Word List 41 Flashcards
bugaboo
an imaginary object of fear
something that causes fear or distress out of proportion to its importance
e.g. Doing one’s tax returns are a real bugaboo for some people.
bullion
uncoined gold or silver in bars in ingots
bumble
buzz drone, rumble blunder; especially, to speak ineptly in a stuttering and faltering manner to proceed unsteadily; stumble bungle
e.g. bumble through two years of college
buxom
vigorously or healthily plump; specially, full-bosomed
cachet
an indication of approval carrying great prestige
prestige
e.g. a movie director with great artistic cachet
canard
a false or unfounded report or story
a groundless rumor or belief
e.g. the widespread canard that every lawyer is dishonest
canker
an erosive or spreading sore
a source of corruption or debasement
to infect with a pervasive and corrupting bitterness
e.g. Racism remains a canker at the heart of the nation.
He hated her with a cankered, shameful abhorrence.
capacious
containing or capable of containing a great deal
e.g. a capacious trunk
caper
to leap or prance about in a playful manner
e.g. As summer drew to a close, the children spent their days wistfully capering on the beach.
capitation
a direct uniform tax imposed on each head or person; poll tax
capsize
to cause to overturn
to become upset or overturned; turn over
e.g. a flood that capsized the canoe
careen
to lean sideways
to cause a ship to lean
to sway from side to side; lurch
e.g. The sled careened as it barreled down the hill.
He careened unsteadily to the couch after hitting his head.
carnage
great and usually blood slaughter or injury
e.g. The appalling carnage in that war-torn country requires that the outside world intervene.
cavalcade
a procession of riders or carriages
a dramatic sequence or procession; series
e.g. a cavalcade of natural disasters
celerity
rapidity of motion or action
e.g. a journalist who writes his well-crafted stories with remarkable celerity
cephalic
of or relating to the head
directed toward or situated on or in or near the head
chasten
to correct by punishment or suffering; discipline
refine
to cause to be more humble or restrained; subdue
e.g. The unexpected loss to a second-rate player really chastened the tournament’s top-seeded tennis star.
checkered
marked by alternation or contrast of fortune; especially, marked by many problems or failures
e.g. a checkered career with many ups and downs
trying prevent discovery of his checkered past
chortle
to sing or chant exultantly
to laugh or chuckle especially in satisfaction or exultation
cineast
a devotee of motion pictures; also, moviemaker
coffer
check; especially, strongbox
treasury, funds (usually used in pl.)
e.g. kept in a locked coffer
the household coffers
cognate
of the same of similar nature; generically alike
related by blood
related by descent from the same ancestral language
e.g. English “eat” and German “essen” are cognate.
Spanish and French are cognate languages.
cognomen
surname; especially, the third of usually three names borne by a male citizen of ancient Rome
name; especially, a distinguishing nickname or epithet
e.g. richly deserved the cognomen of “butterfingers”
colloquy
conversation, dialogue
a high-level serious discussion; conference
e.g. a colloquy on economic globalization
colt
a young male horse
a young untried person
e.g. a colt who looked to the team’s more experienced players for advice
comestible
edible
(oft. pl.) food
complicity
association or participation in or as if in a wrongful act
an instance of complicity
e.g. no proof of her complicity in the murder
comport
to be fitting; accord
behave
e.g. actions that comport with policy
The grieving relatives comported themselves with grace and dignity during that difficult time.
concoct
to prepare by combining raw materials
devise, fabricate
e.g. concoct a drink
concoct an explanation
condign
deserved, appropriate
e.g. A suspension without pay is condign punishment for breaking the company’s code of business ethics.
condor
a very large bird
confidant
one to whom secrets are entrusted; especially, intimate
congenital
existing at or dating from birth
inherent
e.g. congenital heart diseases
congenital fear of snakes / congenital liar
conjugal
of or relating to married state or married persons and their relations; connubial
e.g. newlyweds still in a rapturous state of conjugal happiness
connubial
of or relating to the married state; conjugal
consort
spouse associate; association group, assembly unite, associate accord, harmonize
e.g. He ruled in consort with his father.
a consort of specialists
consorting with criminals
The illustrations consort admirably.
conspectus
a usually brief survey or summary often providing an overall view
outline, synopsis
e.g. a book that could serve as a conspectus of the work thus far on the development of artificial intelligence
constringe
to cause to shrink
constrict
e.g. a styptic pencil stops the bleeding by constringing the small blood vessels at the site of cut
contumacy
stubborn resistance to authority; specifically, willful contempt of court
e.g. a rogue archbishop who was excommunicated on grounds of contumacy
contumely
harsh language or treatment arising from haughtiness and contempt; also, an instance of such language or treatment
e.g. For some time, he did not make a single convert, and gained nothing but contumely and abuse.
convoy
accompany; especially, to escort for protection
e.g. Police and FBI agents convoyed the president.
cordial
tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate
sincerely or deeply felt; warmly and genially affable
a stimulating medicine or drink
e.g. bottles full of excellent cordial water
a cordial dislike for each other
cordial relations
corny
mawkishly old-fashioned; tiresomely simple and sentimental
e.g. corny jokes
corpulent
obese
corpus
a collection of writings, conversations, speeches, etc., that people use to study and describe a language
a collection of poems, paintings, songs, etc.
e.g. a computerized corpus of English
Jane Austin’s corpus is modest in number but magnificent in achievement.
coruscate
to give off or reflect light in bright beams or flashes; sparkle
to be brilliant or showy in technique or style
e.g. a classic car from the 1950s, replete with yards of coruscating chrome
crag
a steep rugged rock or cliff
credo
creed
e.g. The credo of the ancient Egyptians involved a variety of polytheism.
crepuscular
of, relating to, or resembling twilight; dim
occurring or active during twilight
e.g. crepuscular light
crepuscular insects/activity
croon
to sing or speak in a murmuring manner
e.g. The mother crooned as she rocked the baby.
crotchety
subject to whims, crankiness, or ill temper
crypt
a chamber (as a vault) wholly or partly underground; especially, a vault under the main floor of a church
currish
ignoble
resembling a cur; mongrel
e.g. prone to currish acts of violence
curvaceous
having or suggesting the curves of a well-proportioned feminine figure; broadly, having a smoothly curving shape
e.g. a curvaceous actress
a curvaceous coastline
cynosure
(cap.) north star
one that serves to direct or guide
a center of attraction or attention
e.g. an unwavering commitment to equal rights for all as his only cynosure
That company is the cynosure for anyone wishing to make it in the music business.
dalliance
play; especially, amorous play
frivolous action; trifling
e.g. an extremely serious scientist who is not much given to dalliance or idle chichat
dank
unpleasantly moist or wet
e.g. a dank cellar
dastard
coward
a person who acts treacherously or underhandedly
daub
to cover or coat with soft adhesive matter; plaster
to apply coloring material crudely to
e.g. He daubed some cologne on his neck.
Daub the potatoes with a little butter.
Various political slogans had been daubed on the walls.
debar
to bar from having or doing something; preclude
e.g. The judge debarred all of the reporters from the courtroom.
debility
weakness, infirmity
e.g. The disease leads to debility but rarely kills.
debonair
suave, urbane
lighthearted, nonchalant
e.g. a debonair man in a suit and top hat
His debonair dismissal of my inquiry concerning his financial situation led me to believe that nothing was wrong.
decamp
to break a camp
to depart suddenly; abscond
