O Flashcards
Odd ostriches obsessively organize oversized oranges.
obdurate
(adj.)
unyielding to persuasion or moral influences
(The obdurate old man refused to take pity on the kittens.)
obfuscate
(v.)
to render incomprehensible
(The detective did want to answer the newspaperman’s questions, so he obfuscated the truth.)
oblique
(adj.)
divergin from a straight line or course, not straightforward
(Martin’s oblique language confused those who listened to him.)
oblivious
(adj.)
lacking consciousness or awareness of something
(Oblivious to the burning smell emanating from the kitchen, my father did not notice that the rolls in the oven were burned until much too late.)
obscure
(adj.)
unclear, partially hidden
(Because he was standing in the shadows, his features were obscure.)
obsequious
(adj.)
excessively compliant or submissive
(Mark acted like Janet’s servant, obeying her every request in an obsequious manner.)
obsolete
(adj.)
no longer used, out of date
(With the inventions of tape decks and CDs, which both have better sound and are easier to use, eight-track players are now entirely obsolete.)
obstinate
(adj.)
not yielding easily, stubborn
(The obstinate child refused to leave the store until his mother bought him a candy bar.)
obstreperous
(adj.)
noisy, unruly
(Billy’s obstreperous behavior prompted the librarian to ask him to leave the reading room.)
obtuse
(adj.)
lacking quickness of sensibility or intellect
(Political opponents warned that the prime minister’s obtuse approach to foreign policy would embroil the nation in mindless war.)
odious
(adj.)
instilling hatred or intense displeasure
(Mark was assigned the odious task of cleaning the cat’s litter box.)
officious
(adj.)
offering one’s services when they are neither wanted nor needed
(Brenda resented Allan’s officious behavior when he selected colors that might best improve her artwork.)
ominous
(adj.)
foreboding or foreshadowing evil
(The fortuneteller’s ominous words flashed through my mind as the hooded figure approached me in the alley.)
onerous
(adj.)
burdensome
(My parents lamented that the pleasures of living in a beautiful country estate no longer outweighed the onerous mortgage payments.)
opulent
(adj.)
characterized by rich abundance verging on ostentation
(The opulent furnishings of the dictator’s private compound contrasted harshly with the meager accommodations of her subjects.)
oration
(n.)
a speech delivered in a formal or ceremonious manner
(The prime minister was visibly shaken when the unruly parliament interrupted his oration about failed domestic policies.)
ornate
(adj.)
highly elaborate, excessively decorated
(The ornate styling of the new model of luxury car could not compensate for the poor quality of its motor.)
orthodox
(adj.)
conventional, conforming to established protocol
(The company’s profits dwindled because the management pursued orthodox business policies that were incompatible with new industrial trends.)
oscillate
(v.)
to sway from one side to the other
(My uncle oscillated between buying a station wagon to transport his family and buying a sports car to satisfy his boyhood fantasies.)
ostensible
(adj.)
appearing as such, seemingly
(Jack’s ostensible reason for driving was that airfare was too expensive, but in reality, he was afraid of flying.)
ostentatious
(adj.)
excessively showy, glitzy
(On the palace tour, the guide focused on the ostentatious decorations and spoke little of the royal family’s history.)
ostracism
(n.)
exclusion from a group
(Beth risked ostracism if her roommates discovered her flatulence.)
