vocab for fun Flashcards
ineluctable
inescapable, incapable of being evaded
exigencies
a case or situation that demands prompt attention. emergency
pernicious
causing insidious harm, hurtful
insiduous
proceeding in a gradual way, but with harmful effects.
intended to trap or beguile.
operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way.
locution
a particular form of expression, a word or phrase, or an idiom, especially as used by a particular person
atavism
reversion to an earlier type, a throwback
platitude
flat, dull, or trite remark esp as uttered if it were fresh and profound.
the quality or state of being flat, dull, or trite
trite
(of a remark, opinion, or idea) overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness.
bastion
fortified place. anything seen as preserving or protecting something.
putative
commonly regarded as, reputed, supposed
truckle
to submit or yield, obsequiously or tamely
obsequious
obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
miscreant
depraved, villainous
ignominy
disgrace, dishonor, public contempt.
cadre
keep group of officers and enlisted personnel that train other officers.
a framework, outline, or scheme
stultify
to make to appear foolish.
cause to lose enthusiasm and initiative, especially as a result of a tedious or restrictive routine.
abnegate
to refuse or deny oneself, reject, or renounce
supplicate
pray humbly
puerile
pertaining to childhood
recalcitrant
resisting authority or control; not obedient, or compliant, hard to deal with manage
sinecure
office or position requiring little or no work, esp one resulting in profitable returns
benifice
land held by feudal tenant for services rendered the owner
endowed church office providing a living for a vicar, rector, etc
obstreprerous
noisy, clamorous, resisting control
paen
song of praise, joy
aegis
protection, support
piquant
agreeably stimulating, interesting, attractive,
sharp or stinging, esp to feeling
meretricious
alluring by show of flashy or vulgarity. tawdry
based on pretense or deception. insincere.
promulgate
to make known by declaration, publish, or proclaim formally.
anathema
hated thing. curse.
expedient
means to an end.
tending to promote some proposed or desired object fit or suitable for the intended purpose
beguile
deceive someone in a cunning way, or enchant someone and make them become attracted to you.
hermeneutical
interpretive or method of interpretation, often in regards to the bible
fleer
to grin or laugh coarsely or mockingly
intrepid
fearless, dauntless
castigating
to criticize or reprimand severely. to punish
redound
to have a good or bad effect or result
hegemony
leadership or predominant influence exercise by one nation over others, as in a confederation.
leadership, dominance.
nascent
beginning to exist, develop
perfunctory
perform merely as routine, duty
lacking enthusiasm
paucity
lack of quantity, scarcity
inexorable
unyielding, unable to be prevented. syn: relentless, inevitable.
sagacious
keen & farsighted judgement
multifarious
many parts or elements
manque
short of or frustrated in the fulfillment of one’s aspirations or talents
eschew
avoid because you don’t think it is good or right
temerity
fool hardy, reckless
improvident
not proved for the future
effrontery
brazenness
impudent
offensive boldness
perspicacous
having keen insight or understanding. adj shrewd
sapient
possessing, or being able to possess knowledge
incongrous
incompatible with, not harmonious
fatuous
foolish, silly
fantod
a state or attack of uneasiness or unreasonableness.
adscititoius
derived from external sources, not integral. forming an addition or supplement.
veracious
honest, truthful
verisimilitude
quality of appearing to be true or reals
verisimilar
appearing to be true or real
ersatz
artificial, synthetic, serving as a substitute
specious
pleasing to the eye but deceptive
hegemony
dominion, authority, influence by one country over others socially, culturally, economically
aberration
departure from normal
aeshtete
person who recognizes beauty in art, music, etc
palliate
alleviate or extenuate
ameliorate
make better
equivical
allowing for many different meaning
tantatmount
equivalent
capricious
given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.
antediluvian
extremely old, before the biblical flood
abattoir
slaughterhouse
eloquent
speaking in a fluent, powerful, appropriate way
insolent
bold in a rude way
august
revered, majestic
protagonist
main character
demur
show reluctance, object, esp for moral reasons
pedant
a person who makes excessive or inappropriate shows of learning.
a person who overemphasizes rules or minor details
laconic
using few words, expressing much on few words
precipitate
bring about prematurely.
hasten the occurrence of
fling or hurl
prodigal
wastefully extravagent
dessicate
dry out
adulterate
to debase or make impure by adding inferior elements
engender
to produce, cause to give or rise, beget
loquacious
tendency to talk much or freely. chatter, babbler
corroborate
to make certain, confirm
ephemeral
short lived, transitionary
mitigate
to make less severe
propriety
rightness of manners. conformity
calumny
false or injurious statement designed to injure someone else.
vicissitude
a change or variation occurring in the course of something
salubrious
favorable to or promoting health
opprobious
outrageously disrespectful
opprobrioum
disgrace or reproach incurred by conduct
descry
discover by looking carefully
anchorite
person who lives far from society esp for religious reasons.
fiat
dictative or authoritative order
spurious
lacking validity, false
innocuous
harmless
quondon
former, sometime
mercurial
changing moods
excoritate
berate severely
brook
suffer or tolerate
contenance
facial expresssion
epicure
person with discriminating tastes, esp regarding food or wine
succor
comfort, provide relief
commix
mix together
constringe
cause to shrink
paradoxical
contradictory, or seemingly absurd
feckless
lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible.
inimical
unfavorable, harmful
denoucement
conclusion
misanthrope
hater of humans
vitiate
ruin, make corrupt or faulty
depredate
plunder
efface
wipe out, erase
traduce
speak maliciously & falsely off
divagate
wander of, digress
perspicacious
having penetrating mind, judgement
dissembling
misleading or acting hypocritically
pervaricating
lying, misleading
predilection
tendency
quiescent
meaning peaceful / calm
arrant
notoriously bad
arrear
something overdue to be paid
wry
deviating from proper
declamation
speech intended for recitation from memory in public
declension
change endings of nouns to express different genders
sapid
affecting sense of taste
defalcate
cut off, take away part of something
defray
make payment for
deist
one who believes in god but denies supernatural revelations
scurrilous
vulgar
secant
cutting esp into 2 parts
parsimonious
frugal
penurious
stingy
laity
large group
maxim
succinct formulation of a fundamental principle, an axim
axiom
a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true
execrate
to declare to be hateful, abhorrent
perspicacity
keeness of mental perception, discernment
deride
to mock, ridicule
conflate
to bring together, meld
adjudicate
hear, settle by judicial procedure
convivial
festive
remonstrate
plead in protest, objection, express disapproval
reprove
voice dissaproval
admonish
reprove firmly but earnestly
gasconade
extravagant boasting
temerity
excessive boldness, confidence, audacity
prosy
boring, unimaginative, unpoetic
subsume
to absorb something or someone else
neophyte
a person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief.