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
