Vocabulary Flashcards
AFFECTATION
A deliberate pretence or exaggerated display
ALLEVIATE
To make something easier to deal with or endure
AMALGAMATE
To bring together, unite; to combine different things to create something new
AMBIGUOUS
Unclear or vague in meaning; having more than one possible meaning
AMICABLE
Friendly, agreeable; characterised by or showing goodwill, peaceable
AMORPHOUS
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
ANACHRONISTIC
Out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period
ANEW
Once more; again; in a new, typically more positive, way
ANNIHILATION
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
ANTITHESIS
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.
APATHY
Means lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern
APOSTASY
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
APOTHEOSIS
Is the glorification of a subject to divine level; the highest point in the development of something; a culmination
APPRISE
Means to inform somebody of something (for example: We must apprise them of the dangers that may be involved)
ARCHETYPE
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.
ARID
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
AROUSE
To cause someone to have a particular feeling or response; to cause an emotion or attitude
ASCETICISM
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
ASSERTION
Is a statement, usually backed up by some kind of solid proof or reasoning; a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief
ASSIDUOUS
Means persistent, hard-working. If you call someone assiduous, it means they’re careful, methodical and very persistent.
ASSUAGE
Meaning to make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
AUSTERE
Means stern and forbidding. If you describe something as austere, you approve of its plain and simple appearance
AVAIL
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)
AVARICE
Means greedy desire for wealth or material gain
AXIOM
Is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments
BANTER
Good-humored, playful conversation; the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks
BEFOREHAND
At an earlier or preceding time; in advance; prior to; earlier (than a particular time)
BELICOSE
Inclined or ready to fight; aggressively hostile
BEGUILE
Means to persuade or trick someone into doing something, especially by saying nice things to them
BENEVOLENT
Friendly and helpful; characterised by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings
BEWILDER
To become perplexed and confused (for example: Beware of false people and situations that may bewilder you temporarily)
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
BLANDISHMENT
Pleasant things you do or say about someone in order to persuade or influence them
BRACKISH
Means distasteful and unpleasant (for example: Brackish water is slightly salty and unpleasant)
BURGEON
To develop, expand or grow rapidly
CADAVEROUS
Having appearance or coloraturas of dead human body; looking very pale and ill
CAMARADERIE
Brotherhood, partnership, jovial unity, sociability amongst friends
CANTANKEROUS
Means ill humoured, irritable, marked by ill-tempered contradiction or opposition, ugly, malicious
CASTIGATION
Means to criticise someone or something severely; verbal punishment. The word comes from the Latin ‘castigus’ which means ‘‘to make pure’’
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
CIRCUITOUS
Indirect, taking the longest route (for example: A circuitous journey/path is longer than it needs to be because it is not direct)
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
COERCION
Means the use of force to persuade someone to do do something that they are unwilling ti do
COGENT
Reasonable and convincing; based on evidence; forcefully persuasive
COINCIDE
Means to happen at or near the same time or during the same period, to occupy exactly the same space
COMITY
Is a state or atmosphere of harmony or mutual civility
COMMENSURATE
Corresponding in size or degree or extent
CONCEDE
Means to admit or accept that something is treater first denying or resisting it.
CONFIDANT
Means someone to whom private matters are told.A confidant is a person you tell your secrets to.
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.
CONDESCENDING
Showing or characterised by a patronising or superior attitude toward others
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)
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)
CORROBORATE
Means to confirm or make more certain
COUNTENANCE
Give sanctions or support to; tolerate or approve
CREDULOUS
Apt to believe on slight evidence; easily imposed upon; unsuspecting; believed too readily
DEARTH
Means scarcity, a lack of something, shortage of food, famine from failure or loss of crops
DELECTABLE
Delightful; delicious; extremely pleasing to the sense of taste
DELETORIOUS
Harmful, destructive, detrimental
DELINEATE
Portray; depict; draw or trace outline of; sketch out
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.
DENOUNCE
Condemn openly; criticise; make known in formal manner
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.
