Memorize words Flashcards
Scofflaw
Noun: Refers to someone who flouts / openly disregards the LAW (rebels)
e.g., Humans weren’t always such scofflaws (Scientific American issue that discussed how humans diverge from natural order)
Hint: someone who scoffs at the law
Reverberate
Verb: be REPEATED several times (often used in the context of sound); CONTINUE TO BE HEARD
Synonyms: Echo
e.g., These evolutionary shifts reverberate today
Flout
Verb: Openly disregard a rule, law, convention etc.
e.g., These companies still flout basic ethical practices
Husbandry
Noun: refers to the care, cultivation, and breeding of crops and animals
Synonym: Farming
e.g., Farming is a process that has been shaped to our will over generations of careful husbandry
Abase
Verb: To LOWER in rank, status, or esteem; degrade or humble
–> abased, abase, abasing
HELPFUL HINT: “base” = ground = lowering to the ground
e.g., He abased himself to the king
Abeyance
Noun: temporary suspension or hold
e.g., Matters were held in abeyance until further notice
Abjure
Verb: Renounce, relinquish, forgo (especially formally or under oath)
e.g., This description annoys some players who abjure alcohol during the competition
Abridge
Verb: Reduce or lessen. curtail or shorten
e.g., the introduction is abridged from the author’s afterword to the novel
Abscission
Noun: (in the context of plants or animals) the natural detachment or cutting off of parts of a plant (typically dead leaves and ripe fruit)
e.g., Leaf abscission in trees
Abscond
Verb: to leave hurriedly and secretly (typically to avoid arrest or an unlawful action)
e.g., She absconded with the remaining thousand dollars
Psychosis
N: refers to conditions that affect the mind, particularly when people lose contact with reality (people suffering from DELUSIONS or HALLUCINATIONS)
Precipitously
Precipitate/ed
Precipitously –> Adj: very QUICKLY / steeply (like rain)
Precipitate/ed –> Verb: cause something to happen very SUDDENLY / Unexpectedly = bring about or bring on
Accede
Verb: To agree or give consent
e.g., I accede to your rule
Similar to concede (concession; admit; surrender; yield; give up)
Acerbic
Adj: (Taste) Sour; (especially in manner of speaking) harsh, severe, sharp, forthright
e.g., His acerbic wit
> Similar meaning to “acidulous”
Acidulous
Adj: (Taste) sour; (especially in manner of speaking) cutting, sharp, bitter
e.g., The acidulous remark brought immediate laughter from the crowd
> Similar meaning to “acerbic”
Acme
N: The point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful; the highest point, peak
e.g., physics is the acme of scientific knowledge
Ack-me
Adulterate
Verb: To make something impure or poorer in quality by adding inferior ingredients; tainted, contaminated
e.g., the meat was ground fine and adulterated with potato flour
Similar starting to adultery (looked down upon)
Adumbrate
Verb: to give a rough outline of; to foreshadow vaguely; to reveal only partially
e.g., the walls were not more than adumbrated by the meager light
Sentient
Adj: being able to FEEL / PERCEIVE things
e.g., humans and non-human animals are sentient beings. Computers have yet to prove sentience
Ignominious
Ig-nom-in-ious
Adj: disgraceful or humiliating
e.g., Chances are your smartphone will end its days in a more ignominious manner
Ig- prefix means “not”
Aerie
N: Dwelling or fortress built on a HIGH PLACE; usually refers to a BIRD’S NEST built on a mountain or cliff
Affable
Adj: Approachable, friendly, pleasant
Affectation
N: Behavior, Speech, or writing that is ARTIFICIAL/FAKE and adopted in order to IMPRESS
> pretentiousness
> façade, APPEARANCE
e.g., All the affectation OF INTEREST she had assumed had left her kindly and tear-worn face and it now expressed only anxiety and fear
Aggrandize
V: To increase larger (power, wealth, status) or enhance reputation of (beyond what’s justified by facts)
Alacrity
N: Cheerful / speedy willingness
e.g., she accepted the invitation with alacrity
Ameliorate
V: to improve, make better or make something more bearable
Anachronism
N: refers to something that is chronologically out of place
> picture of Abraham Lincoln holding a radio
e.g., In today’s computer world, a floppy disk is an anachronism
Analgesia
N: refers to the inability to feel pain
Annul
V: to make void or null, cancel, abolish
Anodyne
N: refers to pain killers
Or
Adj: Soothing, relieving pain, inoffensive, neutral
Preponderance
N: the abundance of something (in greater number or importance)
e.g., the preponderance OF women among older people
e.g., the preponderance OF data indicates that Earth is round
Unseemly
Adj: Inappropriate and improper
e.g.., Many critics argue that private equity investors make an unseemly amount of money
Soporific
Adj: tending to induce DROWSINESS or SLEEP
e.g., soporific effect
N: a drug that induces sleep
e.g., sedative, sleeping pill
Divan
N: A long low sofa without a back or arms
Plume
N: an arrangement of feathers
OR
N: water plumes = a localized column of vapor, hot magma etc. that resembles a feather as it spreads from its point of origin
Inoculate
V: to immunize against something
Writ large
Phrase or write: Clear and obvious; something written largely or magnified
> used AFTER noun
e.g., There seemed to be a great relief writ large as the locals tried to stock up on essentials.
e.g., Bauman describes DeafSpace as this sense of agency, writ large
“Writ” is an archaic form of “written”
Allay
V: to alleviate, put to rest, diminish, calm down, discount
e.g., allay fears
Apt **
Adj1: Appropriate (NOT skillful = adept)
e.g., “an apt description of her nature”
Adj2: inclined, tendency
e.g., “she was apt to confuse the past with the present”
Coax / coaxing
Coax = Verb = to gently persuade
Coaxing = Noun = persistent gentle persuasion
Eschew
V: To deliberately abstain from or avoid using; forgo; renounce
e.g., that I wanted to eschew academic study for another kind, one less regimented and more communal, wouldn’t be much a surprise I hope
Contention
N: Main area of disagreement / dispute
N: Argument, claim, view, case
Throng
N: crowd (of people or animals)
e.g., he pushed his way through the throng
Eg. The peaceful city was far removed, too, from the streets of Paris and Berlin, where throngs of police stand at the ready in anticipation of Islamist attacks.
Well-heeled
Adj: Wealthy, affluent (well-equipped with money)
> originally came from cockfighting –> roosters were well-heeled if they have sharp claws
Stalwart
Adj: Staunch, devoted, loyal
(STALL)
e.g., He remained a stalwart supporter of the cause
Vapid
Adj: not challenging; uninteresting
Gird
V: to prepare oneself
> girding, girded
e.g., Her colleagues know to gird themselves whenever she talks.
Related somewhat to girdle (confine)
Fundamental
MANY MEANINGS (Adj)
(1) basic (fundamental understanding)
(2) central importance / essential (e.g., fundamental skills)
(3) Radical (e.g., fundamental change)
Primacy
NOUN: something that has PRIMARY or FIRST IMPORTANCE (condition of always having first place)
e.g., when deciding who to bring on a trip, the quality of being chill and fun might take PRIMACY over the number of years you’ve been friends
Circumvent
V: to evade, bypass, get around something
> “circle” –> kind of like a roundabout
Vs circumscribe (to restrict)
Agrarian
Adj: relating to FARMING / cultivation of land
e.g., agrarian economy
Nothwisthanding
Preposition: In spite of / even though –> contrast marker
Pretext
Noun: an excuse
e.g., “As Rosenblatt notes, criticism of Black writing has often served as a pretext for expounding on Black history”
Presuppose
Verb:
(1) assumes / presumes
(2) entails / involves
From without
Archaic saying for “from the outside”
Vagary / vagaries
N: Quirks of something, inexplicable characteristic of something (vague, not able to be easily explained)
Used as “vagaries of __noun_”
Chauvinism
N:
(1) Sexism / bias / prejudice
(2) Excessive patriotism
Granted
Adverb: Admittedly
OR Conjunction (“granted THAT”): even assuming that
E.g., (second definition)
Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, their presence does encourage attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts
Preclude
Verb: PREVENT
Recalcitrant
Adj: Uncooperative (attitude, usually toward authority) / disobedient
Negative connotation
Tenement
N: refers to a style of housing structure that’s not an apartment building (common in UK, NY)
Ethos
N: the GUIDING BELIEFS or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or ideology
e.g., ethos of institutional change
Solidarity
N: Unity; coming together
Thematic
Adj: relating to THEMES / IDEAS / TOPICS
READ this sentence and interpret its meaning: “Yet those who stress the achievement of a general consensus among the colonists cannot fully understand that consensus without understanding the conflicts that had to be overcome or repressed in order to reach it”
“cannot fully understand THAT CONSENSUS” refers to “general consensus”
Saying that those who stress the achievement of general consensus won’t be able to fully understand this general consensus if they aren’t able to understand the conflicts that were overcome to reach the consensus
NOT “cannot fully understand that consensus involving no understanding of conflicts….” wrong interpretation of the modifier!!
