Vocab 3 U13-15 Flashcards
adj) extremely difficult to understand
abstruse
n) an open or intentional insult; a slight;
v) to insult one’s face; to face in defiance, confront
affront
n) a false rumor, fabricated story
canard
adj) excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up
captious
adj) aware, knowledgeable, informed; having jurisdiction
cognizant
adj) regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt; thoroughly penitent
contrite
n) the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct
cynosure
adj) well behaved, dignified, socially proper
decorous
v) to think it appropriate or suitable to one’s dignity to do something; to condescend
deign
adj, part) thoroughly dried out; divested of spirit or vitality; arid and uninteresting
desiccated
n) the power to produce a desired result
efficacy
v) to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence, assume form
engender
adj) light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly (rather than earthbound)
ethereal
n) the front or face of a building; a surface appearance (as opposed to what may lie behind)
facade
adj) revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead
ghoulish
adj) not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible
incongruous
n) a crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some (usually evil) end
machination
v) to hypnotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch
mesmerize
n) disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach
opprobium
adj) generally regarded as such; reputed; hypothesized, inferred
putative
adj) blissful; rendering or making blessed
beatific
n) a creature of enormous size, power, or appearance
behemouth
n, pl) anything designed to flatter or coax; sweet talk, apple-polishing
blandishment
adj) harsh-sounding, raucous, discordant, dissonant
cacophonous
n) trickery, deceptive practices or tactics, double-dealing
chicanery
v) to give over to another’s care, charge, or control; to entrust, deliver; to set apart for a special use
consign
n) a highly successful stroke, masterstroke, tour de force, act, plan, or stratagem; a sudden takeover of power or leadership
coup
n) a mild or inoffensive expression used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one; a substitute
euphemism
adj) feverish; pertaining to or marked by fever; frenetic
febrile
v) to deny, contradict, controvert; to dispute, oppose
gainsay
adj) about to happen, threatening
imminent
adj) natural, inborn, inherent; built-in
innate
adj) unwilling, reluctant, disinclined
loath
adj) clear, evident to the eyes or mind;
v) to show plainly, exhibit, evince;
n) a list of cargo and/or passengers
manifest
n, pl) small or trivial details, trifling matters
minutiae
n) a suspension of activity; an official waiting period; an authorized period of delay
moratorium
n) an alleged cure-all; a remedy or scheme of questionable effectiveness
nostrum
n) one who is rejected by a social group or organization
pariah
adj) not practical, lacking in realism; having the nature of a fantasy or dream;
n) one given to far-fetched ideas; a dreamer or seer characterized by vision or foresight
visionary
adj, part) dry, shrunken, and wrinkled (often as the result of aging)
wizened
n) that which is pleasant or agreeable;
pl) attractive features, customs, etc
amenity
n) an opening, gap, hole; orifice
aperture
n) a difference of opinion; discontent
dissidence
adj) devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; fond of good food, comfort, and ease; with discriminating tastes;
n) a person with discriminating tastes
epicurean
adj) not thrifty, failing to plan ahead
improvident
n) a wickedness, sin; a grossly immoral act
iniquity
adj) sacred; of such a character that it must not be broken, injured, or profaned
inviolable
adj) open to or capable of change, fickle
mutable
adj) just beginning to exist or develop; having just come into existence
nascent
n) a deep bow or other body movement indicating respect or submission; deference, homage
obeisance
n) a formal or elaborate praise; a tribute
panegyric
n) a device for publicly punishing offenders; a means for exposing one to public contempt or ridicule;
v) to expose to public contempt or ridicule
pillory
n) a woefully meager allowance, wage, or portion
pittance
v) to foreshadow or point to a future event; to predict;
n) a warning or indication of the future
presage
n) descendants, offspring, children, followers, disciples
progeny
n) to proclaim or issue officially; to make known far and wide
promulgate
n) uprightness, righteousness; correctness
rectitude
adj) restless, hard to manage, balky
restive
adj) angelic, heavenly, celestial
seraphic
v) to have existence; to remain alive, manage to make a living or maintain life; to persist or continue
subsist
