Red Rising Flashcards
Ruefully
adverb
in a way that expresses sorrow or regret, especially in a wry or humorous manner.
“the actor ruefully remarked that you are only as good as your last film”
Larder
noun
a room or large cupboard for storing food.
Conceited
adjective
excessively proud of oneself; vain.
“Fred’s so conceited he’d never believe anyone would refuse him”
Contingency
noun
1. a future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.
“a detailed contract which attempts to provide for all possible contingencies”
2. a provision for a possible event or circumstance.
“stores were kept as a contingency against a blockade”
3. an incidental expense.
“allow an extra fifteen per cent on the budget for contingencies”
Imploring
adjective
making an earnest or desperate appeal.
“an imploring look”
Impudent
adjective
not showing due respect for another person; impertinent.
“he could have strangled this impudent upstart”
Ingenuity
noun
the quality of being clever, original, and inventive.
“considerable ingenuity must be employed in writing software”
Auspicious
adjective
1. conducive to success; favourable.
“it was not the most auspicious moment to hold an election”
2. giving or being a sign of future success.
“they said it was an auspicious moon—it was rising”
ARCHAIC
3. characterized by success; prosperous.
“he was respectful to his auspicious customers”
Heterogeneous
adjective
1. diverse in character or content.
“a large and heterogeneous collection”
CHEMISTRY
2. of or denoting a process involving substances in different phases (solid, liquid, or gaseous).
“heterogeneous catalysis”
MATHEMATICS
3. incommensurable through being of different kinds, degrees, or dimensions.
Perfidious
adjective LITERARY
deceitful and untrustworthy.
“a perfidious lover”
Facsimile
noun
an exact copy, especially of written or printed material.
“a facsimile of the manuscript”
verb
make a copy of.
“the ride was facsimiled for another theme park”
Fickle
adjective
changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties or affections.
“celebs trying to appeal to an increasingly fickle public”
Cherub
noun
a winged angelic being described in biblical tradition as attending on God, represented in ancient Middle Eastern art as a lion or bull with eagles’ wings and a human face and regarded in traditional Christian angelology as an angel of the second highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy.
a representation of a cherub in Western art, depicted as a chubby, healthy-looking child with wings.
Impugn
verb
dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or motive); call into question.
“the father does not impugn her capacity as a good mother”
Grandiloquent
adjective
pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, especially in a way that is intended to impress.
“a grandiloquent celebration of Spanish glory”
Revile
verb
criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.
“he was now reviled by the party that he had helped to lead”
Lithe
adjective
bending readily; pliant; limber; supple; flexible.
“the lithe body of a ballerina.”
Castellan
noun
a governor or warden of a castle or fort
Archipelago
noun
an area that contains a chain or group of islands scattered in lakes, rivers, or the ocean.
Brandish
verb
wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement.
“a man leaped out brandishing a knife”
Convalesce
verb
recover one’s health and strength over a period of time after an illness or medical treatment.
“he spent eight months convalescing after the stroke”
Pulvinar
noun
1. a cushion-like part of the thalamus.
2. (in ancient Rome) the imperial seat in an arena.
adjective
BOTANY
relating to a pulvinus
Abet
verb
encourage or assist (someone) to do something wrong, in particular to commit a crime.
“he was not guilty of murder but was guilty of aiding and abetting others”
Censure
verb
express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement.
“the company was heavily censured by inspectors from the Department of Trade”
noun
the formal expression of severe disapproval.
“two MPs were singled out for censure”
Discordant
adjective
1. disagreeing or incongruous.
“the operative principle of democracy is a balance of discordant qualities”
2.(of sounds) harsh and jarring because of a lack of harmony.
“the singers continued their discordant chanting”
Bravado
noun
a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate.
“he possesses none of the classic wheeler-dealer’s casual bravado”
Candor/candour
noun
the quality of being open and honest; frankness.
“a man of refreshing candour”
Implore
verb
1. beg someone earnestly or desperately to do something.
“he implored her to change her mind”
ARCHAIC
2. beg earnestly for.
“I implore mercy”
Licentious
adjective
1. promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters.
“the ruler’s tyrannical and licentious behaviour”
ARCHAIC
2. disregarding accepted conventions, especially in grammar or literary style.
Androgynous
adjective
1. partly male and partly female in appearance; of indeterminate sex.
“a stunningly androgynous dancer”
DATED
2. having the physical characteristics of both sexes.
Dour
adjective
relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance.
“a hard, dour, humourless fanatic”
Spindle
noun
1. a slender rounded rod with tapered ends used in hand spinning to twist and wind thread from a mass of wool or flax held on a distaff.
2. a rod or pin serving as an axis that revolves or on which something revolves.
Roving
adjective
1. constantly moving from one area or place to another.
“the fragments of pottery were believed to belong to a community of roving hunter-gatherers”
2. (of a person in relation to their job) travelling or required to travel to different locations.
“he trained as a roving reporter”
Woeful
adjective
1. characterized by, expressive of, or causing sorrow or misery.
“her face was woeful”
2. very bad; deplorable.
