Vocabulary Flashcards
1
Q
AFFECTATION
A
A deliberate pretence or exaggerated display
2
Q
ALLEVIATE
A
To make something easier to deal with or endure
3
Q
AMALGAMATE
A
To bring together, unite; to combine different things to create something new
4
Q
AMBIGUOUS
A
Unclear or vague in meaning; having more than one possible meaning
5
Q
AMICABLE
A
Friendly, agreeable; characterised by or showing goodwill, peaceable
6
Q
AMORPHOUS
A
Having no fixed form or a shape. In a broader sense, the word describes anything that lacks a distinct shape or organising theme, be it a work of art, a political movement, or even someone’s direction in life
7
Q
ANACHRONISTIC
A
Out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period
8
Q
ANEW
A
Once more; again; in a new, typically more positive, way
9
Q
ANNIHILATION
A
Means a reaction of the transformation of particles and antiparticles when they collide into any other particles that are different from the original. For example, when an electron collides with e- and positron e+, they disappear, turning into photons
10
Q
ANTITHESIS
A
Can be defined as ‘‘a figure of speech involving a seeming contradiction of ideas, words, clauses, or sentences within a balanced grammatical structure’’. In other words, it must always contain two ideas in one statement.
11
Q
APATHY
A
Means lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern
12
Q
APOSTASY
A
Is the act of giving up your religious or political beliefs and leaving or a political party. One who commits apostasy is known as an apostate
13
Q
APOTHEOSIS
A
Is the glorification of a subject to divine level; the highest point in the development of something; a culmination
14
Q
APPRISE
A
Means to inform somebody of something (for example: We must apprise them of the dangers that may be involved)
15
Q
ARCHETYPE
A
Means something that is considered to be a perfect or typical example of a particular kind of person or thing, because it has all their most important characteristics. For example, the United States is the archetype of a federal society.
16
Q
ARID
A
Means extremely dry or deathly boring. If you describe something, such as a period of your life, as arid , you mean that it has is has so little interest, excitement, or purpose that it makes you feel bored or unhappy
17
Q
AROUSE
A
To cause someone to have a particular feeling or response; to cause an emotion or attitude
18
Q
ASCETICISM
A
Is a lifestyle characterised by abstinence (the fact or practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something) from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals
19
Q
ASSERTION
A
Is a statement, usually backed up by some kind of solid proof or reasoning; a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief
20
Q
ASSIDUOUS
A
Means persistent, hard-working. If you call someone assiduous, it means they’re careful, methodical and very persistent.
21
Q
ASSUAGE
A
Meaning to make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
22
Q
AUSTERE
A
Means stern and forbidding. If you describe something as austere, you approve of its plain and simple appearance
23
Q
AVAIL
A
Means to be of use, help, worth, or advantage (to), as in accomplishing an end (for example: My attempts to improve the situation were of little/no avail)
24
Q
AVARICE
A
Means greedy desire for wealth or material gain
25
AXIOM
Is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments
26
BANTER
Good-humored, playful conversation; the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks
27
BEFOREHAND
At an earlier or preceding time; in advance; prior to; earlier (than a particular time)
28
BELICOSE
Inclined or ready to fight; aggressively hostile
29
BEGUILE
Means to persuade or trick someone into doing something, especially by saying nice things to them
30
BENEVOLENT
Friendly and helpful; characterised by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings
31
BEWILDER
To become perplexed and confused (for example: Beware of false people and situations that may bewilder you temporarily)
32
BIAS
Means the action of supporting or opposing a particular person or thing in an unfair way or different from the way you treat other people
33
BLANDISHMENT
Pleasant things you do or say about someone in order to persuade or influence them
34
BRACKISH
Means distasteful and unpleasant (for example: Brackish water is slightly salty and unpleasant)
35
BURGEON
To develop, expand or grow rapidly
36
CADAVEROUS
Having appearance or coloraturas of dead human body; looking very pale and ill
37
CAMARADERIE
Brotherhood, partnership, jovial unity, sociability amongst friends
38
CANTANKEROUS
Means ill humoured, irritable, marked by ill-tempered contradiction or opposition, ugly, malicious
39
CASTIGATION
Means to criticise someone or something severely; verbal punishment. The word comes from the Latin 'castigus' which means ''to make pure''
40
CATHARSIS
Is the purging of the emotions, especially through certain kinds of art (as music or tragedy) that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension
41
CIRCUITOUS
Indirect, taking the longest route (for example: A circuitous journey/path is longer than it needs to be because it is not direct)
42
CLAIREVOYANT
Exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future. Clairvoyant is believed to know about future events or to be able to communicate with dead people
43
COERCION
Means the use of force to persuade someone to do do something that they are unwilling ti do
44
COGENT
Reasonable and convincing; based on evidence; forcefully persuasive
45
COINCIDE
Means to happen at or near the same time or during the same period, to occupy exactly the same space
46
COMITY
Is a state or atmosphere of harmony or mutual civility
47
COMMENSURATE
Corresponding in size or degree or extent
48
CONCEDE
Means to admit or accept that something is treater first denying or resisting it.
