Word List 13 Flashcards
dyslexia
a condition in the brain that makes it hard for a person to read, write, and spell
dyspeptic
of, related to, or showing indigestion
given to grumbling; morose, grouchy
flippant
lacking proper respect or seriousness
e.g. a flippant response to a serious question
His flippant comment that the poor save on taxes offended many people.
facetious
joking or jesting often inappropriately; waggish
meant to be humorous or funny; not serious
e.g. The essay is a facetious commentary on the absurdity of war as a solution for international disputes.
a facetious and tasteless remark about people in famine-stricken countries being spared the problem of overeating
earshot
the range within which one may hear a person’s unaided voice
e.g. waited until he was out of earshot
earsplitting
distressingly loud or shrill
e.g. the earsplitting noise coming from the jackhammers at the construction site
earthly
characteristic of or belonging to this earth
relating to the human race’s actual life on this earth
possible
e.g. a sermon against our obsession with earthly pursuits
Of what earthly use is it?
earthy
of, relating to, consisting of, or suggestive of earth
rough, coarse, or plain in taste
characteristic of or associated with moral life on the earth
suggestive of plain or poor people or their ways (practical, down-to-earth; crude, gross; unsophisticated)
e.g. earthy creatures like worms/ an earthy yellow earthy flavors prefers earthy to ethereal themes earthy problems of everyday life earthy humor earthy peasant cookery/decor
easel
a frame for supporting something (as an artist’s canvas)
ebb
the reflux of the tide toward its lowest ebb
a point of condition of decline
also
e.g. a surprising ebb in the quality of workmanship in goods coming from that country
The fortunes of the town slowly ebbed as factory after textile factory closed.
ebullience
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression or thoughts or feelings; exuberance
impassive
unsusceptible to physical feeling; insensible
unsusceptible to or destitute of emotion; apathetic
giving no sign of feeling or emotion; expressionless
e.g. She remained impassive as the officers informed her of her son’s death.
eclectic
selecting what appears to be best in various doctrine, methods, or styles
composed of elements drawn from various sources; also, heterogeneous
e.g. The museum’s eclectic collection has everything from a giraffe skeleton to medieval musical instrument.
economical
marked by careful, efficient, and prudent use of resources; thrifty
operating with little waste or at a saving
e.g. a practical and economical solution to the problem
ecstasy
a state of being beyond reason and self-control
a state of overwhelming emotion; especially, rapturous delight
trance; especially, a mystic or prophetic trance
e.g. Actors are typically in ecstasy upon winning an Oscar.
eddy
a current of water or air running contrary to the main current; especially a circular current; whirlpool
something moving similarly
a contrary or circular current (as of thought or policy)
e.g. caught in a powerful eddy
edifice
building, especially a large or massive structure
a large abstract structure
e.g. a magnificent edifice with a domed ceiling
holds together the social edifice
edify
build, establish
to instruct and improve especially in moral and religious knowledge; uplift, also enlighten, inform
e.g. a family-oriented show that tried to edify the television audience as well as entertain it
edacious
voracious
e.g. My edacious dining companion could always be counted on to order the largest - the often the most expensive - item on the menu.
effervesce
to bubble, hiss, and foam as gas escapes
to show liveliness or exhilaration
fervor
intensity of feeling or expression
intense heat
e.g. The fervor surrounding her campaign continued right through election day.
The novel captures the revolutionary fervor of the period.
effete
no long fertile
having lost character, vitality, or strength
marked by weakness or decadence
soft or delicate from or as if from a pampered existence
effeminate
e.g. the soft, effete society that marked the final years of the Roman empire
a wool scarf a bit effete on an outdoorsman
a good-humored, effete bot brought up by maiden aunts
effluvium
(pl.: effluvia) an invisible emanation; especially, an offensive exhalation or smell
a by-product especially in the form of waste
e.g. the effluvia from local sewage treatment plants polluting the river
efficacy
the power of producing an effect
e.g. questioned the efficacy of the alarms in actually preventing auto theft
effrontery
shameless boldness; insolence
effulgence
radiant splendor; brilliance
e.g. The exceptional effulgence of the harvest moon is always a striking sight.
