Vocab Junkie - Set 7 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.
Define:
obfuscate
(ob-fuh-skeyt)
v. to deliberately obscure, to make confusing, to bewilder
The governor obfuscated the issue with big words and numbers.
Define:
encomium
(en-koh-mee-uhm)
n. enthusiastic praise
That country’s national anthem is an encomium to the heroes of a war long past.
Define:
din
(din)
n. loud sustained noise, confusing or tumultuous sound
During the concert, Jill couldn’t hear Rick over the din of the loudspeakers.
Define:
alloy
(n. al-oi; v. al-oi)
n. a mixture of superior and inferior ingredients
v. to debase by mixing with something inferior
The heroism one sees nowadays is often alloyed with some degree of self-interest.
Define:
pugilism
(pyoo-djuh-liz-uhm)
n. the skill or practice of fighting with fists; boxing
Mike Tyson is known throughout the world for his pugilism.
Define:
sanctimony
(sangk-tuh-moh-nee)
n. self-righteousness, pretended piety
His sanctimony was laughable, since we all knew he was one of the worst offenders.
Define:
baleful
(beyl-fuhl)
adj. full of sinister influence, pernicious, ominous
The basilisk’s baleful glare is lethal.
Define:
hallow
(hal-oh)
v. to set apart as holy, to sanctify
The site for the church was hallowed in a special ceremony.
Define:
ostensible
(uh-sten-suh-buhl)
adj. apparent
adj. pretended
The oil spill was the ostensible result of lax safety regulations.
Define:
sinecure
(sahy-nih-kyoor)
n. a comfortable job requiring little work
Carolyn’s position in the office is a sinecure; she does nothing all day yet she draws the same salary as everyone else.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to deliberately obscure, to make confusing, to bewilder
obfuscate
(ob-fuh-skeyt)
synonyms: baffle, muddle, confound
The lawyer tried to obfuscate the truth with complicated jargon.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. enthusiastic praise
encomium
(en-koh-mee-uhm)
synonyms: tribute, laudation, praise
The professor delivered an encomium to honor her colleague’s contributions.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. loud, sustained noise, confusing or tumultuous sound
din
(din)
synonyms: buzz, clamor, commotion, racket
The din of traffic outside made it difficult to concentrate on my work.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a mixture of superior and inferior ingredients
v. to debase by mixing with something inferior
alloy
(n. al-oi; v. al-oi)
synonyms: blend, combination; debase, devalue
The jeweler used an alloy of gold and silver to create a more affordable piece of jewelry.
His reputation was alloyed by the scandal, tarnishing his previously good name.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the skill or practice of fighting with fists; boxing
pugilism
(pyoo-djuh-liz-uhm)
synonyms: battle, sparring, duel
His interest in pugilism led him to train as a professional boxer.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. self-righteousness, pretended piety
sanctimony
(sangk-tuh-moh-nee)
synonyms: smug, hypocritical, preachy
Her sanctimony was evident as she criticized others while ignoring her own flaws.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. full of sinister influence, pernicious, ominous
baleful
(beyl-fuhl)
synonyms: menacing, evil
The baleful look in his eyes warned everyone to stay away.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to set apart as holy, to sanctify
hallow
(hal-oh)
synonyms: bless, consecrate
The community gathered to hallow the new church, marking its significance.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. apparent
ostensible
(uh-sten-suh-buhl)
synonyms: exhibited, likely, manifest
The ostensible reason for his absence was a family emergency, but many suspected otherwise.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a comfortable job requiring little work
sinecure
(sahy-nih-kyoor)
synonyms: easy work
She landed a sinecure position that allowed her to travel while earning a salary.
Define:
lackey
(lak-ee)
n. a male servant, servile follower, toady
Lori’s boyfriend becomes a lackey during her shopping trips.
Define:
redress
(ree-dress)
v. to set right, to remedy
n. compensation or restitution for a wrong
The peaceful petitioning for redress of wrongs is a right enshrined in our country’s founding document.
Define:
unctuous
(uhngk-choo-uhs)
adj. oily, greasy
adj. characterized by insincere earnestness
The king had the unctuous toady removed from his palace.
Define:
arrant
(ar-uhnt)
adj. impudent
adj. thorough, utter, notorious
Though the professor is considered one of the greats of his discipline, lately his lectures have verged on arrant nonsense.
