Vocabulary 5 Flashcards
collectivism
(noun)
the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it.
“the Church has criticized the great emphasis placed on individualism rather than collectivism”
the ownership of land and the means of production by the people or the state, as a political principle or system.
“the Russian Revolution decided to alter the course of modernity towards collectivism”
facetious
(adjective)
treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour; flippant.
“a facetious remark”
dexterous
(adjective)
showing or having skill, especially with the hands.
“a dexterous keyboard player”
loom
(verb, noun)
appear as a vague or shadowy form, especially one that is large or threatening.
“vehicles loomed out of the darkness”
take on a threatening shape
(of an event regarded as ominous or threatening) seem about to happen.
“there is a crisis looming”
a vague and often exaggerated first appearance of an object seen in darkness or fog, especially at sea.
“the loom of the land”
the dim reflection by cloud or haze of a light which is not directly visible, e.g. from a lighthouse over the horizon.
fallibility
(noun)
the tendency to make mistakes or be wrong.
“technology is not a cure for human fallibility”
masochism
(noun)
the tendency to derive sexual gratification from one’s own pain or humiliation.
“with things such as bondage and masochism, it’s all right if you both go for it”
(in general use) the enjoyment of an activity that appears to be painful or tedious.
“there’s plenty to do when the weather turns moorland walks into exercises in masochism”
elicit
(verb)
evoke or draw out (a reaction, answer, or fact) from someone.
“I tried to elicit a smile from Joanna”
draw forth (something that is latent or potential) into existence.
“a corrupt heart elicits in an hour all that is bad in us”
elucidate
(verb)
make (something) clear; explain.
“work such as theirs will help to elucidate this matter”
exempt
(adjective, verb, noun)
free from an obligation or liability imposed on others.
“these patients are exempt from all charges”
free (a person or organization) from an obligation or liability imposed on others.
“they were exempted from paying the tax”
a person who is exempt from something, especially the payment of tax.
beset
(verb)
(of a problem or difficulty) trouble (someone or something) persistently.
“the social problems that beset the UK”
be covered or studded with.
“springy grass all beset with tiny jewel-like flowers”
edifice
(noun)
a large, imposing building.
a complex system of beliefs.
“the concepts on which the edifice of capitalism was built”
idealism
(noun)
the unrealistic belief in or pursuit of perfection.
“the idealism of youth”
any of various systems of thought in which the objects of knowledge are held to be in some way dependent on the activity of mind.
initiative
(noun)
the ability to assess and initiate things independently.
“use your initiative, imagination, and common sense”
the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do
concomitant
(adjective, noun)
naturally accompanying or associated.
“she loved to travel, with all its concomitant worries”
a phenomenon that naturally accompanies or follows something.
“he sought promotion without the necessary concomitant of hard work”
contradistinction
(noun)
the distinction made by contrasting the different qualities of two things.
“Such a process is known as induction, in contradistinction to the deduction process”
indiscriminately
(adverb)
in a random manner; unsystematically.
“his armies slaughtered men, women, and children indiscriminately”
in a way that does not show care or judgement.
“People who are sedentary and who eat indiscriminately”
emanate
(verb)
(of a feeling, quality, or sensation) issue or spread out from (a source).
“warmth emanated from the fireplace”
originate from; be produced by.
“the proposals emanated from a committee”
give out or emit (a feeling, quality, or sensation).
“he emanated a powerful brooding air”
orientation
(noun)
the action of orienting someone or something relative to the points of a compass or other specified positions.
“studies of locational awareness and orientation in young children”
a person’s basic attitude, beliefs, or feelings in relation to a particular subject or issue.
“his book is well worth reading, regardless of your political orientation”
obviate
(verb)
remove (a need or difficulty).
“the presence of roller blinds obviated the need for curtains”
avoid or prevent (something undesirable).
“a parachute can be used to obviate disaster”
Phonetics
(noun)
Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that studies how humans produce and perceive sounds, or in the case of sign languages, the equivalent aspects of sign. Linguists who specialize in studying the physical properties of speech are phoneticians.