“the remark was enough to establish his woeful ignorance about the theatre”
Detest
verb
dislike intensely.
“she really did detest his mockery”
Preen
verb
1. (of a bird) tidy and clean its feathers with its beak.
“reed buntings preened at the pool’s edge”
2. (of a person) devote effort to making oneself look attractive and then admire one’s appearance.
“adolescents preening in their bedroom mirrors”
3. congratulate or pride oneself.
“it did not prevent them from preening themselves on their achievement”
Alacrity
noun
brisk and cheerful readiness.
“she accepted the invitation with alacrity”
Deign
verb
1. do something that one considers to be beneath one’s dignity.
“she did not deign to answer the maid’s question”
ARCHAIC
2. condescend to give (something).
“he had deigned an apology”
Impervious
adjective
1. not allowing fluid to pass through.
“an impervious layer of basaltic clay”
2. unable to be affected by.
“he worked, apparently impervious to the heat”
Unctuous
adjective
1. excessively flattering or ingratiating; oily.
“he seemed anxious to please but not in an unctuous way”
2. (chiefly of minerals) having a greasy or soapy feel.
Retort
verb
1. say something in answer to a remark, typically in a sharp, angry, or witty manner.
“‘No need to be rude,’ retorted Isabel”
ARCHAIC
2. repay (an insult or injury).
“it was now his time to retort the humiliation”
noun
a sharp, angry, or witty reply.
“she opened her mouth to make a suitably cutting retort”
Pestilence
noun ARCHAIC
a fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.
“neither prayers nor demonstrations halted the advance of the pestilence”
Insolvency
noun
situations where a debtor cannot pay the debts they owe.
Privation
noun
1. a state in which food and other essentials for well-being are lacking.
“years of rationing and privation”
FORMAL
2. the loss or absence of a quality or attribute that is normally present.
“cold is the privation of heat”
Traipse
verb
1. walk or move wearily or reluctantly.
“students had to traipse all over London to attend lectures”
2. walk about casually or needlessly.
“there’s people traipsing in and out all the time”
Wily
adjective
skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully.
“his wily opponents”
Renege
verb
1. go back on a promise, undertaking, or contract.
“they have reneged on their promises to us”
2. another term for revoke.
ARCHAIC
3. renounce or abandon.
“there’s one of them, anyhow, that didn’t renege him”
Rancor
noun
a feeling of hate and continuing anger about something in the past.
“they cheated me, but I feel no rancor toward/against them”
Blanch
verb
1. make white or pale by extracting colour.
“the cold light blanched her face”
2. flinch or grow pale from shock, fear, or a similar emotion.
“he visibly blanched at this reminder of mortality”
Droll
adjective
curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement.
“his unique brand of droll self-mockery”
noun ARCHAIC
a jester or entertainer; a buffoon.
Inimitable
adjective
so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique.
“they took the charts by storm with their inimitable style”
Adamantine
adjective
1. very hard; unbreakable or unyielding
2. having the lustre of a diamond
Masticate
verb
chew (food).
“dentition affects how well food is masticated and absorbed”
Cantankerous
adjective
bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.
“he can be a cantankerous old fossil at times”
Sordid
adjective
1. involving immoral or dishonourable actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt.
“the story paints a sordid picture of bribes and scams”
2. dirty or squalid.
“the overcrowded housing conditions were sordid and degrading”
Resplendent
adjective
attractive and impressive through being richly colourful or sumptuous.
“she was resplendent in a sea-green dress”
Gallant
adjective
1. (of a person or their behaviour) brave; heroic.
“she had made gallant efforts to pull herself together”
2. (of a man) charmingly attentive and chivalrous to women.
“a gallant gentleman came over and kissed my hand”
noun ARCHAIC
a man who is charmingly attentive to women.
“he launches himself into a gallant’s career of amorous intrigue”
verb ARCHAIC
(of a man) flirt with (a woman).
“Mowbray was gallanting the Polish lady”
Patrician
noun
an aristocrat or nobleman.
adjective
belonging to or characteristic of the aristocracy.
“a proud, patrician face”
Purloin
verb FORMAL•HUMOROUS
steal (something).
“he must have managed to purloin a copy of the key”
Outmoded
adjective
old-fashioned.
“an outmoded Victorian building”
Lamentation
noun
1. the passionate expression of grief or sorrow; weeping.
“scenes of lamentation”
2. a book of the Bible telling of the desolation of Judah after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
singular proper noun: Lamentations; noun: Lamentations; singular proper noun: Lamentations of Jeremiah
Profound
adjective
1. (of a state, quality, or emotion) very great or intense.
“profound feelings of disquiet”
2. (of a person or statement) having or showing great knowledge or insight.
“a profound philosopher”
noun LITERARY
the deepest part of something, especially the ocean.
“nor billowy surge disturbs the vast profound”
Cabal
noun
1. a secret political clique or faction.
“a cabal of dissidents”
ARCHAIC
2. a secret intrigue.
Strigil
noun
1. an instrument with a curved blade used, especially by ancient Greeks and Romans, to scrape sweat and dirt from the skin in a hot-air bath or after exercise; a scraper.
