Vocabulary List 10 Flashcards
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Gallimaufry
n. a confused jumble or medley of things
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Salmagundi
n. a general mixture, a miscellaneous collection
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Omnium gatherum
n. a collection of miscellaneous people or things
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Vade mecum
n. a handbook or guide that is kept constantly at hand for consulting
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Smorgasbord
n. a buffet offering a variety of hot and cold meats, salads, h’or d’oeuvres, etc.
n. a wide range of something; a variety
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Atelier
n. a workshop or studio, especially one used by an artist or designer
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Melee
n. a confused mass of people
n. a confused fight, skirmish, or scuffle
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Peripeteia
n. a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances
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Espial
n. the act of spying or observing
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Amphigory
n. a meaningless or nonsensical piece of writing, typically a parody
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Birl
v. spin; whirl
n. a spin or whirl
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Minimax
n. strategy to reduce the maximum risk
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Galumph
v. to move heavily or clumsily
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Trundle
v. (with reference to a moving vehicle or its occupants) move or cause to move slowly and heavily, typically in a noisy or uneven way: we trundled a wheelbarrow down to the river and collected firewood
v. (of a person) move slowly or heavily
n. an act of moving slowly or heavily
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Token
n. a thing serving as a visible or tangible representation of a fact, quality, feeling, etc.
n. a characteristic or divine sign or mark
n. a word or object conferring authority or serving to authenticate the speaker or holder
adj. done for the sake of appearances or as a symbolic gesture
adj. (of a person) chosen by way of tokenism as a representative of a particular minority or underepresented group
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Chaste
adj. abstaining from extramartial, or from all, sexual
adj. not having any sexual nature or intention
adj. without unnecessary ornamentation; simple or restrained: the dark, chaste interior was lightened by tilework
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Pinko
n. a person with left-wing or liberal views
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Jape
n. a practical joke
v. say or do something in jest or mockery
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Peter
v. [no obj] decrease or fade gradually before coming to an end: “We thank ye–” I petered out struggling to find the right word to address her.
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Itinerant
adj. peripatetic
n. a gypsy
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Yeoman
n. a man holding and cultivating a small landed estate
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Freeholder
n. someone who owns land permanently and has authority to dispose of it at will
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Landed
adj. owning much land, especially through inheritance: the landed aristocracy
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Aristocrat
n. something believed to be the best of its kind
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Aristocracy
n. the highest class in certain societies
n. a form of government where power is held by the nobility
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Burgher
n. a citizen of a town or city, typically part of the wealthy bourgeoisie
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Sonorous
adj. (of a person’s voice or other sound) imposingly deep or full
adj. capable of producing a deep or ringing sound: the alloy is sonorous and useful in making bells
adj. (of a speech or style) using imposing language: they had expected the lawyers to use sonorous lamentations
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Tenterhooks
n. (on tenterhooks) in a state of suspense
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Rude
adj. [as attrib.] having a startling abruptness
adj. roughly made or done; lacking subtelty or sophistication
adj. ignorant and uneducated
adj. [as attrib.] vigorous or hearty: Isabele had always been in rude health
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Edifice
n. a building, especially a large, imposing one
n. a complex system of beliefs: the concepts of which the edifice of capitalism is founded on
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Raiment
n. clothing: I found myself swept up into a broad hug, pressed between the cool metal of Celestia’s raiments and the comforting warmth of her primaries.
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Intersperse
v. scatter between or among other things; place here and there: interspersed between tragic stories are a few songs supplying comic relief
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Granule
n. a small compact particle of a substance
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Natter
v. [no obj.] talk casually, especially about unimportant matters: Sorry if I’m nattering on a bit, I must be coming off as a bit of a ninny
n. a casual and leisurely conversation
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Kite
n. a fraudulent check, bill, or receipt
n. an illicit or surreptitious note or letter
n. a person who exploits or preys on others
v. [with adverbial of direction] fly; move quickly: he kited into England
v. [with obj] write or use (a check, bill, or receipt) fraudulently
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Holistic
adj. characteristic by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected explicable only by reference to the whole
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Liquidate
v. convert (assets) into cash
v. eliminate, typically by violent means; kill
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Progenitor
n. an ancestor or parent
n. a person who originated a political, intellectual, or artistic movement
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Ides
n. the 15th of March, May, July, and October; the 13th for every other month
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Calends
n. the first day of the month in the Roman calendar
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Nones
n. the 7th of March, May, July, October; the 5th for every other month
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Oneiric
adj. of or relating to dreams or dreaming
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Haplography
n. the inadvertent omission of a repeated letter or letters in the spelling of a word: “philogy” instead of “philology”
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Aposiopesis
n. the device of suddenly breaking off in speech: I’m so angry, I could– I could–!; And, in conclusion… Well, enough of that. Let’s move on to the next point.
