Pre Work Session 1 Flashcards
Disconsolate (adj)
Unable to be cheered up or soothed; despondent
The girl was disconsolate after the loss of her stuffed animal, refusing to smile for weeks.
Gloomy; causing unhappiness
The crumbling strip mall on a grey day provided a disconsolate view.
Obdurate (adj.)
Stubbornly continuing to behave wrongly
The obdurate student continued to throw large books out the window
Refusing to be persuaded
Obdurate in his beliefs, he continued arguing for the existence of the Loch Ness monster.
Invulnerable (adj.)
Unable to be injured or hurt
Able to withstand any attack
Cannot be disproved or argued against
Iconoclastic (adj.)
Shattering norms or precedents; attacking long-held beliefs
The iconoclastic artist argued vehemently against the use of realistic figures in painting or sculpture
Smashing images, particularly highly esteemed or religious ones
The iconoclastic artist destroyed all of the paintings in the museum
Immutable (adj)
Unchanging; fixed; cannot be altered
Each element on the periodic table has certain immutable properties
Plausibility (adj.)
The condition of being believable or possible; appearing reasonable if true
While global warming is a plausible explanation for the season’s extreme storms, other factors might also be involved
Preeminent (adj.)
Highly distinguished or important
After many years of grueling practice, the professional curler at last became preeminent in his field.
Attenuation (n)
The act of stretching something out, making it thinner; the state of being stretched, thinning out
The resulting attenuation of the students attention left them unable to focus
(Biology) the process by which an infectious organism, bacteria, or virus becomes less harmful
The attenuation of the common cold…
(Physics) A decrease in energy or other property of a wave or particle as it disperses or scatters
The attenuation of the laser in the distance…
Quixotic (adj.)
Likely to make impulsive decisions, often in a romantic or sentimental way
Quixotic dreams of adventure and easy money spurred many to travel to Alaska
Unpredictable
The CEO’s quixotic behavior confused his employees, who never knew what he would do next.
Imperious (adj.)
Overbearing; commanding, possibly in an arrogant way
The imperious student took over the group, refusing to let anyone have a say in the project.
Urgent, immediately compelling
Their imperious need for food caused them to drive an hour out of their way.
Perfunctory (adj)
Merely routine; done only on a surface level
Lacking in excitement; with minimum engagement
Beholden (adj)
Owning something, obligated or in debt in some way
Deferential (adj)
Tending to give precedence to others, out of either esteem or a desire to ingratiate oneself
Trite (adj)
Overused; cliché, unoriginal
Disquieting (adj)
Unsettling; disturbing
