Set 12 Flashcards
subpoena
writ(written command issued by a court) summoning a witness to appear in court; v. summon with a subpoena
indentation
notch; deep recess; v. indent; ex: tooth
penumbra
partial shadow (in an eclipse); ex: almost shadow
propitious
favorable; auspicious; advantageous; fortunate; ex. propitious day/sign
respiration
breathing; exhalation; adj. respiratory
artless
without guile; open and honest
deify
turn into a god; make a god of; idolize; ex. Kings were deified; ex: deity
smattering
slight knowledge; small scattered number or amount; ex. smattering of German
prompt
cause; urge; provoke; provide a cue (for an actor); adj. done without delay; done at the right time; punctual; on time; n. reminder or cue
exemplify
show by example; furnish an example; serve as an example of; ex. His pictures exemplify that sort of painting.
tout
promote or publicize (one’s goods or service); praise excessively (as a form of advertisement); ex: advertise
ethnic
relating to races
incommodious
not spacious; inconvenient
scraps
leftover food
unscathed
unharmed; ex. escape the accident unscathed
surreptitious
done secretly; secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden
pachyderm
thick-skinned animal
woe
great sorrow; deep inconsolable grief; affliction; suffering; ex. financial woes
facet
small plane surface (of a gem(precious stone)); a side
tribune
official of ancient Rome elected by the plebians to protect their rights; protector of the people
converge
approach; tend to meet; come together
comeuppance
deserts; well-deserved punishment or misfortune; rebuke
wan
having a pale or sickly color; pallid
proximity
nearness; adj. proximate
inter
bury; n. interment
potpourri
heterogeneous mixture; medley; mixture of dried flower petals a pot (to give a pleasant smell to a room)
soliloquy
talking to oneself (esp. in a play); ex: monologue: soliloquy; long speech by one person (often monopolizing a conversation)
quaint
odd in an old-fashioned way; odd; old-fashioned; picturesque
indeterminate
uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite
enigma
puzzle; mystery; adj. enigmatic: obscure; puzzling
grudge
deep feeling of dislike; ex. grudge fight; v.
machinations
evil schemes or plots; schemes or plots to achieve an evil end; v. machinate
dichotomy
division into two opposite parts; split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)
capricious
unpredictable; fickle
effectual
able to produce a desired effect; valid
covert
secret; hidden; implied; OP. overt
saunter
stroll(go for a leisurely walk) slowly; n.
diadem
crown
churlish
boorish; rude; n. churl: boor; yahoo
mincing
affectedly dainty(delicate); v. mince: cut (esp. meat) into very small pieces; walk with exaggerated primness; walk in an unnatural way, taking little short steps; ex. The actor minced across the stage; ex: mincemeat; ex: mincer
scowl
frown angrily; n. angry frown
complement
complete; consummate; make perfect; n.
gist
essence; main point; substance
catcall
shout of disapproval or displeasure (made at the theater or a sports match); boo; v.
corrode
destroy or wear away gradually by chemical action (over a long period)
demur
object (because of doubts, scruples); raise an objection (showing qualms); hesitate; ex. demur at the idea of working on Sunday
abstruse
obscure; profound; difficult to understand
tumid
(of a part of the body) swollen; distended; bombastic; pompous
ambidextrous
capable of using either hand with equal ease
paradigm
model; example that serves as a model; pattern; list of all the inflectional forms of a word
ignominy
deep disgrace; shame or dishonor; adj. ignominious; ex. ignominous defeat
ethereal
like a spirit or fairy; unearthly light; heavenly; unusually refined; ex. She has an ethereal beauty; ex: ether: upper air
maniacal
raging mad; insane; n. maniac: insane person; ex: mania: disorder of the mind; intense enthusiasm
largess
generous gift (given to people who do not have enough)
emulate
imitate; rival; try to equal or excel (through imitation)
incongruity
lack of harmony; absurdity; adj. incongruous: lacking in harmony; inappropriate
fussy
fastidious; finicky; easily upset
swear
vow; promise; use profane oaths; use offensive words
maculated
spotted; stained; ex: immaculate
impeach
charge (a public official) with crime in office; raise doubts about; indict; ex. impeach a witness’s credibility
figure
written symbols; number; amount represented in numbers; outline or silhouette of a thing or human body; person (well-known); impression; diagram; pattern; group in a dance; ex. figure of speech; v. calculate with numbers; adorn with figures; appear; consider; ex. My name did not figure in the list.
