Mistborn Era 1 Flashcards
Linchpin
noun
1. a person or thing vital to an enterprise or organization.
“nurses are the linchpin of the National Health Service”
2. a pin passed through the end of an axle to keep a wheel in position.
Slovenly
adjective
(especially of a person or their appearance)
untidy and dirty.
“a fat, slovenly ex-rock star”
Pertinent
adjective
relevant or applicable to a particular matter; apposite.
“she asked me a lot of very pertinent questions”
Gazetteer
noun
a geographical index or dictionary.
“a gazetteer of place names of the Aegean”
Derelict
adjective
1. in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect.
“a derelict Georgian mansion”
2. shamefully negligent of one’s duties or obligations.
“he was derelict in his duty to his country”
noun
1. a person without a home, job, or property.
“derelicts who could fit all their possessions in a paper bag”
2. a ship or other piece of property abandoned by the owner and in poor condition.
“she had been a derelict recommissioned for this journey”
Emaciated
adjective
abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food.
“she was so emaciated she could hardly stand”
Adroit
adjective
clever or skilful.
“he was adroit at tax avoidance”
Accede
verb FORMAL
1. agree to a demand, request, or treaty.
“the authorities did not accede to the strikers’ demands”
2. assume an office or position.
“Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558”
Ostentatious
adjective
1. attracting or seeking to attract attention, admiration, or envy often by gaudiness or obviousness.
2. overly elaborate or conspicuous.
3. characterized by, fond of, or evincing ostentation.
“an ostentatious display of wealth/knowledge”
Coronet
noun
1. a small or relatively simple crown, especially as worn by lesser royalty and peers or peeresses.
2. a ring of bone at the base of a deer’s antler.
Chagrin
noun
annoyance or distress at having failed or been humiliated.
“to my chagrin, he was nowhere to be seen”
verb
feel distressed or humiliated.
“he was chagrined when his friend poured scorn on him”
Squalor
noun
the state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect.
“they lived in squalor and disease”
Malady
noun LITERARY
1. a disease or ailment.
“an incurable malady”
2. a serious problem.
“the nation’s maladies”
Frivolous
adjective
1. not having any serious purpose or value.
“frivolous ribbons and lacy frills”
2. (of a person) carefree and superficial.
“the frivolous, fun-loving flappers of the twenties”
Placate
verb
make (someone) less angry or hostile.
“they attempted to placate the students with promises”
Overture
noun
1. an orchestral piece at the beginning of an opera, play, etc.
“the overture to Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’”
2. an introduction to something more substantial.
“the talks were no more than an overture to a long debate”
Tenuous
adjective
1. very weak or slight.
“the tenuous link between interest rates and investment”
2. very slender or fine; insubstantial.
“a tenuous cloud”
Malign
verb
speak about (someone) in a spitefully critical manner.
“don’t you dare malign her in my presence”
Levity
noun
the treatment of a serious matter with humour or lack of due respect.
“as an attempt to introduce a note of levity, the words were a disastrous flop”
Incongruity
noun
the state of being incongruous; incompatibility.
“the incongruity of his fleshy face and skinny body disturbed her”
Transient
adjective
lasting only for a short time; impermanent.
“a transient cold spell”
noun
1. a person who is staying or working in a place for a short time only.
2. a momentary variation in current, voltage, or frequency.
Merlon
noun
the solid part of a crenellated parapet between two embrasures.
Diligence
noun
careful and persistent work or effort.
“few party members challenge his diligence as an MP”
Ascribe
verb
1. regard something as being due to (a cause).
“he ascribed Jane’s short temper to her upset stomach”
2. regard a text, quotation, or work of art as being produced by or belonging to (a particular person or period).
“a quotation ascribed to Thomas Cooper”
3. regard a quality as belonging to.
“tough-mindedness is a quality commonly ascribed to top bosses”
Progeny
noun
a descendant or the descendants of a person, animal, or plant; offspring.
“shorthorn cattle are highly effective in bestowing their characteristics on their progeny”
Wanly
adverb
in a weak or pale or languid manner
“she was smiling wanly”
Smock
noun
a dress or top for a woman or girl, gathered at the chest and having a loosely fitting lower part.
verb
decorate (a garment) with smocking.
“I had smocked the little pink rosebud dress she wore”
Disposition
noun
1. a person’s inherent qualities of mind and character.
“your sunny disposition has a way of rubbing off on those around you”
2. the way in which something is placed or arranged, especially in relation to other things.
“the plan shows the disposition of the rooms”
Barrette
noun
a typically bar-shaped clip or ornament for the hair; a hairslide.
Piteous
adjective
deserving or arousing pity.
“a piteous cry”
Swatch
noun
a small sample of fabric intended to demonstrate the look of a larger piece.
