Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

English Vocabulary > Vocabulary Set 3 (23.07.18) > Flashcards

Vocabulary Set 3 (23.07.18) Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Vocab Builder flashcards Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

smut (s mutt) (n.)

A

matter that soils or blackens // A particle of soot // obscene language or matter
ex: Smut stained the whitewashed walls.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

paean (pee uhn) (n.)

A

a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph
ex: They united their voices in a great paean to liberty.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

fastness (fast ness) (n.)

A

A fortified or secure place // remote and secluded place
ex: The fastness of the mountains.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

whicker (wick ur) (v.)

A

NEIGH, WHINNY
ex: the way the horses whickered and tried to move back.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

prate (pr ate) (v.)

A

to talk long and idly : CHATTER
ex: Erin doesn’t prate about democracy or social betterment.
ex: The young executive gratingly prated on about his weekend hobnobbing with the rich.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

hare (hair) (v.)

A

to go swiftly
ex: He came haring round the corner at top speed.
ex: She’s always haring off to attend to some emergency.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

hackamore (hack a more) (n.)

A

a bridle without a bit, operating by exerting pressure on the horse’s nose.
ex: Perrin hooted from where he was replacing Mandarb’s bridle with a hackamore.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

browse (brow ze) (v.)

A

(of an animal) to feed on leaves, twigs, other high-growing vegetation. // to look over casually : SKIM // to look over a group of things for something of interest
Ex: The horses reach upward to browse on bushes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

scrabble (sc rab bul) (v.)

A

scratch or grope around with one’s fingers to find, collect, or hold on to something.
ex: She scrabbled at the grassy slope, desperate for a firm grip.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Stand of trees vs. Copse of tress

A

A copse refers to a small group of trees or bushes that are close together. It is often used to describe a small woodland or thicket. A stand, on the other hand, is a larger group of trees that are planted or grow naturally together. It can refer to a forest or grove.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

hitch (hit ch) (v.)

A

move (something) into a different position with a jerk.
ex: she hitched the blanket around him.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

out of countenance (expression)

A

disconcerted or unpleasantly surprised.
ex: I put him clean out of countenance just by looking at him.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

bootblack (boot black) (n.)

A

one who shines shoes
ex: Joe Bologna was the son, grandson and nephew of bootblacks.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

brusque (bruh sk) (adj.)

A

markedly short and abrupt // blunt in manner or speech
ex: She gave a brusque reply. She was brusque with the customers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

illumine (il loo min) (v.) (LITERARY)

A

light up; brighten // enlighten (someone) spiritually or intellectually
ex: The lamplight illumined her pale features.
ex: He assures himself that he is illumined and not deluded.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

sere (s ear) (adj.) (LITERARY)

A

(especially of vegetation) dry or withered.
ex: A sere moonscape of rock, sand, and mountains.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

quarter (qwar tur) (v.)

A

range over or traverse (an area) in every direction.
ex: We watched a pair of kingfishers quartering the river looking for minnows.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

cheek by jowl (idiom)

A

close together; side by side.
ex: The houses were packed cheek by jowl along the coast.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

bilious (bill ee us) (adj.)

A

affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting.
ex: I had eaten something rotten, and I was extremely bilious.
spiteful; bad-tempered.
ex: outbursts of bilious misandry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

gabble (gab bull) (v.)

A

talk rapidly and unintelligibly; utter meaningless sounds.
ex: He gabbled on in a panicky way until he was dismissed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

cockade (cock cade) (n.)

A

cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colors which is usually worn on a hat or cap.
ex: He wore a white cockade on his wide-brimmed hat.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

chivy (chiv ee) (v.)

A

to tease or annoy with persistent petty attacks // to move or obtain by small maneuvers
ex: He chivied an olive out of a bottle.
ex: He has a reputation for chivying his workers about everything.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

conduct (con duct) (v.)

A

lead or guide (someone) to or around a particular place.
ex: He conducted us through his personal gallery of the Civil War.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

inchmeal (inch meal) (adv.)

A

little by little, gradually, inch by inch
ex: Inchmeal, the Aes Sedai and her dim reflection backed out.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

fettle (fet uhl) (n.)

A

state or condition of health, fitness, wholeness, spirit, or form —often used in the phrase in fine fettle
ex: I proved to her I was in fine fettle.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

torrid (tore id) (adj.)

A

very hot and dry.
ex: The torrid heat of the afternoon.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

fetor (fee tur) (n.)

A

a strong offensive smell : STENCH
ex: The wind surrounded them, it swept away the fetor.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

bard (bar d) (n.) (v.)

