Set 2 Flashcards
adulterate
render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance
e.g. The food has been adulterated to increase its weight
advocate
a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy
e.g. Mr. Williams is a conservative who advocates fewer government controls on business
aggrandize
increase in power status or wealth of
e.g. At the dinner table, my father would go on and on, showing off, aggrandizing himself
alacrity
brisk and cheerful readiness
e.g. As you can imagine, I accepted with alacrity
ambivalent
having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone
e.g. He maintained an ambivalent attitude to the Church throughout his long life
ameliorate
make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better
e.g. He expected me to do something to ameliorate his depression
amenable
open and responsive to suggestion;
e.g. Sleyman seemed to be more amenable than his father
easily persuaded or controlled
e.g. My cat was half-grown black and white female, guaranteed to be clean and amenable
anachronistic
belonging to a period other than being portrayed
e.g. In an increasing secular society, the religious aspects of monarchy may seem anachronistic
audacious
showing willingness to take surprisingly bold risks
e.g. An audacious plan to win the presidency
showing an impudent lack of respect
e.g. .. he made an audacious remark
avaricious
having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain
e.g. He sacrificed his own career so that his avaricious brother could succeed
banal
so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring
e.g. Bland, banal music tinkled discreetly from the hidden loudspeakers
benign
gentle and kind; not harmful to the environment
e.g. They are normally a more benign audience
brazen
bold and without shame
e.g. They’re quite brazen about their sexuality, it doesn’t wrong them
calumny
the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation
e.g. He was a victim of calumny
candid
truthful and straightforward; frank
e.g. Nat is candid about the problems she is having with Steve
castigate
reprimand (someone) severely
e.g. Marx never lost an opportunity to castigate colonialism
caustic
sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way
e.g. His abrasive wit and caustic comments were an interviewer’s nightmare
able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action
e.g. Remember that this is caustic; use gloves or a spoon
construe
interpret (a word or action) in a particular way
e.g. What may seem helpful behavior to you can be construed as interference by others
contrite
feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition that one has done wrong
e.g. She’d have to placate him, to be properly remorseful and contrite if that was what it took to heal her marriage
convoluted
(especially of an argument, story or sentence) extremely complex and difficult to follow
e.g. Despite its length and convoluted plot, this is a rich and rewarding read
intricately folded, twisted or coiled
e.g. Walnuts come in hard and convoluted shells
covet
yearn to possess (something, especially something belonging to another)
e.g. She coveted his job so openly that conversations between them were tense
craven
contemptibly lack of courage; cowardly
e.g. They condemned the deal as a craven surrender
decorum
behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety
e.g. I was treated with decorum and respect throughout the investigation
deft
neatly skillful and quick in one’s movements
e.g. With a deft flick of his foot, Mr. Worth tripped one of the raiders up
demur
raise objections or show reluctance
e.g. Once again she accepted without demur, with the proviso that he stop first at her place or a pre-dinner drink
derivative
something which is based on another source;
e.g. The makers are already planning two cheaper derivatives of the bike
imitative of the work of another artist, writer, etc. and usually disapproved of for that reason
e.g. A lot of what you see in stand-up comedy today is very derivative
desiccate
remove the moisture from (something); cause to become completely dry
e.g. The grapes are taken to special drying rooms where they are allowed to desiccate, concentrating the sugars inside the grape
diatribe
a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something
e.g. The book is a diatribe against the academic left
incredulous
(of a person or manner) unwilling or unable to believe something
e.g. ‘He made you do it?’ Her voice was incredulous
ingenuous
(of a person or action) innocent and unsuspecting
e.g. With ingenuous sincerity, he captivated his audience