Sit in judgement
Idiom: X sits in judgement of/on/over y
> X judges Y on moral topics
Ecclesiastical
Adj: Ecclesiastical = relating to the Christian Church
Related word Ecclesiastic (N) = priest, member of clergy (people with religious duties)
Tyranny
N: cruel, oppressive RULE or USE OF POWER (in reference often to governments) in an arbitrary way (just because one has power)
Synonyms: Dictatorship
Uninspired
Adj: Lacking creativity and originality; unimaginative; unoriginal; mundane; not inspiring because of it lacking creativity
e.g., uninspired poetry
Priceless
Adj: so valuable that its worth cannot be determined
or adj: comical
Sanctity / sacralization
Sacrilege
Sanctity / sacralization = the state or quality of being holy, sacred, or saintly (good thing)
Sacrilege = desecration = profanity = violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred. (bad thing)
Congenial
Adj: pleasant (usually because of personality, qualities, or interests that are similar to one’s own)
> recall: Congeniality (friendly concern, interest, and support : the quality or state of being congenial)
Scrupulous
Adj: Immense detail; careful; thorough
e.g., scrupulous attention to detail
Posterity
N: future generations
For posterity = for future generations
Slight
N: Insult / remark
Adj: small / petite / slim
Ironic / Irony
Incongruity between the ACTUAL result and the NORMAL/EXPECTED result
e.g., ironic modesty = not expecting it to be modest based on the facts
Unerring
Adj: accurate / no mistakes
Predate vs antedate vs Precede
Same meaning = COME BEFORE
Approbation
N: Praise, approval
** Epochal
Adj: Momentous, history making, highly important or significant
Used to describe times or events that are VERY IMPORTANT because they involve new developments and great change
Impinge
Verb: have an effect or impact, especially a negative one
e.g., These latter activities have their own history, of course, which may impinge in unexpected ways on public events.
Dogma
N: Teaching, belief
Hoary
Adj: banal, vapid, plain, old, trite
e.g., there’s a hoary American notion that bigger is better
Abolitionism
N: refers to the movement that ended slavery / liberated slaves
Antithesis
N: Reverse / Inverse / Opposite
e.g., love is the antithesis of selfishness
N: Contrast
Apportion
V: to divide / to allocate
**Beset
V: plague, AFFLICT (pain), torment
e.g., “the social problems that beset the inner city”
Contravention
N: infringement / violation / breach
Discernible / discerned / discerning / Discernment
Discernible - Adj: visible, perceivable
Discern/ed - V: perceive
Discerning - Adj: possessing good judgement / eye (e.g., discerning customers)
Discernment - N: ability to judge well
Disconcerting / disconcert
Disconcerting - Adj: unsettling, unnerving, disturbing (not a good feeling)
Disconcert - verb: unsettle
Discursive
Adj: tendency to digress (in a cursive way) / wandering / diffuse
Dismal
pronounced diz-mal
Adj: depressing, dreary
e.g., dismal weather
**Noncommittal
Adj: (1) giving no clear indication of attitude or feeling; (2) lacking certainty or decisiveness
> guarded; not revealing a COMMITTED response or stance or perspective
> equivocal (uncertain)
Author’s tone - noncommittal –> no concrete opinion
Unequivocal
Adj: without a doubt; unambiguous
Tenuous
Adj: Very weak (almost not existent) / delicate / fragile
e.g., tenuous relationship
Dissemination
N: act of spreading information broadly / distribution / circulation
e.g., the dissemination of public information
v: disseminate
Dissension
Related to dissent = disagreement
Dissension N: disagreement that leads to discord
Enfranchisement
N: giving a group of people the right to vote
Epistemology
N: The theory of KNOWLEDGE (branch of philosophy concerned with knowledge; Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion.)
Fortuitous
adj: by chance (fortune); unexpected
adj: lucky
Hard-nosed
Adj: Tough and realistic / practical (vs basing decisions on emotional grounds)
Inveterate
ADJ: having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change; entrenched; ingrained; deep-rooted; habitual; chronic
e.g., an inveterate gambler
Discount
V: disregard / view as UNIMPORTANT / Pay no attention to
Intergalactic space
Space BETWEEN GALAXIES
Therefore, Universe = Galaxies + Intergalactic space
> Our galaxy is called the Milky Way and houses the solar system
> Milky Way is one of many galaxies
Intergalactic rainfall INTO galaxies helps expand them
Perfunctory
Adj; carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection; cursory; RAPIDLY
e.g., he gave a perfunctory nod
Indulgent
Adj: having or indicating a tendency to be OVERLY GENEROUS to or LENIENT with someone.
e.g., indulgent parents
vs Self-indulgent = pleasure seeking
Affront
N: an insult
e.g., he took his son’s desertion as a personal affront
NOT excuse
Chaste
Adj: remaining a virgin; non sexual (to signify someone or some act as pure)
Idyllic
Adj: Extremely happy or peaceful setting or time; perfect
Literary merits
Whether or not a literary work has VALUE (very specific definition, not all passages about novels or poems will discuss the work’s literary merits)
e.g., concluding that a novel is a “masterpiece” = yes, literary merit
e.g., concluding that a novel is associated “revolutionary ideas” = not necessarily about literary merit
Innuendo
N: Hint, suggestion
Similar to “insinuation” (N); “insinuate” (V)
Also similar to “overtone” (connotation) e.g., political overtones
Inordinately
Adv: Excessively; to an extremely LARGE degree
e.g., “the information was inordinately vetted and censored”
Vs ordinarily (usually)
Insofar
Phrase: to the EXTENT
Perceptive vs perceptual vs perceptible
Adj Perceptive - Having or showing an unusually good ability to notice and understand
Adj Perceptual - ability to notice something (aware) or come to an opinion about something (interpret) using your SENSES
Adj Perceptible - Noticeable
ALL RELATED TO “perceive”
Pedagogical
Adj: relating to TEACHING
Pedantic
Adj: over-scrupulous; precise (obsessed with minor details)
N: Pedant (someone who is overly obsessed with the minor details)
Repute
N: short form of reputation; name
OR
V: reported; said to
e.g., the CEO is reputed to earn $7m
Pictorial
Adj: with pictures / visuals
Provision
N: the SUPPLY OF (providing)
e.g., new contracts for the provision of services
N: supplies themselves (facilities, services)
e.g., low levels of social provision
N: (in law) a clause in a contract
Purposive
Adj: something having or done with PURPOSE
e.g., teaching is a purposive activity
Radical
Adj: forward thinking (relating to politics or social change); unconventional; fundamental; progressive (favors change); revolutionary; liberal
e.g., radical ideas
Adj: THOROUGH; far reaching
e.g., a radical overhaul of the existing regulatory framework
Servitude
N: slavery (subject to someone else)
Conjecture
Conjectural
N: speculation; conclusion based on INCOMPLETE info
Adj: speculative
Ways in which
Can substitute “ways” or “how”
Prominence
N: Fame, celebrity
Structural
Adj: Systemic
Suffrage
N: right to vote
Recount
N or v: to tell an account of an event or experience
e.g., one woman’s recount of a prolonged battle with cancer
Transcription
N: the process of COPYING SOMETHING (usually to produce a WRITTEN or PRINTED representation of something)
> transcribe - v
In biology: Transcription is the process of COPYING a segment of DNA into RNA.
