Word List 21 Flashcards
instrumentalist
a player on a musical instrument
insular
of, relating to, or constituting an island
dwelling or situated on an island
characteristic of an isolated people; especially, being, having, or reflecting a narrow provincial viewpoint
e.g. the insular world of boarding school
an insular community that is not receptive of new ideas, especially from outsiders
insurgent
a person who revolts against civil authority or an established government; also, one who acts contrary to the policies and decisions of one’s own political party
rising in opposition to civil authority or established leadership; rebellious
e.g. The government subjected the insurgents to the most inhuman torture imaginable.
Any insurgent soldier will be dealt with harshly.
insurrection
an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government
e.g. the famous insurrection of the slaves in ancient Rome under Spartacus
rive
to wrench open or tear apart or to pieces; rend
to split with force or violence
fracture
e.g. rove pavement that had been riven by the annual freeze-and-thaw cycle
the bitter disappointment that threatened to rive my heart in two
intangible
not tangible; impalpable
e.g. Leadership is an intangible asset to a company.
intelligible
apprehensible by the intellect only
capable of being understood or comprehended
e.g. the ability to make complex concepts intelligible to the average reader
Very little of the recording was intelligible.
intent
the act or fact of intending; purpose
a usually clearly formulated or planned intention; aim
meaning, significance
directed with strained or eager attention; concentrated
having the mind, attention, or will concentrated on something or some end of purpose
e.g. The intent of the law is to protect consumers.
intent on finishing her sculpture in time for the group show
inter
to deposit (a dead body) in the earth or in a tomb
e.g. The soldier was interred with great honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
intercede
to intervene between parties with a view to reconciling differences; mediate
e.g. When the boss accused her of lying, several other employees intercedes on her behalf.
intercession
the act of interceding
prayer, petition, or entreaty in favor of another
interdict
to forbid in a usually formal or authoritative manner
to destroy, damage, or cut off by firepower to stop or hamper an enemy; also, intercept
e.g. The state legislature moved to interdict the use of radar-detection devices by motorists.
Federal agents are able to interdict only a small percentage of the narcotic shipments into the country.
interim
an intervening time; interval
done, made, appointed, or occurring for an interim
e.g. There was a brief interim in the proceedings while everyone got organized.
Putting up some students in local motels is obviously just an interim solution to the college’s housing shortage.
interject
to throw in between or among other things; interpolate
e.g. interject a remark
interjection
the act of uttering exclamations; ejaculation
the act of putting in between; interposition
e.g. A chorus of angry interjections greeted the announcement that our flight would be delayed.
interlude
a usually short simple play or dramatic entertainment
an intervening or interruptive period, space, or event; interval
e.g. He has resumed his acting career after a two-year interlude.
They always met in the city for their romantic interludes.
intermediary
intermediate
acting as a mediator
mediator, go-between; also, medium, means
an intermediate form, product, or stage
e.g. an intermediary agent
He served as an intermediary between the workers and the executives.
interminable
having or seeming to have no end; especially, wearisomely protracted
e.g. an interminable sermon
intermingle
to mix together; intermix
e.g. In her short stories, science fiction and romance intermingle.
intermission
the act of intermitting; the state of being intermitted
an interval between the parts of an entertainment
e.g. an awkward intermission between speeches
intermittent
coming and going at intervals; not continuous
occasional
e.g. intermittent rain
intermittent trips abroad
intern
to confine or impound especially during a war
e.g. intern enemy aliens
internecine
marked by slaughter; deadly; especially, mutually destructive
of, relating to, or involving conflict within a group
e.g. a political party that has suffered because of bitter internecine rivalries
interplay
interaction
e.g. the interplay of opposing forces
interpolate
to alter or corrupt (as a text) by inserting new or foreign matter to insert (words) into a text or into a conversation to insert between other things or parts; intercalate
e.g. He interpolated a very critical comment in the discussion.
interregnum
the time during which a throne is vacant between two successive reigns or regimes
a period during which the normal functions of government or control are suspended
a lapse or pause in a continuous series
e.g. The democratic regime proved to be a short-lived interregnum between dictatorships.
intersperse
to place something at intervals in or among
to insert at intervals among other things
e.g. intersperse a book with pictures
seagulls interspersed among the ducks
intertwine
to unite by twining one with another
to become mutually involved
e.g. He’s always telling stories in which the present and the past intertwine.
intimate
to make known especially publicly or formally; announce
to communicate delicately and indirectly; hint
e.g. trying to intimate that there was more going on than anyone knew
intoxicate
poison
to excite or stupefy by alcohol or a drug especially to the point where physical and mental control is markedly diminished
to excite or elate to the point of enthusiasm or frenzy
e.g. The stunning spectacle of this Las Vegas show is sure to intoxicate spectators.
intractable
not easily governed, managed, or directed
not easily manipulated or wrought
not easily relieved or cured
e.g. an intractable child who deliberately does the opposite of whatever he is told
intractable metal/pain
intransigent
characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an extreme position or attitude; uncompromising
e.g. He remained intransigent in his opposition to the proposal, refusing all suggestions for improvement of the process.
intrepid
characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance
e.g. an intrepid explorer who probed parts of the rain forest never previously attempted
intrigue
a secret scheme; machination
a clandestine love affair
cheat, trick
e.g. a novel of intrigue and romance
an administration characterized by intrigue and corruption
evidence that the leading manufacturers had intrigued to keep prices artificially high
pall
to lose strength of effectiveness
to lose in interest or attraction
e.g. His humor began to pall on us.
