Voca Flashcards
Recede
[ri-seed]
- to go or move away; retreat; go to or toward a more distant point; withdraw.
- to become more distant.
- (of a color, form, etc., on a flat surface) to move away or be perceived as moving away from an observer, especially as giving the illusion of space.
Weather
[weth-er]
to bear up against and come safely through (a storm, danger, trouble, etc.): to weather a severe illness.
Put up with
to endure; tolerate; bear: I couldn’t put up with the noise any longer.
Grave
[greyv]
- serious or solemn; sober: a grave person; grave thoughts.
- weighty, momentous, or important: grave responsibilities.
- threatening a seriously bad outcome or involving serious issues; critical: a grave situation; a grave illness.
Envisage
[en-viz-ij]
- to contemplate; visualize: He envisages an era of great scientific discoveries.
- to conceive of as a possibility in the future; foresee
Edifice
[ed-uh-fis]
- a building, especially one of large size or imposing appearance.
- any large, complex system or organization.
Censure
[sen-sher]
- strong or vehement expression of disapproval: The newspapers were unanimous in their censure of the tax proposal.
- an official reprimand, as by a legislative body of one of its members.
verb (used with object) - to criticize or reproach in a harsh or vehement manner: She is more to be pitied than censured.
verb (used without object) - to give censure, adverse criticism, disapproval, or blame.
Vehement
[vee-uh-muhnt]
- zealous; ardent; impassioned: a vehement defense; vehement enthusiasm.
- characterized by rancor or anger; violent: vehement hostility.
- strongly emotional; intense or passionate: vehement desire.
- marked by great energy or exertion; strenuous: vehement clapping.
Reprimand
[rep-ruh-mand]
noun
1. a severe reproof or rebuke, especially a formal one by a person in authority.
verb (used with object)
2. to reprove or rebuke severely, especially in a formal way.
Cynical
[sin-i-kuhl]
- distrusting or disparaging the motives of others; like or characteristic of a cynic.
- showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality by one’s actions, especially by actions that exploit the scruples of others.
- bitterly or sneeringly distrustful, contemptuous, or pessimistic.
Disparage
[dih-spar-ij]
- to speak of or treat slightingly; depreciate; belittle: Do not disparage good manners.
- to bring reproach or discredit upon; lower the estimation of: Your behavior will disparage the whole family.
Scruple
[skroo-puhl]
- a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions.
- a very small portion or amount.
Sneer
[sneer]
verb (used without object)
1. to smile, laugh, or contort the face in a manner that shows scorn or contempt: They sneered at his pretensions.
2. to speak or write in a manner expressive of derision or scorn.
verb (used with object)
3. to utter or say in a sneering manner.
noun
4. a look or expression of derision, scorn, or contempt.
5. a derisive or scornful utterance, especially one more or less covert or insinuative.
6. an act of sneering.
Contemptuous
[kuhn-temp-choo-uhs]
adjective
showing or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful; disrespectful.
Impotent
[im-puh-tuhnt]
adjective
- not potent; lacking power or ability.
- utterly unable (to do something).
- without force or effectiveness.
- lacking bodily strength or physically helpless.
- (of a male) unable to attain or sustain a penile erection.
Debilitate
[dih-bil-i-teyt]
verb (used with object)
to make weak or feeble; enfeeble: The siege of pneumonia debilitated her completely.
Prognosis
[prog-noh-sis]
- Medicine/Medical . a forecasting of the probable course and outcome of a disease, especially of the chances of recovery.
- a forecast or prognostication.
Renege
[ri-nig]
verb (used without object)
- Cards. to play a card that is not of the suit led when one can follow suit; break a rule of play.
- to go back on one’s word: He has reneged on his promise.
Collateral
[kuh-lat-er-uhl]
noun
1. security pledged for the payment of a loan: He gave the bank some stocks and bonds as collateral for the money he borrowed.
adjective
2. accompanying; auxiliary: He received a scholarship and collateral aid.
3. additional; confirming: collateral evidence; collateral security.
4. secured by collateral: a collateral loan.
Auxiliary
[awg-zil-yuh-ree]
adjective
1. additional; supplementary; reserve: an auxiliary police force.
2. used as a substitute or reserve in case of need: The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of a blackout.
noun
3. a person or thing that gives aid of any kind; helper.
Brook
[brook]
verb (used with object)
to bear; suffer; tolerate: I will brook no interference.
“not brook sth / brook no sth”
Whinge
[hwinj]
verb (used without object)
to complain; whine.
Maverick
[mav-rik]
noun
1. a lone dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist, or a politician, who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates: a modern-dance maverick. Synonyms: nonconformist, individualist; free thinker; loner, lone wolf.
2. a person pursuing rebellious, even potentially disruptive, policies or ideas: You can’t muzzle a maverick. Synonyms: rebel, cowboy; loose cannon.
adjective
3. unorthodox, unconventional, nonconformist: a maverick fiscal conservative willing to raise taxes.
Streak
[streek]
noun
- a long, narrow mark, smear, band of color, or the like: streaks of mud.
- a portion or layer of something, distinguished by color or nature from the rest; a vein or stratum: streaks of fat in meat.
- a vein, strain, or admixture of anything: a streak of humor.
- Informal.
a. a spell or run: a streak of good luck.
b. an uninterrupted series: The team had a losing streak of ten games. - a flash leaving a visible line or aftereffect, as of lightning; bolt.
Sleek
[sleek]
adjective
- smooth or glossy, as hair, an animal, etc.
- well-fed or well-groomed.
- trim and graceful; finely contoured; streamlined: a sleek sports car.
- smooth in manners, speech, etc.; suave.
