Vocab 4 Flashcards
excess
plethora
Assuming that more was better, the defendant offered the judge a plethora of excuses.
crude or coarse; characteristic of commoners
plebeian
After five weeks of rigorous studying, the graduate settled in for a weekend of plebeian socializing and television watching.
able to be molded, altered, or bent
plastic
The new material was very plastic and could be formed into products of vastly different shape.
to soothe or pacify
placate
The burglar tried to placate the snarling dog by referring to it as a “nice doggy” and offering it a treat.
an abusive, condemnatory speech
diatribe
The trucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off.
allowing light to show through; delicate
diaphanous
These diaphanous curtains do nothing to block out the sunlight.
jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
desultory
Athena had a desultory academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in 3 years.
to dry out thoroughly
desiccate
After a few weeks lying on the desert’s baking sand, the cow’s carcass became completely desiccated.
to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock
deride
The awkward child was often derided by his “cooler” peers.
to express doubts or objections
demur
When scientific authorities claimed that all the planets revolved around the Earth, Galileo, with his superior understanding of the situation, was forced to demur.
a leader or rabble-rouser, usually one appealing to emotion or prejudice
demagogue
He began his career as a demagogue, giving fiery speeches at political rallies.
subtly or unexpectedly harmful
deleterious
If only we have known the clocks were defective before putting them on the market, it wouldn’t have been quite so deleterious to our reputation.
respect; courtesty
deference
The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost deference.
to mar the appearance of; to vandalize
deface
After the wall was torn down, the students began to deface the statues of Communist leaders of the formed Eastern Bloc.
appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
decorum
The countless complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the decorum appropriate for a visit to the palace.
proper; tasteful; socially correct
decorous
The countess trained her daughters in the finer points of decorous behavior, hoping they would make a good impression when she presented them at Court.
a downward slope
declivity
Because the village was situated on the declivity of a hill, it never flooded.
to penetrate
permeate
This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to permeate stains and dissolve them in minutes!
to perceive or recognize
discern
It is easy to discern the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.
to set right; to free from error
disabused
Galileo’s observations disabused scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the Earth.
a funeral hymn or mournful speech
dirge
Melville wrote a dirge for the funeral of James McPherson, a Union general who was killed in 1864.
someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
dilettante
Jerry’s friends were such dilettantes they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.
intended to delay
dilatory
The congressman used dilatory measures to delay the passage of the bill.
to make larger; to expand
dilate
lacking self-confidence
diffident
an authoritative statement
dictum
“You have time to lean, you have time to clean.” was the dictum our boss made us live by.
the growth process from conception to birth
gestation
tending to talk a lot
garrulous
The garrulous parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking.
to gather and store
garner
The director managed to garner financial backing from several different sources for his next project.
to dance or skip around playfully
gambol
From her office, Amy enviously watched the playful puppies gambol around Central Park.
secret; stealthy
furtive
Glenn was furtive when he peered out of the corner of his eye at the stunningly beautiful model.
tending to be thrifty or cheap
frugality
frantic; frenzied
frenetic
The employee’s frenetic schedule left her little time to socialize.
unruly; rebellious
fractious
The general had a hard time maintaining discipline among his fractious troops.
happening by chance; fortunate
fortuitous
It was fortuitous that he won the lotto just before he had to pay back his loans.
to prevent or delay; to anticipate
forestall
to cross a body of water by wading
ford
to arouse or incite
foment
The rebels tried to foment revolution through their attacks on the government.
excessively decorated or embellished
florid
The palace had been decorated in an excessively florid style.
to decline in vigor, strength or interest
flag
The marathon runner slowed down as his strength flagged.
foul-smelling; putrid
fetid
The fetid stench from the outhouse caused Frances to wrinkle her nose in disgust.
intensely emotional; feverish
fervid
The fans of Maria Callas were particularly fervid, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer.
fertile; fruitful; productive
fecund
The fecund couple yielded a total of 20 children.
to grovel
fawn
The understudy fawned over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis.
stupid; foolishly self-satisfied
fatuous
Ted’s fatuous comments always embarrassed his keen-witted wife at parties.
acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
fanatical
The stormtroppers were fanatical in their devotion to the emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him.
dignified; grandiose
august
The august view of the Grand Teton summit took my breath away.
a prophecy; a prediction of events
augury
Troy hoped the rainbow was an augury of good things to come.
fearless and daring
audacious
The audacious peasant dared to insult the king’s mother.
to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
attenuate
The Bill of Rights attenuated the traditional power of government to change laws at will.
