Sit4Sat Flashcards
abate
(of something perceived as hostile, threatening, or negative) become less intense or widespread:
aberrant
departing from an accepted standard.
abeyance
a state of temporary disuse or suspension
abscond
leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid detection of or arrest for an unlawful action such as theft
acerbic
sharp and forthright
acolyte
an assistant or follower.
acrimonious
angry and bitter
adulation
obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise:
alacrity
brisk and cheerful readines
ameliorate
make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better
antecedent
a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another:
antediluvian
old fashioned
antithetical
directly opposed or contrasted; mutually incompatible
aplomb
self-confidence or assurance, esp. when in a demanding situation:
apoplectic
overcome with anger; extremely indignant
apprise
inform or tell (someone)
approbation
approval or praise
arduous
involving or requiring strenuous effort;
artless
natural and simple
ascetic
characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons
assiduous
showing great care and perseverance
assiduous
make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
attenuate
reduce the force, effect, or value of
audacious
bold
austere
severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance:
aver
state or assert to be the case
baleful
threatening harm; menacing
banal
so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring:
bemoan
express discontent or sorrow over
bombastic
high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated
boorish
rough and bad-mannered; coarse
brevity
concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.
brusque
abrupt or offhand in speech or manner
burgeon
begin to grow or increase rapidly
burnish
enhance or perfect
buttress
increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce:
castigate
reprimand (someone) severely
caustic
scathing and bitter way
chagrin
distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated
chicanery
the use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose
churlish
rude in a mean-spirited and surly way
coda
a concluding event, remark, or section
cogent
clear, logical, and convincing.
commensurate
corresponding in size or degree; in proportion
compendium
a collection of things, esp. one systematically gathered
compunction
a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that follows the doing of something bad
condone
approve or sanction (something), esp. with reluctance
contention
heated disagreement
contrite
feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt
convivial
cheerful and friendly; jovial.
craven
contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly
cupidity
greed for money or possessions.
deference
humble submission and respect
deleterious
causing harm or damage
delineate
describe or portray (something) precisely:
denigrate
criticize unfairly; disparage
deride
express contempt for; ridicule
desiccated
lacking interest, passion, or energy
despondent
in low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
desultory
lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
diatribe
a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something:
didactic
intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive
dirge
a lament for the dead, esp. one forming part of a funeral rite.
disabuse
persuade (someone) that an idea or belief is mistaken:
disingenuous
not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.
disparate
essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison:
dispel
disappear
dissemble
conceal one’s true motives, feelings, or beliefs
disseminate
spread or disperse (something, esp. information) widely
dissonance
a tension or clash resulting from the combination of two disharmonious or unsuitable elements
distend
swell or cause to swell by pressure from inside:
ebullient
cheerful and full of energy
eclectic
a person who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.
efficacy
the ability to produce a desired or intended result
effrontery
insolent or impertinent behavior
elegy
a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead.
engender
cause or give rise to
erroneous
wrong; incorrect:
eschew
deliberately avoid using; abstain from
estrange
alienate
ethereal
heavenly or spiritual
eulogize
praise highly in speech or writing:
evocative
bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind
exasperate
irritate intensely; infuriate
excoriate
censure or criticize severely
exculpate
show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing
exhort
strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something
exigency
an urgent need or demand
exonerate
absolve (someone) from blame for a fault or wrongdoing, esp. after due consideration of the case
factitious
treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant.
fatuous
silly and pointless
fawning
displaying exaggerated flattery or affection; obsequious
feign
pretend to be affected by
felicitous
pleasing and fortunate
fervor
intense and passionate feeling
fledging
a person or organization that is immature, inexperienced, or underdeveloped
flippant
not showing a serious or respectful attitud
florid
elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated
flout
openly disregard
foment
instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action)
fortitude
courage in pain or adversity
fortuitous
happening by accident or chance rather than design
gainsay
deny or contradict (a fact or statement
goad
provoke or annoy (someone) so as to stimulate some action or reaction
gouge
make a rough hole or indentation in (a surface), esp. so as to mar or disfigure it
grandiloquent
pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, esp. in a way that is intended to impress:
gregarious
fond of company; sociable
guileless
devoid of guile; innocent and without deception
harangued
lecture (someone) at length in an aggressive and critical manner
histrionic
overly theatrical or melodramatic in character or style
hubris
excessive pride or self-confidence
idolatry
extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone
ignominious
deserving or causing public disgrace or sham
impasse
a situation in which no progress is possible, esp. because of disagreement; a deadlock:
impassive
not feeling or showing emotion
impede
hinder
imperturbable
unable to be upset or excited; calm:
impervious
unable to be affected by
impetus
the force that makes something happen or happen more quickly
implacable
relentless; unstoppable
implode
collapse or cause to collapse violently inward
inadvertently
without intention; accidentally
inchoate
just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary
inconsequential
not important or significant
indelible
not able to be forgotten or removed
indeterminate
not exactly known, established, or defined:
indigence
a state of extreme poverty
indolent
wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy.