Define:
vaunt
(vawnt)
v. to boast or brag about
Chris, though usually very modest, will readily vaunt his achievements in a job interview.
Define:
affectation
(af-ek-tey-shuhn)
n. a show or pretense
n. artificial behavior to impress others
That American doctor’s affectation of a British accent has drawn much criticism.
Define:
philately
(fih-lat-uhl-ee)
n. the study of postage stamps
His grandfather is obsessed with philately and has even made several overseas pen pals in order to study their countries’ postage.
Define:
canonical
(kuh-non-ih-kuhl)
adj. in agreement with accepted principles
adj. authorized, accepted
The canonical Mozart sonatas were consulted in order to compare them to the newly-discovered manuscript attributed to him.
Define:
whit
(wit)
n. the smallest possible part or fraction
The bank robber did not have a whit of self-respect.
Define:
epaulet
(ep-uh-let)
n. a shoulder ornament, esp. a strap on military uniforms
The veteran’s uniform was adorned by a pair of impressive epaulets.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a male servant, servile follower, toady
lackey
(lak-ee)
synonyms: servant, butler, subordinate
He acted like a lackey, always eager to please his demanding boss.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to set right, to remedy
n. compensation or restitution for a wrong
redress
(ree-dress)
synonyms: help, compensate; justice
She sought to redress the unfair treatment she received at work.
The court awarded him redress for the damages incurred.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. oily, greasy
adj. characterized by insincere earnestness
unctuous
(uhngk-choo-uhs)
synonyms: fatty, slick; lying, untruthful
The unctuous texture of the cream made it hard to apply evenly.
His unctuous compliments felt disingenuous and insincere.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. impudent
adj. thorough, utter, notorious
arrant
(ar-uhnt)
synonyms: shameless; brazen
His arrant disrespect for authority shocked his teachers.
The report was an arrant failure, lacking any credible evidence.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to boast, to brag
vaunt
(vawnt)
synonyms: flaunt, gloat
He liked to vaunt his accomplishments at every opportunity.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a show or pretense
n. artificial behavior to impress others
affectation
(af-ek-tey-shuhn)
synonyms: pretend, artificiality
Her affectation of sophistication did not impress her peers.
He dropped his affectation and spoke genuinely for the first time.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the study of postage stamps
philately
(fih-lat-uhl-ee)
synonyms: study of stamps
His passion for philately led him to collect rare postage stamps from around the world.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. in agreement with accepted principles
adj. authorized, accepted
canonical
(kuh-non-ih-kuhl)
synonyms: orthodox, standard
The_ canonical_ texts of the religion are studied by scholars worldwide.
The canonical version of the story differs from the original manuscript.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the smallest possible part or fraction
whit
(wit)
synonyms: atom, crumb, grain, iota
She didn’t care a whit about the negative reviews of her performance.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a shoulder ornament, esp. a strap on military uniforms
epaulet
(ep-uh-let)
synonyms: military decoration, service stripe
The officer’s uniform featured an ornate epaulet that signified his rank.
Define:
panoply
(pan-uh-plee)
n. a splendid, striking array
n. the complete armory of a warrior
n. a shining protective array
A porcupine’s panoply of quills is quite a protective arsenal.
Define:
pantheon
(pan-thee-on)
n. a temple dedicated to the gods
n. all the gods of a people
n. a group of famous persons
The Greek pantheon includes Zeus and his consort, Hera.
Define:
blandish
(blan-dish)
v. to coax or influence with flattery
Steve blandished her into going out with him.
Define:
peremptory
(puh-remp-tuh-ree)
adj. admitting of no contradiction; putting an end to further debate; haughty; imperious
He ended the discussion with a peremptory wave of his hand.
Define:
tyro
(tahy-roh)
n. a beginner or novice in any kind of skill
The hapless tyro tripped over the ropes on his way into the boxing ring.
Define:
fetid
(fet-id)
adj. malodorous, stinky
The fetid green substance had taken over the entire fridge.
Define:
fecundity
(fih-kuhn-dih-tee)
n. fertility, fruitfulness
An artist’s period of fecundity can come at any time of her life.
Define:
rarefied
(rair-uh-fahyd)
adj. thin, pure, refined
The rarefied air of higher altitudes makes it very difficult to climb Mt. Everest.
Define:
delectation
(dee-lek-tey-shuhn)
n. enjoyment
They played wiffleball for the delectation of it, not for the competition.
