Vocabulary Set 10 (24.10.18) Flashcards
mortarboards (mor turr boards) (n.)
- an academic cap consisting of a closely fitting headpiece with a broad flat projecting square top
ex: Tasseled mortarboards will be tossed in the air in my absence.
sufferance (suff rence) (n.)
- patient endurance
- pain, misery
ex: Libo got rid of him by sufferance far more quickly than Novinha could ever have done by argument.
peripatetic (pear ah pa tet ic) (adj.)
- moving or traveling from place to place
- suggests movement or activity as part of a routine or occupation
- implies a more structured, often professional movement, than itinerant
ex: She worked as a peripatetic journalist for most of her life.
rubric (ru brick) (n.)
- an authoritative rule // an established rule, tradition, or custom
especially : a rule for conduct of a liturgical service
ex: Make sure this rubric clearly outlines the necessary hard and soft skills for any intern.
parenthetical (pair in thet eh cul) (adj.)
- A parenthetical remark is said in addition to the main part of what you are saying or writing.
ex: He had become so convoluted and parenthetical that half the time Ela couldn’t even understand what he was talking about.
dandle (dan dul) (v.)
- to move up and down in one’s arms or on one’s knee in affectionate play
ex: You could have dandled me on your knee.
exogamy (ex sah a mee) (n.)
- marriage outside of a specific group especially as required by custom or law
ex: The benefits of peaceful exogamy would be made plain.
sententious (sin tin tious) (adj.)
- given to or abounding in excessive moralizing
(nowadays – banality, oversimplification, and excessive moralizing)
ex: He’s a smug and sententious writer.
phlegmatic (phleg ma tick) (adj.)
- having or showing a slow and stolid temperament
ex: Capper struck me as phlegmatic about the power of the supermarkets.
personage (per son a gg) (n.)
- a person of rank, note, or distinction
especially : one distinguished for presence and personal power
ex: No Irish personage is spared the satirical lash.
gumption (gum shun) (n.)
- enterprise, initiative
ex: I lacked the gumption to try - chiefly dialectal : common sense, horse sense
ex: He hadn’t much gumption when he picked out a wife.
lissome (lis some) (adj.)
- easily flexed / lithe / nimble
ex: The 5000 has one of the most lissome combinations of ride and handling of any car on the road.
antimacassars (an teh ma ka sir) (n.)
- a small cloth placed over the backs or arms of chairs, or the head or cushions of a sofa, to prevent soiling of the permanent fabric underneath
ex: The white antimacassars were always laid at a perfectly correct angle.
It’s an ill wind (that blows nobody any good) (IDIOM)
- said to show even a very bad situation must have some good results
ex: They lost everything when that old shed burned down, but they got rid of a lot of junk as well—it’s an ill wind.
wiseacre (wise ache uhr) (n.)
- one who pretends to knowledge or cleverness
especially : smart aleck
ex: Quit being such a wiseacre and help your mother.
lares and penates (larries and pen ay tees) (pl. n)
- personal or household effects
ex: Mrs. Rachel Lynde set up her lares and penates in the erstwhile spare room.
agog (a gog) (adv.) (adj.)
- full of intense interest or excitement : eager // bustling // replete
ex: The kids were agog with all things vampire.
ex: In the evenings, the streets were agog with life. - in an excited or astonished manner (adv.)
ex: They were staring agog at their idol.
lading (lay ding) (n.)
- loading sense
- an act of bailing, dipping, or ladling // cargo, freight
ex: One example can be as simple as shipments that are missing bills of lading or origin documents.
limpid (lim pid) (adj.)
*marked by transparency
ex: limpid streams
* clear and simple in style
ex: limpid prose
* absolutely serene and untroubled
ex: the benign effects of a limpid childhood
proscribe (pro scribe) (v.)
- to publish the name of as condemned to death with the property of the condemned forfeited to the state
- to condemn or forbid as harmful or unlawful : prohibit
ex: The use of Western weapons against civilian targets within Russia should be proscribed.
parricide (pair a side) (n.)
- the killing of a parent or other near relative.
- a person who commits parricide
ex: Kathleen Heide, who specializes in parricide or children who kill their parents, has said that the majority of kids are driven to kill a parent by severe trauma at the hands of that parent.
Cedant arma togae (kay dant / ar ma / toe guy) (phrase)
let arms yield to the toga // let military power give way to civil power
mawkish (maw kish) (adj.)
- lacking flavor or having an unpleasant taste
- exaggeratedly or childishly emotional
ex: It was a mawkish love story.
imprudent (im prew dent) (adj.)
- not prudent : lacking discretion, wisdom, or good judgment
ex: If you are guilty, it is only of imprudence.
wicket (wick it) (n.)