Unavailing / no avail
Unavailing (Adj): ineffective; achieving little to nothing
Avail (N): use or benefit
Avail (V): help or benefit (e.g., availed him)
No Avail: no use or benefit
Unconscionable
Adj: unethical; unreasonably excessive
Specter
N: ghost
Different from spectate (to watch)
Strait
N: narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water
Adj: very narrow
ALSO Use the word straits when you’re talking about a TRULY DIFFICULT SITUATION
e.g., When you don’t have enough money to pay your rent, you’re in pretty bad FINANCIAL STRAITS.
> These figurative straits are inspired by geographical straits, or water passages, that are TOO NARROW TO BE SAILED THROUGH
Unremitting
Adj: Relentless; never stopping; constant
Remit (v) - Cancel / revoke (in reference to punishment)
Remit (v) - finances - send money , dispatch
Abate
V: to lessen (to become less widespread)
e.g., the storm suddenly abated
Vain
Adj1: useless, produce no results
e.g., a vain attempt to tidy up the room
Ad2j: narcissistic; think excessively high of oneself
e.g., their flattery made him vain
Bereft
Adj: LACKING of, deprived of
e.g., her room was stark and bereft of color
Adj2: lonely (because lacking of something)
e.g., his death in 1990 left her bereft
Confer on
Conferred by
V: GRANT; bestow
e.g., An honorary degree was conferred ON him by Stanford University in 2009
e.g., women who turned out at the party’s rallies…
> gathered information that enabled them to mold party-loyal families
> reminded men of moral values that transcended party loyalty
> Conferred moral standing on the party
v2: discuss, consult (confer WITH)
Stature
N1: height
N2: reputation, status, standing
e.g., an architect of international stature
Subsistence vs sustenance
Sub-sis-tence (N) - support or maintenance of oneself AT THE BARE MINIMUM
e.g., the minimum income needed for subsistence
> verb: Subsist (to stay alive especially with little food or money; to exist)
Sub-ste-nance (N) - nourishment, food // support, maintenance of someone’s life
e.g., “he kept two or three cows for the sustenance of his family”
Sustenance refers to the food and drink that a person needs to survive, while subsistence refers to the means by which a person obtains their sustenance
Acquit
V: officially declare the innocence of someone after they’ve been charged
e.g., the jury voted to acquit the movie star of all charges
Antebellum
“Before the war”
e.g., Most historians have underestimated the extent and significance of women’s
political allegiance in the antebellum period
Anterior
Adj: near the FRONT (not outside –> exterior)
Antithetical
Anti-thetical
Adj: Directly OPPOSED or contrasted; mutually incompatible, antithesis
e.g., people whose religious beliefs are antithetical to mine
Ape
V: to IMITATE
e.g., new architecture can respect the old without aping its style
Arable
Adj: (refers to land) used or suitable for growing CROPS
e.g., arable land
Ardent
Adj: PASSIONATE, enthusiastic
e.g., an ardent baseball fan
Arid
Adj: refers to a region with LITTLE OR NO rain
Barb
N: a deliberately hurtful remark / insult
(think about BARB WIRE)
e.g., E The accusation that she did not trust him was a barb that hurt more than he wanted to admit.
Blight
N: a disease / a thing that SPOILS/DAMAGES something
e.g., the vacant properties are a blight on the neighborhood
V: have a severely detrimental effect on / to ruin / to spoil / to INFECT
e.g., a peach tree blighted by leaf curl
e.g., his career has been blighted by injuries
Bucolic
Bew-colic
Adj: pleasant aspects of COUNTRYSIDE and COUNTRYLIFE
> rustic, pastoral
e.g., Dirt roads may evoke the bucolic simplicity of another century
Bust
V: burst / break / shatter
e.g., they bust the tunnel wide open
e.g., boom or bust
Censure
V: to express SEVERE DISAPPROVAL OF something or someone (usually done so in a formal statement)
e.g., the board censured the use of pollutants in the community to preserve the environment
N: expression of formal disapproval
Denouement
Day-new-mont
N: the final stage of (a film, movie, narrative)
Flotsam
N: wreckage (of debris usually washed up on shore from a ship)
Percolate
(chemistry process)
V1: to pass through a permeable FILTER (usually in reference to a liquid or gas)
V2: to BREW (in a percolator)
e.g., For instance, red dwarf stars tend to emit strong flares and stellar winds that could strip planets of their atmospheres, thwarting the environmental conditions and availability of precursors that life-creating chemistries need to percolate
** Facetious
Fa-see-tious
Adj: Inappropriately humorous (treating serious issues jokingly); not serious attitude
e.g., a facetious remark
Similar to flippant
Clandestine
Adj: secretive, concealed (often for illicit reasons), surreptitious
e.g., clandestine meetings / surreptitious affair
Commensurate
Com-men-sur-ate
Adj: proportional (in size or degree)
e.g., commensurate returns
Commercial
Adj: relating to the BUYING and SELLING of products and services
Concomitant
Concom-itant
Adj: naturally accompanying or associated
> accompanying / associated / related
e.g., she loved travel, with all its concomitant worries
Construe/ed
V: to make sense of; to assign a MEANING to
> interpret, understand, take to mean
e.g., his words could hardly be construed as an apology
Consummate
Adj; perfect, exemplary, complete; showing a high degree of skill and flair
e.g., she dressed with consummate elegance
Also a v for sexual intercourse performed after marriage
Feat
N: Achievement
Cop (as a verb)
V: catch, arrest
e.g., he was copped for speeding
Crestfallen
Adj: sad, disappointed
e.g., he came back empty-handed and crestfallen
Crest
N: TOP of a mountain or hill
V: to reach the TOP of something (hill or wave)
Opposite of TROUGH
Denude
V: to strip something of its covering, possessions or assets; to make bare
e.g., the acid air has been known to denude forests
Denigrate/ed
V: to criticize unfairly, disparage (regard something as being of LITTLE WORTH), BELITTLE, deprecate
e.g., there is a tendency to denigrate the poor
Auspice(s)
N1: kind patronage and support (under the auspices of)
N2: a prophetic sign
Diametrically
Adj: Completely, utterly
e.g., we hold diametrically opposed views
Din
N: loud, unpleasant and prolonged noise
(cacophony)
e.g., “the fans made an awful din”
V1: make (someone) learn or remember something by constant repetition.
e.g., “the doctrine that has been dinned into all our heads”
V2: make a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise.
e.g., “the sound dinning in my ears was the telephone ringing”
Dope
N: refers to a DRUG taken ILLEGALLY for recreational purposes
V2: to administer drugs in order to enhance / inhibit sporting performance
V2: smear or cover with varnish or other thick liquid.
e.g., “she doped the surface with photographic emulsion”
Ductile
Adj: pliable, supple, flexible (opposite of brittle)
> able to be deformed without losing toughness;
Egalitarian
Adj: relating to or believing in the principle that all people are EQUAL and deserve equal rights and opportunities.
e.g., From their point of view it will lead to internal rearrangements toward a more
egalitarian society in the United States.
