Set 9 Flashcards
browbeat
bully; intimidate
incorrigible
uncorrectable
homespun
domestic; made at home; spun or woven at home; simple and ordinary; ex. homespun philosophy
subtlety
perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy; adj. subtle: delicate; so slight as to be difficult to detect; able to make fine distinctions; clever; ex. subtle mind/differences in meaning
quarantine
isolation of a person, place, or ship to prevent spread of infection; v. isolate in quarantine
copious
plentiful
befuddle
confuse thoroughly
venue
location; place (of a crime, trial, gathering, etc.); ex: come
runic
mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet; n. rune: one of the letters of an alphabet used by ancient Germanic peoples (cut on stone or wood); magic charm
juxtapose
place side by side; ex: next
ungainly
(of someone) awkward in movement; clumsy; (of something) unwieldy; ex. ungainly dancer/instrument
impending
nearing; approaching; about to happen
grumble
complain; mutter discontentedly; grouch; n.
delineate
portray; depict; sketch; describe; n. delineation
polar
of a pole; characterized by opposite extremes; ex. polar opposites
uproarious
marked by commotion or uproar; very noisy (esp. with laughter); hilarious; causing loud laughter; extremely funny
condign
adequate; (of punishment) severe and well deserved
aspire
seek to attain (position or status); long for; ex. aspire to become president; ex. aspire to/after the leadership
granulate
form into grains or granules; n. granule: grain or particle
bristling
rising like bristles; showing irritation
drip
fall or let fall in drops; shed drops; n. action or sound of falling in drops; liquid that falls in drops
consensus
general agreement; opinion reached by a group
throes
violent anguish
resolution
determination; resoluteness; adj. resolute: firm or determined in purpose
vaporize
turn into vapor (steam, gas, fog, etc.)
comely
attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance
dys-
abnormal; impaired
suture
stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing; v. sew together a wound
outmoded
no longer in fashion or use; no longer stylish; old-fashioned
gerrymander
change voting district lines in order to favor a political party; n. ex: Elbridge Gerry + (sala)mander
fester
rankle; produce irritation or resentment; (of a cut or wound) generate pus or rot; ex. His insult festered in my mind for days.
inert
inactive; lacking power to move; unable to move or act; ex. chemically inert; n. inertia: state of being inert; force which keeps a thing in the position or state
arch-
chief; first; ex. archbishop
nicety
precision; accuracy; minute distinction or difference; ex. to a nicety: exactly; precisely; ex. distinguish between niceties
decipher
decode; ex: indecipherable
accessible
easy to approach; obtainable
disquietude
uneasiness; anxiety; v. disquiet: make anxious
dissolution
disintegration; reduction to a liquid form; looseness in morals; sensual indulgence; debauchery; adj. dissolute: lacking in moral restraint; leading an immoral life
rebuff
reject bluntly; snub; beat back; ex. She rebuffed his invitation; n.
chivalrous
courteous; faithful; brave; n. chivalry
deprecate
express disapproval of; deplore; protest against; belittle; adj. deprecatory
dissident
dissenting (with an opinion, a group, or a government); rebellious; n.
jollity
gaiety; cheerfulness; adj. jolly: merry; gay
hideous
repulsive to the sight; ugly; repugnant; ex. hideous face/scream
disingenuous
not naive; not candid; sophisticated; worldly wise; OP. ingenuous
requisition
formal demand or request; ex. requisition for more computing equipment; v.
