Sofia 500 Flashcards
abase
v to lower demean degrade syn humiliate mortify chagrin humble
abate
v to lessen to reduce in severity
abbreviate
v to shorten reduce syn abridge foreshorten shorten cut contract reduce
abduct
v to kidnap
aberration
n a deviation from the expected course
abhor
v to hate loathe
abide
v to put up with tolerate
abject
adj of the most miserable or contemptible kind
abort
v to give up unfinished
abridge
v to shorten cut down
abrogate
v to abolish often by authority
abscond
v to sneak away and hide
abundant
adj in great numbers
accede
v to agree
accentuate
v to emphasize to highlight
accommodating
adj obliging helpful
accost
v to approach or confront aggressively
acumen
n keen insight
acute
adj sharp severe
affable
adj friendly amiable
affluent
adj rich wealthy
aggrandize
v to increase or make greater
aggregate
v to gather amass
aghast
adj struck by amazement or terror
agoraphobia
n an abnormal fear of open or public places
akimbo
adj with hands on hips and elbows extending outward
alacrity
n speed readiness
algid
adj frigid cold
allay
v to sooth assuage
alleviate
v to relieve
aloof
adj reserved distant
altercation
n an argument dispute
amalgamation
n a union a merger
ambivalent
adj having contradictory feelings
amble
v to stroll walk
ameliorate
v to improve to make better
amend
v to change for the better improve
amiable
adj friendly affable
amorous
adj relating to or showing love
amorphous
adj without shape or borders
anomaly
n something that does not fit into the normal order
antechamber
n a waiting room
anxiety
n uneasiness
aphorism
n a short saying
apocalypse
n total devastation the end of the world
apparitional
adj ghostly spectral
arbitrator
n one who settles controversy between two sides
ascetic
n one who practices restraint as a means of self discipline usually religious
assuage
v to ease pacify
atone
v to apologize make amends
audacious
adj excessively bold
augment
v to increase or make larger
austere
adj very bare bleak simple
baleful
adj harmful threatening
bard
n a poet often a singer as well
battery
n an assault or an array of similar things intended for use together
belligerent
adj contentious ready to fight
benevolent
adj kind good caring
benign
adj non threatening innocuous
berate
v to scold severely
bereft
adj without devoid of
bide
v to wait or remain in a condition
bilk
v to cheat to swindle
blandish
v to coax through flattery
bloated
adj swollen bigger than desired
boisterous
adj loud energetic
bourgeois
adj middle class
brash
adj hasty or lacking in sensitivity
brazen
adj excessively bold brash
brumal
adj wintry relating to winter
brusque
adj short abrupt dismissive
buffet
n a spread of food involving choices
buffet
v to hit or strike
burgeon
v to come forth blossom
cacophony
n noise discordant sound
cadence
n rhythm
cajole
v to urge coax
callous
adj harsh cold unfeeling
calumny
n an attempt to defame another s reputation
camaraderie
n cheerful unity among a group
canvas
n a piece of cloth on which an artist paints
capricious
adj impulsive unpredictable subject to whim
captivate
v to hold the interest of to gain the attention of
carouse
v to revel to party
cavity
n a hole
cavort
v to frolic leap prance
celestial
adj relating to the sky or the heavens
chastise
v to criticize to scold
choreographed
adj arranged as in dance
circumlocution
n indirect language
circumspect
adj cautious
clairvoyant
adj able to see things that others cannot
claustrophobia
n an abnormal fear of closed or crowded spaces
clich_
n a trite overused expression
coalesce
v to combine into one
cogent
adj intelligent viable
collusion
n a conspiracy a secret agreement
colossus
n an enormous structure
comatose
adj lethargic
commendable
adj worthy of praise
commodious
adj spacious roomy
compel
v to force
complicit
adj being an accomplice in a wrongful act
compliment
n an expression of esteem or approval
concede
v to give in to accept
conciliatory
adj agreeable friendly
concoct
v to make up or invent
concord
n agreement
conduit
n a pipe passage channel
confluence
n a convergence a coming together
confound
v to frustrate
connotation
n a meaning or association suggested by a word beyond its definition
contusion
n bruise injury
convalescence
n the gradual return to health after illness
copious
adj abundant plentiful
corpulent
adj very fat
cosmopolitan
adj worldly sophisticated
credulity
n readiness to believe
cursory
adj brief to the point of being superficial
daft
adj insane foolish
daunting
adj intimidating
dearth
n a lack scarcity
defame
v to destroy the reputation of
deft
adj skilled adept
defunct
adj no longer used or existing
deleterious
adj harmful
