Vocabulary Flashcards
Aloof
being distant and unfriendly, not taking part into things
Aesthetics
beauty, study of it or beauty in itself
Anachronistic
of another epoch
Caprice
capriccio
Coinage
to invent
Dogmatism
states in an arrogant manner as if it was a fact
Foreground
the area that people pay attention to (of)
Idiosyncracy
features
Lionisation
to treat a person as a celebrity
Profuse
huge amount
Retinue
a group of advisers
Stigmatisation
disapproval
Transcend
go further, rise above
Warmongering
encouragment of war
Demur
to refuse
Panache
to do something in an original, stylish and confident way
Gawky
tall and awkward
Deflect
to change direction
Quixotic
unusual idea that is impractical to become reality
Flout
to intentionally disobey a rule
Brandish
to wave something in the air
Cloaked
to cover or hide something
Trite
dull and boring because it has been said or told too many times
Meticulous
careful
Trival
Of little value or importante
Fleeting
lasting for a very short time
Synoptic
taking a common view, forming a general summary
Abridged
(of a pieve of writing) having been shorten
Copious
abundant in supply and quantity
Lurid
unplesenty light in colour
Deferential
showing respect
Intransigent
to refuse to change ones view to agree with somebody else
lax
lacking care of, attention or control
Negligent
failing to take care of something
Obsequious
Obedient
Resolute
Purposeful and determined person
Acquisitive
eager to own and collect things
Wary
Feeling or showing caution
Profligate
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources.
Misnomer
a wrong or inaccurate use of a name or term
Profundity
great depth of insight or knowledge.
Underscore
put emphasis on something
Inimical
tending to obstruct or harm.
Pellucidity
admitting the passage of light, ransparent, translucent
Ample
large, plentiful
Virulence
harmful - a pathogen
Assuage
to make a bad feeling less intense
Erudite
full of knowledge
Fervid
highly passionate and enthusiastic
Zeal
enthusiasm that makes somebody determined to do something
Gullible
somebody easily convinced of something
laconic
using a few words
waver
to be undecided
garrulous
to speak too much
prevaricate
to be evasive in answering
obdurate
to stubbournly refuse to change one’s opinion
Eligible
having the right to do or obtain something; satisfying the appropriate conditions OR desirable or suitable as a partner in marriage.
Beacon
a fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning, signal, or celebration.
Reverence for
feeling respect for - riverenza
Acumen
the ability to make good judgements and take quick decisions
Iconoclasm
the action of attacking or assertively rejecting cherished beliefs and institutions or established values and practices.
Corroborating
confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding).
Debunking
to expose or discredit claims believed to be false, exaggerated, or pretentious
Bogus
not genuine or true
Obsolete
to fall in disuse
Exacting
demand and obtain something from somebody of high standards - esigente
Scathing
harm injure- destroy in judgment - caustico
frugality
sparing or economical as regards money or food. - frugalità
thrift
the quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully. - parsimonia
Synergy
he interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.
Reap
get the most out of something, benefit
fallow
ploughed and harrowed but left for a period without being sown in order to restore its fertility or to avoid surplus production.
disquieting
causing anguish
belie
to make something look as it is not
patent
easily recognisable
frivolous
not having any serious purpose or value
austerity
severity of attitude AND semplicity in appearance
prolixity
use a lot of words
volubility
talks easily and often
eclipse
deprive of significance and power
ruminate
ruminare, think deeply of something
utterly
completely, absolutely
prosaic
commonplace, unromantic
hackneyed
been overused, trite = banale
besieged
assediata da richieste
skittish
playfully frivolous or unpredictable = nervous or excitable; easily scared.