A

a piece of armor or ornament for a horse’s neck, breast, or flank //
to furnish with bards
ex: Barded horses galloped through the fight with empty saddles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

canescent (ka nes cent) (adj.)

A

growing white, whitish, or hoary
especially : having a fine grayish-white pubescence
ex: canescent leaves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

ex nihilo (ex ne a lo) (phrase)

A

out of nothing
ex: He could summon food ex nihilo.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

indignantly (in dig nint ly) (adv.)

A

in a manner indicating anger or annoyance at something perceived as unfair
ex: He indignantly rejected the claim.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

quaver (kway ver) (v.)

A

(of a person’s voice) shake or tremble in speaking, typically through nervousness or emotion.
ex: His voice quavered with rage.
(voices don’t quiver; they quaver)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

pique (peek) (n.)

A

a transient feeling of wounded vanity : RESENTMENT
ex: After a moment of pique, the senator responded calmly to his accusers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

syncretic (sin cret ic) (adj.)/syncretism (sync ra tism)

A

the combination of different forms of belief or practice //
the fusion of two or more originally different inflectional forms
ex: Their religion, Mexican syncretism, worships the forces of nature, the animals of the jungle, and the planets in the sky.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

impish (im pish) (adj.)

A

showing a child’s pleasure in enjoying yourself by making trouble:
ex: At 70, he still retains his impish grin.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

barrow (bar row) (n.)

A

an ancient burial ground
ex: She looked at the king’s barrow in the rare afternoon fog.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

train (tr ain) (n.) (Wedding)

A

a part of a gown that trails behind the wearer
ex: Her bridal train was carried by a pretty flower girl.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

brocade (bro cade) (n.)

A

heavy cloth with a raised design often of gold or silver threads:
ex: The castle’s dining room was adorned with curtains of rich brocade.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

regent (re gent) (n.)

A

a person appointed to administer a country because the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated.
ex: He was frequently regent during his brother’s absences from the country.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

effulgent (e full gent) (adj.) (LITERARY)
effulgence (e full gence) (n.)

A

shining brightly; radiant.
(of a person or their expression) emanating joy or goodness.
ex: Standing there was my father with the most effulgent smile.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

besotted (be sot ted) (adj.)

A
  • strongly infatuated
    ex: He became besotted with his best friend’s sister.
  • intoxicated or stupefied, especially with drink
42
Q

ineluctable (in ah luc ta bull) (adj.)

A

not to be avoided, changed, or resisted : INEVITABLE
ex: an ineluctable fate

43
Q

punctilious (punc till ee ous) (adj.)

A
  • marked by or concerned about precise accordance with the details of codes or conventions
    ex: She’s very punctilious about grammar.
    ex: Old-money aristocrats have a punctilious sense of propriety.
44
Q

finial (fin ee uhl) (n.)

A

a distinctive ornament at the apex of a roof, pinnacle, canopy, or similar structure in a building.
Ex: curving gables topped by sculptured finials

45
Q

compos mentis (com pos mentis) (adj.)

A

of sound mind, memory, and understanding
ex: Are you sure he was totally compos mentis?
ex: I want him compos mentis within the hour.

46
Q

brail (b rail) (n./v.)

A

a rope fastened to the leech (the aft edge of a fore-and-aft sail) of a sail and used for hauling the sail up or in // to take in (a sail) by the brails
ex: The tent’s wide entrance had been brailed back.

47
Q

hidebound (hide bound) (adj.)

A

unwilling or unable to change because of tradition or convention
ex: You are hidebound by your petty laws.

48
Q

prejudicial (prej you deh shul) (adj.)

A

harmful to someone or something; detrimental
ex: The behavior is prejudicial to good order and discipline.

49
Q

if he was an inch, ounce, drop (expression)
She’s 6 feet tall if she’s an inch.
He lost a gallon of blood if he lost an ounce.

A

used to mean definitely the amount is correct
If she’s at least one inch tall, she’s 6 feet tall –> so the speaker is 100 percent sure he is right

50
Q

Nail (manmade) Anatomy (3 parts)

A
  1. Head 2. Shank 3. Point
51
Q

cavalier (cav va leer) (n.)

A

A cavalier is a fortification which is built within a larger fortification, and which is higher than the rest of the work. It usually consists of a raised platform within a fort or bastion, so as to be able to fire over the main parapet without interfering with the fire of the latter.
ex: Cavaliers had been built everywhere along the wall.

52
Q

gull (gull) (v.)

A

to take advantage of (one who is foolish or unwary) : DECEIVE
ex: We were gulled into believing that if we answered the e-mail, we’d somehow become millionaires.