“colour swatches”
verb
apply a sample of (paint, makeup, etc.) to a surface or one’s skin to test or demonstrate the colour.
“I got the polishes yesterday, and I’ve swatched them all”
Wizened
adjective
shrivelled or wrinkled with age.
“a wizened, weather-beaten old man”
Scamper
verb
(especially of a small animal or child) run with quick light steps, especially through fear or excitement.
“he scampered in like an overgrown puppy”
noun
an act of scampering.
“he heard the squeak and scamper of rats”
Bespeckle
verb
mark or cover with a large number of small spots or patches of colour.
“the designer whose trademark is to bespeckle his dresses with diamonds”
Propriety
noun
1. conformity to conventionally accepted standards of behaviour or morals.
“he always behaved with the utmost propriety”
2. the details or rules of behaviour conventionally considered to be correct.
“she’s a great one for the proprieties”
3. the condition of being right, appropriate, or fitting.
“they questioned the propriety of certain investments made by the council”
Presumptuous
adjective
(of a person or their behaviour) failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate.
“I hope I won’t be considered presumptuous if I offer some advice”
Prudent
adjective
acting with or showing care and thought for the future.
“no prudent money manager would authorize a loan without first knowing its purpose”
Proclivity
noun
a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition towards a particular thing.
“a proclivity for hard work”
Apprehensive
adjective
anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
“he felt apprehensive about going home”
Constitution
noun
1. a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.
“Britain lacks a codified constitution”
2. the composition of something.
“the genetic constitution of a species”
Protracted
adjective
lasting for a long time or longer than expected or usual.
“a protracted and bitter dispute”
Sequester
verb
1. isolate or hide away.
“she is sequestered in deepest Dorset”
2. another term for sequestrate.
“their property was sequestered by Parliament”
noun
a general cut in government spending.
“if the budget deal hadn’t gone through, there would have been a sequester of at least $100 billion”
Prudence
noun
the quality of being prudent; cautiousness.
“we need to exercise prudence in such important matters”
Reticence
noun
the quality of being reticent; reserve.
“the traditional emotional reticence of the British”
Prattle
verb
talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way.
“she began to prattle on about her visit to the dentist”
Ostensibly
adverb
as appears or is stated to be true, though not necessarily so; apparently.
“the party secretary resigned, ostensibly from ill health”
Indignant
adjective
feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment.
“he was indignant at being the object of suspicion”
Emancipated
adjective
free from legal, social, or political restrictions; liberated.
“emancipated young women”
Austere
adjective
1. severe or strict in manner or attitude.
“he was an austere man, with a rigidly puritanical outlook”
2. (of living conditions or a way of life) having no comforts or luxuries.
“conditions in the prison could hardly be more austere”
3. having a plain and unadorned appearance.
“the cathedral is impressive in its austere simplicity”
Dreary
adjective
depressingly dull and bleak or repetitive.
“the dreary round of working, eating, and trying to sleep”
Aptitude
noun
1. a natural ability to do something.
“children with an aptitude for painting and drawing”
ARCHAIC
2. suitability or fitness.
“aptitude of expression”
Ratify
verb
sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid.
“both countries were due to ratify the treaty by the end of the year”
Exasperation
noun
a feeling of intense irritation or annoyance.
“she rolled her eyes in exasperation”
Incredulous
adjective
(of a person or their manner) unwilling or unable to believe something.
“an incredulous gasp”
Proliferate
verb
1. increase rapidly in number; multiply.
“the science fiction magazines which proliferated in the 1920s”
2. (of a cell, structure, or organism) reproduce rapidly.
“cultured cells often proliferate indefinitely”
3. cause (cells, tissue, structures, etc.) to reproduce rapidly.
“electromagnetic radiation can only proliferate cancers already present”
Stoop
verb
1. bend one’s head or body forwards and downwards.
“he stooped down and reached towards the coin”
2. lower one’s moral standards so far as to do something reprehensible.
“Craig wouldn’t stoop to thieving”
noun
1. a posture in which the head and shoulders are habitually bent forwards.
“a tall, thin man with a stoop”
2. the downward swoop of a bird of prey.
Recompense
verb
make amends to (someone) for loss or harm suffered; compensate.
“offenders should recompense their victims”
noun
compensation or reward given for loss or harm suffered or effort made.
“adequate recompense for workers who lose their jobs”
Ledger
noun
1. a book or other collection of financial accounts.
“the total balance of the purchases ledger”
2. a flat stone slab covering a grave.
“the ledger stone of William Averie”
verb
fish using a ledger.
Forlorn
adjective
1. pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely.
“forlorn figures at bus stops”
2. (of an aim or endeavour) unlikely to succeed or be fulfilled.
“a forlorn attempt to escape”
Procession
noun
a number of people or vehicles moving forward in an orderly fashion, especially as part of a ceremony.
