Set 15 Flashcards
fiasco
total failure; ex: bottle
founder
person who establishes (an organization or business)
nexus
connection
juncture
crisis; point in time; joining point; joint; act of joining
conducive
helpful; contributive; v. conduce; ex. conduce to/towards
cavalcade
procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages; parade; ex: cavalry
irremediable
incurable; uncorrectable; impossible to remedy
taint
contaminate; cause to lose purity; modify with a trace of something bad; ex. tainted reputation; n. stain; touch of decay or bad influence; ex: touch
molecule
the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance
careen
lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger
disavowal
denial; disclaiming; repudiating; disowning; v. disavow; ex: disclaim
purveyor
furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer; v. purvey: supply (eg. food); furnish; ex: provide
ambiguous
unclear or doubtful in meaning; having more than one possible interpretation
mode
prevailing style; current fashion; manner; way of doing something; ex. in the latest mode; ex. simple mode of life
assail
assault
incredulity
tendency to disbelief
travesty
copy or example of something that completely misrepresents the true nature of the real thing; comical parody or imitation; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous; ex. travesty of justice; OP. paragon
striated
marked with parallel bands; striped; grooved; ex. striated rocks; v. striate; n. stria: thin groove or line
malodorous
foul-smelling
commonwealth
nation governed by the people; republic; people of a nation
draw
choosing of a lot or card
delete
erase; strike out
lunatic
insane; ex. lunatic asylum
atheistic
denying the existence of God; n. atheism
perspicuous
(of something) plainly expressed; easy to understand; ex. perspicuous comments
virtuoso
highly skilled artist (esp. in music); ex. piano virtuoso
avert
prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought); ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight.
canvass
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through (a region) to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; n.
discernible
distinguishable; perceivable; ex. discernible improvement
heterodox
(of beliefs) against accepted opinion; unorthodox; unconventional
regeneration
spiritual rebirth; ex. regeneration of the prisoners; v. regenerate: give or obtain new life; reform spiritually
frantic
wild; distraught as from fear or worry; ex. frantic with fear
champion
support militantly; fight for; n. person who fights for or supports strongly (a principle, movement, person, etc.)
taciturn
habitually silent; talking little
sententious
pithy; terse; concise; aphoristic
cumbersome
heavy and awkward to carry or wear; burdensome; ex. cumbersome parcel/uniform
spare
give; use; refrain from harming; save from experiencing; exempt; ex. spare me 5 minutes; ex. Take this money and spare my life; ex. The emperor was spared the onus; adj. kept in reserve; free for other use; unoccupied; ex. spare time
amble
walking at an easy unhurried pace; v. walk slowly and aimlessly
recondite
abstruse; not easily understood; profound; secret
infallible
unerring; never making mistakes
cumulative
growing by addition; accumulative
ductile
malleable; pliable; (of metals) easily pulled into shape; flexible; (of someone) easily influenced or controlled
askance
with a sideways or indirect look (with disapproval or distruct); ex. look askance at
veer
change in direction; swerve
auroral
pertaining to the aurora borealis; ex: aurora australis
lubricate
apply a lubricant to; n. lubricant: substance that reduces friction
naivet'e(naivety)
quality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness; gullibility; adj. naive(na"ive): ingenuous; lacking worldliness; simple; credulous
astute
wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to one’s advantage
clangor
loud resounding noise; sound of repeated clanging
incredulous
withholding belief; skeptical; showing disbelief
luminous
shining (esp. in the dark); issuing light; ex. luminous paint/road signs
zany
comic; crazy; n. clown; comical person (given to outlandish behavior)
knell
tolling of a bell especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell; v.
whittle
pare; cut away thin bits (from wood); fashion in this way; reduce gradually; trim
exhume
dig out of the ground; remove from a grave
homage
honor; tribute; great respect; ex. pay/do homage to
graphic
pertaining to the art of delineating; vividly described
derogatory
expressing a low opinion; disparaging; v. derogate: detract; disparage
apothecary
druggist; pharmacist
caucus
private meeting of a group of people in a political party to select officers or determine policy; ex: the Caucus club of Boston
rickety
(of buildings) likely to break or fall apart; of rickets; ex: rickets; ex: vitamin D
sphinx-like
enigmatic; mysterious
tarantula
venomous spider
charisma
divine gift; great popular charm or appeal; magnetism
alacrity
cheerful promptness without reluctance
felon
person convicted of a grave crime; ex: felony: serious crime
descry
catch sight of (something distant)
militia
army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers
groove
long narrow channel made in a surface to guide the movement of something; ex. groove of the record
unfrock
defrock; strip a priest or minister of church authority
iconoclastic
attacking cherished traditions; n. iconoclast: one who attacks traditional ideas; one who destroys sacred images
understate
state with less truth than seems warranted by the facts; ex. He understated the seriousness of the crime; n. understatement; OP. overstate
staid
serious and sedate; sober; ex. staid during the funeral ceremony
pliant
flexible; easily influenced
erudite
(of a person or book) learned; full of learning; scholarly; n. erudition
matriculate
enroll (in college or graduate school); ex: matrix
cadaverous
like a corpse; pale
irretrievable
impossible to recover or regain; ex: retrieve
atavism
resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; adj. atavistic
homely
not good-looking; unattractive
spatula
broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing
modish
fashionable; conforming to the current fashion
emollient
soothing or softening remedy (for the skin); adj.
