Tess Of The D'Urbervilles Flashcards
Languorous
mentally or physically tired or not active, in a way that feels or looks pleasant:
I felt warm and languorous.
His dark eyes were langorous and heavy-lidded.
Tinge
to add a slight amount of color or a quality to something:
The sunset tinged the sky red.
a very slight amount of a colour or of a feeling:
His hair is starting to show tinges of grey.
I felt a tinge of regret that I hadn’t accepted her offer.
titter
to laugh nervously, often at something that you feel you should not be laughing at:
A couple of the younger teachers tittered at his dirty jokes.
Their performance left the audience tittering with embarrassed laughter.
seethe
to feel very angry but to be unable or unwilling to express it clearly:
The rest of the class positively seethed with indignation when Julia won the award.
By the end of the meeting he was seething.
upbraid
to forcefully or angrily tell someone they should not have done a particular thing and criticize them for having done it:
In newspaper articles she consistently upbraided those in authority who overstepped their limits.
beatitude
complete happiness that comes from being blessed (= made holy) by God:
Levy captured the hands and faces and bodies of worshippers in attitudes of grace, ecstasy, and beatitude.
tractable
easily dealt with, controlled, or persuaded:
The problem turned out to be less tractable than I had expected.
crimson
having a dark, deep red colour
gargantuan
very large:
a problem of gargantuan proportions
a gargantuan appetite
quagmire
a difficult and dangerous situation:
Since the coup, the country has sunk deeper into a quagmire of violence and lawlessness.
alighted
to get out of a vehicle, especially a train or bus:
The suspect alighted from the train at Euston and proceeded to Heathrow.
showing excitement and happiness:
Her eyes were alight with mischief.
burning
shamble
to walk slowly and awkwardly, without lifting your feet correctly:
Sick patients shambled along the hospital corridors.
He was a strange, shambling figure.
con
a trick to get someone’s money or make someone do what you want:
It’s a con - you get half the food for twice the price!
a con trick
desultorily
in a way that is without a clear plan or purpose and shows little effort or interest:
They were sitting at the kitchen table talking desultorily.
The peace talks have been proceeding desultorily for the past two years.
superstition
belief that is not based on human reason or scientific knowledge, but is connected with old ideas about magic, etc.:
According to superstition, if you walk under a ladder it brings you bad luck.
I don’t believe in the old superstition that the number 13 is unlucky.
onerous
difficult to do or needing a lot of effort:
the onerous task of finding a peaceful solution
She found the duties of motherhood onerous.
Fusty
not fresh and smelling unpleasant especially because of being left slightly wet:
This room smells slightly fusty - I think I’ll open a window.
Debris
broken or torn pieces of something larger:
Debris from the aircraft was scattered over a large area.
Sublime
extremely good, beautiful, or enjoyable:
sublime beauty
The book has sublime descriptive passages.
Jiffy
a very short time:
I’ll be with you in a jiffy.
I’ve just got to fetch some books from upstairs - I won’t be a jiffy (= I’ll be very quick).
Dubious
thought not to be completely true or not able to be trusted:
These claims are dubious and not scientifically proven.
He has been associated with some dubious characters.
Ruth Ellis has the dubious (= bad) distinction of being the last woman to be hanged in Britain.
Ponder
to think carefully about something, especially for a noticeable length of time:
She sat back for a minute to ponder her next move in the game.
Mend
to repair something that is broken or damaged:
Could you mend this hole in my shirt?
UK I’ve left my watch at the jeweller’s to be mended.
UK The plumber came to mend the burst pipe.
The country’s president is seeking to mend relations with the United States.
propinquity
the fact of being near something:
Don’t let geographical propinquity determine your choice.
throbbing
to produce a strong, regular beat
The sound hits you like a wave and the bass throbs.
If a part of your body throbs, you feel pain in it in a series of regular beats:
His head throbbed, and his body ached.
Spasmodic
happening suddenly for short periods of time and not in a regular way:
He made spasmodic attempts to clean up the house.
despondent
unhappy and with no hope or enthusiasm:
He became/grew increasingly despondent when she failed to return his phone calls.
She started to feel despondent about ever finding a job.
tread
to put your foot on something or to press something down with your foot:
I kept treading on his toes when we were dancing.
Yuck! Look what I’ve just trodden in!
A load of food had been trodden into the carpet.
