Vocab 2 (E-H) Flashcards
El dorado
Name of a non existent country or city having much gold, once believed to exist on the Amazon. A place of fabulous wealth or opportunity.
Edda
Elder Edda/Poetic Edda - a collection, made c1200, of ancient Old Norse poems on mythical and traditional subjects.
Elucidate
To explain or make clear
Elusive
Difficult to describe, find, achieve or remember
Emblazon
To print or decorate something in a very noticeable way
Emblematic
Pertaining to, of the nature of, or serving as an emblem; symbolic, typical.
Empathy
The ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining what it would be like to be in their situation.
Emulate
To copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have.
Encomienda
A formal or high-flown expression of praise; a panegyric (?)
Encumber
To weigh someone or something down, or to make it difficult for someone to do something.
Encyclical
Of an ecclesiastical letter, now esp. one issued by the Pope, intended for extensive circulation.
Ennui
A feeling of boredom and mental tiredness caused by having nothing interesting or exciting to do
Epicenter
The point on the Earth’s surface directly above an earthquake or atomic explosion.
Equipoise
Equality or equal distribution of weight; equilibrium, esp. of intellectual, moral of social forces or interests.
Equivocate
To speak in a way that is intentionally unclear and confusing to other people, especially to hide the truth.
Ergometer
An instrument or machine which measures work or energy, esp. The work done in a spell of exercise.
Eschew
Avoid, escape, keep clear of (a danger, place or person.)
Espalier
A fruit tree or ornamental shrub trained on a lattice or framework of stakes.
Étude
An instrumental piece, esp. for the piano, which concentrates on a particular aspect of technique or allows a display of virtuosity.
Euphonious
Having a pleasant sound
Evanescent
Lasting for only a short time, then disappearing quickly and being forgotten.
Evasive
Done in infer to avoid something or someone.
Evocative
Making you remember or imagine something pleasant.
Execrable
Very bad
Exhortation
To strongly encourage or try to persuade someone to do something.
Exonerate
To show or state that someone or something is not guilty of something.
Extemporaneous
Done or said without advance preparation or thought.
Extrapolate
To guess or think about what might happen from information that is already known.
Facile
Describes a remark or theory which is too simple and has not been thought about enough.
Facilitate
To make possible or easier
Fait accompli
An accomplished fact, a thing already done.
Fakir
A member of an Islamic religious group, or a Hindu holy man.
Fartlek
A method of training for middle and long-distance running, in which the athlete runs over country, mixing fast with slow work.
