Set 3 Flashcards
abate
(of something unpleasant or severe) become less intense or widespread
e.g. The storms had abated by the time they rounded Cape Horn
abjure
solemnly renounce (a belief, cause or claim) e.g. *He **abjured** the Protestant faith and became King in 1594*
anomalous
deviating from what is standard, normal or expected
e.g. For years, this anomalous behavior has baffled scientists
antipathy
a deep-seated feeling of aversion
e.g. She’d often spoken of her antipathy towards London
arcane
understood by few, mysterious or secret
e.g. Until a few months ago, few people outside the arcane world of contemporary music had heard of the composer
arduous
involving or requiring strenuous effort, difficult and tiring
e.g. The task was more arduous than he had calculated
artless
without effort or pretentiousness; natural and simple
e.g. She was curiously artless
ascetic
characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons
e.g. She has never been close to her ascetic, workaholic father
assuage
make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
e.g. The announcement appeared designed to assuage concerns at home and abroad
betray
unintentionally reveal; be evidence of; expose to danger, by treacherously giving information to an enemy
bucolic
relating to pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life
e.g. The economics of a bucolic dream no longer stack up
burgeon
begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish
e.g. Plants burgeon from every available space
cacophonous
involving or producing a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
e.g. Then he emits a cacophonous cackle that passes for a laugh
canonize
place in regard as belonging to a canon of literary or artistic works;
e.g. They canonized the Song of Solomon after much controversy
officially declare (dead person) to be a saint e.g. *Joan of Arc was finally **canonized** by Pope Benedict XV in 1920*
censure
express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement
e.g. The ethics committee may take a decision to admonish him or to censure him
chicanery
the use of deception or subterfuge to achieve one’s purpose
e.g. He resorted to the worst flattery and chicanery to win the job
coalesce
come together to form one mass or whole
e.g. Cities, if unrestricted, tend to coalesce into bigger and bigger conurbations
cogent
(of an argument or case) clear, logical and convincing
e.g. There were perfectly cogent reasons why Julian Cavendish should be told of the Majors’ impending return
compelling
evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way
e.g. There was no longer any compelling reason to continue this line of investigation
contend
compete with others in a struggle to achieve (something);
e.g. .. two main groups contending for power
assert something as a position in an argument
e.g. He contended that the taxes were too high
copious
abundant in supply or quantity
e.g. He had worked until early hours of the morning, helped by copious amounts of coffee
cosmopolitan
including people from many different countries;
e.g. London has always been a cosmopolitan city
(of a plant or animal) found all over the world
e.g. The more cosmopolitan a sport becomes, the more it changes
deference
polite submission and respect
e.g. Out of deference to him, I lowered my head as he prayed
desultory
lacking a plan, purpose or enthusiasm
e.g. The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn
diffident
modest or shy because of a lack of self confidence
e.g. Helen was diffident and reserved
dilatory
slow to act; intended to cause delay
e.g. You might expect politicians to smooth things out when civil servants are being dilatory
equivocate
use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself
e.g. He is equivocating a lot about what is going to happen if and when there are elections
polarize
divide or cause to divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs
e.g. Missile deployment did much to further polarize opinion in Britain
prodigal
spending money or using resources freely and recklessly wastefully extravagant;
e.g. Prodigal habits die hard
having or giving something on a lavish scale
e.g. prodigal of compliments
verbose
using or expressed in more words than are needed
e.g. His writing is difficult and often verbose
