The Mysterious Stranger Flashcards
Drowsed
To doze lightly, or nearly fall asleep, is to drowse. If you stay up too late watching scary movies, you might start to drowse the next morning in English class.
You’ve probably found yourself beginning to drowse when you’re very sleepy or bored. You’ll know you’re starting to drowse when your eyelids get heavy and your mind wanders. Be careful though—if you drowse too long at the beach, you may end up with a sunburn! Drowse comes from the adjective drowsy, from an Old English root meaning “sink.”
Verb:
Sleep lightly or for a short period of time.
Example: “She decided to doze off in the afternoon sun.”
Synonyms: doze, snooze
Be on the verge of sleeping.
Example: “The students were drowsing in the 8 AM class.”
Noun:
A light fitful sleep.
Example: “After a long day, he fell into a peaceful doze.”
Lofty is a good word for describing something that’s high above the ground, or someone who acts like she’s high above everyone else.
Dating from the 15th century, lofty originally meant “exalted,” or spiritually high, but soon came to mean physically high as well. A towering mountain can be called “lofty.” So can someone who walks around with her nose in the air and speaks in a fake English accent. Even if she’s only five-foot-two.
Adjective:
Of imposing height; especially standing out above others.
Example: “Lofty mountains”
Synonyms: eminent, soaring, towering, high
Having or displaying great dignity or nobility.
Example: “Lofty ships”
Synonyms: gallant, majestic, proud, impressive
Of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style.
Example: “A noble and lofty concept”
Synonyms: elevated, exalted, grand, high-flown, high-minded, idealistic, noble-minded, rarefied, sublime, noble
Having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy.
Example: “Proud”
Synonyms: disdainful, haughty, imperious, lordly, overbearing, prideful, sniffy, supercilious, swaggering
appointed
To be appointed is to be given a task or job. If you’re appointed as the week’s doughnut fetcher at work, it means you’ve been assigned the job of bringing treats for everyone.
You might be appointed for a small duty or for a large promotion, as when the gym teacher at school is unexpectedly appointed principal. Another way to use the adjective appointed is to mean “well furnished.” Lovely homes and fancy hotels are often described as “well appointed” or “luxuriously appointed.
Adjective:
Selected for a job.
Example: “The one appointed for guard duty.”
Synonyms: assigned
Subject to appointment.
Example: “Appointive positions require a selection process.”
Synonyms: appointed, nominated, nominative
Appointed by nomination.
Example: “Non-elective positions are filled by appointment rather than by election.”
Synonyms: nonelected, nonelective
Fixed or established, especially by order or command.
Example: “At the time appointed (or the appointed time).”
Synonyms: decreed, ordained, prescribed, settled
Provided with furnishing and accessories (especially of a tasteful kind).
Example: “A house that is beautifully appointed.”
Synonyms: equipped, furnished
slyly
In an artful manner.
Example: “She glanced at him slyly, trying to conceal her mischievous intentions.”
Synonyms: artfully, craftily, cunningly, foxily, knavishly, trickily
Inquity
An iniquity is a really unfair or really immoral act. If you’re a journalist, you may uncover a terrible iniquity that forces a famous politician to step down.
Iniquity comes from Latin, combining the prefix in-, “not,” and aequus, which means “equal” or “just.” So iniquity literally means “not just.” Iniquity can also be used to say that something lacks moral or spiritual principles. Some would call Las Vegas a “den of iniquity,” implying that sinful or wicked behavior occurs there. Others would just call it a vacation.
Noun:
Absence of moral or spiritual values.
Synonyms: dark, darkness, wickedness
Morally objectionable behavior.
Synonyms: evil, immorality, wickedness
An unjust act.
Synonyms: injustice, shabbiness, unfairness
zealous
Use the adjective zealous as a way to describe eagerness or enthusiastic activity. If you are too zealous in your efforts to decorate the house with Christmas lights, you might cause a power outage for the whole neighborhood.
Adjective: Zealous
Marked by active interest and enthusiasm.
Synonyms: avid, enthused, enthusiastic, keen
strenuous
Something strenuous requires all your effort and strength, like a hard workout at the gym or carrying a backpack full of heavy books.
Adjective: Strenuous
Taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance.
Synonyms: arduous, straining, effortful
Example: “A strenuous task.”
Requiring great physical effort.
Synonyms: effortful
Example: “Effortful activities demand significant physical exertion.”
Characterized by or performed with much energy or force.
Synonyms: energetic
Example: “Strenuous exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”
chirpy
(Birds or insects) Characterized by or tending to chirp.
Example: “The garden was filled with the sounds of chirpy birds on a sunny morning.”
Characterized by liveliness and lightheartedness.
Synonyms: buoyant, perky, cheerful
Example: “His quick wit and chirpy humor brightened the atmosphere.”
Example: “Looking bright and well, she appeared chirpy and full of cheer.”
Coarse
Coarse can mean rough to the touch or vulgar. It’s good to have coarse sand paper, but not good to have coarse manners.
Adjective: Coarse
Of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles.
Example: “Coarse meal.”
Example: “Coarse sand.”
Example: “A coarse weave.”
Synonyms: harsh, coarse-grained, large-grained
Not having a fine texture.
Example: “Coarse-grained, farinaceous, grainy, granular, granulose, gritty, mealy.”
Composed of or covered with particles resembling meal in texture or consistency.
Example: “Granulated - made grainy or formed into granules.”
Example: “Plush-like, plushy - (of textures) resembling plush.”
Example: “Loose, open - (of textures) full of small openings or gaps.”
Example: “Rough, unsmooth - (of textures) having or caused by an irregular surface.”
Lacking refinement or cultivation or taste.
Example: “He had coarse manners but a first-rate mind.”
Synonyms: common, rough-cut, uncouth, vulgar, unrefined
Of low or inferior quality or value.
Example: ““Of what coarse metal ye are molded” - Shakespeare.”
Synonyms: common, inferior
nettled
When you’re nettled, you’re irritated or annoyed. You might be nettled by the terrible traffic on the way to work every morning.
Adjective: Nettled
Aroused to impatience or anger.
Example: “Feeling nettled from the constant teasing.”
Synonyms: annoyed, irritated, miffed, peeved, riled, roiled, steamed, stung
Displeased.
Example: “Displeased - not pleased; experiencing or manifesting displeasure.”
insomuch
Insomuch means “to such an extent” or “to such a degree.” You may have had a bad day, but at least it was a beautiful one, insomuch as the sun was shining and the sky was blue.
adverb to such an extent or degree; so
ruddy
Ruddy is used to describe something that is reddish — like the color of red hair, tomatoes, or a friend’s cheeks on a cold winter’s day.
Adjective: Inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life.
Example: “a ruddy complexion”
Synonyms: florid, rubicund, sanguine
Adjective: Healthy; having or indicating good health in body or mind; free from infirmity or disease.
Adjective: Of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies.
Synonyms: blood-red, carmine, cerise, cherry, cherry-red, crimson, red, reddish, ruby, ruby-red, scarlet
Chromatic: Being, having, or characterized by hue.
awe
Awe is a feeling of fear that is mixed with respect and wonder. You might gaze at the Grand Canyon with awe, marveling at its beauty and fearing its depth.
Noun: An overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration.
Example: “He stared over the edge with a feeling of awe.”
Noun: A feeling of profound respect for someone or something.
Synonyms: fear, reverence, veneration.
Example: “The famous professor awed the undergraduates.”
Verb: Inspire awe in.
Example: “The famous professor awed the undergraduates.”