Before the days of automation, they used to tread grapes to make wine
Emancipation
the process of giving people social or political freedom and rights:
women’s/female emancipation
black emancipation
Conjecture
a guess about something based on how it seems and not on proof:
There’s been a lot of conjecture in the media recently about the marriage.
Plight
an unpleasant condition, especially a serious, sad, or difficult one:
the plight of the poor/homeless
Few of us can be unmoved by the plight of the refugees.
Vicissitudes
changes that happen at different times during the life or development of someone or something, especially those that result in conditions being worse:
Losing your job is just one of the vicissitudes of life.
Persevere
to try to do or continue doing something in a determined way, despite having problems:
It looks as if the policy will be a success, providing that the government perseveres and does not give in to its critics.
The education director is persevering in his attempt to obtain additional funding for the school.
Despite receiving little support, the women are persevering with their crusade to fight crime.
vamp
a woman who is confident that she is attractive to men and makes use of it in order to get what she wants
Fag
Cigarettes
He is outside for a quick fag.
be a fag mainly UK informal
to be boring and tiring to do:
It’s such a fag to have to make your bed every morning.
spurious
false and not what it appears to be, or (of reasons and judgments) based on something that has not been correctly understood and therefore false:
Some of the arguments in favour of shutting the factory are questionable and others downright spurious.
leafy
A leafy place is pleasant and has a lot of trees:
a leafy lane/suburb
People love the leafy streets and period houses of the area.
Balmy
of weather) pleasantly warm:
a balmy summer evening
Pernicious
having a very harmful effect or influence:
The cuts in government funding have had a pernicious effect on local health services.
sordid
dirty and unpleasant:
There are lots of really sordid apartments in the city’s poorer areas.
ooze
to flow slowly out of something through a small opening, or to slowly produce a thick sticky liquid:
Blood was still oozing out of the wound.
She removed the bandage to reveal a red swollen wound oozing pus.
The waiter brought her a massive pizza oozing (with) cheese.
figurative He oozes (= has a lot of) charm/confidence.
enervating
making you feel weak and without energy:
I find this heat very enervating.
scent
a pleasant natural smell:
the scent of roses
fervour
strong and sincere beliefs:
The country was swept by patriotic fervour.
nationalist/religious fervour
unwonted
unusual; not often experienced or shown:
He sprang to the phone with unwonted eagerness.
obsequious
too eager to praise or obey someone:
She is embarrassingly obsequious to anyone in authority.
subtlety
not loud, bright, noticeable, or obvious in any way:
The room was painted a subtle shade of pink.
The play’s message is perhaps too subtle to be understood by young children.
Revile
to criticize someone strongly, or say unpleasant things to or about someone:
The judge was reviled in the newspapers for his opinions on rape.
Curb
a limit on something that is not wanted:
You must try to put a curb on your bad temper/spending habits.
Vicious
Vicious people or actions show an intention or wish to hurt someone or something very badly:
a vicious thug
a vicious dog
The police said that this was one of the most vicious attacks they’d ever seen.
He gave her a vicious look.
Tremulous
If a person’s voice or a part of their body is tremulous, it is shaking slightly:
He watched her tremulous hand reach for the teacup.
In a tremulous voice she whispered: “Who are you people?”
Coyness
behaviour in which someone intentionally tries to keep something secret:
The unwritten rules of political conduct demand a certain coyness.
He commented on their coyness about revealing the thinking behind those decisions.
Sheaf
a number of things held or tied together:
A sheaf of papers lay on her desk.
Sheaves of dry corn stalks leaned against the fence.
Tantalizing
Something that is tantalizing causes desire and excitement in you, but is unlikely to provide a way of satisfying that desire:
I caught a tantalizing glimpse of the sparkling blue sea through the trees.
Coquette
A woman who flirts or plays with men’s affections.
Acquiescence
the act of accepting or agreeing to something, often unwillingly:
I was surprised by her acquiescence to/in the plan.
She nodded her acquiescence.
Gleaming
bright and shiny from being cleaned:
a gleaming kitchen
gleaming windows
Snobbish
a person who respects and likes only people who are of a high social class, and/or a person who has extremely high standards who is not satisfied by the things that ordinary people like:
He’s a terrible snob - if you haven’t been to the right school he probably won’t even speak to you.
I’m a bit of a wine snob/a snob where wine is concerned.
Chivalrous
A chivalrous man is polite, honest, fair, and kind towards women:
He was polite and chivalrous and never cursed in front of her.
It’s very chivalrous of you to defend her but don’t you think she can speak for herself?
