Personality Flashcards
Restrained
Calm and controlled
Eg: Unlike his fellow competitor Ronaldo, Messi has a more restrained and introverted personality.
Cranky/ wacky/ eccentric
US (informal): easily annoyed or upset
Eg: A cranky baby. She is very cranky because she has a toothache.
UK (informal): strange and unusual.
Eg: She’s a member of a group that promotes cranky idea about food and exercise.
Gullible/credulous
Easily taken in, unsceptical, naive and easily deceived or tricked
Eg: There are any number of miracle cures on the market for people gullible enough to buy them
Nosy/snoopy
offensively curious or inquisitive
eg: He flipped through my letters in his nosy way.
Nosy neighbour
They dont nosy into your business like some people.
inquisitive: wanting to discover as much as you can about things, sometimes in a way that annoys people:
she could see inquisitve faces looking out from the windows next door.
Devout/pious
Devoted to a religion or to the fulfillment of religious obligations
Eg: She is a devout Christian.
His devout catholicism appeals to ordinary people.
RENEGADE
a person who has changed from supporting esp. one political , religion, or national group to support another
or rebellious (the renegade policeman supplied details of the murder)
cheapskate (uk)/tightwad (us)
stingy/miserly person, not willing to spend money
eg: there’s no point in asking Joe to pay for it- he’s a real tightwad
Feisty
not afraid to fight or argue: very lively and aggressive
eg: the novel features a feisty heroine.
even her opponents admire her feisty spirit.
Skeezy
used to describe someone, esp a man, who is strange and unpleasant
eg: I saw a skeezy man trying to pick up young girls in a bar
Chipper
lively and cheerful
eg: You seem very chipper today
Persistent
someone who does not give up on things easily
eg: scrooge’s nephew was persistent but the old man wouldn’t change his mind
Inscrutable
not showing emotions or thoughts and therefore very difficult to understand or get to know
eg: an inscrutable face/expression/smile
He believes a certain portion of life must remain inscrutable.
Savvy
well informed and perceptive, shrewed
knowledgeable or proficient
eg: tech-savvy
Slacker
a person who shirks his work or duty (esp one who tries to evade military service)
a person who does not work hard
eg: the management where i work thinks that taking time to eat lunch is only for slackers.
clever clogs
describe someone who is annoying because they think they know more than everyone else, or they always think they’re right.
eg:
if your r such a clever clogs, why dont you work out our accountant?
we got lost in the city because Ryan, being such a clever clogs, insisted he knew the right way to go. He didnt!
Dont be such a wimp
wimp out
(stop being so scared)
wimp out- To withdraw from doing something out of fear, insecurity, or laziness.
They were just about to strap me in for the bungie jump, but I wimped out at the last second.
Jeff had promised to help, but he wimped out of the project when he realized how much work it would entail.
Sorry, guys, Janet’s wimping out of the road trip. She says she isn’t comfortable being away from home for that long.
Withdrawn
shy, introverted, unusually reserved
Her husband had become withdrawn and moody
seasoned
skilled or knowledgeable through long practice
eg: seasoned physician
frugal
careful to use only as much money, food etc as is necessary:
eg: He built up his savings by being very frugal.
a frugal meal of bread and soup
swoll
very muscular
feisty
active, forceful and determined
eg::she is a feisty kid who is not afraid to challenge authority.
squeamish
easily upset or shocked by things that you find unpleasant or that you do not approve of
eg: she’s really squeamish and cant stand the sight of blood.
Many cooks are squeamish about putting live shellfish i to boiling water.
impervious to
unaffected by/ unmoved by
eg: They are impervious to all suggestion of change.
The floodcovering will need to be impervious to water. (impermeable)
Pushover
someone who is easily persuaded or influenced
/ something that is easy to do or win
eg: Krista gets whatever she wants- her parents are real pushovers.
Jean will look after Henry, I m quite sure - She’s a pushover for babies (will do anything for them).
sassy
1) rude and showing no respect
- a sassy young little girl
- I am a sassy little kid (rude but not seriously offensive) who sometimes talked back to my mother.