- a small door or gate, especially one beside or in a larger one
ex: Dantès saw a door with an iron wicket open.
still waters run deep (idiom)
- a quiet or placid manner may conceal a more passionate nature
ex: So that is how you keep your word as a sailor. Still waters run deep!
perspicacity (per spa que a tee) (n.)
- the quality of having a ready insight into things; shrewdness
ex: the perspicacity of her remarks
3 parts of a feather
- Rachis (ray kess) – central shaft
- Barbs (barb) – branches
- Barbules (bar byool) – small pieces coming off the barbs
dyspeptic (dis pep tick) (adj.)
indigestion // ill humor : disgruntlement
ex: These are better for people with chronic dyspepsia.
supernumerary (su per noom er air ee) (n.) (adj.)
- exceeding the usual, stated, or prescribed number
ex: a supernumerary tooth - supernumerary person or thing // actor employed to play a walk-on
ex: Scenes are often crowded with supernumeraries.
shilly-shally (shill ee–shall ee) (n.)(v.)(adj.)(adv.)
- irresolute, undecided, or hesitating manner // dawdle
ex: I didn’t shilly-shally but raced to the hospital as soon as I heard.
ex: It was delayed by the bureaucratic shilly-shally.
cataleptic (cat a lep tick) (adj.)
catalepsy (cat a lep cee) (n.)
a trancelike state marked by loss of voluntary motion in which the limbs remain in whatever position they are placed
ex: He suffers from catalepsy.
proverbial (pro ver bee uhl) (adj.)
- that has become a proverb or byword : commonly spoken of
ex: The proverbial smoking gun
vintner (vint nurr) (n.)
- a wine maker, a wine merchant
ex: He is a controversial vintner who makes the world’s most expensive wine.
on the up and up (idiom)
- honest and legal // fair play
ex: I don’t want to do anything dishonest. Let’s keep everything on the up and up.
haulage (haul egg) (n.)
- the act or process of hauling
- a charge made for hauling
ex: Any haulage ships were reliant on them for safe passage.
(seems to be more British English)
mean (meen) (adj.)
- of poor, shabby, or inferior quality or status
ex: mean city streets
probity (pro ba tee) (n.)
- adherence to the highest principles and ideals : uprightness //
tried and proven honesty or integrity
ex: They skirt the outer limits of the law in an attempt to keep up an appearance of probity.
sangfroid (sang frwa) (n.)
- self-possession or imperturbability especially under strain
(French for cold-blooded)
ex: Only Jackie Chan and, more recently, Tom Cruise have inherited this flair and sangfroid.
redoubt (reh doubt) (n.)
a small usually temporary enclosed defensive work //
a secure retreat : stronghold
ex: The refugees gathered in a hilly redoubt.
emolument (e mull u ment) (n.)
- a salary, fee, or profit from employment or office
ex: He would accept the modest emolument of a louis a day.
laconic (la con ick) (adj.)
- using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
ex: He had a reputation for being laconic.
futurity (few chur eh tee) (n.)
futurities (plural)
time to come : future // the quality or state of being future // future events or prospects
ex: The film links futurity with materiality and labor.
ex: Cadillac’s flag-bearer of futurity is not quite finished.
glutinous (glut eh nous) (adj.)
- having the quality of glue : gummy
ex: Enjoy my balls of slightly glutinous sweet potato dough.
chamois (sham ee) (n.)
- a species of goat-antelope native to the mountains in Southern Europe
ex: He leapt like a chamois.
vomitory/ (vah meh tor ee) (n.)
vomitorium (vah meh tor ee um) (n.)
vomitoria (pl.)
a passage situated below or behind a tier of seats in an amphitheater or a stadium through which large crowds can exit rapidly at the end of an event.
ex: They fled out the vomitorium.
polymath (pahl ee math) (n.)
- a person of encyclopedic learning // one who knows a lot about a plethora of subjects
ex: Polymaths, restless and curious explorers, move between sectors and organizations.
lenient (lee nee ent) (adj.)
- of mild and tolerant disposition or effect : not harsh, severe, or strict
ex: Many people felt that the punishment was too lenient.
dragee (dra j eh) (n.)
- a candy consisting of a center covered with a coating, such as a sugared almond or a chocolate
ex: Decorate half of the ginger cookies with royal icing, sanding sugar, and dragees, as desired.
compunction (com punc shun) (n.)
- anxiety arising from awareness of guilt // a twinge of misgiving : scruple
ex: compunctions of conscience
ex: Saul Goodman has no compunctions about brushing aside legal technicalities.
pied-a-tierre (pee aye ta tair) (n.)