49
CONFIDANT
Means someone to whom private matters are told.A confidant is a person you tell your secrets to.
50
CONSTRUE
Make sense of; to understand the meaning, especially of other people's actions and statements, in a particular way
ex:His words could hardly be construed as an apology.
51
CONDESCENDING
Showing or characterised by a patronising or superior attitude toward others
52
CONNOTATION
Is a feeling or idea that is suggested by a particular word although it need not to be a part of the word's meaning, or something suggested by an object or situation (for example, the word 'lady' has connotations of refinement and excessive femininity that some women find offensive)
53
CONVERGENCE
The state of separate elements joining or coming together (for example: If roads or paths converge, they move towards the same point where they join)
54
CORROBORATE
Means to confirm or make more certain
55
COUNTENANCE
Give sanctions or support to; tolerate or approve
56
CREDULOUS
Apt to believe on slight evidence; easily imposed upon; unsuspecting; believed too readily
57
DEARTH
Means scarcity, a lack of something, shortage of food, famine from failure or loss of crops
58
DELECTABLE
Delightful; delicious; extremely pleasing to the sense of taste
59
DELETORIOUS
Harmful, destructive, detrimental
60
DELINEATE
Portray; depict; draw or trace outline of; sketch out
61
DELINQUENT
Means failing in duty, offending by neglect of duty. A delinquent person behaves in a way that is illegal or not acceptable to most people.
62
DENOUNCE
Condemn openly; criticise; make known in formal manner
63
DEPRIVATION
Is the lack (or feeling of lack) of material benefits considered to be the basic necessities in a society; the lack of something considered to be a necessity in general (sleep deprivation, food deprivation, etc.; as an example, plants experiencing water deprivation will shrivel up and die.
64
DEPUTE
Means transfer power to someone; appoint or instruct (someone) to perform a task for which one is responsible
65
DETERRENT
Means something immaterial that interferes with action or progress (for example: The stop sign on the corner is supposed to be a deterrent that discourages speeding)
66
DEVIANT
(from the Latin word 'deviare' (meaning ''to turn out of the way'')) is a term used to describe a person or behaviour that is not usual and is generally considered to be different and unacceptable
67
DIGRESSION
The act of turning aside, staying from the main point, esp, in a speech or argument
68
DILIGENT
Having or showing care and integrity in one's work or duties
69
DISCLOSE
Expose to view as by removing a cover; to make something known publicly, or to show something that was hidden
70
DISCONSOLATE
Sad; cheerless; gloomy; hopeless or not expecting
71
DISCORDANT
Not in agreement or harmony
72
DISDAIN
Means to regard with scorn or contempt. if you disdain to do something, you do not do it, because you feel that you are too important to do it
73
DISPERAGE
Express a negative opinion of (for example: He never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors)
74
DOUR
Mean hard; inflexible; obstinate; gloomy in manner or appearance
75
DUALISM
(for the Latin word duo (meaning ''two'')) is the belief that things are divided into two often very different or opposing parts
76
EBULLIENT
Overflowing with fervor, enthusiasm, or excitement; high-spirited
77
ECLECTIC
Means something that is made up of various sources or styles; combination of the best or most useful things from many different areas or systems, rather than following a single system
78
EFFRONTERY
Audacious behaviour that you have no right to
79
EGREGIOUS
Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
80
ELUCIDATE
Means to explain something or make something clear
81
EMANCIPATION
Means any effort to procure economic and social rights, political rights or equality, often for a specially disenfranchised group, or many generally, in the discussion of such matters
82
EMBELLISH
To decorate, to add details to, enhance
83
EMPIRICAL
Means something that is based on investigation, observation, experimentation, or experience. If knowledge is empirical, it's based on observation rather theory.