Primordial
Adj1: Existing at the BEGINNING OF TIME
e.g., primordial oceans
Adj2: early, basic stage; PRIMITIVE; primal
e.g., the primordial needs of the masses
Unassuming
Adj: MODEST, HUMBLE, not pretentious or arrogant
e.g., “he was an unassuming and kindly man”
> people who don’t like to assume / draw conclusions openly (don’t try to appear important)
Demure
Adj: reserved, MODEST, shy (typically used of a woman)
e.g., a demure young lady
Pretentious
Adj: showy, trying to impress others by appearing to possess qualities than is actually possessed
> ostentatious (trying to impress or attract notice) // Ostentation (N) = showiness
> Conspicuous (standing out, showy)
Imposing
Adj: grand, impressive in appearance
e.g., imposing mountain peaks
Undulating
Adj: having a smooth rising and falling shape or outline
e.g., “the undulating country lanes of Northern Ireland”
V: Undulate - move with a smooth up-and-down motion
e.g., waves undulate, fish undulate
Chalk up
V1: attribute, ascribe, credit something
e.g., he chalked up his earlier optimism to the exuberance of someone who has like 3% share, that maybe will have 3.5% share
V2: achieve, attain
e.g., “Warner has chalked up an impressive 38 years at the firm”
Decry
V: publicly denounce
e.g., he was decrying the tight relationship the search king has with Appe
Gall
N1: Bold, impudent behaviour, disrespectful “guts” to do something
e.g., “the bank had the gall to demand a fee”
Impertinence
N: rudeness, lack of respect
> insolence
e.g., “they gasped at the impertinence of the suggestion”
Adj: Impertinent / impudent
Vestige
N: remnant, trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists
e.g., the last vestiges of colonialism
Tantalize / tantalizing
V: taunt someone with their desires that they cannot have
Adj: tormenting or teasing with the sight or promise of something unobtainable / won’t satisfy that desire; exciting one’s senses or desires
> honey trap, allure
e.g., “a tantalizing glimpse of the career he might have had”
e.g., “the tantalizing fragrance of fried bacon”
Incipient
Adj: initial stage of something; developing; impending; emerging
e.g., he could feel incipient anger building up
Encroachment
N: Intrusion on a person’s territory/rights
Ensconce
V: To establish or SETTLE someone in a comfortable, safe, or secret place
e.g., “Agnes ensconced herself in their bedroom”
Credence
N: acceptance of something as true
> often used as “little credence”
e.g., “psychoanalysis finds little credence among laymen”
Accord
V: GIVE or grant someone (power, status, or recognition).
e.g., “the powers accorded to the head of state”
e.g., Little credence, for example, is now ACCORDED the idea that England’s late nineteenth-century economic decline resulted from absentee business owners too distracted by the demands of elite life to manage their firms properly.
e.g., accorded a great deal of respect
V2: be harmonious or consistent with.
e.g., “his views accorded well with those of Merivale”
Forestall
V: PREVENT or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) BY taking action AHEAD of time.
e.g., “vitamins may forestall many diseases of aging”
e.g., “she started to rise, but Erica forestalled her and got the telephone”
Provocative
Adj: serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate (to cause a reaction)
Recourse
N: a way of dealing with a difficult or unpleasant situation; solution or source of help to a difficult situation
e.g., If the company won’t pay me, the only recourse left to me is to sue them.
N2: utilizing someone or something to get out of a difficult situation
e.g., a means of solving disputes without recourse to courts of law
Venerable
Adj: respectable, revered especially because of age, wisdom, or character.
e.g., the popular picture of venerable elite families overcome by debt and selling out to merchants is simply not borne out by the Stones’ findings.
Exhort
V: Strongly ENCOURAGE or urge someone to do something
e.g., “Come on, you guys”, exhorted Linda
e.g., The presidential candidate exhorts his supporters to get out and vote
Expedient
Adj: convenient and ADVANTAGEOUS although possibly improper or immoral
(NOT just speedy)
> expedient usually implies what is immediately advantageous without regard for ethics or consistent principles
> providing an easy and quick way to solve a problem or do something
e.g., politically expedient decision
N: a means or method of attaining something via convenient rather than fair or just
Extant
ex-taent
Adj: Surviving; still in existence (especially of a document)
e.g., the original manuscript is no longer extant
** Capricious
Adj: Fickle, CHANGEABLE, variable such that it is UNPREDICTABLE; SUDDEN and UNACCOUNTABLE CHANGES (of mood or behaviour); impulsive; mercurial
e.g., capricious situation
e.g., capricious boss
DIFFERENT from:
> capIious
> capACious
Appropriate (v)
V: to seize something for one’s own use, typically without the owner’s permission.
e.g., An Essex man appropriated all but a fraction of the money from his wife’s cheese sales
Fallow
Adj: UNSEEDED fields; undeveloped
e.g., farmers are now paid to let their land lie fallow
Florid
Adj1: having an ill-looking brightly red skin tone
e.g., “a stout man with a florid face”
Adj2: elaborately or EXCESSIVELY intricate or COMPLICATED (style and wording).
> elaborate
e.g., The florid wallpaper was difficult to encounter morning after morning.
Fraternal
Adj: like brothers; denoting an organization that has common interests or beliefs
Fumigate
V: disinfect or purify (an area) via the FUMES or smoke of certain chemicals.
e.g., Because ethylene dibromide, a chemical used to fumigate grain, was blamed for the high rate of nerve damage suffered by people who work in grain-processing plants.
Furnish
V: be a SOURCE of; provide.
e.g., “fish furnish an important source of protein”
Garrison
Related to troops/military/DEFENSE
N: group of troops stationed in a fortress or town to DEFEND it (military post)
V: provide (a place) with a body of troops / place oneself
e.g., “troops are garrisoned in the various territories”
e.g., Trying to garrison Afghanistan with foreign troops would be even more expensive.
Grueling
Adj: extremely tiring and demanding
e.g., a grueling schedule
Hardy
Adj: strong, robust, capable of enduring difficult circumstances
e.g., These hardy mountain folk seem to thrive on the cold.
Imbue
V: INSPIRE or permeate with (a feeling or quality).
e.g., He was imbued with a desire for social justice.
Extoll
V: Praise enthusiastically
Intransigent
Adj: unwilling to change; refusing to change; uncompromising
e.g., intransigent infections
Confound ***
V: amaze, astonish, surprise, perplex
Eg you confound me
V2: mix up elements so as to make it difficult to distinguish
Eg They implored Charles not to confound the innocent with the guilty
Eg Confounding is often referred to as a “mixing of effects”1,2 wherein the effects of the exposure under study on a given outcome are mixed in with the effects of an additional factor (or set of factors) resulting in a distortion of the true relationship
Impetus
N: momentum, motivation, impulse
NOT impediment (hindrance) –> opposite of impetus
Assiduous
Adj: showing GREAT CARE and perseverance; diligent; careful
e.g., For lower-priced restaurants, where one expects less assiduous service…
Abysmal
Adj: very BAD, deep
Centrality
N1: being in the middle of somewhere or something
N2: being ESSENTIAL or of GREATEST IMPORTANCE (importance)
e.g., the centrality of economic interests to people’s actions
Immaculate
Adj - perfectly tidy, spotless
Quandary
N: state of perplexity; dilemma
Placid
Adj: calm, not easily excited or moved, imperturbable
Indigent
In-di-gent
Adj: Poor, needy
Inundate
V: To overwhelm / overload
e.g., “we’ve been inundated with complaints from listeners”
V2: To flood / submerged
e.g., “the islands may be the first to be inundated as sea levels rise”
Islamic
Adj: related to RELIGION that Muslims practice
Jaw (v)
V: to talk especially for a long time
e.g., “he could still hear men jawing away about the vacuum cleaners”
Laudable
Adj: Praiseworthy, commendable
(AppLAUD)
Leach
NOT LEECH
V (refers to chemical process): (with reference to a soluble chemical or mineral) to REMOVE from a substance like soil by the action of percolating liquid, especially rainwater.
> Drain
e.g.,”the nutrient is quickly leached away”
Legislative
Adj: connected to the act of making and passing LAWS
Marginalize
V: treat (a person, group, or concept) as INSIGNIFICANT or peripheral.
