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Vocabulary/Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Inductive reasoning vs. Deductive reasoning

A

Inductive reasoning is a bottom-up approach, from specific to general.
eg. Dogs A and B have fleas. All observed dogs have fleas. All dogs have fleas.

Deductive reasoning is top-down, from general premises to specific conclusions.
eg. All spiders have eight legs. A tarantula is a spider. Therefore, tarantulas have eight legs.

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2
Q

Richard Dawkins’ Meme

A

-unit of cultural transmission or imitation
-the cultural parallel to biological genes
-considered them as being in control of their own reproduction

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3
Q

Spandrel (architectural and evolutionary biology definition)

A

-roughly triangular space, usually found in pairs, at top of arch or rectangular frame
-phenotypical trait that is a byproduct of some other characteristic eg. chin or recursion (clause within a clause), theorised by Noam Chomsky to be part of the Universal Grammar

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4
Q

Semantics

A

-how one’s lexicon, grammatical structures, tone and other elements of a sentence coalesce to communicate meaning

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5
Q

Syntax

A

-set of rules needed to ensure a sentence is grammatically correct

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6
Q

Bona fide & Bona fides

A
  1. genuine/real (from Latin: with good faith)
  2. informal for credentials
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7
Q

Epithet (examples)

A

a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing

eg. “Richard the Lion-Hearted” is an epithet of Richard I
eg. “man’s best friend” for “dog”

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8
Q

Subversive

A

tending or intending to overthrow, destroy, or undermine an established or existing system

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9
Q

Castigate/Chastise

A

Synonyms with similar etymology
Punish or censure someone

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10
Q

Cashed up bogan

A

A person who is unsophisticated or of a lower class background but achieving a high salary, who spends money on flashy or trashy items to fulfil their aspirations of higher social status

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11
Q

Normative vs Normal vs Norms

A

Normative - establishing (or trying to establish) certain rules about what we perceive as normal
Normal - usual/conforming to norms
Norms - the rules that govern our behaviour

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12
Q

Equivocate

A

use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself

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13
Q

Exhort

A

strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something

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14
Q

Obstinate
Obdurate
Intransigent

A

Obstinate: stubborn, tenaciously unwilling to yield
Obdurate: stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action
Intransigent: uncompromising, unwilling or refusing to change one’s views

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15
Q

Ostensible

A

stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so

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16
Q

Pernicious

A

having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way

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17
Q

Crass

A

showing no intelligence or sensitivity

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18
Q

Under the auspices

A

with the protection or support of something, especially an organization

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19
Q

Erudition

A

the quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning

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20
Q

Anaphora

A

the repetition of words or phrases in a group of sentences, clauses, or poetic lines
eg. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech
eg. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities

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21
Q

Tautology

A

Needless repetition of an idea, statement or word
eg. always and forever
eg. 8am in the morning

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22
Q

Outright vs Downright

A

Outright - complete, without reservation/unqualified, at once
Downright - directly to the point, complete, really/actually

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23
Q

Promulgate

A

Announce to the public, popularise, advocate

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24
Q

Denotation vs Connotation

A

Denotation - direct meaning
Connotation - ideas or meanings associated with it or suggested by it

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25
Ecru
colour of unbleached linen, beige French word écru means 'raw, unbleached'
26
Chamois/Buff
Light brownish yellow Chamois is also a goat-like animal native to the mountains of Europe and the Middle East
27
Preclude
Prevent from happening, make impossible
28
Ribald
referring to sexual matters in an amusingly coarse or irreverent way
29
Direction v Directive v Order
Direction - guideline Directive - instruction Order - command
30
Assuage
make an unpleasant feeling less intense
31
Milieu
a person's social environment
32
Esoteric
intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest
33
Spurious
not being what it purports to be; false or fake
34
Purports
appear to be or do something, especially falsely
35
Hermeneutic
concerning interpretation
36
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement for reform within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during the late 1980s
37
Apropos
with reference to; concerning
38
Intractable
Unmanageable, hard to control or deal with
39
Abstemious
indulging only very moderately in something, especially food and drink
40
Furtive
secretive, attempting to avoid notice or attention
41
Vociferous
expressing or characterized by vehement opinions; loud and forceful
42
Impudent/Impertinent
not showing due respect for another person, rude
43
Ubiquitous
present, appearing, or found everywhere
44
Complacent vs Complaisant
1. showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements 2. willing to please others or to accept what they do or say without protest
45
Torrid
very hot and dry
46
Disparaging
expressing the opinion that something is of little worth; derogatory
47
Tacit
understood or implied without being stated; implicit
48
Incipient/Nascent
beginning to happen or develop
49
Derision
contemptuous ridicule or mockery
50
Incorrigible/Inveterate
not able to be changed or reformed
51
Repudiate
reject/deny
52
Perfunctory
carried out without real interest, feeling, or effort
53
Morose
sullen and ill-tempered
54
Voluble
talking fluently, readily, or incessantly
55
Assail
attack/assault disturb strongly criticize
56
Corroborate
confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)
57
Precocious
having developed certain abilities or inclinations at an earlier age than is usual or expected
58
Imprecation
a spoken curse
59
Parochial
having a limited or narrow outlook or scope; relating to a church parish
60
Lacuna
an unfilled space; a gap (in anatomy: a cavity or depression, especially in bone)
61
Reprobate
an unprincipled person
62
Approbation
approval or praise
63
Opprobrium
harsh criticism or censure; public disgrace
64
Heuristic
enabling someone to discover or learn something for themselves
65
Hubris
excessive pride or self-confidence
66
Reticent
not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily
67
Impunity
exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action
68
Prevaricate
speak or act in an evasive way
69
Congenial
pleasing or liked on account of having qualities or interests that are similar to one's own
70
Seminal
strongly influencing later developments
71
Perennial
lasting or existing for a long or apparently infinite time; enduring or continually recurring
72
Reprimand
formal expression of disapproval
73
Attrition
process of reducing something's strength or effectiveness through sustained attack or pressure
74
Nexus
central or focal point connection or series of connections linking two or more things
75
Rapacious
aggressively greedy or grasping
76
Disparage
regard or represent as being of little worth
77
Incisive
1. (of a person or mental process) intelligently analytical and clear-thinking 2. (of an action) quick and direct
78
Miscreant
a person who has done something wrong or unlawful
79
Dogma
a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true
80
Promontory
point of high land that juts out into the sea or a large lake; a headland
81
Fungible
replaceable by another identical item; mutually interchangeable
82
Expedient
convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral
83
Vitriolic
filled with bitter criticism or malice
84
Animus
1. hostility or ill feeling 2. motivation to do something
85
Inexorable
impossible to stop or prevent (person) unrelenting, impossible to persuade
86
Cogent
clear, logical, and convincing
87
Foment
instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action)
88
Portmanteau
1. two-part suitcase 2. a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others eg. motel, brunch. podcast (iPod and broadcast), mockumentary, smog (from smoke and fog)
89
Clandestine
kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit
90
Judicious
having, showing, or done with good judgement or sense
91
Prosaic
relating to prose rather than poetry commonplace/ordinary

General (3 decks)

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