Test 3 Flashcards
darwinism (n)
(adj): darwinian
the theory that living things evolve by natural selection
cudgel (n)
a short thick stick that is used as a weapon
cudgel your brains
I had to cudgel my brains to remember her name.
to think very hard
take up (the) cudgels on behalf of sb/sth
defend or support sb/sth strongly
rigmarole (n)
She turned up an hour late with some rigmarole about catching the wrong train.
a long and complicated process that is annoying and seems unnecessary; a long and complicated story
miscreant (n)
We need to discourage miscreants.
a person who has done sth wrong or illegal
gordian knot (n)
to cut/unite the Gordian knot.
a very difficult or impossible task or problem
scabbard (n)
syn: sheath
a cover for a sword that is made of leather or metal
precursor (n)
syn: forerunner, herald
a person or thing that comes before sb/sth similar and that leads to or influences its development
turpitude (n)
syn: wickedness, depravity
very bad behaviour
purport (v)
syn: profess
The book does not purport to be a complete history of the period.
to claim to be sth or to have done sth, when this may not be true
the purport of sth (N)
The purport of his remarks was all too clear.
the general meaning of sth
purported (adj)
that has been stated to have happened or to be true, when this might not be the case
apostle (n)
an apostle of free enterprise
a person who strongly believes in a policy or an idea and tries to make other people believe in it
translucence|translucency (n)
translucent (adj)
the property or state of allowing the passage of light
reciprocity (n)
a situation in which two people, countries, etc. provide the same help or advantages to each other
curts(e)y (n)
(v): curtsey (to sb)
a formal movement made by a woman in a dance or to say hellp or goodbye to an important person, by bending her knees with one foot in front of the other
potentate (n)
a political leader who has a lot of power, especially when this is not limited by a parliament, etc.
involution (n)
the shrinkage of an organ in old age or when inactive; the act or an instance of enfolding or entangling
proletarian (adj)
proletarian (n, person)
Left-wing artists and writers increasingly expressed proletarian sympathies.
connected with ordinary people who earn money by working, especially those who do not own any property
encore (n)
an extra short performance given at the end of a concert or other performance
moat (n)
(adj): moated
a deep wide channel that was dug around a castle, etc. and filled with water to make it more difficult for enemies to attack
midsummer (adj)
the middle of summer
disputation (n)
a discussion about sth that people cannot agree on
rancor (n)
syn: bitterness, malice
(adj): rancorous
feelings of hate and a desire to hurt other people, especially because you think that sb has done sth unfair to you
adamant (adj)
syn: adamantine (adj)
The government remained adamant that there was no more money available.
determined not to change your mind or to be persuaded about sth
felony (n)
the act of committing a serious crime such as murder or rape
stigma (n)
negative feelings that people have about particualr circumstances or characteristics that sb may have
