Word List 25 Flashcards
neologism
a new word, usage, or expressiong
neophyte
a new convert; proselyte
novice
tyro, beginner
e.g. Neophytes are assigned an experienced church member to guide them through their first year.
nepotism
favoritism (as in appointment to a job) based on kinship
e.g. Nepotism has hurt the company.
nerve
to give strength or courage to; supply with physical or moral force
e.g. needs to nerve himself for the big game tomorrow.
nexus
connection, link; also, a casual link
a connected group or series
center, focus
e.g. the oft-repeated claim that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person through a nexus of six relationships
As the nexus for three great religions, Jerusalem has had a troubled as well as illustrious history.
nib
bill, beak
a sharpened point of a quill pen; pen point
a small pointed or projected part
e.g. a finch cracking seeds in its nib
nibble
to bite gently; to eat or chew in small bits
to take away bit by bit
e.g. We nibbled (on) some cheese and crackers.
waves nibbling the shore
nick
a small notch, groove, or chip; a small cut or wound a final critical moment to jot down; record to make a nick in; notch, chip to cut short
e.g. His face was covered with nicks and cuts after shaving.
in the nick of time
nicked on the shoulder by a bullet
cold weather which nicked steel and automobile output
nil
nothing, zero
e.g. The difference in the audio performance of those two CD players is nil.
nip
to catch hold of and squeeze tightly; pinch, bite
to sever by or as if by pinching sharply
to injure or destroy
to take liquor in small quantities; sip, tipple
e.g. The dog nipped his ankle.
a dress nipped at the waist
nipped in the bud
nitpick
to criticize by nit-picking
e.g. Her husband nitpicks about everything: from how she puts the plates away to how she files the bills.
noctambulist
a person who walks while asleep; sleepwalker
noisome
noxious, harmful
offensive to the senses and especially to the sense of smell
highly obnoxious or objectionable
e.g. It’s no fun having asthma and living in an area with noisome smog.
a noisome remark/habit
nomad
a member of a people who have no fixed residence but move from place to place usually seasonally and within a well-defined territory
an individual who roams about
e.g. He lived like a nomad for a few years after college, never holding a job in one place for very long.
nominal
of, relating to, or constituting a name
existing or being something in name or form only
trifling, insignificant
being according to plan; satisfactory
e.g. nominal head of the party
the pipe’s nominal size
They charge a nominal fee for the service.
Everything was nominal during the launch.
nonchalant
having an air of easy unconcern or indifference
e.g. She faced the crowd with the nonchalant ease of an experienced speaker.
noncommittal
giving no clear indication of attitude or feeling
having no clear or distinctive character
e.g. She would only give noncommittal answers about her plans.
nonentity
something that does not exist or exists only in the imagination
nonexistence
a person or thing of little consequence or significance
e.g. The arctic circle is a nonentity - you won’t see it on the way to the north pole.
He was so quiet that he was almost a nonentity at the meeting.
nonplus
state of bafflement or perplexity; quandary
to cause to be at a loss as to what to say, think, or do; perplex
e.g. I was nonplussed by his openly expressed admiration of me.
nonsensical
(of words or language) having little or no meaning; making little or no sense
(of behavior, conduct, actions, etc.) foolish, senseless, fatuous, or absurd
objectionable, impudent, insubordinate
of trifling importance or of little or no use
e.g. A baby’s babbling is appealing nonsensical.
His nonsensical behavior is unusual for such a serious person.
I refuse to listen to that nonsensical gossip.
nonsensical advice
nostalgia
the state of being homesick; homesickness
a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrcoverable condition; also, something that evokes nostalgia
e.g. A wave of nostalgia swept over me when I saw my childhood home.
nostrum
a medicine of secret composition recommended by its preparer but usually without scientific proof of its effectiveness
a usually questionable remedy or scheme; panacea
e.g. using garlic as a nostrum to prevent disease
an audience eager to believe that he had found the nostrum for all of society’s ills
notch
a V-shaped indentation; a slit made to serve as a record
a deep close pass; gap
degree, step
e.g. The tool has a notch for prying out nails.
The town is on the other side of the notch.
nova
a star that suddenly increases its light output tremendously and then fades away to its former obscurity in a few months or years
banality
- banal; commonplace
e.g. The trips offers an escape from the banalities of daily life.
