Week 10 Flashcards
Inclement
Unfavorable, stormy
She blamed her absence from the game on the inclement weather, but we knew that was sour grapes.
Peruse
To read carefully
After being admonished* by his farther, he began to peruse the want ads daily.
Premonition
Forewarning
When the black cat crossed her path, Ellen had a premonition of disaster.
Desist
Cease
The pickets promulgated* a warning that they would not desist in the effort to enhance* their standard of living.
Recoil
Draw back
As the snake prepared to strike, the girls recoiled in horror.
Pertinent
To the point, appropriate
During the trial the astute* lawyer was able to elicit* the pertinent information from the key witness.
Mastiff
Large dog
My nervous neighbor bought a pugnacious* mastiff to frighten burglars.
Obsess
To haunt, preoccupy
The Stockbroker was obsessed with the idea of becoming a painter.
Doleful
Sad, melancholy
Doleful expressions abounded* throughout headquarters on the night of the election.
Wan
Sickly pale
After the tension, his normally ruddy face was wan and tired.
Histrionics
Display of emotions
Saying that he would not tolerate* her histrionics, the director fired the temperamental actress.
Elusive
Hard to grasp
All his life he found happiness elusive, but wealth easy to come by.
Frustrate
Counteract, foil, thwart
The warden frustrated the prisoners’ attempt to escape by adding more guards.
Symptomatic
Having to do with signs or symptoms, indicative
The sordid* rioting was symptomatic of the problems facing the large cities.
Interject
Insert, interrupt
Most viewers hate it when a commercial is interjected into a suspense drama.
Inert
Without power to move
Seeing the inert player the manager dashed out onto the field.
Salient
Outstanding, prominent
One of the salient features of her poetry is a dependence upon euphemisms*.
Imminent
Likely to happen, threatening
The senator loathed* it when people said that an atomic war was imminent.
Squeamish
Easily shocked, over sensitive
When his squeamish partner complained about a lack of ethics*, the businessman laughed at his innocence.
Engrossed
Absorbed
Engrossed in his crossword puzzle, he failed to notice the paucity* of customer in the restaurant.
