Vocab quiz #2 Flashcards
Articulate
having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently
The baby is beginning to form articulate words and phrases, just the other day she asked me about the debt ceiling.(adj)
Cavort
to romp or prance around exuberantly.
As the band plays, the people in the audience cavort around the stage, flailing and jumping into one another.
Credence
mental acceptance or credibility.
As no one has been able to disprove the scientist’s theory, it has gained more credence over the years.
Decry
to condemn or strongly disagree.
People who prefer physical newspapers decry the high-tech advances that have put many traditional publishers out of business.
Derogatory
designed to degrade or belittle.
Because the woman made derogatory remarks about the president’s children, she lost her job as a senator’s aide.
Dissemble
to conceal or disguise motives, feelings, or beliefs.
Even though Evelyn knew she was madly in love with Robert, she still felt she had to dissemble her true feelings to avoid being hurt.
Distraught
highly agitated or upset.
highly agitated or upset.
Eulogy
a formal statement of praise. (usually for a recently deceased person/thing)
Because the deceased soldier was such an honorable man, his commanding officer delivered an astoundingly heartfelt eulogy.
Evince
to show, display clearly or make obvious.
J.J. hoped that the jury would evince an attitude of compassion, but he could see from their faces that he was probably doomed.
Exhume
to dig up.
When new evidence was introduced, the detective chose to exhume the elderly woman’s body from the local cemetery.
Feckless
lacking spirit or enthusiasm; aimless or fruitless.
Larry was a feckless manager, always missing important deadlines and opportunities, so the company was forced to declare bankruptcy.
Intractable
hard to manage or stubborn.
As the project grew larger, it became intractable and required a better management team.
Murky
dark, gloomy, or unclear.
The frightened little boy refused to walk with his friends through the murky forest at dusk, claiming he would wait until sunrise.
Nefarious
wicked, depraved, lacking morals.
One man employed his nefarious scheme to hack into people’s computers and steal bank account information.
Piquant
stimulating to taste or mind.
Although the llama was not physically attractive, her piquant personality made her a pleasant companion
Primordial
primitive or developed in the very beginning.
When the superhero got angry, he turned into a giant and gave a primordial yell that shook the surrounding buildings.
Propinquity
proximity or nearness in space or time.
The propinquity of the danger ahead made the scouts turn around and take a different path.
Unwonted
unexpected or not in character.
Elizabeth was stunned speechless when her, typically ungrateful, teenager gave her an unwonted “thank you” in public.
Utopian
perfect/ idealistic/ visionary/ impractical.
After Jake was injured in a home invasion, he moved his family to the countryside in hopes of creating a crime-free utopia.
Verbiage
language that is wordy or inflated.
When writing an essay, you should focus more on providing facts and less on stuffing the paper with verbiage.
Verdant
green (color) or immature (no experience).
The travelers were astounded when they climbed to the top of the parched mountain and found themselves looking down into a lush, verdant valley. (color)
Viscous
gluey, gooey, or gelatinously sticky.
It seemed to take forever for the viscous cough medicine to come out of the bottle.