fulguration
the act or process of flashing like lightning
the drying up of tissue by a high-frequency electric current applied with a needle-shaped electrode; electrodesiccation
refulgence
a radiant or resplendent quality or state; brilliance
e.g. the refulgence of a full moon on a clear autumn night
egalitarianism
a belief in human equality especially with respect to social, political, and economic affairs
a social philosophy advocating the removal of inequalities among people
egregious
conspicuous; especially, conspicuously bad, flagrant
e.g. egregious padding of the evidence
egress
the action or right of going or coming out
a place or means of going out; exit
also
e.g. The auditorium is designed to provide easy egress in an emergency.
elated
marked by high spirits; exultant
despondent
feeling or showing extreme discouragement, dejection, or depression
e.g. a group of despondent fans
elegy
a poem in elegiac couplets
a song or poem expressing sorrow or lamentation especially for one who is dead
a pensive or reflective poem that is usually nostalgic or melancholy; a short pensive musical composition
elephantine
having enormous size or strength; massive
clumsy, ponderous
of or relating to an elephant
e.g. The wedding reception was held under an elephantine tent on the great lawn.
elephantine verse
elicit
to draw forth or bring out (something latent or potential)
to call forth or draw out (as information or a response)
e.g. Hypnotism elicited his hidden fears.
She’s been trying to elicit the support of other committee members.
subliminal
inadequate to produce a sensation or a perception
existing or functioning below the threshold of consciousness
e.g. The studio denied the existence of subliminal messages in the movie.
I am skeptical that subliminal advertising actually works.
ellipsis
the omission of one or more words that are obviously understood but that must be supplied to make a construction grammatically complete
a sudden leap from one topic to another
the marks “…”
e.g. “As long as I’ve seen -“ and a significant nod supplied the ellipsis.
elliptical
of, relating to, or shaped like an ellipse
of, relating to, or marked by ellipsis or an ellipsis
of, relating to, or marked by extreme economy of speech or writing; of or relating to deliberate obscurity (as of literary or conversational style)
e.g. an elliptical path
a writer with an elliptical style
elocution
a style of speaking especially in public
the art of effective public speaking
e.g. the oft-told story that he practiced elocution by learning to speak with a mouth full of pebbles
palpable
capable of being touched or felt; tangible
easily perceptible; noticeable
easily perceptible by the mind; manifest
e.g. There was a palpable excitement in the air as the town prepared for the festival.
elucidate
to make lucid especially by explanation or analysis
e.g. colored charts that really help to elucidate the points made in the text
garble
to sift impurities from
to so alter or distort as to create a wrong impression or change the meaning
to introduce textual error into (a message) by inaccurate encipherment, transmission, or decipherment
e.g. The candidate complained that his views had been deliberately garbled by his opponent.
Garbled spices are less likely to contaminate a recipe.
elude
to avoid adroitly; evade
to escape the perception, understanding, or grasp of
defy
e.g. managed to elude capture
Victory continued to elude us.
elusive
- elude
tending to evade grasp or pursuit
hard to comprehend or define
hard to isolate or identify
e.g. The truth may prove elusive.
The giant squid is one of the ocean’s most elusive inhabitants.
emaciate
to waste away physically
to cause to lose flesh so as to become very thin
to make feeble
e.g. Without adequate medical supplies, doctors could only look on helplessly as cholera victims continues to emaciate.
manumit
to release from slavery
e.g. Though he was an outspoken defender of liberty, this son of Virginia did not manumit his own slaves until he was on his deathbed.
embargo
an order of a government prohibiting the departure of commercial ships from its ports
a legal prohibition on commerce
stoppage, impediment, especially prohibition
e.g. a trade embargo
I lay no embargo on anybody’s words.
embed
to enclose closely in or as if in a matrix
to make something an integral part of
to surround closely
e.g. fossils embedded in stone
the prejudices embedded in our language
The sweet pulp embeds the plum seed
embellish
to make beautiful with ornament; decorate
to heighten the attractiveness of by adding decorative or fanciful details; enhance
e.g. a book embellished with colorful illustrations
He embellished his speech with a few quotations.
embezzlement
the act of appropriating (as property entrusted to one’s care) fraudulently to one’s own use; or an instance of such
emblematic
of, relating to, or constituting an emblem; symbolic, representative
e.g. The dove is emblematic of the organization’s mission to bring some peace to a troubled world.
embody
to give a body to (a spirit); incarnate
to deprive of spirituality
to make concrete and perceptible; to cause to become a body of part of a body, incorporate
to represent in human or animal form; personify
e.g. The legislature embodied a revenue provision in the new law.
