Vocab Junkie - Set 5 Flashcards

Learn this group of tough but common English vocab words - in chunks of 10 at a time. Just rate your confidence on each word, and it will repeat in an interval of time optimized for your brain's maximum retention.

1
Q

Define:

aseptic

(uh-sep-tik)

A

adj. free of pathogens or germs

adj. with little or no emotion

Doctors are always careful to use aseptic surgical equipment to prevent infection.

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2
Q

Define:

prolix

(proh-liks)

A

adj. wordy or prolonged; tedious in length

The prolix manuscript took days to read.

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3
Q

Define:

foolhardy

(fool-hahr-dee)

A

adj. reckless, unwisely bold; thoughtlessly rash

It was a foolhardy attempt to climb the Sears Tower that went very wrong.

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4
Q

Define:

picaresque

(pik-uh-resk)

A

adj. involving clever rogues in episodes of comedy or adventure

Huck Finn is a picaresque hero.

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5
Q

Define:

raucous

(raw-kuhs)

A

adj. rough sounding, harsh

adj. boisterous, rowdy, disorderly

The raucous laughter went on long into the night.

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6
Q

Define:

providential

(prov-ih-den-shuhl)

A

adj. to occur as if from divine intervention

His providential recovery, when it seemed that he would surely succumb, brought hope to many.

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7
Q

Define:

antipodal

(an-tip-uh-dl)

A

adj. diametrically opposed to, polar opposite

adj. on the opposite side of the earth

The couple had totally antipodal personalities, but they enjoyed each other’s company.

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8
Q

Define:

pillory

(pill-uh-ree)

A

v. to punish; to hold up for public scorning

n. a wooden framework with holes for head and hands, in which criminal offenders are held

Dan was pilloried in class for his inability to spell “potato”.

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9
Q

Define:

infelicitous

(in-fuh-liss-ih-tuss)

A

adj. unfortunate, awkward, inappropriate

In Thailand, it is considered infelicitous to touch someone’s head.

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10
Q

Define:

dilatory

(dil-uh-tawr-ee)

A

adj. tending to delay, put off, or procrastinate

adj. intended to slow progress

Courtney employed dilatory tactics in the debate in order to collect her thoughts, but the judges noticed and she was docked a point.

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11
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. free of pathogens or germs

adj. with little or no emotion

A

aseptic

(uh-sep-tik)

synonyms: barren, clean; withdrawn, introverted

The surgeon ensured the operating room was aseptic before beginning the procedure.

His aseptic demeanor made it difficult for others to gauge his true feelings.

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12
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. wordy or prolonged; tedious in length

A

prolix

(proh-liks)

synonyms: lengthy, rambling

The prolix report could have been summarized in just a few pages.

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13
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. reckless, unwisely bold; thoughtlessly rash

A

foolhardy

(fool-hahr-dee)

synonyms: daredevil, venturous, risky

His foolhardy decision to hike alone in the storm was met with concern from his friends.

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14
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. involving clever rogues in episodes of comedy or adventure

A

picaresque

(pik-uh-resk)

synonyms: roguish, satirical

The novel’s picaresque style follows a witty antihero on a series of misadventures.

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15
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. rough sounding, harsh

adj. boisterous, rowdy, disorderly

A

raucous

(raw-kuhs)

synonyms: noisy, chaotic

The raucous laughter from the crowd filled the room, creating a lively atmosphere.

The raucous party continued late into the night, with music blaring and people dancing wildly.

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16
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. to occur as if from divine intervention

A

providential

(prov-ih-den-shuhl)

synonyms: accidental, convenient, fortunate

Their meeting at the café felt providential, as it led to a long-lasting friendship.

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17
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. diametrically opposed to, polar opposite

adj. on the opposite side of the earth

A

antipodal

(an-tip-uh-dl)

synonyms: opposed, contrary, counter

The two countries had antipodal cultures, with vastly different traditions and beliefs.

The antipodal point of New York City lies in the Indian Ocean.

