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Non-Fiction Flashcards

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1
Q

Noun) contortion

A

the act of twisting or deforming the shape of something

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2
Q

Noun) Symbiosis

A

the relation between two different species of organisms that are interdependent; each gains benefits from the other

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3
Q

Adj) Fervent

A

characterized by intense emotion

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4
Q

Noun) impotency

A
  1. the quality of lacking strength or power; being weak and feeble
  2. Inability to copulate (erectile dysfunction)
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5
Q

Adj) Putative

A

Adj) Supposed; generally considered or reputed to be.

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6
Q

Verb) Muse(ed)

A

be absorbed in thought.

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7
Q

Adj) Precipitous

A
  1. extremely steep

2. done with very great haste and without due deliberation

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8
Q

Verb) Buttress

A

increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce.

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9
Q

Noun) Writ

A

a form of written command in the name of a court or other legal authority to act, or abstain from acting, in a particular way.

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10
Q

Verb) Assuage

A

make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.

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11
Q

Herald

A

Noun) something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone

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12
Q

Noun) Plutocracy

A

a state or society governed by the wealthy.

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13
Q

Noun) Purview

A

Anything inside a range of interest or activity is within a purview. A supervisor is in charge of certain workers — other workers are outside her purview.

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14
Q

Verb) Squander

A

spend thoughtlessly; throw away

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15
Q

Adj) Orthogonal

A
  1. having a set of mutually perpendicular axes; meeting at right angles
  2. extraneous; statistically unrelated
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16
Q

Noun) Castigation

A

verbal punishment

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17
Q

Adj) Piecemeal

A

one thing at a time

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18
Q

Adj) Venal

A

capable of being corrupted

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19
Q

Noun) Philanderer

A

Womanizer

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20
Q

Noun) Voyeurism

A

the practice of gaining sexual pleasure from watching others when they are naked or engaged in sexual activity.

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21
Q

Noun) Alma mater

A

the university, school, or college that one formerly attended.

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22
Q

Adj) Internecine

A

characterized by bloodshed and carnage for both sides

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23
Q

Noun) Platitude

A

a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful.

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24
Q

Noun) Sabbatical

A

Negotiated time away from work for whatever reason; this is different from an annual holiday entitlement

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25
Q

Noun) Pupillage

A

State of being a pupil

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26
Q

Verb) Intercede

A

act between parties with a view to reconciling differences

S - Mediate; Intermediate

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27
Q

Verb) Besmirch

A

To besmirch means to dirty or tarnish, particularly someone’s reputation

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28
Q

Adj) Penurious

A

extremely poor; poverty-stricken.

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29
Q

Adj) Adversarial

A

Anything that’s adversarial is full of intense disagreement and conflict

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30
Q

Adj) Ornate

A

elaborately or highly decorated.

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31
Q

Noun) Riposte

A

a quick, clever reply to an insult or criticism.

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32
Q

Noun) Compunction

A

a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)

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33
Q

Adj) Effusive

A

uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm

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34
Q

Noun) Patsy

A

a person who is easily taken advantage of, especially by being cheated or blamed for something.

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35
Q

Noun) Temerity

A

excessive confidence or boldness; audacity.

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36
Q

Adj) Judicious

A

having, showing, or done with good judgement or sense.

S - Wise; Sensible; Shrewd

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37
Q

Verb) Filibuster

A

an action such as prolonged speaking which obstructs progress in a legislative assembly in a way that does not technically contravene the required procedures.

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38
Q

Adj) Peripatetic

A

travelling from place to place, in particular working or based in various places for relatively short periods.

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39
Q

Noun) Catharsis

Adj) Cathartic

A

Noun) the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

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40
Q

Adj) Salacious

A

having or conveying undue or inappropriate interest in sexual matters.

Obscene; Indecent; Crude

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41
Q

Noun) Paucity

A

an insufficient quantity or number

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42
Q

Noun) Brinkmanship

A

Brinkmanship is pushing a situation to the point of disaster without quite going over the edge. Brinkmanship is mainly a political policy.

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43
Q

Noun) Litigation

A

the process of taking legal action.

44
Q

Noun) Dereliction

A

Dereliction is a word for neglecting responsibilities.

45
Q

Adj) Canny

A

having or showing shrewdness and good judgement,

46
Q

Adj) Cavalier

A

Someone who has a dismissive attitude and regards other people as inferior.

47
Q

Adj) Dilapidated

A

Run-Down

48
Q

Noun) Demagoguery

A

Demagoguery is an appeal to people that plays on their emotions and prejudices rather than on their rational side.

49
Q

Adj) Banal

A

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring.

