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SAT Drill Vocab > vocab from Ms.Moyer > Flashcards

vocab from Ms.Moyer Flashcards

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2
Q

clout

A

power and influence over other people or events:The small firms banded together so they would have more clout in Washington

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3
Q

tiff

A

a slight argument:We had a little tiff over whose turn it was to walk the dog.

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4
Q

goad

A

to cause someone to do something by being annoying:His brother goaded him into a wrestling match.

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5
Q

skulk

A

to hide or move around as if trying not to be seen, usually with bad intentions:Dogs were skulking in the alleys.

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6
Q

iconoclast

A

a person who strongly opposes generally accepted beliefs and traditionsRogers, an iconoclast in architecture, is sometimes described as putting the insides of buildings on the outside.

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7
Q

jade

A

a : a disreputable womanb : a flirtatious girl

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8
Q

rabble

A

the mass of people who are ordinary, unimportant, and poor, and sometimes threatening

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9
Q

unwitting

A

without knowing or planning:The harmful radiation tests were performed long ago on unwitting subjects.

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10
Q

doddering

A

weak and unable to walk in a normal way, usually because you are olda doddery old man

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11
Q

gratis

A

free; not costing anything:Drinks were gratis.

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12
Q

quoits

A

a game in which you throw rings over a small post, often played on ships

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13
Q

anlage

A

the foundation of a subsequent development; can be referenced to organs

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14
Q

derelict

A

(of buildings or equipment) not cared for and in bad condition

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15
Q

feral

A

existing in a wild state, especially describing an animal that was previously kept by peopleferal dogs/cats

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16
Q

pustule

A

a small raised area on the skin which contains pus (= thick liquid)

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17
Q

augur

A

to be a sign of especially good or bad things in the futureThe company’s sales figures for the first six months augur well for the rest of the year.

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18
Q

preen

A

(of a bird) to clean and arrange its feathers using its beakPeople who preen make themselves more attractive:[I] As they preened in the sun, Evelyn snapped photos of them.

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19
Q

rubicund

A

having a red face

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20
Q

seditious

A

language or behavior intended to persuade other people to oppose their government and change it, sometimes by using violence:He himself was tried for sedition and sentenced to ten years in jail.

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21
Q

tow-headed

A

a head of hair resembling tow especially in being flaxen or tousled; also : a person having such a head of hair

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22
Q

cognizant

A

to take notice of and consider something, especially when judgingThe lawyer asked the jury to take cognizance of the defendant’s generosity in giving to charity.

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23
Q

ennui

A

a feeling of being bored and mentally tired caused by having nothing interesting or exciting to doThe whole country seems to be affected by the ennui of winter.

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24
Q

debunk

A

to show that something is not true:Every week some long-held medical theory is debunked.

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25
Q

cadence

A

a regular rise and fall of sound, esp. of the human voice:She spoke in the lyrical cadence of her East African accent.

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26
Q

pastoral

A

(of a piece of art, writing, or music) having or representing the pleasant, traditional features of the countryside:a pastoral scene

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27
Q

blanch

A

to become pale, esp. from being surprised:When he realized who was on the phone, he blanched.

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28
Q

chafe

A

to make or become damaged or sore by rubbing:[T] That bracelet chafed my wrist.

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29
Q

nimbus

A

halo

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30
Q

lore

A

knowledge and stories, usually traditional, about a subject:He published several books on Indian lore and hunting.

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31
Q

virulent

A

(of a disease) dangerous and spreading quickly, or (of poison) having an effect very quickly:a virulent strain of flu

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32
Q

precis

A

a short form of a text that gives only the important parts

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33
Q

rend

A

to break something violently; tear

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34
Q

sated

A

having had more of something than you can easily have at one timesated with drink/food

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35
Q

conundrum

A

a problem that is difficult to deal with:The best shows pose moral conundrums that are hard to solve.

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36
Q

misnomer

A

a name that is not correct or does not suit what it refers to, or a use of such a name:Dry cleaning is a misnomer, since the clothes are cleaned in a fluid.

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37
Q

curry

A

to groom in order to get attention

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38
Q

acrid

A

strong, bitter, and unpleasant:The electrical fire sent thick clouds of acrid smoke through the office.

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39
Q

pulverize

A

to press or crush something until it becomes powder or a soft mass:Seashells were pulverized by the ocean’s waves.infml Our team aims to pulverize the competition (= badly defeat them).

