to successfully urge against
profligate (n. form: profligacy)
(adj.) excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
precipitate
(adj.) acting with excessive haste or impulse
shard
(n) a piece of broken pottery or glass
panegyric
(n) formal praise, eulogy, encomium; panegyrical means expressing elaborate praise
nascent
(adj.) coming into being; in early developmental stages
virulent
(adj.) extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
fervent (n. form: fervor)
(adj.) greatly emotional or zealous
prescience (adj. form: prescient)
(n) foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring
stygian
(adj.) gloomy, dark
stentorian
(adj.) extremely loud and powerful
lumber
(v) to move heavily and clumsily-[Lumbering giants on land, walruses are actually graceful swimmers]
surfeit
(n/v) an overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply to excess
pellucid
(adj.) transparent, easy to understand, limpid
elegy (adj. form: elegiac)
(n) a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
didactic
(adj.) intended to teach or instruct
aberrant, (n. form: aberration)
(adj) deviation from the norm
perspicacious (n. form: perspicacity)
(adj.) acutely perceptive; having keen discernment
convoluted
(adj.) complex or complicated
contrite (n. form: contrition)
(adj.) regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
contentious
(adj.) argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
neologism
(n) a new word, expression or usage; the creation or usage of new words or senses
acumen
(n) keen, accurate judgement or insight
solvent
(adj.) able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
endemic
(adj.) characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region, of people
obdurate
(adj.) unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
canon (adj. form: canonical)
(n) an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
anomaly, (adj. form: anomalous)
(n) deviation from the normal order, form, or rule; abnormality
anachronism
(n) something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
proliferate
(v) to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
torque
(n) a force that causes rotation
oscillation (v. form: oscillate)
(n) the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm
sycophant
(n) toady, servile, self-seeking flatterer; parasite
pirate
(v) to illegally use or produce
color
(v) to change as if by dyeing, e.e., to distort, gloss or affect (usually the first)-[Yellow journalism covered the truth]
waver
(v) to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion
execrate
(v) denounce, feel loathing for, curse, declare to be evil
obfuscate
(v) to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
perfidy (adj. form: perfidious)
(n) intentional breach of faith; treachery
canonical (n. form: canon)
(adj) forllowing or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
onerous
(adj.) troubling; burdensome
pragmatic
(adj.) practical rather than idealistic
diatribe
(n) a harsh denunciation
laconic
(adj.) using few words; terse
archaic
(adj.) outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive time
axiom (adj. form; axiomatic)
(n) a universally recognized principle
desiccate
(v) to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
propitiate
(v) to appease; to conciliate; propitious means auspicious, favorable
trenchant
(adj.) sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
broach
(v) bring up, announce, begin to talk about
reticent
(adj.) quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts or feelings
stupefy
(v) to stun, baffle, or amaze
lubricious
(adj.) lewd, wanton, greasy, slippery
assiduous
(adj.) diligent, hard-working, sedulous
remonstrate
(v) to protest, object
pedestrian
(adj.) commonplace, trite, unremarkable, quotidian
prodigious
(adj.) abundant in size, force or extent; extraordinary
aesthetic
(adj.) dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
obsequious
(adj.) exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
exegesis
(n) critical examination, explication
eloquent (n. form: eloquence)
(adj.) well-spoken, expressive, articulate
glib
(adj.) marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
audacious (n. form: audacity)
(adj.) daring and fearless; recklessly bold
aver
(v) to state as a fact; to declare or assert
pernicious
(adj.) extremely harmful; potentially causing death
squander
(v) to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
salacious
(adj.) lustful, lascivious, bawdy
ebullience (adj. form: ebullient)
(n) the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
sordid
(adj.) characterized by film, grime, or squalor; foul
plummet
(v) to plunge or drop straight down
hegemony
(n) the consistent dominance of one state or ideology over others
garrulous
(adj.) pointlessly talkative, talking too much (not like Michelle! :P)
dissemble
(v) to disguise or conceal; to mislead
inimitable
(adj.) one of a kind, peerless
vilify
(v) to defame; to characterize harshly
spendthrift
(n) one who spends money wastefully (like people who buy golden toilets! haha)
insouciant
(adj.) unconcerned, carefree, heedless
vacillate
(v) to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another; waver
relegate
(v) to forcibly assign, esp. to a lower place or position
inchoate
(adj.) in an initial stage; not fully formed
singular
(adj.) exceptional, unusual, odd-[He was singularly well-suited for the job]
hyperbole (adj. form: hyperbolic)
(n) an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech
meretricious
(adj.) cheap, gaudy, tawdry, flashy, showy; attracting by false show
pith
(n) the essential or central part
inimical
(adj.) damaging; harmful; injurious
pithy
(adj.) precise and brief
qualify
(v) to limit-[Let me qualify that statement]
heterodox
(adj.) unorthodox, heretical, iconoclast
ascetic
(n) one who practice rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
rescind
(v) to invalidate; to repeal; to retract
putrefy (adj. form: putrid)
(v) to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
parsimonious
(adj.) cheap, miserly-[A parsimonious person parses out his money with great difficult]
obtain
(adj.) to be established, accepted, or customary-[Those standards no longer obtain]
captious
(adj.) disposed to point out trivial faults, calculated to confuse or entrap in argument
variegated
(adj.) multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different colors
pine
(v) to yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
ingenuous
(adj.) artless; frank and candid; lacking in a sophistication
transient
(adj.) fleeting; passing quickly; brief
occlude
(v) to obstruct or block
precipitate
(v) to cause or happen before anticipated or required
placate
(v) to appease; to clam by making concessions
static
(adj.) not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
lucid
(adj.) clear; easily understood
desuetude
(n) disuse-[After years of of desuetude, my French skills were finally put to use]
redoubtable
(adj.) awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
flout
(v) to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention
predilection
(n) a disposition in favor of something; preference
iconoclast
(n) one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institution
sanction
(n/v) authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority to
volatile (n. form: volatility)
(adj.) readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive
filibuster
(n) intentional obstruction, esp. using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action
indefatigable
(adj.) not easily exhaustible; tireless, dogged
evanescent
(adj.) tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing
disparage
(v) to slight or belittle
mendicant
(n) a beggar, supplicant
gainsay
(v) to deny, dispute, contradict, oppose
apotheosis
(n) deification, glorification to godliness, an exalted example, a model of excellence or perfection
querulous
(adj.) prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
inert
(adj.) unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
qualms
(n) misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy
descry
(v) to discriminate or discern
astringent
(adj./n) having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue
penurious
(adj.) penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
nice
(adj.) exacting, fastidious, extremely precise: [He made a nice distinction between the two cases]
eclectic
(adj.) composed of elements drawn from various sources
eccentric
(adj.) departing from norms or conventions
chary
(adj.) wary, cautious, sparing
abjure
(v) to renounce or reject solemnly; to recant; to avoid
appropriate
(v) to take for one’s own, confiscate
austere (n. form: austerity)
(adj.) without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic
cogent
(adj.) appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
demur
(v) to question or oppose
renege
(v) to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
torpid (n. form: torpor)
(adj.) lethargic; sluggish; dormant
excoriate
(v) to censure scathingly, to upbraid
amenable
(adj.) agreeable; responsive to suggestion
insipid
(adj.) without taste or flavor; lacking in spirit; bland
succinct
(adj.) brief; concise
neophyte
(n) a recent convert; a beginner; novice
inveterate
(adj.) deep rooted, ingrained, habitual
salutary
(adj.) remedial, wholesome, causing improvement
probity
(n) adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
paean
(n) a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
effrontery
(n) extreme boldness; presumptuousness
fractious
(adj.) quarrelsome, rebellious, unruly, refractory, irritable
incipient
(adj.) beginning to come into being or to become apparent
exonerate
(v) to remove blame
alacrity
(n) eager and enthusiastic willingness (like Michelle!)
quail
(v) to lose courage, turn frightened
harangue
(v./n.) to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
tendentious
(adj.) biased; showing marked tendencies
hackneyed
(adj.) rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
approbation
(n) an expression of approval or praise
damp
(v) to diminish the intensity or check the vibration of a sound
obtuse
(adj.) lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
eulogy (v. form: eulogize)
(n) a speech honoring the dead
waffle
(v) to equivocate; to change one’s position [His detractors say that the President waffles too much; he can never make up his mind]
disinterested
(adj.) free of bias or self-interest; impartial
implacable
(adj.) not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
imperturbable
(adj.) marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness
tyro
(n) novice, greenhorn, rank amateur
decorum (adj. form: decorous)
(n) polite or appropriate conduct or behavior
presumptuous
(adj.) over stepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
impetuous
(adj.) hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
recalcitrant
(adj.) obstinately defiant of authority; difficult to manage
noxious
(adj.) harmful, injurious