ENTOMOLOGY
2. a comblike structure on the forelegs of some insects, used chiefly for grooming.
Solace
noun
comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness.
“she sought solace in her religion”
verb
give comfort or consolation to.
“the soundlessness of nature impressed and solaced her”
Hetaera
noun
*$a courtesan or mistress, especially an educated one in ancient Greece.**
“the scene shows the birth of Aphrodite from the sea, and a hetaera, piping”
Prolific
adjective
1. (of a plant, animal, or person) producing much fruit or foliage or many offspring.
“in captivity tigers are prolific breeders”
2. present in large numbers or quantities; plentiful.
“mahogany was once prolific in the tropical forests”
Incessant
adjective
(of something regarded as unpleasant) continuing without pause or interruption.
“the incessant beat of the music”
Ruddy
adjective
1. (of a person’s face) having a healthy red colour.
“a cheerful pipe-smoking man of ruddy complexion”
INFORMAL•BRITISH
2. used as a euphemism for ‘bloody’.
“young people today, they’re a ruddy shower”
verb
make ruddy in colour.
“a red flash ruddied the belly of a cloud”
Mottled
adjective
marked with spots or smears of colour.
“a bird with mottled brown plumage”
Perdition
noun
1. (in Christian theology) a state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unrepentant person passes after death.
2. complete and utter ruin.
“she used her last banknote to buy herself a square meal before perdition”
Preternatural
adjective
beyond what is normal or natural.
“autumn had arrived with preternatural speed”
Flagellation
noun
flogging or beating, either as a religious discipline or for sexual gratification.
“pursuing the path of penance and flagellation”
Litany
noun
1. a series of petitions for use in church services or processions, usually recited by the clergy and responded to in a recurring formula by the people.
2. a tedious recital or repetitive series.
“a litany of complaints”
Moor
noun BRITISH
1. a tract of open uncultivated upland, typically covered with heather.
“a little town in the moors”
2. a moor preserved for shooting.
“a grouse moor”
DIALECT•US
3. a fen.
Maroon
verb
leave (someone) trapped and alone in an inaccessible place, especially an island.
“a novel about schoolboys marooned on a desert island”
Escarpment
noun
a long, steep slope, especially one at the edge of a plateau or separating areas of land at different heights.
Antecedent
noun
1. a thing that existed before or logically precedes another.
“some antecedents to the African novel might exist in Africa’s oral traditions”
2. a person’s ancestors or family and social background.
“her early life and antecedents have been traced”
adjective
1. preceding in time or order; previous or pre-existing.
“antecedent events”
GRAMMAR
2. denoting or counting as an antecedent.
Primacy
noun
1. the fact of being pre-eminent or most important.
“London’s primacy as a financial centre”
2. the office, period of office, or authority of a primate of the Church.
“the first years of his primacy were tranquil”
Waifish
adjective
(of a young person) thin and looking unhealthy or uncared for.
“waifish models strut down the catwalk”
Rostrum
noun
1. a raised platform on which a person stands to make a public speech, receive an award or medal, play music, or conduct an orchestra.
“speaker after speaker stepped up to the rostrum”
ZOOLOGY
2. a beaklike projection, especially a stiff snout or anterior prolongation of the head in an insect, crustacean, or cetacean.
“these beetles are very easily recognized by the rostrum or beak”
Ardor/ardour
noun
great enthusiasm or passion.
“the rebuff did little to dampen his ardour”
Folly
noun
1. lack of good sense; foolishness.
“an act of sheer folly”
2. a costly ornamental building with no practical purpose, especially a tower or mock-Gothic ruin built in a large garden or park.
Malevolent
adjective
having or showing a wish to do evil to others.
“the glint of dark, malevolent eyes”
Vivacious
adjective
attractively lively and animated (typically used of a woman).
“her vivacious and elegant mother”
Bent
verb
past and past participle of bend.
adjective
1. sharply curved or having an angle.
“a piece of bent wire”
2. determined to do or have.
“a missionary bent on saving souls”
noun
a natural talent or inclination.
“a man of a religious bent”
Spigot
noun
1. a small peg or plug, especially for insertion into the vent of a cask.
US
2. a tap.
Portend
verb
be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen.
“the eclipses portend some major events”
Vaunted
adjective
praised or boasted about, especially in an excessive way.
“they have utterly eclipsed their vaunted American rivals”
Insolence
noun
rude and disrespectful behaviour.
“she was sacked for insolence”
Aplomb
noun
self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.
“Diana passed the test with aplomb”
Fritter away
phrasal verb
to spend or use up (something) in a slow and usually foolish way.
“he frittered the afternoon away”
“he frittered away his fortune on gambling”
Superfluous
adjective
unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.
“the purchaser should avoid asking for superfluous information”
Bellicosity
noun
a natural disposition to fight
Precipice
noun
a very steep rock face or cliff, especially a tall one.
“we swerved toward the edge of the precipice”
Guffaw
noun
a loud and hearty laugh.
verb
laugh loudly and heartily.
