Set 8 Flashcards
Inquest
noun
(ihn kwehst
An investigation; an inquiry
The police chief ordered an INQUEST to determine what went wrong.
Synonyms: prove; quest; research
Monastic
adj
(muh naas tihk)
Extremely plain or secluded, as in a monastery
The philosopher retired to his MONASTIC lodgings to contemplate life free from any worldly distraction,
Synonyms: austere; contemplative; disciplines; regimented; self-abnegating
Eulogy
noun
(yoo luh jee)
A speech in praise of someone
His best friend gave the EULOGY, outlining his many achievements and talents.
Synonyms: commend; extol; laud
Paradox
noun
(par uh doks)A contradiction or dilemma
It is a PARADOX that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it.
Synonyms: ambiguity; incongruity
Doctrinaire
adj
(dahk truh nayr)
Rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic
The professor’s manner of teaching was considered DOCTRINAIRE for such a liberal school.
Synonyms: dictatorial; inflexible
Abstemious
adj
(aab stee me uhs)
Moderate in appetite
Because Alyce is a vegetarian, she was able to eat only an ABSTEMIOUS meal at the Texas Steakhouse.
Synonyms: abstinent; continent; self-restraining; sober; temperate
Chicanery
noun
(shi kay nuh ree)
Deception by means of craft or guile
Dishonest used-car salesmen often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars.
Synonyms: artifice; conniving; craftiness; deception; deviousness; misrepresentation; pettifoggery; shadiness; sneakiness; sophistry; subterfuge; underhandedness
Torpor
noun
(tohr puhr)
Extreme mental and physical sluggishness
After surgery, the patient’s TORPOR lasted several hours until the anesthesia wore off.
Synonyms: apathy; languor
Deride
verb
(dih ried)
To speak of or treat with contempt; to mock
The awkward child was often DERIDED by his “cooler” peers.
Synonyms: gibe; mock; ridicule; jeer; scoff; sneer; taunt
Libertine
noun
(lihb uhr teen)
A free thinker (usually used disparagingly); one without moral restraint
The LIBERTINE took pleasure in gambling at his family’s money.
Synonyms: hedonist
Levity
noun
(leh vih tee)
An inappropriate lack of seriousness; an overly casual atmosphere
The joke added a jarring note of LEVITY to the otherwise serious meeting.
Synonyms: amusement; humor
Ambiguous
adj
(aam bihg yoo uhs)
Doubtful or uncertain; can be interpreted several ways
The directions he gave were so AMBIGUOUS that we disagreed on which way to turn.
Synonyms: cloudy; doubtful; dubious; equivocal; indeterminate; nebulous; obscure; unclear; vague
Hermetic
adj
(huhr meh tihk)
Tightly sealed
The HERMETIC seal of the proved impossible to break.
Synonyms: airtight; impervious; watertight
Peripatetic
adj
(peh ruh puh teh tihk)
Wandering from place to place, especially on foot
Eleana’s PERIPATETIC meanderings took her all over the countryside in the summer months.
Synonyms: itinerant; nomadic; wayfaring
Soporific
adj
(sahp uhr ihf ihk)
Causing sleep or lethargy
The movie prove to be so SOPORIFIC that soon loud snores were heard throughout the cinema.
Synonyms: hypnotic; narcotic; slumberous; somnolent
Phlegmatic
adj
(flehg maa tihk)
Calm and unemotional in temperament
Although the bomb could go off at any moment, the PHLEGMATIC demolition expert remained calm and unafraid.
Synonyms; apathetic; calm; emotionless; impassive; indifferent; passionless; unemotional
Articulate
adj
(ahr tih kyuh luht)
Able to speak clearly and expressively
She is extremely ARTICULATE when it comes to expressing her pro-labor views; as a result, unions are among her strongest supporters.
Synonyms: eloquent; expressive; fluent; lucid; silver-tongued; smooth-spoken
Numismatics
noun
(nu miz maa tiks)
Coin collecting
Tomas’s passion for NUMISMATICS has resulted in an impressive collection of coins from all over the world.
Ebullient
adj
(ih buhl yuhnt)
Exhilarated; full of enthusiasm and high spirits
The EBULLIENT child exhausted the baby-sitter, who lacked the energy to keep up with her.
Synonyms: ardent; avid; bubbly; zestful
Cupidity
noun
(kyoo pih dih tee)
Greed; strong desire
The their stared at the shining jewels with CUPIDITY in his gleaming eyes.
Synonyms: avarice; covetousness; rapacity
Jocular
adj
(jahk yuh luhr)
Playful; humorous
The JOCULAR old man entertained his grandchildren for hours.
Synonyms: amusing; comical
Grovel
verb
(grah vuhl)
To humble oneself in a demeaning way
Thor GROVELED to his ex-girlfriend, hoping she would take him back.
Synonyms: bootlick; cringe; fawn; kowtow; toady
Vernal
adj
(vuhr nuhl)
Related to spring; fresh
Bea basked in the balmy VERNAL breezes, happy that winter was coming to an end.
Synonyms: springlike; youthful
Exacerbate
verb
(ihg zaas uhr bayt)
To make worse
It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn since, instead of providing relief, it will only EXACERBATE the problem.
Synonyms: aggravate; annoy; intensify; irritate; provoke
Plastic
adj
(plaa stihk)
Able to be molded, altered, or bent
The new material was very PLASTIC and could be formed into products of vastly different shape.
Synonyms: adaptable; ductile; malleable; pliant
Analgesia
noun
(aah nuhl jee zhuh)
A lessening of pain without loss of consciousness
After having her appendix removed, Tatiana welcomed the ANALGESIA that the painkillers provided.
Expurgate
verb
(ehk spuhr gayt)
To censor
Government propagandists EXPURGATED all negative references to the dictator from the film.
Synonyms: bowdlerize; cut; sanitize
Analogous
adj
(uh naal uh guhs)
Similar or alike in some way; equivalent
His mother argued that not going to college was was ANALOGOUS to throwing his life away.
Synonyms: alike; comparable; corresponding; equivalent; homogeneous; parallel; similar
Reticent
adj
(reh tih suhnt)
Silent; reserved
Physically small and verbally RETICENT, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those she was reporting on.
Synonyms: cool; introverted; laconic; standoffish; taciturn; undemonstrative
Credulous
adj
(kreh juh luhs)
Too trusting; gullible
Although some four-year-olds believe in the Tooth Fairy, only the most CREDULOUS nine-year-olds also believe in her.
Synonyms: naive; susceptible; trusting
