Vocab Unit 2 Flashcards
approach and speak to first; confront in a challenging or aggressive way
accost
syn: buttonhole, approach, confront
accost
ant: evade, avoid, shun
accost
a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval
animadversion
syn: rebuke, reproof
animadadversion
ant: praise, compliment
animadaversion
desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager
avid
syn: keen, enthusiastic, grasping
avid
ant: reluctant, indifferent, unenthusiastic
avid
having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink
brackish
syn: brine, salty
brackish
ant: fresh, clear, sweet
brackish
swiftness, rapidity of motion or action
celerity
syn: promptness, alacrity, speed
celerity
ant: slowness, sluggishness, dilatoriness
celerity
straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhand way
devious
syn: roundabout, indirect, tricky, sly, artful
devious
ant: direct, straightforward, open, aboveboard
devious
in chess and opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type
gambit
syn: ploy stratagem, ruse, maneuver
gambit
a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent
halcyon
syn: tranquil, serene, placid, palmy
halcyon
ant: turbulent, chaotic, tumultuous
halcyon
pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic
histrionic
syn: affected, stagy
histrionic
ant: low-keyed, muted, untheatrical, subdued
histrionic
deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to sir up strife or rebellion; (n) one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who cases strife
incendiary
whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction
maelstrom
ant: vortex, chaos, turbulence, tumult
maelstrom
nearsighted, lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment
myopic
syn: shortsighted
myopic
ant: farsighted
myopic
open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is not easily recognized
overt
ant: secret, clandestine, covert, concealed
overt
tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling
pejorative
complimentary ameliorative
perjorative
the state of being proper, appropriateness; (pl) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable
propriety
improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred
sacrilege
syn: desecration, profanation, defilement
sacrilege
without delay or formality; briefly, concisely
summarily
asking humbly and earnestly (n) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor
suppliant
an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish
talisman
to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form
undulate
syn: ripple, fluctuate, rise and fall
undulate