50
Q

Noun) Quango

A

a quasi nongovernmental organization; an organization that is financed by the government yet acts independently of the government

51
Q

Verb) Extricate

A

release from entanglement or difficulty

52
Q

Noun) Animosity

A

Enmity; Hostility

53
Q

Verb) Anatomise

A

dissect in order to analyze

54
Q

Noun) Quagmire

A

an awkward, complex, or hazardous situation.

55
Q

Noun) Anthropocene

A

relating to or denoting the current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

56
Q

Verb) Anathematize

A

curse; condemn.

57
Q

Verb) Protracted

A

Prolong

58
Q

Noun) Duress

A

threats, violence, constraints, or other action used to coerce someone into doing something against their will or better judgement.

59
Q

Adj) Contentious

A

causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial.

60
Q

Adj) Permissive

A

A permissive person is a little more lenient or loosey-goosey with the rules.

S) Liberal; Open-minded; free

61
Q

Adj) Steadfast

A

Resolute; Unwavering from a position

62
Q

Noun) Myopia

A

The quality of being short-sighted

63
Q

Adj) Languid

A

having or showing a disinclination for physical exertion or effort.

64
Q

Adj) Morass

A

an area of muddy or boggy ground.

65
Q

Adv) Verily

A

Archaic for of ‘Certainly’

66
Q

Adj) Cardinal

A

of the greatest importance; fundamental; chief.

67
Q

Adj) Bona fide

A

Genuine; real

68
Q

Noun) Guise

A

The noun guise refers to an outward appearance that conceals the true nature of someone or something.

69
Q

Noun) Maverick

A

an unorthodox or independent-minded person.

70
Q

Noun) Cabal

A

a secret political clique or faction

71
Q

Verb) Chastise

A

rebuke or reprimand severely.

72
Q

Noun) Misnomer

A

a wrong or inaccurate name or designation

73
Q

Adj) Palpable

A
  • (of a feeling or atmosphere) so intense as to seem almost tangible.
  • plain to see or comprehend [noticeable; perceptible]
74
Q

Adj) Putative

A

generally considered or reputed to be. [assumed; supposed]

75
Q

Adj) Sycophantic

A

The adjective sycophantic is perfect for describing someone who uses flattery to get what they want.

76
Q

Noun) Temerity

A

excessive confidence or boldness; audacity.

Use the noun temerity to mean the quality of being unafraid of danger or punishment.

77
Q

Adj) Rapacious

A

aggressively greedy or grasping.

78
Q

Noun) Farrago

A

a motley assortment of things

79
Q

Adj) Slavish

A

servile or submissive.

blindly imitative; unoriginal

80
Q

Adj) Purgatory

A

having the quality of cleansing or purifying.

81
Q

Adj) Emeritus

A

(of the former holder of an office, especially a university professor) having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honour.

82
Q

Adj) Baleful

A

threatening harm; menacing.

83
Q

Adj) Buccaneering

A

(especially in a business context) high-risk and adventurous.

84
Q

Adj) Mendacious

A

not telling the truth; lying.

85
Q

Noun) Adulation

A

excessive admiration or praise.

86
Q

Verb) Repudiate

A

refuse to accept; reject.

87
Q

Verb) Decry

A

publicly denounce.

88
Q

Noun) Ruction

A

a disturbance or quarrel.

89
Q

Noun) Salariat

A

salaried white-collar workers.

90
Q

Verb) Lampoon

A

publicly criticize (someone or something) by using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm.

91
Q

Noun) Contrarian

A

a person who opposes or rejects popular opinion, especially in stock exchange dealing.

S) Iconoclast

92
Q

Adj) Officious

A

Though officious sounds like official, it means being annoyingly eager to do more than is required.

intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner

93
Q

Adj) Ineluctable

A

Ineluctable means impossible to avoid.

94
Q

Adj) Donnish

‘Wry donnish wit’

A

having a pedantic, scholarly manner.

95
Q

Adj) Manifold

A

many and various.

(The reasons are) manifold

96
Q

Noun) Provenance

A

the place of origin or earliest known history of something.

S) Source; Origin

(investigate their) provenance,

97
Q

Adj) Flagrant

A

conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible

98
Q

Adj) Bucolic

A

relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.

Rural; Rustic

99
Q

Adjective: Invidious

A

likely to arouse or incur resentment or anger in others; unpleasant

100
Q

Noun) Solipsism

A

A view that the self is all that can be known to exist.

101
Q

Noun) Bohemian

A

a socially unconventional person

Nonconformist

102
Q

Verb) Expedite

A

Speed up things

103
Q

Adjective) Chauvinistic

A

feeling or displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.

104
Q

Adjective) Sequacious

A

lacking independence or originality of thought.

105
Q

Adjective) Heady

A

having a strong or exhilarating effect.

106
Q

Verb) Expound

A

present and explain

Vocabulary (5 decks)

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