R-Z Flashcards
Restive
adj
reh-stihv
The passengers became restive after having to wait in line for hours and began to shout complaints at the airline staff.
Impatient, uneasy, or restless
Unbraid
verb
uhp-brayd
The teacher unbraided the students for scrawling graffitti all over the walls of the school.
to scold sharply
Soporific
adj
sahp-uhr-inf-ink
The movie proved to be so soporific that soon loud snores were heard throughout the cinema.
causing sleep or lethargy
Trenchant
adj
trehn-chunnt
Tyrone’s trenchant observation in class made him the profressor’s favorite student.
Acute, sharp, or inclusive; forceful; effective
Torpor
noun
tohr-puhr
After the surgery, the patient torpor lasted several hours until the anesthesia wore off.
extreme mental and physical sluggishness.
Umbrage
noun
uhm-brihj
The entrepreneur took umbrage at the security guard’s accusation that he had sholifted a packet of gum.
offense; resentment
Sublime
(adj)
suh-bliem
The music was so sublime that that it transformed the rude surrounding into a special place.
lofty; grand
Scintilla
noun
sihn-tihl-uh
This poison is so powerful that no more than a scintilla of its needed to kill a horse.
trace amount
Zealot
noun
zeh-luht
The religious zealot had no time for those who failed to share his strong beliefs.
someone passionately devoted to a cause
T
Turgid
adj
tuhr-jihd
In the process of osmosis, water passes through the walls of turgid cells, ensuring that they never contain too much water.
swollen, as from a fluid; Bloated
Slake
verb
slayk
In order to slake his curiosity, Bryan finally took a tour backstage at the theather.
to calm down; moderate
Xenophobia
noun
zee-nuh-foh-bee-uh
Countries in which xenophobia is prevalent often have more restrictive immigration policies than countries that are more open to foreign influences.
a fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers.
Terrestrial
adj
tuh-reh0 stress-uhl
Many “extraterrestrial” objects turn out to be terrestrial in origin, as whn flying saucers turn out to be normal airplanes.
earthly; down to earth; commonplace
Seraphic
adj
seh-rah-tihk
Selena’s seraphic appearance belied her nasty, bitter personality.
angelic; sweet
Surfeit
noun
suhr-fint
Because of the surfeit of the pigs, pork proces have never been lower.
excessive amount
Variegated
adj
vaar-ee-uh-gayt-ehd
The variegated foliage of the jungle allows it to support thousands of different animal species.
varied; marked with different colors.
Repast
noun
rih-paasst
Ravi prepared a delicious repast of chicken tikka and naan.
meal or mealtime
Redress
noun
rih-drehs
Seeking redress for the injuries she had received in the accident, Doreen sued the driver of the truck that had hit her.
relief from wrong or injuries
Sentient
adj
sehn-shuhnt
The anesthetic didn’t work, and I was still sentient when the dentist started drilling!
Aware; conscious; able to perceive
Rarefy
verb
rayr-uh-fie
Since the atmosphere rarefies as the altitudes increases, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe.
To become thinner or sparser.
Volatile
adj
His volatile personality made it difficult to predict his reaction to anything.
easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive
Wily
adj
Yet again, the wily fox managed to elude the ranchers who wanted to capture it.
clever; deceptive
Raconteur
noun
The raconteur kept all the passengers entertained with his stories during thr six hours flight.
A witty, skilled storyteller
Tangential
adj
Your argument is interesting, but it’s tangential to the matter at hand, so I suggest we get back to the point.
Digressing; diverting
Toady
noun
The king was surrounded by toadies who rushed to agree with whatever outrageous thing he said.
one who flatters in the hope of gaining favors
Sinecure
noun
sien ih kyoor
The corrupt mayor made sure to set up all his relatives in sinecures within the administration.
a well-paying job or office that requires little or no work
Venerate
verb
(vehn uhr ayt)
In a traditional Confucian society, the young venerate their elders, deferring to the elders’ wisdom and experience.
to respect deeply
Vex
verb
vehks
The old man who loved his peace and quiet was vexed by his neighbor’s loud music.
to annoy, irritate, puzzle, or confuse
Syncopation
noun
(sihn cuh pay shun)
A jazz enthusiast will appreciate the use of syncopation in that musical genre.
temporary irregularity in musical rhythm
Vicissitude
noun
vih sih sih tood
Investors must be prepared for vicissitudes of the stock market.
a change or variation
Ribald
adj
rih buhld
The court jester’s ribald brand of humor delighted the rather uncouth king.
humorous in a vulgar way
Spartan
adj
When he was in training, the athlete preferred to live in a spartan room so he could shut out all distractions.
highly self-disciplined; frugal; austere
Sagacious
adj
suh gay shuhs
Owls have a reputation for being sagacious, perhaps because of their big eyes, which resemble glasses.
shrewd; wise
Usury
noun
yoo zhuh ree
The moneylender was convicted of usury when it was discovered that he charged 50 percent interest on all his loans.
the practice of lending money at exorbitant rates
Sportive
adj
spohr tihv
The lakeside vacation meant more sportive opportunities for the kids than the wine tour through France.
frolicsome; playful
Repudiate
verb
ree pyoo dee ayt
The old woman’s claim that she was Russian royalty was repudiated by other known relatives.
to reject the validity of
Requite
verb
Thanks for offering to lend me $1,000, but I know I’ll never be able to requite your generosity.
to return or repay
Satiate
verb
His desire for power was so great that nothing less than complete control of the country could satiate it.
To satify fully or overindulge.
Symbiosis
noun
sihm bee oh sihs
The rhino and the tick-eating bird live in symbiosis; the rhino gives the bird food in the form of ticks, and the bird rids the rhino of parasites.
cooperation; mutual helpfulness
Wizened
adj
wih zuhnd
The wizened old man was told that the plastic surgery necessary to make him look young again would cost more money than he could imagine.
shriveled; withered; wrinkled