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40
Q

fetid

A

smelling extremely bad and stalefetid air/breath

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41
Q

intermittent

A

not happening regularly or continuously; stopping and starting repeatedly or with long periods in between

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42
Q

crucible

A

a container for melting metals

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43
Q

quail

A

show fear or apprehension; cower

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44
Q

gull

A

to take advantage of

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45
Q

dissemble

A

to hide your real intentions and feelings or the factsHe accused the government of dissembling.

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46
Q

malign

A

to say things about someone or something that are harmful and usually not true:He said he had been unfairly maligned by a few board members who wanted him fired.

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47
Q

malevolent

A

causing or wanting to cause harm or evil:a malevolent juvenile delinquent

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48
Q

vindictive

A

having or showing a desire to harm someone because you think that the person has harmed you; unwilling to forgive:She was immature, spiteful, even vindictive at times.

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49
Q

pedantic

A

caring too much about unimportant rules or details and not enough about understanding or appreciating a subject:Professor Harris had a narrow, pedantic approach to history that put us to sleep.

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50
Q

rile

A

to annoy or make angry:Many farmers have been riled by Department of Agriculture fines.[M] Your loud parties rile up the neighbors.

51
Q

predilection

A

a strong liking or preference:a predilection for spicy foods

52
Q

abscond

A

to escape and hide somewhere, esp. because you have stolen something:They absconded with $100,000 of the company’s money.

53
Q

obsolete

A

outdated; no longer being used

54
Q

excise

A

Cut out surgically

55
Q

burnish

A

to rub metal until it is smooth and shiny• If you burnish something such as your public image, you take action to improve it and make it more attractive.The company is currently trying to burnish its socially responsible image.

56
Q

mollycoddle

A

to give someone too much care or protectionYou’re not helping the children by mollycoddling them - they have to grow up sometime.

57
Q

genuflect

A

to bend one knee or touch one knee to the floor as a sign of worship or respect

58
Q

amorphous

A

having no fixed form or shape; not clear or not determined:Plans for a 40-acre shopping center section remain so amorphous that the project has been shelved.

59
Q

yaw

A

to veer; twist

60
Q

chary

A

uncertain and frightened to take risks; unwilling to take actionI’m a bit chary of using a travel agency that doesn’t have official registration.

61
Q

noisome

A

very unpleasant and offensivea noisome stench

62
Q

ossify

A

If habits or ideas ossify, or if something ossifies them, they become fixed and unable to changeYears of easy success had ossified the company’s thinking and it never faced up to the challenge of the new technology.

63
Q

sinuous

A

moving in a twisting, curving or indirect way, or having many curvesHe enjoyed watching the sinuous bodies of the dancers.The walkers followed the sinuous path through the trees.

64
Q

ineffable

A

causing so much emotion, especially pleasure, that it cannot be describedineffable joy/beauty

65
Q

oblation

A

something offered in worship or devotion : a holy gift offered usually at an altar or shrine

66
Q

pipe dream

A

an idea or plan that is not practical or possible:Many people still believe that traveling to Mars is just a pipe dream.

67
Q

germane

A

applicableHer remarks could not have been more germane to the discussion.

68
Q

obtuse

A

angle over 90 degrees ora : lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect : insensitive, stupidb : difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression

69
Q

effluvium

A

1 : an invisible emanation; especially : an offensive exhalation or smell2: a by-product especially in the form of waste

70
Q

sophomoric

A

(of an adult) typical of someone acting like a child:sophomoric behavior

71
Q

potentate

A

a ruler who has a lot of power, especially one whose power is not limited, for example by the existence of a parliament

72
Q

excommunicate

A

(of the Christian Church, esp. the Roman Catholic Church) to refuse to allow someone to be a member of the church

73
Q

lecher

A

a lecherous person (esp. of men) too interested in sex

74
Q

bucolic

A

relating to the countrysideThe painting shows a typically bucolic scene with peasants harvesting crops in a field.

75
Q

glut

A

a supply or amount that is much greater than necessary:a glut of new housinga glut of information

76
Q

ipso facto

A

by that fact or act:If he is right, then anyone who disagrees with him is, ipso facto, wrong

77
Q

effervescent

A

describes a liquid that produces bubbles of gaseffervescent vitamin C tablets

78
Q

probity

A

the quality of being honest and behaving correctly:The Secretary-General will spare no effort to continue to ensure that the highest standards of probity are maintained.

79
Q

pathos

A

a quality in life or art that causes feelings of sadness or sympathy:The dying girl’s speech generates genuine pathos.

