U,W,X,Y,Z Flashcards
ubiquitous
being everywhere; omnipresent (Eg: That Christmas ‘‘The Little Drummer Boy’’ seemed ubiquitous: Justin heard the tune everywhere he went. )
ulterior
situated beyond; unstated and often questionable (Eg: You must have an ulterior motive for your behavior- since there is no obvious reason for it. )
ultimate
final; not susceptible to further analysis (Eg: Scientists are searching for the ultimate truths. )
ultimatum
last demand; warning (Eg: Since they have ignored our ultimatum- our only recourse is to declare war. )
umbrage
resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult (Eg: She took umbrage at his remarks and stormed away in a huff. )
unanimity
complete agreement (Eg: We were surprised by the unanimity with which our proposals were accepted by the different groups. )
unassuaged
unsatisfied; not soothed (Eg: Her anger is unassuaged by your apology. )
unassuming
modest (Eg: He is so unassuming that some people fail to realize how great a man he really is. )
unbridled
violent (Eg: She had a sudden fit of unbridled rage. )
uncanny
strange; mysterious (Eg: You have the uncanny knack of reading my innermost thoughts. )
unconscionable
unscrupulous; excessive (Eg: She found the load shark’s demands unconscionable and impossible to meet. )
uncouth
outlandish; clumsy; boorish (Eg: )
unction
the act of anointing with oil (Eg: The anointing with oil of a person near death is called extreme unction. )
unctous
oily; bland; insincerely suave (Eg: Uriah Heep disguised his nefarious actions by unctuous protestations of his ‘'’umility.’’ )
undermine
weaken; sap (Eg: The recent corruption scandals have undermined many people’s faith in the city government. )
underscore
emphasize (Eg: Adressing the jogging class- Kim underscored the importance to runners of good nutrition. )
undulate
move with a wavelike motion (Eg: The flag undulated in the breeze. )
unearth
dig up (Eg: When they unearthed the city- the archeologists found many relics of an ancient civilization. )
unearthly
not earthly; weird (Eg: There is an unearthly atmosphere in her work that amazes the casual observer. )
unequivocal
plain; obvious (Eg: My answer to your proposal is an unequivocal and absolute ‘‘No.’’ )
unerringly
infallibly (Eg: My teacher unerringly pounced on the one typographical error in my essay. )
unfaltering
steadfast (Eg: She approached the guillotine with unfaltering steps. )
unfeigned
genuine; real (Eg: She turned so pale that I am sure her surprise was unfeigned. )
unfettered
liberated; freed from chains (Eg: Chained to the wall for months on end- the hostage despaired that he would ever be unfettered. )
unfledged
immature (Eg: It is hard for an unfledged writer to find a sympathetic publisher. )
unfrock
to strip a priest or minister of church authority (Eg: To disbar a lawyer- to unfrock a priest- to suspend a doctor’s license to practice–these are extreme steps )
ungainly
awkward (Eg: He is an ungainly young man; he trips over everything. )
unguent
ointment (Eg: )
uniformity
sameness; consistency; monotony (Eg: After a while- the uniformity of TV situation comedies becomes boring. )
unilateral
one-sided (Eg: This legislation is unilateral since it binds only one party in the controversy. )
unimpeachable
blameless and exemplary (Eg: Her conduct in office was unimpeachable and her record is spotless. )
uninhibited
unrepressed (Eg: The congregation was shocked by her uninhibited laughter during the sermon. )
unintimidating
unfrightening (Eg: Though Phil had expected to feel overawed when he met Joe Montana- he found the experience )
unique
without an equal; single in kind (Eg: You have the unique distinction of being the first student whom I have had to fail in this course. )
unison
unity of pitch; complete accord (Eg: The choir sang in unison. )
universal
characterizing or affecting all; present everywhere (Eg: At first- no one shared Christopher’s opinions; his theory that the world was round was met with universal )
unkempt
disheveled; with uncared-for appearance (Eg: The beggar was dirty and unkempt. )
unobtrusive
inconspicuous; not blatant (Eg: The secret service agents in charge of protecting the President tried to be as unobtrusive as possible. )
unprecedented
novel; unparalleled (Eg: Margaret Mitchell’s book Gone with the Wind was an unprecedented success. )
unprepossessing
unattractive (Eg: During adolescence many attractive young people somehow acquire the false notion that their appearance )
unravel
disentangle; solve (Eg: With equal ease Miss Marple unraveled tangled balls of yarn and baffling murder mysteries. )
unrequited
not reciprocated (Eg: Suffering the pangs of unrequited love- Olivia rebukes Cesario for his hard-heartedness. )
unruly
disobedient; lawless (Eg: The only way to curb this unruly mob is to use tear gas. )
unsavory
distasteful; morally offensive (Eg: People with unsavory reputations should not be allowed to work with young children. )
unscathed
unharmed (Eg: They prayed he would come back from the war unscathed. )
unseemly
unbecoming; indecent (Eg: Your levity is unseemly at this time of mourning. )
unsightly
