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