They must embody their ideas in substantial institutions if they are to survive.
emboss
to raise the surface of into bosses; especially to ornament with raise work
to raise in relief from a surface
adorn, embellish
eschew
to avoid habitually especially on moral or practical grounds; shun
e.g. a psychologist who eschews the traditional methods of psychotherapy
ostracize
to exile by ostracism
to exclude from a group by common consent
e.g. She was ostracized from the scientific community for many years because of her radical political beliefs.
spurn
to tread sharply or heavily upon; trample
to reject with disdain or contempt; scorn
e.g. Fiercely independent, the elderly couple spurned all offers of financial help.
embroider
to ornament with needlework
to form with needlework
to elaborate on; embellish
e.g. a scarf embroidered with tiny flowers
He is known to embroider the truth about his service in the army.
emend
to correct usually by textual alterations
e.g. emended the manuscript
mendacious
given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth
e.g. That tabloid routinely publishes the most moronically mendacious stories about celebrities.
emissary
one designated as the agent of another; representative
a secret agent
e.g. Most of the industrialized nations of the world sent emissaries to the conference on global warming.
emollient
making soft or supple; also, soothing especially to skin or mucous membrane
making less intense or harsh; mollifying
something often softens or soothes
e.g. an emollient hand lotion
soothe us in our agonies with emollient words
mollycoddle
a pampered or effeminate man or boy
to treat with an excessive or absurd degree of indulgence and attention
e.g. refused to mollycoddle her malingering son and sent him off to school
emote
to act in an emotional or theatrical manner
e.g. He stood on the stage, emoting and gesturing wildly.
emphatic
uttered with or marked by emphasis
tending to express oneself in forceful speech or to take decisive action
attracting special attention
e.g. an emphatic refusal
They were emphatic about their political differences.
empiricism
- empirical
empyreal
of or relating to the empyrean; celestial
sublime
e.g. a painting depicting the Deity as seated on an empyreal throne surrounded by saints and angels
emulate
to strive to equal or excel
imitate; especially to imitate by means of an emulator
to equal approach equality with
e.g. She grew up emulating her sports heroes.
artists emulating the style of their teachers
emulous
inspired by or deriving from a desire to emulate
ambitious or eager to emulate
enact
to establish by legal and authoritative act; specifically to make (as a bill) into law
act out
e.g. Congress will enact legislation related to that issue.
enact a role
enamel
to cover, inlay, or decorate with enamel
to beautiful with a colorful surface
to form a glossy surface on (as paper, leather, or cloth)
a usually opaque vitreous composition applied by fusion to the surface of metal, glass, or pottery
a hard calcareous substance capping the teeth
a paint that flows out to a smooth coat when applied and that dries with a glossy appearance
encapsulate
to enclose in or as if in a capsule
epitomize, summarize
e.g. The contaminated material should be encapsulated and removed.
Can you encapsulate the president’s speech in about a paragraph?
enclosure
the act of action of enclosing; the quality or state of being enclosed
something that encloses
something enclosed
e.g. a letter with two enclosures
encomiast
one that praises; eulogist
encompass
to form a circle about; enclose
envelop; include, comprehend
bring about, accomplish
e.g. a plan that encompasses a number of aims
encompass a task
encroach
to enter by gradual steps or by stealth into the possessions or rights of another
to advance beyond the usual or proper limits
e.g. The suburbs encroach further into the rural areas each year.
Each year the sea continues to encroach upon the island’s beaches.
encumber
weigh down, burden
to impede or hamper the function or activity of; hinder
to burden with a legal claim (as a mortgage)
e.g. tourists encumbered by heavy luggage
Lack of funding has encumbered the project.
endearing
resulting in affection
endemic
belonging or native to a particular people or country
characteristic of or prevalent in a particular field, area, or environment
restricted or peculiar to a locality or region
e.g. the self-indulgence endemic in the film industry
endemic diseases
endorse
to inscribe (one’s signature) on a check, bill, or note
endow
to furnish with an income; especially to make a grand of money providing for the continuing support or maintenance of
to furnish with a dower
to provide with something freely or naturally
e.g. The wealthy couple endowed a new wing of the hospital.
