p12 Flashcards
lurid
Gruesome or excessively vivid; sensational, shocking, unrestrained
There’s also a good amount of raw violence, and no lack of harsh language, but the show doesn’t feel lurid or exploitative.
machination
Crafty schemes or plots
incredibly complicated machinations to assassinate the president that inevitably failed
maelstrom
Violent whirlpool; any chaotic, turbulent situation
There has been a maelstrom of conversation around the blockchain and crypto-asset landscape during the last several months, and that is with justifiable reason.
magnanimous
High-minded, noble, lofty; generous in forgiving others, free of resentment
Rosengart’s legal guidance has helped make possible this magnanimous humanitarian effort.
magnate
Very important or influential person, esp. in business
makeshift
A temporary, often improvised, substitute (noun); improvised for temporary use (adj)
when his belt broke, he was forced to use string as a makeshift
malediction
A curse
the two old women began casting aspersions and heaping maledictions upon one another
malinger
Pretend to be sick, esp. to get out of work, duties, etc.
But when workers begin to take advantage of manager’s kindly nature to malinger or disrupt operations, the entire business is threatened
mar
Damage, spoil, ruin
Her awkward British accent and acting mars an otherwise great movie
martinet
Person who adheres to rules extremely closely; strict disciplinarian
The prison’s warden was a cruel martinet.
maudlin
Excessively sentimental, showing sadness or some other emotion in a foolish or silly way
Death, the only long-term certainty for any of us, permeates these episodes, although not in an overly maudlin way.
maverick
Rebel, individualist, dissenter
In the Senate, he had established himself as a prickly maverick, not averse to sharp criticism of his own party, its policies, and its leaders
maxim
A general truth or fundamental principle, esp. expressed as a proverb or saying
Moore’s Law is the maxim, coined by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, that correctly predicted the number of transistors in computer chips would double at quick intervals.
mendacious
Lying, habitually dishonest
The racist and Malthusian elements in Darwin’s work are subject on which the new secularists are either silent, delicate, or mendacious
mendicant
Beggar, or religious follower who lives by begging
But for all their contempt, Egyptian rulers have become mendicants at the feet of kings and emirs of the Gulf
mercurial
Quickly and unpredictably changing moods; fickle, flighty
Democrats are also very wary of scaring off the mercurial senator Manchin with any pressure, despite knowing that a major economic package could potentially boost their political chances significantly.
meretricious
Attractive in a vulgar or flashy way, tawdry, related to prostitute; deceptive, pretentious
scholarly names to provide fig-leaves of respectability for meretricious but stylish books
These artistic reckonings prove that meretricious contemporary filmmakers can barely justify their own practices.
metaphysical
Concerned with abstract thought; very subtle or abstruse (hard to understand)
fate and metaphysical aid both seemed to have influenced President Park during her regime
milieu
Environment, atmosphere; the environmental setting in which something happens or develops
Maxwell is the daughter of wealthy publisher Robert Maxwell, and was reared in a milieu that included mansions, exclusive schools, and a family yacht.
militate
Have a great effect, weigh heavily (often as militate against)
His boyish appearance and small voice militated against his getting an early promotion
mired
Stuck, entangled (in something, like a swamp or muddy area), soiled
The case been mired in probate court for years
mirth
Jollity, merriment; amusement or laughter
Her clumsy attempt to cut the cake was the cause of much mirth.
misanthrope
hater of humankind
missive
Letter, written message
The board was divided over Musk’s missive delivered on Twitter yesterday.
mitigate
Make less severe; lessen or moderate (damage, grief, pain, etc.)
Emergency funds are being provided to help mitigate the effects of the disaster.
modicum
A little bit or limited quantity
Though its economy has already been rocked by the new sanctions, Russia still can look to markets and friends elsewhere — not least in China — for some hard currency and a modicum of solidarity.
modish
Stylish, contemporary
the strikingly modish gowns that actresses wear to award shows
mollify
Calm or soothe (an angry person); lessen or soften
The landlord fixed the heat, but the tenants still were not mollified.
molt
Shed or cast off, esp. to regularly shed skin, feathers, etc. (as a snake)
During a run of ideal weather earlier this month, the city began its molt from a sleepy seaside burg into its bustling summer form.
juvenile
of, for, or relating to young people; childish, immature
monastic
Relating to or resembling a monastery (where monks or nuns live), esp. by being quiet, secluded, contemplative, strict, and/or lacking luxuries
The monastic project showed me how to turn loneliness into solitude.
monotony
Sameness or repetitiousness to the point of being boring; lack of variation, uniformity, esp. repetition in sound (monotone)
The brief storm was a relief from the monotony of the hot summer afternoon.
mores
Customs, manners, or morals of a particular group
But because socially conservative British social mores were brought to bear on Charles and Camilla’s relationship, her becoming Queen Consort was for years the source of significant speculation.
morose
Gloomy, sullen
Even as tech optimism is obvious, sentiment in much of the rest of the market remains morose.
multifarious
Diverse, having a lot of variety
the multifarious interests and activities in which Benjamin Franklin immersed himself
munificent
Generous, giving liberally
a munificent host who has presided over many charitable events at his mansion
myopic
Near-sighted; lacking long-term thinking, short-sighted
When he ran again in 2013, this time without a primary opponent, his campaign had an almost myopic focus on a subject dear to Republicans: job creation.
nadir
Lowest point
Even those that were in better shape at the end of the 1920s were feeling the effects by the Depression’s nadir in 1933.
nascent
Coming into existence, still developing
The 2020 edition of the event was called off days before it was supposed to begin after the government banned social gatherings because of the then-nascent covid outbreak