2) confident or showing confidence
- a sassy little black dress
upfront
speaking or behaving in a way that makes intentions and beliefs clear
eg: She’s very upfront about why she wants the job- she’d earn a lot more money.
retiring
unwilling to be noticed or to be with other people
eg: to be shy and retiring
Salt of the earth
A person or group that is regarded as genuine, unpretentious, and morally sound.
eg:
Don’t worry, even with all his success, Robert is still the salt of the earth. He donates most of his salary to charity and volunteers weekly at the hospital.
buff
if a man is buff, he has a body that is a good shape, and look as if he has done a lot of exercise.
He was spotted on the beach looking extremely buff.
OR
a person who knows a lot about and is very interested in a particular subject:
a computer/opera/film buff
verbose
long winded, using or containing more words than are necessary:
he was a notoriously after-dinner verbose speaker.
a verbose explaination / report / speech / style
twitchy
nervous, worried, ill-at-ease
eg: tobias felt twitchy at the sight of injection.
he was twitchy with anticipation.
grumpy
she is a night owl, which is why she’s often grumpy in the morning. (being in a slightly angry mood because you are annoyed at something or are feeling tired)
I hadn’t had enough sleep and was feeling kind of grumpy. (easily annoyed and complaining)
Presumptuous
rude because of doing something although you know you do not have a right to do it:
It would be presumptuous of me to speak for the others.
shady
dishonest or illegal:
1) they kw some very shady characters.
2) he was involved in shady deals in the past.
3) we always felt he was a very shady character.
finicky
difficult to please:
- a finicky eater
- he’s terribly finicky about his food.
needing a lot of attention to detail:
- repairing watches must be a very finicky job.
curt
If someone’s manner or speech is curt, it is rude as a result of being very quick:
to give a curt nod/reply
Andy was very curt with him.
He sent a curt, one-sentence letter of resignation to the mayor.
gibberish
spoken or written words that have no meaning:
I was so nervous, I just started talking gibberish
confused or meaningless speech or writing:
See if you can make out what he’s saying – it sounds like gibberish to me.
strident
A strident sound is loud, unpleasant, and rough:
People are put off by his strident voice.
expressing or expressed in forceful language that does not try to avoid upsetting other people:
a strident newspaper article
They are becoming increasingly strident in their criticism of government economic policy.
fawning
praising someone too much and giving them a lot of attention that is not sincere in order to get a positive reaction:
a fawning young man
obstinate
unreasonably determined, especially to act in a particular way and not to change at all, despite what anyone else says:
He can be very obstinate at times.
her obstinate refusal to compromise
used to describe a problem, situation, or thing that is difficult to deal with, remove, change, or defeat:
obstinate weeds
Invading troops met with obstinate resistance by guerrilla forces.
down-to-earth
practical, reasonable, and friendly:
She’s a down-to-earth woman with no pretensions.
The players like the coach because he’s down-to-earth and honest with the
rotund
fat, bulky
tenacious
unwilling to accept defeat or stop doing or having something:
Seles is a tenacious opponent – she never gives in.
holding tightly onto something, or keeping an opinion in a determined way:
The baby took my finger in its tenacious little fist.
There has been tenacious local opposition to the new airport.
understated
not trying to attract attention or impress people
eg:
he’s very elegant, in an understated way.
the apartment was luxurious but furnished in a tastefully understated way.
bratty
behave like a brat
audacious
showing a willingness to take risks or offend people:
He described the plan as ambitious and audacious.
an audacious remark/suggestion
The car maker’s audacious goal is to compete with the luxury cars of other manufacturers.
uptight
worried or nervous and not able to relax
eg: Don’t get uptight about the exam - just do your best.
I was really uptight about the interview, but it went fine.
expendable
if someone or sth is expendable, people can do sth or deal with a situation without them:
No one likes to think they’re expendable.
He was considered expendable and dropped from the team.
apprehensive
feeling worried about something that you are going to do or that is going to happen:
I’m very apprehensive about tomorrow’s meeting.
