SAT III Flashcards
Alacrity
(n) eagerness, speed
For some reason, Chuck loved to help his mother whenever he could, so when his mother asked him to set the table, he did so with alacrity.
Abate
(v) to reduce, to lessen
The rain poured down for a while, then abated.
Behemoth
(n) something of tremendous power or size
The new aircraft carrier is among several behemoths that the Air Force has added to its fleet.
Cajole
(v) to urge, coax
Fred’s buddies cajoled him into attending the bachelor’s party.
Clairvoyant
(adj) to be able to perceive things that normal people cannot
Zelda’s uncanny ability to detect my abilities was nothing short of clairvoyant.
Debacle
(n) a disastrous failure, disruption
The elaborately designed fireworks show turned into a debacle when the fireworks started firing off in random directions.
Eclectic
(adj) consisting of a diverse variety of elements
The bar attracts an eclectic crowd: lawyers, artists, circus clowns, and investment bankers.
Emollient
(adj) soothing
This emollient cream makes my skin very smooth, due to its mint properties.
Fastidious
(adj) demanding, having high and often unattainable standards
Mark is so fastidious that he is never able to finish a project because it always seems imperfect to him.
Goad
(v) to urge, spur, incite to action
Jim may think he’s not going to fight Billy, but Billy will goad Jim on with insults until he throws a punch.
Gourmand
(n) someone fond of eating and drinking
My parents, who used to eat little more than crackers and salad, have become real gourmands in their old age.
Harangue
(n) a ranting speech
(v) to give a ranting speech
Everyone had heard the teacher’s harangue about gum chewing in class before. But this time the teacher harangued about monkeys.
Ignonimious
(adj) humiliating, disgracing
It was really ignominious to be kicked out of the dorm for having an illegal gas stove in my room.
Indolent
(adj) lazy
Why should my indolent children, who can’t even pick themselves up off the couch to pour their own juice, be rewarded with a trip to the mall?
Innocuous
(adj) harmless, inoffensive
In spite of their innocuous appearance, these mushrooms are actually quite poisonous.
Inure
(v) to cause someone or something to be accustomed to a situation
20 years in the salt mine inured the man to the discomforts of dirt and grime.
Larceny
(n) obtaining another’s property by theft or trickery
When my car was not where I had left it, I realized that I was a victim of larceny
Latent
(adj) hidden, but capable of being exposed
Sigmund’s dream represented his latent paranoid obsession with other people’s shoes.
Legerdemain
(n) deception
Smuggling the French plants through customs by claiming that they were fake was a remarkable bit of legerdemain.
Maudlin
(adj) weakly sentimental
Although many people enjoy romantic comedies, I usually find them maudlin and shallow.
Nascent
(adj) In the process of being born or coming into existence
Unfortunately, my brilliant paper was only in its nascent form on the morning it was due.
Obsequious
(adj) excessively compliant or submissive
Mark acted like Janet’s servant, obeying her every whim.
Penitent
(adj) remorseful, regretful
The jury’s verdict may have been more lenient if the criminal had appeared penitent during trial.
Restive
(adj) resistant, stubborn, impatient
The restive audience pelted the band with mud and nasty comments.
Salient
(adj) significant, conspicuous
One of the salient differences between Allison and Nancy is that Allison is a foot taller.
Tractable
(adj) easily controlled
The horse was so tractable, Myra didn’t even need a bridle.
Unctuous
(adj) smooth or greasy in texture, appearance, manner
The unctuous receptionist seemed untrustworthy, as if she was only being helpful because she thought we might give her a big tip.
Virtuoso
(n) one who excels in art ; a highly skilled music performer
Even though Lydia has played the piano for years, she is still far from being a virtuoso at it.
Wizened
(adj) dry, shrunken, wrinkled
Agatha’s grandmother, Stephanie, had the most countenance, full of leathery wrinkles.
Flagrant
(adj) offensive, egregious
The judge’s decision to set the man free simply because that man was his brother was a flagrant abuse of power.