53
Q

trivet (triv et) (n.)

A

an object placed between a serving dish or bowl, and a dining table, usually to protect the table from heat damage. // a tripod
ex: Place on the trivet and sprinkle a spice packet on top.

54
Q

pestilential (pest eh lent shul)

A

causing or tending to cause pestilence : DEADLY // morally harmful : PERNICIOUS
ex: The Spanish flu washed over the world in three pestilential waves.

55
Q

plaid (plad) (n.)

A

a twilled woolen fabric with a tartan pattern
ex: She likes to wear plaids.

56
Q

panegyric (pan ah geer ic) (n.)

A

a eulogistic (from eulogy) oration or writing // formal or elaborate praise
ex: She delivers a panegyric to her parents for their total fabulosity.
ex: He wrote a panegyric on the centennial of his birth.

57
Q

insouciance (in sue see ence) (n.)

A

lighthearted unconcern : NONCHALANCE
ex: Abrams brings a careless insouciance to his character.

58
Q

lugubrious (la goo bree us) (adj.)

A

dismal // mournful – especially exaggeratedly or affectedly so
ex: a lugubrious landscape // lugubrious cello music
It was criticized for its lugubrious tone

59
Q

chase (chay s) (v.)

A

to ornament (metal) by indenting with a hammer and tools without a cutting edge // to make by such indentation // to set with gems
ex: It had a gold filled chased filigree design overlay.

60
Q

venal (veen uhl) (adj.)

A

showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery.
ex: Their generosity had been at least partly venal.

61
Q

glacis (glay sis) (n.)

A

a gently sloping bank, in particular one that slopes down from a fort, exposing attackers to the defenders’ missiles.
ex: Forming a strong glacis in Europe’s east will require the United States to incorporate Ukraine into the U.S.-led defensive perimeter.

62
Q

coping (co ping) (n.)

A

Copings are flat, single weathered or twice weathered rectangular stones used to cap free-standing walls, parapet upstands, boundary or flat roof walls. It usually has a sloping top.
ex: It left a scorch mark on the parapet’s coping.

63
Q

reconnoiter (reck an noy ter) (v.)

A

make a military observation of (a region).
ex: They reconnoitered the beach some weeks before the landing.

64
Q

hull (hull) (v.)

A

to remove the hulls of : SHUCK
ex: They were both hulling rice.

65
Q

lambent (lam bent) (adj.) (LITERARY)

A

(of light or fire) glowing, gleaming, or flickering with a soft radiance.
ex: The magical, lambent light of the north.

66
Q

gaff (gaff) (n.) (v.)

A

a stick with a hook or barbed spear, for landing large fish. // seize or impale with a gaff.
Ex: The whales are gaffed, speared, or knifed to death.

67
Q

firestep (fire step) (n.)

A

A step or platform dug into the front side of a military trench - allowing soldiers to stand on it in order to fire over the parapet.
ex: A long ramp ran up to the firestep.

68
Q

emplace (im place) (v.)

A

to put into position (seems to mainly be used in military sense)
ex: The plan is to emplace more guns on the ridge north of the camp.

69
Q

enfilade (in fa lade) (n. / v.)

A

a volley of gunfire directed along a line from end to end // direct a volley of gunfire along the length of (a target)
ex: A sweeping crossfire enfiladed our riflemen.

70
Q

escalade (es ca lade) (n.)

A

the scaling of fortified walls using ladders, as a form of military attack.
ex: I saw that the armies would try to take the city by escalade.

71
Q

abrade (a brade) (v.)

A

scrape or wear away by friction or erosion.
ex: A landscape slowly abraded by a fine, stinging dust.

72
Q

gabion (gay be uhn) (n.)

A

a wirework container filled with rock, broken concrete, or other material, used in the construction of dams, retaining walls, etc.
ex: The cavern had been plugged with earth-filled wicker gabions.

73
Q

consign (con sign) (v.)

A

assign; commit decisively or permanently.
ex: She consigned the letter to the wastebasket.

74
Q

hasp (ha sp) (n.)

A

any of several devices for fastening
especially : a fastener for a door or lid consisting of a hinged metal strap that fits over a staple and is secured by a pin or padlock
ex: He used a hasp and a padlock to keep it secure.

75
Q

thew (th uu) (n.) (LITERARY)

A

: muscular power or development // STRENGTH, VITALITY
ex: A prizefighter of unparalleled thew in the boxing world.
ex: Three men with bare oiled chests and muscles like tiger thews.

76
Q

like as not // as like as not (phrase)

A

probably
ex: They’d come and bring their neighbors, like as not.

