The Hit Parade #2 Flashcards
Abate (v)
to lessen in intensity or degree
Accolade (n)
an expression of praise
Adulation (n)
excessive praise; intense adoration
Aesthetic (adj)
dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
Ameliorate (v)
to make better or more tolerable
Ascetic (n)
one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
Avarice (n)
greed, esp. for wealth (adj. form: avaricious)
Axiom (n)
a universally recognized principle (adj. form: axiomatic)
Burgeon (v)
to grow rapidly or flourish
Bucolic (adj)
rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
Cacophony (n)
harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance (adj. form: cacophonous)
Canon (n)
an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature (adj. form: canonical)
Castigation (n)
severe criticism or punishment (verb form: castigate)
Catalyst (n)
a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
Caustic (adj)
burning or stinging, causing corrosion
Chary (adj)
wary; cautious; sparing
Cogent (adj)
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
Complaisance (n)
the willingness to comply with the wishes of others (adj. form: complaisant)
Contentious (adj)
argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
Contrite (adj)
regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness (noun form: contrition)
Culpable (adj)
deserving blame (noun form: culpability)
Dearth (n)
smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
Demur (v)
to question or oppose
Didactic (adj)
intended to teach or instruct
Discretion (n)
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions (adj. form: discrete)
Disinterested (adj)
free of bias or self-interest; impartial
Dogmatic (adj)
expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles (noun form: dogma)
Ebullience (n)
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings (adj. form: ebullient)
Eclectic (adj)
composed of elements drawn from various sources
Elegy (n)
a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead (adj. form: elegiac)