“both men guffawed at the remark”
Revelry
noun
lively and noisy festivities, especially when these involve drinking a large amount of alcohol.
“sounds of revelry issued into the night”
Requiem
noun
1. (especially in the Roman Catholic Church) a Mass for the repose of the souls of the dead.
“a requiem was held for the dead queen”
2. a musical composition setting parts of a requiem Mass, or of a similar character.
“Fauré’s Requiem”
3. an act or token of remembrance.
“he designed the epic as a requiem for his wife”
Cordial
adjective
1. warm and friendly.
“the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed”
2. strongly felt.
“I earned his cordial loathing”
noun
BRITISH
1. a sweet fruit-flavoured drink.
“wine cups and fruit cordials”
2. a pleasant-tasting medicine.
Nascent
adjective
1. (especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.
“the nascent space industry”
CHEMISTRY
2. (chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.
Scurrilous
adjective
1. making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation.
“a scurrilous attack on his integrity”
2. humorously insulting.
“a very funny collection of bawdy and scurrilous writings”
Infirmity
noun
physical or mental weakness.
“old age and infirmity come to men and women alike”
Schism
noun
1. a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief.
“the widening schism between Church leaders and politicians”
2. the formal separation of a Church into two Churches or the secession of a group owing to doctrinal and other differences.
Arid
adjective
1. (of land or a climate) having little or no rain; too dry or barren to support vegetation.
“the arid plains north of Cape Town”
2. lacking in interest, excitement, or meaning.
“his arid years in suburbia”
Timorous
adjective
showing or suffering from nervousness or a lack of confidence.
“a timorous voice”
Squander
verb
1. waste (something, especially money or time) in a reckless and foolish manner.
“£100m of taxpayers’ money has been squandered on administering the tax”
2. allow (an opportunity) to pass or be lost.
“the team squandered several good scoring chances”
Reconnoitre/reconnoiter
verb
make a military observation of (a region).
“they reconnoitred the beach some weeks before the landing”
noun
an act of reconnoitring.
“a nocturnal reconnoitre of the camp”
Intransigence
noun
refusal to change one’s views or to agree about something.
“opponents accused him of intransigence”
Rebuke
verb
express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behaviour or actions.
“she had rebuked him for drinking too much”
noun
an expression of sharp disapproval or criticism.
“he hadn’t meant it as a rebuke, but Neil flinched”
Shirk
verb
avoid or neglect (a duty or responsibility).
“I do not shirk any responsibility in this matter”
noun ARCHAIC
a person who shirks.
Heady
adjective
1. (of alcoholic drink) potent; intoxicating.
“several bottles of heady local wine”
2. having a strong or exhilarating effect.
“a heady, exotic perfume”
Levy
verb
1. impose (a tax, fee, or fine).
“a tax of two per cent was levied on all cargoes”
ARCHAIC
2. enlist (someone) for military service.
“he sought to levy one man from each vill for service”
$noun*
1. an act of levying a tax, fee, or fine.
“police forces receive 49 per cent of their funding via a levy on the rates”
HISTORICAL
2. an act of enlisting troops.
“Edward I and Edward II had made substantial use of the feudal levy for raising an army”
Modicum
noun
a small quantity of a particular thing, especially something desirable or valuable.
“his statement had a modicum of truth”
Fraught
adjective
1. (of a situation or course of action) filled with or likely to result in (something undesirable).
“marketing any new product is fraught with danger”
2. causing or affected by anxiety or stress.
“there was a fraught silence”
Stipulate
verb
demand or specify (a requirement), typically as part of an agreement.
“he stipulated certain conditions before their marriage”
Rive
verb
LITERARY
1. split or tear apart violently.
“the party was riven by disagreements over Europe”
ARCHAIC
2. split or crack (wood or stone).
“the wood was riven with deep cracks”
ARCHAIC
3. (of wood or stone) split or crack.
“I started to chop furiously, the dry wood riving and splintering under the axe”
Esconse
verb
establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe place.
“Agnes ensconced herself in their bedroom”
Onerous
adjective
1. (of a task or responsibility) involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty.
“he found his duties increasingly onerous”
LAW
2. involving heavy obligations.
“an onerous lease”
Wroth
adjective
1. angry; wrathful (usually used predicatively).
“he was wroth to see the damage to his home”
2. stormy; violent; turbulent.
“the wroth sea”
Exhort
verb
strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something.
“I exhorted her to be a good child”
Dubious
adjective
1. hesitating or doubting.
“I was rather dubious about the whole idea”
2. not to be relied upon; suspect.
“extremely dubious assumptions”
Oscillate
verb
1. move or swing back and forth in a regular rhythm.
“the grain pan near the front of the combine oscillates back and forth”
PHYSICS
2. vary in magnitude or position in a regular manner about a central point.
Deluge
noun
a severe flood.
“this may be the worst deluge in living memory”
verb
overwhelm with a flood.
“caravans were deluged by the heavy rains”
Evocation
noun
1. the act of bringing or recalling a feeling, memory, or image to the conscious mind.
