Word List 23 Flashcards
Headlong (adj)
hasty; rash
The slave seized the unexpected chance to make a headlong dash across the border to freedom
Headstrong (adj)
stubborn; wilful; unyielding
Heckler (n)
person who verbally harasses others
The heckler kept interrupting the speaker with rude remarks
Hedonist (n)
one who believes that pleasure is the sole aim in life
A thoroughgoing hedonist, he considered only his own pleasure and ignored any claims others had on his money or time
Hermetic (adj)
sealed by fusion as to be airtight
After you sterilise the bandages, place them in a container and seal it with a hermetic seal to protect them from contamination by airborne bacteria
Hermetic (adj)
obscure and mysterious; occult
Heyday (n)
time of greatest success; prime
In their heyday, the San Francisco Forty-Niners won the Super Bowl two years running
Hilarity (n)
boisterous mirth
With superb timing they did a knock-about comedy act that provoked hilarity from the audience
Histrionic (adj)
theatrical
Proud of his histrionic ability, Lawrence wanted to play the role of Hamlet
Hoodwink (v)
deceive; delude
Having been hoodwinked once by the fast-talking salesman, he was extremely cautious when he went to purchase the used car
Hortatory (adj)
earnestly advising; didactic; preachy
“Film acting schooled Reagan in the hortatory oratory of movie dialogue speeches crafted to sell an ideal or an emotion, and till sound like plain-spoken common sense - techniques he used so dynamically in politics”
Hubbub (n)
confused uproar
The marketplace was a scene of hubbub and excitement; in all the noise, we could not distinguish particular voices
Hubris (n)
arrogance; excessive self-conceit
Filled with hubris, Lee refused to heed his friends’ warnings
Hue and cry (n)
outcry
When her purse was snatched, she raised such a hue and cry that the thief was captured
Humdrum (adj)
dull; monotonous
After her years of adventure, she could not settle down to a humdrum existence
Husband (v)
use sparingly; conserve; save
Marathon runners must husband their energy so that they can keep going for the entire distance
Husbandry (n)
frugality; thrift; agriculture
He accumulated his small fortune by diligence and husbandry
Hypochondriac (n)
person unduly worried about his health; worrier without cause about illness
Iconoclastic (adj)
attacking and cherished traditions
Deeply iconoclastic, Jean Genet deliberately set out to shock conventional theatregoers with his radical plays
Idiosyncrasy (n)
individual trait, usually odd in nature, eccentricity
One of Richard Nixon’s little idiosyncrasies was his liking for ketchup on cottage cheese
Idyllic (adj)
charming carefree; simple
Far from the city, she led an idyllic existence in her rural retreat
Ignoble (adj)
unworthy; not noble
A true knight, Sir Galahad never stooped to perform an ignoble deed
Ignominy (n)
deep disgrace; shame or dishonour
To lose the Ping Pong match to a trained chimpanzee! How could Rollo endure the ignominy of his defeat?
