naughty and nice Flashcards
caustic
like acid, corrosive
A caustic comment is one designed to really hurt the other person.
Amiable
friendly, agreeable
My favorite teacher is an amiable guy. He’s great to be around.
Belligerent
quarrelsome and warlike
The teacher finally expelled the belligerent student from her class.
altruism
the act of giving and expecting nothing in return
When a person runs inside a burning building to save a stranger’s body, they are being altruistic.
cynic
A cynic is one who deeply distrusts human nature. They are generally very pessimistic.
Dracula, for instance, is a very cynical character.
largesse
the generous giving of gifts or the gift itself.
The new Jones Concert Hall, named after its chief benefactor, Mr. Jones, benefited by his largesse.
Acerbic
bitter, sour, severe
When the divorcee described her ex-husband as a miserable little toad, she was being acerbic.
Avuncular
kindly in an uncle-y sort of way
Whenever he felt glum, little Adam would cheer himself up with a visit to the Avuncular Ice Cream Man at the corner candy store.
Gregarious
sociable, outgoing, enjoying the company of others
A regular party-goer could be described as gregarious.
Chicanery
trickery or deceitfulness. It usually refers to the legal or political kind.
Nixon, for example, was forced to resign when his White House chicanery was discovered.
Insidious
treacherous and sneaky
The slow takeover of our apartment by a silent army of cockroaches was truly insidious.
philanthropy
a love of humankind as expressed through the doing of good deeds.
The millionaires were famous for their philanthropy.
contentious
A contentious person is quarrelsome and argumentative
High school bullies are often good examples of contentious people.
Affable
easy to talk to, pleasant
An affable person is easy to get along with.
pejorative
anything negative or disparaging
Your mother wears army boots is a pejorative thing to say.