delude
v to deceive to mislead
deluge
n a great flood or something that overwhelms like a flood
derelict
adj run down abandoned
desolate
adj deserted lifeless
despondent
adj discouraged hopeless depressed
destitute
adj impoverished
diaphanous
adj transparent light airy
dictate
v to pronounce command prescribe
differentiate
v to distinguish to make different
dilapidated
adj in a state of disrepair
diligent
adj careful showing care
diminish
v to decrease or make smaller
diminutive
adj miniature small
discreet
adj prudent or inconspicuous
discrete
adj separate distinct individual
disparage
v to criticize degrade belittle
dissonance
n lack of harmony or agreement
divergent
adj different deviating contrary
diverse
adj varied
divisive
adj causing conflict opposition
domicile
n a residence a home
doppelganger
n a ghostly double of a living person
douse
v to drench saturate
dutiful
adj careful to fulfill obligations
dynamic
adj characterized by continuous change or activity
elocution
n the art of public speaking
elucidate
v to clarify
empathetic
adj feeling another s pain as one s own
empathy
n the experience of another s feelings as one s own
enervate
v to weaken make weary
enervated
adj lacking energy weakened exhausted
entity
n something that exists as a discrete unit
entomology
n the study of insects
envious
adj jealous
erect
v to construct to raise
erroneous
adj mistaken incorrect
espouse
v to support or to marry
espy
v catch sight of glimpse
ethereal
adj heavenly exceptionally delicate or refined
euphoric
adj elated overjoyed
exacerbate
v to make more violent intense
excursion
n a trip an outing
exemplary
adj serving as an example
exigent
adj critical urgent
existential
adj relating to existence
exorbitant
adj excessive
extol
v to praise
extravagant
adj excessive over the top
fabricate
v to invent make up concoct
fabulist
n a teller of fables a liar
facile
adj easy
fallacious
adj incorrect misleading
familial
adj relating to family
fatuous
adj silly foolish
fecund
adj fertile fruitful
feign
v to fake or pretend to
feral
adj savage wild untamed
fetter
v to restrain chain tie
fey
adj magical
fickle
adj characterized by changeableness whimsical
figurative
adj symbolic
firmament
n the sky the heavens
flabbergasted
adj astounded stupefied
flaccid
adj limp
flattery
n compliments sycophancy
flout
v to scorn ignore show contempt for
fluctuate
v to vary irregularly
flux
n a state of constant change or a flow
forage
v to rummage scavenge graze for food
forestall
v to delay impede
forlorn
adj lonely hopeless
formidable
adj arousing fear or alarm
forsake
v to abandon forget
fortify
v to strengthen
fortitude
n strength bravery
fortuitous
adj lucky occurring by chance
foster
v to stimulate promote encourage
frenetic
adj frenzied hectic frantic
gape
v to open the mouth and stare stupidly
gay
adj happy cheery or homosexual
gluttonous
adj insatiable in appetite
goad
v to urge to provoke into action
gourmand
n one who likes eating and drinking
grandiose
adj extraordinary grand in scope
gregarious
adj sociable outgoing
grotto
n a small cave or cavern
guile
n deceitful actions or behavior
hail
v to come from
hapless
adj unlucky
harmony
n agreement often of sound
harrowing
adj agonizing distressing
hedonist
n one whose primary pursuit is pleasure
henchman
n a trusted follower goon
hiatus
n an interruption in continuity a break
hiemal
adj wintry relating to winter
hierarchy
n a ranking system of groups or individuals
histrionic
adj excessively dramatic or emotional
idolatrous
adj worshiping excessively an object or person
illusory
adj deceptive produced by an illusion
immaculate
adj impeccably clean spotless pure
immutable
adj not susceptible to change
impecunious
adj excessively poor
impervious
adj unable to be penetrated unaffected
impudent
adj rude improper
incessant
adj without interruption
incisive
adj clear sharp direct
inclement
adj stormy bad severe
inclination
n a tendency propensity
indictment
n accusation of wrongdoing
indignation
n anger due to an unfair situation
inextricable
adj hopelessly confused or tangled
infuse
v to inject
ingenious
adj marked by special intelligence
inimical
adj hostile threatening
iniquity
n a wicked act a sin
innate
adj inborn native inherent
innocuous
adj harmless
inquisitor
n someone who asks questions or makes an inquiry
inundate
v to flood
invariable
adj not susceptible to change
invective
n a verbal attack
inveterate
adj habitual natural
irascible
adj easily angered
jubilant
adj joyful happy
judicious
adj of sound judgment
juvenile
adj young or immature
juxtapose
v to put next to each other
labyrinthine
adj intricate maze like
