Perdido Street Station 1 Flashcards
unflagging
tireless, persistent e.g. his apparently unflagging enthusiasm impressed her.
hovel
a small shed or dwelling, often messy, cramped, and crudely built, such as a shelter in a refugee camp e.g. people were living in rat-infested hovels.
lurch
make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement or series of movements; stagger e.g. the boat’s lamp light suddenly lurched
tug
pull hard or suddenly
2. tow a ship by a tugboat
tow
(of a motor vehicle or boat) pull (another vehicle or boat) along with a rope, chain, or tow bar e.g. a pickup van towing a trailer
hitch
[v./n.]
- move (something) into a different position with a jerk e.g. she hitched up her skirt and ran.
- fasten or tether e.g. a horse
- a temporary difficulty or problem e.g. everything went without a hitch.
to well
come up as of a liquid
debase
- reduce in quality, degrade, corrupt
2. lower the moral character of people e.g. war debases people.
stench
[n.]
a strong obnoxious smell e.g. rotting fish
awning
markíza
warren
a complex of [rabbit] tunnels underground
2. a densely populated or labyrinthine building or district e.g. a warren of narrow gas-lit streets.
eaves
pretŕčajúca strecha e.g. wild bees nest under the eaves.
gob
a lump of a viscous or slimy substance e.g. a gob of phlegm.
hegemony
leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others e.g. Germany was united under Prussian hegemony after 1871.
(greek: hegemon = leader)
behemoth
[bi-hee-moth]
a huge or monstrous creature
2. something enormous especially and organisation e.g. shoppers are now more loyal to their local shops than to faceless behemoths.
circumspect
wary and unwilling to take risks e.g. the officials were very circumspect in their statements.
A good quality in someone entrusted with responsibility, though sometimes boring in a friend.
(latin: circumspicere “to be cautious, to look around”
circumscribe
limit or restrict
latin: “write around”
circumvent
- find a way around (an obstacle) e.g. if you come to an obstruction in a road you can seek to circumvent it.
- overcome (a problem or difficulty) in a clever and surreptitious way e.g. it was always possible to circumvent the regulations.
(latin: venire = to come, circum = around)
a small shed or dwelling, often messy, cramped, and crudely built, such as a shelter in a refugee camp
hovel
leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others
hegemony
- a complex of interconnected rabbit burrows and tunnels underground
- a densely populated or labyrinthine building or district
warren
come up as of a liquid
to well
pretŕčajúca strecha
eaves
markíza
awning
make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement or series of movements; stagger
lurch
tireless, persistent
unflagging
limit or restrict
circumscribe
a lump of a viscous or slimy substance
a gob
- find a way around (an obstacle)
2. overcome (a problem or difficulty) in a clever and surreptitious way
circumvent
a strong obnoxious smell
stench
pull hard or suddenly
2. tow a ship
tug
- move (something) into a different position with a jerk
- fasten or tether e.g. a horse
- a temporary difficulty or problem
hitch
Wary and unwilling to take risks
- A good quality in someone entrusted with responsibility, though sometimes boring in a friend.
circumspect
a huge or monstrous creature
2. something enormous especially and organisation
behemoth
[bi-hee-moth]
- reduce in quality, degrade, corrupt
2. lower the moral character of people
debase
(of a motor vehicle or boat) pull (another vehicle or boat) along with a rope, chain, or tow bar (to medzi autami)
tow
putter
- golf - ten čo patuje
- the rapid intermittent sound of a small petrol engine e.g. the putter of an old aeroplane - ako the Neverhood “put-put-PUT”
- move with or make a puttering sound e.g. barges puttered slowly through the water.
eddy / eddies
- a circular movement of water causing a small whirlpool e.g. the current was forming foam-lipped eddies along the bank
e. g. eddies of controversy swirled around his theories. - a circular movement of wind, fog, or smoke e.g. an eddy of chill air swirled into the carriage.
choppy
- (of a sea, lake, or river) having many small waves e.g. sea conditions are often very choppy.
2 having a disjointed or jerky quality e.g. the choppy beat of electronica
ornery
- Grumpy and hard to please. Oscar the Grouch? Definitely ornery.
cantankerous and crotchety
crotchety
difficult, irritable, and ornery. If you’re crotchety, you complain and argue and are more or less miserable to be around.
witter
speak at length about trivial matters, babble e.g. she’d been wittering on about Jennifer and her illness.
ken
one’s range of knowledge or understanding e.g. politics are beyond my ken.
