Vocab Quiz #4 Flashcards
Alacrity
Cheerful willingness and eagerness
EX: The boy jumped up and down with alacrity as he inched closer to the candy store.
Catalyst
a person, thing, or event that quickly causes change or action
EX: The enzyme was the catalyst that triggered the chemical reaction.
Chronic
appearing for a lengthy period of time
EX: Because my aunt has untreatable cancer, she has been dealing with chronic pain for several months.
Destitute
utterly lacking
EX: Because of the economy, many who were once rich are now destitute.
Dulcet
comforting and sweet
EX: Last night I fell asleep listening to the dulcet sounds of soft jazz.
Emaciated
abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food
EX: Because some sick animals refuse to eat, many of them become emaciated.
Esoteric
known about or understood by very few people
EX: Eric made an esoteric joke that only he and his brother understood
Exacerbate
to increase the severity or worsen
EX: Cora chose to exacerbate the argument by throwing a lamp at Mark’s head.
Extemporaneous
completed without any type of advance preparation
EX: Instead of giving his prepared speech, the minister delivered an extemporaneous statement about the recent terrorist attacks.
Extol
to praise
EX: I got angry when my mother would extol my brother’s accomplishments and ignore all the good things I did.
Exude
to openly display an emotion or quality
EX: As he tried to sneak past the bear, he could not help but exude fear.
Furtive
marked by quiet, caution, and secrecy
EX: Crissy walked outside in a furtive manner so that her parents would not see her
Impromptu
without preparation
EX: Because Jane had an impromptu wedding, she didn’t send out invitations.
Innate
a quality or ability which you are born with
EX: Marilyn’s innate piano talent allowed her to play complicated pieces before she was six years of age
Intrepid
very brave
EX: The intrepid adventurer climbed the rocky mountain without fear.
Invective
abusive language used to criticize
EX: The newspaper’s invective of the novel really made the author angry.
Lethargy
a lack of energy and enthusiasm
EX: Very large doses in animals cause lethargy, collapse, and death.
Melancholy
a feeling of deep sadness
EX: The film’s tragic ending put us all in a melancholy mood.
Opaque
not able to be seen through
EX: Jack’s tinted car windows appear opaque to everyone outside the car.
Patronize
to give money or support to someone or something
EX: Because my mother was a librarian, I go out of my way each year to patronize the local library with a financial donation.
Paucity
a small amount of something that is not enough
EX: Because of the paucity of our oil supply, we need to seek out other fuel resources.
Placate
to appease or pacify
EX: I tried to placate the sad little boy by giving him a cookie.
Proffer
to offer
EX: Since I am hungry, I am happy to accept your proffer of a meal.
Rife
in a great quantity
EX: The beach is rife with young people during the summer months.
