Vocabulary Flashcards
1
Q
allergen
A
a substance that causes an allergic reaction
2
Q
abacus
A
an ancient counting device
3
Q
abstain
A
do without voluntarily
4
Q
acrophobia
A
fear of heights
5
Q
advocate
A
argue a certain point of view, offer support
6
Q
aerie
A
a man-made habitat for birds
7
Q
aficiando
A
an enthusiast
8
Q
agile
A
moves easily, like an athlete, nimls
9
Q
alchemist
A
an early practitioner of chemistry
10
Q
alchemy
A
early chemistry
11
Q
allergy
A
extreme sensitivity to a particular substance
12
Q
alliteration
A
repititoion of the same first letter or sound in a line of poetry
13
Q
altercation
A
a dispute that has gotten out of hand
14
Q
ambiguous
A
vague, not concise
15
Q
anecdote
A
short account of an interesting incident or event
16
Q
anvil
A
hard metal surface upon which a blacksmith hammers
17
Q
arbiter
A
one who settles a dispute, one who mediates
18
Q
arouse
A
awaken, stir to action, excite
19
Q
arthropods
A
small wingless insects
20
Q
article
A
an essay usually appearing in a newspaper or a magazine, note that an editorial is an example of an article
21
Q
astrologer
A
person who claims to interpret the influence of the stars on events and persons
22
Q
astronomer
A
one who studies astronomy
23
Q
atlas
A
a book of maps
24
Q
ballad
A
a story, note that drama is a type of a ballad
25
banal
commonplace, trite
26
boulder
a very large stone
27
bovine
of or like a cow or an ox
28
burdensome
heavy to bear, oppresive
29
caliper
instrument used in measuring thickness
30
calligraphy
handwriting, especially exceptional handwriting
31
calligrapher
a handwriting expert
32
campaign
series of related military operations
33
cartilage
the tough elastic material that forms part of the skeletal structure
34
cartography
the making of maps or charts
35
cartographer
one who makes maps or charts
36
cascade
the tumbling flow of water as in a waterfall
37
century
one hundred years
38
chimes
sets of tuned bells, the sounds that tuned bells make
39
cholesterol
a constituent of animal fats that is important in metabolism; steroids are a class of cholesterol
40
coarse
rough to the touch; opposite of silky
41
cobbler
a shoemaker
42
collonades
strong columns that serve as support for some building or structure
43
combine
may refer to a machine used to harvest crops
44
commendable
worthy of praise
45
conductor
one who directs (especially of an orchestra)
46
convivial
fond of socializing with friends
47
cornucopia
a horn shaped container that, when filled, symbolizes plenty
48
cottage
a small house
49
credulous
extremely naive or gullible
50
curator
caretaker (especially of a museum)
51
dash
can refer to a small amount being added (like a pinch)
52
decibel
a unit that is used to measure the intensity of sound
53
deciduous
a type of tree that loses its leaves in winter
54
diatribe
a bitter outburst aimed at a person or an idea
55
discreet
carefully sensible in speech and action
56
disperse
break up a gathering
57
dispute
disagreement, argument
58
dogmatic
positive in one's opinions, overbearingly certain
59
dormant
inactive, quiet as if asleep
60
drought
a long period of dry (rainless) weather
61
ebb
fade, lessen, weaken
62
emblem
a visible symbol such as a flag
63
endeavors
attempts at, tries for
64
engraving
an artistic carving; a form of printing
65
enterprise
an undertaking or project
66
enthusiast
person who is carried away by his feelings for a cause
67
epicure
a person with a refined taste in eating and drinking
68
epicurean
one who is fond of pleasure and luxury
69
epilogue
a concluding statement
70
epitaph
a short statement said in memory of a dead person; an epitaph often appears on a tombstone
71
equine
of or pertaining to horses
72
erratic
wildly inconsistent
73
expand
increase in size; opposite of reduce
74
facade
the decorative front of a building
75
facet
a division (cut) of a diamond just as a period is a division of an era
76
fallow
uncultivated, inactive; an unseeded field is said to be lying fallow
77
famine
a period of extreme lack of food; a famine might be caused by a drought
78
feline
of or like a cat
79
flimsy
very light; lacking substance; not thick
80
foreman
one who is in charge
81
frank
honest, straight-forward
82
gaudy
showy but cheap, flashy
83
generic
having to do with class (grouping) in general
84
geyser
a fissure in the ground that spews water
85
gorged
consumed to excess, overeat
86
gorgeous
very pretty, beautiful
87
gourmet
a person who is an expert in judging, choosing, and preparing fine foods
88
hangar
building in which airplanes are kept
89
holster
pocket for a gun or pistol
90
hue
a certain shade of color
91
humidor
a container for cigars
92
hyacinth
a type of flower
93
imbue
fill (especially with moisture or color), inspire
94
impassive
without feeling or emotion
95
impede
hinder or halt some movement
96
impel
thrust forward, the opposite of impede
97
imperative
an absolute necessity, a requisite
98
impoverish
make poor, opposite of prosper
99
insatiable
a hunger that cannot be satisfied
100
irrigation
man made canals used to bring water to dry land
101
inept
lacking skill
102
landlord
property owner who rents said property to others
103
latex
an important product made from rubber
104
laud
praise; opposite of criticize
105
lumen
a unit that is used to measure the intensity of light