“the vivid evocation of stillness in the title poem”
2. the action of invoking a spirit or deity.
“the evocation of wandering spirits”
Interdiction
noun NORTH AMERICAN
1. the action of prohibiting or forbidding something.
“the interdiction of the slave trade”
2. the action of intercepting and preventing the movement of a prohibited commodity or person.
“the interdiction of arms shipments”
Voluble
adjective
1. (of a person) talking fluently, readily, or incessantly.
“a voluble game-show host”
2. (of speech) characterized by fluency and readiness of utterance.
“an excited and voluble discussion”
Pail
noun
1. a usually cylindrical container with a handle; bucket.
“a milk pail”
2. the quantity that a pail contains
a pail of water.
Stalwart
adjective
loyal, reliable, and hard-working.
“he remained a stalwart supporter of the cause”
noun
a loyal, reliable, and hard-working supporter of or participant in an organization or team.
“the stalwarts of the Labour Party”
Aspersion
noun
an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something.
“I don’t think anyone is casting aspersions on you”
Conflagration
noun
an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land or property.
“tinder-dry conditions sparked fears of a conflagration in many drought-devastated communities”
Demur
verb
raise objections or show reluctance.
“normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she demurred”
noun
the action of objecting to or hesitating over something.
“they accepted this ruling without demur”
Incandescent
adjective
1. emitting light as a result of being heated.
“plumes of incandescent liquid rock”
2. full of strong emotion; passionate.
“she felt an incandescent love for life”
Rapt
adjective
1. completely fascinated or absorbed by what one is seeing or hearing.
“a rapt teenage audience”
ARCHAIC
2. having been carried away bodily or transported to heaven.
“he was rapt on high”
Gauche
adjective
lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless.
“their exquisite manners always make me feel gauche”
Subjugation
noun
the action of bringing someone or something under domination or control.
“the colonial subjugation of a country by means of brute military force”
Remonstration
noun
the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest.
Conciliation
noun
1. the action of stopping someone being angry; placation.
“he held his hands up in a gesture of conciliation”
2. the action of mediating between two disputing people or groups.
“many disputes are settled through conciliation by the official body”
Prevaricate
verb
speak or act in an evasive way.
“he seemed to prevaricate when journalists asked pointed questions”
Bay
verb
1. (of a dog, especially a large one) bark or howl loudly.
“the dogs bayed”
2. (of a group of people) shout loudly, typically to demand something.
“the crowd bayed for an encore”
ARCHAIC
3. bay at.
“a pack of wolves baying the moon”
Brinkmanship
noun
the art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, especially in politics.
“in any game of brinkmanship, it is possible that one side will collapse suddenly”
Obstinacy
noun
the quality or condition of being obstinate; stubbornness.
“his reputation for obstinacy”
Jocular
adjective
fond of or characterized by joking; humorous or playful.
“she sounded in a jocular mood”
Bawdy
adjective
dealing with sexual matters in a comical way; humorously indecent.
“her work is characterized by irreverence and bawdy humour”
noun
humorously indecent talk or writing.
Ire
noun
anger.
“so if you routinely steal your neighbor’s newspaper, don’t be surprised to be on the receiving end of his ire.”
Deputation
noun
a group of people appointed to undertake a mission or take part in a formal process on behalf of a larger group.
“he had been a member of a deputation to Napoleon III”
Haughty
adjective
blatantly and disdainfully proud; having or showing an attitude of superiority and contempt for people or things perceived to be inferior.
“haughty aristocrats”
Extol
verb
praise enthusiastically.
“he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples”
Loquacious
adjective
tending to talk a great deal; talkative.
“never loquacious, Sarah was now totally lost for words”
Awning
noun
a sheet of canvas or other material stretched on a frame and used to keep the sun or rain off a shop window, doorway, or ship’s deck.
Flit
verb
move swiftly and lightly.
“small birds flitted about in the branches”
noun INFORMAL•BRITISH
an act of moving house or leaving one’s home, typically secretly so as to escape creditors or obligations.
“moonlight flits from one insalubrious dwelling to another”
Artifice
noun
clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others.
“an industry dominated by artifice”
Duplicity
noun
1. deceitfulness.
“he was accused of duplicity and branded a traitor”
ARCHAIC
2. the state of being double.
Irascibility
noun
the quality of being made angry easily.
“he has a reputation for irascibility.”
Dissent
noun
the holding or expression of opinions at variance with those commonly or officially held.
“there was no dissent from this view”
verb
hold or express opinions that are at variance with those commonly or officially held.
“two members dissented from the majority”
Broach
verb
1. raise (a difficult subject) for discussion.
“he broached the subject he had been avoiding all evening”
2. pierce (a cask) to draw out liquid.
“he watched a pot boy broach a new cask”
Pugnacious
adjective
eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.
“his public statements became increasingly pugnacious”
Bluster
verb
1. talk in a loud, aggressive, or indignant way with little effect.
“you threaten and bluster, but won’t carry it through”
2. (of a storm, wind, or rain) blow or beat fiercely and noisily.
