Vocab #8 Flashcards
Bashful
(adj) Uncomfortably diffident and easily embarrassed; shy; timid. Indicative of, accompanied by, or proceeding from bashfulness.
Curtail
(v – used with object) To cut short; cut off a part of; abridge; reduce; diminish.
Infirmity
(n) A physical weakness or ailment: the infirmities of age. Quality or state of being infirm; lack of strength. A moral weakness or failing.
Industrious
(adj.) Working energetically and devotedly; hard-working; diligent: an industrious person. Obsolete, skillful.
Revel
(v – used without object) To take great pleasure or delight (usually followed by in): to revel in luxury. To make merry; indulge in boisterous festivities.
(n) Boisterous merrymaking or festivity; revelry. Often, revels. An occasion of merrymaking or noisy festivity with dancing, masking, etc.
Antipathy
(n) A natural, basic, or habitual repugnance; aversion. An instinctive contrariety or opposition in feeling. An object of natural aversion or habitual dislike.
• Different from APATHY.
Slovenly
(adj.) Untidy or unclean in appearance or habits. Characteristic of a sloven; slipshod: slovenly work. (adv.) In an untidy, careless, or slipshod manner.
Mar
(v – used with object) To damage or spoil to a certain extent; render less perfect, attractive, useful, etc.; impair or spoil: That billboard mars the view. The holiday was marred by bad weather.
To disfigure, deface, or scar: The scratch marred the table.
Tenacity
(n) The quality or property of being tenacious.
(adj. ) Holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm hold (often followed by of): a tenacious grip on my arm; tenacious of old habits.
Highly retentive: a tenacious memory. Pertinacious, persistent, stubborn, or obstinate.
Adhesive or sticky; viscous or glutinous. Holding together; cohesive; not easily
pulled asunder; tough.
• Adjective form: Tenacious
Poignant
(adj.) Keenly distressing to the feelings: poignant regret.
Keen or strong in mental appeal: a subject of poignant interest.
Affecting or moving the emotions: a poignant scene. Pungent to the smell: poignant cooking odors.
Futile
(adj.) Incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful: Attempting to force-feed the sick horse was futile.
Trifling; frivolous; unimportant.
Hone
(v – used with object) To sharpen on a hone: to hone a carving knife.
To enlarge or finish (a hole) with a hone. To make more acute or effective; improve; perfect: to hone one’s skills.
Affinity
(n) A natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc.
A person, thing, idea, etc., for which such a natural liking or attraction is felt.
Relationship by marriage or by ties other than those of blood (distinguished from consanguinity).
Inherent likeness or agreement; close resemblance or connection.
Biology. The phylogenetic relationship between two organisms or groups of organisms resulting in a resemblance in general plan or structure, or in the essential structural parts.
Aboriginal
(adj.) Of, pertaining to, or typical of aborigines: aboriginal customs. Original or earliest known; native; indigenous: the aboriginal people of Tahiti.
Imbibe
(v – used with object) To consume (liquids) by drinking; drink: He imbibed great quantities of iced tea.
To absorb or soak up, as water, light, or heat: Plants imbibe moisture from the soil.
To take or receive into the mind, as knowledge, ideas, or the like: to imbibe a sermon; to imbibe beautiful scenery.
(v – used without object) To drink, especially alcoholic beverages: Just a soft drink for me—I don’t imbibe. To absorb liquid or moisture.
