R Flashcards
raconteur
n. witty, skillful storyteller
Th raconteur was surrounded by people listening to his story.
radial
adj. radiating from or converging to a common center
Many flowers and plants exhibit radial symmetry.
radical
adj. extreme; favoring great change in society
The radical plan calls for abolishing taxes.
rail
v. to scold with bitter or abusive language
The speaker railed against social injustice.
raiment
n. clothing
The waiters in the restaurant are all clad in clue raiment.
raison d’être
n. justification for existing
The writer defines philosophy as the search for humanity’s raison d’être.
ramification
n. implication
The law student’s paper deals with the ramifications of the Supreme Court’s decision.
rampant
adj. unrestrained; occurring widely
Cheating is rampant in the college.
rancid
adj. spoiled, rotten
The smell of rancid meat is very unpleasant.
rancor
n. bitter hatred
There was rancor on both sides of the dispute.
rapacious
adj. taking by force; greedy
The rapacious landlord doubled our rent.
rapport
n. relationship of trust and respect
There is great rapport between Tom and Beth.
rapprochement
n. establishment of harmonious relations
After the war ended there was a rapprochement between the two countries.
rapt
adj. deeply absorbed
The children listened to the story with rapt attention.
rarefied
adj. refined
It was difficult to understand the professor’s rarefied discussion.
ratify
v. to approve formally, confirm
The treaty was ratified by the Senate.
ratiocination
n. methodical, logical reasoning
Some scientists believe that human beings are the only species capable of ratiocination.
rational
adj. logical, reasonable
Scientists are searching for a rational explanation of the strange phenomenon.
rationale
n. fundamental reasons
What is the rationale for changing our plans?
rationalization
n. act or practice of providing self-satisfying but incorrect reasons for something
The excuse you gave is nothing but a rationalization.
raucous
adj. harsh-sounding; boisterous
The crow’s raucous calls make it hard to concentrate.
ravage
v. to destroy, devastate
The disease ravaged the population of Europe.
ravenous
adj. extremely hungry
After fasting all day, Rick is ravenous.
ravine
n. deep, narrow gorge
The town plans to build a footbridge over the ravine.
raze
v. to tear down, demolish
The area was razed so it could be redeveloped. reactionary
reactionary
adj. marked by extreme conservatism
The reactionary group opposes any form of change.
rebuff
v. to snub; beat back
Holly rebuffed Luke’s offer of marriage.
rebuke
v. to reprimand, scold
The teacher rebuked the student for her poor behavior.
rebuttal
n. refutation; response with contrary evidence
The debater’s rebuttal of her opponent’s argument was persuasive.
recalcitrant
adj. resisting authority or control
The UN Security Council plans to take action against the recalcitrant country.
recant
v. to retract a statement, opinion, etc.
The medical board ordered the doctor to recant his statement.
recapitulate
v. to review by a brief summary in biology: to appear to repeat the evolution of the species during the embryonic development of the individual
The English teacher recapitulated the events of the novel for her class.
recidivism
n. tendency to relapse into previous behavior
The rate of recidivism is increasing.
reclusive
adj. seeking seclusion or isolation
The reclusive writer hates to give interviews.
reconciliation
n. a settlement or resolution; act of making compatible or consistent
Negotiations brought reconciliation between the two opposing sides.
recondite
adj. abstruse; profound
The course is an introduction to Kant’s recondite philosophy.
reconnaissance
v. survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering
The scout conducted a reconnaissance of the enemy position.
recount
v. to narrate or tell
The novel recounts the story of three generations of the Galbraith family.
rectify
v. correct
Once the problem with the engine is rectified, we will be on our way again.
rectitude
n. moral uprightness
The country expects its leaders to be people of rectitude.
redolent
adj. odorous; fragrant; suggestive of an odor
This white wine is redolent of lemon.
redoubtable
adj. formidable; arousing fear; worthy of respect
Glenda is redoubtable debater.
redress
n. relief from wrong or injury
The court ordered payment as redress for the injury he suffered.
reductionism
n. attempt to explain complex phenomena by simple principles
The statement “A person is nothing but a combination of chemicals” is an example of reductionism.
reductionistic
adj. attempting to explain complex phenomena by simple principles
The idea that the brain is nothing but a bunch of chemicals can be regarded as reductionistic.
redundant
adj. exceeding what is necessary; unnecessarily repetitive
The engineers built several redundant systems into the spacecraft.
refectory
n. room where meals are served
The family had breakfast in the refectory.
refined
adj. cultivated; elegant
professor Hunter is a woman of refined taste in literature.
refract
v. to deflect sound or light
Water refracts light more than air does.
refractory
adj. stubborn; unmanageable; resisting ordinary methods of treatment
Only the stable’s most experienced trainer could deal with the refractory horse.
