Set 5 Flashcards
Cosset
verb
(kah suht)
To pamper; to treat with great care
Marta just loves to COSSET her first and only grandchild.
Synonyms: cater to; cuddle; dandle; fondle; love; pamper; spoil
Dither
verb
(dihth uhr)
To act confusedly or without clear purpose
Ellen DITHERED around her apartment, uncertain how to tackle the family crisis.
Synonyms: falter; hesitate; vacillate; waffle; waver
Monotony
noun
(muh naht nee)
No variation; tediously the same
The MONOTONY of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy.
Synonyms: drone; tedium
Obviate
verb
(ahb vee ayt)
To prevent; to make unnecessary
The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which OBVIATED the need for a bridge.
Synonyms: forestall; preclude; prohibit
Effrontery
noun
(eh fruhnt uhr ee)
Impudent boldness; audacity
The receptionist had the EFFRONTERY to laugh out loud when the CEO tripped over a computer wire and fell flat on his face.
Synonyms: brashness; gall; nerve; presumption; temerity
Impasse
noun
(ihm paas)
A blocked path; a dilemma with no solution
The rock slide produced an IMPASSE, so no one could proceed further on the road.
Synonyms: cul-de-sac; deadlock; stalemate
Frenetic
adj
(fruh neht ihk)
Frantic; frenzied
The employee’s FRENETIC schedule left her little time to socialize.
Synonyms: corybantic; delirious; feverish; mad; rabid; wild
Restive
adj
(reh stihv)
Impatient, uneasy, or restless
The passengers became RESTIVE after having to wait in line for hours and began to shout complaints at the airline staff.
Synonyms: agitated; anxious; fretful
Perspicacious
adj
(puhr spuh kay shuhs)
Shrewd, astute, or keen-witted
Inspector Poirot used his PERSPICACIOUS mind to solve mysteries.
Synonyms: insightful; intelligent; sagacious
Jingoism
noun
(jing goh ihz uhm)
Belligerent support of one’s country
The professor’s JINGOISM made it difficult for the students to participate in an open political discussion.
Synonyms: chauvinism; nationalism
Politic
adj
(pah lih tihk)
Shrewd and practical in managing or dealing with things; diplomatic
She was wise to curb her tongue and was able to explain her problem to the judge in a respectful and POLITIC manner.
Synonyms: tactful
Impecunious
adj
(ihm pih kyoo nyuhs)
Poor; having no money
After the stock market crashed, many former millionaires found themselves IMPECUNIOUS.
Synonyms: destitute; impoverished; indigent; needy; penniless
Apostate
noun
(uh pahs tayt)
One who renounces a religious faith
So that he could divorce his wife, the king scoffed at the church doctrines and declared himself an APOSTATE.
Synonyms: defector; deserter; traitor
Proliferate
verb
(proh lih fuhr ayt)
To increase in number quickly
Although he only kept two guinea pigs initially, they PROLIFERATED to such an extent that he soon had dozens.
Synonyms: breed; multiply; procreate; propagate; reproduce; spawn
Coterie
noun
(koh tuh ree)
An intimate group of persons with a similar purpose
Angel invited a COTERIE of fellow stamp enthusiasts to a stamp-trading party.
Synonyms: clique; set
Metaphor
noun
(meht uh fohr)
Figure of speech comparing two different things
The METAPHOR “a sea of troubles” suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea.
Synonyms: allegory; analogy; simile; symbol
Nettle
verb
(neh tuhl)
To irritate
I don’t particularly like having blue hair - I just do it to NETTLE my parents.
Synonyms: annoy; vex
Invective
noun
(ihn vek tihv)
Abusive language
A stream of INVECTIVE poured from Mrs. Pratt’s mom as she watched the vandals smash her ceramic frog.
Synonyms: denunciation; revilement; vituperation
Languid
adj
(laang gwihd)
Lacking energy; indifferent; slow
The LANGUID cat cleaned its fur, ignoring the vicious, snarling dog chained a few feet away from it.
Synonyms: lackadaisical; listless; sluggish; weak
Disabuse
verb
(dih suh byuze)
To set right; to free from error
Galileo’s observations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the Earth.
Synonyms: correct; undeceive
Investiture
noun
(in ves tuh chur)
Ceremony conferring authority
At Napoleon’s INVESTITURE, he grabbed the crown from the Pope’s hands and placed it on his head himself.
Synonyms: inaugural; inauguration; induction; initiation; installation
Gullible
adj
(guh luh buhl)
Easily deceived
The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool GULLIBLE bank customers into giving him their account information.
Synonyms: credulous; exploitable; naive
Apocryphal
adj
(uh pahk ruh fuhl)
Of questionable authority or authenticity
There is no hard or authoritative evidence to support the APOCRYPHAL tales that link the Roswell, New Mexico, incident to a downed UFO.
Synonyms: disputed; doubtful; fictitious; fraudulent
Profligate
adj
(prah flih guht)
Corrupt; degenerate
Some historians claim that it was the Romans’ decadent, PROFLIGATE behavior that led to the decline of the Roman Empire.
Synonyms: dissolute; extravagant; improvident; prodigal; wasteful
Invidious
adj
(ihn vihd ee uhs)
Envious, obnoxious, or offensive; likely to promote ill-will
It is cruel and INVIDIOUS for parents to play favorites with their children.
Synonyms: discriminatory; insulting; jaundiced; resentful
Discern
verb
(dihs uhrn)
To perceive or recognize
It is easy to DISCERN the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.
Synonyms: catch; descry; detect; differeentiate; discriminate; distinguish; espy; glimpse; know; separate; spot; spy; tell
Toady
noun
(toh dee)
One who flatters in the hope of gaining favors
The king was surrounded by TOADIES who rushed to agree with whatever outrageous thing he said.
Synonyms: parasite; sycophant
Affected
adj
(uh fehk tihd)
Phony; artificial
The AFFECTED hairdresser spouted French phrases, though she had never been to France.
Synonyms: insincere; pretentious; put-on
Vex
verb
(vehks)
To annoy, irritate, puzzle, or confuse
The old man who loved his peace and quiet was VEXED by his neighbor’s loud music.
Synonyms: annoy; bother; chafe; exasperate; irk; nettle; peeve; provoke
Precipitate
adj
(preh sih puh tayt)
Thrown violently or brought about abruptly; lacking deliberation
Theirs was a PRECIPITATE marriage - they had only known each other for two weeks before they wed.
Synonyms: abrupt; hasty; headlong; hurried; ill-considered; impetuous; impulsive; prompt; rush; reckless; sudden