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18
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to punish; to hold up for public scorning

n. a wooden framework with holes for head and hands, in which criminal offenders are held

A

pillory

(pill-uh-ree)

synonyms: ridicule, abuse

The media pilloried the politician for his controversial remarks, leading to widespread outrage.

The criminal was displayed in the pillory as a public warning against wrongdoing.

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19
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. unfortunate, awkward, inappropriate

A

infelicitous

(in-fuh-liss-ih-tuss)

synonyms: improper, ill suited

His infelicitous comments during the meeting only added to the tension in the room.

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20
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. tending to delay, put off, or procrastinate

adj. intended to slow progress

A

dilatory

(dil-uh-tawr-ee)

synonyms: dallying, sluggish, tardy

Her dilatory approach to completing assignments often resulted in last-minute stress.

The dilatory tactics employed by the defense lawyer frustrated the prosecution’s efforts to expedite the trial.

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21
Q

Define:

overweening

(oh-ver-wee-ning)

A

adj. presumptuously arrogant or conceited; overconfident, overbearing

Ian made the overweening assumption that people would rush to help him.

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22
Q

Define:

neologism

(nee-awl-uh-djiz-uhm)

A

n. the creation of new words, expressions, or usages for words

“Technophile” is a neologism, just as “UFO” once was.

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23
Q

Define:

lassitude

(lass-ih-tood)

A

n. a state of listless exhaustion, weakness, or weariness of the mind or body

The extreme heat led to a general lassitude that settled on the village from May to October.

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24
Q

Define:

locution

(loh-kyoo-shuhn)

A

n. a particular word, phrase, or style used by a person or group

n. style of speaking, phraseology

The newcomers were fascinated by the Aussie’s locution.

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25
Q

Define:

jocose

(joh-kohss)

A

adj. characterized by a joking or humorous manner

The jocose innkeeper could always be counted on for a bit of levity.

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26
Q

Define:

rend

(rend)

A

v. to forcibly take

v. to tear apart

The three-year-old decided she wanted to play with the teddy bear, so she rent it from her infant sister’s hands.

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27
Q

Define:

stanch

(stawnch)

A

v. to cease the flow of a liquid (esp. blood)

The doctor’s attempt to stanch the flow of blood eventually succeeded, and the patient’s blood pressure stabilized.

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28
Q

Define:

solder

(sod-er)

A

v. to weld, fuse, or join (esp. metals)

Harry soldered the bits of scrap metal together to make a pet door.

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29
Q

Define:

demure

(duh-myoor)

A

adj. modest, shy

Lindsay was demure and had a tough time opening up to new people.

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30
Q

Define:

insensible

(in-sen-suh-buhl)

A

adj. unconscious, unresponsive

The boxer lay insensible on the floor of the ring.

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31
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. presumptuously arrogant or conceited, overconfident, overbearing

A

overweening

(oh-ver-wee-ning)

synonyms: brash, conceited, pompous

His overweening confidence in his abilities often alienated his colleagues.

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32
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. the creation of new words, expressions, or usages for words

A

neologism

(nee-awl-uh-djiz-uhm)

synonyms: synthetic word, new phrase

The tech industry is known for its constant neologism, introducing terms like “selfie” and “hashtag.”

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33
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a state of listless exhaustion, weakness, or weariness of the mind or body

A

lassitude

(lass-ih-tood)

synonyms: lethargy, weariness, inaction

After the long meeting, a sense of lassitude settled over the team, making it hard to focus.

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34
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a particular word, phrase, or style used by a person or group

n. style of speaking, phraseology

A

locution

(loh-kyoo-shuhn)

synonyms: phrasing, expression, lingo

Her locution revealed her background, with distinct phrases typical of her region.

The author’s unique locution made her writing instantly recognizable.

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35
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. characterized by a joking or humorous manner

A

jocose

(joh-kohss)

synonyms: facetious, humorous, funny

His jocose remarks during the meeting lightened the mood and made everyone laugh.

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36
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to forcibly take

v. to tear apart

A

rend

(rend)

synonyms: break, divide, rip

The storm seemed to rend the branches from the trees with violent winds.

The lion’s powerful jaws can rend its prey in seconds.