- a small apartment, house, or room kept for occasional use.
ex: The couple use the home as a pied-à-terre.
- damascened (damn a seened) (adj.)
- damascening (damn a seen ing) (n.)
- the art of inlaying different metals into one another—typically, gold or silver into a darkly oxidized steel background—to produce intricate patterns
ex: This silver plated and gold damascened shield is stunning.
herbarium (her bear ee um) (n.)
herbaria (pl.)
- a collection of plant samples preserved for long-term study
ex: An herbarium actually serves as a type of natural history museum.
faience (fay ance) (n.)
- earthenware decorated with opaque colored glazes // fine tin-glazed pottery
ex: The necklace had a large faience scarab.
regalia (ree gal ya) (n.)
- royal rights or prerogatives
ex: The Magna Carta, in part, sought to limit the regalia of the English monarch, establishing certain rights and privileges that could not be infringed upon. - the emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of royalty
ex: He was impressed with the regalia of the women at the ball.
lavalier (lahva leer) (n.)
- an item of jewelry consisting of a pendant, sometimes with one stone, pendulous and centered from a necklace
ex: He gave his girlfriend a golden lavaliere engraved with his name.
electuary (i-LEK-choo-er-ee) (n.)
- (ARCHAIC, HISTORICAL) a medicine consisting of a powder or other ingredient mixed with honey, syrup, or jam to make it more palatable.
ex: Electuaries were common in traditional medicine, particularly in historical European and Middle Eastern practices.
palliation (pal ee aye shun) (n.)
- the noun form of palliate – the reduce, lessen
ex: Thanks to the palliation engendered by the Count’s ingenious gambit, the violent mob has been reduced to an ineffective bunch of stragglers.
postilion (po still yen) (n.)
- a person who rides a harnessed horse that is pulling a horse-drawn vehicle such as a coach, rather than driving from behind as a coachman does
ex: Postilions control the horses drawing the Queen’s coach at the State Opening of Parliament.
abstemious (ab stee me us) (adj.) (FORMAL)
- marked by restraint especially in the eating of food or drinking of alcohol
ex: an abstemious drinker // an abstemious diet
ex: Abstemious diners asked for sliced fruit instead of sugary creations.
5 Heraldic Colors
azure (a zur) = blue
gules (gyools) = red
purpure (pur pyoor) = purple
sable (say bull) = black
vert (vert) = green
peerage (peer eeg) (n.)
- the body of peers
- the rank or dignity of a peer
- a book containing a list of peers with their genealogy, history, and titles
ex: Mr. Starmer submitted his first list of 30 nominees for peerages.
pettifogger (petty fog ger) (n.)
pettifogging (petty fog ging) (n.)
- a lawyer whose methods are petty, underhanded, or disreputable : shyster
- one given to quibbling over trifles
ex: I’ve been fascinated by the art of this blustering pettifogger.
mendacious (men day shus) (adj.)
- given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth
ex: mendacious tales of his adventures
petrichor (pet ra chor) (n.)
a distinctive, earthy, usually pleasant odor that is associated with rainfall especially when following a warm, dry period
ex: The sweet scent of sage meets the smell of petrichor that heralds an incoming storm.
nidifugous (nie diff you guss) (adj.)
- leaving the nest soon after hatching
ex: The precocial chicks, being nidifugous, left the nest shortly after hatching.
antiphrasis (an tiff ra suss) (adj.)
- the usually ironic or humorous use of words in senses opposite to the generally accepted meanings (as in “this giant of 3 feet 4 inches”)
ex: Calling the tiny, snarling dog “Giant Slayer” was a clear case of antiphrasis
ganache (ga nassh) (n.)
- a sweet creamy chocolate mixture used especially as a filling or frosting
ex: The resulting ganache is formed into balls and frozen.
ectopic (ek top pic) (adj.)
- occurring in an abnormal position or in an unusual manner or form
ex: ectopic lesions // ectopic pregnancy
ex: About 1 in every 30,000 pregnancies are ectopic.
epithet (epp a thet) (n.)
- a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing
ex: His charitable works have earned him the epithet “Mr. Philanthropy.” - a disparaging or abusive word or phrase
ex: Between the epithets and threats, there was one common theme.
apogee (ep o gee) (n.)
apogean (ep o gee en) (adj.)
- the point in the orbit of an object (such as a satellite) orbiting the Earth that is at the greatest distance from the center of the Earth
- the farthest or highest point : culmination
ex: Aegean civilization reached its apogee in Crete.
touchstone (touch stone) (n.)
- a fundamental or quintessential part or feature : basis
ex: a touchstone film of that decade - a test or criterion for determining the quality or genuineness of a thing
ex: Good service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant.
alembics (a lim bick) (n.)