concerted
mutually agreed on; done together by agreement; ex. concerted effort; ex: in concert: working together
blithe(blithesome)
gay; joyous
lounge
stand, sit, or lie in a lazy, relaxed way
suffragist
advocate of the extension of voting rights (for women); ex: suffrage
sturdy
strong and firm (in the body)
fashion
give shape to; make; ex. fashion the pot out of clay
affidavit
written statement made under oath (for use as proof in a court of law)
fulcrum
support on which a lever rests or pivots
cross
bad-tempered; showing ill-humor; angry
conceit
vanity or self-love; too high opinion of one’s own value; extravagant metaphor (in poetry)
exalt
raise in rank or dignity; praise highly; inspire; ex. exalt the imagination; adj. exalted; n. exaltation
willful
wilful; intentional; headstrong
ploy
strategem to gain an advantage; tactic; ex. management ploy
Shangri-la
imaginary remote paradise on earth; ex: Lost Horizon
propulsive
driving forward; n. propulsion
craft
skill (esp. with one’s hands); skill in deceiving people; guile; adj. crafty: cleverly deceitful; cunning
timorous
fearful; timid; demonstrating fear
conjure
cause to appear by magic; summon (a devil or a spirit) by magical power; practice magic (esp. by very quick movement of the hands); evoke; conjure up: bring into the mind; ex. The magician conjured a rabbit out of his hat.
sleek
smooth and shining (as from good health); v.
tangential
only slightly connected; not central; peripheral; digressing; showing divergence; ex: tangent
glaze
cover with a thin and shiny surface; apply a glaze to; n. thin, smooth, shiny coating (as for pottery); ex. unglazed pottery
cozen
cheat; hoodwink; swindle
fickle
changeable (in affections or friendship); faithless
oaf
stupid awkward person; ex: elf
tessellated
mosaic; inlaid; ex. tessellated pattern
vigor
active strength; energy; enthusiasm; adj. vigorous
misogynist
hater of woman; ex: misogyny
engender
cause; produce; give rise to
onomatopoeia
words formed in imitation of natural sounds
nostalgia
homesickness; longing for the past; ex. nostalgia for the clothes of 1920s; adj. nostalgic
ramp
slope; inclined plane or roadway (connecting two levels)
sentient
capable of sensation and conscious; aware; sensitive; ex. sentient creature; n. sentience
eloquence
expressiveness; persuasive speech; adj. eloquent: movingly expressive; expressing ideas well so that the hearers can be influeneced
lucre
money; profit; ex. filthy lucre
refractory
unmanageable; disobedient and stubborn; ex. refractory horse
exertion
effort; expenditure of much physical work; v. exert oneself: make a great effort
meditation
reflection; thought; v. meditate
dehydrate
remove water from; dry out
usage
act or manner of using; accepted practice; way in which words are actually used
encipher
encode; convert a message into code; put into cipher
rake
angle of a slope; v. slant from the perpendicular
glut
overstock; fill beyond capacity (with food); fill to excess; n. oversupply
salubrious
healthful; conducive to health or well-being; socially desirable; ex. salubrious area; ex: health
warble
(of a bird) sing; babble; n.
makeshift
temporary expedient or substitute (in the case of urgent need); ex. makeshift shelter
buffoon
stupid person; clown
slink
move furtively; adj. slinky: stealthy; furtive; sneaky (as in ambush)
compile
assemble; gather; accumulate; make (a report or a book) from facts and information found in various places; ex. compile a dictionary
renovate
restore to good condition; renew
jug
pitcher; container for holding liquids
intuition
immediate insight; power of knowing without reasoning; adj. intuitive; v. intuit: know by intuition
propriety
fitness; quality of being proper; correct conduct; conformity to prevailing customs and usages; ex: proprietor, proprietary
engage
attract; employ; hire; pledge oneself; confront; fight; enter into confliction; interlock; lock together; participate; n. engagement: agreement to marry; arrangement to meet someone or to do something; battle
rabies
disease passed on by the bite of an infected animal (causing madness and death)
growl
low, guttural, menacing sound (as of a dog)
ingenious
marked by inventive skill; clever; resourceful; n. ingenuity
preposterous
absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous
inclusive
tending to include all; all-inclusive; ex. inclusive charge
orientation
act of finding oneself in society; orienting
peregrination
journey; v. peregrinate
dialectical
relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal; ex. dialectical situation; n. dialectic: art of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments
adjutant
staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
frenzied
madly excited; n. frenzy: violent wild excitement
hegemony
dominance especially of one nation over others
nominal
in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; ex: nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint
obsequy
funeral ceremony
devotee
enthusiastic follower; enthusiast; ex. devotee of Bach
dissection
analysis; cutting apart in order to examine
replicate
reproduce; duplicate
nostrum
questionable medicine; quack medicine; ex: our (remedy)
censor
(in ancient Rome) overseer of morals (also taking the census); person who eliminates inappropriate matter; v.
