The Sunlit Man Flashcards
Topiary
noun
1. the art or practice of clipping shrubs or trees into ornamental shapes.
“a specialist in topiary art”
2. shrubs or trees clipped into ornamental shapes.
“a cottage surrounded by topiary and flowers”
Agglomeration
noun
a mass or collection of things; an assemblage.
“the arts centre is an agglomeration of theatres, galleries, shops, restaurants and bars”
Decongestant
adjective
(chiefly of a medicine) used to relieve nasal congestion.
“decongestant nasal sprays can ease swollen nasal passages”
noun
a decongestant medicine.
“a common and widely available decongestant”
Duress
noun
1. threats, violence, constraints, or other action used to coerce someone into doing something against their will or better judgement.
“confessions extracted under duress”
LAW
2. constraint illegally exercised to force someone to perform an act.
ARCHAIC
3. forcible restraint or imprisonment.
Discomfit
verb
make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed.
“he was not noticeably discomfited by her tone”
Fuselage
noun
the main body of an aircraft.
Atoll
noun
a ring-shaped reef, island, or chain of islands formed of coral.
Immolate
verb
kill or offer as a sacrifice, especially by burning.
“Chinese kings would immolate vast numbers of animals”
Adulation
noun
excessive admiration or praise.
“he found it difficult to cope with the adulation of the fans”
Loamy
adjective
denoting or relating to a fertile soil of clay and sand containing humus.
“walnut trees prefer moist, well-drained loamy soil”
Remand
LAW
verb
1. place (a defendant) on bail or in custody, especially when a trial is adjourned.
“he was remanded in custody for a week”
2. return (a case) to a lower court for reconsideration.
noun
a committal to custody.
“the prosecutor applied for a remand to allow forensic evidence to be investigated”
phrase
LAW
in custody pending trial.
“most of the prisoners are on remand and awaiting trial”
Pare
verb
1. trim (something) by cutting away its outer edges.
“Carlo pared his thumbnails with his knife”
2. cut off (the outer skin) of something.
“pare off the rind using a peeler”
3. reduce (something) in size, extent, or quantity in a number of small successive stages.
“union leaders publicly pared down their demands”
Canker
noun
1. a destructive fungal disease of apple and other trees that results in damage to the bark.
“cut out lesions on branches caused by canker”
2. an open lesion in plant tissue caused by infection or injury.
“check trees for cankers”
3. fungal rot in some fruits and vegetables, e.g. parsnips and tomatoes.
“canker is this crop’s arch enemy”
4. an ulcerous condition or disease of a human or animal.
NORTH AMERICAN
5. a small ulcer of the mouth or lips.
“a remedy for canker sores”
6. another term for thrush2 (sense 2).
7. ulceration of the throat and other orifices of birds, typically caused by a protozoal infection.
“secondary infections of canker and coccidiosis”
8. inflammation of the ear of a dog, cat, or rabbit, typically caused by a mite infestation.
9. a malign and corrupting influence that is difficult to eradicate.
“racism remains a canker at the heart of the nation”
verb
(of a plant or part of a plant) become infected with canker.
“the tree is apt to canker in poor soils”
Occlusion
noun FORMAL•TECHNICAL
1. the blockage or closing of an opening, blood vessel, or hollow organ.
“examination revealed central retinal artery occlusion”
PHONETICS
2. the momentary closure of the passage of breath during the articulation of a consonant.
3. a process whereby something is hidden or obscured from prominence or view.
“the occlusion of female agency in recent and contemporary discourse on the subject”
METEOROLOGY
4. a process by which the cold front of a rotating low-pressure system catches up the warm front, so that the warm air between them is forced upwards off the earth’s surface between wedges of cold air.
“often, in the later stages of a storm’s life cycle, a frontal occlusion occurs”
5. an occluded front.
DENTISTRY
6. the position of the teeth when the jaws are closed.
Travail
LITERARY
noun
1. painful or laborious effort.
“advice for those who wish to save great sorrow and travail”
2. labour pains.
“a woman in travail”
verb
1. engage in painful or laborious effort.
“creation may travail in pain but it cannot escape its destiny”
2. (of a woman) be in labour.