endowed with a good sense of humor
enduring
lasting, durable
e.g. science fiction’s enduring fascination with worlds beyond our own
transitory
tending to pass away; not persistent
or brief duration; temporary
e.g. the transitory nature of earthly joy
enervate
to reduce the mental or moral vigor of
to lessen the vitality or strength of
e.g. A lifetime of working in dreary jobs had enervated his very soul.
enfeeble
to make feeble; deprive of strength
e.g. Long periods of being confined to a hospital bed will enfeeble anyone.
tonic
increasing or restoring physical or mental tone; refreshing
e.g. Never underestimate the tonic power of humor on a sick person.
enfetter
to bind in fetters; enchain
e.g. Enfettered by debt, she was in no position to take early retirement.
enflame
- inflame
to excite to excessive or uncontrollable action or feeling; especially to make angry
to make more heated or violent; intensify
to set on fire; kindle
to cause to redden or grow hot from anger or excitement
e.g. His angry speech inflamed the mob.
Insults served only to inflame the feud.
engender
beget, procreate
to cause to exist or to develop; produce
e.g. The issue has engendered a considerable amount of debate.
a suggestion to go out for pizza that didn’t seem to engender any interest
quash
to suppress or extinguish summarily and completely
e.g. quash a rebellion
engrave
to impress deeply as if with a graver
e.g. The incident was engraved in his memory.
engross
to copy or write in a large hand
to take or engage the whole attention of; occupy completely
e.g. ideas that have engrossed the minds of scholars for generations
engulf
to flow over and enclose; overwhelm
to take in (food) by or as if by flowing over and enclosing
e.g. The mounting seas threatened to engulf the island.
enjoin
to direct or impose by authoritative order or with urgent admonition
forbid, prohibit
e.g. He was enjoined by his conscience from telling a lie.
A book had been enjoined prior to publication.
enmesh
to catch or entangle in or as if in meshes
e.g. He spent the rest of his life enmeshed in lawsuits trying to protect his invention.
enliven
to give life, action, or spirit to; animate
e.g. He enlivened his speech with a few jokes.
a soup enlivened by chili pepper
extricate
to distinguish from a related thing
to free or remove from an entanglement or difficulty
e.g. Several survivors were extricated from the wreckage.
She hasn’t been able to extricate herself from her legal problems.
enmity
positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will
e.g. His comments earned him the enmity of his coworkers.
inimical
being adverse often by reason of hostility or malevolence
having the disposition of an enemy; hostile
reflecting or indicating hostility; unfriendly
e.g. forces inimical to democracy
his father’s inimical glare
enormity
an outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act
the quality or state of being immoderate, monstrous, or outrageous; especially great wickedness
the quality or state of being huge; immensity
a quality of momentous importance or impact
e.g. We were shocked at the enormity of the crime.
the enormity of the decision
enrapture
to fill with delight
e.g. enraptured upon learning that he would be attending college on a full sports scholarship
ensconce
shelter, conceal
establish, settle
e.g. The sculpture is safely ensconced behind glass.
He ensconced himself in front of the television.
ensign
a flag that is flown (as by a ship) as the symbol of nationality and that may also be flown with a distinctive badge added to its design
a badge of office, rank, or power; emblem, sign
e.g. Fittingly, the organization promoting the welfare of marine life features a dolphin on its ensign.
entail
to fix (a person) permanently in some condition or status to impose, involve, or imply as a necessary accompaniment or result
e.g. entail him and his heirs to the crown
A lavish wedding entails extensive planning and often staggering expense.
enterprise
a project or undertaking that is especially difficult, complicated, or risky
readiness to engage in daring or difficult action; initiative
a unit of economic organization or activity; especially a business organization
e.g. Moving the drilling rig offshore was a costly enterprise.
showed great enterprise in dealing with the crisis
Agriculture is the main economic enterprise among these people.
entice
to attract artfully or adroitly or by arousing hope or desire; tempt
e.g. Every commercial seemed to be for some tempting snack specifically designed to entice me from my diet.
entrance
to put into a trance
to carry away with delight, wonder, or rapture
e.g. a production of ballet that will entrance audiences
entreat
to make an earnest request; plead
e.g. entreated his boss for another chance
entreaty
- entreat; plea
e. g. Our entreaties to give us another few minutes to answer the test questions fell on deaf ears.
entree
the act or manner of entering; entrance
freedom of entry or access
e.g. Entree to the country club is through sponsorship by someone who is already a member.
