Unit 4 Flashcards
Viaduct
N. A bridge that carries a road or railroad over a valley.
The ancient viaduct washed in the heavy rains
Impervious
Adj. Unable to be affected
Andy seems impervious to criticism, but his feelings are very easily hurt.
Syn: invulnerable
Deviate
V. To deport, especially from a path or plan.
Once Rick decides on a plan for his business projects, he never deviates from it.
Syn: stray Ant: continue
Obviate
V. To make unnecessary; to avoid
If you take safety precautions now, you can obviate some future medical expenses.
Syn: prevent
Defer
V. 1) To put aside until later,2) To yield respectfully
(1) If Mahmoud decides to travel to France, he will have to defer his examinations until April.
(2) The younger doctor will defer to his senior partner when the patient asks a question.
Syn: postpone Ant: hasten
Deference
N. Act or practice of yielding to another’s authority
As new soldiers, we were warned to show deference to our commander in all matters.
Syn: submission Ant: rebellion
Confer
V. 1) To discuss something with someone else; consult,2) To bestow
(1) The trivia show contestant conferred with the other members of her team before answering the question.
(2) In a ceremony held earlier today, the government of France conferred several honors of the general.
Inference
N. A conclusion not directly provided by evidence, but able to be drawn from the facts at hand.
When i saw the horse tracks across the snow, i made the inference that someone had left the gate open, allowing the horses to escape.
Proffer
V. To present or offer
When the reporter asked for more information, the policeman proffered a ten-page document.
Ant: withhold
Proliferate
V. To increase greatly in number; multiply
Without natural predators, a species will proliferate until it overwhelms its environment.
Syn: reproduce
Comportment
N. Manner in which one acts or behaves
No fault could be found with my comportment during the awards ceremony.
Syn: demeanor
Purported
Adj. Claimed as true, but probably false
Tim’s purported illness kept him out of school on the day of the test
Syn: alleged Ant: definite