ugly (Eg: Although James was an experienced emergency room nurse- he occasionally became queasy when faced )
unsullied
untarnished (Eg: I am happy that my reputation is unsullied. )
untenable
unsupportable (Eg: I find your theory untenable and must reject it. )
untoward
unfortunate; annoying (Eg: Untoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion. )
unwarranted
unjustified; groundless; undeserved (Eg: We could not understand Martin’s unwarranted rudeness to his mother’s guests. )
unwieldy
awkward; cumbersome; unmanageable (Eg: The large carton was so unwieldy that the movers had trouble getting it up the stairs. )
unwitting
unintentional; not knowing (Eg: She was the unwitting tool of the swindlers )
unwonted
unaccustomed (Eg: He hesitated to assume the unwonted role of master of ceremonies at the dinner. )
upbraid
scold; reproach (Eg: I must upbraid him for his unruly behavior. )
uproarious
marked by commotion; extremely funny; very noisy (Eg: The uproarious comedy hit Home Alone featured Macaulay Culkin- whose mugging and comic antics )
upshot
outcome (Eg: The upshot of the rematch was that the former champion proved that he still possessed all the skills of his )
urbane
suave; refined; elegant (Eg: The courtier was urbane and sophisticated )
urchin
mischievous child (usually a boy) (Eg: Get out! This store is no place for grubby urchins! )
ursine
bearlike; pertaining to a bear (Eg: Because of its ursine appearance- the great panda has been identified with the bears; actually- it is closely )
usurp
seize power; supplant (Eg: The revolution ended when the victorious rebel leader usurped the throne. )
usury
lending money at illegal rates of interest (Eg: The loan shark was found guilty of usury. )
utopia
imaginary land with perfect social and political system (Eg: Shangri-la was the name of James Hilton’s Tibetan utopia. )
uxorious
excessively devoted to one’s wife (Eg: His friends laughed at him because he was so uxorious and submissive to his wife’s desires. )
undergird
strengthen the base of (Eg: Whereas relativity theory undermined the Newtonian mechanics- cosmology was undergirded by it. )
waffle
speak equivocally about an issue (Eg: When asked directly about the governor’s involvement in the savings and loan scandal- the press secretary )
waft
moved gently by wind or waves (Eg: Daydreaming- he gazed at the leaves that wafted past his window. )
waggish
mischievous; humorous; tricky (Eg: He was a prankster who- unfortunately- often overlooked the damage he could cause with his waggish )
waif
homeless child or animal (Eg: Although he already had eight cats- he could not resist adopting yet another feline waif. )
waive
give up temporarily; yield (Eg: I will waive my rights in this matter in order to expedite our reaching a proper decision. )
wallow
roll in; indulge in; become helpless (Eg: The hippopotamus loves to wallow in the mud. )
wan
having a pale or sickly color; pallid (Eg: Suckling asked- ‘‘Why so pale and wan- fond lover?’’ )
wane
grow gradually smaller (Eg: From now until December 21- the winter solstice- the hours of daylight will wane. )
wangle
wiggle out; fake (Eg: She tried to wangle an invitation to the party. )
wanton
unrestrained; willfully malicious; unchaste (Eg: Pointing to the stack of bills- Sheldon criticized Sarah for her wanton expenditures. In response- Sara )
warble
sing; babble (Eg: Every morning the birds warbled outside her window. )
warrant
justify; authorize (Eg: Before the judge issues the injunction- you must convince her this action is warranted. )
warranty
guarantee; assurance by seller (Eg: The purchaser of this automobile is protected by the manufacturer’s warranty that he will replace any )
warren
tunnels in which rabbits live; crowded conditions in which people live (Eg: The tenement was a veritable warren- packed with people too poor to live elsewhere. )
wary
very cautious (Eg: The spies grew wary as they approached the sentry. )
wastrel
profligate (Eg: He was denounced as a wastrel who had dissipated his inheritance. )
wax
increase; grow (Eg: With proper handling- his fortunes waxed and he became rich. )
waylay
ambush; lie in wait (Eg: They agreed to waylay their victim as he passed through the dark alley going home. )
wean
accustom a baby not to nurse; give up a cherished activity (Eg: He decided he would wean himself away from eating junk food and stick to fruits and vegetables. )
weather
endure the effects of weather or other forces (Eg: He weathered the changes in his personal life with difficulty- as he had no one in whom to confide. )
welt
mark from beating or whipping (Eg: The evidence of child abuse was very clear; Jennifer’s small body was covered with welts and bruises. )
welter
turmoil; bewildering jumble (Eg: The existing welter of overlapping federal and state proclaims cries out for immediate reform. )
welter
wallow (Eg: At the height of the battle- the casualties were so numerous that the victims weltered in their blood while )
wheedle
cajole; coax; deceive by flattery (Eg: She knows she can wheedle almost anything she wants from her father. )
whelp
young wolf- dog- tiger- etc. (Eg: This collie whelp won’t do for breeding- but he’d make a fine pet. )