indomitable
impossible to subdue or defeat
infetixmal
extremely small:
ingenuous
innocent and unsuspecting.
inimical
unfriendly; hostile
innuendo
an allusive or oblique remark or hint, typically a suggestive or disparaging one:
insipid
lacking flavor
insularity
ignorance of or lack of interest in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one’s own experience
interloper
a person who becomes involved in a place or situation where they are not wanted or are considered not to belong.
intractable
hard to control or deal with
intransigence
unwilling or refusing to change one’s views or to agree about something.
intrepid
fearless; adventurous
inundate
overwhelm (someone) with things or people to be dealt with
inured
accustom (someone) to something, esp. something unpleasant
invective
insulting, abusive, or highly critical language
irascible
having or showing a tendency to be easily angered
irresolute
showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain
irreverent
showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously
laconic
using very few words
lampoon
publicly criticize (someone or something) by using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm
largesse
money or gifts given generousl
lassitude
a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy
lethargic
sluggish and apathetic
levee
a reception or assembly of people, in particular
levity
humor or frivolity
licentious
promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters.
litany
a tedious recital or repetitive series
lugubrious
looking or sounding sad and dismal.
malaise
a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose exact cause is difficult to identify:
malinger
exaggerate or feign illness in order to escape duty or work.
maverick
an unorthodox or independent-minded
mendicancy
beggary
mellifluous
sweet or musical; pleasant to hear
mendacious
not telling the truth; lying
mendacity
untruthfulness
misanthrope
a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.
mollify
appease the anger or anxiety of
moribund
in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigor
morose
sullen and ill-tempered
neophyte
a person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief
nonchalant
feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm
obdurate
stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action.
obstreperous
noisy and difficult to control
obviate
void; prevent
occlude
stop, obstruct
officious
intrusively enthusiastic in offering help or advice; interfering
onerous
involving an amount of effort and difficulty that is oppressively burdensome
opprobrium
harsh criticism or censure
overwrought
in a state of nervous excitement or anxiety:
pantheon
all the gods of a people or religion collectively
paragon
a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality
pedant
a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.
penury
extreme poverty; destitution
perfidious
deceitful and untrustworthy
phlegmatic
having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
platitude
a remark or statement, esp. one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful
posthumously
occurring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator
precarious
dependent on chance; uncertain:
preclude
prevent from happening; make impossible:
precocious
having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual:
prevaricate
speak or act in an evasive way
probity
the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency
propensity
an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way
propitiate
win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them:
proscribe
forbid
quixotic
exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical
rarefied
distant from the lives and concerns of ordinary people
recalcitrant
having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline
recant
say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, esp. one considered heretical:
recondite
little known; abstruse:
rectitude
morally correct behavior or thinking; righteousness
relegate
consign or dismiss to an inferior rank or position
reproach
address (someone) in such a way as to express disapproval or disappointment
reprobate
express or feel disapproval of
repudiate
refuse to accept or be associated with
rescind
revoke, cancel, or repeal
resplendent
attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous
reticent
not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily
salubrious
health-giving; healthy
sardonic
grimly mocking or cynical
satiate
satisfy
slovenly
messy and dirty
solicitous
characterized by or showing interest or concern
soporific
tending to induce drowsiness or sleep
spate
a large number of similar things or events appearing or occurring in quick succession
specious
misleading in appearance, esp. misleadingly attractive
sporadic
occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated
stint
supply an ungenerous or inadequate amount of
stipulate
demand or specify (a requirement), typically as part of a bargain or agreement:
stodgy
dull and uninspired
stolid
calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation
striated
striped or streaked.
strut
walk with a stiff, erect, and apparently arrogant or conceited gait
subpoena
a writ ordering a person to attend a court:
supposition
an uncertain belief
tacit
understood or implied without being stated:
tenuous
very weak
tirade
a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation
torpor
a state of physical or mental inactivity; lethargy
tortuous
full of twists and turns
uncorroborated
not confirmed or supported by other evidence or information:
uncouth
lacking good manners, refinement, or grace
unfettered
release from restraint or inhibition
vacillate
alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive
venal
showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery
venerate
regard with great respect; revere
veracious
speaking or representing the truth.
verbose
using or expressed in more words than are needed
vignette
a brief evocative description, account, or episode.
welter
move in a turbulent fashion
whimsical
playfully quaint or fanciful, esp. in an appealing and amusing way
wistful
having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing
zealot
a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.
abjure
solemnly renounce (a belief, cause, or claim):
bequeath
pass (something) on or leave (something) to someone else:
flout
openly disregard (a rule, law or convention):