The noun ken means “range of vision or comprehension.” If quantum mechanics is beyond your ken, you don’t understand it, or it is beyond your scope of knowledge.
wen
- a sebaceous cyst especially on the head
2. a large, overcrowded city
barrow
a two-wheeled handcart used especially by street vendors e.g. they sell fruit from market barrows.
spoke
each of the bars or wire rods connecting the centre of a wheel to its outer edge.
to na bicykli
desultory
lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm e.g. a few people were left, dancing in a desultory fashion.
- occurring randomly or occasionally e.g. trees
- (of conversation or speech) going from one subject to another in a half-hearted way e.g. the desultory conversation faded.
tally
a continuous count of something, like the number of words in a document, or the number of favors your best friend owes you. To tally is to add up, like keeping the score of a game.
costermonger
a person who sells goods, especially fruit and vegetables, from a handcart in the street.
unctuous
[unk-chuous]
(of a person): oily, smarmy or overly flattering, slimy. When a person is unctuous, you can’t trust their kindness, because they usually want something in return.
obsequious
[ob-see-kvi-ous]
obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree e.g. they were served by obsequious waiters.
wheedle
use endearments or flattery to persuade someone to do something or give one something e.g.she wheedled her way on to the guest list
ingratiating
making a calculated move to suck up and win your somebody’s favour.
sycophantic
(latin: in “favour, grace”)
sycophantic
[syh-co-fentic]
using flattery to get what you want
smarmy
ingratiating and wheedling in a way that is regarded as insincere, fake or excessive e.g. a smarmy, unctuous reply.
(smarm was a verb that described smearing the hair with pomade, which makes it look shiny and slick.)
A smarmy car salesman will compliment your outfit and your hair and your taste in cars, always with an unpleasant falseness.
fawning
displaying exaggerated flattery or affection; obsequious e.g. a fawning adoration
- menej slizký význam, skôr flattery a servility
- golf - ten čo patuje
- the rapid intermittent sound of a small petrol engine
- move with or make a puttering sound
putter
[v./n.]
Grumpy and hard to please, cantankerous and crotchety
ornery
- (of a sea, lake, or river) having many small waves
2 having a disjointed or jerky quality
choppy
- a circular movement of water causing a small whirlpool
2. a circular movement of wind, fog, or smoke
eddy
one’s range of knowledge or understanding
ken
speak at length about trivial matters, babble
witter
difficult, irritable, and ornery. If you’re […] you complain and argue and are more or less miserable to be around.
crotchety
[croh-che-ty]
lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
- occurring randomly or occasionally
- (of conversation or speech) going from one subject to another in a half-hearted way
desultory
- a sebaceous cyst especially on the head
2. a large, overcrowded city
wen
bars or wire rods connecting the centre of a wheel to its outer edge.
to na bicykli
spokes
a two-wheeled handcart used especially by street vendors
barrow
obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
obsequious
[ob-see-kvi-ous]
a person who sells goods, especially fruit and vegetables, from a handcart in the street.
costermonger
a continuous count of something, like the number of words in a document, or the number of favors your best friend owes you. To […] is to add up, like keeping the score of a game.
tally
n./v.
use endearments or flattery to persuade someone to do something or give one something
wheedle
(of a person): oily, smarmy or overly flattering, slimy.
unctuous
[unk-chuous]
using flattery to get what you want
sycophantic
[syh-co-fentic]
(greek: showing figs)
ingratiating and wheedling in a way that is regarded as insincere, fake or excessive e.g. car salesman
smarmy
displaying exaggerated flattery or affection; obsequious e.g. an adoration
- menej slizký význam, skôr flattery a servility
fawning
making a calculated move to suck up and win your somebody’s favour.
sycophantic
ingratiating
profane
- offensive and not respectful, irreverent, especially of religious practice e.g. a profane person might be tempted to violate the tomb.
(latin: profanus = unholy) - vulgar (language), obscene
derisory
- ridiculously small or inadequate: they were given a derisory pay rise.