The writing never rose above banality.
noxious
physically harmful or destructive to living things
constituting a harmful influence on mind or behavior; especially, morally corrupting
disagreeable; obnoxious
e.g. Mixing bleach and ammonia can cause noxious fumes that can seriously harm you.
noxious smog that for years has been encrusting the historic cathedral with soot
nuance
a subtle distinction or variation
a subtle quality; nicety
sensibility to, awareness of, or ability to express delicate shadings (as of meaning, feeling, or value)
e.g. He listened to the subtle nuances in the song.
a poem of little depth and nuance
nubile
of marriageable condition or age sexually attractive (used of a young woman)
nucleate
to form into a nucleus; cluster
to act as a nucleus for
also
nudge
to touch or push gently
to prod lightly; urge into action
approach
also
e.g. I nudged the plate closer to him.
nugatory
of little or no consequence; trifling, inconsequential
having no force; inoperative
e.g. The congressional resolution has symbolic value only, as it relates to a matter governed by the states and is thus nugatory.
nullify
to make null; especially, to make legally null and void
to make of no value or consequence
e.g. The penalty nullified the goal.
numismatics
the study or collection of coins, tokens, and paper money and sometimes related objects (like metals)
oaf
a stupid person; boob
a big clumsy slow-witted person
e.g. Anyone who took him for an oaf and tried to cheat him would be in for a nasty surprise.
oath
a formal and serious promise to tell the truth or to do something
an offensive or rude word that is used to express anger, frustration, surprise, etc.
e.g. an oath to defend the nation
He uttered an oath and walked away.
obdurate
stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
hardened in feelings
resistant to persuasion or softening influences
e.g. obdurate determination
the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard
indurate
physically or morally hardened
to make unfeeling, stubborn, or obdurate
to make hardy; inure
to establish firmly; confirm
e.g. an indurate heart that admits no love or mercy
Such a brutal upbringing could only callous his soul and indurate his heart to the sufferings of others.
contumacious
stubbornly disobedient; rebellious
e.g. The judge threatened to charge the contumacious witness with contempt of court.
obeisance
deferential respect
a gesture expressing deferential respect, such as a bow or curtsy
e.g. They paid obeisance to the prince.
impertinent
not pertinent; irrelevant
not restrained within due or proper bounds especially of propriety or good taste
given to or characterized by insolent rudeness
e.g. a few impertinent questions
impertinent curiosity
the impertinent child who had a smart answer for everything
obfuscate
darken; to make obscure
confuse
e.g. Politicians keep obfuscating the issues.
fuscous
of any of several colors averaging a brownish gray
obituary
a notice of a person’s death usually with a short biographical account
e.g. Several obituaries for Herman Melville portrayed him as an obscure, largely forgotten author.
obligatory
binding in law or conscience
relating to or enforcing an obligation
mandatory, required; also, so commonplace as to be a convention, fashion, or cliche
e.g. obligatory training
the obligatory death scene in opera
oblige
to constrain by physical, moral, or legal force or by the exigencies of circumstances
to put in one’s debt by a favor or service
to do a favor for
e.g. The law obliges the government to release certain documents to the public.
We are all much obliged for your help.
She’s always ready to oblige her friends.
obliging
willing to do favors; helpful
e.g. An obliging concierge used her pull to get us reservations at the town’s hottest restaurant.
oblique
neither perpendicular nor parallel; inclined
not straightforward; indirect; also, obscure
devious, underhanded
e.g. She gave the eavesdropper an oblique glance out of the corner of her eye.
obliterate
to remove utterly from recognition or memory
to remove from existence
to make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or wearing away
cancel
e.g. In a stroke, the March snowstorm obliterated our hopes for an early spring.
oblivious
lacking remembrance, memory, or mindful attention
lacking active conscious knowledge or awareness (usually used with of or to)
e.g. The out-of-state motorist claimed to be oblivious of the local speed limit, even though the signs must have been hard to miss.
obloquy
a strong condemnatory utterance; abusive language
the condition of one that is discredited; bad repute
e.g. a victim of hatred and obloquy
Unable to mount a rational defense of her position, she unleashed a torrent of obloquy on her opponent.
obscure
dark, dim; not clearly seen or distinguished
not readily understood or clearly expressed; also, mysterious
remote, secluded
not prominent or famous
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
to conceal hide by or as if by covering
e.g. The movie is full of obscure references that only pop culture enthusiasts will understand.
an obscure village/poet
The true history has been obscured by legends.
