Set 10 Flashcards
numismatist
person who collects coins; n. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals
inscrutable
difficult to understand; impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious
proscribe
prohibit; ostracize; banish; outlaw
inured
accustomed; hardened; ex. inured to the Alaskan cold; v. inure: make used to something undesirable; harden; ex: unfeeling
monograph
scholarly article
unanimity
complete agreement; adj. unanimous
nausea
feeling of sickness and desire to vomit; disgust; ex: seasickness
prolific
producing offspring or fruit in abundance; fertile; fecund; abundantly fruitful; producing abundant works; ex. prolific writer
beneficiary
person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will
veneer
thin surface layer (of good quality wood, glued to a base of inferior material); cover; surface show; fa\c{c}ade; v.
dolt
slow-thinking stupid person; ex: dull
crest
top (as of a hill or wave); showy feathers on the head of a bird
qualms
uneasy feelings; misgivings; uneasy fears especially about matters of conscience; ex. I have no qualms about giving this assignment to Helen.
encomiastic
praising; eulogistic; n. encomium: very high praise; eulogy
anthropoid
manlike; resembling a human being; n.
ulcer
sore place appearing on the skin inside or outside the body; ex. stomach ulcer; adj. ulcerous; v. ulcerate
Machiavellian
crafty; double-dealing; of the political doctrine of Machiavelli, which holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing political power
galleon
large three-masted sailing ship
adjunct
something attached to but holding an inferior position
scourge
lash; whip (formerly used for punishment); source of severe punishment; v. whip; afflict
painstaking
taking pains; showing hard work; taking great care; very careful and through
barb
sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark
murky
dark and gloomy; thick with fog; vague; ex. murky night/fog; n. murk: partial or complete darkness; gloom
regiment
military unit; v. subject to strict order; ex. regimented society
valedictory
pertaining to farewell; n. farewell address (esp. at graduation exercises)
pertinacious
holding tenaciously to an action; stubborn; persistent
somnolent
half asleep; drowsy; n. somnolence
congenial
pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one’s tastes and nature; ex. congenial weather
dutiful(duteous)
(of people or their behavior) respectful; obedient (filled with a sense of duty)
dilemma
situation that requires a choice between equally unfavorable options; problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives
pert
(esp. of a girl or young woman) impertinent; forward; trim; jaunty; ex. pert young miss/hat
stratum
layer of earth’s surface; layer of society; PL. strata
spectral
ghostly; n. specter: spectre; ghost; phantom
expatiate
talk at length; speak or write in detail
gestate
evolve as in prenatal growth; n. gestation: period of development from conception until birth
dissimulate
pretend; conceal by feigning; dissemble
miniature
small model; small painting; adj. small
collate
examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order (the sheets of a book before they are bound)
malevolent
wishing evil; exhibiting ill will; n. malevolence
sour
having a sharp or acid taste; acid; tart; bad-tempered; v.
repulsion
distaste; disgust; act of driving back; adj. repulsive: causing disgust; tending to drive away; v. repel (not `repulse’)
jaundiced
yellowed; prejudiced (envious, hostile, or resentful) from long and disappointing experience of human affairs; ex. with a jaundiced eye
outlaw
fugitive from the law (excluded from legal protection); v. declare (someone) to be an outlaw; deprive of the protection of the law; declare illegal; ex. Drinking has been outlawed.
conclave
private secret meeting
extol
praise very highly; glorify
guffaw
boisterous laughter; v.
entice
lure; persuade to do (something wrong); attract; tempt
celerity
speed; rapidity
limp
walk lamely; adj. lacking firmness; weak
slipshod
slovenly; careless; sloppy; untidy; shabby; ex. slipshod work
bulwark
strong wall built for defense; earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
chisel
swindle or cheat; n. wedgelike tool for cutting
antipathy
aversion; dislike or opposition
deciduous
falling off at a specific season or stage of growth as of leaves; ex. deciduous tree/teeth
entrepreneur
businessperson (who assumes the risk of a business venture); contractor; adj. entrepreneurial
abscission
cutting off; separation
turgid
swollen; distended (as from liquid)
shack
crude cabin
dismantle
take apart; disassemble
fusion
union; coalition; v. fuse
troth
pledge of good faith especially in betrothal; betrothal; ex. by my troth
splice
join together end to end to make one continuous length; fasten together; unite; ex. splice two strips of tape; n.