77
Q

whipsaw (whip saw) (v.) (n.)

A

to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents
ex: wage earners were whipsawed by inflation and high taxes.
ex: His whole world was nothing but whipsawing bullets.

78
Q

brake (bray k) (n.)

A

rough or marshy land overgrown usually with one kind of plant
ex: cedar brakes // coastal brakes

79
Q

cortege (core tehg) (n.)

A

1) a solemn procession, especially for a funeral.
ex: A funeral cortège
2) a person’s entourage or retinue.
ex: His entourage became an ever-present cortège.

80
Q

tattoo (tat too) (n.)

A

a rhythmic tapping or drumming // an evening drum or bugle signal recalling soldiers to their quarters
ex: Muffled drums beat a slow tattoo

81
Q

catch-as-catch-can (adj.)

A

Hit-OR-MISS
taking advantage of any opportunity; using any method that can be applied
ex: It is a catch-as-catch-can system that relies on borrowed judges.
ex: a catch-as-catch-can life, as an itinerant handyman.

82
Q

politic (pol ah tic) (adj.)

A

(of an action) seeming sensible and judicious under the circumstances.
ex: I did not think it politic to express my reservations.

83
Q

derisory (der rice surry) (adj.)

A

expressing derision : DERISIVE // worthy of derision (use of ridicule or scorn to show contempt) especially: laughably small
ex: The land could be bought for a derisory sum.

84
Q

lucre (loo kur) (n.)

A

monetary gain : PROFIT especially when regarded as sordid or distasteful or gained in a dishonorable way
ex: The author wrote almost entirely for lucre.

85
Q

priggish (prig gish) (adj.)

A

self-righteously moralistic and superior.
ex: a priggish little pedant

86
Q

esplanade (ess pla nod) (n.)

A

a level open stretch of paved or grassy ground
especially : one designed for walking or driving along a shore
ex: From the esplanade at the back of the park, the panoramic views of Montpellier were stunning.

87
Q

fly-blown (adj.)

A

infested with eggs or young larvae of a flesh fly or blowfly // tainted
ex: a world flyblown with the vices of irresponsible power
ex: The room was filthy and fly-blown.

88
Q

depredations (dep reh day shuns)

A

plundering, ravaging, attacking
ex: He protected the grain from the depredations of rats and mice.

89
Q

vagaries (vay gah rees) (n.)

A

an unexpected and inexplicable change in a situation or in someone’s behavior.
ex: The vagaries of the weather
ex: the vagaries of a rather eccentric, elderly lady

90
Q

hardmouthed (adj.)

A

of a horse: not responding satisfactorily to a pull on the bit // OBSTINATE, STUBBORN
ex: His horse was a sway-backed, hard-mouthed mare.

91
Q

fender (fen der) (n.)

A

a cushion (such as foam rubber or a wood float or a thick rope) between a boat and a dock or between two boats that lessens shock and prevents chafing
ex: We put thick fender ropes between our ship and the dock.

92
Q

plangent (plan gent) (adj.) (LITERARY)

A

(of a sound) loud, reverberating, and often melancholy.
ex: The plangent sound of a harpsichord.

93
Q

harangue (ha rang) (v.)

A

Lecture (someone) at length in an aggressive and critical manner
ex: He guessed that the watching soldiers were being harangued about the fate which awaited any thief.

94
Q

martinet (mar tin et) (n.)

A

a person who stresses a rigid adherence to the details of forms and methods // a strict disciplinarian
ex: The prison’s warden was a cruel martinet.

95
Q

risible (riz ah bull) (adj.)

A

such as to provoke laughter // ridiculous and shouldn’t be taken seriously
Ex: He flung himself to the floor in a risible attempt to win a penalty.

96
Q

droll (droll) (adj.)

A

having a humorous, whimsical, or odd quality
ex: His dignified presence decorated our droll little quarters.
ex: The band has a droll sense of humor.

97
Q

fulsomely (full some le) (adv.)

A

in a way that expresses a lot of admiration or praise for someone, often too much, in a way that does not sound sincere:
ex: He thanked her fulsomely for her help.
ex: an admiration whose extent I did not express, lest I be thought fulsome.

98
Q

badinage (ba deh nahg) (n.)

A

humorous or witty conversation.
ex: There was none of the usual cop badinage.

99
Q

bonhomie (bon a me) (n.)

A

happy, good-natured friendliness
ex: There was none of that false bonhomie that can be so grating.

100
Q

service hatch (n.)

A

an opening in a wall (as between kitchen and dining room) through which dishes may be passed.
ex: He could hang the sabre over the service hatch.

English Vocabulary (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions