Set 4 Flashcards
abstain
restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something
e.g. Do you drink alcohol, smoke, or abstain?
formally decline to vote either for or against a proposal or motion
e.g. Three conservative MPs abstained in the vote
approbation
approval or praise
e.g. Teenagers are losing any sense of self until it is shared up by the approbation of their peers
corroborate
confirm or give support to ( a statement, a theory or finding)
e.g. I had access to wide range of documents which corroborated the story
disparate
essentially different in kind; not being able to be compared
e.g. The nine republics are immensely disparate in size, culture and wealth
emulate
match or surpass (a person or achievement) typically by imitation
e.g. But Margaret, though Laura, could never emulate her light-hearted sister-in-law
enervate
make (someone) feel drained of energy or vitality
e.g. Its crushed leaves and stems are used to enervate bees while gathering honey
ephemeral
lasting for a very short time
e.g. He talked about the country’s ephemeral unity being shattered by defeat
fervid
intensely enthusiastic or passionate, especially to an excessive degree
e.g. Librarian delivered a fervid speech defending the classic novel against the would be censors
garrulous
excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters
e.g. By his side for most of the time was a bespectacled, softly spoken and garrulous man
incendiary
tending to stir up conflict
e.g. Apart from his incendiary rhetoric, there are two reasons
(of a device or attack) designed to cause fires
e.g. Five incendiary devices were found in her house
inimical
tending to obstruct or harm
e.g. Nor can human flesh touch it, for its substance is inimical to life
intimate
closely acquainted, familiar;
e.g. I discussed with my intimate friends whether I would immediately have a baby
state or make known
e.g. She has intimated that she will resign if she loses the vote
invigorate
give strength or energy to
e.g. Take a deep breath in to invigorate yourself
mitigate
make (something bad) less severe, serious or painful
e.g. The cost of getting here is mitigated by Sydney’s offer of a subsidy
obsolete
no longer produced or used; out of date
e.g. So much equipment becomes obsolete almost as soon as it’s made
opaque
not able to be seen through; not transparent
e.g. You can always use opaque glass if you need to block a street view
(especially of language) hard or impossible to understand
e.g. .. the opaque language of the inspector’s reports
paradigmatic
serving as a typical example of something;
e.g. Their great academic success was paraded or paradigmatic
of or denoting the relationship between a set of linguistic items that form mutually exclusive choices in particular syntactic roles
pedantic
excessively concerned with minor details or rules; overscrupulous
e.g. His lecture was so pedantic and uninteresting
placid
not easily upset or excited
calm and peaceful, with little movement or activity
e.g. She was a placid child who rarely cried
polemical
of or involving strongly critical or disputatious writing or speech
e.g. Daniels is at his best when he’s cool and direct, rather than combative and polemical
precipitate
cause (an event or situation, typically one that is undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly or prematurely
e.g. The recent killings have precipitated the worst crisis yet
profundity
great depth of insight or knowledge
e.g. The profundity of this book is achieved with breathtaking lightness
prophetic
accurately predicting what will happen in the future
e.g. The ominous warning soon proved prophetic
prudent
acting with or showing care and though for the future
e.g. I believe it is essential that we act prudent
punctilious
showing great attention to detail or correct behavior
e.g. He was punctilious about being ready and waiting in the entrance hall exactly on time
recondite
(of a subject or knowledge) little known, abstruse
e.g. His poems are modishly experimental in style and recondite in subject-matter
scrupulous
careful, thorough and extremely attentive to details
e.g. The streets and parks were scrupulously clean
tranquil
free from disturbance; calm
e.g. The place was tranquil and appealing
vacillate
waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive
e.g. She vacillates between studying economics and languages