> at the margins = at the peripheral
Martial
Adj: related to WAR or MILITARY
e.g., martial law
Missionary
Related to RELIGIOUS MISSION (to convert people to one’s own belief)
N: a person sent on a religious mission, especially one sent to PROMOTE Christianity in a foreign country
Adj: relating to or characteristic of a missionary or a religious mission
> “missionary work”
Mound
N: a large PILE (of EARTH, stones, etc. like a small hill)
Irrefutable
Adj: Impossible to refute or disprove; undeniable
Vitriol
N: cruel and bitter CRITICISM
Also a type of sulphuric acid
Noxious
Adj: HARMFUL, poisonous, or very unpleasant
> virulent (harmful or highly infective), pernicious
e.g., “they were overcome by the noxious fumes”
e.g., “the pernicious effects of air pollution”
Obtrusive
Adj: noticeable, conspicuous, obvious
Not the same as “intrusive”
Ornate
Adj: ELABORATE/complex; made in an INTRICATE shape/complicated decoration; elaborately adorned; florid
e.g., this style is a little too ornate for my taste
Outlaw
N: someone who is in exile for breaking the law
V: to ban
Outlay
N: amount of money spent on something; cost; expenditure
e.g., a modest outlay on local advertising
V: to expend money on something
e.g., they are outlaying a significant amount on monthly bills
Outlay = to lay out money = expend
Mortality rate
N: death rate (# of deaths in a particular population)
Mortality = death
e.g., child mortality
Read this sentence:
In short, the evidence implies that these insect populations, if not self-regulating, may at least be regulated by an agent more intimately connected with the insect than are predatory birds or parasites
Two potential causes based on the evidence
(1) Population is SELF-REGULATING **
(2) A more intimately connected agent with the insect than are predatory birds or parasites
Historiography
Histori-ography
N: the STUDY of HOW HISTORY WAS WRITTEN, who wrote it, and factors influencing how it was written
> study of historical WRITING
> study of methods historians used to write history
e.g., historiography on women = study of historical writing on women
vs History - study of historical events
Historiographical debate
Controversies, arguments, and debates AMONG HISTORIANS about what has happened in the past
> due to differences in SOURCES, importance placed on these sources, and how sources are interpreted
e.g., historiographical debate whether women gained or lost status in the nineteenth century as compared with the eighteenth century
> That the colonial golden age in the 18th century for women is likely a myth suggests that perhaps the decline in women’s status was not that dramatic
Pen (v)
V: to write, to compose
e.g., One historian contends that Alfred also personally PENNED his own law code, arguing that the numerous differences between the language of the law code and Alfred’s translations of Latin texts are outweighed by the even more numerous similarities
Aberration
NOUN: a deviation or an anomaly from what is normal
Emphatic
Adj: showing emphasis; firm; vehement (showing passion)
Vee-eh-ment
Impetuous
Different from impetus (N: momentum)
Impet-U-ous
Adj: impulsive, done quickly with little care
E.g. “her friend was headstrong and impetuous”
Rear
V: to bring up, raise and care for until fully grown
E.g. child-rearing
V: to raise a horse or snake upright
Prehistoric
Adj: refers to the period of time BEFORE WRITTEN RECORDS OF HISTORY
> stone age, primitive
Co-opt
V: to add members to a committee or other group by invitation of the existing members
> usually done so to manage opposition and manage stability of the group
Co-option
Errant
Adj: misbehaving, straying from standards or proper course
E.g. an errant child
Outmost
Adj: farthest away
> “most outside”
e.g., “the outmost reaches of the empire”
Outstrip
V: to move faster than someone else; to overtake someone else
> surprass, outrun, beat
e.g., “supply far outstripped demand”
Paltry
Adj: small, meager
e.g., only paltry sums are available for excavating and even less is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites once excavated
Partisan vs bipartisan
Partisan =
N - strong supporter of a party
Adj - biased or prejudiced in favor of a particular cause
Bipartisan = adj - involving the AGREEMENT or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other’s policies.
e.g., “the reforms received considerable bipartisan approval”
Poignant
Adj 1: painfully affecting the feelings (piercing); deeply affecting (touching, saddening, sad), MOVING
e.g., a poignant reminder of the passing of time
Adj 2: designed to make an impression (cutting)
e.g., poignant wit
Adj 3: Keen or pertinent in mental appeal
e.g., a poignant subject
Adj 4: a pungent smell
Evocative
Adj; reminiscent, evoking memories
Republican form of government
Also known as “Republic” = state in which political power rests with the PUBLIC and THEIR REPRESENTATIVES (as opposed to a monarchy)
> US is a Republic, formed after the American Revolution
AMERICAN HISTORY:
> American Revolution (late 18th century) => US was formed after gaining independence from Great Britain (founding year was 1776)
> American Civil war (mid 19th century –> 1861-1865) => a century after the American Revolution; civil war means a war between groups WITHIN THE SAME COUNTRY => fight between the North (the Union) and South (the Confederacy) states, leading to ABOLISHMENT OF SLAVERY
Facile
Fac-ill
Adj: Superficial, oversimplified (due to ignoring the true complexities of an issue)
e.g., Some historians have questioned the FACILE equation of Royalist ideology with Filmerian patriarchalism —-> some historians have questioned whether Royalist ideology equates Filmerian patriarchalism
e.g., “facile generalizations”
DIFFERENT FROM FACETIOUS
Conflate**
V: COMBINE two things / blending two things into a single entity
> might be done in error
e.g., “the urban crisis conflates a number of different economic and social issues”
Eg It’s important not to conflate correlation with causation.
Purportive
Different from purposive = with purpose
Adj: alleged; appearing to be true
e.g., However, there is purported evidence that this approach is ineffective
Superlative
Adj: excellent, of the highest degree or quality
> used in comparison to something else
e.g., a superlative piece of skill
e.g., Salon offers superlative diamonds and exceptional gemstones for designs of lasting beauty
Prerogative
N: a right or privilege that is exclusive to one group or class
Eg “owning an automobile was still the prerogative of the rich
Prescient
Pre-shient
Adj: prophetic, predictive, having or showing knowledge of events before they take place
Eg a prescient warning
Indignity / Indignities
N: TREATMENT or circumstances that cause one to feel shame or to LOSE one’s dignity; causing shame and humility
e.g., They were subjected to various indignities and discomforts
Vindicate vs Vindictive
Vindicate:
V1: To acquit; to absolve or clear someone from blame
> N version is vindication (action of clearing someone of blame or suspicion)
V2: to establish, to justify, to substantiate = show or prove to be right / reasonable / justified
e.g., Whether the patents were vindicated at a significantly lower rate than patents in later suits
Vindictive: vengeful, desire for revenue
e.g., “the criticism was both vindictive and personalized”
Antiquity
N: ancient times
Edifice
N1: a building especially one that is very large or imposing
N2: a complex SYSTEM or STRUCTURE of beliefs
Rig
V: to equip (a sailing boat with rigs), set up, or dress
Eg to rig out
Eg rig up a temporary shelter
Roil
V: to make someone annoyed or irritated or UPSET (like making a liquid murky by stirring up sediment)
Eg risk roiling world markets
Salient
Adj: noticeable, IMPORTANT
Eg salient facts of the case
Sanction
N: penalty for disobeying law or rule
Eg imposing trade sanctions on Russia
V: Approved
Eg only two types of drugs of this type have been sanctioned by the USFDA
Contiguous
Adj: adjacent, connected
e.g., contiguous territories
Wrest
V: forcibly PULL something FROM another person’s GRASP; SEIZE; snatch
e.g., For Braverman, the shape of a technological system is
subordinate to the manager’s desire to WREST control
of the labor process from the workers.
