Vocabulary Set 6 (23.11.29) Flashcards
palfrey (pal free) (n.)
a docile horse used for ordinary riding, especially by women.
ex: One lady’s palfrey had been stabled.
oeuvre (ooh vra) (n.)
a substantial body of work constituting the lifework of a writer, an artist, or a composer
ex: a catalogue of Rembrandt’s oeuvre
thwart (thwort) (n.)
A thwart is a part of a boat that usually has two functions: as a seat, and as a structural member that provides some rigidity to the hull
ex: An appropriately placed thwart can be used as a foot brace.
athwart (a thwort) (prep.)
*across
* in opposition to
ex: A procedure directly athwart the New England prejudices
coterie (coat ur ee) (n.)
an intimate and often exclusive group of persons with a unifying common interest or purpose
ex: a coterie of artists // a coterie of astronomers
shift (shift) (n.)
a woman’s slip or chemise (sha meeze) // a usually loose-fitting or semifitted dress
ex: Standing on the garden path, in a simple shift, she looked at me.
scruple (screw pull) (v./n.)
to show reluctance on grounds of conscience : HESITATE
ex: She did not scruple to absent herself for long hours from supervision.
coquettish (co ket tish) (adj.)
a woman who endeavors without sincere affection to gain the attention and admiration of men
ex: She was a bit of a coquette.
ex: She expressed no interest at all in coquettish skills.
coal scuttle (coal scut tull) (n.)
A coal scuttle, sometimes spelled coalscuttle and also called a hod, “coal bucket”, or “coal pail”, is a bucket-like container for holding a small, intermediate supply of coal convenient to an indoor coal-fired stove or heater.
ex: The puppy had a mouth like a coal scuttle.
ruck (ruh k) (v.)
to make puckered, wrinkled, or creased
ex: Smithy instantly began snuffling and rucking my bed.
asperity (a spare ee tee) (n.)
roughness of manner or of temper : harshness of behavior or speech that expresses bitterness or anger
ex: He asked with some asperity just what they were implying.
woebegone (woe be gone) (adj.)
strongly affected with woe : WOEFUL
exhibiting great woe, sorrow, or misery
ex: a woebegone expression
knothead (not head) (n.)
a dull-witted blunderer : DUMBBELL, SIMPLETON
a stupid or stubborn person
ex: With help from an expert, even a knothead can learn to love hiking.
unguent (un gwent) (n.)
a soothing or healing salve : OINTMENT
ex: He filled a little pot with an unguent that eased sore muscles.
ewer (you ur) (n.)
a vase-shaped pitcher or jug
ex: He’d brought warm water in a ewer.
tarragon (tare a gon) (n.)
European herb with narrow leaves which are used to add flavor to food.
ex: Somehow I got the vinegar that had been flavored with tarragon.
brook (bruh k) (v.)
to stand for : TOLERATE
ex: He would brook no interference with his plans.
fancywork (fan cee work) (n.)
decorative needlework // any ornamental needlework, such as embroidery or crochet
ex: Their fans and fancywork trembled in their fingers.
catamite (cat a mite) (n.)
a boy kept by a pederast // a boy kept for homosexual practices (ARCHAIC)
ex: “Are you his catamite, that he lets you suck strength from him?
naif (nay f) (n./adj.)
a naive or inexperienced person // naive
ex: The senator, newly elected and still naïf, will learn soon enough.
snuff (s nah ff) (v.)
- to draw forcibly through or into the nostrils
- SCENT, SMELL
- to sniff at in order to examine —used of an animal
ex: One buck lifted his head and snuffed, wondering what I was.
obsequious/obsequiously (ahb see qwee is/ly)(adj./adv.)
If you describe someone as obsequious, you are criticizing them because they are too eager to help or agree with someone more important than them.
ex: Perhaps your mother was very obsequious to doctors.
bewhiskered (be whisk ered) (adj.)
having whiskers // having whiskers on the cheeks
ex: His chin bewhiskered with a day’s growth
roust (rah ow st) (v.)
to drive (as from bed) roughly or unceremoniously //
If you roust someone, you disturb, upset, or hit them, or make them move from their place.
ex: He seemed to roust himself with an effort.
presumptuous (pre some chu iss) (adj.)
If you describe someone or their behavior as presumptuous, you disapprove of them because they are doing something that they have no right or authority to do.
ex: It would be presumptuous to judge what the outcome will be.
yatter (yat turr) (v./n.) )
- idle talk : CHATTER
ex: Among the yatter there are these sentences of sudden wisdom.
ex: The ladies can go right on yattering about … the lovely doilies.
Doily (doy lee) (n.)
a small napkin // a small often decorative mat
ex: Place a 12-inch paper doily on a cake plate.
nonce (non ss) (n.)
the present time or occasion (now only in the phrase for the nonce)
(for the present time)
ex: The room had been converted for the nonce into a nursery.
bas-relief (bar ree leef) (n.)
technique of sculpture in which shapes are carved so that they stand out from the background
ex: It was a classic white bas-relief design.
poniard (pahn yerd) (n./v.)
a small dagger with a slender blade
to stab with a poniard
ex: Pistol Pete’s 99th point plunges poniard into Flames’ playoff push.
felicitations (fe leh sa tay shuns) (n.)
felicitate (fe leh sa tate) (adj./v.)
- the offering of congratulations
ex: May I offer my felicitations on your engagement. - to make happy (ARCHAIC) // to offer congratulations
ex: The pianists rushed to felicitate the winner of the competition.
crook (cruh k) (n.)
- a shepherd’s staff // an implement having a bent or hooked form
ex: A herder held aloft his crook in greeting.
deputation (deh pew tay shun) (n.)
the act of appointing a deputy // a group of people appointed to represent others
ex: Many countries will be sending deputations to the conference.
manful (man full) (adj.)
manfulness (man full ness) (n.)
manfully (man full ee) (adv.)
having or showing courage and resolution
ex: He made the manful decision to stick by his friends.
ex: I blundered manfully into conversation with my bearers.
stole (sta ole) (n.)
- a long loose garment : ROBE
- an ecclesiastical vestment consisting of a long usually silk band worn traditionally around the neck by bishops and priests and over the left shoulder by deacons
- a long wide scarf or similar covering worn by women usually across the shoulders
ex: I was gifted rich fur stoles.
sobriquet (so breh key) (n.)
a humorous name that people give someone or something //
a descriptive name or epithet : NICKNAME
ex: Kettricken looked shocked at this sobriquet.
giddy (gid dee) (adj.)
giddiness (gid dee niss) (n.)
- If you feel giddy, you feel unsteady and think that you are about to fall over, usually because you are not well.
ex: He felt giddy and light-headed. - If you feel giddy with delight or excitement, you feel so happy or excited that you find it hard to think or act normally.
ex: There’s almost a giddiness surrounding the talks in Houston.
vestment (vest ment) (n.)
an outer garment
especially : a robe of ceremony or office
ex: The crimson velvet vestment was commissioned for the king.
amiss (a miss) (adv./adj.)
- in a mistaken way : WRONGLY
ex: If you think he is guilty, you judge amiss. - ASTRAY
ex: Something had gone amiss. - FAULTY, IMPERFECT
There’s something amiss with the engine. - Out of place in given circumstances —usually used with a negative
ex: A few remarks may not be amiss here.
forsworn (for swar n) (adj.)
guilty of perjury
ex: She would be forsworn to your people.
