Practice Test Unknowns 1 Flashcards
Scanty
small or insufficient in quantity or amount
Didactic
intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive
Panegyrical
a formal eulogistic composition intended as a public compliment, elaborate praise or laudation, an encomium
banal
drearily commonplace and often predictable, trite
gauche
lacking ease or grace, unsophisticated and socially awkward
sublime
of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe
unstinting
given or giving without restraint
avarice
extreme greed for wealth or material gain
fatuous
silly and pointless
teratoid
malformed, abnormal in form or development
felicitious
well chosen or suited to the circumstances
decorous/decorum
in keeping with good taste and propriety, polite and restrained (decorum)
capricious
given to sudden and unaccountable changes in mood or behaviour
reticence
reserved, restraint, reluctance
diffidence
modesty or shyness resulting from a lack of self-confidence
propriety
the state or quality of conforming to conventionally accepted standards of behavior or morals
facile
appearing neat and comprehensive only by ignoring the true complexities of an issue (superficial, simplistic), effortless easily achieved
doughty
brave and persistent
tyro
a beginner or novice
expiate
atone for (guilt or sin)
sedulous
of a person or action showing dedication and diligence
coruscating
flashing, sparkling
preclude
prevent from happening, make impossible
preternatural
beyond what is normal or natural, phenomenal, inexplicable, unusual etc.
consonant
in agreement with something
edifying
providing moral or intellectual instruction
mendicate
to beg
allay
diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion or worry)
cadge
ask for or obtain
anodyne
not likely to provoke dissent or offense or a painkilling drug or medicine
monocoque
type of construction in which the outer skin carries all or a major part of the stress (type of vehicle construction)
pavonine
or of like a peacock
parietal
of relating to, attached to, or denoting the wall of the body or of a body cavity or hollow structure
saturnine
slow and gloomy
cauterized
make less sensitive to feelings and emotions
inured
accustomed to something (especially unpleasant)
ossified
turn into bone or cease developing (turn rigid)
noisome
having an extremely offensive smell, disagreeable unpleasant
specious
superficially plausible but actually wrong
venerable
accorded a great deal of respsect
eschew
deliberately avoid using, abstain from
reticence
reluctance
repudiation
rejection of a proposal or idea
tribulation
unhappiness, pain suffering, distress or suffering resulting from oppression or persecution
verisimilar
having the appearance of truth, depicting realism
quiescent
in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy
atavistic
relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral
august
respected and impressive
mephitic
foul smelling, noxious
recondite
little known, abstruse (obscure, arcane)
arcane
understood by few, mysterious and secret
redolent
strongly reminiscent or suggestive of something (also fragrant or sweet smelling)
exscind
to cut off or out
droll
curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement
obloquy
strong public criticism or verbal abuse (disgrace)
obfuscate
render obscure, unclear or unintelligible
evince
reveal the presence of (a quality of feeling)
venal
showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery
adroit
clever or skillful in using the hands or mind
burke
to murder by suffocation
fete
a celebration or festival - to honor or entertain lavishly
beguiling
charm or enchant sometimes in a deceptive way
