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Vocab Flashcards

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1
Q

Seminal

A

Influential on later developments
“His book on social policy proved to be seminal.”

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2
Q

Alacrity

A

Brisk and cheerful readiness. Willingness, eagerness

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3
Q

Nebulous

A

(of a concept or idea) unclear, vague, or ill-defined.
“nebulous concepts like quality of life”

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4
Q

Remonstrate

A

To say or plead in protest, reproof, or opposition.
“Rather than yell and remonstrate with an individual, I will simply walk away from an argument.”

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5
Q

Acrimony

A

Anger and bitterness; harshness of words, manners, or feelings.

“The council’s first meeting ended in acrimony.”

“The dispute was settled without acrimony.”

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6
Q

Scurrilous

A

making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation.
“a scurrilous attack on his integrity”

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7
Q

Deference

A

Humble submission or respect

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8
Q

Unfeigned

A

Genuine, sincere.

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9
Q

Venerate

A

Regard with respect of admiring deference.
“Tolkien is venerated by authors like George R.R. Martin.”

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10
Q

Adulterate

A

Corrupt or make impure by the addition of a foreign or inferior element

“To avoid giving toddlers too much sugar, adulterate their juice with water.”
“I will not adulterate my schedule by filling it with unimportant tasks.”

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11
Q

Abstruse

A

Difficult to comprehend.

“Most of the medical research on the subject seems abstruse to the average man.”

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12
Q

Engender

A

To produce, to cause to exist. (Not abruptly or messily)

“Team building exercises are meant to engender a sense of camaraderie.”

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13
Q

Misanthrope

A

Someone who hates people. A Scrooge.

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14
Q

Impetuous

A

Impulsive vehemence-(intensity).
Extreme impatience. Reckless

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15
Q

Histrionic

A

Overly dramatic or emotional.
Theatrical; deliberately over dramatic
“The widow’s histrionic screaming made the detectives suspicious.”

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16
Q

Redress

A

(V): To rectify. To remedy.

(N): compensation

“More and more victims turn to litigation to redress wrongs done to them.” (V)

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17
Q

Prolific

A

Marked by abundant inventiveness or productivity. Fruitful.

“Picasso was extremely prolific during his Cubist years.”

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18
Q

Contemptible

A

Deserving contempt, scorn, or disdain.
Despicable

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19
Q

insouciance

A

Casual lack of concern; indifference.

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20
Q

Punctilious

A

showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.
“he was punctilious in providing every amenity for his guests”

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21
Q

Trenchant

A

Vigorously effective and articulate.

“Intellectually trenchant and emotionally brutal, the film is also a feast of outstanding acting.”

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22
Q

ignominious

A

Humiliating, Degrading, or Dishonorable
“an ignominious defeat.”

Marked with or characterized by disgrace or shame.

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23
Q

apocryphal

A

(of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

“Even though people know the apocryphal account of the shipwreck is false, they still tell the tale over and over again.”

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24
Q

ingenuous

A

(of a person or action) innocent and unsuspecting.

“he eyed her with wide, ingenuous eyes”

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25
Q

Impudence. Impudent

A

marked by contemptuous or cocky boldness or disregard of others : insolent.

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26
Q

Ribald

A

referring to sexual matters in an amusingly coarse or irreverent way.
“a ribald comment”

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27
Q

supercilious

A

behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others.

“The supercilious lady next door doesn’t even smile when we pass in the street.”

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28
Q

Obdurate

A

stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action.
“The man was an obdurate sinner.”

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29
Q

Garrulous

A

excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters. (Negative connotation)
“Polonius is portrayed as a foolish, garrulous old man”

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30
Q

Pragmatic

A

Practical, logical. Using reasoning.

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31
Q

Prevaricate

A

Avoid telling the truth.
Speak or act in an evasive way.
“he seemed to prevaricate when journalists asked pointed questions”

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32
Q

Impugn

A

To assail buy words or argument.
“You dare impugn me honor boy?”
dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or motive); call into question.
“the father does not impugn her capacity as a good mother”

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33
Q

Impunity

A

Freedom from punishment or harm

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34
Q

Counterpoise

A

(V) Bring into contrast.
“the stories counterpoise a young recruit with an old-timer”

(N) a factor, force, or influence that balances or neutralizes another.
“they see the power of Brussels as a counterpoise to that of London”

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35
Q

Inimical

A

tending to obstruct or harm.
“actions inimical to our interests”