84
ENERVATE
Cause (someone or something) to feel drained of energy; weaken
85
ENIGMA
Means a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand
86
EPITOME
Is the typical or highest example of a stated quality. If you say that a person or thing is the epitome of something, you are emphasising that they are the best possible example of a particular type of person pr thing (''This hotel was the epitome of British colonial elegance in Jamaica'' ; ''Maureen was the epitome of sophistication'')
87
EPHEMERAL
Means momentary, transient, fleeting; lasting for a very short time
88
EQUANIMITY
A calm mental state; steadiness of mind under stress
89
EVANESCENT
Quickly fading, short-lived, especially an image. The evanescent night sky of Berlin was stunning.
90
EXAGGERATION
Is a representation of something in an excessive manner. People exaggerate things because they have strong feelings about something. People may exaggerate to make people listen to what they say. They may do it to emphasise something. They may also exaggerate just to sound funny.
91
EXEMPLIFY
Means to clarify by giving an illustration of
92
EXTEMPORIZE
Perform or speak without preparation
93
FACETIOUS
Treating serious issues with intentionally inappropriate humour; flippant
94
FALLACIOUS
Containing or based on incorrect reasoning; not incorrect
95
FOIBLE
Means a slight weakness in someone's character (for example; The minor foible in the woman's character made her unsuitable for the career she really wanted)
96
FRENZY
Is a state or period of uncontrolled excitement or wild behaviour. Frenzy is often used when talking about a group of people (or animals) who get worked up at the same time about the same thing.
97
FRET
Be constantly or visible anxious; to be nervous or worried
98
FRUGAL
Means thrifty, cheap; simple and plain and costing little
99
GALVANIZE
Means to shock or affect someone enough to produce a strong and immediate reaction, typically into taking action
100
GRANDILOQUENT
Style or way of using language in very complex way, in order to attract admiration and attention; big words used in a overly self-assured way
101
GULLIBLE
Easily persuaded to believe something
102
HACKNEYED
Means something cliché that has been overused or done too much
103
HARANGUE
Is a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion
104
HAUGHTY
Means arrogant and condescending. When you're haughty, you have a big attitude and you behave as if you are better than others
105
HITHERTO
Means up to this point; until the present time
106
IGNOMINIOUS
Deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
107
IMPETUOUS
Means rash, impulsive, acting without thinking
108
IMPREGNABLE
Resistant to capture or penetration; strong enough to resist or withstand attack; not to be taken by force. If you describe a building or other place as impregnable, you mean that it cannot be broken into or captured
109
INAUGURATION
Is the act of putting a service, system, etc. into action, or an occasion when this happens
110
INCESED
Angered at something unjust or wrong (for example: Teacher was incensed at his lack of concentration)
111
INCHOATE
Not completely developed or clear. If something is inchoate, it is new or not yet properly developed
112
INCONSEQUENTIAL
Unimportant, trivial (for example: His work seems trivial and inconsequential)
113
INDELIBLE
Not able to be removed or
erased. An example of indelible
is ink that cannot be washed out
of a shirt.
114
INEXORABLE
Incapable of being persuaded or
placated; continuing without
any possibility of being stopped.
Inevitable
115
INEVITABLE
Certain to happen and unable to
| be avoided or prevented.
116
INFATUATION
A foolish and usually
| extravagant passion or love.
117
INFUSE
```
Means to instill a quality of; to
fill someone or something with
an emotion or quality; add scent
or flavor by steeping ingredients
in it.
```
118
INJUCTION
Is a judicial remedy to prohibit a
| party from doing something.
119
INSINUATE
```
Means to say something which
seems to mean something
unpleasant without saying it
openly; to suggest indirectly or
subtly.
```
120
INSURGENT
A rebel or revolutionary; in
opposition to a civil authority or
government.