whet
sharpen; stimulate (Eg: The odors from the kitchen are whetting my appetite; I will be ravenous by the time the meal is served. )
whiff
puff or gust (of air- scent- etc.); hint (Eg: The slightest whiff of Old Spice cologne brought memories of George to her mind. )
whimsical
capricious; fanciful (Eg: He dismissed his generous gift to his college as a sentimental fancy- an old man’s whimsical gesture. )
whinny
neigh like a horse (Eg: )
whit
smallest speck (Eg: There is not a whit of intelligence or understanding in your observations. )
whittle
pare; cut off bits (Eg: As a present for Aunt Polly- Tom whittled some clothespins out of a chunk of wood. )
whorl
ring of leaves around stem; ring (Eg: Identification by fingerprints is based on the difference in shape and number of whorls on the fingers. )
willful
intentional; headstrong (Eg: Donald had planned to kill his wife for months; clearly- her death was a case of deliberate- willful murder- )
wily
cunning; artful (Eg: She is as wily as a fox in avoiding trouble. )
wince
shrink back; flinch (Eg: The screech of the chalk on the blackboard made her wince. )
windfall
fallen fruit; unexpected lucky event (Eg: This huge tax refund is quite a windfall. )
winnow
sift; separate good parts from bad (Eg: This test will winnow out the students who study from those who don’t bother. )
winsome
agreeable; gracious; engaging (Eg: By her winsome manner- she made herself liked by everyone who met her. )
wispy
thin; slight; barely discernible (Eg: Worried about preserving his few wispy tufts of hair- Walter carefully massaged his scalp and applied hair )
wistful
vaguely longing; sadly pensive (Eg: With a last wistful glance at the happy couples dancing in the hall- Sue headed back to her room to study )
withdrawn
introverted; remote (Eg: Rebuffed by his colleagues- the initially outgoing young researcher became increasingly withdrawn. )
wither
shrivel; decay (Eg: Cut flowers are beautiful for a day- but all too soon they wither. )
witless
foolish; idiotic (Eg: Such witless and fatuous statements will create the impression that you are an ignorant individual. )
witticism
witty saying; facetious remark (Eg: What you regard as witticisms are often offensive to sensitive people. )
wizardry
sorcery; magic (Eg: Merlin amazed the knights with his wizardry. )
wizened
withered; shriveled (Eg: The wizened old man in the home for the aged was still active and energetic. )
wont
custom; habitual procedure (Eg: As was his wont- he jogged two miles every morning before going to work. )
worldly
engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual (Eg: You must leave your worldly goods behind you when you go to meet your Maker. )
wrangle
quarrel; obtain through arguing; herd cattle (Eg: They wrangled over their inheritance. )
wrath
anger; fury (Eg: She turned to him- full of wrath- and said- ‘‘What makes you think I’ll accept lower pay for this job than )
wreak
inflict (Eg: I am afraid he will wreak his vengeance on the innocent as well as the guilty. )
wrench
pull; strain; twist (Eg: She wrenched free of her attacker and landed a powerful kick to his kneecap. )
wrest
pull away; take by violence (Eg: With only ten seconds left to play- our team wrested victory from their grasp. )
writ
written command issued by a court (Eg: The hero of Leonard’s novel is a process server who invents unorthodox ways of serving writs on reluctant )
writhe
squirm- twist (Eg: He was writhing in pain- desperate for the drug his body required. )
wry
twisted; with a humorous twist (Eg: We enjoy Dorothy Parker’s verse for its wry wit. )
xenophobia
fear or hatred of foreigners (Eg: When the refugee arrived in America- he was unprepared for the xenophobia he found there. )
yen
longing; urge (Eg: She had a yen to get away and live on her own for a while. )
yeoman
man owing small estate; middle-class farmer (Eg: It was not the aristocrat but the yeoman who determined the nation’s policies. )
yield
amount produced; crop; income on investment (Eg: An experienced farmer can estimate the annual yield of his acres with surprising accuracy. )
yield
give in; surrender (Eg: The wounded knight refused to yield to his foe. )
yoke
join together- unite (Eg: I don’t wish to be yoked to him in marriage- as if we were cattle pulling a plow. )
yokel
country bumpkin (Eg: At school- his classmates regarded him as a yokel and laughed at his rustic mannerisms. )
yore
time past (Eg: He dreamed of the elegant homes of yore- but gave no thought to their inelegant plumbing. )
zany
crazy; comic (Eg: I can watch the Marx brothers’ zany antics for hours. )
zeal
eager enthusiasm (Eg: Wang’s zeal was contagious; soon all his fellow students were busily making posters- inspired by his ardent )
zealot
fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal (Eg: It is good to have a few zealots in our group for their enthusiasm is contagious. )
zenith
point directly overhead in the sky; summit (Eg: When the sun was at its zenith- the glare was not as strong as at sunrise and sunset. )
zephyr
gentle breeze; west wind (Eg: When these zephyrs blow- it is good to be in an open boat under a full sail. )
