Set 25 Flashcards
factotum
handyman; person who does all kinds of work; ex: do everything
impediment
hindrance; stumbling-block; speech defect preventing clear articulation; ex. speech impediment
clap
strike the palms of the hands together with a sudden explosive sound; come together suddenly with a sharp sound; put or send promptly; ex. clap the thief in jail; n. clapping; loud or explosive sound; ex: applause
irreparable
not able to be corrected or repaired; impossible to repair
venturesome
(of a person) bold; adventurous; daring; (of an action) risky
arbiter
person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge who is in a position ot make influential judgments; ex. supreme arbiter of fashion in beachware
dogmatic
opinionated; holding stubbornly to one’s opinion; arbitrary; doctrinal
anecdote
short story of an amusing or interesting event
flair
talent
inveterate
deep-rooted; habitual; ex: grow old
wanderlust
strong longing to travel
besiege
surround with armed forces; harass (with requests); annoy continually
sheathe
place into a case; insert into or provide with a sheath; ex. He sheathed his dagger; n. sheath: case for a blade
ineffable
unutterable; not to be uttered; taboo; that cannot be expressed in speech; indescribable; unspeakable; inexpressible; ex. ineffable name/joy
flamboyant
ornate; highly elaborate; richly colored; ostentatious; showy; ex: flame
whiff
puff or gust (of air, scent, etc.); short-lasting smell; hint; ex. whiff of perfume/scandal
rakish
jaunty; stylish; sporty; morally corrupt; dissolute; ex. He wore his hat at a rakish and jaunty angle.
expound
explain
escapade
prank; flighty conduct; reckless adventure that disobeys rules
accord
agreement
malign
speak evil of; bad-mouth(criticize spitefully); defame; adj. harmful; ex. malign influence
obstreperous
boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable
olfactory
concerning the sense of smell
recuperate
recover; return to health; regain; ex. recuperate losses
nurse
suckle; take care of (as a nurse); bear in mind; ex. nursing mother; ex. nurse a hope/grudge against someone
recalcitrant
disobedient or resisting authority even after being punished; obstinately stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly; ex. recalcitrant child
laborious
demanding much work or care; tedious
precocious
advanced in development; n. precocity
ovation
enthusiastic applause
panegyric
formal praise; encomium; ex. I don’t deserve such panegyrics.
remittance
remitting of money; amount of money remitted
predetermine
determine in advance; predestine; settle or decide beforehand; influence markedly
denigrate
blacken; defame
indolent
lazy
composure
mental calmness
ornate
excessively or elaborately decorated
ligneous
like wood
impenitent
not repentant
diminution
lessening; reduction in size; v. diminish
diverse
differing in some characteristics (from each other); various; n. diversity:
psychosis
mental disorder; adj. n. psychotic
exhilarating
invigorating and refreshing; cheering; v. exhilarate: make cheerful and excited; ex. exhilarated by the ride in the sports car
venom
poison (of an animal); hatred; ex. remarks full of venom; adj. venomous
queue
line (of waiting people or vehicles)
insatiable
not easily satisfied; unquenchable; ex. insatiable appetite
militant
combative; bellicose; n.
quibble
minor objection or complaint; v. raise minor objections; carp; cavil
nuptial
of marriage or the wedding ceremony; N; nuptials; wedding ceremony
economy
efficiency or conciseness in using something; thrifty management of resources
disparity
difference; condition of inequality; OP. parity
rubric
title or heading (in red print); directions for religious ceremony; protocol
evocative
tending to call up (emotions, memories)
illicit
illegal
brawl
noisy quarrel
ultimate
final; not susceptible to further analysis; fundamental; ex. The sun is the ultimate source of energy.