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36
Q

Disabuse

A

persuade (someone) that an idea or belief is mistaken.
“he quickly disabused me of my fanciful notions”

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37
Q

Perfunctory

A

(of an action or gesture) carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection.
“he gave a perfunctory nod”

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38
Q

Aspersion

A

an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something.
“I don’t think anyone is casting aspersions on you”

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39
Q

Abash

A

make (someone) feel embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed.
“if anything was officially done or said to him, it did not abash him”

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40
Q

Unstintingly

A

Generously or lavishly

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41
Q

Capitulate

A

make (someone) feel embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed.
“if anything was officially done or said to him, it did not abash him”

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42
Q

Acquiesce

A

accept something reluctantly but without protest.
“Sara acquiesced in his decision”

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43
Q

Interminable

A

Endless (hyperbole)

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44
Q

Salubrious

A

health-giving; healthy.
“salubrious weather”

Think “Salud”

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45
Q

Staid

A

sedate, respectable, and unadventurous.
“staid law firms”

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46
Q

Repudiate

A

to refuse to accept especially : to reject as unauthorized or as having no binding force.
“repudiate a contract repudiate a will.”

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47
Q

Panegyrical

A

a eulogistic oration or writing
“…composed a panegyric about Tchaikovsky for the concert program”
also : formal or elaborate praise

a public speech or published text in praise of someone or something.

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48
Q

Reticent

A

not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.
“she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs”

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49
Q

Discomfit/Discomfiture

A

make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed.
“he was not noticeably discomfited by her tone”

a feeling of unease or embarrassment; awkwardness.
“many MPs are secretly enjoying his discomfiture”

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50
Q

Apotheosis

A

Climax

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51
Q

Taciturn

A

(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.
“after such gatherings she would be taciturn and morose”

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52
Q

Exegesis

A

Interpretation of a text, specifically scripture

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53
Q

Pugnacious

A

Having a quarrelsome or combative behavior

eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.
“his public statements became increasingly pugnacious”

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54
Q

Bumptious

A

self-assertive or proud to an irritating degree.
“these bumptious young boys today”

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55
Q

Edify/Edifying

A

instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually.
“Rachel had edified their childhood with frequent readings from Belloc”

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56
Q

Derisive

A

expressing contempt or ridicule.
“a harsh, derisive laugh”

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57
Q

Shrewd

A

having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute.
“she was shrewd enough to guess the motive behind his gesture”

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58
Q

Laudable

A

(of an action, idea, or goal) deserving praise and commendation.
“laudable though the aim might be, the results have been criticized”

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59
Q

Deride

A

express contempt for; ridicule.
“critics derided the proposals as clumsy attempts to find a solution”

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60
Q

Phlegmatic

A

(of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
“the phlegmatic British character”

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61
Q

Deprecate

A

express disapproval of.
“what I deprecate is persistent indulgence”

62
Q

Audacious

A

showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.
“a series of audacious takeovers”

showing an impudent lack of respect.
“an audacious remark”

63
Q

Auspicious

A

conducive to success; favorable.
“it was not the most auspicious moment to hold an election”

giving or being a sign of future success.
“they said it was an auspicious moon—it was rising”

64
Q

Prodigal

A

spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.
“prodigal habits die hard”

65
Q

Gregarious

A

(of a person) fond of company; sociable.
“he was a popular and gregarious man”

Social, Sociable

66
Q

Strident

A

(of a person) fond of company; sociable.
“he was a popular and gregarious man”

presenting a point of view, especially a controversial one, in an excessively and unpleasantly forceful way.
“public pronouncements on the crisis became less strident”

67
Q

Timorous

A

showing or suffering from nervousness, fear, or a lack of confidence.
“a timorous voice”

68
Q

Reproof

A

an expression of blame or disapproval.
“she welcomed him with a mild reproof for leaving her alone”

69
Q

Mien

A

a person’s look or manner, especially one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood.
“he has a cautious, academic mien”

70
Q

Precipitate

A

cause (an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely.
“the incident precipitated a political crisis”

71
Q

Erudite

A

having or showing great knowledge or learning.
“Ken could turn any conversation into an erudite discussion”

72
Q

Circumspection

A

the quality of being wary and unwilling to take risks; prudence.
“circumspection is required in the day-to-day exercise of administrative powers”

73
Q

Antipathy

A

a deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion.
“his fundamental antipathy to capitalism”

74
Q

Pedant

A

a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.
“the royal palace (some pedants would say the ex-royal palace)”