laceration
n a cut a rip
lachrymose
adj tearful
latent
adj present but hidden
laud
v to applaud or praise
laudatory
adj admiring praising
lavish
adj extravagant
lethargic
adj sluggish weary apathetic
lewd
adj vulgar offensive rude
libel
n a statement that gives an unjust or unfavorable representation of a person or thing
licentious
adj amoral lawless lewd
limber
adj bending or flexing readily pliable
limpid
adj clear easily understood
linchpin
n something that holds separate things together
lithe
adj graceful flexible supple
loquacious
adj talkative
lull
n a relatively calm interval as in a storm
luminescence
n light from non thermal sources
magnanimous
adj generous noble
malaise
n vague feeling of discomfort
malevolent
adj having intent to harm others
malicious
adj malevolent harmful
malign
v to slander to smear to libel to defame to speak evil of
malleable
adj easily shaped or formed
mandatory
adj required not optional
manifest
v to show clearly
manifold
adj many
masticate
v to chew
matrimony
n marriage
maudlin
adj sentimental
maxim
n a common saying of advice or virtue
meager
adj lacking in quality stature
mediate
v to intervene to arbitrate to sort out
melodramatic
adj exaggeratedly emotional or sentimental histrionic
mendacious
adj inclined to lie or mislead
mercurial
adj quick and changeable in temperament
meritorious
adj deserving of praise or merit
metamorphosis
n a change of form shape substance
mimic
v to imitate to copy
misogyny
n hatred of women
modicum
n a small amount of something
mollify
v to soften in temper
monogamy
n having only one spouse at a time
mores
n moral attitudes
morose
adj gloomy or sullen
munificent
adj generous benevolent
mutability
n capability of change
myopic
adj short sighted
myriad
adj consisting of a very great number
narrate
v to tell a story
nebulous
adj indistinct hazy
nefarious
adj horribly villainous
neologism
n the creation of new words or a new word
neonate
n a newborn baby
noisome
adj foul offensive particularly to the sense of smell
notoriety
n infamy known in bad regard
novel
adj strikingly new unusual or different
noxious
adj harmful toxic
obdurate
adj unyielding to persuasion or moral influences
obfuscate
v to render incomprehensible
obsequious
adj excessively compliant or submissive
odious
adj meriting strong displeasure
officious
adj offering unwanted help or service
olfactory
adj relating to the sense of smell
ominous
adj foreboding or foreshadowing evil portentous
oration
n a dignified and formal speech
ostracize
v to exclude from a community
pacify
v to sooth ease
paragon
n model of perfection
pariah
n an outcast
parody
n a satirical imitation
patent
adj clear apparent
pedagogue
n a schoolteacher
pellucid
adj clear
penchant
n a tendency partiality preference
peregrinate
v to travel from place to place on foot
perfunctory
adj showing little enthusiasm done as duty
permeate
v to spread out to pervade
persevere
v to persist remain constant
pertinacious
adj stubbornly persistent holding to a belief or position
peruse
v to examine carefully
pervasive
adj to spread throughout
petulance
n irritability impoliteness
physiognomy
n the art of judging human character from facial features
pique
v to provoke or to cause indignation
pithy
adj succinctly meaningful
pittance
n very small amount
placate
v to soothe appease
placid
adj calm tranquil
plethora
n a great number an abundance
pliable
adj flexible bendable
poach
v to hunt or fish illegally
poised
adj balanced readied
polygamy
n having more than one spouse at a time
portentous
adj foreboding or foreshadowing evil ominous
portly
adj fat chubby round
precarious
adj dangerously lacking in security or stability
predestination
n the concept of destiny or fate
premonition
n a presentiment of the future
preponderance
n a great amount or frequency
presage
n an omen
prestidigitation
n a sleight of hand
presumptuous
adj disrespectfully bold
profane
adj indecent blasphemous
profuse
adj abundant lavish prolific
propensity
n an inclination preference
propriety
n decency state of being proper
protean
adj readily taking on various shapes or forms
prudent
adj cautious careful
puerile
adj immature
pugnacious
adj belligerent
pulchritude
n physical beauty
punctilious
adj eager to follow rules
pungent
adj having a sharp strong quality especially related to smell
purport
v to present an intention that is often FALSE
putrid
adj rotten rancid foul
quaint
adj old fashioned
quid
pro n latin a mutually beneficial exchange
quotidian
adj daily everyday
radiant
adj bright beaming
rancid
adj rotten spoiled disgusting in smell or taste
ratiocinate
v to think contemplate
raze
v to demolish