They accused the company of trying to obscure the fact that the product poses a health risk.
scurry
to move in or as if in a brisk pace; scamper
to move around in an agitated, confused, or fluttering manner
obsequious
marked by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
e.g. She’s constantly followed by obsequious assistants who will do anything she tells them to.
observatory
a building or place given over to or equipped for observation of natural phenomena (as in astronomy); also, an institution whose primary purpose is making such observations
obsolete
no long in use or no longer useful
of a kind or style no longer current; old-fashioned
e.g. The system was made obsolete by their invention.
an obsolete technology
obsolescent
going out of use; becoming obsolete
obstinate
perversely adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
not easily subdued, remedied, or removed
e.g. obstinate resistance to change
obstinate fever
obstreperous
marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness; clamorous
stubbornly resistant to control; unruly
e.g. an obstreperous crowd protesting the government’s immigration policy
obtuse
not pointed or acute; blunt
lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect; insensitive, stupid
difficult to comprehend; not clear or precise in thought or expression
e.g. too obtuse to take a hint
obverse
facing the observer or opponent
having the base narrower than the top
constituting the obverse of something; opposite
a front or principal surface
a counterpart having the opposite orientation or force; also, opposite
e.g. Joy and its obverse, sadness.
We thought they would be pleased with our decision; we have learned, however, that the obverse is true.
obviate
to anticipate and prevent (as a situation) to make unnecessary (as an action)
e.g. The new medical treatment obviates the need for surgery.
The new treatment obviates many of the risks associated with surgery.
occlude
to close up or block off; obstruct; also, conceal
to come into contact with cusps of the opposing teeth fitting together
e.g. a thrombus occluding a coronary artery
His teeth do not occlude properly.
occult
to shut off from view or exposure; cover, eclipse
not revealed; secret
not easily apprehended or understood; abstruse, mysterious
not manifest or detectable by clinical methods alone
e.g. occulted their house from prying eyes by planting large trees around it
occult practices such as magic and fortune-telling
occult carcinoma
octogenarian
a person whose age is in the eighties
ode
a lyric poem usually marked by exaltation of feeling and style. varying length of line, and complexity of stanza forms
odious
arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance; hateful
e.g. an odious and unforgivable insult
odium
the state or fact of being subjected to hatred and contempt
hatred and condemnation accompanied by loathing or contempt; detestation
disrepute or infamy attached to something; opprobrium
hanker
to have a strong or persistent desire; yearn (oft. used with for or after)
e.g. By the middle of the winter, they were hankering for a warm day.
odometer
a instrument for measuring the distance traveled (as by vehicle)
odyssey
a long wandering or voyage usually marked by mane changes of fortune
an intellectual or spiritual wandering or quest
e.g. an emotional odyssey experienced by a teenage girl
offbeat
eccentric, unconventional
e.g an offbeat sense of humor
an offbeat approach to teaching
offhand
without premeditation or preparation; extempore
casual, informal
done or made offhand
e.g. Do you happen to know, offhand, when he’ll be back?
a relaxed, offhand manner
offhand excuses
officious
volunteering one’s service where they are neither asked nor needed; meddlesome
informal, unofficial
e.g. an officious little man who was always telling everyone else how to do their jobs
offish
somewhat cold and reserved; standoffish
e.g. She was consistently surly and offish with the would-be suitors who came calling.
offset
to place over against something; balance
to serve as a counterbalance for; compensate
also
cessation
e.g. Gains in one area offset losses in another.
The limited storage space in the house is offset by the large garage.
A better performance this time will be an offset to last year’s dismal showing.
symptoms that were striking for their abrupt onset and their equally abrupt offset
ogle
to glance with amorous invitation or challenge
to look at especially with greedy or interested attention
e.g. He ogled the new cars on the lot.