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37
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to cease the flow of a liquid (esp. blood)

A

stanch

(stawnch)

synonyms: to cease the flow of a liquid

The medic worked quickly to stanch the flow of blood from the wound.

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38
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to weld, fuse, or join (esp. metals)

A

solder

(sod-er)

synonyms: fasten, braze

The technician used a torch to solder the metal pieces together securely.

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39
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. modest, shy

A

demure

(duh-myoor)

synonyms: reserved, bashful, coy

Her demure demeanor made her stand out in the lively crowd.

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40
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. unconscious, unresponsive

A

insensible

(in-sen-suh-buhl)

synonyms: cold, numb, inanimate

He lay insensible on the ground after fainting from exhaustion.

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41
Q

Define:

rail

(reyl)

A

v. to complain bitterly

The citizens railed against the injustice of the federal land grab in tersely-worded editorials and letters to the editor.

42
Q

Define:

noisome

(noy-suhm)

A

adj. having an extremely foul scent, offensive or harmful

The noisome odor of the garbage nauseated Audrey.

43
Q

Define:

mellifluous

(muh-lif-loo-uhs)

A

adj. sweetly flowing (esp. of words or sounds)

Lucy’s mellifluous voice was noted by her interviewer.

44
Q

Define:

inveterate

(in-vet-er-it)

A

adj. established, habitual, deep-rooted

It was Tony’s inveterate preference to drink orange juice every morning.

45
Q

Define:

coterie

(koh-tuh-ree)

A

n. a small or exclusive group of people with common interests

The coterie of musicians began to meet on Tuesday nights and eventually established a weekly concert series.

46
Q

Define:

impugn

(im-pyoon)

A

v. to challenge or attack one’s beliefs or motives as false

The candidate went too far when he began to impugn the character of his opponent’s husband.

47
Q

Define:

voluble

(vol-yuh-buhl)

A

adj. able to speak easily and in quantity, glib, talkative

The voluble speaker talked late into the night.

48
Q

Define:

misogynist

(mih-sodj-uh-nist)

A

n. one who hates women

The song contained several lyrics that were so offensive to women that the singer was immediately labeled a misogynist.

49
Q

Define:

pedagogy

(ped-uh-goh-djee)

A

n. the art or profession of training, teaching, or instructing

Training in pedagogy can’t prepare you for manic third graders.

50
Q

Define:

ambient

(am-bee-uhnt)

A

adj. relating to the immediate surroundings; surrounding environment

The low ambient lighting made for a romantic dinner setting.

51
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to complain bitterly

A

rail

(reyl)

synonyms: berate, abuse, complain

He would often rail against the unfair treatment he received at work.

52
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. offensive or harmful

A

noisome

(noy-suhm)

synonyms: repulsive, dangerous

The noisome odor from the garbage bin made it difficult to stay in the room.

53
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. sweetly flowing (esp. of words or sounds)

A

mellifluous

(muh-lif-loo-uhs)

synonyms: euphonic, harmonic, mellow, pleasing

Her mellifluous voice captivated the audience during the concert.

54
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. established, habitual, deep-rooted

A

inveterate

(in-vet-er-it)

synonyms: chronic, habitual, ingrained

He was an inveterate gambler, unable to resist the lure of the casino.

55
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a small or exclusive group of people with common interests

A

coterie

(koh-tuh-ree)

synonyms: clique, crowd, collective

The artist was surrounded by a coterie of fellow creatives who shared her vision.

56
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to challenge or attack one’s beliefs or motives as false

A

impugn

(im-pyoon)

synonyms: criticize, challenge

The politician attempted to impugn his opponent’s integrity during the debate.

57
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. able to speak easily and in quantity, glib, talkative

A

voluble

(vol-yuh-buhl)

synonyms: articulate, chatty, conversational

She was a voluble speaker, captivating the audience with her engaging storytelling.

58
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. one who hates women

A

misogynist

(mih-sodj-uh-nist)

synonyms: sexist, chauvinist

His misogynist remarks during the meeting sparked outrage among his colleagues.