“a funeral procession”
THEOLOGY
the emanation of the Holy Spirit.
Carrion
noun
the decaying flesh of dead animals.
“a crow wheeled over the hills in search of carrion”
Missive
noun
OFTEN HUMOROUS
a letter, especially a long or official one.
“yet another missive from the Foreign Office”
SCOTS LAW
a document in the form of a letter exchanged by the parties to a contract.
Castigation
noun
severe criticism or harsh scolding; censure.
“The speaker segued inexplicably from a calm informational tone into a full-throated castigation of anyone and everyone associated with the administration.”
Recrimination
noun
an accusation in response to one from someone else.
“there are no tears, no recriminations”
Progenitor
noun
1. a person or thing from which a person, animal, or plant is descended or originates; an ancestor or parent.
“his children were the progenitors of many of Scotland’s noble families”
2. a person who originates a cultural or intellectual movement.
“the progenitor of modern jazz”
Acutely
adverb
1. (with reference to something unpleasant or unwelcome) intensely.
“the whole situation was acutely embarrassing”
2. in a way that shows a perceptive understanding or insight.
“we are all acutely aware of the fragility of our world”
Pedigree
noun
1. the record of descent of an animal, showing it to be pure-bred.
“they are looking for animals with pedigrees”
2. the recorded ancestry or lineage of a person or family.
“with a pedigree equal to many of the gentry”
adjective BRITISH
(of an animal) pure-bred.
“pedigree cats”
Dilapidated
adjective
(of a building or object) in a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect.
“old, dilapidated buildings”
Wryly
adverb
in a way that expresses dry, especially mocking, humour.
“he reflects wryly on his life and work”
Solemn
adjective
1. formal and dignified.
“a solemn procession”
2. not cheerful or smiling; serious.
“Tim looked very solemn”
3. characterized by deep sincerity.
“he swore a solemn oath to keep faith”
Saunter
verb
walk in a slow, relaxed manner.
“Adam sauntered into the room”
noun
a leisurely stroll.
“a quiet saunter down the road”
Congregation
noun
1. a group of people assembled for religious worship.
“the singing of psalms by the whole congregation”
2. a gathering or collection of people, animals, or things.
“large congregations of birds may cause public harm”
Precarious
adjective
1. not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.
“a precarious ladder”
2. dependent on chance; uncertain.
“he made a precarious living as a painter”
Pilfer
verb
steal (things of little value).
“she produced the handful of coins she had managed to pilfer”
Regal
adjective
of, resembling, or fit for a monarch, especially in being magnificent or dignified.
“her regal bearing”
noun MUSIC
a small portable reed organ of the 16th and 17th centuries, with a pair of horizontal bellows on top.
Exorbitant
adjective
(of a price or amount charged) unreasonably high.
“some hotels charge exorbitant rates for phone calls”
Veritable
adjective
being in fact the thing named and not false, unreal, or imaginary —often used to stress the aptness of a metaphor.
“a veritable mountain of references”
Prim
adjective
feeling or showing disapproval of anything regarded as improper; stiffly correct.
“a very prim and proper lady”
verb
purse (the mouth or lips) into a prim expression.
“Laurie primmed up his mouth”
Apprehension
noun
1. anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
“he felt sick with apprehension”
2. understanding; grasp.
“his first apprehension of such large issues”
Fraternize
verb
associate or form a friendship with someone, especially when one is not supposed to.
“she ignored Elisabeth’s warning glare against fraternizing with the enemy”
Contrite
adjective
feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition that one has done wrong.
“a contrite tone”
Overt
adjective
done or shown openly; plainly apparent.
“an overt act of aggression”
Decorum
noun
behaviour in keeping with good taste and propriety.
“he had acted with the utmost decorum”
“he had no idea of funeral decorum”
ARCHAIC
particular requirements of good taste and propriety.
plural noun: decorums
Rebuff
verb
past tense: rebuffed; past participle: rebuffed
reject (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious manner.
“I asked her to be my wife, and was rebuffed in no uncertain terms”
Gusto
noun
1. enjoyment and enthusiasm in doing something.
“Hawkins tucked into his breakfast with gusto”
ARCHAIC
2. the style in which a work of art is executed.
Reverent
adjective
feeling or showing deep and solemn respect.
“a reverent silence”
Indomitable
adjective
impossible to subdue or defeat.
“a woman of indomitable spirit”
Respite
noun
a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.
“the refugee encampments will provide some respite from the suffering”
verb
RARE
postpone (a sentence, obligation, etc.).
“the execution was only respited a few months”
Surly
adjective
bad-tempered and unfriendly.
“the porter left with a surly expression”
Deride
verb
express contempt for; ridicule.
“the decision was derided by environmentalists”
Despondent
adjective
in low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
“she grew more and more despondent”