I’ve invited a lot of people to the party, but I’m a little apprehensive that no one will come.
sensible
based on or acting on good judgment and practical ideas or understanding:
a sensible answer/approach/compromise/option
a sensible person
I think the sensible thing to do is call and ask for directions.
It would be sensible to take an umbrella.
I’m sure Jenny can be relied on - she seems eminently sensible.
That would be a more sensible way of dealing with the problem.
Wouldn’t it be more sensible to eat now before we go?
It would seem more sensible to do the research now before we start on the project.
That was a very sensible decision.
space cadet
someone who behaves strangely:
She’s a bit of a space cadet but she’s nice enough.
disarming
making someone like you, especially when they had not expected to:
He displayed a disarming honesty by telling them about his father’s bankruptcy.
With a disarming smile, O’Reilly tried to put her at ease.
making someone begin to like you:
He had a disarming reason for arriving late – he was reading to his children.
laid-back
relaxed in manner and character; not usually worried about other people’s behaviour or things that need to be done:
I’ve never seen her worried or anxious in any way - she’s so laid-back
It’s a laid-back company – you can choose your own hours and the dress is very casual.
jaunty
happy and confident
eg: he scampered jauntily down the stairs.
a jaunty grin/step
when he came back his hat was at a jaunty angle and he was smiling.
indebted
grateful to someone because of help that person has given you:
For her encouragement and support, I am especially indebted to my wife, Nancy.
sulky
refusing to smile or be pleasant to people, usually because you are angry about something:
She brought along a couple of sulky kids who didn’t say a word the whole time.
oblivious
not conscious of something, especially what is happening around you:
Absorbed in her work, she was totally oblivious of her surroundings.
The mayor seems oblivious to the likely effects of the new legislation.
grovelling
behaving with too much respect towards someone, in order to show that you want to please them or want them to forgive you:
Their spokesperson went on TV to make a grovelling apology.
They are grovelling sycophants.
single-minded
only doing things that relate to one activity or interest:
She is single-minded in her pursuit of her studies.
very determined to achieve something:
She had a single-minded will to win.
overbearing
too confident and too determined to tell other people what to do, in a way that is unpleasant:
Milligan had a pompous, overbearing father.
pompous
too serious and full of importance:
He’s a pompous old prig who’s totally incapable of taking a joke.
He can sometimes sound a little pompous when he talks about acting.
obnoxious
very unpleasant or rude:
Some of his colleagues say that he’s loud and obnoxious.
When she’s in a bad mood she’s obnoxious to everyone.
mellow
relaxed and pleasant or not severe:
a mellow mood/atmosphere
After a few drinks, he became very mellow.
to become more relaxed:
She used to be very impatient, but she’s mellowed over time.
The years have mellowed her.
goofy
silly
That was a real goofy thing to do.
I like Jim, but he’s a little goofy.
unfazed
She seems unfazed by her sudden success and fame.
quick-witted
able to react quickly and skillfully
He is lively and quick-witted despite his age.
inquisitive
eager to kw a lot about people or things:
our neighbours are too inquisitive.
Inquisitive child.
An inquisitive mind.
muddled
confused
- he became increasingly muddled as he grew older.
confusing and not clearly reasoned:
muddled thinking
The book’s message is hopelessly muddled.
rusty
If a skill you had is rusty, it is not as good as it was because you have not practised it:
My Italian is a bit rusty these days.
cheeky
slightly rude or showing no respect, but often in a funny way:
She’s got such a cheeky grin.
Don’t be so cheeky!
belligerent
hostile and aggressive.
eg: watch out! Lee’s in a belligerent mood.
unhinged
mentally ill:
I sometimes think that your mother is a little unhinged.
loopy
strange, unusual, or silly:
He must have gone completely loopy to give up a job like that.
chonky
plump/chubby: describe animal
chonky
plump/chubby: describe animal
endearing
making someone like you:
She laughs at herself a lot, which is always endearing.
endearing
making someone like you:
She laughs at herself a lot, which is always endearing.
liberal
respecting and allowing many different types of beliefs or behaviour:
a liberal society/attitude
Her parents were far more liberal than mine.