Our enthusiasm soon palled.
introspection
a reflective looking inward; an examination of one’s own thoughts and feelings
e.g. Not a man given to introspection, he grew impatient with his wife’s constant need to discuss their relationship.
inundate
to cover with a flood; overflow
overwhelm
e.g. inundated with phone calls
undulant
rising and falling in waves
having a wavy form, outline, or surface
inure
to accustom to accept something undesirable
to become of advantage
e.g. The hardship of army training inured her to the rigors of desert warfare.
policies that inure to the benefit of employees
invective
of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse
an abusive expression or speech
insulting or abusive language; vituperation
e.g. an overbearing, bullying boss who is fond of sending invective e-mails to long-suffering assistants
a barrage of racist invective
inveigh
to protest or complain bitterly or vehemently; rail
e.g. always inveighing against the high property taxes that they were forced to pay
inveigle
to win over by wiles; entice
to acquire by ingenuity or flattery; wangle
e.g. She inveigled her way into a promotion.
He inveigled her to write the letter.
They inveigled the information from him.
inveterate
firmly established by long persistence
confirmed in a habit; habitual
e.g. the inveterate tendency to overlook the obvious
an inveterate liar
invidious
tending to cause discontent, animosity, or envy
envious
of an unpleasant or objectionable nature; obnoxious
of a kind to cause harm or resentment
e.g. The boss made invidious distinctions between employees.
Inevitably, his remarkable success attracted the invidious attention of other sales representative.
inviolable
secure from violation or profanation
secure from assault or trespass; unassailable
e.g. a person with inviolable moral standards
an inviolable trust between lawyer and client
invoke
to call forth by incantation; conjure
to petition for help or support; to appeal or cite as authority
to make an earnest request for; solicit
to put into effect or operation; implement
bring about, cause
e.g. He invoked the memory of his predecessor.
She invoked history to prove her point.
invocation
the act or process of petitioning for help or support; specifically, (oft. cap.) a prayer of entreaty
a calling upon for authority or justification
a formula or conjuring; incantation
an act of legal or moral implementation; enforcement
e.g. justifying his position by invocation of the past
involuntary
done contrary to or without choice
compulsory
not subject to control of the will; reflex
e.g. Breathing and circulation are involuntary processes.
When the door burst open, she let out an involuntary shriek.
The lawyer argued that the client’s confession was involuntary.
invulnerable
incapable of being wounded, injured, or harmed
immune to or proof against attack; impregnable
iota
an infinitesimal amount; joy
e.g. did not show an iota of interest
irascible
marked by hot temper and easily provoked anger
irate
roused to ire
arising from anger
e.g. Irate viewers called the television network to complain about the show.
ire
intense and usually openly displayed anger
also
e.g. The patronizing comment from the snooty waiter roused her ire.
iridescent
shining with many different colors when seen from different angles; having or exhibiting iridescence
irk
to make weary, irritated, or bored
e.g. Drivers were irked by the higher gasoline prices.
It irks me to have to clean up after you.
irksome
tending to irk; tedious
annoying or irritating
e.g. the irksome habit of leaving all the kitchen cabinet doors open
ironclad
sheathed in iron armor (esp. of naval vessels)
so firm or secure as to be unbreakable
e.g. an ironclad oath
The company has an ironclad policy against revealing secrets to competitors.
irradicable
impossible to eradicate; deep-rooted
e.g. irradicable hatred
irredeemable
not terminable by payment of the principal
not exchangeable for coin; inconvertible
being beyond remedy; hopeless
e.g. Without intervention, the country could fall into irredeemable chaos.
irreducible
impossible to transform into or restore to a desired or simpler condition; specifically, incapable of being factored into polynomials of lower degree with coefficients in some given field
impossible to make less or smaller
e.g. They thought the world was made up of four irreducible elements: earth, air, fire, and water.
an irreducible minimum
irremediable
not remediable; also, incurable
e.g. There was an irremediable split between the two sides of the family.
the firm belief that no juvenile delinquent is irremediable
irrevocable
not possible to revoke; unalterable
e.g. an irrevocable decision
irrigate
wet, moisten
to refresh as if by watering
e.g. The surgeon irrigated the wound.
