week 4 Flashcards
alacrity /əˈlækrəti/ (n)
(n) great willingness or enthusiasm
Ex: They accepted the offer with alacrity.
Ex: The waiter moved with alacrity because he perceived they were big tippers.
disdain /dɪsˈdeɪn/(n)
(n) CONTEMPT - the feeling that sb/sth is not good enough to deserve your respect or attention
Ex: When the curtain came down, the critic’s face registered the disdain she felt for the lackluster play
belligerent /bəˈlɪdʒərənt/ (a)
(a) HOSTILE/ unfriendly and aggressive
Ex: His belligerent manner caused him to lose one friend after another
bolster /ˈboʊlstər/ (v)
(v) STRENGTHEN, to improve something or make it stronger
- to bolster somebody’s confidence/courage/morale
Ex: The delayed-response task has helped to bolster the idea that the prefrontal cortex is important for holding info for brief periods of time.
feint /feɪnt/ (n)
(n) false attack/ (especially in sport) a movement that is intended to make your opponent think you are going to do one thing when you are really going to do something else
ex: That intrepid battler laid the hapless Mullins low with an adroit feint and an uppercut.
throw down the gauntlet /ˈɡɔːntlət/ (I)
gauntlet (n) a metal glove worn as part of a suit of armour by soldiers in the Middle Ages
(I) TO CHALLENGE SOMEONE
Ex: The principal of our rival school threw down the gauntlet, and we had no choice but to accept the challenge.
impudent /ˈɪmpjədənt/ (a)
(a) rude, not showing respect for other people
Ex: an impudent young fellow
pugnacious /pʌɡˈneɪʃəs/ (a)
(a) BELLICOSE /ˈbelɪkoʊz/ showing or having a desire to argue/fight
Ex: The pugnacious K.O. Mullins demanded a rematch
scoff /skɑːf/ (v)
(v) to SNEER AT=MOCK (v) show no respect for sb//sth by expressing on your face or the way you speak
Ex: I don’t understand modern art, but I neither loathe nor scoff at it.
Ex: The manager openly scoffed at Mullins and belittled his fighting ability.
promulgate /ˈprɑːmlɡeɪt/ (v)
(v) to make known officially
Ex: We implored the faculty advisor to promulgate the requirements for the presidency of the club.
brash /bræʃ/ (a)
(a) IMPUDENT/ confident in an aggressive way
Ex: When the champ’s manager saw the brash announcement, he accosted Mullins, who was surrounded by a throng of newsmen.
belittle /bɪˈlɪtl/(v)
(v) to make seem less important
Ex: The manager openly scoffed at Mullins and belittled his fighting ability.
Feeling no pain (I)
(I) numbed by the use of alcohol or drugs
Ex: Although the party had just begun, after his first drink he was feeling no pain
tangible /ˈtændʒəbl/(a)
(a) having actual form, that can be clearly seen to exist
Ex: Mr.Dixon belittled our request for tangible proof of his loyalty.
Ex: We cannot accept his findings without tangible evidence.
laceration /ˌlæsəˈreɪʃn/(n)
(n) a cut to the skin or flesh made with something sharp, jagged wound
Ex: The medic reached into his kit to find a bandage for the ugly laceration
castigate /ˈkæstɪɡeɪt/ (v)
(v) to criticize somebody/something/yourself severely, to correct by punishing
Ex: The kindly foreman was too reticent to openly castigate the clumsy new worker
sordid /ˈsɔːrdɪd/(a)
(a) immoral, dishonest
Ex: Stories of their sordid youth poured forth from the unhappy felons
Ex: The judge castigated Mullins for the sordid incident
octogenarian /ˌɑːktədʒəˈneriən/ (n)
(n) a person in his or her eighties
Ex: When the 22-year-old woman announced her engagement to the octogenarian, the public suspected it to be a publicity stunt.
a publicity stunt /pʌbˈlɪsəti//stʌnt/
stunt (n) something that is done in order to attract people’s attention
Ex: When the 22-year-old woman announced her engagement to the octogenarian, the public suspected it to be a publicity stunt.
Hobson’s choice (I)
(I) to have no real choice at all
Ex: Despite three candidates’ names on the ballot, the similarity of their unpopular positions on controversial issues left voters with a Hobson’s choice
solace /ˈsɑːləs/ (v)
(v) COMFORT, easing of grief
Ex: He sought solace in whiskey
Ex: In trying to offer solace to the deceased’s wife, the reporter inadvertently made the situation worse
aspirant /ˈæspərənt/ /əˈspaɪərənt/ (n)
(n) candidate, striver, applicant/ a person with a strong desire to achieve a position of importance or to win a competition
Ex: The publisher scoffed at the reports that he was an aspirant for the job of Secretary of State
dregs (n) /dreɡz/
(n) the worst and most useless parts of something
Ex: the dregs of society
Ex: At the bottom of the beautiful wine bottle, only the dregs remained
frenzy /ˈfrenzi/(n)
(n) a state of great activity and strong emotion that is often violent or frightening and not under control
Ex: The speaker worked the crowd up into a frenzy
Ex: Vigilant censors protect the public from listening to frenzy language on televison
