Unit 8: Describing people: positive and negative qualities Flashcards
opportunistic
using situations for own benefit
methodical
She is very slow but methodical in her work.
systematic, careful
chauvinistic
chauvinistic nationalism
too patriotic
get carried away
become to excited and lose control
obliging
They were very obliging and offered to wait for us.
/əˈblaɪdʒɪŋ/
ready to help
superficial
The book shows only a superficial understanding of the historical context.
not caring about serious thigns
insecure
not confident, uncertain about your own abilities
perfectionist
someone who is not satisfied if things are not 100% perfect
tactless
inclined to say things that upset or offend sb
sentimental
You, crying at a film! You must be getting sentimental in your old age!
producing emotions such as sympathy, romantic love, or being sad, which may be too strong or not appropriate; feeling these emotions too much
fun-loving
liking to enjoy themselves
stingy
Don’t be so stingy with the cream!
mean
intuitive
He had an intuitive sense of what the reader wanted.
understanding instinctively
diligent
hard-working
placid
calm, does not easily become excited or angry
magnetic personality
personality that attratcts people to you
distrustful
not trusting, suspicious of others
shrewd
Paul was too shrewd to be taken in by this argument.
having a good judgement
extravagant
spends too much money or uses too much of sth
down-to-earth
practical and sensible
altruistic
thinking of others rather than yourself
sharp-tongued
inclined to speak in a severe and critical way
unstinting
unstinting support
given or giving generously
= tenacious
dogged
dogged determination/persistence
showing determination; not giving up easily
thrifty = frugal
He was brought up to be thrifty and never to get into debt.
careful about spending money and not wasting things
= excessive
immoderate
extreme; not reasonable
work-obsessed
works very hard and finds it difficult to stop working and do other things
dogmatic
He was strident and dogmatic in giving his opinions.
strident: aggressive and determined
being certain that your beliefs are right and that others should accept them, without paying attention to evidence or other opinions
= shrewd
astute
(n): astuteness
very clever and quick at seeing what to do in a particular situation, especially how to get an advantage
pithy=witty
/ˈpɪθi/
The book is full of pithy observations about how we behave when we travel abroad.
short but expressed well and full of meaning
brusque = terse
using very few words and sounding rude
= unprincipled
unscrupulous
without moral principles; not honest or fair
verbose = garrulous
The normally garrulous commentator had nothing to say.
(n): verbosity
using or containing more words than are needed; talking a lot about unimportant things