“a winter gale blustered against the sides of the house”
noun
loud, aggressive, or indignant talk with little effect.
“their threats contained a measure of bluster”
Precocious
adjective
1. (of a child) having developed certain abilities or inclinations at an earlier age than is usual or expected.
“a precocious, solitary boy”
2. (of behaviour or ability) having developed at an earlier age than is usual or expected.
“a precocious talent for computing”
3. (of a plant) flowering or fruiting earlier than usual.
Insurmountable
adjective
too great to be overcome.
“an insurmountable problem”
Prune
noun
to cut away what is unwanted or superfluous
Nymphet
noun
1. a sexually precocious girl barely in her teens.
2. a sexually attractive young woman.
Rangy
adjective
1. (of a person) tall and slim with long, slender limbs.
“a pale, rangy boy in his late teens”
NORTH AMERICAN
2. (of a place) having room for ranging; expansive or spacious.
“rangy pasture filled with horses and cattle”
Recuperate
verb
1. recover from illness or exertion.
“she has been recuperating from a knee injury”
2. recover or regain (something lost or taken).
“they will seek to recuperate the returns that go with investment”
Perturbed
adjective
troubled in mind; feeling or showing agitation; BOTHERED, UPSET.
“never in his life had he been so perturbed, so horribly anxious”
Venal
adjective
showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery; corrupt.
“local customs officers are notoriously venal”
Curtail
verb
1. reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on.
“civil liberties were further curtailed”
ARCHAIC
2. deprive someone of (something).
“I that am curtailed of this fair proportion”
Genteel
adjective
characterized by exaggerated or affected politeness, refinement, or respectability.
“her genteel upbringing”
Assimilation
noun
1. the process of taking in and fully understanding information or ideas.
“the assimilation of the knowledge of the Greeks”
2. the absorption and digestion of food or nutrients by the body or any biological system.
“nitrate assimilation usually takes place in leaves”
Dissuade
verb
persuade (someone) not to take a particular course of action.
“his friends tried to dissuade him from flying”
Deft
adjective
1. neatly skilful and quick in one’s movements.
“a deft piece of footwork”
2. demonstrating skill and cleverness.
“the script was both deft and literate”
Tutelage
noun
1. protection of or authority over someone or something; guardianship.
2. instruction; tuition.
“he felt privileged to be under the tutelage of an experienced actor”
Deference
noun
polite submission and respect.
“he addressed her with the deference due to age”
Congested
adjective
1. (of a road or place) so crowded with traffic or people as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement.
“the congested streets of the West End”
2. (of a part of the body) abnormally full of blood.
“congested arteries”
3. (of the respiratory tract) blocked with mucus so as to hinder breathing.
“his nose was congested”
Abattoir
adjective
a place where animals are butchered; slaughterhouse.
Conviction
noun
1. a formal declaration by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law that someone is guilty of a criminal offence.
“she had a previous conviction for a similar offence”
2. a firmly held belief or opinion.
“she takes pride in stating her political convictions”
Resuscitate
verb
1. revive (someone) from unconsciousness or apparent death.
“an ambulance crew tried to resuscitate him”
2. make (something) active or vigorous again.
“measures to resuscitate the ailing economy”
Paramour
noun
a partner in a sexual relationship other than that of husband and wife.
Sedition
noun
conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.
Excise
noun
a tax levied on certain goods and commodities produced or sold within a country and on licences granted for certain activities.
“the rate of excise duty on spirits”
verb
1. charge excise on (goods).
2. cut out surgically.
“the precision with which surgeons can excise brain tumours”
3. remove (a section) from a text or piece of music.
“the clauses were excised from the treaty”
Disaffected
adjective
dissatisfied, especially with people in authority or a system of control.
“a military plot by disaffected elements in the army”
Veracity
noun
1. conformity to facts; accuracy.
“officials expressed doubts concerning the veracity of the story”
2. habitual truthfulness.
“voters should be concerned about his veracity and character”
Abdicate
verb
1. (of a monarch) renounce one’s throne.
“in 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor”
2. fail to fulfil or undertake (a responsibility or duty).
“she charged the board with abdicating its responsibilities”
Palpable
adjective
1. (of a feeling or atmosphere) so intense as to seem almost tangible.
“a palpable sense of loss”
2. able to be touched or felt.
“the palpable bump at the bridge of the nose”
Inexplicable
adjective
unable to be explained or accounted for.
“for some inexplicable reason her mind went completely blank”
Frisk
verb
1. (of a police officer or other official) pass the hands over (someone) in a search for hidden weapons, drugs, or other items.
“he raised his arms to permit the officer to frisk him”
2. skip or leap playfully; frolic.
“spaniels frisked around me”
noun
1. an act of frisking someone.
“a frisk search”
2. a playful skip or leap.
Caltrop
noun
1. a spiked metal device thrown on the ground to impede wheeled vehicles or (formerly) cavalry horses.
“militant demonstrators threw a box of caltrops across the highway”
2. a creeping plant with woody carpels that typically have hard spines and resemble military caltrops.
Metatarsal
noun
1. any of the bones of the foot.