refulgent
adj. brightly shining; resplendent
The mystic had a vision of a refulgent being.
refurbish
v. to renovate
We are planning to refurbish our home next year.
refutation
n. disproof of opponent’s argument
Thw lawyer’s refutation of the argument was clear and effective.
refute
v. to contradict; disprove
The man’s lawyer refuted the charges against his client.
regale
v. to entertain
The bride’s family hired a jazz band to regale the guests.
regimen
n. government rule; systematic plan
Susie is sticking to her regimen of learning ten advanced wards a day.
regimented
adj. systematized; made uniform
The study shows that students who take a regimented approach do best.
regression
n. a movement backward; reversion to an earlier form or state
Bill was disappointed by the regression in his GRE scores.
reification
n. treatment of an abstraction as if it had material existence
The psychologist believes that the human mind has a natural tendency toward reification.
reiterate
v. to say or do again, repeat
The teacher reiterated her statement for emphasis.
rejoinder
n. response
The comedian is always ready with a rejoinder to comments from the audience.
rejuvenate
v. to make young again; renew
Our vacation rejuvenated us.
relegate
v. to consign to an inferior position
The veteran baseball player was relegated to a backup role.
relevance
n. pertinence; connection with a matter under consideration
That case has little relevance to this one.
relic
n. surviving remnant; memento
Toom keeps his old tennis racquet as a relic of his playing days.
relinquish
v. to renounce or surrender something
The boxer was forced to relinquish his title because he failed to defend it.
relish
v. to enjoy greatly
Everyone in the family relished their Thanksgiving dinner.
remediable
adj. capable of being corrected
Luckily, your errors are remediable.
reminisce
v. to remember past events
The couple reminisced about their first date.
remission
n. lessening, relaxation
The disease went into remission.
remonstrate
v. to object or protest
The columnist regularly remonstrated about social injustice.
remorseless
adj. having no pity; merciless
We watched the remorseless advance of the invading force.
remuneration
n. pay or reward for work, trouble, etc.
The job doesn’t offer adequate remuneration.
renaissance
n. rebirth or revival
In recent years poetry has enjoyed a renaissance in America.
renascent
adj. reborn, coming into being again
After many years of dictatorship in the country, democracy is now renascent there.
render
v. to provide; give what is due; represent in drawing or painting
The artist rendered his subject as a young woman.
rendition
n. artistic interpretation of a song, etc.; translation
The singers gave an interesting rendition of the well-known song.
renegade
n. traitor, person abandoning a cause
Government troops captured the renegades and brought them to trial.
renege
v. to go back on one’s word
When our partner reneged on the agreement, he was sued by the other parties.
renounce
v. to give up or reject a right, title, person, etc.
One member of the family renounced her right to the property.
renown
n. fame, widespread acclaim
The novelist enjoys international renown.
reparation
n. amends; compensation
The peace treaty stipulates that the vanquished country will pay reparations to the victorious country.
repast
n. meal or mealtime
On Sundays my family enjoys a big repast.
repentant
adj. apologetic, guilty, remorseful
The priest asked the sinner if he was repentant.
repertoire
n. pieces that an artist or artists are prepared to perform; a person’s range of skills
The pianist’s repertoire includes pieces by Chopin.
repine
v. to fret; complain
She is no longer invited to their parties but she doesn’t greatly repine.
replete
adj. abundantly supplied
My new car is replete with every gadget imaginable.
replica
n. duplication copy of something
Herb built a miniature replica of a Boeing 747.
repose
n. relaxation, leisure
One Sundays we enjoy a day of repose.
repository
n. place things are put for safekeeping
Libraries are repositories of human knowledge.
reprehensible
adj. blameworthy, disreputable
The invasion was condemned around the world as a reprehensible act.
repressive
adj. causing or inclined to case repression
The repressive government was overthrown.
reprimand
v. to scold
The teacher reprimanded the class or talking.
reprise
n. repetition, esp. of a piece of music
We enjoyed the reprise of the last movement of the symphony.
reproach
v. to find fault with; blame
The platoon leader reproached the soldier for disobeying orders.
reprobate
n. morally unprincipled person
Most people shun the man as a reprobate.
reprove
v. to criticize or correct
The teacher reproved the student for not paying attention.
repudiate
v. to reject as having no authority
The court repudiated the decision reached by the citizen’s committee.
repugnant
adj. distasteful; offensive
The views expressed in this book are repugnant to most people.
requiem
n. hymns or religious service for the dead
A requiem was held for the dead soldier.
rescind
v. to cancel
The bank has rescinded Ton’s credit card.
reserve
n. self-control; formal but distant manner
Ms. Smith’s reserve makes her difficult to get to know.