advocate
speak in favor of; support (an idea or plan); urge; plead for
run-down
(of a place) dilapidated; in a bad condition; (of a person) weak or exhausted
reduce
diminish; bring to a weaker or more difficult condition; demote; lower in rank; separate into components by analysis; ex. reduced to the ranks; ex. reduce the house to rubble; n. reduction
ecosystem
ecological community together with its environment
chancellor
legal official of high rank; ex: chancellery(chancellory): position of a chancellor
debonair
(of men) friendly, charming, and fashionably dressed; aiming to please; ex: of good disposition
procrastinate
postpone; delay or put off
astigmatism
eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism
stoic
stoical; impassive; unmoved by joy or grief; n. ex: stoicism
inanimate
lifeless; not animate
indigent
poor; destitute
vampire
ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living
sobriety
moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness
disputatious
argumentative; fond of argument
abide
dwell; abide by: comply with; put up with; tolerate; ex. abide by the rules; ex. I can’t abide rude people.
deposition
testimony under oath; deposing; dethroning
coax
persuade by flattery
bastion
stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism
ethos
underlying character of a culture, group, etc.; character or ideas peculiar to a specific person, group, or culture; ex. the company ethos
conundrum
riddle; difficult problem
compute
reckon; calculate
spangle
small shiny metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation
dismember
cut into small parts; cut (a body) apart limb from limb
reciprocate
do or give something in return; repay in kind; give or take mutually; interchange; move backwards and forwards; ex. reciprocate his invitation by inviting him; n. reciprocity: reciprocal relationship; mutual interchange of advantages between two groups; ex. reciprocity in trading rights
implicit
understood but not stated; implied; unquestioning and complete; ex. implicit trust
rustle
make slight sounds like silk moving or being rubbed together
document
provide written evidence (for a claim); record with documents; n.
crescendo
increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; ex: crescent
renounce
abandon; give up (by formal announcement); disown; repudiate; ex. renounce one’s claim to the property/one’s religion; n. renunciation
agglomeration
collection; heap; v. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; n. aggolmeate: jumbled mass; heap
gloat
express evil satisfaction; look at or think about with evil satisfaction; view malevolently; ex. The thief gloated over the stolen jewels.
standstill
condition of no movement or activity; stop
genesis
beginning; origin
derivative
unoriginal; obtained from another source; ex. derivative prose style; n.
waylay
ambush; lie in wait for and attack
mingle
mix together in close association
litotes
understatement for emphasis; ex. ``not bad(=pretty good)’’
incoherent
unintelligible; muddled; unable to express one’s thoughts in an orderly manner; illogical; lacking cohesion; not coherent
pinch
squeeze between the thumb and a finger, or other edges; ex. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. n. amount that can be held between the thumb and a finger
flirt
behave in a way that attracts (sexual) attention; deal triflingly with; n. one (or woman) given to flirting; adj. flirtatious
abolish
cancel; put an end to
inculcate
teach (ideas or principles); instill
din
continued loud noise; v. make a din; instill by wearying repetition
reputable
respectable; having a good reputation
culvert
artificial channel for water; drain crossing under a road
ooze
(of a thick liquid) pass or flow slowly; n. mud or thick liquid as at the bottom of a river
coin
make coins; invent or fabricate (a word or phrase); n. coinage: word or phrase recently invented
sordid
filthy; foul; base; vile; ex. sordid bed/story
promote
advance in rank; advance; help to flourish; advocate; help actively in forming; publicize or popularize; ex. Milk promotes health; ex. promote a match/bill; ex. promote a new product
loom
appear or take shape (usually in an enlarged, indistinct, or distorted form); ex. The shadow of the gallows loomed threateningly. n. apparatus for making thread into cloth
succumb
yield (to something overwhelming); give in; die; ex. succumb to the illness
balmy
soft and mild (of air); fragrant
vulgar
of the common people; deficient in refinement; not refined; coarse; ex. vulgar display of wealth; n. vulgarism: vulgarity; crudely indecent word; ex: vulgarian: vulgar person; boor; lout
infringe
violate (a law); encroach (the right of another person)
hardy
(of people or animals) sturdy; robust; (of plants) able to stand inclement(stormy) weather
fancy
imagination (of a whimsical or fantastic nature); capricious liking; v. imagine; be fond of; adj. decorative; elaborate
fervor
glowing ardor; intensity of feeling; quality of being fervent or fervid; zeal; intense heat
anguish
acute pain; extreme suffering
humdrum
dull; monotonous
siren
apparatus for making sounds; womanlike creature
serendipity
gift for finding valuable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck; ex: The Three Princes of Serendip
monogram
design composed of one or more initials of a name; v.
