The Crucible Flashcards
Adamant
noun: a stone (as a diamond) formerly believed to be of impenetrable hardness; an unbreakable or extremely hard substance
adj: not willing to change an opinion or decision : very determined
* We’ve tried to talk him into coming with us, but he’s adamant about staying here.
Afflict
verb: humble, overthrown; to distress so severely as to cause persistent suffering or anguish, trouble, injure
* The disease afflicts an estimated two million people every year.
Confounded
adj: confused, perplexed; damned
* I can’t close this confounded window!
Contiguous
adj: to have contact with, being in actual contact; touching along a boundary or at a point, adjacent; next or near in time or sequence; touching or connected throughout in an unbroken sequence
* New York and New Jersey are contiguous states.
Deference
noun: respect and esteem due a superior or an elder; affected or ingratiating regard for another’s wishes
* Her relatives treat one another with deference.
Effrontery
noun: shameless boldness; insolence
* the little squirt had the effrontery to deny eating any cookies, even with the crumbs still on his lips.
Formidable
adj: causing fear, dread, or apprehension; having qualities that discourage approach or attack; tending to inspire awe or wonder
* The mountains were a formidable barrier.
Beguile
verb: to lead by deception; hoodwink; to while away esp. by some agreeable occupation; to deceive by wiles
* They were beguiled into thinking they’d heard the whole story.
Grave
verb: to carve or cut (as letters or figures) into a hard surface
noun: a place of burial for a dead body, typically a hole dug in the ground and marked by a stone or mound
adj: significantly serious
* This violation of school rules is a grave matter.
Incredulous
adj: unwilling to admit or accept what is offered as true, not credulous; incredible; expressing incredulity
* He was incredulous at the news.
Malign
adj: evil in nature, influence, or effect, injurious; malignant to utter; having or showing intense often vicious ill will
* Both parties to the divorce showed a malign desire to make each other’s future life utterly miserable.
verb: to say bad things about (someone or something) publicly : to criticize (someone or something) harshly or unfairly
* Her supporters say she is being unfairly maligned in the press.
Manisfestation
noun: a sign that shows something clearly; one of the forms that something has when it appears or occurs
* Her supporters say she is being unfairly maligned in the press.
Predilecion
noun: an established preference for something; implies a strong liking deriving form one’s temperament or experience
* A young lad with a predilection for telling tall tales.
Contention
noun: likely to cause an argument; exhibiting an often preserve and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes
* That has been a source of contention for years.
Pretense
noun: a claim made or implied, one not supported by fact; mere ostentation; a pretentious act or assertion; an in adequate or in sincere attempt to attain a certain condition or quality; professed rather than real intention or purpose
* We tried to keep up the pretense that everything was fine.