placid
not easily upset or excited = clam not easily excited
abeyance
suspension, temporary disuse of something
catharsis
an emotional cleanse
compunction
fell guilty
covet
to want with envy / bramare
descry
to spot
edacious
to eat with voracity / divorare
ensconce
to hide snuggly
fallacy
false idea
hoary
gray or white with age, ancient, stale
leitmotif
reacurring theme
maudlin
overly sentimental
holistic
to see something as a whole as their parts are deeply interconnected
graft
corruption, corruption, usually through bribery
epigram
a witty saying
witty
humurous in a clever way
decry
publicly announce
balk
refuse to comply
propitiate
to appease and placate
lugubrious
excessively mournful
mournful
addolorato
flippant
showing inappropriate levity
levity
leggerezza
reprisal
a retaliatory action in war against the enemy
retaliatory
act of revenge
eponym
the name derived from a person, he person after whom something was named
devlolve
to delegate to another
byzantine
intricate and complex
enjoin
to give instructions with authority
umbrage
a feeling of anger caused by being offended
recrimination
mutual accusation
moot
not important
neophyte
a beginner
palliate
to hide the seriousness of something with excuses or apologies
penury
povertá
infelicitous
inappropriate
poignant
emotionally moving
hagiographic
talking in an excessively flattering way towards somebody’s life
jaundiced
to be biased due to envy
proscribe
command against
shibboleth
parola d’ordine/slogan
Surrepitious
sneaky, secretive
Transfix
trafiggere, stand motionless
Salubrious
good for your health
Sangfroid
extraordinary composure in front of danger
Oust
to eject, expel
Nabob
a wealthy influential person
Histrionic
to be overly theatrical
Internecine
a conflict within a group
to proselytise
to convert somebody to another religion or idea
to machinate
to complot and conspire
ebullient
excessively happy, joyously unrestrained
halcyon
idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting happy tranquillity; marked by peace and prosperity
to bristle
Bristle means to stand like a stiff hair or to show anger. An example of to bristle is for a cat’s fur to stand straight up when scared.
Celerity
speed and rapidity
to Stultify
to lose energy and enthusiasm
to Impugn
to attack as false or wrong
hubris
overbearing pride and presumption
to irk
irritate
to meander
wander aimlessly
Derisive
abusive vocally
to glean
collect information bit by bit
to court
corteggiare, to try to win over
rugged
(of ground or terrain) having a broken, rocky, and uneven surface.
to cow
to frightensomebodyin order to make them obey you
scornful of
feeling or expressing drisdain or derision.
recondite
little known, nascosto - Celato, segreto, profondo e inaccessibile - it a recondite science
feckless
someonewho is ineffective or irresponsible. Apersonwho cannot be trusted to take on responsibility is an example ofsomeonewho would be described asfeckless.
pounctilious
extremely attentive to punctilios; strict or exact in the observance of the formalities or amenities of conduct or actions.
luminary
a person who inspires or influences others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere.
clangorous
characterized by or making a continuous loud banging or ringing sound.
to excise
to charge excise on (goods) = tassare
impecunious
having little or no money.
to feign
to pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury).
to dissemble
to conceal or disguise one’s true feelings or beliefs.
abstruse
difficult to understand, rare, - noto ma difficile a intendersi per troppa sottigliezza o astrattezza - einstein theories
trifiling
unimportant, trivial
extant
still in existence; surviving.
penchant for
strong preference or tendency
abase
umiliare
to collude
to cooperate in a secret or unlawful way in order to deceive or gain an advantage over others.
to glower
to stare in an angry way
effrontery
Shameless boldness - insolent or impertinent behaviour.
languid
privo di forze
lassitude
extreme tiredness, either mental or physical
refractory
stubbornly resistant to authority or control - unmanagable
Pundit
someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field - an expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called upon to give their opinions to the public.
Augment
to enlarge or increase; improve
Connive
to take part in immoral and unethical plots
Truculent
having a fierce, savage nature
Probity
integrity, strong moral principles
Loquacious
to talk well but a lot, too detailed
Verbosity
to talk a lot resulting in dullness, girare il punto
mightly
potente e/o very
chicanery
clever but dishonest talk used to decieve people at your own advantage
gainsey
to refuse to accept something as the truth / contraxddire
latent
present but needing particular conditions to become active, obvious or completely developed
goad
to prompt, stimulate, provoke deribelatly
abscond
to go away suddenly and secretly in order to escape somwhere
cogent
a reason well said that convinced people
abstemious
marked by temperance in induglence, not doing this to give you oleasure
gregarious
to temperamentally enjoy and seek the company of others
harangue
to speak to someone or a group of people, often for a long time, in a forceful and sometimes angry
confund
to be confusing by being difficult to explain and deal with
maverick
a person who thinks and acts in an independent way, often behaving differently from the expected
aberrant
different from an accepted standard
guiless
ingenuo
alacrity
brisk and cheerful readiness
condone
to accept (behaviour that is considered morally wrong or offensive), with reluctance
dupe
to decieve and trick
mendacious
laying not telling the truth
impervious
to not be passed/affected by
enervate
indebolirsi
apprise
to tell somebody about something
Negligible
trascurabile
Stalwart
A loyal, reliable, and hard-working supporter of or participant in an organization or team.