dishonor
disgrace; n. adj. dishonorable
console
lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort; allay the sorrow of; n. consolation
chaotic
in utter disorder
soothsayer
one who foretells the future
significant
expressing a meaning; important; ex. significant smile; n. significance: importance; meaning; v. signify: denote; mean; signal; make known; matter; be significant
wean
accustom a baby not to nurse; accustom (the young of a mammal) to take nourishment other than by suckling; give up a cherished activity; cause to gradually leave (an interest or habit); ex. wean oneself from cigarettes
energize
invigorate; give energy to; make forceful and active
arraign
charge in court; indict
revoke
cancel; retract; ex: irrevocable
cede
yield (title or territory) to (esp. after losing a war); surrender formally; n. cession
periphery
outside edge especially of a round surface; perimeter; ex. periphery of the town
besmirch
soil; defile; make dirty
clientele
body of customers
nip
snip off; stop something’s growth or development; bite; make numb with cold; ex. nip the plan; ex. A guard dog nipped the postman; ex. fingers nipped by the extreme chill
anneal
reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass)
bifurcated
divided into two branches; forked
circumscribe
limit; confine; draw a line around
warren
tunnels in which rabbits live; overcrowded living area; crowded conditions in which people live
rebus
representation of words in the form of pictures or symbols; puzzle in which pictures or letters stand for words; ex. R U 18'' is a rebus forAre you 18’’.
impel
drive or force onward; drive to take action; urge to action
pandemonium
wild tumult(commotion); wild noisy disorder; ex: Paradise Lost
title
name (of a book, film, etc.); mark of rank; formal appellation as of rank or office (such as Lord or General); right or claim to possession; championship; ex. title as head of the family; ex. title to the estate
nonsense
speech or writing with no meaning; foolish behavior or language; ex. make (a) nonsense of: spoil; cause to fail
forswear
renounce under oath; abandon; make a solemn promise to give up; ex: abjure
trident
three-pronged spear
banal
hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich'ed
cue
word or signal (as in a play to prompt another actor’s speech or entrance); reminder or hint; v. give a cue to
scanty
meager; insufficient
jovial
good-natured; merry; cheerful
advert
refer
infantile
childish; infantlike
zeal
eager enthusiasm (to a cause or ideal); adj. zealous
recession
withdrawal; retreat; time of low economic activity
token
outward sign; ex. a token of our gratitude
knack
special talent; art
daub
smear (as with paint); cover with something sticky; ex. daub one’s clothes with mud/paint; n. small bit of sticky substance; ex. a daub of paint
mischance
ill luck
lampoon
ridicule; n. written attack ridiculing or satirizing a person, group, or institution
herpetologist
one who studies reptiles; ex: herpetology: branch of zoology that deals with reptiles and amphibians
caustic
burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical action; sarcastically biting; (of remarks) intended to hurt; bitter; harmful; OP. harmless
genteel
well-bred; elegant; striving to convey an appearance of refinement; ex. genteel poverty
vent
small opening; outlet (as of fumes or a gas); ex. He gave vent to his anger by kicking the chair.
malefactor
evildoer; criminal
nomenclature
terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things
surmount
overcome
ineffectual
not effective; not having a desired effect; weak
curfew
regulation requiring all people to leave the streets at stated times; signal (as a bell) announcing the hour of a curfew
precarious
unsafe; lacking in stability; uncertain; risky; ex. precarious living
antagonism
hostility; active opposition; v. antagonize: cause to become an enemy; n. antagonist: person who is opposed to another; opponent; adversary; principal character in oppostion to the protagonist
encompass
surround; include; ex. His activities encompass publishing and computers.
stentorian
(of the voice) extremely loud; ex: Stentor: a loud herald in the Iliad
hereafter
life after death
equanimity
calmness of temperament; composure
autocratic
having absolute unchecked power; dictatorial; n. autocrat, autocracy
allegiance
loyalty
temporize
gain time as by postponing an action; avoid committing oneself
apotheosis
elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something
prim
proper to the point of affectation; very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
sequester
isolate; segregate; seclude; retire from public life
conformity
harmony; agreement with established rules or customs; similarity; ex. behave in conformity with; v. conform: be similar; act in agreement; comply; ex. conform to the rule; ex: conformance
coda
concluding section of a musical or literary composition
pucker
gather into wrinkles or folds; n. wrinkle or fold
notoriety
disrepute; ill fame
waft
move gently (in air or in seas) by wind or waves; ex. leaves wafting past the window
defray
provide for the payment of; undertake the payment of; pay
cloister
monastery or convent
aperture
opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light
intermittent
periodic; on and off; stopping and starting at intervals
sneak
move, give, or take in a quiet, stealthy way; n. one who sneaks; adj. sneaky
soluble
able to be dissolved in a liquid; able to be worked out or solved
broach
introduce as a subject; moot; open up
apothegm
pithy, compact saying
protuberance
protrusion; swelling; bulge
harangue
long, passionate, and vehement speech; v.