manumit
emancipate; free from slavery or bondage
wallow
roll in mud; indulge in; (of a ship) roll in a rough sea; become helpless; ex. wallow in the mud/luxury
rotund
(of a person) fat and round
concomitant
that which accompanies; ex. Deafnes is a frequent concommitant of old age; adj. existing or happening together with something else
enrapture
please intensely; fill with rapture and delight
halfhearted
exhibiting little interest or enthusiasm
yield
amount produced; crop; income on investment; profit obtained from an investment; v. produce; give in; surrender
presentiment
premonition; foreboding; feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear
unwitting
not knowing; unaware; unintentional; ex. She was their unwitting accomplice; ex. unwitting insult; ex: wit: know
asteroid
small planet
vigil
keeping watch (during normal sleeping hours); ex. all-night vigil
hibernate
sleep throughout the winter; n. hibernation
impetus
moving force; momentum; force of a moving body; incentive; stimulus; impulse
avuncular
of or like an uncle
livid
lead-colored; black and blue (as from a bruise); ashen; enraged; extremely angry
ford
place where a river can be crossed on foot; v.
draconian
extremely severe; ex. draconian punishment; ex: Draco: Athenian politician
integral
complete; necessary for completeness; ex. integral part
saturate
soak thoroughly; imbue; impregnate; charge; fill to capacity
snivel
complain or whine tearfully; run at the nose; snuffle; ex. Don’t come back sniveling to me.
rotundity
roundness; sonorousness of speech
precise
exact
faction
party; clique (within a large group); dissension
philanderer
faithless lover; flirt
consistency
absence of contradictions; uniformity; degree of thickness or firmness; ex. consistency of thick cream; ex: viscous
revulsion
sudden strong feeling of disgust; sudden violent change of feeling; negative reaction; ex. revulsion from the scenes of torture
capitulate
surrender; give up all resistance
suppress
put an end to forcibly; subdue; stifle; overwhelm; inhibit the expression of; check; prevent from being published or made public; ex. suppress a smile; ex. suppress the magazine/truth
daze
stun as with a blow or shock; bemuse; benumb; n.
awl
pointed tool used for piercing
ascendancy
controlling influence; position of controlling influence; ex: in the ascendant
confiscate
seize; take possession of (private property) by official order (usu. as a punishment); commandeer
fake
not genuine; n. one that is not genuine; impostor; sham; v. counterfeit; ex. fake the results of the experiment/the signature
catechism
book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; v. catechize
nugatory
worthless; futile
lurid
wild; sensational; graphic; gruesome; horrible; ex. lurid details of the murder
amphibian
able to live both on land and in water; n.
crass
very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating; ex. crass behavior
dissonance
discord
rancor
long-lasting hatred; bitterness; ex. negotiation without rancor; adj. rancorous
supplant
take the place of unfairly; usurp; replace
taunt
deride or provoke; challenge in derision; n.
touchstone
stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion; standard
corrosive
eating away by chemicals or disease; (of language) fierce
mollycoddle
pamper; coddle; baby; indulge excessively
ram
male sheep; v. strike or drive against with a heavy impact
repugnance
disgust; strong dislike; loathing; adj. repugnant: arousing disgust; repulsive
martial
warlike; of war; ex. martial art/law
abet
assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage
formidable
menacing; arousing fear; threatening; difficult to defeat; ex. formidable foe/question
license
official or legal permission; latitude of action or speech; excessive freedom that causes harm or damage; v.
veracious
(of a person) truthful
discerning
mentally quick and observant; having insight; perceptive; able to make good judgments; v. discern: perceive
whit
small amount; smallest speck;