121
INTERPOLATION
Is an interruption or an addition inserted into something spoken or written. If you tell a story and then add some new parts, those are interpolation
122
INTRANSIGENT
Refusing to compromise, often on an exprime opinion (for example: The company is intransigent and rejects any notion of a settlement)
123
INTREPID
Extremely brave and showing no fear of dangerous situations; fearless; adventurous (often used for rhetorical or humorous effect)
124
INVETERATE
Habitual; someone who does something very often.
125
JUBILATION
Is a feeling of great happiness, triumph or joy
126
JUXSTAPOSITION
Means two things placed beside each other for the sake of implicit comparison.
127
LAUDABLE
Deserving praise and commendation. Laudable refers to something or someone who does the right thing or the morally proper action
128
LOQUACIOUS
Talking or tending to talk a great deal or freely; talkative; garrulous
129
LUDICROUS
So foolish, stupid, unreasonable, or inappropriate as to be amusing; ridiculous
130
LUCID
Very clear and easy to understand.
131
MADDENING
Means extremely annoying or displeasing.
132
MERCURIAL
Characterised by rapid change or temperament; sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind
133
MISALLIANCE
Is an unsuitable alliance (especially with regard to marriage)
134
MISANTHROPY
Is a general hatred, dislike, distrust or contempt of the human species or human nature.
135
MODICUM
A small quantity of a particular thing (for example: I was pleased with the overall response and I think we collectively felt a modicum of relief)
136
MORATORIUM
Is a period of time when there is a suspension of a specific activity until future events warrant a removal of the suspension, or issues regarding the activity have been resolved
137
MUNDANE
Means ordinary, commonplace. Something that is mundane is very ordinary and not at all interesting or unusual. In subcultural and fictional uses, it is a person who does not belong to a particular group, according to the members of the group
138
MUTTER
Means to talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
139
NONCHALANT
Calm, casual, unexcited; behaving in a calm manner, often in a way that suggests you are not interested and do not care
140
NOVICE
A beginner, someone without training or experience
141
NUGATORY
Worth nothing or of little value/ importance
142
OBFUSCATION
Is the act or an instance of making something obscure, dark, or difficult to understand; the obscuring of the intended meaning of a communication by making the message difficult to understand usually with confusing and ambiguous language
143
OBLOQUY
Is a censure, blame or abusive language aimed at a person or thing, especially by numerous persons of the society
144
OBSEQUIOUS
Means attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
145
OBSTREPEROUS
Noisy, aggressive, and difficult to control
146
ODIOUS
Means an extremely unpleasant and causing or deserving hate
147
OPAQUE
Not able to be seen through; not easily understood. Use the adjective opaque for something that doesn't allow light to pass through (like a heavy curtain) or for something difficult to understand
148
OSTENTATION
Is a show of something such as money, power, or skill that is intended to impress people
149
OUTLIER
Means an extreme deviation from the mean, a person, thing, or fact that is so different that can't be used for general conclusions.
150
OXYMORON
Is a combination of 2 words used together that have, or seem to have opposite meanings. Some examples of an oxymoron:
Great Depression; cruel to be kind; painfully beautiful; alone together; alone together; wise fool; true myth, etc.
151
PARADIGM
Is a model of something, or a very clear and typical example of something; a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories, research methods, postulates, and standards for what constitutes legitimate contributions to a field
152
PARALOGISM
This means a piece of illogical or fallacious reasoning, especially one with appears superficially logical or which the reasoner believes to be logical; reasoning which is false in point of form, that is, which is contrary to logical rules.
153
PARCHED
Shriveled; dried out because of too much heat and not enough rain
154
PAROCHIAL
Relating to or supported by or located in a parish
155
PARSIMONIOUS
Excessively unwilling to spend money or use resources
156
PERFIDIOUS
Faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy. If you describe someone as perfidious, you mean that they have betrayed someone or cannot be trusted
157
PLACATE
Means to make (someone) less angry or hostile; to appease or pacify, especially by concessions or conciliatory gestures
158
PLETHORA
Means a very large amount of something, especially a larger amount than you need, want, or can deal with
159
POLEMIC
An aggressive argument against a specific opinion, doctrine, etc.
160
POSTULATE
Means something assumed without proof as being self-evident or generally accepted, especially when used as a basis for an argument; a fundamental element; a basic principle. Sometimes postulates are not obviously correct but are required for their consequences.