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Dieresis
n. the division of a sound into two syllables, especially by sounding a diphthong as two syllables
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Prosody
n. the patterns of rhythms and sounds used in poetry: the translator is not obliged to reproduce the prosody of the original
n. the patterns of stress and intonation in a language: the salience of prosody in child language acquisition
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Dittography
n. the accidental repeat of a repeated letter or letters in the spelling of a word: “philolology” instead of “philology”
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Economy
n. careful management of available resources: even heat distribution and fuel economy
n. sparing or careful use of something: economy of words
n. (usu. plu.) a financial saving: there were many economies to he made by selling our offices in Manhattan
n. (of a product) offering the best value for the money
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Numismatic
adj. of, relating to, or consisting of coins, paper currency, and medals
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Sublunary
adj. belonging to this world as contrasted with a better or more spiritual one
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Jest
n. a joke
n. an object of derision: my tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my companions
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Partiality
n. a particular liking or fondness for: observing my partiality for domestic pets, she lost no opportunity of procuring those of the most agreeable kind.
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Tincture
v. be tinged, flavored, or imbued with a slight amount of: In speaking of his intelligence, my wife, who at heart was not a little tinctured with superstition
n. a slight trace of something: Arthur’s affability was tinctured with mild sarcasm
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Instrumentality
n. the fact or quality of serving as an instrument as a means to an end; agency
n. a thing that serves as an instrument or means to an end: through the instrumentality of the Fiend Intemperance
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Intemperance
n. lack of moderation or restraint
n. excessive indulgence, especially alcohol
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Interpose
v. [with obj.] place or insert between one thing and another
v. [no obj.] to intervene between two parties: the legislature interposed to suppress these amusements
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Caparison
n. an ornamental covering spread over a horse’s saddle or harness
adj. (of a horse) be decked out in rich decorative coverings
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Organic
adj. denoting a relationship between elements of something such that they fit together harmoniously or as necessary parts of a whole: the organic unity of the integral work of art
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Swill
v. [with obj.] wash or rinse out (an area or container) by pouring large amounts of water or liquid over or into it: I swilled out the mug
v. cause (liquid) to swirl around in a container or cavity: she gently swilled her brandy around her glass
v. [no obj.] (of a liquid) move or splash about a surface: the icy water swilled around us
n. a large mouthful of drink
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Sparse
adj. thinly dispersed or scattered
adj. austere; meager
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Erudition
n. the quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarship
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Marbled
adj. having a streaked and patterned appearance like variegated marble
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Furor
n. an outbreak of public anger or excitement
n. a wave of enthusiastic admiration; a craze
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Port
n. a suitcase or traveling bag
n. an opening for the passage of steam, liquid, or gas
n. a gate or gateway, especially into a walled city
n. a person’s carriage or bearing
v. carry (a rifle or other weapon) diagonally across and close to the body with the barrel or blade near the left shoulder
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Climate
n. the prevailing trend of a public opinion or of another aspect of public life: the current economic climate
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Proponent
n. a person who advocates a theory, proposal, or project
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Principal
adj. first in order of importance; main
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Parts
n. abilities
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Rationale
n. a set of reasons or a logical basis for a course of action or particular belief
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Deadlock
n. [in sing.] a situation, typically one involving opposite parties, in which no progress can be made
n. a situation in a contest or game where the scores are equal
v. [no obj.] cause a deadlock
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Posthumous
adj. occuring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator
adj. (of a child) born after the death of his father
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Kakistocracy
n. a government led by the worst people
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Dithyramb
n. any wild enthusiastic speech or poem
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Accede
v. assent or agree to a demand, request, or treaty
v. assume an office or position: he acceded to the post of director in September
v. become a member of a community or organization: Alabama acceded to the IMF in 1990
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Altercation
n. a noisy argument or disagreement, especially in public
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Virility
n. manliness
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Amicable
adj. friendly
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Draconian
adj. (of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe
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Svelte
adj. (of a person) slender and elegant