75
Q

Idyllic

A

(especially of a time or place) like an idyll; extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque.
“an attractive hotel in an idyllic setting”

76
Q

Itinerant

A

traveling from place to place.
“itinerant traders”

77
Q

Indefatigable

A

(of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly.
“an indefatigable defender of human rights”

78
Q

Equivocal

A

open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.
“the equivocal nature of her remarks”
uncertain or questionable in nature.
“the results of the investigation were equivocal”

79
Q

Assuage

A

make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.
“the letter assuaged the fears of most members”

satisfy (an appetite or desire).
“an opportunity occurred to assuage her desire for knowledge”

80
Q

Genteel

A

polite, refined, or respectable, often in an affected or ostentatious way.
“her genteel upbringing”

81
Q

Dissipation

A

the squandering of money, energy, or resources.
“the dissipation of the country’s mineral wealth”

squandering

dissipated living.
“a descent into drunkenness and sexual dissipation”

82
Q

Panacea

A

a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
“the panacea for all corporate ills”

83
Q

Dearth

A

a scarcity or lack of something.
“there is a dearth of evidence”

84
Q

Fallacious

A

based on a mistaken belief.
“fallacious arguments”

85
Q

Compulsory

A

equired by law or a rule; obligatory.
“compulsory military service”

86
Q

pre·tense

A
  1. an attempt to make something that is not the case appear true.
    “his anger is masked by a pretense that all is well”
  2. a claim, especially a false or ambitious one.
    “he was quick to disclaim any pretense to superiority”
87
Q

Myopia

A

nearsightedness.
“he wore spectacles to correct a mild degree of myopia”

lack of imagination, foresight, or intellectual insight.
“historians have been censured for their myopia in treating modern science as a western phenomenon”

88
Q

Magnanimous

A

generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person.
“she should be magnanimous in victory”

89
Q

Sacrosanct

A

(especially of a principle, place, or routine) regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with.

“the individual’s right to work has been upheld as sacrosanct”

90
Q

Entreaty

A

an earnest or humble request.

“the king turned a deaf ear to his entreaties”

91
Q

Presage

A

(of an event) be a sign or warning that (something, typically something bad) will happen.

“the outcome of the game presaged the coming year”

92
Q

Kleptocracy

A

Klepto government.

Think corrupt officials

93
Q

Slate

A

Criticize Severely

“his work was slated by the critics”

Can also to mean to plan

“Slated for June

94
Q

Stringent

A

(of regulations, requirements, or conditions) strict, precise, and exacting.

“California’s air pollution guidelines are stringent”

95
Q

Clemency

A

Leniency

96
Q

Crucible

A

a situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new.

“their relationship was forged in the crucible of war”

97
Q

Crib

A

copy (another person’s work) illicitly or without acknowledgment.

“he was taking an exam and didn’t want anybody to crib the answers from him”

98
Q

Dialectics

A

the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions.

Reasoning or argumentation

99
Q

Enmity

A

the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.

“decades of enmity between the two countries”

100
Q

Chide

A

Scold or Rebuke

“she chided him for not replying to her letters”

101
Q

Pyrrhic

A

(of a victory) won at too great a cost to have been worthwhile for the victor.

102
Q

Disparate

A

essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison.

“they inhabit disparate worlds of thought”

103
Q

Lodestar

A

a person or thing that serves as an inspiration or guide.

“she was his intellectual lodestar”

104
Q

Provincial

A

of or concerning the regions outside the capital city of a country, especially when regarded as unsophisticated or narrow-minded.

“the whole exhibition struck one as being very provincial”

105
Q

Invective

A

insulting, abusive, or highly critical language.

“he let out a stream of invective”

106
Q

Acumen

A

the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain.

“business acumen”

107
Q

Buttress

A

N and V

a source of defense or support.

“there was a demand for a new stable order as a buttress against social collapse”

108
Q

Intractable

A

hard to control or deal with.

“intractable economic problems”

(of a person) difficult or stubborn.

109
Q

Megalomania

A

obsession with the exercise of power, especially in the domination of others.

delusion about one’s own power or importance (typically as a symptom of manic or paranoid disorder).

110
Q

Demur

A

raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.

“normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she demurred”

111
Q

Chagrin

A

N or V

distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated.

“Jeff, much to his chagrin, wasn’t invited”

112
Q

Sanguine

A

optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.