161
PRAGMATIC
Dealing with the problems that exist in a reasonable and logical way instead of depending on theories
162
PRATTLE
Means to talk in a silly way for a long time about things that are not important or without saying anything important
163
PRECIPITATE
Means to make something happen quickly, suddenly or sooner than expected
164
PREPONDERANCE
Exceeding in heaviness; the largest part or greatest amount. If there's a preponderance of something, there is a lot of it
165
PRESUMPTION
Is the act of believing that something is true without any proof. In the law of evidence, a presumption of a particular fact can be made without the aid of proof in some situations.
166
PREVARICATE
Means to avoid telling the truth by not directly answering a question
167
PROLIFERATION
Is a rapid increase in the number or amount of something
168
PROSAIC
Dull, commonplace; without interest, imagination, and excitement
169
PROTRACT
Lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer. If you have a disagreement with a friend that you continue for days, you are protracting the argument
170
QUAFF
Means to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught.
171
QUANDARY
State of certainty in a choice between unfavorable options or in a difficult situation
172
QUERULOUS
Often complaining; irritable
173
QUINTESSENCE
Is the most typical example of something. For example, the Parthenon in Greece was considered the quintessence of the perfectly proportioned building.
174
RANCOROUS
Means hateful. A rancorous argument or person is full of bitterness and anger.
175
RATIFICATION
Is the act of voting on a decision or signing a written agreement to make it official.
176
RECLUSIVE
Preferring to live in isolation; avoiding the company of other people.
177
RECONDITE
Means something that is difficult or impossible for most to understand, or that most people don't know about.
178
RENOVATION
Repair, making something new
179
RESILIENT
Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions; bounce back
180
RUBICON
Is a point of no return; to cross/pass the Rubicon means to take a decisive, irrevocable step
181
SACROSANCT
Holy, something that should not be criticized
182
SANCTUM
Means a sacred place, especially a shrine within a temple or church
183
SARDONIC
Means a disdainfully or ironically humorous; scornful, cynical, and mocking
184
SCHISM
Division of a group into opposing factions. When there is a schism, a group or organization divides into 2 groups as a result of differences in thinking and beliefs.
185
SCRUTINIZE
To look at something very carefully
186
SPURIOUS
Means plausible but false; not being what is purports to be; fake.
187
STAGNATION
Is the state of lack of activity, growth, or development.
188
STRIDENT
Means unpleasantly loud and harsh
189
SUPERFICIAL
Appearing to be true or real only until examined more closely
190
SUPERFLUOUS
Extra, more than enough, redundant
191
SURREPTITIOUS
Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
192
TAUTOLOGY
Is the use of different words to say the same thing twice in the same statement. For example, They spoke in turn, one after the other is considered a tautology because ''in turn'' and ''one after the other'' mean the same thing.
193
TEEMING
Abundantly filled or swarming with something, as with people.
194
TERRESTRIAL
Of or relating to the earth or its inhabitants. An example of the terrestrial is a person who lives on the planet.
195
UNCANNY
Surpassing the ordinary or normal
196
UNKEPT
Not properly maintained or cared for (for example His hair was unkempt and dirty)
197
VACILLATE
Means to waver between different opinions or actions
198
VENERABLE
Respected because of age.
199
VERISIMILITUDE
Being believable, or having the appearance of being true. For example, you can improve your game by using the real sounds of the ocean, to create verisimilitude
200
VICARIOUS
Experienced as a result of watching, listening to, or reading about the activities of other people, rather than by doing the activities yourself. For example, lots of people use television as their vicarious form of social life.
201
VICISSITUDE
Is a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwanted or unpleasant.
202
VILIFY
Spread negative information about something or someone.
203
VINDICATE
To clear from blame or suspicion; to prove that what someone said or did was right or true, after other people thought it was wrong
204
VITRIOLIC
Harsh, bitter, or malicious in tone. Vitriolic language or behavior is cruel and full of hate.
205
VOCIFEROUS
Crying out noisily; clamorous
206
VOLATILE
Likely to change rapidly and unpredictably (for example A volatile person can suddenly become angry or violent)
207
WAIL
Means a prolonged high-pitched cry of sorrow, pain, grief, or anger
208
WATERSHED
Literally means a region of land within which water flows down into a specified body; but also describes a critical point that marks a division or a charge of course; a turning point
