Set 9 Flashcards
Plebeian
adj
(plee bee uhn)
Crude or coarse; characteristic of commoners
After five weeks of rigorous studying, the graduate settled in for a weekend of PLEBEIAN socializing and television watching.
Synonyms: conventional; unrefined
Umbrage
noun
(uhm brihj)
Offense; resentment
The businessman took UMBRAGE at the security guard’s accusation that he had shoplifted a packet of gum.
Synonyms: asperity; dungeon; ire; pique; rancor
Tyro
noun
(tie roh)
Beginner; novice
An obvious TYRO at salsa, Millicent received no invitations to dance.
Synonyms: apprentice; fledgling; greenhorn; neophyte; tenderfoot
Coffer
noun
(kah fuhr)
A strongbox; a large chest for money
The bulletproof glass of the COFFER is what keeps the Crown Jewels secure.
Synonyms: chest; exchequer; treasury; war chest
Pungent
adj
(puhn juhnt)
Sharp and irritating to the senses
The smoke from the burning tires was extremely PUNGENT.
Synonyms: acrid; caustic; piquant; poignant; stinging
Rejoinder
noun
(rih joyn duhr)
Response
Patrick tried desperately to think of a clever REJOINDER to Marianna’s joke, but he couldn’t.
Synonyms: retort; riposte
Lassitude
noun
(laas ih tood)
A state of diminished energy
The lack of energy that characterizes patients with anemia makes LASSITUDE one of the primary symptoms of this disease.
Synonyms: debilitation; enervation; fatigue; languor; listlessness; tiredness; weariness
Obsequious
adj
(uhb see kwee uhs)
Overly submissive and eager to please
The OBSEQUIOUS new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor’s tie and agree with him on every issue.
Synonyms: compliant; deferential; servile; subservient
Sportive
adj
(spohr tihv)
Frolicsome; playful
The lakeside vacation meant more SPORTIVE opportunities for the kids than the wine tour through France.
Synonyms: frisky; merry
Diaphanous
adj
(die aaf uh nuhs)
Allowing light to show through; delicate
These DIAPHANOUS curtains do nothing to block out the sunlight.
Synonyms: gauzy; sheer; tenuous; translucent; transparent
Licentious
adj
(lie sehn shuhs)
Immoral; unrestrained by society
Religious citizens were outraged by the LICENTIOUS exploits of the free-spirited artists living in town.
Synonyms: lewd; wanton
Augury
noun
(aw guh ree)
A prophecy; a prediction of events
Troy hoped the rainbow was an AUGURY of good things to come.
Synonyms: auspice; harbinger; omen; portent; presage
Catholic
adj
(kaa thlihk)
Universal; broad and comprehensive
His CATHOLIC musical tastes included everything from opera to rap.
Synonyms: extensive; general
Philanthropy
noun
(fihl aan throh pee)
Charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
The Metropolitan Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the PHILANTHROPY of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum.
Synonyms: altruism; humanitarianism
Molt
verb
(muhlt)
Hot shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically
The snake MOLTED its skin and left it behind in a crumpled mass.
Synonyms: cast; defoliate; desquamate
Fatuous
adj
(fah choo uhs)
Stupid; foolishly self-satisfied
Ted’s FATUOUS comments always embarrassed his keen-witted wife at parties.
Synonyms: absurd; ludicrous; preposterous; ridiculous; silly
Solecism
noun
(sah lih sihz uhm)
Grammatical mistake
“I ain’t going with you,” she said, obviously unaware of her SOLECISM.
Synonyms: blooper; faux pas; vulgarism
Grievous
adj
(gree vuhs)
Causing grief or sorrow; serious and distressing
Maude and Bertha sobbed loudly throughout the GRIEVOUS event.
Synonyms: dire; dolorous; grave; mournful
Heterogenous
adj
(heh tuh ruh jee nee uhs)
Composed of unlike parts; different; diverse
The United Nations is by nature a HETEROGENEOUS body.
Synonyms: assorted; miscellaneous; mixed; motley; varied
Mendacious
adj
(mehn day shuhs)
Dishonest
So many of her stories were MENDACIOUS that I decided she must be a pathological liar.
Synonyms: deceitful; false; lying; untruthful
Placate
verb
(play cayt)
To soothe or pacify
The burglar tried to PLACATE the snarling dog by referring to it as a “nice doggy” and offering it a treat.
Synonyms: appease; conciliate; mollify
Noisome
adj
(noy suhm)
Stinking; putrid
A dead mouse trapped in your walls produces a NOISOME odor.
Synonyms: disgusting; foul; malodorous
Demur
verb
(dih muhr)
To express doubts or objections
When scientific authorities claimed that all the planets revolved around the Earth, Galileo, with his superior understanding of the situation, was forced to DEMUR.
Synonyms: dissent; expostulate; protest; remonstrate
Pusillanimous
adj
(pyoo suh laa nih muhs)
Cowardly; without courage
The PUSILLANIMOUS man would not enter the yard where the miniature poodle was barking,
Synonyms: cowardly; timid
Diurnal
adj
(die uhr nuhl)
Active or occurring during the day
DIURNAL creatures tend to become inactive during the night.
Synonyms: daylight; daytime
Antagonize
verb
(aan taa guh niez)
To annoy or provoke to anger
The child discovered that he could ANTAGONIZE the cat by pulling his tail.
Synonyms: clash; conflict; incite; irritate; oppose; pester; provoke; vex
Unconscionable
adj
(uhn kahn shuhn uh buhl)
Unscrupulous; shockingly unfair or unjust
After she promised me the project, the fact that she gave it to someone else is UNCONSCIONABLE.
Synonyms: dishonorable; indefensible
Militate
verb
(mihl ih tayt)
To operate against; work against
Lenin MILITATED against the tsar for years before he overthrew and established the Soviet Union.
Synonyms: affect; change; influence
Lavish
adj
(laa vish)
Extremely generous or extravagant; giving unsparingly
She was so LAVISH with her puppy that it soon became overweight and spoiled.
Synonyms: extravagant; exuberant; luxuriant; opulent; prodigal; profuse; superabundant
Stratagem
noun
(straa tuh juhm)
Trick designed to deceive an enemy
The Trojan Horse must be one of the most successful military STRATAGEMS used in all of history.
Synonyms: artifice; feint; maneuver; ruse; wile
