Word List 35 Flashcards
studied
carefully considered or prepared; thoughtful
knowledgeable, learned
produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation; calculated
e.g. a studied response
studied indifference
stultify
to cause to appear or be stupid, foolish, or absurdly illogical
to impair, invalidate, or make ineffective; negate
e.g. Menial work can stultify the mind.
stunt
to hinder the normal growth, development, or progress of
a check in growth
an unusual or difficult feat requiring great skill or daring
e.g. Brutal treatment in childhood stunted his personality.
stupor
a condition of greatly dulled or completely suspended sense or sensibility
a state of extreme apathy or torpor resulting often from stress or shock; daze
e.g. a drunk stupor
in a stupor of fatigue
stygian
extremely dark, gloomy, or forbidding
e.g. lost in the stygian reaches of the deep forest
stylus
an instrument for writing, marking, or incising
stymie
to present an obstacle to; stand in the way of
e.g. stymied by red tape
subjugate
to bring under control and governance as a subject; conquer
to make submissive; subdue
e.g. Fashion can summon the strange, can subjugate the body and render it alien just as readily as it can highlight every curve.
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.
subliminal advertising
suborn
to induce secretly to do an unlawful thing
to induce to commit perjury; also, to obtain perjured from a witness
e.g. suborn the press and blind the eyes of the people
subsidiary
furnishing aid or support; auxiliary
of secondary importance
of, relating to, or constituting a subsidy
e.g. subsidiary details
a subsidiary payment to an ally
substantiate
to give substance or form to; embody
to establish by proof or competent evidence; verify
e.g. substantiate a charge
substantive
being a totally independent entity
real rather than apparent; firm
essential
substantial
e.g. These charges are more symbolic than substantive.
made substantive progress / substantive discussion among the world leaders
subsume
to include or place within something larger or more comprehensive; encompass as a subordinate or component element
e.g. Red, green, and yellow are subsumed under the term “color”.
subterfuge
deception by artifice or stratagem in order to conceal, escape, or evade
a deceptive device or stratagem
e.g. Delving into why this slaughter never happened uncovers a story of spy-craft, subterfuge and tightly-kept secrets.
succor
relief, aid, help
to go to the aid of; relieve
e.g. give succor to those in need
Love is always mighty to succor the weak-hearted.
suffice
to meet or satisfy a need; be sufficient (oft. used with an impersonal it)
to be competent or capable
e.g. A brief note will suffice (them).
Suffice it to say that they are dedicated and serious.
suffuse
to spread over or through in the manner of fluid or light; flush, fill
e.g. The northern horizon was suffused with a deep red glow.
sulky
angry or upset
sullen
gloomily or resentful silent or repressed
dismal, gloomy
moving sluggishly
e.g. a sullen crowd / countenance / morning
a sullen river
sumptuous
extremely costly, rich, luxurious, or magnificent
e.g. sumptuous banquets
sunder
to break apart in two; separate by or as if by violence or by intervening time or space
e.g. a family sundered by scandal
supercilious
coolly and patronizingly haughty
e.g reacted to their breach of etiquette with a supercilious smile
superfluous
exceeding what is sufficient or necessary; extra
not needed; unnecessary
e.g. clear off all the superfluous stuff to make room
superintend
to have or exercise the charge and oversight of; direct
supersede
to cause to be set aside
to take the place or position of
e.g. Sport does have this incredible power to supersede current affairs and politics.
supine
lying on the back or with the face upward
exhibiting indolent or apathetic inertia or passivity; especially, mentally or morally slack
e.g. a supine legislature that is afraid to take action
supplant
to supersede (another) especially by force or treachery
e.g. waiting in the shadows to shank and supplant their revelry-addled elders
suppliant
humbly imploring; entreating
expressing supplication
e.g. the suppliant thief pleaded for a second chance
supplicate
to make a humble entreaty
e.g. But not from them will I supplicate that which is mine by right.
supplicate for acceptance
surfeit
an overabundant supply; excess
an intemperate or immoderate indulgence in something
also
e.g. a surfeit of volunteers
surfeited ourselves on raw oysters
surmise
conjecture
to form a notion of from scanty evidence; imagine, infer
e.g. surmise that…
surmount
to prevail over; overcome
e.g. surmount an obstacle
surreptitious
done, made, or acquired by stealth; clandestine
acting or doing something clandestinely; stealthy
e.g. a surreptitious relationship
a surreptitious glance
svelte
slender, lithe
urbane, suave
e.g. a svelte figure
sweltering
oppressively hot
swill
wash, drench
to drink great drafts of; guzzle
e.g. swill the floor with buckets of water
swill beer
sybarite
voluptuary, sensualist
e.g. It is the Spartan, not the Sybarite, who is capable of heroic deeds.
sycophant
a servile self-seeking flatterer
e.g. When her career was riding high, the self-deluded actress often mistook sycophants for true friends.
synchronous
happening, existing, or arising at precisely the same time
synergic
working together; cooperating
e.g. synergic muscles
synopsis
a condensed statement or outline; abstract
e.g. a synopsis of the movie
tacit
expressed or carried on without words or speech
implied or indicated but not actually expressed
e.g. a tacit answer
tacit consent / tacit admission of guilt
taciturn
temperamentally disinclined to talk
e.g. a taciturn man, never initiating a conversation
tacky
somewhat sticky to the touch; adhesive
shabby, seedy
not having or exhibiting good taste
e.g. tacky varnish
a tacky town whose citrus groves were blighted by smoke
a tacky publicity stunt / a tacky outfit
tackle
a set of equipment used in a particular activity; gear
an assemblage of ropes and pulleys arranged to gain mechanical advantage or hoisting and pulling
