SAT-2 Flashcards
discrepany
n. lack of consistency; difference
The police noticed some discrepancy in his description of the crime and did not believe him.
disdain
v. view with scorn or contempt
In the film Funny Face, the bookish heroine disdained fashion models for their lack of intellectual interests.
disinclination
(dis-ˌin-klə-ˈnā-shən\
n. unwillingness.
Some mornings, I feel a great disinclination to get out of bed.
diminution
\ˌdi-mə-ˈnü-shən\
n. lessening; reduction in size.
Old Jack was as sharp at eighty as he had been in fifty; increasing age led to no diminution of his mental acuity.
discerning
\di-ˈsər-niŋ\
adj. mentally quick and observant; having insight.
Though no genius, the star was sufficiently discerning to tell her true friends from the countless phonies who flattered her.
discordant
adj. no harmonious; conflicting, harsh
Nothing is quite so discordant as the sound of junior high school orchestra tuning up.
despondent
\di-ˈspän-dənt\
adj. depressed; gloomy. despondency n.
To the dismay of his parents, William became seriously despondent after he broke up with Jan; they despaired of finding a cure for his gloom.
deterrent
n. something that discourages; hindrance.
Does the threat of capital punishment server as a deterrent to potential killers.
digression
n. wandering away from the subject. digress v.
Nobody minded when Professor Renoir’s lectures wandered away from their official theme; his digressions were always more fascinating than the topic of the day
depravity
\di-ˈpra-və-tē\
n. extreme corruption; wickedness.
The depravity of Callgula’s behavior came to sicken even those who had willingly participated in his earlier, comparatively innocent orgies.
elusive
\ē-ˈlü-siv\
adj. evasive; baffling; hard to grasp.
Trying to pin down exactly when the contractors would be finished remodeling the house, Nancy was frustrated by their elusive replies.
dogmatic
adj. opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal.
We tried to discourage Doug from being so dogmatic, but his opinions might be wrong.
duplicity
\du̇-ˈpli-sə-tē-\
n. double-dealingl hypocrisy.
When Tanya learned that Mark had been tow-timing her, she was furious at his duplicity.
eclectic
\e-ˈklek-tik, i-\
adj. composed of elements drawn from disparate sources.
The reviewers praised the new restaurant’s eclectic selection of dishes, which ranged from Oriental stir fries to French ragouts and stews.
disperse
\di-ˈspərs\
v. scatter.
The police fired tear gas into the crowd to disperse the protesters.
disseminated
\dis-ˈem-ə-ˌnāt-\
v. distribute; spread; scatter (like seeds).
By their use of the internet, propagandists have been able to disseminated their pet doctrines to new audiences around the globe.
divergent
adj. differing; deviating.
After medical school, the two doctors took divergent paths, one becoming a surgeon, the other dedicating himself to a small family practice.
dismiss
v. put away from consideration; reject.
Believing in John’s love for her, she dismissed the notion that he might be unfaithful. (secondary meaning)
disparage
\di-ˈsper-ij\
v. belittle; weak; bad.
A doctor mother, Emma was more likely to praise her son’s crude attempts at art than to disparage them
disparity
\ˈdis-p(ə-)rət\
n. difference; condition of inequality.
Their disparity in rank made no difference at all to prince and Cinderella.
enigma
\i-ˈnig-mə, e-\
n. puzzle; mystery.
“What do women want?” asked Dr. Sigmund Freud. Their behavior was an enigma to him.
enhance
v. increase; improve.
You can enhance your chances of being admitted to the college of your choice by learning to write well; and excellent essay can enhance any application.
ephemeral
\i-ˈfem-rəl\
adj. short-lived; fleeting.
The mayfly is an ephemeral creature; its adult life lasts little more than a day.
erudite
\ˈer-ə-ˌdīt\
adj. learned; scholarly.
Though his fellow students thought him erudite, Paul knew he would have to spend many years in serious study before he could consider himself a scholar.
