Random Words Flashcards

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0
Q

Martinet

A

A strict disciplinarian

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1
Q

Churlish

A

Rude, unmannered

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2
Q

Polyglot

A

A person who knows and is able to use several languages

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3
Q

Brusque

A

Abrupt or offhand in speech or manner, blunt

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4
Q

Perfunctory

A

Something done without energy or enthusiasm, with minimum effort

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5
Q

Unseemly

A

Not proper or appropriate

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6
Q

Aphorism

A

A pithy preservation that contains a general truth. Ex. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

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7
Q

Pithy

A

Concise and effective. Succinct

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8
Q

Ignominy

A

Public shame or disgrace

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9
Q

Hackneyed

A

A phrase or idea lacking significance through having been overused; dull, unoriginal, trite, worn out

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10
Q

Dissemble

A

To give false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of

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11
Q

Polemical

A

Strongly critical, controversial writing or speech

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12
Q

Exaltation

A
  1. Extreme happiness

2. Elevating someone in rank, power or character

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13
Q

Notoriety

A

Being famous for a bad quality

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14
Q

Edifice

A
  1. A large, imposing building

2. A complex system of beliefs

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15
Q

Precipitate

A
  1. Reckless - done without careful consideration

2. To cause an undesirable event to happen suddenly

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16
Q

Coy

A

Shy, reserved

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17
Q

Propriety

A

Good manners, respectability

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18
Q

Surly

A

Bad tempered, unfriendly

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19
Q

Sycophantic

A

Behaving in a way to gain advantage. Fawning, brown nosing

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20
Q

Hapless

A

Unfortunate

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21
Q

Preeminent

A

Distinguished, surpassing others

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22
Q

Congenial

A

Friendly

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23
Q

Prolific

A
  1. Present in large numbers

2. Marked by inventiveness or productivity ex. A prolific author

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24
Q

Admonish

A

To reprimand

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25
Q

Maverick

A

An unorthodox, independent person

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26
Q

Colossus

A

A person of enormous size, importance, or ability

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27
Q

Delineate

A

To describe or portray something exactly

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28
Q

Bromide

A

A trite, unoriginal idea or remark

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29
Q

Ephemeral

A

Lasting for a very short time. Brief

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30
Q

Hermetic

A
  1. Airtight

2. Of or relating to ancient tradition with alchemy, astrology

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31
Q

Alchemy

A

Magical process of transformation, creation or combination

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32
Q

Sedulous

A

Showing dedication and diligence

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33
Q

Exculpate

A

To show or declare that someone is not guilty of wrongdoing

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34
Q

Disparage

A

Regard or represent as being of little worth

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35
Q

Proscribe

A

To forbid, condemn, especially by law

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36
Q

Intransigent

A

Unwilling or refusing to change one’a views or to agree about something

Stubborn

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37
Q

Abject

A

Extremely bad, unpleasant, miserable

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38
Q

Vitiating

A

To spoil or impair the quality of

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39
Q

Limpid

A

Clear, unclouded

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40
Q

Demotic

A

Language of ordinary people, colloquial

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41
Q

Labile

A

Liable to change, easily altered

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42
Q

Abnegation

A

The act of renouncing or rejecting something

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43
Q

Transgression

A

An act that goes against a law, rule or code of conduct; an offense

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44
Q

Misogyny

A

Dislike for or prejudice against women

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45
Q

Concomitant

A

Naturally accompanying or associated

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46
Q

Indigence

A

A state of extreme poverty

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47
Q

Miscellany

A

A mixture

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48
Q

Homily

A

A sermon

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49
Q

Platitude

A

A remark or statement that has been used too often to be interesting; bromide

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50
Q

Epithet

A

A term used to characterize a person or thing, such as rosy-fingered

51
Q

Paradigm

A

A typical example, a model

52
Q

Arcane

A

Understood by few; mysterious or secret

53
Q

Tome

A

A large, heavy, scholarly book

54
Q

Insipid

A

Lacking flavor

Lacking vigor or interest

55
Q

Nefarious

A

Wicked or criminal

56
Q

Desultory

A

Lacking a plan, purpose or enthusiasm

Occurring randomly or occasionally

57
Q

Sportive

A

Playful, lighthearted

58
Q

Commensurate

A

Corresponding in size or degree; in proportion

59
Q

Purportedly

A

Believed to be the case; alleged; reputed

60
Q

Felicitously

A

Admirably suited, appropriate in manner or style

Marked by happiness or good fortunate

61
Q

Preternaturally

A

In a supernatural manner

62
Q

Vacillating

A

To alternate or waver between different opinions; to be indecisive

63
Q

Pellucid

A

Clear, easily understood

64
Q

Salient

A

Most noticeable or important

65
Q

Obtuse

A

Annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand; ignorant, simple minded