Define:
fickle
(fick-ul)
adj. prone to changing often
Suzanne was a fickle friend who could not be relied upon.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a splendid, striking array
n. the complete armory of a warrior
n. a shining protective array
panoply
(pan-uh-plee)
synonyms: display, arrangement; armaments
The museum displayed a panoply of ancient artifacts from various cultures.
The knight’s panoply included a sword, shield, and helmet.
The soldier donned his panoply before heading into battle.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a temple dedicated to the gods
n. all the gods of a people
n. a group of famous persons
pantheon
(pan-thee-on)
synonyms: house of worship, sanctuary
The ancient pantheon was dedicated to the gods of mythology.
In Greek culture, the pantheon includes Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon.
The artist was considered part of the pantheon of great musicians.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to coax or influence with flattery
blandish
(blan-dish)
synonyms: charm, flatter
She tried to blandish the manager into giving her a promotion.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. admitting of no contradiction; putting an end to further debate; haughty; imperious
peremptory
(puh-remp-tuh-ree)
synonyms: opinionated, absolute, assertive
The manager’s peremptory tone left no room for discussion or dissent.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a beginner or novice in any kind of skill
tyro
(tahy-roh)
synonyms: beginner, rookie
As a tyro in the art world, she eagerly absorbed all the knowledge she could find.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. malodorous, stinky
fetid
(fet-id)
synonyms: corrupt, gross
The fetid smell from the garbage bin made it difficult to enter the kitchen.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. fertility, fruitfulness
fecundity
(fih-kuhn-dih-tee)
synonyms: abundance, productivity
The fecundity of the soil made the region ideal for agriculture.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. thin, pure, refined
rarefied
(rair-uh-fahyd)
synonyms: thin, refined
The rarefied atmosphere at high altitudes requires acclimatization.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. enjoyment
delectation
(dee-lek-tey-shuhn)
synonyms: delight, elation
He savored the dish with great delectation, enjoying every bite.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. prone to changing often
fickle
(fick-ul)
synonyms: inconstant, unpredictable
Her fickle nature led her to change her plans at the last minute.
Define:
fidelity
(fih-dell-ih-tee)
n. devotion to obligations or loyalties
n. the accuracy of a reproduced sound or image
Kevin’s parents were proud of him for his fidelity to the family business.
Define:
fission
(fish-un)
n. the act of separating into parts
The controversial legislation led to the fission of the administration.
Define:
flag
(flag)
v. to become tired or weak
v. to droop or limp
The runner’s enthusiasm flagged when she realized she still had many miles ahead of her.
Define:
florid
(floor-id)
adj. healthy-looking
adj. ornate or flowery
The author’s florid prose did not impress the critics, who found her work pretentious.
Define:
forbear
(for-bear)
v. to refrain from doing something
Although I know Adam likes to crack jokes, I would have liked him to forbear silliness in such a serious situation.
Define:
forestall
(for-stall)
v. to deal with ahead of time; to prevent
The mayor called the police before the protest even began in order to forestall rioting.
Define:
quail
(kweyl)
v. to shrink with fear
The puppy quailed at my angry tone.
Define:
forthright
(forth-rahyt)
adj. straightforward
One should be forthright and honest with the authorities so as not to seem suspicious.
Define:
fortuity
(for-too-ih-tee)
n. an event that happens by chance without a known cause
n. luck
By sheer fortuity, Linda was assigned to the same homeroom as her twin brother.
Define:
mince
(minss)
v. to speak carefully; to euphemize
Don’t mince words with me; just say what you need to say!
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. devotion to obligations or loyalties
n. the accuracy of a reproduced sound or image
fidelity
(fih-dell-ih-tee)
synonyms: allegiance, faith
His fidelity to the team was evident in his willingness to help whenever needed.
The fidelity of the audio recording was exceptional, capturing every nuance of the performance.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the act of separating into parts
fission
(fish-un)
synonyms: division, severance, parting
Nuclear fission is the process that releases energy in nuclear reactors.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to become tired or weak
v. to droop or limp
flag
(flag)
synonyms: droop, fade, wane, weaken
After hours of studying, she began to flag and needed a short break.
The tired flowers started to flag in the heat of the afternoon sun.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. healthy-looking
adj. ornate or flowery
florid
(floor-id)
synonyms: pretty, fancy; extravagant, ornamental
His florid complexion indicated that he was in excellent health.
