Word List 42 Flashcards
decoy
someone or something used to lure or lead another into a trap
e.g. He had a decoy distract the guard.
defalcate
to embezzle (funds with which one has been entrusted)
e.g. The officials were charged with defalcating government money.
defray
pay
e.g. The grant helped defray the expenses of the trip.
demarcate
delimit
to set apart; distinguish
e.g. The plot of land is demarcated by a low brick wall.
demarcate teachers as mentor, master, and model teachers based on their level of education
deportment
the manner in which one conducts oneself; behavior
e.g. His stiff deportment matched his strict demeanor.
depredate
plunder, ravage
e.g. Superstitious thieves hang veils before the pictures of the room where they depredate.
depressant
a chemical substance that makes a body’s systems less active.
depute
delegate
e.g. Several officers were deputed to guard the building.
deputize
to appoint as deputy
to act as deputy
e.g. I deputize for the newspaper’s editor on the weekends.
He deputized a local citizen to take charge.
derangement
insanity
desideratum
something desired as essential
e.g. a list of political desiderata
desperado
a bold or violent criminal
despoil
to strip of belongings, possessions, or value; pillage
e.g. landscape despoiled by industrial development
desuetude
discontinuance from use or exercise; disuse
e.g. Despite the long years of desuetude, the old manual typewriter seemed to work just fine.
detract
divert to diminish (oft. used with from)
e.g. detract attention
small errors that do not seriously detract from the book
dictum
a noteworthy statement
dipsomania
an uncontrollable craving for alcoholic liquors
disfranchise
to deprive of a right; disenfranchise
disport
divert, amuse
display
to amuse oneself in light or lively fashion; frolic
e.g. disported themselves with silly games
a full-service resort where vacationers may disport at a variety of indoor and outdoor activities
disquisition
a formal inquiry into or discussion of a subject; discourse
e.g. a lengthy disquisition on foreign policy
distrait
apprehensively divided or withdrawn in attention; distracted
e.g. He grew more and more distrait as hours passed without confirmation that where were survivors of the plane crash.
divagate
diverge, digress
e.g. divagate into an account of his travels
dock
to take away a part of; abridge; especially, to fine by deduction of wages
e.g. docked him for tardiness
dotage
a state or period of senile decay marked by decline of mental poise and alertness
e.g. He’s now in that stage of his dotage where he has trouble remembering the simplest things.
dowdy
not neat or becoming in appearance; shabby
lacking smartness or taste
old-fashioned
e.g. a dowdy hat / a dowdy room
a dowdy institution
dowry
the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage
a gift of money or property by a man to or for his bride
a natural talent
dribble
trickle
e.g. Juice dribbled down his chin.
dribble wine on the carpet / dribble olive oil
drollery
- droll
e.g. The film’s sophisticated drolleries elicit smiles and chuckles even upon repeated viewings.
Though generally serious, the novel about a seriously dysfunctional family is not without drollery.
dullard
a stupid or unimaginative person
dunce
a slow-witted or stupid person
ecdysis
the act of molting or shedding an outer cuticular layer
éclat
ostentatious display; publicity
dazzling effect; brilliance
brilliant or conspicuous success
praise, applause
e.g. The eclat of their reception, and the influence of the bribes, seemed to silence opposition to the scheme.
eclogue
a pastoral poem, usually in dialogue form
ecumenical
worldwide or general in extent, influence, or application
interreligious or interdenominational
including or containing a mixture of diverse elements or style
e.g. an ecumenical marriage
an ecumenical meal of German, Italian, and Chinese dishes
edict
a proclamation having the force of law
order, command
e.g. issue an edict banning public demonstrations
emasculate
to deprive of strength, vigor, or spirit; weaken
castrate
e.g. a meek husband emasculated by his domineering wife
Critics charged that this change would emasculate the law.
embankment
a raised structure used especially to hold back water or to carry a roadway
emblazon
to inscribe or adorn with or as if with heraldic bearings or devices
celebrate, extol
e.g. have his deeds emblazoned by a poet
emolument
the returns arising from office or employment usually in the form of compensation or perquisites
e.g. Tips are an emolument in addition to wages.
empyrean
the highest heaven; the true and ultimate heavenly paradise
also - empyreal
e.g. ascended into the empyrean after a life filled with good deeds
envision the empyrean that winning the lottery would bring about
endue
provide, endow
imbue, transfuse
e.g. professional soldiers endued with an ironclad sense of duty and honor
endued with an unquenchable optimism
ensnare
to take in or as if in a snare
e.g. The police successfully ensnared the burglar.
entrench
to place within or surround with a trench especially for defense to place (oneself) in a strong defensive position to establish solidly
e.g. entrenched themselves in the business
a father who entrenched in our minds the belief that hard work pays off
envisage
to view or regard in a certain way
to have a mental picture of especially in advance of realization
e.g. envisages the slum as a hotbed of crime
envisage an entirely new system of education
epicurean
fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking
of or relating to an epicure
e.g. a person of epicurean tastes
estuary
a water passage where the tide meets a river current; especially, an arm of the sea at the lower end of a river
e.g. the deep estuary where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean
exceptionable
being likely to cause objection; objectionable
e.g. As long as the language is not exceptionable, people can discuss any topic they want in the chat room.
exchequer
treasury; especially, a national or royal treasury
pecuniary resources; funds
e.g. Their son would make beseeching requests for more money whenever his personal exchequer was getting low.
excogitate
to think out; devise
e.g. a master at excogitating reasons not to do her assignments
execrate
to declare to be evil or detestable; denounce
to detest utterly
e.g. She came to execrate the hypocritical values of her upper-class upbringing. execrate the terrorists responsible for the bomb blast
exiguous
excessively scanty; inadequate
e.g. Computer equipment would be prohibitively expensive, given the rural school’s exiguous resources.
expatiate
to move about freely or at will; wander
to speak or write at length or in detail
e.g. expatiate upon the value of the fabric
expatriate
banish, exile
to withdraw from residence in or allegiance to one’s native country
expiate
to extinguish the guilt incurred by
to make amends for
e.g. permission to expiate their offenses by their assiduous labors
