unit22 Flashcards
acerbic
Sharp or biting in temper, mood, or tone.
acrid
Unpleasantly sharp and harsh; bitter.
acrimony
Harsh or bitter sharpness in words, manner, or temper.
exacerbate
To make worse, more violent, or more severe.
stricture
(1) A law or rule that limits or controls something; restriction. (2) A strong criticism.
restrictive
(1) Serving or likely to keep within bounds. (2) Serving or tending to place under limits as to use.
constrict
(1) To draw together or make narrow. (2) To limit.
vasoconstrictor
Something such as a nerve fiber or a drug that narrows a blood vessel.
deconstruction
Analysis of texts, works of art, and cultural patterns that is intended to expose the assumptions on which they are based, especially by exposing the limitations of language.
infrastructure
(1) The underlying foundation or basic framework. (2) A system of public works.
construe
(1) To explain the arrangement and meaning of words in a sentence. (2) To understand or explain; interpret.
instrumental
(1) Acting as a means, agent, or tool. (2) Relating to an instrument, especially a musical instrument.
proprietary
(1) Relating to an owner or proprietor; made or sold by one who has the sole right to do so. (2) Privately owned and run as a profit-making organization.
propriety
(1) The state of being proper; appropriateness. (2) Acting according to what is socially acceptable, especially in conduct between the sexes.
appropriate
(1) To take exclusive possession of, often without right. (2) To set apart for a particular purpose or use.
expropriate
(1) To take away the right of possession or ownership. (2) To transfer to oneself.
tort
A wrongful act that does not involve breach of contract and for which the injured party can receive damages in a civil action.
extort
To obtain from a person by force, threats, or illegal power.
contort
To twist in a violent manner.
tortuous
(1) Having many twists, bends, or turns; winding. (2) Crooked or tricky; involved, complex.
vivacious
Lively in an attractive way.
bon vivant
A sociable person with a love of excellent food and drink.
revivify
To give new life to; bring back to life.
vivisection
Operation on living animals, often for experimental purposes.
serviceable
(1) Helpful or useful. (2) Usable.
servile
(1) Suitable to a servant. (2) Humbly submissive.
servitude
A state or condition of slavery or bondage to another.
subservient
(1) Serving or useful in an inferior situation or capacity. (2) Slavishly obedient.
occlusion
An obstruction or blockage; the act of obstructing or closing off.
exclusive
(1) Not shared; available to only one person or group, especially those from a high social class. (2) Full and complete.
recluse
A person who lives withdrawn from society.
seclusion
(1) A screening or hiding from view. (2) A place that is isolated or hidden.