consternation
great shock; dismay
nemesis
someone seeking revenge; source of downfall or ruin; ex: Nemesis
flowery
full of flowers; full of ornate expressions
transport
strong emotion; rapture; ex. in a transport/transports of; v. move to strong emotion; enrapture
impiety
irreverence; lack of respect for God or piety
chorus
phrase repeated throughout a song or poem
opaque
dark; not transparent; n. opacity
citadel
fortress
Occident
the West
overwhelm
(of water) cover completely; defeat completely by much greater force; ex. overwhelmed by grief
depravity
extreme corruption; wickedness; v. deprave
construe
explain; interpret; ex. construe her silence as meaning that she agreed; ex: misconstrue
preclude
make impossible; prevent; exclude; eliminate
flora
plants of a region or era
demotic
of or pertaining to the people
entity
real being
posterity
descendants; future generations; ex. go down to posterity; ex: posterior, anterior
perigee
point of moon’s orbit when it is nearest the earth; ex: apogee
acuity
sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing)
tenure
holding of an office or real estate; time during which such an office is held
conflagration
great fire
clairvoyant
having foresight; fortuneteller; n. clairvoyance
handsome
large in quantity; generous; ex. handsome reward
avow
declare openly; n. avowal
pacifist
one opposed to force; antimilitarist; adj. n. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes
healthful
conducive to good health; ex. healthful mountain air
supernumerary
person or thing excess of what is necessary; extra; adj. additional to the usual or necessary number
rectitude
moral correctness; moral uprightness; moral virtue; correctness of judgment
menace
threat; v. threaten
disparage
belittle
forfeit
something surrendered as punishment for a crime or breach of contract; v. lose as a forfeit; n. forfeiture
shimmer
shine with a flickering light; glimmer intermittently; ex. The moonlight shimmered on the water; n.
rail
complain bitterly; scold; rant; ex. the weaker railing against injustices
distant
reserved or aloof; cold in manner; ex. distant greeting; ADv. distantly
concur
agree; coincide; happen at the same time
distrait
absentminded; distracted
modulate
tone down in intensity; change the intensity or tone of; regulate; change from one musical key to another; ex. modulate from E to G
sift
put through a sieve to separate fine from coarse particles; sort or examine carefully
subsidy
direct financial aid by government, etc.; v. subsidize: assist with a subsidy
preempt
prevent in advance; head off(forestall); forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself before others; supplant; take the place of; displace; ex. preempt any attempts; adj. preemptive
frock
long loose garment (worn by monks)
psychic
of psyche; mental; of or possessing extraordinary mental powers
perdition
damnation; complete ruin; hell
habituate
accustom or familiarize; addict
retentive
holding; able to retain things (esp. facts in the mind); having a good memory
canter
slow gallop; v. ex: trot
threat
sign or warning (of coming danger); ex. threat of rain; v. express a threat; give warning of (something bad); ex. The cloud threatens rain.
interstice
narrow space between things
cathartic
purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; adj.
incrustation
hard coating or crust; v. incrust: encrust; cover with a crust
smelt
melt (ore) for separating and removing the metal; melt or blend ores changing their chemical composition
eccentricity
oddity; idiosyncrasy
amok(amuck)
in a state of rage; ex. run amok
vibrant
full of vigor or energy; vibrating
alias
an assumed name esp. by a criminal (usually to mislead people); ADv. alias
obstinate
stubborn; hard to control or treat; ex. obstinate cough; n. obstinacy
outspoken
candid; blunt
misapprehension
error; misunderstanding; v. misapprehend
altercation
noisy quarrel
enumerate
list; mention one by one
litany
supplicatory prayer; prayer in which the priest calls out and the people replies in the same words
manifest
evident; visible; obvious; v. show plainly
repository
storehouse
humus
substance or rich soil formed by decaying vegetable matter; ex: soil
fervent
ardent; zealous; hot
gruff
rough-mannered; (of a voice) rough; hoarse
tedium
boredom; weariness; adj. tedious
edify
instruct; correct morally
strut
supporting bar; ex: airplane wingËí?» building µ”ËÈ support
betray
be unfaithful; reveal (unconsciously or unwillingly); ex. Her trembling hands betray her anxiety.
contagion
infection (by contact); adj. contagious; ex: infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air
dissension
disagreement of opinions causing strife within a group
swagger
walk or behave with an over-confident manner
venerable
deserving high respect; commanding respect; ex: command: deserve and get
disproportion
lack of proportion (between the parts); adj. disproportionate
untoward
unexpected and adverse; unfortunate or unlucky; ex. untoward encounter
supposititious
assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical
rubble
fragments (esp. from a destroyed building)
patriarch
father and ruler of a family or tribe
headlong
hasty; rash; headfirst; ADv.