106
languish
diminish, weaken
107
mammal
a vertebrate animal that gives milk to its young; note that a whale is a mammal
108
mammoth
a large, extinct mammal; an ancestor of the elephant
109
mandrill
a type of monkey (baboon)
110
manifest
a list of passengers for a plane or ship
111
marsupial
an animal that carries its young in a pouch; note that a kangaroo is a marsupial
112
metaphysic
one who studies philosophy
113
metropolis
a large city
114
minute
very tiny
115
miser
one who is very cheap, a stingy person
116
naivete
the tendency to be easily duped or overly innocent
117
nano
a prefix meaning one billionth of
118
neurotic
a person suffering from obsessive desires
119
niacin
a prescription drug that treats heart disease and high cholesterol
120
nosegay
a bouquet of flowers
121
numismatics
the study of coins and metals
122
numismatic
one involved in the study of coins and metals
123
odometer
instrument used to measure the distance travelled
124
osteopathy
treatment of disease by manipulation of the bones
125
ottoman
a foot rest
126
oxymoron
a phrase that contains an obvious contradiction
127
palette
thin board upon which colors are mixed by a painter
128
pane
a plate of glass that is a component of a window
129
panorama
a wide expansive view
130
pantry
a storage area for food
131
parafin
wax-like substance used for making candles
132
parasite
animal (or person) that lives on (or off) another animal (or person)
133
parsley
a leafy vegetable like lettuce
134
pattern
arrangement of forms and colors, design; a dress would be made to a pattern
135
pebble
a small stone
136
pedestrian
one who walks rather than drives
137
penurious
stingy, unwilling to spend money, extremely poor
138
philatelist
one who collects stamps
139
physiognomy
facial feature
140
pica
line of type that is 12 points
141
piscine
pertaining to fish
142
pitch
degree of highness or lowness of sound
143
pituitary
gland that secretes hormones
144
placid
calm, undisturbed
145
plankton
tiny creatures found in an ocean or sea
146
porcine
of or like pigs (hogs)
147
pragmatist
one who gauges value by practical consequences
148
precipitation
process of the formation of a less mobile state from a more mobile state (solid formed out of a liquid); or a state of sudden haste
149
precipitate
result of precipitation; note that snow is a form of precipitate
150
prehensile
an appendage (like a monkey's tail or an elephant's trunk) that is well-suited for grasping or seizing
151
produce
can mean the vegetables sold by a grocer
152
profound
very deep, not ordinary; the opposite of banal
153
prologue
any introductory (preliminary) act or event
154
prudent
sensible, discreet, wisely cautious
155
pundit
one known for the rendering of opinions
156
pyrophobia
fear of fire
157
raconteur
a skilled teller of stories (anecdotes)
158
recipe
set of directions for preparing something (especially something to eat)
159
reclusive
tending to withdraw from the company of others
160
referee
a judge of the play in games and sports
161
reflective
easy to see through, clear (like a windowpane)
162
reflexive
a personal adjective; an example is found in "The boy hurt himself." In this, himself is a reflexive adjective.
163
reign
the time period an autocrat (emperor) rules
164
relativist
one who judges things by their comparative value; a type of pragmatist
165
sapling
a young tree
166
satellite
a small planet that revolves around a larger planet
167
score
one-fifth of a century (20 years)
168
scurvy
a disease caused by the lack of vitamin C
169
sensualist
one who is fond of pleasure, a modern epicurean
170
shoal
a place where the water is shallow and which may cause a ship to run aground
171
shutter
a device that opens and closes in front of the lens of a camera
172
sibling
a brother or sister
173
skyscraper
an extraordinarily tall building
174
slate
a list of candidates for a particular party (ticket)
175
slothful
lazy, indolent, not industrious
176
snore
a loud breathing that occurs during sleep
177
sonata
a piece of music
178
spoke
that part of a wheel that connects the center of the wheel to its rim
179
spouse
mate, husband or wife in a marriage
180
stable
building in which animals (especially horses) are kept
181
stolid
impassive, showing no emotion
182
symphony
a musical composition whose parts are known as movements
183
tactics
the specific steps taken to execute a strategy
184
tenant
one who rents a property
185
term
the time period an elected official is in office
186
theorist
one engaged in speculations
187
thesaurus
a type of dictionary
188
thicket
very close growth of shrubs or bushes
189
thrash
beat; wheat is thrashed so as to separate the grain
190
tic
small parasite of the skin often contracted in a forest
191
tiny
very small
192
tolerant
accepting of other's opinions, forbearing; opposite of bigoted or dogmatic
193
trowel
a tool used by a bricklayer to spread mortar
194
unquenchable
usually refers to a thirst that cannot be satisfied
195
vassal
tenant of a lord, servant, follower, slave
196
verse
the component lines of a poem
197
vertigo
condition characterized by diziness & loss of balance
198
village
small community (smaller than a town)
199
virtuous
exhibiting high moral excellence
200
wary
very cautious, alert, watchful
201
zealot
a fanatic, an extreme enthusiast