distract
take (one’s attention) off something; upset emotionally; make anxious; adj. distracted
brooch
ornamental clasp; pin
regicide
murder of a king or queen
natation
swimming
larder
pantry; place where food is kept
amplify
increase in size or effect; expand; broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make stronger; ex. amplify one’s remarks with a graph
detrimental
harmful; damaging; n. detriment
grouch
bad-tempered complaint; person who keeps complaining; v. complain; grumble
wispy
thin; slight; barely discernible
aloft
upward; high up in the air
amenable
obedient; compliant; readily managed; responsive; willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally; responsible; able to be tested by; ex. amenable to sensible suggestions; ex. He is very amenable; ex. amenable to the usual tests
wistful
sadly thoughtful (because of desires or memories); sadly pensive; vaguely longing
sustain
suffer (harm or loss); experience; support; prop; maintain; keep in existence; nourish (to maintain life); ex. sustain the family/the trapped miners
colloquial
pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; n. colloquialism: colloquial expression
scion
detached plant shoot used in grafting; descendant
substantiate
support (a claim) with evidence; establish with evidence; verify
anemia
condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; adj. anemic
intermediary
intermediate; acting as a mediator; n. mediator; go-between
encumber
burden; n. encumbrance
hamper
obstruct; prevent the free movement of; n. ?€á‡‚¡Ëí?» Ë‚¼? µ”ËÈ «‹«å ?ô±ü«ì
simian
monkeylike; n. ape or monkey
impromptu
without previous preparation; off the cuff(end of a sleeve); on the spur of the moment
pomposity
self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt(pompous person); adj. pompous: self-important
apostate
one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs; n. apostasy
primate
group of mammals including humans
superfluous
excessive; overabundant; unnecessary; n. superfluity
negligible
so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded
finished
properly made and complete; ex. finished product/performance
forsake
desert; abandon; renounce
litigation
lawsuit; n. litigant: one party in a lawsuit; v. litigate
vernacular
living language (as compared to the official language); language spoken in a country or region; natural style; ex. lapse into the vernacular
desecrate
profane; violate the sanctity of
dilate
expand; dilate on/upon: speak or write at length on (a subject)
elastic
able to spring back into shape; quick to recover (as from disappointment); able to adapt to change; ex. elastic plans; n. elastic material
wrath
anger; fury
tantamount
equivalent in effect or value; ex. This invasion is tantamount to a declaration of war; ex: amount
check
stop motion; curb or restrain
guise
outward appearance; costume; ex. in a new guise
paraphernalia
equipment; odds and ends used in a particular activity; personal belongings; ex. photographic paraphernalia; ex: married woman’s property exclusive of her dowry
tendentious
promoting a particular point of view; biased; having an aim; designed to further a cause; ex. tendentious rather than truth-seeking; ex: tend: move in a certain direction
mausoleum
monumental tomb; large stately tomb; ex: Mausolos
outfit
clothing or equipment for a special purpose; ex. cowboy outfit
jocose
given to(having a tendency of) joking
succulent
juicy; full of juice or sap; full of richness; n. succulent plant such as a cactus
prize
pry; move with a lever; value highly; esteem; ex. his most prized possession; n. something captured during war-time (esp. an enemy ship)
forbearance
patience; forgiveness; v. forbear: refrain from (in a generous and forgiving way); be patient; ex. forbear to send him to prison
unwieldy
awkward (to carry or move); cumbersome; unmanageable
witticism
witty saying; wisecrack(clever joking remark)
entail
make necessary; require; necessitate; involve; limit the inheritance of (property) to a specified succession of heirs; ex. entail A on/upon B
squalor
condition of being squalid; filth; degradation; dirty neglected state; adj. squalid: dirty; sordid; morally repulsive; ex. squalid story
dignitary
person of high rank or position
lout
clumsy person; adj. loutish; ex: from countrysides ?
pass_off
present falsely; represent falsely to be
prepossessing
attractive; ex: preoccupying ?
mercenary
motivated solely by money or gain; n.
quandary
dilemma; state of uncertainty; ex. She is in a quandary about whether to go.
facsimile
copy
relevant
having importance; pertinent; referring to the case in hand; n. relevance, relevancy
boorish
rude; insensitive
freebooter
pirate or plunderer who makes war in order to grow rich
capsize
(of a boat) turn over
shuffle
mix together; jumble; move (something) from one place to another; slide (the feet) along the ground while walking; ex. shuffle papers from one pile to another; n.
unearth
dig up; discover (facts) by careful searching; ex. He unearthed some secrets about her; OP. conceal
pilfer
steal things of small value; filch; snitch
abjure
renounce upon oath
welter
wallow (as in mud or high seas); lie soaked (as in blood);
industrious
diligent; hard-working; n. industry
writhe
twist in coils; contort in pain
reprimand
reprove severely; rebuke; n.
abhor
detest; hate
petty
trivial; unimportant; very small; small-minded; petty-minded
obituary
death notice (esp. in a newspaper); adj.
adversary
opponent; enemy
defunct
dead; no longer in use or existence
obese
excessively fat; n. obesity
eon(aeon)
long period of time; an age; longest division of geologic time containing two or more eras
shunt
move (a railway train) from one track to another; turn aside; divert; sidetrack; ex. shunt traffic around an accident; n.
