vocab3 Flashcards
Abate
to reduce in amount, degree, or severity; The headache abated after taking medicine.
“nothing abated his crusading zeal”
abhor
to hate or detest; She abhors cruelty to animals.
Abstain
to refrain or hold back voluntarily; He abstained from smoking.
Accretion
a gradual buildup or growth by addition; An accretion of dust covered the furniture.
Acerbic
sharp, biting, or caustic in tone; She made an acerbic retort.
Acumen
keen insight or judgment; She has excellent business acumen.
Admonish
to caution or advise against; The teacher admonished the students not to be late.
Affable
friendly, good
Banal
lacking originality, freshness, or novelty; The movie’s banal plot was forgettable.
Belligerent
hostile, aggressive, or pugnacious; The belligerent gang was known for fighting.
Benevolent
characterized by or expressing goodwill; He made a benevolent donation to the animal shelter.
Boon
a blessing, timely benefit, or assistance; Winning the scholarship was a boon that enabled her to attend college.
Brevity
concise expression without wasted words; Brevity is essential in a 30
Brusque
abrupt or offhand in speech or manner; rudely concise; My request was met with a brusque refusal.
Byzantine
very complicated or intricate; The byzantine tax codes were impossible to decipher.
Callous
showing little sympathy for others; insensitive; He acted in a callous way toward those less fortunate.
Candor
honesty, frankness, or sincere expression; I appreciated her candor and straightforward advice.
Capricious
characterized by or subject to whim; impulsive; unpredictable; My capricious toddler was happy one minute, fussy the next.
Castigate
to punish or criticize severely; The boss castigated the employee for repeated mistakes.
Circumspect
cautious or prudent, especially in speech or action; We were circumspect in sharing details until we understood the risks involved.
Coarse
rough, harsh, or uneven in texture; lacking refinement or elegance; His coarse language was inappropriate at the dignified ceremony.
clamour
a loud and confused noise especially of people shouting
Conscientious
guided by or in accordance with conscience or sense of right; governed by principle; a conscientious decision after much deliberation.
complacent
overly satisfied with oneself and unaware of potential dangers or problems