e.g. “Leila tried to wrest her arm from his hold”
“wrestle” for something
Unawares
Adverb: without being aware of a situation; unexpectedly
e.g., “the photographer had caught her unawares”
Circumscribe
V: restrict, keep within bounds (of a circle)
e.g., “their movements were strictly monitored and circumscribed”
Primer on women’s status relative to men (degree of inequality) throughout history
> many historians sought to investigate changes to women’s status/power throughout history
studies involved both ECONOMIC and SOCIAL status
issues with these studies –> often studying EUROPEAN WOMEN –> overly represented by literate women writers, upper-class women
Medieval women:
Renaissance (15th-16th century)
> Conflicting views on the status of women
> Optimistic view - Renaissance European women stood on a footing of perfect equality with Renaissance men
> Pessimistic view - Renaissance was a period of social and economic decline
17th century
> Forerunners of modern feminists in England sided with the Royalist faction in the English Civil Wars
18th century (during colonial age / Pre-industrial and Pre-capitalist society) - European colonialism
> Conflicting views on whether 18th century pre-capitalist society was a golden age for women
> That the colonial golden age in the 18th century for women is likely a myth suggests that perhaps the decline in women’s status was not that dramatic
18th century continued –> advent of capitalism and industrialization (post-industrial age)
> evidence of decline in the status of women (curtail of women’s participation in economic activities / narrowing of scope of work), but may have been GEOGRAPHIC and OCCUPATIONAL variation
Attribution
N: act of ascribing a work to a particular author or person
> attribute something TO someone
e.g., Many scholars, however, doubt the attribution of the Testament to Thorpe because, whereas the Examination is dated 1406, the Testament is dated 1460.
N: act of assigning the CAUSE of something TO a person or thing
> attribute some event TO a cause
e.g., “the electorate was disillusioned with his immediate attribution of the bombings to a separatist group”
Plight
N: a dangerous, difficult or UNFORTUNATE SITUATION
Eg plight of children living in poverty
DIFFERENT from blight - a disease commonly found in plants, or something unpleasant
Supplant
V: replace, supersede
> supplanted by __ = replaced by __
e.g., “another discovery could supplant the original finding”
Ore formation / genesis
Process by which various types of MINERAL DEPOSITS form WITHIN Earth’s crust
Ore = a deposit IN Earth’s crust of valuable minerals and metals
e.g., copper, gold, iron
Tenable
Adj: defensible, justifiable
e.g., Over time that view became less tenable, in part because of Cutler’s contributions
e.g., “such a simplistic approach is no longer tenable”
Incarcerate
V: to imprison
Specious
Adj: Misleading, seeming to be true but actually wrong or false (false look of truth)
e.g., “the music trade gives Golden Oldies a specious appearance of novelty”
Spurious
Adj: bogus, FAKE, not genuine or authentic
e.g., “separating authentic and spurious claims”
Stave as a verb / Stave in / Stave off
Stave in: V - to break something by piercing it inward
E.g., “the door was staved in”
e.g., the side of the boat was staved in by the collision
Stave off: V - AVERT / PREVENT or delay something bad or dangerous.
e.g., “a reassuring presence can stave off a panic attack”
Sterile
Adj: Not able to produce children or young (infertile)
e.g., “the disease had made him sterile”
Adj2: sterilized; free from bacteria
e.g., “a sterile needle and syringes”
Substantive
Adj: Genuine, actual, real
e.g., “there is no substantive evidence for the efficacy of these drugs”
Vs substantial (considerable amount)
Supine
Adj1: lying face toward the ceiling / back on the ground
Adj2: weak, spineless; Failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence.
> enervated (lack of energy / drained of energy)
e.g., “they remained supine in the face of terrible wrongdoing”
Covert
Adj: not obvious; hidden; secretive
Opposite of Overt
Overrun
V: invade, occupy, swarm over (in huge numbers)
e.g., “the Mediterranean has been overrun by tourists”
V2 (costs): continue beyond or above an expected or allowed time or cost / to CONTINUE BEYOND LIMIT
Appeasement / appeasing
1) Allay, conciliatory, making peace by acceding to demands
2) satisfy or relieve a demand or feeling
e.g., “we give to charity because it appeases our guilt”
Gainful
Adj: serving to INCREASE WEALTH or resources; providing money or other benefit.
> profitable
e.g., “he soon found gainful employment”
Perturb
vs
Unperturbed
Perturb –> V: to disturb, worry, to upset
Unperturbed –> adj: untroubled, unconcerned, unmoved
Perverse
Adj1: illogical, irrational
e.g., a perverse incentive
Adj2: unreasonable or unacceptable (describing a person or their actions)
e.g., “Kate’s perverse decision not to cooperate”
NOT pervAsive
Subvert
V: destabilize, unsettle, underline power or authority
Shale
N: brittle form of rock
Substantiate
V: to support; to provide evidence for
e.g., although there is a convincing body of research to substantiate the view of these experts …
Disdainful
Adj: showing a LACK OF RESPECT, scornful, contempt
> contemptuous (showing contempt or derision; scornful)
> disrespectful / belittling (not deserving of respect or is unworthy of one’s respect)
Disdain (N): contempt, the feeling that someone or something is not deserving of respect
Contempt
N: feeling that a person or thing is BENEATH CONSIDERATION / worthless / deserving scorn and NOT DESERVING RESPECT
e.g., “he showed his contempt for his job by doing it very badly”
Meander
V: to walk slowly and aimlessly (no direction)
V: move in a zig zag motion like the wind or river or road
Binary stars
Star systems that orbit relative to each other (like Yin and Yang) AND relative to a common Center of mass
The stars can be different masses
All stars are made up of gas and dust
- hotness determines whether the stars are short lived
Stats have a useful life (burn)
From smallest SIZE to largest SIZE (not necessarily mass):
White dwarfs (very dense, aftermath of a red giant using all of its helium and collapses)
Brown dwarfs
Red dwarfs
Yellow dwarfs (incl our Sun)
White stars
Red giants
Siphon
V: to steal or remove (Eg liquid using a siphon)
> to steal money for illegal purposes
Eg the bank executive siphoned money
Invertebrate
N: refers to animals WITHOUT backbone or any bones
Eg worms, sponges, spiders, snails, insects lobsters and crabs
Genome
Refers to the entire set of DNA instructions found inside a cell (ALL genetic material inside an organism, including genes and other elements that control the activity of those genes)
Vs a gene - one segment of DNA that tells the cell what to do
Read sentences:
The impressionist painters expressly disavowed any interest in philosophy, yet their new approach to art had far-reaching philosophical implications. For the view of matter that the Impressionists assumed differed profoundly from the view that had previously prevailed among artists.
“For the view OF MATTER” –> matter = objects
Saying the Impressionists had a profoundly different view from that of prevailing artists
Belie
Bel-lie
V; contradict; call into question; fail to give a true notion or impression of something; DISGUISE
e.g., his lively, alert manner belied his years
e.g., Astronomers have learned that its subtle impression on the eye belies its true nature
No less a person than idiom
Used to emphasize that the person or thing you are talking about is IMPORTANT or IMPRESSIVE
Critical / Captious / Vitriolic
RC tone —> negative opinion
> if passage is ARGUMENTATIVE and author is disapproving of something –> critical
VARYING DEGREES OF CRITICALITY
> Captious: critical via petty-objections or fault-finding (readiness to find TRIVIAL faults)
> Vitriolic: filled with bitter criticism or malice / personal ATTACKS
> Vitriol (N): cruel and bitter criticism.
Panacea
N: a cure-all, universal solution for all difficulties or diseases
e.g., They are a panacea for urban problems.
Reclusive
Adj: solitary, avoiding the company of others
Eg Conrad is reclusive
Dismissive
Adj: serving to dismiss or REJECT someone or something : having or showing a disdainful attitude toward someone or something regarded as UNWORTHY of serious attention
Critical
TONE QUESTIONS
(1) Author has a DISAPPROVING view of something / author is FINDING FAULT of something
> negative tone towards subject / negative OUTLOOK
or
(2) Author is engaging in DEEP ANALYSIS of the attitude of the author
Generally author’s tone will be:
> positive - OPINION
> negative - OPINION
> neutral –> generally author has no strong opinions, objective / impartial / unbiased
Impartial
TONE QUESTIONS
Unbiased, nonpartisan, fair and just
Elucidate
V: explain, illuminate, clarify
e.g., work such as their swill help to elucidate this matter
Cynical
Adj: doubtful (pessimistic outlook)
Sharply negative tone words
Vitriolic
Caustic –> sarcastic in a scathing and BITTER way; sharp
Acerbic
Bitter
^ all describe an author who expresses their dissatisfaction with something or somebody brutally?