- an apparatus used in distillation
ex: The small-batch gin is distilled in a 19th-century copper alembic still and infused with botanicals and peppercorns.
provident (prov eh dent) (adj.)
frugal, saving // making provision for the future : prudent
ex: It is possible to be provident without being miserly.
by gad (by gad) (expression) (ARCHAIC)
an expression of surprise or emphatic assertion.
ex: By Gad! You look young for a doctor!
unhand (un hand) (v.)
- to remove the hand from : let go
ex: “Unhand me, sir!” she cried.
impunity (im pyoo na tee) (n.)
- exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, or loss
ex: The laws were flouted with impunity.
kayfabe (kay fayb) (n.)
- the tacit agreement between professional wrestlers and their fans to pretend that overtly staged wrestling events, stories, characters, etc., are genuine
ex: With pro wrestling, separating reality from kayfabe can always be difficult.
lubber (lub ber) (n.)
- a clumsy oaf
- a clumsy seaman
ex: The two lubbers came to deliver my furniture.
report (reh port) (n.) (v.)
- an explosive noise
ex: The gunshot’s sharp report echoed through the silent forest. - a usually detailed account or statement
ex: A special report on health
dingle (deen gull) (n.)
a small wooded valley : dell
ex: The path wound down into the shaded dingle.
modish (mow dish) (adj.)
modishly (mow dish lee) (adv.)
modishness (mow dish ness) (n.)
- fashionable, stylish
ex: a modish hat
ex: a modish writer
peristyle (pera sty uhl) (adj.)
- a colonnade surrounding a building or court
ex: The cold room consists of a peristyle court that is 10 meters long and 10 meters wide, with a large pool at the center.
claque (clack) (n.)
- a group hired to applaud at a performance
- a group of sycophants
ex: The claque of insiders has abandoned the ethos of fairness and impartiality.
fen (fin) (n.)
- low land that is covered wholly or partly with water
ex: We struggled through the muggy fen.
coxswain/boatswain (cocksn, bosn) (n.)
- coxswain – a sailor who has charge of a ship’s boat and its crew and who usually steers
- boatswain – a ship’s officer in charge of equipment and the crew.
ex: The coxswain expertly maneuvered the small motorboat through the narrow channel, while the boatswain on the larger cargo ship barked orders to the deckhands securing the lines.
spit (spit) (n.)
- a small point of land especially of sand or gravel running into a body of water
ex: The long spit on the island is crowned by a towering lighthouse.
ship (ship) (v.) (Boating sense)
to take (water) over the side —used of a boat or a ship
ex: The boat began to ship water as the storm intensified.
hold water (IDIOM)
- to be sound, logical, or valid. It’s often used to describe an argument, theory, or explanation that seems reasonable and believable
ex: His alibi didn’t hold water.
(Origin – good containers hold water, so strong arguments do as well)
thread (th read) (v.) (Moving sense)
- to make one’s way through or between
ex: I threaded the narrow alleys.
rollers (roll lers) (n.) (Nautical sense)
- a long heavy ocean wave
ex: Great rollers broke upon the shoreline.
fairway (fair way) (n.)
a navigable part of a river, bay, or harbor //
an open path or space
ex: The ferry followed the marked fairway through the harbor.
ex: The protesters cleared a fairway through the crowd
beetling (bee duhl ling) (adj.)
being prominent and overhanging // project, jut
ex: to scale the beetling crags // the beetling roof of my house
shoal (shoal) (adj.)
- shallow and particularly hazardous in seafaring
ex: “Watch out! The water here is shoal,” the captain warned.
cat’s paw (Idiom)
- A dupe // a person used by another to do dangerous, distasteful, or unlawful work
ex: I’ve never been a cat’s paw.
argot (are go) (n.)
the language used by a particular type or group of people : an often more or less secret vocabulary and idiom peculiar to a particular group
ex: The distinctive accent and argot of West Londoners has roots there.
judas hole, judas window (n.)
a peephole // A window enabling a prison guard to see into a cell without being seen by the prisoner
ex: This valet examined visitors through a judas window.
abstemious (ab steam ee us) (n.)
- marked by restraint especially in the eating of food or drinking of alcohol
ex: an abstemious drinker
ex: Abstemious diners often asked for sliced fruit in lieu of sugary creations
dissolve into tears/laughter (phrase)
- to suddenly start to cry or laugh:
ex: When she saw his picture, she dissolved into tears.
anomalous (anom ah luss) (adj.)
- inconsistent with or deviating from what is usual, normal, or expected : irregular, unusual
ex: Researchers could not explain the anomalous test results. - of uncertain nature or classification
ex: He is an anomalous figure in the world of politics.
