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Vocab From Reading > The Sentinel - Arthur C. Clarke > Flashcards

The Sentinel - Arthur C. Clarke Flashcards

1
Q

Founder

A
  • someone that establishes a settlement/institution
  • (of a ship) fill with water and sink
  • (of a plan) fail/break down due to a certain setback

originator, creator, sink, capsize, fail, collapse, fall through

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2
Q

Perihelion

A

point in a celestial body’s orbit at which it’s closest to the sun

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3
Q

Aphelion

A

point in a celestial body’s orbit at which it’s farthest from the sun

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4
Q

Unabashed

A

not embarassed or ashamed

shameless, brazen, bold, unconcerned

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5
Q

Solemnity

A
  • state or quality of being serious or dignified
  • a formal, dignified rite/ceremony

stateliness, gravity, ritual

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6
Q

Sybaritic

A
  • Fond of sensuous luxury/pleasure
  • Self-indulgent

lavish, pampered, luxurious

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7
Q

Rampart

A
  • Defensive wall of a castle with a walkway and parapet
  • Fortify/surround

embankmant, battlement, bulwark

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8
Q

Heliograph

A

Solar telegraph system that signals by flashing sunlight reflected off a mirror - uses Morse code

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9
Q

Enigma

A

Person/thing that is difficult to understand

closed book, conundrum

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10
Q

Erstwhile

A

Former; formerly

old, late, previous, whilom

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11
Q

Bas-relief

A

sculptural relief in which the projection from the surrounding surface is slight and no part of the modeled form is undercut (heads on coins)

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12
Q

Arrears

A

Money that is owed and should have been paid earlier

dues, liabilities

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13
Q

Overwrought

A
  • State of nervous excitement and anxiety
  • Too complicated/elaborate in design or construction

tense, edgy, high strung, neurotic, overblown, florid

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14
Q

Laconic

A

Using very few words - of a person, speech, or writing style

brief, concise, terse, crisp, succinct

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15
Q

Smite

A
  • Strike with a firm blow
  • Be strongly attracted to someone/something
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16
Q

Affable

A

Friendly, good-natured, easy to talk to

amiable, congenial, agreeable, pleasant, personable

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17
Q

Mitigate

A

Make less severe, serious, or painful

alleviate, diminish, attenuate, cushion, assuage

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18
Q

Compunction

A

Feeling of guilt that prevents or follows the doing of something bad

scruples, qualms, remorse, reluctance

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19
Q

Melodramatic

A

Being exaggerated, sensationalized, over-emotional

histrionic, theatrical

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20
Q

Haughty

A

Arrogantly superior

conceited, snobbish, pompous, smug

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21
Q

Capitulate

A
  • To stop struggling
  • Surrender

yield, submit, acquiesce, come to terms

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22
Q

Languid

A
  • Displaying/having a disinclination for physical effort
  • Slow/relaxed
  • Weak or faint from illness/fatigue

