Units 3-5 - Pd 2 Flashcards
Pedestrian
Boring or Dull
The sign was pedestrian, literally and figuratively.
bona fide
authentic, genuine and real
The jeweler stated that the large diamond was bona fide and valuable.
adventitious
Happening or carried on according to chance.
The man believed that the conversation was quite adventitious, for he was experiencing good benefits from it even though he didn’t anticipate it in the first place.
fecund
Fertile
The field was fecund from all the previous crops, and the farmer anticipated a very large harvest.
deviate
To stray from the path or order.
The soldier deviated from his commanding officer’s orders and risked the lives of his unit.
obfuscate
To confuse
If you want people to read your writings, make it simple and avoid the confusion of obfuscation.
impale
.To pierce, or to strike through with a sharp object.
I impaled Darth Vader with my light saber.
extenuate
lessen the seriousness of something by offering a plausible excuse
When the student’s sister passed away in a car crash, she did not have to turn in her essay on time due to the extenuating circumstances.
parochial
Narrow
Her parochial views made her uniquely unsuited for the position; they were definitely looking for someone with an open mind.
glower
To have an angry look.
MY father glowered when I arrived past curfew.
edify
Morally Improve yourself
The man went to church to edify himself from all his wrong doings .
ambiguous
vague/ unclear
The picture was very ambiguous - no one knew what to make of it.
cataclysm
A large scale violent change in the world.
There was a terrible cataclysm in the world as the meteors fell.
optimum
The best/most favorable conditions
The conditions for the stock market were most optimum, and investors were quick to buy stocks.
importune
Asking someone repeatedly and being persistent for or to do something.
The slave importuned his master for freedom.
celibate
To abstain from sex
The dude was 100% celibate, for he never, ever engaged in sexual behavior.
fortuitous
Happening by chance or luck
Finding the $10 bill on the ground when I forgot my wallet was fortuitous.
recapitulate
to summarize
At the end of my presentation I recapitulated my major points to the audience to make sure they understood my ideas.
perfunctory
done without care
He did a pefunctory job on his homework because he knew that the teacher wouldn’t read it very closely.
baroque
Style of architecture from the 17th century in Italy that is used throughout Europe.
The palace of Versailles is an example of the baroque architectural style.
hedonism
the pursuit of pleasure
With Hank’s amazing hedonism he manages to keep a new girl every week.
obloquy
strong public disapproval
Due to the mother’s birth of a baby without a father, she endured years of obloquy from the townspeople.
debacle
A great disaster or complete failure
Jenny’s life became a complete debacle after her father passed away.
quasi-
half
The man was in quasi-uniform as he was running through the doors 15 minutes late for work.
besmirch
To damage the reputation of someone
The scientist’s reputation was besmirched when a reporter discovered he stole all his discoveries and theories from another scientist.
imperative
Of vital importance
It is imperative to replace the flat tire before we depart.
sacrosanct
Something of great value and importance; extremely holy.
Freedom of speech is upheld as a sacrosanct right; while some things would change, this right would remain intact and revered.
sadistic
(adj) derriving pleasure from causing others pain
Seth Orndorff’s actions were sadistic when he stuck sharpened bamboo sticks in between Anders’ fingernails.
(this example is Seth and Anders approved)
demeanor
The way one behaves
The young toddler’s demeanor was very bad after he didn’t get a toy at the store.
facetious
Treating serious situations with inappropriate humor
The longer the man used sarcasm while discussing the effects of the hurricane, the more his audience realized he was being facetious. They resented his tendency to be silly about such a serious event.
Imprecation
A spoken curse
People who do not believe in vaccinations spread their imprecations on to others, putting children across America at risk.
non sequitur
(n) a conclusion that does not follow the evidence
The Subaru commercial talked about love then threw in a non sequitur with their brand: “Love. It’s what makes a Subaru a Subaru.” What in the world does love have to do with car manufacturing?
sanguine
Very optimistic, especially in bad times.
Although the world had just been destroyed by nuclear destruction, the United States remained a sanguine outlook and believed that humanity would survive.
bowdlerize
.Strike through the dirty parts, or cover up the dirty parts of text.
I bowdlerized 50 Shades of Grey, and the result was a book with 47 words total.
impair
To weaken or damage something
Smoking will impair your breathing.
panegyric
speech of extreme praise
a peasant wrote the strong panegyric for the king, in hopes of the king letting him live. The king was unimpressed with the glowing speech and condemned the man anyway.
quandary
A Dilemma
There was a quandary at KFC when they completely ran out of chicken to serve.
deference
Humble submission and respect
He treated her with deference because she was his elder.
Carnal
Physical, bodily, sexual
Night clubs allow people to satisfy their carnal desires.
nebulous
vague and unclear
The teacher realized her directions were nebulous so she gave everyone the point on the test.
elegy
A mournful poem for the dead
The mourning woman read an elegy for her deceased father.