salutary
tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome; ex. The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy; ex: health
bohemian
unconventional (in an artistic way)
resound
(of a place) be filled with sound; (of a sound) sound loudly; sound back; echo; ex. hall resounded with laughter
scotch
stamp out(put an end to); thwart; hinder; ex. scotch the rumor; ex: cut; ex: 页ÀËÈ çôËí«å Ë‚?í
acrid
bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent
credential
evidence concerning one’s authority; written proof of a person’s position; ex. The new ambassador presented his credentials to the court.
rustic
pertaining to country people; unsophisticated; simple; crude; uncouth; (of furniture) rough with the bark left on; n. rural person; rustic person
sophistry
seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning; sophism
judicious
sound on judgment; wise
vindictive
disposed to revenge; vengeful; out for revenge; spiteful; intended to cause harm; malicious; ex. vindictive streak
defect
shortcoming; v. desert (in order to join the opposite one)
gainsay
deny
choir
group of people who sing together (esp. during religious services); place for choir
prosaic
lacking in imagination; dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact(concerned with facts, not imagination or feelings); factual; ex: prose
martinet
strict disciplinarian; person who demands total obedience to rules and orders; ex: Jean Martinet
gull
trick; deceive; hoodwink; n. person who is easily tricked; dupe
affluence
abundance; wealth
chafe
warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; n.
quintessence
purest and highest embodiment; perfect example; apotheosis; most essential element; ex. quintessence of wit; adj. quintessential; ex: fifth essence
causal
implying a cause-and-effect relationship; n. causality
smother
kill from lack of air; suppress; cover thickly; ex. smothered in little stickers
rue
regret; lament; mourn; ex. He will rue the day; n. adj. rueful
metallurgical
pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; n. metallurgy: science that deals with extracting metals from ores
psyche
soul; mind
oblique
indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line); ex. oblique reference
slap
hit quickly with the flat part of the hand; n. ex: smack
indomitable
unconquerable; unyielding
finite
limited
prosper
become successful (esp. financially); thrive; grow well; ex. children prospering under his care
ebullient
showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm; boiling; n. ebullience; n. ebullition: state of boiling
partisan
one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party (with dislike of any others); n. strong supporter of a party; guerrilla
lassitude
languor; weariness; listlessness
plump
pleasantly fat; nicely rounded
disapprobation
disapproval; condemnation
anathema
solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; v. anathematize
mannerism
distinctive behavioral trait; affected style in art (according to a set of styles)
brag
boast
die
metal block used for shaping metal or plastic; device for stamping or impressing; mold; ex: dice
titillate
tickle; excite pleasantly; ex. not to titillate the audience but to enlighten it
labile
likely to change; unstable; ex. emotionally labile; n. lability
protract
prolong; lengthen in time; draw out
intoxicate
make drunk; stimulate or excite; ex. intoxicated by all the money he might win
tutelage
guardianship; training; function of a tutor; instruction
desolate
(of a place) deserted; unpopulated; (of a person) lonely; forlorn; joyless
tenancy
possession of land or building by rent; period of a tenant’s occupancy
topography
physical features of a region (such as the shape and height); ex: topo-: place
treasure
keep as precious; cherish
simper
smirk; smile in a silly way; smile affectedly
supererogatory
superfluous; more than needed or demanded
gratuitous
given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for; done without good reason; ex. gratuitous comment
orator
public speaker
attentive
alert and watchful; listening carefully; paying attention; considerate; thoughtful; politely helpful; ex. attentive audience; ex. He was attentive to the old lady; n. attentions: act of courtesy and consideration
cringe
shrink back as if in fear; cower
rightful
legally correct; ex. rightful owner
mordant
biting; sarcastic; stinging; (apprec.) incisive; cutting; ex. mordant pen/wit
venial
(of a fault or sin) forgivable; trivial
tawdry
cheap and gaudy; ex. tawdry jewelry
purport
intention; purpose; meaning; v. claim; profess; ex. order which purports to be signed by the general
somnambulist
sleepwalker; v. somnambulate; n. somnambulism
impersonal
not being a person; not showing personal feelings; ex. impersonal force/manner/organization
craven
cowardly
falter
hesitate; weaken in purpose or action; walk or move unsteadily through weakness; n.
browbeat
bully; intimidate