Patronize / patronizing
Treat CONDESCENDINGLY
e.g., do not patronize me!
Dogmatic
Adj: someone who ASSERTS OPINIONS in an arrogant manner; someone who FOLLOWS A SET OF RULES NO MATTER WHAT; Self-assured with respect to his sentiments
> very opinionated and won’t change beliefs
> someone who strongly believes in their views / uses a fanatical tone to pass on his perspective
e.g., “Another fault among instructors is a tendency to be unyielding and dogmatic.”
Peremptory
Adj: brisk, abrupt (insisting on IMMEDIATE ATTENTION or obedience), brusque (impatient)
e.g., “Just do it!” came the peremptory reply
DIFFERENT FROM Pre-empt (do something in advance)
Euphemistic
Adj: understated, indirect
> author might make indirect and implicit statements to describe something negative
Like using a euphemism (N): a mild or indirect expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt
e.g., “downsizing” is a euphemism for job cuts
Unbridled
Adj: uncontrolled, unconstrained
e.g., But there is mounting criticism of the large remaining gaps in access, unbridled cost inflation, the further fragmentation of service, excessive indulgence in wasteful high-technology “gadgeteering,” and a breakdown in doctor-patient relationships.
In the main
Idiom: On the whole; mainly
Veritable
Adj: used to EMPHASIZE something
e.g., drowned by a veritable flood of public and private moneys
Incisive
Adj: analytical and clear minded
Veracity
N: truthfulness
e.g., “officials expressed doubts concerning the veracity of the story”
e.g., The passage then cites economic interests as the reason given by firms when they acquire other firms but calls into question the veracity of this reasoning.
VERIfy
Deplorable
Adj: disgraceful, deserving strong condemnation / disapproval
e.g., They were correct in their conviction that child labor was deplorable but short-sighted about the impact of child labor legislation on working-class families.
Capacious
Adj: spacious, roomy, sizable
e.g., “she rummaged in her capacious handbag”
DIFFERENT FROM:
> CapTious
> CaprIcious
Reticent
Adj: not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.
Revile
V: to criticize (in an abusing manner); condemn
e.g., “he was now reviled by the party that he had helped to lead”
Contradiction
Inconsistency / ideas in OPPOSITION with each other
Tactile
Adj: relating to the SENSE OF TOUCH
Adj: designed or perceptible by TOUCH
Eg “she had a distinct, almost tactile memory”
Temperance
N: abstinence from drinking alcohol; self-restraint
Temperate
Adj: behaving with temperance or self-restraint
Adj2: moderate / mild temperature
Tranquil
Adj: peaceful, calm
Related to tranquilizer
Transcend
V: go beyond the limits; surpass
Eg this was an issue transcending the tech space and reaching other corners of society
Eg. he doubts that he will ever transcend Shakespeare
Bulwark
N: a defensive wall
Steadfast
Adj: loyal, resolutely firm and unwavering
Boisterous
Adj: lively, cheerful, active
Polity
N: an organized society; an identifiable political entity
Eg “the period in which West Germany was a distinct polity”
Neoliberalism
N: signifies the period in the late 20th century characterized by the POLITICAL REAPPEARANCE of MARKET CAPITALISM IDEAS (free market economy, deregulation, reduction in govt spending) after it fell into disfavour following WWII
Far cry from
Idiom: very different from
Eg the church was a far cry from the makeshift chapels in which the Traditional Latin Mass is usually celebrated in British and North American cities
Pretense
N: a claim especially one that is not supported / false
N: a false show
Eg under false pretences
Eg “his anger is masked by a pretence that all is well”
Different from:
> pretext (an excuse)
> preclude (prevent)
Bygone
Adj: past, belonging in the past / earlier times
Eg bygone era
Pastiche
Pa-steesh
N: an imitation
Eg Every other nation feels like a pastiche of New York or London
Cosmopolitan
Adj: worldly, International, people from different countries
Seminal
Adj: pioneering, original, influential, groundbreaking
e.g., “his seminal work on chaos theory”
Prodigious
Adj: enormous, remarkably grand or impressive in size
Adj: unnatural or abnormal
Eg prodigious memory
Unilateral
Adj: affecting only ONE side, group, party, country etc and not the other
Unilateral
Adj: affecting only ONE side, group, party, country etc and not the other
Voracious
Adj: greedy, wanting to devour great quantities of food
Eg the cloud of voracious mosquitoes grew nearer
Wane
V: to become SMALLER / to disappear
Eg waning moon
Wean
V: to accustom a baby to food other than milk
Moniker
N: a name
Eg This year marks the 25th anniversary of the discovery of evidence for “dark energy”—a moniker for whatever is driving the acceleration that even then meant next to nothing yet encompassed nearly everything
Salutary
Adj: beneficial, producing good effects
e.g., a salutary reminder of where we came from
Sal-u-tary
Folly
N: foolishness
Eg We should rethink this miserable folly rather than once again squandering our wealth while driving a new arms race.
Blasphemy
N: profanity, offense
Eg culinary blasphemy
Exigency / exigencies
N: urgent need or demand
e.g., as hospital exigencies quickly came to dominate the decision-making process in the training schools, nursing educators lost control over admission standards, the quality of education, and the labor of students on the wards
Corroborate
V: to CONFIRM, VALIDATE
> not quite the same meaning as “acknowledge” or “agree”
Efficacious
Adj: effective
Ground cover
NL low-growing, spreading plants that help to stop weeds from growing.
e.g., grass, small flowers
e.g., Another example of indirect negative consequences occurred in England when a virus introduced to control rabbits reduced the amount of open ground (because large rabbit populations reduce the ground cover), in turn reducing underground ant nests and triggering the extinction of a blue butterfly that had depended on the nests to shelter its offspring
Paucity
N: rarity, scarcity
e.g., The paucity of known extinctions or disruptions resulting from indirect interactions may reflect not the infrequency of such mishaps but rather the failure to look for or to detect them: most organisms likely to be adversely affected by indirect interactions are of little or no known commercial value and the events linking a biocontrol agent with an adverse effect are often unclear.
Hitherto
Previously; beforehand
e.g., Unfortunately, because this approach fails to deal with the underlying causes of inflation, wage and price controls eventually collapse, the hitherto-repressed inflation resurfaces, and in the meantime, though the policymakers succeed in avoiding a recession, a frozen structure of relative prices imposes distortions that do damage to the economy’s prospects for long-term growth.
Theology
Study of the nature of God and Religious beliefsSc
Sociology
Study of societies and human social behavior and relationships
Ignoble
OPPOSITE OF NOBLE = dishonorable
e.g., Irony does not need an exceptional central figure: as a rule, the more ignoble the hero the sharper the irony, when irony alone is the objective.
> A tragic hero is usually extraordinary, but an ironic hero may be cowardly or even villainous (ironic hero is IRONIC = should be a hero but possesses qualities that are surprising)
Paradoxical
Related to CONTRADICTIONS
> except, definition is more closely tied to SELF-contradictory
Cataclysmic
Disastrous or violent (often describing a natural event)
e.g., “a cataclysmic earthquake”
Ephemeral
Adj: lasting for only a SHORT PERIOD OF TIME
e.g., these changes were ephemeral and temporary
Incidental
Adj: secondary (as opposed to primary)
> accompanying but not a major part of something.
e.g., (E) They provide incidental information rather than significant insights into a way of life.