issue
the action of going, coming, or flowing out; egress, emergence
a means or place of going out; exit, outlet; also, offspring, progeny
to go, come, flow out; emerge
accrue
to be a consequence or final outcome; emanate, result
e.g. profits issuing from the sale of stock
isthmus
a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas
a narrow anatomical part or passage connecting two larger structures or cavities
itinerant
traveling from place to place; especially, covering a circuit
e.g. An itinerant musician can see a lot of the world.
jabber
to talk rapidly, indistinctly, or unintelligibly
e.g. She rushed into the room jabbering something about a dog.
jade
a broken-down, vicious, or worthless horse
a disreputable woman; a flirtatious girl
to wear out by overwork or abuse
to tire or dull through repetition or excess
either of two tough compact typically green gemstones that take a high polish
e.g. A steady diet of nothing but lobster would jade the palate of even the most ardent lobster lover.
jaded
fatigued by overwork; exhausted
made full, apathetic, or cynical by experience or by surfeit
e.g. a public jaded by political scandals
jagged
having a sharply uneven edge or surface
having a harsh, rough, or irregular quality
e.g. jagged piece of broken glass
jagged rhythms
jamb
an upright piece or surface forming the side of an opening (as for a door, window, or fireplace)
a projecting columnar part or mass
jar
to make a harsh or discordant sound; to have a harshly disagreeable or disconcerting effect
to be out of harmony; especially, bicker
to affect disagreeably; unsettle
to make unstable or loose; shake
also
e.g. The loss jarred his confidence in the team.
The tiles jarred loose in the earthquake.
jaundice
yellowish pigmentation of the skin, tissues, and body fluids caused by the deposition of bile pigments
a state or attitude characterized by satiety, distaste, or hostility
e.g. The jaundice in the eyes of the two feuding neighbors was enough to kill crabgrass.
jaunt
to make a usually short journey for pleasure
an excursion undertaken especially for pleasure
e.g. took a leisurely jaunt up to the mountains for the day
jaunty
sprightly in manner or appearance; lively
e.g. He struck a jaunty pose for the camera.
a jaunty stroll
a jaunty white cap
jeer
to speak or cry out with derision or mockery
to deride with jeers; taunt
also
e.g. He tried to ignore the jeering crowd.
ignored the jeers of the other team’s fans and just focused on making her free throw shot
jejune
lacking nutritive value
devoid of significance or interest; dull
juvenile, puerile
e.g. jejune diets/lectures
another moralizing tale filled with jejune platitudes
jeopardize
to expose to danger or risk; imperil
e.g. His health has been jeopardized by poor nutrition.
jest
an utterance intended to be taken as mockery or humor
prank; a ludicrous circumstance or incident
a frivolous mood or manner; gaiety and merriment
laughingstock
also
e.g. a supposedly harmless jest
You should know that our teasing was done entirely in jest.
jettison
a voluntary sacrifice of cargo to lighten a ship’s load in time of distress
also
to get rid of as superfluous or encumbering; omit or forgo as part of a plan or as the result of some other decision
e.g. With his ship rapidly sinking, the captain ordered a last-ditch jettison of much of its cargo.
must be prepared to jettison many romantic notions
jibe
to be in accord; agree
e.g. The report does not quite jibe with the commissioner’s observations.
jingoism
extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy.
jockey
a person who rides or drives a horse especially as a professional in a race; also, a person who operates or works with a specified vehicle, device, or material
to deal shrewdly or fraudulently with
drive, operate
e.g. a pencil jockey
There was a lot of political jockeying at the fund-raiser.
jockey a truck into position
jocular
given to jesting; habitually jolly or jocund
characterized by jesting; playful
e.g. a jocular man
the jocular observation that the best way to make a small fortune in the wine business is to start off with a large fortune
jocund
marked by or suggestive of high spirits and lively mirthfulness
e.g. old friends engaged in jocund teasing
jovial
markedly good-humored especially as evidenced by jollity and conviviality
maudlin
drunk enough to be emotionally silly
weakly and effusively sentimental
e.g. He finished another beer became maudlin, starting to cry like a child.
a maudlin movie about a lovable tramp
dreary
feeling, displaying, or reflecting listlessness or discouragement
having nothing likely to provide cheer, comfort, or interest; gloomy, dismal
e.g. The family struggled through dreary economic times.
jubilation
an act of rejoicing; the state of being jubilant
an expression of great joy
judicious
having, exercising, or characterized by sound judgment; discreet
e.g. judicious use of our resources
Judicious planning now can prevent problems later.
juggernaut
a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes whatever is in its path
e.g. an advertising/political juggernaut
There was no escaping the juggernaut of hype for the studio’s biggest summer blockbuster.
jumble
to move in a confused or disordered manner
to mix into a confused or disordered mass (oft. used with up)
hodgepodge
a state of confusion
e.g. The contest editor has jumbled the letters of some common words.