2. any of the bones in an animal’s hindlimb equivalent to the metatarsals.
Cadence
noun
1. a modulation or inflection of the voice.
“his measured cadences never convey the character’s underlying passion”
2. a sequence of notes or chords comprising the close of a musical phrase.
“the final cadences of the Prelude”
Consummate
verb
make (a marriage or relationship) complete by having sexual intercourse.
“they did not consummate their marriage until months after it took place”
adjective
showing great skill and flair.
“she dressed with consummate elegance”
Scion
noun
1. a young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting.
2. a descendant of a notable family.
“he was the scion of a wealthy family”
Qualm
noun
1. an uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, or fear, especially about one’s own conduct; a misgiving.
“military regimes generally have no qualms about controlling the press”
ARCHAIC
2. a momentary faint or sick feeling.
Legume
noun
1. a leguminous plant (member of the pea family), especially one grown as a crop.
“he sows a mixture of grasses and legumes”
2. a seed, pod, or other edible part of a leguminous plant, used as food.
“the new diet is high in fruit, vegetables, and legumes”
BOTANY
3. the long seed pod of a leguminous plant.
Renown
noun
the condition of being known or talked about by many people; fame.
“authors of great renown”
Dispensation
noun
$*1. exemption from a rule or usual requirement.$$
“although she was too young, she was given special dispensation to play before her birthday”
2. a political, religious, or social system prevailing at a particular time.
“scholarship is conveyed to a wider audience than under the old dispensation”
Tactiturn
adjective
(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.
“after such gatherings she would be taciturn and morose”
Perfidious
adjective LITERARY
deceitful and untrustworthy.
“a perfidious lover”
Appraise
verb
1. assess the value or quality of.
“there is a need to appraise existing techniques”
2. assess the performance of (an employee) formally.
“some companies are considering team appraisals instead of appraising individuals”
3. (of an official valuer) set a price on; value.
“they appraised the painting at £200,000”
Apprise
verb
inform or tell (someone).
“I thought it right to apprise Chris of what had happened
Affectation
noun
1. behaviour, speech, or writing that is pretentious and designed to impress.
“the affectation of a man who measures every word for effect”
2. a studied display of real or pretended feeling.
“an affectation of calm”
Contemporary
noun
1. a person or thing living or existing at the same time as another.
“he was a contemporary of Darwin”
2. a person of roughly the same age as another.
“my contemporaries at school”
Affliction
noun
1. a cause of pain or harm.
“a crippling affliction of the nervous system”
2. the state of being in pain.
“poor people in great affliction”
ASTROLOGY
3. an instance of one celestial body afflicting another.
Edict
noun
an official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority.
“Clovis issued an edict protecting Church property”
Interloper
noun
a person who becomes involved in a place or situation where they are not wanted or are considered not to belong.
“Japanese consumers have in the past been unreceptive to foreign interlopers in the cell phone market”
Restitution
noun
1. the restoration of something lost or stolen to its proper owner.
“the ANC had demanded the restitution of land seized from black people”
2. recompense for injury or loss.
“he was ordered to pay £6,000 in restitution”
Bereft
adjective
1. deprived of or lacking (something).
“her room was stark and bereft of colour”
2. (of a person) sad and lonely, especially through someone’s death or departure.
“his death in 1990 left her bereft”
Concession
noun
1. a thing that is granted, especially in response to demands.
“the government was unwilling to make any further concessions”
2. a preferential allowance or rate given by an organization.
“tax concessions”
Deplorable
adjective
1. deserving strong condemnation; completely unacceptable.
“children living in deplorable conditions”
2. shockingly bad in quality.
“her spelling was deplorable”
Terminus
noun
BRITISH
1. the end of a railway or other transport route, or a station at such a point; a terminal.
2. a final point in space or time; an end or extremity.
“the exhibition’s terminus is 1962”
Peal
noun
1. a loud ringing of a bell or bells.
“the bell rang again, a long, loud peal”
2. a loud repeated or reverberating sound of thunder or laughter.
“Ross burst into peals of laughter”
verb
(of a bell or bells) ring loudly or in a peal.
“all the bells of the city began to peal”
Fusillade
noun
a series of shots fired or missiles thrown all at the same time or in quick succession.
“marchers had to dodge a fusillade of missiles”
verb ARCHAIC
fire a fusillade at (a place or person).
“the Mahdi’s adherents fusilladed his palace at Khartoum”
Denude
verb
strip (something) of its covering, possessions, or assets.
“almost overnight the Arctic was denuded of animals”
Judicious
adjective
having, showing, or done with good judgement or sense.
“the judicious use of public investment”
Paltry
adjective
1. (of an amount) very small or meagre.
“she would earn a paltry £33 more a month”
2. petty; trivial.
“naval glory struck him as paltry”
Panoply
noun
1. an extensive or impressive collection.
“a deliciously inventive panoply of insults”
2. a splendid display.
“I leaned forward to take in the full panoply of tourist London”
HISTORICAL•LITERARY
3. a complete suit of armour.
Hirsute
adjective LITERARY•HUMOROUS
hairy.