insipid
lacking in flavor; lacking interest; dull; ex. insipid food/character
friction
clash or conflict in opinion; rubbing against
larceny
theft; ex. petit larceny
knotty
intricate; difficult; tangled; ex: knot
beholden
obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude
privy
secret; hidden; not public; made a participant in something secret; ex. privy chamber government; ex. be privy to a discussion; ex: private
plait
braid; interwine; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; ex. plaited hair; n. braided length as of hair o fabric; ex: pigtail, ponytail
ostensible
apparent; appearing as such; professed(pretended); pretended; ex. ostensible purpose of the expedition
implement
put into effect; enforce; carry out; supply with tools; ex. implement the plan/suggestion; n. tool or instrument
niggardly
meanly stingy; parsimonious; n. niggard: stingy person
harbor
give protection (by giving food and shelter); provide a refuge for; hide; keep in mind (thoughts or feelings); ex. harbor a grudge/criminal; n. place of shelter; refuge
pedigree
ancestry; lineage
fanfare
call by bugles or trumpets; showy display; spectacular public display
guileless
without deceit
antidote
remedy to counteract a poison or disease; ex. antidote to the economic troubles
aggrandize
make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; n. aggrandizement
sate
satisfy to the full; satisfy to excess; cloy
bridle
harness fitted about a horse’s head (used to restrain); curb; check; v. put a bridle on; control or restrain; show anger
dubious
questionable; (of something) causing doubt; (of someone) filled with doubt; n. dubiety
upbraid
reprimand; severely scold
figurative
not literal but metaphorical; using a figure(impression) of speech
forward
presumptuous or bold
tempo
speed of music
pristine
unspoiled; remaining in a pure state; characteristic of earlier times; primitive; ex. an old book in pristine condition
debilitate
weaken (esp. through heat, hunger, illness); enfeeble
retrieve
recover; put right; find and bring in; regain; ex. retrieve the situation
remiss
negligent; careless about a duty
mire
entangle; stick in swampy ground; stick or sink in mire; n. bog; deep mud; ex. sucked deeper into the mire
embroil
throw into confusion; involve in strife, dispute, or quarrel; entangle; ex: imbroglio
meek
submissive; patient and long-suffering
assert
state strongly or positively; demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc.); make a claim to (by forceful action); ex. assert one’s independence
amorphous
formless; lacking shape or definition
quadruped
four-footed animal; adj. ex: biped
epitaph
inscription in memory of a dead person (as on a tombstone)
libertine
debauched person; dissolute or licentious person; rou'e; ex: free
castrate
remove the sex organs (of a male animal or person)
aversion
firm dislike
occult
mysterious; secret; supernatural; beyond human comprehension; ex: mysterious to human ?; OP. bare
physiognomy
face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features
mangy
shabby; wretched; suffering from mange; of bad appearance
progeny
children; offspring; descendants
quixotic
idealistic but impractical; ex: Don Quixote
luster
shine; gloss (of a polished surface)
mirage
unreal reflection; optical illusion
knead
mix; work dough; mix and work into a uniform mass (with the hands); ex. knead dough
explicate
explain in detail; interpret; clarify; ex: explicable
medium
element that is a creature’s natural environment; nutrient setting in which microorganisms are cultivated; appropriate occupation or means of expression; channel of communication; compromise; middle position between extremes; intervening substance through
exotic
not native; from another part of the world; strange; intriguingly unusual; ex. exotic flower/dress
seedy
run-down; decrepit; disreputable; having many seeds; ex. seedy downtown hotel
impudence
impertinence; insolence
crabbed
sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting
charm
quality of pleasing; amulet; action or formula thought to have magical power; spell; v. attract; cast a spell on; bewitch
matrimony
state of being married
chant
tune(melody) in which a number of words are sung on the same note; v. sing (a chant); utter (a slogan) in the manner of a chant
analogous
comparable; similar
nova
star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns to its original brightness
pulverize
crush or grind into very small particles
spasmodic
fitful; periodic; of or like a spasm; n. spasm: sudden involuntary muscular contraction; sudden burst of energy or emotion
institutionalize
make into an institution; put or confine in an institution
grapple
wrestle; come to grips with; take hold of and struggle with; ex. grapple with the burglar
legerdemain
sleight(dexterity) of hand; ex: light of hand
comprise
include; consist of
mammoth
gigantic; enormous
vantage
position giving an advantage (such as a strategic point); ex: vantagepoint
fanaticism
excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause; n. fanatic; adj. fanatic
abusive
coarsely insulting; physically harmful
tablet
small round piece of medicine; flat piece of stone or metal bearing an inscription; ex. stone tablet on the wall
uninhibited
unrepressed; free in behavior and feelings
tickle
touch (the body) lightly so as to cause laughter; please
sully
defile; soil; tarnish; ex. sully one’s hands in menial labor
ravage
devastate; plunder; despoil; ex. crops ravaged by storms
wreak
inflict; ex. wreak one’s vengeance on
wince
move back suddenly; shrink back; flinch; ex. She winced as she touched the cold body.
prognosis
forecasted course of a disease; prediction; ex: prognostic
absolve
pardon (an offense)
strangle
kill by choking or suffocating; suppress