- another term for derisive = expressing contempt or ridicule e.g. he gave a harsh, derisive laugh.
sacrilege
violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred, blasphemy
If you show up to an animal rights rally with a bucket full of fried chicken for lunch, you may be accused of committing sacrilege.
virago
a bossy, domineering, violent, or bad-tempered woman
taut
stretched or pulled tight; not slack, tense (muscles)
slack
- not taut or held tightly in position; loose e.g. a slack rope e.g. eir mouth went slack.
- lazy, negligent, slow
prophylactic
intended to prevent disease e.g. prophylactic measures.
greek: prophulaktikos = to guard before
mote
a tiny piece of a substance; a speck e.g. the tiniest mote of dust.
segue
[segway]
A smooth transition. When you segue in conversation, you change the topic so smoothly that people might not even notice.
- ridiculously small or inadequate
2. expressing contempt or ridicule
derisory
- offensive and not respectful, irreverent, especially of religious practice
- vulgar (language), obscene
profane
[pro-FEJN]
violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred, blasphemy
sacrilege
stretched or pulled tight; tense (muscles)
taut
a bossy, domineering, violent, or bad-tempered woman
a virago
- not taut or held tightly in position; loose
2. lazy, negligent, slow
slack
intended to prevent disease
prophylactic
a tiny piece of a substance; a speck
a mote
A smooth transition.
segue
[segway]
pariah
an unliked outcast, usually soundly (rightly) rejected
denounce
publicly declare to be wrong or evil, speak out against e.g. the Assembly denounced the use of violence
beyond the pale
Beyond the acceptable, improper, unseemly
e.g. her language used to be beyond the pale
ostracise
expel from a community or a group
splay
spread open or apart e.g. Lin splayed her headlegs
nigh
(old-fashioned) near or nearly
bandy
toss many ideas around without focusing on just one, brainstorm
2. hit and blow like in a professional fight
stubby
thick and short like stubby fingers or stubby remains of your favourite colouring pencil
salubrious
healthy, health-giving
gaudy
showy, bright, tacky, tawdry (tasteless, cheap)
e.g. a gaudy jacket in a gaudy Vietnamese shop
scamper
move hurriedly, sometimes in a disorderly haste e.g. she scampered through the street scamper on the first day of school
furtive
secretive and sly like a thief e.g. Lyra caught her furtive look
peter
v.
decrease or fade gradually before coming to an end e.g.
the storm had petered out
mottled
having spots or patches of different colours
origin: motley of colours
retch
make the sound and convulsion of vomiting, spasm (either followed by vomiting or not) e.g. with a sudden retch he vomited on the floor
trickle
(of water) flow slowly out and not much
e.g. the shower was trickling; it was trickling outside
spire
a pointed cone shape on top of a building
old english: spir = to sprout, shoot
shackle
a restraint either physical or mental, especially of prisoners (cuffs and leg irons/chains = fetters)
e.g. ignorance is a shackle of the mind
shambles
a huge mess, disorder
e.g. the hospital was left in shambles
also a slaughterhouse
shamble
v.
walk in a slow manner dragging one’s feet usually for elderly or sad people
e.g. depressed, he shambled trough the streets aimlessly
insinuate
- ) suggest or hint (something bad) in an indirect and unpleasant way e.g. he was insinuating that she slept her way to the top
- ) (insinuate oneself into) manoeuvre oneself into a favourable position by subtle manipulation e.g. he insinuated himself into the king’s confidence.
expel from a community or a group
ostracise
healthy, health-giving
salubrious
Beyond the acceptable, improper, unseemly
beyond the pale
publicly declare to be wrong or evil, speak out against
denounce
secretive and sly like a thief
furtive
an unliked outcast, usually soundly (rightly) rejected
pariah
spread open or apart (especially limbs)
splay
thick and short like fingers or remains of your favourite colouring pencil
stubby
(old-fashioned) near or nearly
nigh
- toss many ideas around without focusing on just one, brainstorm
- hit and blow like in a professional fight
bandy
showy, bright, tacky, tawdry (tasteless, cheap)
gaudy
move hurriedly, sometimes in a disorderly haste
scamper
decrease or fade gradually before coming to an end
peter
v.