The florid language in her speech captivated the audience.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to refrain from doing something
forbear
(for-bear)
synonyms: avoid, constrain, forgo
She chose to forbear from commenting on the sensitive issue.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to deal with ahead of time; to prevent
forestall
(for-stall)
synonyms: intercept, anticipate, prevent
The company implemented measures to forestall potential delays in production.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to shrink with fear
quail
(kweyl)
synonyms: recoil, cower
He began to quail at the thought of facing his fears.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. straightforward
forthright
(forth-rahyt)
synonyms: honest, frank
Her forthright answer left no room for misunderstanding.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. an event that happens by chance without a known cause
n. luck
fortuity
(for-too-ih-tee)
synonyms: accident; good fortune
It was pure fortuity that they met at the café.
Their success was attributed to a mix of skill and fortuity.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to speak carefully; to euphemize
mince
(minss)
synonyms: soften, tone down
He decided to mince his words to avoid offending anyone.
Define:
visceral
(viss-er-uhl)
adj. felt in one’s stomach
adj. emotional, rather than intellectual
Jeb’s visceral response to his mother’s racist ramblings was visible to all of us.
Define:
refectory
(rih-fek-tuh-ree)
n. a room or dining area where meals are served
The students milled about the entrance to the refectory, counting down the seconds until supper would be served.
Define:
frenetic
(fruh-net-ik)
adj. frenzied or frantic
Frenetic screams filled the room as people tried to get out before the fire spread.
Define:
infinitesimal
(in-fin-ih-tess-uh-muhl)
adj. immeasurably small
The proportion of truly selfless people in this world is surely infinitesimal.
Define:
sanguine
(sang-gwin)
adj. cheerfully optimistic
Samantha had a sanguine attitude towards life that enriched those around her.
Define:
furtive
(fur-tiv)
adj. secretive, sly
At the party, Julia cast furtive glances around the room to make sure her older sister was not around to send her back home.
Define:
calumny
(kal-uhm-nee)
n. a false statement; slander, aspersion
The desperate candidate abandoned reasoned arguments and resorted to calumnies against the front-runner.
Define:
quotidian
(kwoh-tid-ee-uhn)
adj. everyday, commonplace, habitual
Joe’s small, quotidian pleasures seemed more substantial than Mattias’s high-profile jet-setting.
Define:
salacious
(suh-ley-shuhs)
adj. causing sexual desire, bawdy
Many parents were unhappy with the magazine’s salacious material.
Define:
importune
(im-pour-chewn)
v. to beg persistently
Kate importuned her father every day to teach her how to sail.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. felt in one’s stomach
adj. emotional, rather than intellectual
visceral
(viss-er-uhl)
synonyms: habitual, instinctive, inherent; affective
She had a visceral reaction to the shocking news.
His visceral storytelling resonated deeply with the audience.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a room or dining area where meals are served
refectory
(rih-fek-tuh-ree)
synonyms: chamber, dining hall
The students gathered in the refectory for lunch.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. frenzied or frantic
frenetic
(fruh-net-ik)
synonyms: anxious, hysterical, rattled
The frenetic pace of the city life overwhelmed her during the first few days.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. immeasurably small
infinitesimal
(in-fin-ih-tess-uh-muhl)
synonyms: little, microscopic
The scientist measured the infinitesimal changes in the sample’s composition.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. cheerfully optimistic
sanguine
(sang-gwin)
synonyms: happy, cheerful
Despite the challenges, he remained sanguine about the future.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. secretive, sly
furtive
(fur-tiv)
synonyms: sneaky, stealthy
He cast a furtive glance around the room, making sure no one was watching.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a false statement; slander, aspersion
calumny
(kal-uhm-nee)
synonyms: misrepresentations, slanderous
The politician faced calumny from opponents who spread false rumors.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. everyday, commonplace, habitual
quotidian
(kwoh-tid-ee-uhn)
synonyms: ordinary, trivial
His quotidian routine involved coffee and a newspaper each morning.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. causing sexual desire, bawdy
salacious
(suh-ley-shuhs)
synonyms: erotic, lecherous, raunchy
The novel was criticized for its salacious content and explicit themes.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to beg persistently
importune
(im-pour-chewn)
synonyms: demand, appeal
She would importune her friends for help whenever she was in need.