concordat
formal agreement
enduring
lasting; surviving; v. endure: bear (pain or suffering) for a long time; remain alive (in spite of difficulties); last; survive
unmitigated
(of something bad) not moderated; unrelieved or immoderate; without qualification; absolute; ex. unmitigated disaster
antecedents
preceding events that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background
deride
ridicule; treat with contempt; make fun of; OP. respect
mystic
of hidden meaning and spiritual power; ex. mystic ceremonies; n. ex: mysticism
intrigue
make secret plans; plot; arouse the curiosity of; n. secret scheme; plot; secret love affair
array
marshal; draw up in order; arrange in order; clothe splendidly; adorn; n. fine clothes; ordered group; ex. in battle array
centripetal
tending toward the center
insubordination
disobedience; rebelliousness; adj. insubordinate
perquisite(perk)
any gain above stipulated salary; ex. perquisites such as free meals and a car
furtive
stealthy; quiet and secret (trying to escape notice); sneaky; ex. furtive glance
abstract
theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational
satire
form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack human vice and folly
mealymouthed
indirect in speech (when something unpleasant must be said); hypocritical; evasive
courier
messenger
inchoate
(of desire, wish, plan) recently begun; not explicit; at the beginning of development; rudimentary; elementary; ex. inchoate mass
nonplus
put at a loss; bring to a halt by confusion; perplex; ex: no more
subjective
influenced by personal feelings; occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal; ex. subjective sensation of the ghostly presence
prosody
art of versification; study of the metrical structure of verse
ferret
drive or hunt out of hiding; hunt with ferrets; drive out (as from a hiding place); expel; uncover or discover by searching; ex. ferret out the secret; n. small fierce animal which catches rats and rabbits by going into their holes
collation
a light meal; collating
seminary
school for training future ministers; secondary school, especially for young women
flip
send (something) spinning, often into the air, by striking with a light quick blow; turn over; ex. flip over
ethnology
study of humankind; study of the different races of human beings; ex: anthropology
sublime
causing deep feelings of wonder, joy, respect, etc.; exalted; noble and uplifting; utter
discount
disregard; regard (a story or news) as unimportant; deduct from a cost
staccato
played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound; ex. staccato applause
porridge
soft food made by boiling oatmeal
bicker
quarrel
homogeneous
of the same kind; uniform in composition throughout
throttle
strangle; regulate the speed of with a throttle; n. valve that regulates the flow; ex: throat ?
politic
prudent; judicious; well judged; expedient; well devised
stupefy
stun; make numb (as with a drug); amaze
captious
faultfinding; too critical
symbiosis
interdependent relationship (between groups, species) often mutually beneficial; adj. symbiotic; ex: together + life
confidence
self-assurance; calm unworried feeling based on a strong belief in one’s abilities; strong belief in the ability of a person or plan; trust or faith in a person or thing; something confided; secret; ex. confidence in your ability; ex. I’m telling you this in confidence; ex. exchange confidences about their boyfriends; adj. confident
upshot
outcome; final result
argot
slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people
append
attach
blunder
error; stupid mistake
sinewy
(of meat) tough; strong and firm; muscular; n. sinew: tendon; strong cord connecting a muscle to a bone
provender
dry food for livestock; fodder
intellect
higher mental powers; person of great intellectual ability
trajectory
path taken by a projectile; ex. trajectory of a bullet
whimsy
whim; tendency to behave amusingly strangely; ex. story full of whimsy
terminus
last stop of railroad; end
mellifluous
(of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious; having a pleasant tune
clime
climate
sinecure
well-paid position with little responsibility; ex: sine cure: without care; ex: San Serif
underscore
underline; emphasize
monumental
massive; impressively large; built as a monument
rationalize
make rational; devise false reasons for (one’s behavior); offer an excuse; give a plausible reason for an action in place of a true, less admirable ones; n. rationalization
feral
(of an animal) not domestic; wild
auxiliary
offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; n. helper; assistant
tithe
tax of one-tenth (contributed to a church); v. pay a tithe
equine
resembling a horse; ex. equine face
libel
defamatory written statement; act of writing something that smears a person’s character; v. adj. libelous
stipple
paint or draw with dots or short strokes
feint
trick; shift; sham blow; feigned attack to draw away defensive action; v.
enclave
territory enclosed within an alien land
bewitch
cast a spell over; captivate completely
oscillate
vibrate pendulumlike; waver
gregarious
sociable; (of an animal) tending to form a group
wily
crafty; cunning; artful; n. wile: deceitful stratagem
fluster
confuse; make nervous and confused; n.
prostrate
stretch out full on ground; make prostrate; enervate; ex. prostrating illness; adj. lying face down; having lost all strength