(of water) flow slowly out and not much
trickle
make the sound and convulsion of vomiting, spasm (either followed by vomiting or not)
retch
having spots or patches of different colours
mottled
- ) suggest or hint (something bad) in an indirect and unpleasant way
- ) (insinuate oneself into) manoeuvre oneself into a favourable position by subtle manipulation
insinuate
a pointed cone shape on top of a building
spire
a restraint either physical or mental, especially of prisoners (cuffs and leg irons/chains = fetters)
shackle
- a huge mess, disorder
2. a slaughterhouse
shambles
walk in a slow manner dragging one’s feet usually for elderly or sad people
to shamble
acrid
pungent and extremely unpleasant
(mostly used with smell)
metaphorically: acrid sneer, manners = harsh, nasty, derisive
riddance
getting rid of something
phrase: “Good riddance!” when happy about it
waft
v.
a movement through air: when Zelda cooks, many wonderful smells waft from the kitchen, the air gently carries the aroma through the house.
tumbledown
(buildings): dilapidated, in ruins
perfunctory
carried out without real interest or feeling, customary
e.g. a perfunctory “thank you” or a smile
giddy
having a whirling sensation, staggering, dizzy, nauseated e.g. from spinning around
2.) excited, super elated, light-hearted
sundry
adj./n.
adj. : various, like in a haphazard mix of things
n. : a variety of things not important enough to be mentioned separately
tenacious
stubbornly unyielding e.g. a child holding their mother’s hand
flagstone
a flat stone used for paving e.g. streets
scrub
n.
a dense thicket of stunted (smaller) trees
graft
- transplanted tissue e.g. skin, organ or a plant shoot
2. bribery, corruption
trough
[tra-ff]
a long narrow receptacle for feeding animals
2.) ten tvar krmitka (matika…)
surly
irritable, full of menace, like the old guy who always sneers at children
curmudgeon
a surly, cranky (irritable) cantakerous person with stubborn ideas
indolent
disinclined to work, lazy e.g. an indolent teenager takes a long time to crawl out officials the bed
retort
a quick reply to a question or remark, usually a critical or a witty one
e. g. dining, she bit her tongue and swallowed the retort aimed at her father-in-law
2. a vessel for distillation
pique
v./n.
- make angry, annoy
- pique interest = arouse, stimulate, excite
- n.: a sudden outburst of anger
obfuscatory
evasive, unclear, obscure e.g. defense lawyers and teengers when asked by their parents about their Friday night plans
obfuscate
shanty
a small crude dwelling, similar to hovel
also a rhytmical work song originally sung by sailors
exhume
dig up a corpse (for reburial or medical reasons for example)
makeshift
improvised, temporary e.g. a makeshift pyjamas or a makeshift bed made of cardboard
lurid
glaringly vivid and graphic or marked by sensationalism, shocking e.g. please spare me the lurid (gory) details Lin
2.) vividly bright in colour with a unnatural or harsh effect
livid
- ) furious
2. ) bluish-gray (ominously) e.g. skin or sky
deploy
- ) plave troops or weapons into military formation
2. ) distribute strategically or systematically e.g. the food was deployed to the poor during the recession
supplant
take the place of e.g. Jessie supplanted Kate as the comedian of the class
ineluctable
inescapable, unavoidable, irresistible
querulous
whiny, having tendency to complian e.g. customers
impresario
person or a sponsor who books, promotes, advertises and organises events
hawk
other n./v. meanings
- ) sell or offer for sale from place to place e.g. he hawked the paintings at various expositions
- ) mucus or food from one’s throat e.g. he hawked a green gob/hawk into the sewer
sidle
walk in a casual, quiet and a bit sneaky, furtive way e.g. he sidled up to them and said Boo!
- also walk sideways
to angle for smth.
If someone is angling for something, they are trying to get something without asking for it directly:
He’s clearly angling for a job/an invitation.
kudos
praise, renown (fame and acclaim), commendation (to commend: express approval aloud: “yeah! amazing! run!”)