I was ogling the dessert menu before my meal even arrived.
ointment
a salve or unguent for application to the skin
e.g. put some ointment to that cut
olfaction
the sense of smell
the act or process of smelling
oligarchy
government by the few
ominous
being or exhibiting an omen; portentous; especially, foreboding or foreshadowing evil; inauspicious
e.g. an ominous threat of war
He spoke in ominous tones.
onerous
involving, imposing or constituting a burden; troublesome
having legal obligations that outweigh the advantages
e.g. an onerous task/contract
the onerous and stressful job of notifying the families of soldiers killed in action
opacity
obscurity of sense; unintelligibleness
the quality or state of being mentally obtuse; dullness
the quality of being opaque
e.g. the opacity of the glass
Critics have noted the opacity of her writing style.
opalescent
reflecting an iridescent light
e.g. Once given away as a cheap prize at carnivals, this opalescent glass is now highly prized by collectors.
opaque
blocking the passage of radiant energy and especially light; exhibiting opacity
hard to understand or explain
obtuse, thickheaded
e.g. the opaque water of the muddy river
Somehow listeners seem to connect with the songwriter, despite his deeply personal, often opaque, lyrics.
operative
producing an appropriate effect; efficacious
most significant or essential
exerting force or influence; operating
operator
e.g. The factory must pass inspection before it becomes operative.
“If” in “if I go” is the operative word in the sentence.
CIA operatives take terrible risks to find out the secrets of foreign countries.
operose
tedious, wearisome
operetta
a usually romantic comic opera that includes songs and dancing
opine
to express opinions
e.g. Many people opine that the content of web pages should be better regulated.
opinionated
unduly adhering to one’s own opinion or to preconceived notions
e.g. People don’t expect such opinionated commentary in what is supposed to be a news article.
opportune
suitable or convenient for a particular occurrence
occurring at an appropriate time
e.g. There isn’t a more opportune time to invest in the stock market.
An opportune rain shower gave them an excuse to leave the outdoor concert early.
opprobrious
expressive of opprobrium; scurrilous
deserving of opprobrium; infamous
e.g. an opprobrious attack on the alleged corruption in the police department
contends that visiting a brothel is the sort of opprobrious conduct for which a public official should be censured
opprobrium
something that brings disgrace
public disgrace or ill fame that follows from conduct considered grossly wrong or vicious
contempt, reproach
e.g. They are going ahead with the plan despite public opprobrium.
There is no reason why “secretary” should suddenly become a term of opprobrium among the politically correct.
opulent
having a large estate or property; wealthy
amply or plentifully provided or fashioned often to the point of ostentation
e.g. hoping to marry an opulent widow
living in opulent comfort
oracle
a person through whom a deity is believed to speak
a shrine in which a deity reveals hidden knowledge or the divine purpose through such a person
a person giving wise or authoritative decisions or opinions
an authoritative or wise expression or answer
e.g. I met her long before she had become the oracle of pop culture.
oration
an elaborate discourse delivered in a formal and dignified manner
e.g. an oration on the value of art in society
oratorio
a lengthy choral work usually of a religious nature consisting chiefly of recitatives, arias, and choruses without action or scenery
oratory
a place of prayer; especially, a private or institutional chapel
the art of speaking in public eloquently or effectively
public speaking that employs oratory
orchard
a planting of fruit trees, nut trees, or sugar maples; also, the trees of such a planting
ordain
to invest officially with ministerial or priestly authority
to establish or order by appointment, decree, or law; enact
destine, foreordain
e.g. She is an ordained minister.
ordain a new type of government
He ordained that the restriction were to be lifted.
Fate has ordained the meeting.
ordeal
a primitive means used to determine guilt or innocence by submitting the accused to dangerous or painful tests believed to be under supernatural control
a severe trial or experience
e.g. The hikers were finally rescued after a three-day ordeal in the wilderness.
ordinance
an authoritative decree or direction; order
something ordained or decreed by fate or a deity
e.g. a city ordinance against excessive horn blowing
ordnance
military supplies including weapons, ammunition, combat vehicles, and maintenance tools and equipment
cannon; artillery
e.g. a 50-millimeter ordnance
The army is waiting for the heavy ordnance to be brought in.
orient
lustrous, sparkling
to set or arrange in any determinate position
to set right by adjusting to facts or principles
to acquaint with the existing or environment
e.g. orient gems
Orient the map so that north is at the top.
lectures designed to orient the new student
The program is intended to orient students toward a career in medicine.
ornate
marked by elaborate rhetoric or florid style
elaborately or excessively decorated
e.g. an ornate gambling casino that is designed to look like an Italian palace
suborn
to induce secretly to do an unlawful thing
to induce to commit perjury; also, to obtain (perjured testimony) from a witness
e.g. rejecting this attempt to suborn a dereliction of duty
ornithology
a branch of zoology dealing with birds
orthodontics
a branch of dentistry dealing with irregularities of the teeth and their correction (as by braces)
orthodox
conforming to established doctrine; conventional
e.g. an orthodox approach to the problem