Dalliance
an interest or involvement in an activity or belief that only lasts for a very short period:
The 1970s witnessed the first of the pop star’s dalliances with communism.
Facile
A facile remark or theory is too simple and has not been thought about enough:
a facile explanation
We must avoid facile recriminations about who was to blame.
Convention
a usual or accepted way of behaving, especially in social situations, often following an old way of thinking or a custom in one particular society:
They defied/flouted/broke with convention by giving up their jobs and becoming self-sufficient.
Convention dictates that it is the man who asks the woman to marry him and not the other way round.
In many countries it is the/a convention to wear black at funerals.
Capricious
changing mood or behaviour suddenly and unexpectedly:
a capricious child
He was a cruel and capricious tyrant.
Deem
to consider or judge something in a particular way:
[ + obj + noun/adj ] The area has now been deemed safe.
[ + noun/adj ] We will provide help whenever you deem it appropriate.
[ + obj + to infinitive ] Anyone not paying the registration fee by 31 March will be deemed to have withdrawn from the offer.
Precipitate
to make something happen suddenly or sooner than expected:
An invasion would certainly precipitate a political crisis.
Fear of losing her job precipitated (= suddenly forced) her into action.
Supplication
the act of asking a god or someone who is in a position of power for something in a humble way:
Inside the temple, worshippers were kneeling in supplication.
prophesy
to say that you believe something will happen in the future:
Few could have prophesied this war.
[ + that ] He prophesied that the present government would only stay four years in office.
[ + question word ] I wouldn’t like to prophesy what will happen to that marriage!
My mom always prophesies that one day I will be a very successful and bright person.
Impingement
something that has an effect on something else, often causing problems by limiting it in some way:
He resented any impingement on his academic freedom.
Many people viewed the trade deal as an impingement of national interests.
Perturb
to worry someone:
News of the arrest perturbed her greatly.
Beatific
appearing happy and calm, especially in a holy way:
The angels in the painting have beatific smiles.
Drudge
a person who has to work hard at boring and unpleasant tasks and who is not respected by other people :
I feel like a real drudge - I’ve done nothing but clean all day!
Percipient
good at noticing and understanding things
Volition
the power to make your own decisions:
The singer wished it to be known that he had left the band (out) of his own volition (= it was his decision).
Tess lacked enough volition to escape from Alec’s wrongdoings.
Renunciation
the formal announcement that someone no longer owns, supports, believes in, or has a connection with something:
the renunciation of violence
Precipitancy
to make something happen suddenly or sooner than expected:
An invasion would certainly precipitate a political crisis.
Fear of losing her job precipitated (= suddenly forced) her into action.
Fumbling
to do something awkwardly, especially when using your hands:
I fumbled with the lock.
He fumbled in his pockets for some change.
She fumbled around/about in her handbag, looking for her key.
They fumbled around/about (= moved awkwardly) in the dark, trying to find their way out of the cinema.
Impetuous
likely to do something suddenly, without considering the results of your actions:
He’s so impetuous - why can’t he think things over before he rushes into them? I
Recrudescence
a sudden new appearance and growth, especially of something dangerous and unpleasant:
There has been an unwelcome recrudescence of racist attacks.
vanity
the fact that you are too interested in your appearance or achievements:
He wants the job purely for reasons of vanity and ambition.
Parochialism
the quality of showing interest only in a narrow range of matters, especially those that directly affect yourself, your town, or your country:
political parochialism
The system tries to avoid parochialism and local political bias.
Traipse
to walk from one place to another, often feeling tired or bored:
I spent the day traipsing around the shops, but found nothing suitable for her.
More than 6 million people traipse through the national park each year.
Wiry
(of people and animals) thin but strong, and often able to bend easily:
He has a runner’s wiry frame.
Abduct
to force someone to go somewhere with you, often using threats or violence:
The company director was abducted from his car by terrorists.
Exaltation
the act of raising someone or something to a more important position:
the exaltation of art
Very strong feeling of happiness
Husky
A voice that is husky is low and rough, often in an attractive way, or because of illness:
She’s got a nice husky voice - very sexy.
You sound husky - do you have a cold?
Fickle
likely to change your opinion or your feelings suddenly and without a good reason:
She’s so fickle - she’s never been interested in the same man for more than a week!
The world of popular music is notoriously fickle.
You are not so fickle said Angel to Tess when came finally to plead for her forgiveness
Inscrutable
not showing emotions or thoughts and therefore very difficult to understand or get to know:
an inscrutable face/expression/smile