59
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. the art or profession of training, teaching, or instructing

A

pedagogy

(ped-uh-goh-djee)

synonyms: education, apprenticeship, discipline

Her innovative approach to pedagogy transformed the classroom into an engaging learning environment.

60
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. relating to the immediate surroundings; surrounding environment

A

ambient

(am-bee-uhnt)

synonyms: environment, atmosphere

The ambient light in the café created a warm and inviting atmosphere.

61
Q

Define:

inquest

(in-kwest)

A

n. a judicial inquiry of some matter held before a jury

n. an investigation, inquiry

The police opened an inquest into the cause of death.

62
Q

Define:

preen

(preen)

A

v. to primp, to dress up

v. to clean fur or feathers of an animal

The bird preened its feathers with its beak for a few moments before taking flight.

63
Q

Define:

parry

(pear-ee)

A

v. to block, evade, or ward off

The politician parried the reporter’s questions with a few of her own.

64
Q

Define:

guy

(gahy)

A

n. rope or cord attached to something as a brace

I was nervous that the guy for the pully would snap.

65
Q

Define:

sallow

(sal-oh)

A

adj. of a sickly yellowish hue or complexion

There was a large number of sallow-looking patients in the doctor’s office.

66
Q

Define:

plangent

(plan-djuhnt)

A

adj. pounding, thundering, resounding

The plangent honking of geese flying overhead jolted me awake.

67
Q

Define:

peripatetic

(per-uh-puh-tet-ik)

A

adj. itinerant, nomadic

A peripatetic existence can take its toll on your relationships with the ones you love.

68
Q

Define:

rue

(roo)

A

v. to regret; to feel or experience remorse

I rued the day I ever let her go.

69
Q

Define:

macerate

(mass-uh-reyt)

A

v. to soften by steeping in a liquid, or decompose

v. to emaciate; to starve

Now, we will macerate the rest of the melon in hot water so we can use it to flavor the cream.

70
Q

Define:

callow

(kal-oh)

A

adj. lacking maturity or experience

A callow young man was tormenting the elderly in the park.

71
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a judicial inquiry of some matter held before a jury.

n. an investigation, inquiry

A

inquest

(in-kwest)

synonyms: a judicial inquiry, an official review before a panel

The inquest revealed new evidence about the circumstances surrounding the mysterious death.

The police conducted an inquest to determine the cause of the accident.

72
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to primp, to dress up

v. to clean fur or feathers of an animal

A

preen

(preen)

synonyms: beautify, groom, brush, doll up

She took a moment to preen herself before the important meeting, ensuring she looked her best.

The cat began to preen its fur, ensuring it was clean and tidy.

73
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to block, evade, or ward off

A

parry

(pear-ee)

synonyms: block, dodge, circumvent

He managed to parry the opponent’s strikes with skillful movements.

74
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. rope or cord attached to something as a brace

A

guy

(gahy)

synonyms: cable, wire, rope

The construction crew used a strong guy wire to secure the tall scaffold, ensuring it was stable and safe for the workers.

75
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. of a sickly yellowish hue or complexion

A

sallow

(sal-oh)

synonyms: pale, unhealthy-looking, jaundiced

His sallow complexion was a clear sign that he had been unwell for days.

76
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. pounding, thundering, resounding

A

plangent

(plan-djuhnt)

synonyms: booming, loud, roaring

The plangent notes of the piano echoed through the empty hall, evoking deep emotions.

77
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. itinerant, nomadic

A

peripatetic

(per-uh-puh-tet-ik)

synonyms: migrant, vagrant, wandering

The peripatetic lifestyle of the traveler allowed her to explore new cultures and places constantly.

78
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to regret; to feel or experience remorse

A

rue

(roo)

synonyms: feel remorse, grieve for

He began to rue his decision to skip college after seeing his friends succeed.

79
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to soften by steeping in a liquid, or decompose

v. to emaciate; to starve

A

macerate

(mass-uh-reyt)

synonyms: soak, dissolve

To prepare the dish, you should macerate the strawberries in sugar for an hour.

The harsh conditions in the wilderness caused him to macerate, losing weight rapidly.