conduit
a pipe for the transport of water or wire for electricity
used also metaphorically:
e.g. she was a proper conduit of illicit information in the city
ream
a large quantity of somethings, especially of paper: reams of paper were stacked in small tower-piles
cretin
kretén
ingenuous
showing childlike innocence and openness
venereal
relating to sexual intercourse e.g. a venereal disease
disingenuous
not totally honest or sincere e.g. it is disingenuous when people pretend to know less than they really do
- giving a false appearance of frankness, not candid (straightforward and truthful)
drab
dull, dreary, dingy (dirty) e.g. colours, mood
renege
[ri-neg]
(g ako gaga)
go back on (=fail to keep or do) a promise or word e.g. she reneged her tradition and started working with the half-dried colours
mongrel
derogatory term for a mix in terms of breeds or race e.g. a mongrel cat
- also something of a dubious origin
tremulous
shaky or quivering from fear or lack of strentgh e.g. her antennae moved tremulously
cloven
split or divided into two e.g. a cloven hoof
reproach
mildly criticise e.g. granny reproached the children for not eating “properly”
despondent
discouraged, very sad and without hope
often followed by over or about: she was despondent over/about the loss of job
(latin: despondere “to lose courage, give up”)
candor
open, honest and sincere
- You are dumb!
- While I certainly appreciate your candor I think we ought not be friends anymore.
scour
examine closely e.g. We scour the skies of birds
- also rub or scrub
stilted
unnaturaly formal, especially language - speaking or writing
stilts = vysoké drevené chodúle
flout
scorn (show contempt for), disregard e.g. she flouts the rules
to steel oneself
get ready for something difficult or unpleasant e.g. ey steeled emself before the injection
emaciate
grow weak and thin, waste away physically e.g. she emaciated due to chemotherapy
prosaic
ordinary, dull; lacking imagination e.g. prosaic everyday life
spellbound
transfixed (attention held as of by a spell), mesmerised, hypnotised
e.g. ey watched the film spellbound
contraption
a device very useful for a specific purpose = a gizmo
e.g. the vacuum cleaner
sciolist
an amateur who pretends to have expertise
penitent
deeply sorry, full with remorse, ashamed
- unsurprisingly often in (but not restricted to) religious context
latin: paenitere = to repent
horseplay
rough, rowdy (boisterous), vaguely dangerous kind of fun like pushing each other into the pool
slapstick
horseplay type of humour, a boisterous comedy with simple practical jokes like embarassing events and deliberately clumsy actions
- ako stúpenie na hrable = slap + stick
annex
v/n
- attach to
- a part of a building that attaches to another; an extension e.g. an attic or a new smaller room used as winter garden
deface
blemish (flaw), spoil, disfigure e.g. graffitti deface buildings
squabble
a small and not serious quarrel about petty things - family members squabble all the time
guffaw
[g-faw]
a true belly laugh that bubbles up with plenty of volume
zachvat smiechu, riadny smiech
gloaming
the time of day immediately following sunset - ey perched emself on the cliff and lurched into the gloaming
immolate
destroy/kill as a sacrifice, often using fire, to a “higher cause”
- the Aztects immolated people
- some Buddhists monks immolated themselves as a protest to WW2
(latin: immolare = sprinkled with sacrificial meal [wheat sprinkled on the heads of people to be sacrificed])
respite
- a break, time-out
- temporary relief from something unpleasant or diffucult or harmful; a reprieve e.g. have a respite from that exam cramming!
pelt
n/v
- ) animal’s skin, fur
2. ) throw missiles or bombard - they were pelted with stones
scourge
[sk-uh-rge]
something causing misery and death (a bane)
- a whip / to whip
e. g. the lands were scourged by plague and fires
inveigle
use charm to coax someone; to wheedle - ey was inveigled to drive them right before their frontdoor
scant
adj./v
- ) a tiny amount
- ) less than the “correct” or legal amount - a scant cup of sugar
- ) to limit in quality or quantity
strut
prance (walk i lofty arrogant way); walk in a proud swagger with a bit od arrogance thrown in
heretic
a person holding unorthodox opinions in any field
- though very often used with religion: a misbeliever; a religious outcast
incarcerate
lock up; jail; put in prison
tangential
of superfitial relevance; digressive or additional and nor needed e.g. she told a tangential story that bore everyone
flippant
casual to the point of disrespect or sarcasm
showing inappropriate levity
- he regreted his flippant response made without much forethought
dank
unpleasantly cool and humid
- a dank cellar
beatific
[bí-e-tific]
showing a peaceful sense of true celestial joy or bliss; as id resembling a benign angel
semblance
an illusion deliberately misleading e.g. a semblance of order in a tennagers room when all the mess is crammed in the closet
.