reconcile
make friendly again (after quarrel); make consistent (two ideas in opposition); correct inconsistencies; ex. reconcile one’s political principles with one’s religious beliefs
arrogance
pride; haughtiness; adj. arrogant: unpleasantly self-important (with a strong confidence in one’s own importance and a lack of respect for other people)
armada
fleet of warships
castigation
punishment; severe criticism or disapproval
melee
fight
consolidation
unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger; v. consolidate: merge; strengthen
puzzle
baffle or confuse by a difficult problem; ponder over a problem in an effort to solve; clarify or solve by reasoning; ex. puzzle out the answer; n.
drudge
do drudgery; n. person who drudges
vitiate
spoil the effect of; make inoperative; corrupt morally
capacious
spacious
ruminate
chew over and over (mentally or, like cows, physically); mull over(ponder)
leash
restraining rope fastened to the collar of an animal (to control it); ex. a dog on a leash
strew
spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter; ex. flower girl strewing rose petals
grueling
exhausting; ex. grueling marathon race
harping
tiresome dwelling on a subject; v. harp: dwell on(think or speak a lot about) tediously
lament
grieve; express sorrow; n. lamentation
addle
make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg)
yeoman
man or farmer owning small estate; middle-class farmer
boost
lift by pushing up from below; increase; raise; n. push upward; increase
gouge
tear out; cut out (as if with a gouge); ex. gouge his eyes out; n. chisel for cutting out hollow areas in wood
quisling
traitor who aids invaders; ex: Vidkun Quisling
colloquy
informal discussion; conversation
carapace
shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.)
complementary
serving to complete something
anomaly
irregularity
exiguous
small in amount; minute
crone
hag; ugly old woman
tenacity
firmness; persistence
benevolent
generous; charitable; having a wish to do good
whine
complain (in a sad voice); make a high sad sound (as in pain or supplication)
dummy
imitation of a real object used as a substitute; effigy
gnome
dwarf; underground spirit who guards treasure hoards
figurine
small ornamental statuette(very small statue)
stammer
speak with involuntarily pauses or repetitions
remnant
remainder
waive
give up temporarily; yield; n. waiver: waiving a right or claim; document that waives a right or claim
shackle
chain; fetter; confine with shackles; n.
nutritious
providing nourishment
compliant
readily acting in accordance with a rule, order, or the wishes or others; yielding; comforming to requirements
viable
capable of maintaining life; feasible; practical or workable; ex. viable scheme
leaven
add leaven to; cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven; n. agent, such as yeast, that causes dough to rise (by fermentation); element that lightens or enlivens
conifer
pine tree (usu. evergreen); cone-bearing tree; adj. coniferous; ex: deciduous; ex: evergreen
haggle
argue about prices (in an attempt to bargain)
retrograde
go backwards; recede; degenerate; deteriorate; adj.
fruition
bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization; ex. come to/be brought to fruition
cohabit
live together
dominate
control; rule; enjoy a commanding position in; overlook from a height; ?Èáç«ô¼ü«ô
indigenous
native; ex. plant indigenous to the New World
circuitous
roundabout
indelible
not able to be erased
purse
pucker; contract (lips) into wrinkles; n. wallet
replica
copy
tribulation
suffering; ordeal; distress; trial
cardiologist
doctor specializing in ailments of the heart
predilection
preference; partiality
felicitous
(of a word or remark) apt; suitably expressed; well chosen
farce
broad comedy; mockery; humorous play full of silly things happening; adj. farcical
gourmet
connoisseur of food and drink; epicure
sectarian
of a sect; narrow-minded; parochial; n. member of a sect; narrow-minded person
sanction
approve; ratify; n. permission; penalty intended to enforce compliance
finale
conclusion; concluding part
parasite
animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant; ex: para-: beside
frieze
ornamental horizontal band on a wall
saga
Scandinavian myth; any legend; long heroic narrative
