Semester 2 - Vocab 3

Question 0

Paradox

Answer 0

noun
: something (such as a situation) that is made up of two opposite things and that seems impossible but is actually true or possible
: someone who does two things that seem to be opposite to each other or who has qualities that are opposite
: a statement that seems to say two opposite things but that may be true
Full Definition
1 : a tenet contrary to received opinion
2 a : a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true
b : a self-contradictory statement that at first seems true
c : an argument that apparently derives self-contradictory conclusions by valid deduction from acceptable premises
3 : one (as a person, situation, or action) having seemingly contradictory qualities or phases
Examples
the paradox of fighting a war for peace
Synonyms: dichotomy, incongruity, contradiction

Question 1

Pacifist

Answer 1

adjective
1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of pacifism or pacifists
2 : strongly and actively opposed to conflict and especially war
Examples
the newspaper’s editorial board has clearly staked out a pacifist position on the current conflict
Synonyms: dovish, pacific, peaceful (or pacifistic), peaceable
Antonyms: bloodthirsty, hawkish, martial, warlike

Question 2

Parody

Answer 2

noun
: a piece of writing, music, etc., that imitates the style of someone or something else in an amusing way
: a bad or unfair example of something
Full Definition
1 : a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule
2 : a feeble or ridiculous imitation
Synonyms: burlesque, caricature, put-on, rib, send-up, spoof, takeoff, travesty

transitive verb
\: to imitate (someone or something) in an amusing way
Full Definition
1 : to compose a parody on 
2 : to imitate in the manner of a parody
Examples
It was easy to parody the book's fancy language.
She parodied her brother's poetry.

Question 3

Partisan

Answer 3

noun
1 : a firm adherent to a party, faction, cause, or person; especially : one exhibiting blind, prejudiced, and unreasoning allegiance
2 a : a member of a body of detached light troops making forays and harassing an enemy
b : a member of a guerrilla band operating within enemy lines
synonyms see follower

noun
: a weapon of the 16th and 17th centuries with long shaft and broad blade

Question 4

Peccadillo

Answer 4

noun
: a small mistake or fault that is not regarded as very bad or serious
Full Definition
: a slight offense

Question 5

Pecuniary

Answer 5

adjective
\: relating to or in the form of money
Full Definition
1 : consisting of or measured in money
2 : of or relating to money
Examples
that makes good pecuniary sense
the judge recused himself from the case because he had a pecuniary interest in the company that was being sued
Synonyms: dollars-and-cents, fiscal, monetary, financial, pocket
Antonyms: nonfinancial

Question 6

Pensive

Answer 6

adjective
\: quietly sad or thoughtful
Full Definition
1 : musingly or dreamily thoughtful
2 : suggestive of sad thoughtfulness
Example:
rainy days often put her in a pensive mood
Synonyms: broody, cogitative, meditative, melancholy, musing, contemplative, reflective, ruminant, ruminative, thoughtful
Antonyms: unreflective

Question 7

Peremptory

Answer 7

adjective
—used to describe an order, command, etc., that you must obey without any questions or excuses
: having or showing the insulting attitude of people who think that they should be obeyed without question
Full Definition
1 a : putting an end to or precluding a right of action, debate, or delay; specifically : not providing an opportunity to show cause why one should not comply <a>
b : admitting of no contradiction
2 : expressive of urgency or command <a>
3 a : characterized by often imperious or arrogant self-assurance
b : indicative of a peremptory attitude or nature : haughty <a>
Examples
the governor’s peremptory personal assistant began telling the crowd of reporters and photographers exactly where they had to stand
a peremptory summons to appear before the committee
she had such a peremptory approach to running the club that people started to avoid her
Synonyms: authoritarian, authoritative, autocratic (also autocratical), despotic, dictatorial, domineering, imperious, masterful, overbearing, bossy, tyrannical (also tyrannic), tyrannous
Antonyms: elective, optional, voluntary</a></a></a>

Question 8

Pertinacious

Answer 8

adjective
1 a : adhering resolutely to an opinion, purpose, or design
b : perversely persistent
2 : stubbornly tenacious
Examples
a pertinacious little boy who was determined to catch and collect reptiles
a pertinacious salesman who would simply not take “No!” for an answer
Synonyms: dogged, insistent, patient, persevering, persistent, tenacious
Antonyms: acquiescent, agreeable, amenable, compliant, complying, flexible, pliable, pliant, relenting, yielding

Question 9

Peruse

Answer 9

transitive verb
: to look at or read (something) in an informal or relaxed way
: to examine or read (something) in a very careful way
Full Definition
1 a : to examine or consider with attention and in detail : study
b : to look over or through in a casual or cursory manner
2 : read; especially : to read over in an attentive or leisurely manner
Examples
perused the manuscript, checking for grammatical errors

Question 10

Perverse

Answer 10

adjective
: wrong or different in a way that others feel is strange or offensive
Full Definition
1 a : turned away from what is right or good : corrupt
b : improper, incorrect
c : contrary to the evidence or the direction of the judge on a point of law
2 a : obstinate in opposing what is right, reasonable, or accepted : wrongheaded
b : arising from or indicative of stubbornness or obstinacy
3 : marked by peevishness or petulance : cranky
4 : marked by perversion
Examples
how can you be so cheerful one day, and so perverse the next?
social conservatives who believe that Hollywood is a perverse world that exerts an unhealthy influence on the young
a fact so self-evident that not even the most perverse of opponents could deny it
Synonyms: choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, crotchety, fiery, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, peevish, irritable, pettish, petulant, prickly, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stuffy, testy, waspish
Antonyms: pure, uncorrupt, uncorrupted