Spearhead
a leading element, force, or influence in an undertaking or development
Pinnacle
highest point of achievement or development
Craven
lacking the least bit of courage : contemptibly fainthearted
Officious
“assertive of authority in a domineering way, especially with regard to trivial matters. OR
intrusively enthusiastic in offering help or advice; interfering.”
Ostentatious
Characterized by pretentious or showy display; designed to impress.
Aver
to Declare something as true
Facetious
Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour; flippant.
Paucity
The presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities or amounts.
Sway
to Move or cause to move slowly or rhythmically backwards and forwards or from side to side.
Fortuitious
Happening by chance rather than intention.
Prescint
Having or showing knowledge of events before they take place.
Foresighted
the ability to predict what will happen or be needed in the future.
Blemishes
mark of physical deformity
Pretensions
strengthen (reinforced concrete) by applying tension to the reinforcing rods before the concrete has set OR a claim or assertion of a claim to something.
Commensurate
corresponding in size or degree; in proportion.
Kindered
relative eg family
Affiliated
closely associated
to coalesce
to Coalesceis when different elements of something join together and become one
Ubiquitious
present, appearing, or found everywhere.
Sporadic
occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.
Scanty
small or insufficient in quantity or amount.
Maeger
deficient in quantity or quality; lacking fullness or richness
Ameliorate
to make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.
Harbinger
a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.
Herald
a person or thing viewed as a sign that something is about to happen
Panacea
Rimedio universale, buono per tutti i mali
Perfunctory
(of an action) carried out without real interest, feeling, or effort.
Ruthless
having or showing no pity or compassion for others.
Canny
having or showing shrewdness and good judgement, especially in money or business matters.
Shrewd
having or showing sharp powers of judgement; astute.
Abate
to decrease in intensity
Gouge
to cut or impress on a surface
Levee
an embarkment created to prevent a river from overflowing
grandiloquent
styleor way of usinglanguageiscomplicatedinordertoattractadmirationandattention,especiallyinorderto make someone or somethingseemimportant:
admonish
ammonire o esortare
divest
take away possessions from someone
complaisant
cheerful willingness to do favours
contrite
feeling or expressing pain for sins or offenses
elegy
a mournful peom, a lament for the dead
knack
the tendency of doing something
hark back to
evoke (an older style or genre).
hauteur
arrogant
vitriol
harsh criticism
dash
- strike or fling (something) somewhere with great force, especially so as to have a destructive effect; hurl.
- to discourage
- flair = stylishness and originality.”
treachery
betraying one’s trust
subvert
undermine the power and authority of (an established system or institution).
hobble
“1. walk in an awkward way, typically because of pain from an injury.
- tie or strap together (the legs of a horse or other animal) to prevent it from straying.
- restrict the activity or development of.”
scrap
“a small piece or amount of something, especially one that is left over after the greater part has been used.
Particularly small thing”
agog
In a state of eager desire; highly excited by eagerness or curiosity; astir.
vex
to annoy; harass; trouble
brash
boorish or rude
apogee
“1. That point in the orbit of a planet or other heavenly body which is at the greatest distance from the earth; especially, that particular point of the moon’s orbit.
- climax”
nadir
point of extreme depression
sublimate
divert or modify (an instinctual impulse) into a culturally higher or socially more acceptable activity.
relegate
assign an inferior rank or position to.
philistine
one who treats art derisively
chauvinist
a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.