DEPUTE
Means transfer power to someone; appoint or instruct (someone) to perform a task for which one is responsible
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)
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
DIGRESSION
The act of turning aside, staying from the main point, esp, in a speech or argument
DILIGENT
Having or showing care and integrity in one’s work or duties
DISCLOSE
Expose to view as by removing a cover; to make something known publicly, or to show something that was hidden
DISCONSOLATE
Sad; cheerless; gloomy; hopeless or not expecting
DISCORDANT
Not in agreement or harmony
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
DISPERAGE
Express a negative opinion of (for example: He never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors)
DOUR
Mean hard; inflexible; obstinate; gloomy in manner or appearance
DUALISM
(for the Latin word duo (meaning ‘‘two’’)) is the belief that things are divided into two often very different or opposing parts
EBULLIENT
Overflowing with fervor, enthusiasm, or excitement; high-spirited
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
EFFRONTERY
Audacious behaviour that you have no right to
EGREGIOUS
Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
ELUCIDATE
Means to explain something or make something clear
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
EMBELLISH
To decorate, to add details to, enhance
EMPIRICAL
Means something that is based on investigation, observation, experimentation, or experience. If knowledge is empirical, it’s based on observation rather theory.
ENERVATE
Cause (someone or something) to feel drained of energy; weaken
ENIGMA
Means a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand
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’’)
EPHEMERAL
Means momentary, transient, fleeting; lasting for a very short time
EQUANIMITY
A calm mental state; steadiness of mind under stress
EVANESCENT
Quickly fading, short-lived, especially an image. The evanescent night sky of Berlin was stunning.
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.
EXEMPLIFY
Means to clarify by giving an illustration of
EXTEMPORIZE
Perform or speak without preparation
FACETIOUS
Treating serious issues with intentionally inappropriate humour; flippant
FALLACIOUS
Containing or based on incorrect reasoning; not incorrect
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)
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.
FRET
Be constantly or visible anxious; to be nervous or worried
FRUGAL
Means thrifty, cheap; simple and plain and costing little
GALVANIZE
Means to shock or affect someone enough to produce a strong and immediate reaction, typically into taking action
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
GULLIBLE
Easily persuaded to believe something
HACKNEYED
Means something cliché that has been overused or done too much
HARANGUE
Is a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion
HAUGHTY
Means arrogant and condescending. When you’re haughty, you have a big attitude and you behave as if you are better than others
HITHERTO
Means up to this point; until the present time
IGNOMINIOUS
Deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
IMPETUOUS
Means rash, impulsive, acting without thinking
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
INAUGURATION
Is the act of putting a service, system, etc. into action, or an occasion when this happens
INCESED
Angered at something unjust or wrong (for example: Teacher was incensed at his lack of concentration)
INCHOATE
Not completely developed or clear. If something is inchoate, it is new or not yet properly developed
INCONSEQUENTIAL
Unimportant, trivial (for example: His work seems trivial and inconsequential)
INDELIBLE
Not able to be removed or
erased. An example of indelible
is ink that cannot be washed out
of a shirt.
INEXORABLE
Incapable of being persuaded or
placated; continuing without
any possibility of being stopped.
Inevitable
INEVITABLE
Certain to happen and unable to
be avoided or prevented.
INFATUATION
A foolish and usually
extravagant passion or love.
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.
INJUCTION
Is a judicial remedy to prohibit a
party from doing something.
INSINUATE
Means to say something which seems to mean something unpleasant without saying it openly; to suggest indirectly or subtly.
INSURGENT
A rebel or revolutionary; in
opposition to a civil authority or
government.
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
INTRANSIGENT
Refusing to compromise, often on an exprime opinion (for example: The company is intransigent and rejects any notion of a settlement)
INTREPID
Extremely brave and showing no fear of dangerous situations; fearless; adventurous (often used for rhetorical or humorous effect)
INVETERATE
Habitual; someone who does something very often.
JUBILATION
Is a feeling of great happiness, triumph or joy
JUXSTAPOSITION
Means two things placed beside each other for the sake of implicit comparison.
LAUDABLE
Deserving praise and commendation. Laudable refers to something or someone who does the right thing or the morally proper action
LOQUACIOUS
Talking or tending to talk a great deal or freely; talkative; garrulous
LUDICROUS
So foolish, stupid, unreasonable, or inappropriate as to be amusing; ridiculous
LUCID
Very clear and easy to understand.
MADDENING
Means extremely annoying or displeasing.
MERCURIAL
Characterised by rapid change or temperament; sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind
MISALLIANCE
Is an unsuitable alliance (especially with regard to marriage)
MISANTHROPY
Is a general hatred, dislike, distrust or contempt of the human species or human nature.