80
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. lacking maturity or experience

A

callow

(kal-oh)

synonyms: immature, foolish

The callow intern struggled to keep up with the demands of the fast-paced office.

81
Q

Define:

wistful

(wist-fuhl)

A

adj. yearning, longing, or melancholy

The child stared wistfully out the window for days, waiting for her dog to return.

82
Q

Define:

corroborate

(kuh-rob-uh-rehyt)

A

v. to confirm or validate

The mailman corroborated the alleged thief’s story, confirming that he had merely been passing by when the robbery occurred.

83
Q

Define:

couch

(couch)

A

v. to express in indirect terms; to frame in a certain way

Her criticism was couched in flattering terms so that her coworker wouldn’t take offense.

84
Q

Define:

innervate

(ih-nur-veyt)

A

v. to give nervous energy to; to supply with nerves

The team was innervated by the coach’s pep talk and approached the second half with renewed energy.

85
Q

Define:

impecunious

(im-puh-kyoo-nee-us)

A

adj. poor; without any money

A graduate student generally leads an impecunious existence.

86
Q

Define:

grovel

(gruhv-uhl)

A

v. to behave in a servile manner

v. to indulge in unworthy pursuits

The servants groveled at the king’s throne.

87
Q

Define:

epicurean

(ep-ih-kyoo-ree-uhn)

A

adj. characterized by luxury (esp. in terms of food and drink) or by a propensity for indulging in luxury

The cruise was marketed as an epicurean adventure through the cuisines of four Caribbean nations.

88
Q

Define:

hirsute

(hur-soot)

A

adj. hairy, shaggy

A hirsute sheepdog won the Dog Showing Contest.

89
Q

Define:

countenance

(koun-tuh-nunce)

A

n. appearance of a person’s face

v. to permit, to allow

Many people thought she was friendly because of her kindly countenance.

90
Q

Define:

scurvy

(skur-vee)

A

adj. not admirable, despicable

The scurvy pirate secured his escape by throwing gun powder into the eyes of his pursuers.

91
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. yearning, longing, or melancholy

A

wistful

(wist-fuhl)

synonyms: forlorn, reflective

She gazed out the window with a wistful expression, reminiscing about her childhood.

92
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to confirm or validate

A

corroborate

(kuh-rob-uh-rehyt)

synonyms: affirm, validate, give further supporting evidence

The witness’s testimony helped to corroborate the defendant’s alibi.

93
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to express in indirect terms; to frame in a certain way

A

couch

(couch)

synonyms: formulate, phrase, surround

He chose to couch his criticism in diplomatic language to avoid offending anyone.

94
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to give nervous energy to; to supply with nerves

A

innervate

(ih-nur-veyt)

synonyms: invigorate, evoke, stimulate

The medication helped to innervate the affected muscles, improving his mobility.

95
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. poor; without any money

A

impecunious

(im-puh-kyoo-nee-us)

synonyms: destitute, impoverished

The impecunious artist struggled to make ends meet while pursuing his passion.

96
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to behave in a servile manner

v. to indulge in unworthy pursuits

A

grovel

(gruhv-uhl)

synonyms: beg, serve

He began to grovel for forgiveness after realizing the severity of his mistake.

She refused to grovel in petty rivalries, choosing instead to focus on her goals.

97
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. characterized by luxury (esp. in terms of food and drink) or by a propensity for indulging in luxury

A

epicurean

(ep-ih-kyoo-ree-uhn)

synonyms: gluttonous, libertine

The epicurean feast featured exquisite dishes and fine wines, delighting all the guests.

98
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. hairy, shaggy

A

hirsute

(hur-soot)

synonyms: furry, wooly

The hirsute dog needed a grooming session to tame its unruly fur.

99
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. appearance of a person’s face

v. to permit, to allow

A

countenance

(koun-tuh-nunce)

synonyms: aspect, demeanor, expression, face

Her cheerful countenance brightened the room and lifted everyone’s spirits.

The teacher countenanced a few late submissions due to extenuating circumstances.

100
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. not admirable, despicable

A

scurvy

(skur-vee)

synonyms: abominable, low-down

His scurvy behavior during the project earned him the disdain of his colleagues.