S1 Finals Flashcards
Diffident
adjective from Latin: diffidens (stem of diffidere)- mistrusting; dis - away + fidere – to trust
1. Lacking confidence in one’s own abilities.
After his last attempt, which failed, he was diffident about his abilities.
2. Restrained in manner and/or conduct.
Atrophy
atrophy (Alex) – noun from Middle French (atrophie), Late Latin (atrophia), and Greek (átroph) meaning “not fed”; a - not + trophe - to feed
1. A wasting away of a body part or organ due to malnutrition
After his legs became paralyzed in a car accident, he suffered from atrophy as he could no longer exercise his legs.
2. Degeneration, decline, or decrease, as from disuse
There became an atrophy of students using pencils and paper after technology improved.
Indolence
indolence (Hope) – Noun- from the Latin word in - not + dolor - pain
1. The quality or state of not wanting to exert any energy or cause yourself any pain
My family will one day feel the consequences for their indolence.
Perfunctory
adjective meaning to lack interest or to be unenthusiastic. per - through + fungi - to perform
from Late Latin word perfuntorious meaning careless.
Even though people clapped in the end, her speech seemed rather perfunctory.
Prerogative
noun from middle-english: prae”before” + rogare “to ask”
1. an exclusive right or privilege
I have the prerogative to change my mind.
Querulous
adjective from the Latin queri -complain
- Full of complaints; complaining
- My sister has a very querulous attitude…
Redundant
redundant (Moey) – Latin adjective - redundans - an overflow of something; re - again + unda- wave
- More of something than is required or ordinary, usually because of repetition of a particular idea.
- (British) - When you are no longer needed in your job, and therefore you lose it.
- Functioning as a replica of a specific part so that the whole system
Unvanquished
unvanquished ( Clark) – adjective from Latin vincere – to conquer, overcome
1. unconquered in conflict, undefeated
In spite of overwhelming odds the group remained unvanquished in the the conflict.
Assignation
- An appointment to meet someone in secret
2. The allocation of someone being related to something
Inscrutable
- Not able to be examined, investigated, or understood
The inscrutable murder case couldn’t be solved.- Not being able to see through physically
The inscrutable darkness ahead was frightning
- Not being able to see through physically
Laconic
- using or involving the use of a minimums of words, terse
She had a reputation for being laconic.
Mundane
- Being of this earthly world rather than a heavenly one. (Common, ordinary, dull.)
As the emperor was carried by on his litter, all of the peasants bowing around him began to seem more and more mundane.
Proliferate
- To grow or produce rapidly
The president wants his votes to proliferate.
Convivial
- Friendly; agreeable
- Fond of feasting, drinking, and merry company
- Of or befitting a feast; festive
The students were surprised when the teacher that everyone said was mean turned out to be very convivial.
Ardent
Passionate; enthusiastic