Vocab I Flashcards
Idiosyncrasy
Peculiarity of temperament; eccentricity
His numerous IDIOSYNCRASIES included a fondness for wearing bright green shoes with mauve socks.
Synonyms:
HUMOR. ODDITY. QUIRK.
Ignoble
Having low moral standards; not noble in character; mean
The photographer was paid a princely sum for the picture of the self-proclaimed ethicist in the IGNOBLE act of pick-pocketing.
Synonyms:
LOWLY. VULGAR.
Imbue
To infuse, dye, wet, or moisten
Marcia struggled to IMBUE her children with decent values, a difficult task in this day and age.
Synonyms:
CHARGE. FREIGHT. IMPREGNATE. PERMEATE. PERVADE.
Impasse
Blocked path; dilemma with no solution
The rock slide produced an IMPASSE, so no one could proceed further on the road.
Synonyms:
CUL-DE-SAC. DEADLOCK. STALEMATE.
Impecunious
Poor; having no money
After the stock market crashed, many former millionaires found themselves IMPECUNIOUS.
Synonyms:
DESTITUTE. IMPOVERISHED. INDIGENT. NEEDY. PENNILESS.
Impugn
To call into question; to attack verbally
“How dare you IMPUGN my motives?” protested the lawyer, on being accused of ambulance chasing.
Synonyms:
CHALLENGE. DISPUTE.
Imprecation
A curse
Spouting violent IMPRECATIONS, Hank searched for the person who had vandalized his truck.
Synonyms:
DAMNATION.
Incarnadine
Blood-red in color
At his mother’s mention of his baby pictures, the shy boy’s cheeks turned INCARNADINE with embarrassment.
Synonyms:
REDDENED. RUBY. RUDDY.
Inculcate
To teach; impress in the mind
Most parents INCULCATE their children with their beliefs and ideas instead of allowing their children to develop their own values.
Synonyms:
IMPLANT. INDOCTRINATE. INSTILL. PREACH.
Inexorable
Inflexible; unyielding
The INEXORABLE force of the twister swept away their house.
Synonyms:
ADAMANT. RELENTLESS. OBDURATE.
Ingratiate
To gain favor with another by deliberate effort; to seek to please somebody so as to gain an advantage
The new intern tried to INGRATIATE herself with the managers so that they might consider her for a future job.
Synonyms:
CURRY FAVOR. FLATTER.
Ingrate
Ungrateful person
When none of her relatives thanked her for the fruitcakes she had sent them, Audrey condemned them all as INGRATES.
Synonyms:
CAD. CHURL.
Iniquity
Sin; evil act
“I promise to close every den of INIQUITY in this town!” thundered the conservative new mayor.
Synonyms:
ENORMITY. IMMORALITY. INJUSTICE. VICE. WICKEDNESS.
Insurrection
Rebellion
After the emperor’s troops crushed the INSURRECTION, its leaders fled the country.
Synonyms:
MUTINY. REVOLT. REVOLUTION. UPRISING.
Interregnum
Period between reigns
When JFK was shot, there was a brief INTERREGNUM before Lyndon Johnson became president.
Synonyms:
Interval.
Inter
To bury
After giving the masses one last chance to pay their respects, the leader’s boy was INTERRED.
Synonyms:
ENTOMB. INHUME. SEPULCHER. SEPULTURE. TOMB.
Intractable
Not easily managed or manipulated
INTRACTABLE for hours, the wild horse eventually allowed the rider to mount.
Synonyms:
STUBBORN. UNRULY.
Invective
Abusive language
A stream of INVECTIVES poured from Mrs. Pratt’s mouth as she watched the vandals smash her ceramic frog.
Synonyms:
DENUNCIATION. REVILEMENT. VITUPERATION.
Inure
To Harden; accustom; become used to
Eventually, Hassad became INURED to the sirens that went off every night and could sleep through them.
Synonyms:
CONDITION. FAMILIARIZE. HABITUATE.
Invidious
Envious, obnoxious, or offensive; likely to promote ill-will
It is cruel and INVIDIOUS for parents to play favorites with their children.
Synonyms:
DISCRIMINATORY. INSULTING. JAUNDICED. RESENTFUL.
Investiture
Ceremony conferring authority
At Napoleon’s INVESTITURE, he grabbed the crown from the Pope’s hands and placed it on his head himself.
Synonyms:
INAUGURAL. INAUGURATION. INDUCTION. INITIATION. INSTALLATION.
Itinerant
Wandering from place to place; unsettled
The ITINERANT tomcat came back to the Johansson homestead every two months.
Synonyms:
NOMADIC. VAGRANT.