lethargic, sluggish, flagging, feeble, frail

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23
Q

Morose

A
  • Gloomy
  • Ill-tempered

sullen, gloomy, taciturn, dismal

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24
Q

Worsted

A

A fine, smooth yarn spun from long-staple wool

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25
Clytaemnestra
Figure of Greek mythology; wife of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae; half-sister of Helen of Troy; killed Agamemnon after his return from Trojan War
26
Wistful
Having/showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing ## Footnote nostalgic, yearning, rueful
27
Retinue
A group of advisors/assistants accompanying an important person ## Footnote entourage, retainers, cortège
28
Implicit
* Implied though not plainly expressed * Always to be found in ## Footnote absolute, inferred, understood, unspoken, unconditional
29
Thoroughgoing
* Attending to every detail/aspect of something * Exemplifying a specified characteristic fully ## Footnote exhaustive, unadultered
30
Qualm
* Uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, or fear, especially about one’s own conduct * A misgiving ## Footnote reservation, concern, compunction, trepidation
31
Lilliputian
Of a person or thing - trivial/very small ## Footnote petty, narrow, parochial, insular, picayune
32
Bulwark
* Defensive wall * Person, institution, or principle that acts as a defense * Extension of a ships sides above its deck ## Footnote rampart, fortification, barricade
33
Jejune
* Naive, simplistic, superficial * Dry and uninteresting ## Footnote guileless, inexperienced, green, vapid, insipid
34
Vapid
Offering nothing stimulating or challenging ## Footnote colorless, flat, pallid, uninspiring
35
Insipid
Lacking flavor, vigor, or interest ## Footnote bland, watered-down, lusterless, prosaic
36
Guile
Sly/cunning intelligence ## Footnote craftiness, shrewdness
37
Ineffable
* Too great/extreme to be expressed with words * Not to be uttered ## Footnote indescribable, breathtaking, staggering
38
Harangue
* Lengthy and aggressive speech * Lecture someone at length in a critical manner ## Footnote diatribe, admonish, lambaste, berate
39
Inextricable
Impossible to disentangle/separate/escape from ## Footnote inseparable, indivisible, raveled, entangled
40
Lavish
* Bestow something in generous/extravagent quantities on * Cover something thickly/liberally with ## Footnote heap, shower, deluge
41
Pared
* Trim something by cutting away its outer edges/skin * Reduce in size, extent, quantity, or number by small, successive stages ## Footnote peel, shave, strip, skin, diminish, prune
42
Astern
Behind/toward the rear of a ship or aircraft
43
Dogging
* Follow (someone) closely and persistently * Cause continual trouble for * Act lazily * Grip something with a mechanical device ## Footnote pursue, stalk, hound, plague, beleaguer, haunt
44
Maltese cross
* Symbol that represents protection and is worn by firefighters * Represented by four arrowhead shapes converging at their tips * Used by Order of St. John of Jerusalem
45
Keel
* Longitudinal structure along the centerline and bottom of a hull, on which teh rest of the hull is built * Capsize ## Footnote bottom, underside, founder, list, turn turtle
46
Vertiginous
Causing vertigo, especially by being very high/steep
47
Plaintive
Sounding sad and mournful
48
Rend
* Tesr something in two or more pieces * Cause gret emotional pain to (someone, their heart) ## Footnote split, sever, cleave
49
Nave
* Central part of a church building where the congregation sits * Rectangular in Western churches * Separated from the *chancel* (near the altar where the clergy sits) by step or rail
50
Flagstone
* Flat stone cut into rectangular/square shape used for paving, sidewalks, roofing, fencing, etc. * Usually a sandstone
51
Reverie
* State of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts * Instrumental piece suggesting a dreamy/musing state ## Footnote daydream, trance, preoccupation
52
Incandescent
* Emitting light as a result of being heated * (Of an electric light) containing a filament that gets white hot when heated by a current passing through it * Full of strong emotion ## Footnote blazing, radiant, brilliant, passionate, seething, irate, apoplectic
53
Doldrums
State or period of inactivity, stagnation, or depression ## Footnote sluggish, dull, subdued
54
Thermocline
* Layer of water where temperature changes rapily with depth * Usually first 1,000 m below surface * Coincides with the *pycnocline*, where density changes with depth ## Footnote metalimnion (lakes)
55
Ephemeral
Lasting for a very short time ## Footnote transient, fleeting, momentary
56
Pallid
Pale, usually due to poor health; feeble ## Footnote pasty, wan, washed-out, sickly
57
Banyan
Species of fig tree that develops accessory trunks from adjacent pop roots that allows the tree to spread outwards to large sizes; genus Ficus
58
Inured
* Accustom someone to something unpleasant * Come into operation; take effect ## Footnote harden, temper, condition
59
Disconcerting
* Causing one to feel unsettled * Disturb the composure of ## Footnote unnerving, off-putting
60
Gyre
* To whirl/gyrate * A spiral/vortex * Circular pattern of curents in ocean basins
61
Incredulous
Unable/unwilling to believe something ## Footnote skeptical, wary, distrusting
62
Impresario
Person who organizes and often finaces concerts, plays, operas, etc.
63
Feckless
Lacking initiative or strength of character ## Footnote indolent, ne'er-do-well, inept, idle

Vocab From Reading (3 decks)

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