66
Q

Obsequious

A

Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree

67
Q

Edifying

A

Providing moral or intellectual instruction

68
Q

Unconscionable

A

Not right or reasonable

69
Q

Paragon

A

A person or thing viewed as a model of excellence

70
Q

Malign

A

To speak about someone in a spitefully critical manner

71
Q

Sanctioned

A

To give official permission or approval for

To impose a sanction or penalty on

72
Q

Execrable

A

Extremely bad or unpleasant

73
Q

Machiavellian

A

Cunning, devious, especially in politics

74
Q

Unscrupulous

A

Having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair

75
Q

Subsume

A

To include or absorb in something else

“Most of these phenomena can be subsumed under two broad categories”

76
Q

Etymology

A

Study of the history and origin of words and their meanings have changed over time

77
Q

Cognate

A

Related, connected

78
Q

Abeyance

A

Temporary suppression or suspension

79
Q

Abject

A

Miserable, pitiful

80
Q

Abjure

A

To reject (a belief or cause), renounce

81
Q

Abscission

A

The act of cutting

82
Q

Abscond

A

To depart secretly

83
Q

Abstemious

A

Moderate in appetite

84
Q

Accretion

A

Growth in size or increase in amount

85
Q

Adjunct

A

Something added or joined

86
Q

Admonish

A

To caution or reprimand

87
Q

Adulterate

A

To corrupt or make impure

88
Q

Affected

A

Pretentious, phony, artificial, designed to impress

89
Q

Aggrandize

A

To make larger or greater

90
Q

Alacrity

A

Cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed

91
Q

Alchemy

A

Medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold; a seemingly magical power or process of transmutation

92
Q

Allay

A

To lessen, ease, sooth

93
Q

Alloy

A

A combination; mixture of two or more metals

94
Q

Allure

A

The power to entice by charm

95
Q

Amalgamate

A

To combine into a unified whole

96
Q

Maverick

A

An unorthodox or independent minded person

97
Q

Profuse

A

If something pours our in abundance

98
Q

Contentious

A

Likely to cause an argument, controversial

99
Q

Equivocate

A

To speak vaguely, usually with the intention to mislead or deceive.

The findings of the study were equivocal - the two researchers had divergent opinions on what the results signified

100
Q

Sedulous

A

To show dedication and diligence. OPP of being sedentary

101
Q

Ambivalent

A

To have mixed or conflicting emotions about something

Sam was ambivalent about studying for the GRE because it are up a lot of her time, yet she learned many words and improved reading comprehension

102
Q

Unequivocally

A

To state something in such a way that there is no room for doubt

103
Q

Intransient

A

Permanent, not transient

104
Q

Importune

A

To press someone persistently to do something

105
Q

Jingoism

A

Extreme patriotism

106
Q

Probity

A

Having strong moral principles

107
Q

Volubility

A

Talking fluently, incessantly

108
Q

Graft

A

Corruption, bribery

109
Q

Chauvinist

A

A person displaying excessive, aggressive patriotism

110
Q

Philistine

A

A person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts, or who has no understanding of them

111
Q

Renounce

A

To formally declare one’s abandonment of

112
Q

Cravenness

A

Cowardliness

113
Q

Harried

A

Harassed

114
Q

Mollified

A

Soothed

115
Q

Besieged

A

Surrounded and harassed

116
Q

Volatile

A

Changing unpredictably

117
Q

Imperiled

A

Put at risk of being harmed, injured or destroyed

118
Q

Pristine

A

In it’s original condition, I spoilled

119
Q

Dispersal

A

A scattering of something

120
Q

Intrepid

A

Brave

121
Q

Sordid

A

Disgraceful

122
Q

Cavil

A

To criticize petty things

123
Q

Carping

A

To find fault

124
Q

Respite

A

Break

125
Q

Duress

A

Threats, violence brought to bear on someone to do something against their will

126
Q

Gambit

A

An action or opening remark typically one entailing risk, calculated to gain an advantage