(from resemble)
pugnacity
a natural predisposition to be hostile, aggressive
pugnacious = eager to fight = belligerent; callous and rough
svelte
- ) elegantly slender
- ) showing a hig degree of refinement and assurance that comes from wide social experience; sophisticated, cultured and polished (=urbane)
e. g. she is enviously svelte - how does she do it?
proselytise
try to persuade someone to switch to [your] religion (or way of living)
- the Jehovah disciples proselytise people
rancour
[ran-kr]
a feeling of deep ill will and bitter anger e.g. she apologised but he waved her off without rancour
impasse
a dead end; a situation without the hopes of progress
- the research fell into an impasse
portent
a sign of something about to happen; an omen (more often negative) - the portent crows in the sky
milieu
[mil-ju]
the surrounding culture, family, friends, environment
- she felt so isolated in her own milieu
acrid
pungent and extremely unpleasant
(mostly used with smell)
metaphorically: acrid sneer, manners = harsh, nasty, derisive
nonplussed
bewildered, speechless, puzzled, baffled, confused
truncated
cut short
- he said the story in a truncated form
2. ) suddenly ending, unplanned cut - a truncated vacation
seedy
sleazy, run-down, shabby, worn-out
e.g. the seedy circus
titillate
excite, especially in a sensual or sexual way
e.g. the smell titilates her taste buds
getting rid of something
riddance
a movement through air
waft
n/v
(buildings): dilapidated, in ruins
tumbledown
carried out without real interest or feeling, customary
perfunctory
having a whirling sensation, staggering, dizzy, nauseated e.g. from spinning around
2.) excited, super elated, light-hearted
giddy
adj. : various, like in a haphazard mix of things
n. : a variety of things not important enough to be mentioned separately
sundry
adj./n
stubbornly unyielding, like a child
tenacious
a flat stone used for paving e.g. streets
flagstone
a dense thicket of stunted (smaller) trees
scrub
- transplanted tissue e.g. skin, organ or a plant shoot
2. bribery, corruption
graft
a long narrow receptacle for feeding animals
2.) ten tvar krmitka (matika…)
trough
[tra-ff]
irritable, full of menace, like the old guy who always sneers at children
surly
a surly, cranky (irritable) cantakerous person with stubborn ideas
curmudgeon
disinclined to work, lazy, avoiding work
indolent
- a quick reply to a question or remark, usually a critical or a witty one
- a vessel for distillation
retort
- make angry, annoy
- arouse, stimulate, excite
- noun: a sudden outburst of anger
pique
evasive, unclear, obscure e.g. defense lawyers and teenagers when asked by their parents about their Friday night plans
obfuscatory
a small crude dwelling, similar to hovel
also a rhytmical work song originally sung by sailors
shanty
dig up a corpse (for reburial or medical reasons for example)
exhume
improvised, temporary
makeshift
- ) glaringly vivid and graphic or marked by sensationalism, shocking
- ) vividly bright in colour with a unnatural or harsh effect
lurid
- ) furious
2. ) bluish-gray (ominously) e.g. skin or sky
livid
.) plave troops or weapons into military formation
2.) distribute strategically or systematically e.g. the food to the poor during a recession
deploy
take the place of
supplant
inescapable, unavoidable, irresistible
ineluctable
whiny, having a petulant tendency to complain e.g. customers
querulous
person or a sponsor who books, promotes, advertises and organises events
impresario
- ) sell or offer for sale from place to place e.g. paintings at various expositions
- ) mucus or food from one’s throat
hawk
walk in a casual, quiet and a bit sneaky, furtive way e.g. he … to them and said Boo!
- also walk sideways
sidle
trying to get something without asking for it directly
to angle for something
praise, renown (=fame and acclaim), a commendation (to commend: express approval aloud: “yeah! amazing! run!”)
kudos
a pipe for the transport of water or wire for electricity
used also metaphorically
conduit
a large quantity of somethings, especially of paper
ream
kretén
cretin
showing childlike innocence and openness
ingenuous
relating to sexual intercourse
venereal
not totally honest or sincere e.g. when people pretend to know less than they really do
- giving a false appearance of frankness, not candid (straightforward and truthful)
disingenuous
dull, dreary, dingy (dirty) e.g. colours, mood
drab
go back on (=fail to keep or do) a promise or word e.g. her tradition
renege
[ri-neg]
(g ako gaga)
derogatory term for a mix in terms of breeds or race
- also something of a dubious origin
mongrel
shaky or quivering from fear or lack of strentgh
tremulous
split or divided into two e.g. hoof
cloven
mildly criticise e.g. children for not eating “properly”
reproach
discouraged, very sad and without hope
often followed by over or about e.g. over/about the loss of job
(latin: “to lose courage, give up”)
despondent
open, honest and sincere
- You are dumb!