recalcitrant
adj defiant
recalibrate
v to readjust or make corrections to
recapitulate
v to repeat reiterate
rectify
v to set right correct
redact
v to revise edit
redoubtable
adj formidable commanding respect
redress
v to set right or remedy
reel
v to be thrown off balance or feel dizzy
refrain
v to hold oneself back forbear
reiterate
v to repeat
relish
v to take zestful pleasure in enjoy the flavor of
remiss
adj negligent exhibiting carelessness
render
v to say or to make
renovate
v to restore return to original state
repose
n rest sleep
reprehensible
adj deserving criticism
repudiate
v to reject turn down
repulse
v to cause disgust or distaste or to drive back repel
requisition
n a demand for goods often by an authority
restitution
n compensation reimbursement
retaliation
n revenge punishment
retract
v withdraw
retribution
n vengeance revenge payback
revel
v to enjoy
rife
adj abundant
ruddy
adj having a healthy reddish color
ruse
n a trick
rustic
adj relating to country life
saccharine
adj overly sweet
sacrosanct
adj sacred holy
sagacious
adj shrewd showing sound judgment
salient
adj significant conspicuous
salutation
n a greeting
sanguine
adj cheery optimistic hopeful
sate
v to satisfy an appetite fully
satiate
v to satisfy excessively
savor
v to appreciate fully enjoy
scathing
adj hurtful critical
scourge
n a plague
scurrilous
adj crude vulgar
sedate
v to calm soothe
sedentary
adj sitting
seer
n a fortune teller
seminal
adj original ground breaking
serendipity
n the act of finding things not sought luck
slander
n a FALSE statement to damage the reputation of another
sobriety
n moderation from excess calm tranquility
somnolent
adj sleepy
soothsayer
n a fortune teller
sordid
adj dirty
spectral
adj ghostly
spurious
adj FALSE but intended to seem believable or possible
stagnant
adj still not flowing
stagnate
v to be idle to be still
static
adj not moving being at rest
steadfast
adj fixed or unchanging
strenuous
adj requiring tremendous strength or energy
strife
n conflict
stupefy
v to astound
submissive
adj easily yielding to authority
subsist
v to live exist
succinct
adj marked by compact precision
suffice
v to meet needs
supplant
v to displace and substitute for another
surfeit
n an excess a surplus an overabundance
surmise
v to guess infer suppose
surreptitious
adj done in a secret or stealthy way
swarthy
adj of dark color or complexion
sybarite
n someone devoted to pleasure and luxury a voluptuary
sycophant
n a self serving flatterer
sympathetic
adj compassionate
sympathy
n an expression of pity for another compassion
synopsis
n a summary
taciturn
adj not inclined to talk
tantamount
adj equivalent in value or significance
tedious
adj boring dull
telepathic
adj capable of reading minds
tenuous
adj having little substance or strength
terrestrial
adj relating to the land
terse
adj abrupt short brief
timorous
adj fearful timid
tome
n a large book
toothsome
adj delicious luscious
torpid
adj lazy lethargic moving slowly
torrid
adj giving off intense heat passionate
tortuous
adj winding twisted
tragedy
n a disastrous event or a work of art in which the hero meets a terrible fate
tranquil
adj calm serene peaceful
travesty
n a grossly inferior imitation
trek
v to walk travel by foot
trite
adj overused hackneyed
truculent
adj eager to fight violent
ubiquitous
adj existing everywhere widespread
ultimate
n the last part or a fundamental element
umbrage
n anger offense resentment
uncanny
adj of supernatural character or origin
undulate
v to move in a smooth wavelike motion
uniform
adj unvarying conforming to one principle
unilateral
adj having only one side
unique
adj being the only one of its kind
upbraid
v to criticize scold reproach
vacillate
v to sway from one side to another
variance
n a difference between what is expected and what actually occurs
variegate
v to diversify
vast
adj enormous immense
veneer
n a superficial or deceptively attractive appearance facade
veracious
adj honest truthful
verbose
adj wordy
vicarious
adj experienced through another s actions
vicissitudes
n the unexpected changes and shifts often encountered in one s life
vigor
n vitality and energy vim
vim
n and energy vigor
vivacious
adj lively spirited full of life
vocation
n one s work or professional calling
volition
n a conscious choice or decision
voluminous
adj large ample
voluptuary
n someone devoted to sensory pleasure and luxury a sybarite
wane
v to decrease gradually in size or degree
wax
v to increase gradually in size or degree
weather
v to withstand or survive a situation
whet
v to make more keen stimulate
winsome
adj charming attractive
Zeitgeist
n the spirit of the time