Expound / Expounding
V: present, explain
e.g., he was expounding a powerful argument
Syncopated
Adj: a rhythm characterized by DISPLACED BEATS or ACCENTS (moving an accented note away from the beat = being off beat)
Edification
Different from Edifice (structure or system of beliefs)
N: education, teaching, pedagogy (learning and improvement of the mind and understanding)
e.g., I tend to watch TV for pleasure rather than edification
Espouse/Espoused
V: support/adopt/embrace
e.g., arguing that the views espoused by one political group were more radical than those espoused by another group
Intemperate
Adj: opposite of temperate = lack of control
e.g., intemperate excesses
Constructive
Adj: useful, helpful, productive
e.g., constructive criticism, inhibiting constructive change
Infinitesimal
Adj: extremely small
Stupefying
Adj: Astonishing
e.g., New surveys are collecting stupefying amounts of information
Vicissitude
N: a CHANGE in circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant
e.g., he writes about the vicissitudes of his own life
Piety
N: the quality of being RELIGIOUS or REVERENT/RESPECTFUL
Solicitous
Adj: caring, concerned, attentive
e.g., “she was always solicitous about the welfare of her students”
Menagerie
N: a COLLECTION of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition
Gilded
Adj: wealthy and privileged
Torrent
N: a sudden outburst (of something, typically words or feelings)
e.g.,rain poured down in torrents
e.g., she was subjected to a torrent of abuse
Different from Torrid (adj: hot, sultry)
Periodical
Peri-aw-dical
Adj: occurring at regular intervals
N: magazine that has new releases regularly
Elude
V: to evade or escape
e.g., the truth eludes you
Predilection
N: liking
e.g., He has a predilection for sweet desserts
Agronomist
N: agriculturist, an expert in the science of agriculture (crop production and soil mgmt)
Viscosity / Viscous
N: refers to the degree of RESISTANCE to flow (thickness)
High viscosity = high resistance to flow
e.g., honey has higher viscosity than water
Adj: having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid; having a high viscosity; STICKY
e.g., “viscous lava”
Stupor
N: a state of near UNCONSCIOUSNESS
e.g., a drunken stupor
Anatomical/Anatomy
Related to the BODY and its structures
Tout
V: attempt to SELL something, typically by pestering people in an aggressive or bold manner; to PRAISE publicly, especially in a persistent or annoying way
(Different from FLOUT = openly disregard rules)
e.g., He’s busy touting his client’s latest book around London’s literary agents
e.g., she’s being touted as the next leader of the party
Qualms
N: doubts, reservations, misgivings
e.g., I have no qualms about recommending this approach
Payload
N: the load/object/entity carried by a vehicle; sometimes refers to carrying capacity
Ensues
V: happen / follow / result / develop AFTERWARD
e.g., “the difficulties that ensued from their commitment to Cuba”
Heretical
Adj: holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted; unorthodox; dissident
e.g., A fairly heretical idea in the 1970’s, the cooling-flow theory gained support when Fabian observed a cluster of galaxies in the constellation Perseus and found the central galaxy, NGC 1275, to be a strange-looking object with irregular, thin strands of gas radiating from it.
Effluence
N: a substance that flows out from something
Outpour
Repose
N: a state of REST / RELAXATION / SLEEP
e.g., in repose her face looked relaxed
God-fearing
Adj: devout (de-vowt), earnestly religious
Reverence
N: deep RESPECT for someone or something
Triflers
N: someone who behaves lightly or NOT SERIOUSLY
> loafer
Labile
Lay-bile
Adj: liable to change; easily altered
Transcendental
Adj: things that lie beyond the practical experience of ordinary people, and cannot be discovered or understood by ordinary reasoning; abstract / high level / out of this world / surpassing all others / superior
e.g., Another approach, both balanced and sensible, would argue for a more transcendental view of social experience and of art.
Exasperated
Adj: intensely irritated or frustrated; indignant
Leaven
N: in baking, refers to a SUBSTANCE (typically yeast) that is used in dough to MAKE IT RISE
V: in baking, refers a leavening agent that causes dough or bread to RISE
e.g., it only takes a little bit of yeast to leaven the bread
V: a PERSUASIVE INFLUENCE that MODIFIES/TRANSFORMS something for the better
Elicit
V: to evoke or draw out a response from someone
e.g., I could elicit no response from him
Imperil vs peril
Imperil (V) = to PUT in danger or at risk
e.g., She knew she had to drive back or risk imperiling those animals.
In peril = in DANGER
e.g., She feared the worst for the mother, she was either dead or in peril somewhere
Mete
meet
V: dispense punishment or harsh treatment
e.g., punishments meted out to soldiers who violated army regulations
Disparage / disparaging
Dis-pear-ege
Dis-pear-a-ging
V: BELITTLE, denigrate, deprecate, downgrade
Adj: expressing the opinion that something is of little worth
Unsullied
Adj: not spoiled, not made impure
e.g., an unsullied reputation
Run amok
amuck
Phrase: behave UNCONTROLLABLY and DISRUPTIVELY
e.g., the kids are running amok around the house
Manically
Adv: in a very EXCITED or ANXIOUS way
Man-ic-ly
Burnish
V: to polish
e.g., one such invention, currently being tested for its ability to burnish verbal memory and to speed stroke recovery, involves a smartwatch that collects movement and data on heart rate
What is the word to describe light illuminating behind an object?
Backlit (V)
Singed
Scorched
Candor
N: honest in expression, openness, frankness
e.g., a man of refreshing candor; WITH surprising candor
Tutelage
N: instruction, guardian
Eg under the tutelage of someone
Omnipotent
Om-ni-poutent
Rife
Adj: widespread
e.g., “male chauvinism was rife in medicine in those days”
Dressed to the nines
Idiom: dressed very smartly or elegantly
Wryly
Adv: dry yet mockingly
e.g., “he reflects wryly on his life and work”
Relent/relented
V: to give in / concede / ease up / abate
e.g., “she was going to refuse his request, but relented”
Insufferable
Adj1: Arrogant or cocky
e.g., an insufferable know-it-all
Adj2: unbearable, intolerable
e.g., “the heat would be insufferable by July”
Crucible
N: refers to a challenging situation that lead to the creation of something new
e.g., FORGED in the crucible of war; FORGED in that crucible of uncertainty
Imbibe
V: to drink (usually alcohol); quaff; guzzle
e.g., they were imbibing far too many pitchers of beer
Unsuspecting
Adj: not aware of the presence of danger; unwary
Siphon
V: to steal/transfer over a period of time (especially illegally or unfairly)
e.g., he’s been siphoning money off the firm
Armageddon
N (in the New Testament of the Christian Bible) - refers to the last battle between good and evil
Also refers to a vast DECISIVE CONFLICT or confrontation
Pundits
N: expert
e.g., pundits believe …
Capitulate (v); Capitulation
V: to surrender or give in
N: the action of surrendering or ceasing to resist an opponent or demand
> in Finance: when investors sell a slumping security en masse
Adulation
Ad-u-lation
N: obsequious (attentive/fawning/obedient) flattery; excessive flattery or praise
e.g., he found it difficult to cope with the adulation of the fans
Maverick
N: an unorthodox or independent-minded person
Trying
Adj: stressful, taxing, frustrating, testing, demanding
e.g., it had been a very trying day
Upend
Up-end
V: to turn something on its end or upside down
Repentant vs Unrepentant
Repentant (adj) - showing regret and remorse
Repent (V) - to feel regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin
Unrepentant (Adj) - showing no regret for one’s wrongdoings
Bigamy
N: the act of entering into a marriage when legally married to another person
> illegal in Canada
Morsel
N1: nibble, mouthful, bite (used in the context of FOOD)
e.g., Jules ate a morsel of her meal in front of her
N2: a small piece or amount
e.g., reporters do their best to ferret out every morsel of information
Buffet
V: Strike repeatedly and violently; batter, afflict or harm someone repeatedly over a long period of time
e.g., they were buffeted by a major recession
Martyr
N: a person who displays or exaggerates their discomfort or distress in order to obtain sympathy or admiration
e.g., she wanted to play the martyr
Unbecoming
Adj: not flattering, unseemly, inappropriate, unsuitable