“their hirsute chests”
Propitious
adjective
1. giving or indicating a good chance of success; favourable.
“the timing for such a meeting seemed propitious”
ARCHAIC
2. favourably disposed towards someone.
“there were points on which they did not agree, moments in which she did not seem propitious”
Effluence
noun
1. something that flows out.
2. an action or process of flowing out.
Offal
noun
1. the entrails and internal organs of an animal used as food.
“eating pieces of braised offal turned his stomach”
2. waste material.
“the packing plant dumped its offal into the stream”
3. decomposing animal flesh.
“gulls pecking at piles of offal from the narwhal hunt”
Anoint
verb
1. smear or rub with oil, typically as part of a religious ceremony.
“high priests were anointed with oil”
2. smear or rub something with (any other substance).
“Kuna Indians anoint the tips of their arrows with poison”
3. ceremonially confer divine or holy office upon (a priest or monarch) by smearing or rubbing with oil.
“Samuel anointed him king”
4. nominate or choose (someone) as successor to or leading candidate for a position.
“he was anointed as the organizational candidate of the party”
Proffer
verb
hold out or put forward (something) to someone for acceptance.
“she proffered a glass of wine”
noun LITERARY
**an offer or proposal.$*
Emanate
verb
1. (of a feeling, quality, or sensation) issue or spread out from (a source).
“warmth emanated from the fireplace”
2. originate from; be produced by.
“the proposals emanated from a committee”
3. give out or emit (a feeling, quality, or sensation).
“he emanated a powerful brooding air”
Acropolis
noun
1. a citadel or fortified part of an ancient Greek city, typically one built on a hill.
“guests can climb Mount Kliosi’s dramatic summit, where the remains of the ancient acropolis defy time”
2. the ancient citadel at Athens, containing the Parthenon and other notable buildings, mostly dating from the 5th century BC.
“the Parthenon, enthroned on the Acropolis, is one of the most dazzling buildings of antiquity”
Conscientious
adjective
1. wishing to do one’s work or duty well and thoroughly.
“a conscientious man, he took his duties very seriously”
2. relating to a person’s conscience.
“the individual is denied even the opportunity to break the law on conscientious grounds”
Roil
verb LITERARY
*1. make (a liquid) turbid or muddy by disturbing the sediment.
“winds roil these waters”
US
2. make (someone) annoyed or irritated.
Agora
noun
(in ancient Greece) a public open space used for assemblies and markets.
Impunity
noun
exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action.
“the impunity enjoyed by military officers implicated in civilian killings”
Recant
verb
say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, especially one considered heretical.
“heretics were burned if they would not recant”
Inanity
noun
1. a nonsensical remark or action.
“they utter whatever inanities will get them elected”
2. lack of sense or meaning; silliness.
“he commented on the breathtaking inanity of the board’s decision”
Certitude
noun
1. absolute certainty or conviction that something is the case.
“the question may never be answered with certitude”
2. something that someone firmly believes is true.
“the collapse of the old political certitudes in eastern Europe”
Variegated
adjective
1. exhibiting different colours, especially as irregular patches or streaks.
“variegated yellow bricks”
BOTANY
2. (of a plant or foliage) having or consisting of leaves that are edged or patterned in a second colour, especially white as well as green.
“the variegated form of philadelphus”
3. marked by variety.
“his variegated and amusing observations”
Triumvirate
noun
1. (in ancient Rome) a group of three men holding power, in particular ( the First Triumvirate ) the unofficial coalition of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus in 60 BC and ( the Second Triumvirate ) a coalition formed by Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian in 43 BC.
2. the office of triumvir in ancient Rome.
Atavistic
adjective
relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral.
“atavistic fears and instincts”
Callow
adjective
(of a young person) inexperienced and immature.
“earnest and callow undergraduates”
Hapless
adjective
(especially of a person) unfortunate.
“the hapless victims of the disaster”
Caryatid
noun ARCHITECTURE
a stone carving of a draped female figure, used as a pillar to support the entablature of a Greek or Greek-style building.
Clairvoyance
noun
the supposed faculty of perceiving things or events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact.
“she stared at the card as if she could contact its writer by clairvoyance”
Vestibule
noun
1. an antechamber, hall, or lobby next to the outer door of a building.
ANATOMY
2. a chamber or channel opening into another.
Litmus test
noun
CHEMISTRY
1. a test for acidity or alkalinity using litmus.
2. a decisively indicative test.
“effectiveness in these areas is often a good litmus test of overall quality”
Redoubt
noun MILITARY
a temporary or supplementary fortification, typically square or polygonal and without flanking defences.
“the British stormed the rebel redoubt”
Maudlin
adjective
1. self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental.
“a bout of maudlin self-pity”
2. (of a book, film, or song) highly sentimental.
“a maudlin jukebox tune”
Frigid
adjective
1. very cold in temperature.
“the air was frigid, and spectators shivered against the cold”
2. unfriendly or very formal.
“she turned her frigid gaze on him”
Briar
noun
any of a number of prickly scrambling shrubs, especially a wild rose.