80
Q

undulate

A

describing or having small hills and slopes that look like wavesundulating roadsI love the gently undulating hills of the Dales.• moving gently up and downundulating waves

81
Q

nugatory

A

worth nothing or of little valuea nugatory amount

82
Q

apotheosize / apotheosis

A

elevation to divine status

83
Q

consanguinity

A

a close relation or connection

84
Q

impugn

A

to cause people to doubt or not trust someone’s character, honesty, or ability:He could no longer work as a doctor because his reputation had been impugned.

85
Q

cleave

A

o cut or break into two or more parts:[I] The volcano cleaved nearly in half after its last eruption.

86
Q

bilk

A

to block the free development of : frustrate 2a : to cheat out of something valuable : defraud

87
Q

palaver

A

unnecessary work and troubleOrganizing the annual office lunch was such a palaver, I swore I’d never do it again.idle talk

88
Q

extemporize

A

to speak or perform without any preparation or thoughtI’d lost my notes and had to extemporize.

89
Q

peremptory

A

having the expectation of immediate and complete obedience, or to be obeyed without explanation:In his usual peremptory manner, he ordered us all into the conference room.

90
Q

disconcerting

A

to make someone feel suddenly uncertain or worried:He was disconcerted by all the attention he was getting.

91
Q

jaunty

A

happy and confident

92
Q

languid

A

lacking energy, or causing a lack of energy or enthusiasm:He sat on the porch enjoying the delicious, languid warmth of a summer afternoon.

93
Q

defunct

A

broken; no longer existing or workingHe was a reporter for the defunct New York Herald newspaper.

94
Q

harrowing

A

extremely upsetting because connected with suffering:His book tells the harrowing story of how they climbed Mt. Everest.

95
Q

dilatory

A

slow and likely to cause delaydilatory behaviour/tacticsBritish institutions have been dilatory in cutting credit card charges.

96
Q

proximity

A

the state of being near in space or time:Mexico is a popular vacation spot because of its proximity to California.

97
Q

septic

A

infected by bacteria which produce pusI had my ears pierced and one of them went septic.

98
Q

ruddy

A

(of a white person’s skin) having a red color, often suggesting good health:a ruddy-cheeked girl

99
Q

contumely

A

harsh language or treatment arising from haughtiness and contempt; also : an instance of such language or treatment

100
Q

malefactress

A

a woman who violates the law or does evil.

101
Q

iniquity

A

sinfulness; wickednessThey fought long and hard against the iniquities of apartheid.The writer reflects on human injustice and iniquity.

102
Q

mien

A

a person’s appearance, especially the typical expression on their faceHis aristocratic mien and smart clothes singled him out.

103
Q

trifle

A

a matter or item of little value or importancea trifle› A trifle means slightly or to a small degree:He admits to being a trifle nervous before every show.

104
Q

intimate

A

to imply or hint

105
Q

cabalistic

A

Relating to or associated with mystical interpretation or esoteric doctrine

106
Q

adduce

A

to give reasons why you think something is trueNone of the evidence adduced in court was conclusive.

107
Q

vilify

A

to say or write unpleasant things about someone or something, in order to cause other people to have a bad opinion of themHe was vilified by the press as a monster of perversity.

108
Q

sedulous

A

(of a person or action) Showing dedication and diligence: “he watched himself with the most sedulous care”.

109
Q

loquacious

A

having the habit of talking a lot

110
Q

contiguity

A

next to or touching another, usually similar, thingThe two states are contiguous with/to each other, but the laws are quite different.

111
Q

misanthrope

A

someone who dislikes other people and avoids involvement with society

112
Q

colloquy

A

a formal conversation

113
Q

somnambulism

A

the action, sometimes happening regularly, of a person walking around while they are sleeping

114
Q

conceit

A

a fanciful idea

115
Q

scurrilous

A

rude and cruel, and sometimes damaging:scurrilous remarks

116
Q

verdure

A

(the green colour of) fresh healthy plants

117
Q

asperity

A

the quality of being severe in the way that you speak and behavethe asperity of her manner

118
Q

disquietude

A

worryThe leader’s decline in popularity is causing disquiet among supporters.

119
Q

obeisance

A

obedience and respect, or something you do which expresses thisOne by one the noblemen made their obeisances (= bent at the waist) to the Queen.

120
Q

pithy

A

(of speech or writing) brief and full of meaning:pithy commentsa pithy quote

121
Q

preternatural

A

more than is usual or naturalAnger gave me preternatural strength, and I managed to force the door open.

SAT Drill Vocab (6 decks)

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