- While I certainly appreciate your … I think we ought not be friends anymore.
candor / candour
examine closely e.g. the skies for birds
- also rub or scrub
scour
unnaturaly formal, especially language - speaking or writing
zo slova chodúle
stilted
scorn (show contempt for), disregard e.g. the rules
flout
get ready for something difficult or unpleasant e.g. an injection
steel oneself
grow weak and thin, waste away physically e.g. due to chemotherapy
emaciate
ordinary, dull; lacking imagination
prosaic
transfixed (attention held magically) mesmerised, hypnotised
spellbound
a device very useful for a specific purpose = a gizmo
e.g. the vacuum cleaner
contraption
an amateur who pretends to have expertise
sciolist
deeply sorry, full with remorse, ashamed
- unsurprisingly often in (but not restricted to) religious context
latin: from the word repent
penitent
rough, rowdy (boisterous), vaguely dangerous kind of fun like pushing each other into the pool
horseplay
horseplay type of humour, a boisterous comedy with simple practical jokes like embarassing events and deliberately clumsy actions
slapstick
- attach to
- a part of a building that attaches to another; an extension e.g. an attic or a new smaller room used as winter garden
annex
v./n.
blemish (flaw), spoil, disfigure e.g. graffiti on buildings
deface
a small and not serious quarrel about petty things - family members squabble all the time
squabble
a true belly laugh that bubbles up with plenty of volume
zachvat smiechu, riadny smiech
guffaw
[g-faw]
the time of day immediately following sunset - ey perched emself on the cliff and lurched into the …
gloaming
destroy/kill as a sacrifice, often using fire, to a “higher cause”
- the Aztects
- some Buddhists monks
(latin: … = sprinkled with sacrificial meal [wheat sprinkled on the heads of people to be sacrificed])
immolate
- a break, time-out
- temporary relief from something unpleasant or diffucult or harmful; a reprieve
respite
- ) animal’s skin, fur
2. ) throw missiles or bombard
pelt
n/v
something causing misery and death (a bane)
- a whip / to whip
e. g. the lands … by plague and fires
scourge
[sk-urge]
use charm to coax someone; to wheedle
inveigle
- ) a tiny amount
- ) less than the “correct” or legal amount - a cup of sugar
- ) to limit in quality or quantity
scant
adj./v.
prance (walk i lofty arrogant way); walk in a proud swagger with a bit od arrogance thrown in
strut
a person holding unorthodox opinions in any field
- though very often used with religion: a misbeliever; a religious outcast
heretic
lock up; jail; put in prison
incarcerate
of superfitial relevance; digressive or additional and nor needed e.g. a story that bore everyone
tangential
casual to the point of disrespect or sarcasm
showing inappropriate levity
- he regreted his … response made without much forethought
flippant
unpleasantly cool and humid
- like in a cellar
dank
showing a peaceful sense of true celestial joy or bliss; as id resembling a benign angel
beatific
[bí-e-tific]
an illusion deliberately misleading e.g. of order in a tennagers room when all the mess is crammed in the closet
semblance
a natural predisposition to be hostile, aggressive
pugnacious = eager to fight = belligerent; callous and rough
pugnacious
[pag-nacious]
- ) elegantly slender
- ) showing a hig degree of refinement and assurance that comes from wide social experience; sophisticated, cultured and polished (=urbane)
svelte
try to persuade someone to switch to [your] religion (or way of living)
proselytise
a feeling of deep ill will and bitter anger e.g. she apologised but he waved her off without …
rancour
[ran-kr]
a dead end; a situation without the hopes of progress
- in research, project, adventure
impasse
a sign of something about to happen; an omen (more often negative) - like with the crows in the sky
portent
the surrounding culture, family, friends, environment, a person’s social environment
milieu
[mil-j]
pungent and extremely unpleasant
(mostly used with smell)
metaphorically: when used with a sneer or manners = harsh, nasty, derisive
acrid