residual
adj. remaining, leftover
The organization decided to donate the residual funds to charity.
resigned
adj. unresisting; patiently submissive
Bob is resigned to failing math again this year.
resilient
adj. able to recover quickly after illness or misfortune
The resilient boxer was back on his feet again right away after being knocked down by his opponent.
resolute
adj. determined; with a clear purpose
Laura is resolute in her determination to become a scientist.
resolve
v. to determine to do something
Sue resolved to obtain a Ph.D.
resonate
v. to echo
The speaker’s words resonated through the hall.
respire
v. to breathe
The accident victim was not respiring.
respite
n. interval of relief
The teacher gave the class a five-minute respite.
resplendent
adj. splendid, brilliant
The royal couple looked resplendent in their golden robes.
restitution
n. act of compensating for loss or damage
As restitution for his crime, Steve performed community service.
restive
adj. impatient, uneasy, restless
The audience grew restive when the speaker hadn’t appeared.
restorative
adj. having the power to renew or revitalize
The herbalist believes in the restorative power of ginseng.
restrained
v. controlled, repressed, restricted
Security guards restrained the angry customer.
resurrection
n. rising from the dead; revival
The book begins the resurrection of long-forgotten ideas.
resuscitate
v. to revive, bring back to life
Paramedics resuscitated the woman who had collapsed at the mall.
resurgent
adj. rising again
The political scientist analyzed the effects of a resurgent Russia on international relations.
reticence
n. reserve; reluctance
The star’s reticence annoyed the journalist who interviewed him.
retinue
n. group of attendants with an important person
The queen arrived with a retinue of servants.
retiring
adj. shy, modest, reserved
Few successful politicians are the retiring type.
retort
n. cutting response
The comedian is a master of the quick retort to comments from the audience.
retrench
v. to regroup, reorganize
The company is making plans to retrench.
retribution
n. something demanded in repayment; punishment
As retribution for setting fire to the granary, the villagers demanded his house and possessions.
retrograde
adj. having a backward motion or direction
Planets sometimes appear to have a retrograde motion due to the fact that planets travel at different speeds around the sun.
retrospect
n. review or contemplation of the past
In retrospect, I wish I had studied more in high school.
reveille
n. the sounding of a bugle early in the morning to awaken and summon people
Reveille was sounded at 6:00 A.M.
revelation
n. something revealed
The woman was stunned by the revelation that he was now married.
revelry
n. boisterous festivity
The revelry continued past midnight.
reverie
n. daydream
The student’s reverie was broken by the teacher’s question.
reversion
n. return to an earlier state; regression
To avoid reversion to his past behavior, special steps have been taken.
revile
v. to criticize with harsh language, verbally abuse
The candidates reviled each other in their debate.
revivify
v. give new life or energy
The vacation revivified the students.
revulsion
n. strong feeling of repugnance or dislike
Tom feels revulsion for biolence.
rhapsodize
v. to speak or write in an exaggeratedly enthusiastic manner
The speaker rhapsodized about the beauty of nature.
rhapsody
n. emotional literary or musical work
The poem is a rhapsody on the beauty of nature.
rhetoric
n. persuasive use of language; pretentious language
The politician’s speech was full of empty rhetoric.
rhetorical
adj. related to effective communication; insincere in language
All the rhetorical devices in the world won’t make you a good writer unless you have something to say.
ribald
adj. humorous in a vulgar way
The ribald jokes are not suitable for a young audience.
rife
adj. widespread, prevalent; abundant
Reports of cheating are rife.
riposte
n. a retaliatory action or retort
The enemy’s attack brought a quick riposte from our side.
risqué
adj. bordering on being inappropriate or indecent
The principal thought the show was too risqué for a young audience.
robust
adj. strong and healthy; hardy
The man was eighty years old and still enjoyed robust health.
rococo
adj. very highly ornamented
The writer’s rococo style has fallen out of fashion.
romanticize
v. to interpret romantically
People seem to have a tendency to romanticize the past.
rotund
adj. round in shape; fat
The rotund man has trouble climbing stairs.
rubric
n. title or heading; category; established mode of procedure
The new policy falls under the rubric of law and order.
rudimentary
adj. related to the basic principles of something; elementary; in early stages of development
Ivan’s essay is still at a rudimentary stage of development.
rue
v. to regret
The old man rues the day he dropped out of college.
rueful
adj. full of regret
The old man reminisced about his lost opportunities with a rueful smile.
ruminate
v. to contemplate, reflect upon
The philosopher ruminated all day about the idea.
ruse
n. trick; crafty stratagem; subterfuge
The ruse allowed the prisoners to escape.
rustic
adj. rural
Phil and Sue love to have picnics in rustic settings.