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)
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
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
MUTTER
Means to talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
NONCHALANT
Calm, casual, unexcited; behaving in a calm manner, often in a way that suggests you are not interested and do not care
NOVICE
A beginner, someone without training or experience
NUGATORY
Worth nothing or of little value/ importance
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
OBLOQUY
Is a censure, blame or abusive language aimed at a person or thing, especially by numerous persons of the society
OBSEQUIOUS
Means attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
OBSTREPEROUS
Noisy, aggressive, and difficult to control
ODIOUS
Means an extremely unpleasant and causing or deserving hate
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
OSTENTATION
Is a show of something such as money, power, or skill that is intended to impress people
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.
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.
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
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.
PARCHED
Shriveled; dried out because of too much heat and not enough rain
PAROCHIAL
Relating to or supported by or located in a parish
PARSIMONIOUS
Excessively unwilling to spend money or use resources
PERFIDIOUS
Faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy. If you describe someone as perfidious, you mean that they have betrayed someone or cannot be trusted
PLACATE
Means to make (someone) less angry or hostile; to appease or pacify, especially by concessions or conciliatory gestures
PLETHORA
Means a very large amount of something, especially a larger amount than you need, want, or can deal with
POLEMIC
An aggressive argument against a specific opinion, doctrine, etc.
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.
PRAGMATIC
Dealing with the problems that exist in a reasonable and logical way instead of depending on theories
PRATTLE
Means to talk in a silly way for a long time about things that are not important or without saying anything important
PRECIPITATE
Means to make something happen quickly, suddenly or sooner than expected
PREPONDERANCE
Exceeding in heaviness; the largest part or greatest amount. If there’s a preponderance of something, there is a lot of it
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.
PREVARICATE
Means to avoid telling the truth by not directly answering a question
PROLIFERATION
Is a rapid increase in the number or amount of something
PROSAIC
Dull, commonplace; without interest, imagination, and excitement
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
QUAFF
Means to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught.
QUANDARY
State of certainty in a choice between unfavorable options or in a difficult situation
QUERULOUS
Often complaining; irritable
QUINTESSENCE
Is the most typical example of something. For example, the Parthenon in Greece was considered the quintessence of the perfectly proportioned building.
RANCOROUS
Means hateful. A rancorous argument or person is full of bitterness and anger.
RATIFICATION
Is the act of voting on a decision or signing a written agreement to make it official.
RECLUSIVE
Preferring to live in isolation; avoiding the company of other people.
RECONDITE
Means something that is difficult or impossible for most to understand, or that most people don’t know about.
RENOVATION
Repair, making something new
RESILIENT
Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions; bounce back
RUBICON
Is a point of no return; to cross/pass the Rubicon means to take a decisive, irrevocable step
SACROSANCT
Holy, something that should not be criticized
SANCTUM
Means a sacred place, especially a shrine within a temple or church
SARDONIC
Means a disdainfully or ironically humorous; scornful, cynical, and mocking
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.
SCRUTINIZE
To look at something very carefully
SPURIOUS
Means plausible but false; not being what is purports to be; fake.
STAGNATION
Is the state of lack of activity, growth, or development.
STRIDENT
Means unpleasantly loud and harsh
SUPERFICIAL
Appearing to be true or real only until examined more closely
SUPERFLUOUS
Extra, more than enough, redundant
SURREPTITIOUS
Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
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.
TEEMING
Abundantly filled or swarming with something, as with people.
TERRESTRIAL
Of or relating to the earth or its inhabitants. An example of the terrestrial is a person who lives on the planet.
UNCANNY
Surpassing the ordinary or normal
UNKEPT
Not properly maintained or cared for (for example His hair was unkempt and dirty)
VACILLATE
Means to waver between different opinions or actions
VENERABLE
Respected because of age.
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
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.
VICISSITUDE
Is a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwanted or unpleasant.
VILIFY
Spread negative information about something or someone.
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
VITRIOLIC
Harsh, bitter, or malicious in tone. Vitriolic language or behavior is cruel and full of hate.
VOCIFEROUS
Crying out noisily; clamorous
VOLATILE
Likely to change rapidly and unpredictably (for example A volatile person can suddenly become angry or violent)
WAIL
Means a prolonged high-pitched cry of sorrow, pain, grief, or anger
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