- cleverly or deceitfully skillful; slick: a sleek confidence man.
Hoard
[hohrd]
noun
1. a supply or accumulation that is hidden or carefully guarded for preservation, future use, etc.: a vast hoard of silver.
verb (used with object)
2. to accumulate for preservation, future use, etc., in a hidden or carefully guarded place: to hoard food during a shortage.
verb (used without object)
3. to accumulate money, food, or the like, in a hidden or carefully guarded place for preservation, future use, etc.
Sordid
[sawr-did]
adjective
- morally ignoble or base; vile: sordid methods.
- meanly selfish, self-seeking, or mercenary.
- dirty or filthy.
- squalid; wretchedly poor and run-down: sordid housing.
Vile
[vahyl]
adjective
- wretchedly bad: a vile humor.
- highly offensive, unpleasant, or objectionable: vile slander.
- repulsive or disgusting, as to the senses or feelings: a vile odor.
- morally debased, depraved, or despicable: vile deeds.
- foul; filthy: vile language.
- poor; wretched: vile workmanship.
- of mean or low condition: a vile beggar.
- menial; lowly: vile tasks.
- degraded; ignominious: vile servitude.
- of little value or account; paltry: a vile recompense.
Wretched
[rech-id]
adjective
- very unfortunate in condition or circumstances; miserable; pitiable.
- characterized by or attended with misery and sorrow.
- despicable, contemptible, or mean: a wretched miser.
- poor, sorry, or pitiful; worthless: a wretched job of sewing.
Notwithstanding
[not-with-stan-ding, -with-]
preposition
1. in spite of; without being opposed or prevented by: Notwithstanding a brilliant defense, he was found guilty. She went to the game anyway, doctor’s orders notwithstanding.
conjunction
2. in spite of the fact that; although: It was the same material, notwithstanding the texture seemed different.
adverb
3. nevertheless; anyway; yet: We were invited notwithstanding.
Entice
[en-tahys]
verb (used with object)
1. to lead on by exciting hope or desire; allure; inveigle: They were enticed westward by dreams of gold.
2. to attract or draw towards oneself by exciting hope or desire.
“entice sb into sth”
Remittance
[ri-mit-ns]
noun
- the sending of money, checks, etc., to a recipient at a distance.
- money or its equivalent sent from one place to another.
Insouciant
[in-soo-see-uhnt]
adjective
free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant.
Penchant
[pen-chuhnt]
noun
a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something: a penchant for outdoor sports.
Kudos
[koo-dohz]
noun ( used with a singular verb )
honor; glory; acclaim: He received kudos from everyone on his performance.
Vex
[veks]
verb (used with object)
- to irritate; annoy; provoke: His noisy neighbors often vexed him.
- to torment; trouble; distress; plague; worry: Lack of money vexes many.
- to discuss or debate (a subject, question, etc.) with vigor or at great length: to vex a question endlessly without agreeing.
- to disturb by motion; stir up; toss about.
- to afflict with physical pain.
Paltry
[pawl-tree]
adjective, pal·tri·er, pal·tri·est.
- ridiculously or insultingly small: a paltry sum.
- utterly worthless.
- mean or contemptible: a paltry coward.
Utter
[uht-er]
verb (used with object)
1. to give audible expression to; speak or pronounce: unable to utter her feelings; Words were uttered in my hearing.
2. to give forth (cries, notes, etc.) with the voice: to utter a sigh.
adjective
1. complete; total; absolute: her utter abandonment to grief.
2. unconditional; unqualified: an utter denial.
Stutter
[stuht-er]
verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
1. to speak in such a way that the rhythm is interrupted by repetitions, blocks or spasms, or prolongations of sounds or syllables, sometimes accompanied by contortions of the face and body.
noun
2. distorted speech characterized principally by blocks or spasms interrupting the rhythm.
Hindrance
[hin-druhns]
noun
1. an impeding, stopping, preventing, or the like.
2. the state of being hindered.
3. a person or thing that hinders.
Synonyms
3. impediment, encumbrance, obstruction, check; restraint.
Vendetta
[ven-det-uh]
noun
- a private feud in which the members of the family of a murdered person seek to avenge the murder by killing the slayer or one of the slayer’s relatives, especially such vengeance as once practiced in Corsica and parts of Italy.
- any prolonged and bitter feud, rivalry, contention, or the like: a political vendetta.
Feud
[fyood]
noun
1. Also called blood feud. a bitter, continuous hostility, especially between two families, clans, etc., often lasting for many years or generations.
2. a bitter quarrel or contention: a feud between labor and management.
verb (used without object)
3. to engage in a feud.
Scoff
[skawf, skof]
verb (used without object)
1. to speak derisively; mock; jeer (often followed by at ): If you can’t do any better, don’t scoff. Their efforts toward a peaceful settlement are not to be scoffed at.
verb (used with object)
2. to mock at; deride.
noun
3. an expression of mockery, derision, doubt, or derisive scorn; jeer.
4. an object of mockery or derision.
Derisive
[dih-rahy-siv, -ris-iv]
adjective
characterized by or expressing derision; contemptuous; mocking: derisive heckling.
Derision
[dih-rizh-uhn]
noun
- ridicule; mockery: The inept performance elicited derision from the audience.
- an object of ridicule.
Ridicule
[rid-i-kyool]
noun
1. speech or action intended to cause contemptuous laughter at a person or thing; derision.
verb (used with object)
2. to deride; make fun of.
Scrupulous
[skroo-pyuh-luhs]
adjective
- having scruples; having or showing a strict regard for what one considers right; principled.
- punctiliously or minutely careful, precise, or exact: a scrupulous performance.