Troublesome Words Flashcards
arrogate
(v) to take or claim without right
acquisitive
(adj) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property
banal
(adj) hackneyed, trite, commonplace
encomium
(n) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute
intransigent
(adj) refusing to compromise, irreconcilable
invidious
(adj) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment
animadversion
(n) a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval
halcyon
(n) a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher
(adj) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful, happy, golden, prosperous, affluent
histrionic
(adj) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic
pejorative
(adj) tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling
undulate
(v) to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form
cavort
(v) to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry
dissemble
(v) to disguise or conceal, to deliberately give a false impression
exhume
(v) to remove from a grave, to bring to light
feckless
(adj) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable
piquant
(adj) stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy, pungent, appealingly provocative
verbiage
(n) language that is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content, wordiness, a manner of expression
viscous
(adj) having a gelatinous or gluey quality, lacking in easy movement or fluidity
bastion
(n) a fortified place, stronghold
jocular
(adj) humorous, jesting, jolly, joking
mordant
(adj) biting or caustic in thought, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh
pusillanimous
(adj) contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited
recumbent
(adj) in a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting
fecund
(adj) fruitful in offspring or vegetation, intellectually productive
ignominy
(n) shame and disgrace
overweening
(adj) conceited, presumptuous, excessive, immoderate
sophistry
(n) reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound, a fallacy
sumptuous
(adj) costly, rich, magnificent
abject
(adj) degraded, base, contemptible; cringing, servile, complete and unrelieved
derelict
(n) someone or something that is abandoned or neglected
(adj) left abandoned; neglectful of duty
diatribe
(n) a bitter and prolonged verbal attack
indubitable
(adj) certain, not to be doubted or denied
moot
(adj) open to discussion and debate, unresolved
(v) to bring up for discussion
(n) a hypothetical law case argued by students
perspicacity
(n) keenness in observing and understanding
plenary
(adj) complete in all aspects or essentials; absolute, attended by all qualified members
sylvan
(adj) pertaining to or characteristic of forests; living or located in a forest; wooded, woddy
travesty
(n) a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation; a disguise, especially the clothing of the opposite gender
(v) to ridicule by imitating in a broad or burlesque fashion
convivial
(adj) festive, sociable, having fun together, genial
coterie
(n) a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive group of people with a common interest
demur
(v) to object or take exception
(n) an objection
effrontery
(n) shameless boldness and impudence
ephemeral
(adj) lasting only a short time, short-lived
felicitous
(adj) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy
misanthrope
(n) a person who hates or despises people
pertinacious
(adj) very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied
picayune
(adj) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded
nefarious
(adj) flagrantly wicked or impious; evil