“he is sanguine about prospects for the global economy”

113
Q

Forbearing

A

(of a person) patient and restrained.

“he proved to be remarkably forbearing whenever I was impatient or angry”

114
Q

Forbearing

A

(of a person) patient and restrained.

“he proved to be remarkably forbearing whenever I was impatient or angry”

115
Q

Rapacious

A

aggressively greedy or grasping.

“rapacious landlords”

116
Q

Posthumously

A

after the death of the originator.

“a number of songs were posthumously published in 1924”

117
Q

Licentious

A

promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters.

“the ruler’s tyrannical and licentious behavior”

118
Q

Ignominy

A

Public shame or disgrace

“the ignominy of being imprisoned”

119
Q

Animus

A

Animosity

120
Q

Stymie

A

prevent or hinder the progress of.

“the changes must not be allowed to stymie new medical treatments”

121
Q

Disparage

A

regard or represent as being of little worth.

“he never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors”

122
Q

Uncouth

A

(of a person or their appearance or behavior) lacking good manners, refinement, or grace.

“he is unwashed, uncouth, and drunk most of the time”

123
Q

Extortion

A

the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.

“he used bribery and extortion to build himself a huge, art-stuffed mansion”

124
Q

Esconse

A

Esconder

125
Q

Exhortation

A

an address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something.

“no amount of exhortation had any effect”

126
Q

Hegemony

A

leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others.

“Germany was united under Prussian hegemony after 1871”

127
Q

Conflagration

A

an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land or property.

“tinder-dry conditions sparked fears of a conflagration in many drought-devastated communities”

128
Q

Belie

A

.
(of an appearance) fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict.

“his lively, alert manner belied his years”

129
Q

Aplomb

A

self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.

“Diana passed the test with aplomb”

130
Q

Rancor

A

bitterness or resentfulness, especially when long-standing.

“he spoke without rancor”

131
Q

Vociferous

A

(especially of a person or speech) vehement or clamorous.

“he was a vociferous opponent of the takeover”

Vocal or outspoken

132
Q

Timorous

A

Timid

133
Q

Preponderant

A

predominant in influence, number, or importance.

“the preponderant influence of the US within the alliance”

134
Q

Aberration

A

a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome.

“they described the outbreak of violence in the area as an aberration”

135
Q

Veracity

A

conformity to facts; accuracy.

“officials expressed doubts concerning the veracity of the story”

Verdad

136
Q

Endemic

A

of a plant or animal) native and restricted to a certain place.

“a marsupial endemic to northeastern Australia”

137
Q

Sententious

A

given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner.

“he tried to encourage his men with sententious rhetoric”

138
Q

Mien

A

a person’s look or manner, especially one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood.

“he has a cautious, academic mien”

139
Q

Sepulchral

A

relating to a tomb or interment.
“sepulchral monuments”

gloomy; dismal.
“a speech delivered in sepulchral tones”

140
Q

Disposition

A

Temperament

141
Q

Behoove

A

it is appropriate or suitable; it befits.

“it ill behooves the opposition constantly to decry the sale of arms to friendly countries”

142
Q

Ministrations

A

the services of a minister of religion or of a religious institution.

“the ministrations of Father Martin”

143
Q

Convivial

A

Con vida

144
Q

Consummation

A

the action of making a marriage or relationship complete by having sexual intercourse.
“the eager consummation that follows a long and passionate seduction”

the point at which something is complete or finalized.
“the consummation of a sale”

145
Q

Eclectic

A

deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

“universities offering an eclectic mix of courses”

146
Q

Assignation

A

an appointment to meet someone in secret, typically one made by lovers.

“his assignation with an older woman”

147
Q

Underwrite

A

an appointment to meet someone in secret, typically one made by lovers.

“his assignation with an older woman”

148
Q

Wan

A

(of light) pale; weak.
“the wan dawn light”

(of a smile) weak; strained.
“he gave a wan smile”

149
Q

Votive

A

offered or consecrated in fulfillment of a vow.
“votive offerings”

150
Q

Aplomb

A

Self assurance or Poise

151
Q

Sultry

A

(of the air or weather) hot and humid.
“the sultry late summer weather had brought

(of a person, especially a woman) attractive in a way that suggests a passionate nature.
“a sultry French au pair”

152
Q

Legation

A

a diplomatic minister, especially one below the rank of ambassador, and their staff.
“they placed a bomb on the train carrying the British Legation to Istanbul”

Vocabulary for Vocabulary's sake (1 decks)

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