Question 11

Placate

Answer 11

transitive verb
: to cause (someone) to feel less angry about something
Full Definition
: to soothe or mollify especially by concessions : appease
synonyms see pacify
Examples
attempted to placate the screaming child by offering him a cookie

Question 12

Plagiarism

Answer 12

noun
\: the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit to that person : the act of plagiarizing something
Full Definition
1 : an act or instance of plagiarizing
2 : something plagiarized

Question 13

Platitude

Answer 13

noun
: a statement that expresses an idea that is not new
Full Definition
1 : the quality or state of being dull or insipid
2 : a banal, trite, or stale remark
Examples
“blondes have more fun” is a silly platitude
Synonyms: banality, bromide, chestnut, cliché (also cliche), groaner, homily, commonplace, shibboleth, trope, truism

Question 14

Plebeian

Answer 14

noun
\: a member of the common people of ancient Rome
\: a common person
Full Definition
1 : a member of the Roman plebs
2 : one of the common people

adjective
1 : of or relating to plebeians
2 : crude or coarse in manner or style : common
adverb
Synonyms: baseborn, common, humble, inferior, low, lowborn, lower-class, low-life, lowly, lumpen, mean, ignoble, prole, proletarian, unwashed, vulgar
Antonyms: aristocratic, blue-blooded, genteel, gentle, grand, great, high, highborn, highbred, lofty, noble, partrician, upper-class, upper-crust, wellborn

Question 15

Poignant

Answer 15

adjective
: causing a strong feeling of sadness
Full Definition
1 : pungently pervasive <a>
2 a (1) : painfully affecting the feelings : piercing (2) : deeply affecting : touching
b : designed to make an impression : cutting
3 a : pleasurably stimulating
b : being to the point : apt
Examples
a poignant story of a love affair that ends in tragedy
a poignant truthfulness to the author’s observations on marriage
Synonyms: affecting, emotional, impactful, impressive, moving, stirring, touching
Antonyms: unaffecting, unemotional, unimpressive</a>

Question 16

Precipitous

Answer 16

adjective
: very steep
: happening in a very quick and sudden way
: done too quickly and without enough thought or planning
Full Definition
1 : precipitate 2
2 a : very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging in rise or fall <a>
b : having precipitous sides <a>
c : having a very steep ascent <a>
Examples
soon regretted our precipitous actions in international affairs
a precipitous ski slope that fully merits its triple diamond designation
Synonyms: cursory, drive-by, flying, gadarene, headlong, helter-skelter, hurried, overhasty, pell-mell, precipitate, hasty, rash, rushed
Antonyms: deliberate, unhurried, unrushed</a></a></a>

Question 17

Predilection

Answer 17

noun
: a natural liking for something : a tendency to do or to be attracted to something
Full Definition
: an established preference for something
Examples
a young lad with a predilection for telling tall tales
Synonyms: affection, affinity, aptitude, bent, bias, bone, devices, disposition, genius, habitude, impulse, leaning, partiality, penchant, inclination, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn

Question 18

Prelude

Answer 18

noun
: something that comes before and leads to something else
: a short piece of music that introduces a longer piece
Full Definition
1 : an introductory performance, action, or event preceding and preparing for the principal or a more important matter
2 a : a musical section or movement introducing the theme or chief subject (as of a fugue or suite) or serving as an introduction to an opera or oratorio
b : an opening voluntary
c : a separate concert piece usually for piano or orchestra and based entirely on a short motif
Synonyms: curtain-raiser, overture, preamble, preliminary, prologue (also prolog), warm-up
Antonyms: epilogue (also epilog)

transitive verb
1 : to serve as a prelude to
2 : to play as a preludeintransitive verb
: to give or serve as a prelude; especially : to play a musical introduction

Question 19

Prerogative

Answer 19

noun
: a right or privilege ; especially : a special right or privilege that some people have
Full Definition
1 a : an exclusive or special right, power, or privilege: as (1) : one belonging to an office or an official body (2) : one belonging to a person, group, or class of individuals (3) : one possessed by a nation as an attribute of sovereignty
b : the discretionary power inhering in the British Crown
2 : a distinctive excellence
Examples
it’s your prerogative to refuse to attend religious services
Synonyms: appanage (also apanage), birthright, right

Question 20

Pretentious

Answer 20

adjective
: having or showing the unpleasant quality of people who want to be regarded as more impressive, successful, or important than they really are
Full Definition
1 : characterized by pretension: as
a : making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing)
b : expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature
2 : making demands on one’s skill, ability, or means : ambitious
Examples
that pretentious couple always serves caviar at their parties, even though they themselves dislike it
a pretentious author whose books only appeal to equally pretentious readers
Synonyms: affected, grandiose, highfalutin (also hifalutin), high-minded, la-di-da (also la-de-da or lah-de-dah or lah-dee-dah or lah-di-dah), ostentatious, pompous, snippy
Antonyms: modest, unpretentious