Word List 43 Flashcards
expropriate
to deprive of possession or proprietary rights to transfer (the property of another) to one's own possession
e.g. Dissidents were shot, and their lands expropriated under his regime.
The state will have to expropriate scores of homeowners in order to build the new road.
extradite
to deliver up to extradition
to obtain the extradition of
e.g. He will be extradited from the U.S. to Canada to face criminal charges there.
facsimile
an exact copy
e.g. The family resemblance is so strong that the boy is virtually a pint-size facsimile of his father.
factitious
produced by humans rather than by natural forces
produced by special effort; sham
e.g. creating a factitious demand by spreading rumors of shortage
fail-safe
incorporating some feature for automatically counteracting the effect of an anticipated possible source of failure
having no chance of failure; infallibly problem-free
e.g. the little black dress that has consistently been the fail-safe solution for night
fanfare
a short and lively sounding of trumpets
a showy outward display
fealty
the fidelity of a vassal or feudal tenant to his lord
intense fidelity
e.g. swear fealty to the king
As much as I wanted to back my friend up, my fealty to the truth was greater.
febrile
marked or caused by fever; feverish
having or showing a great deal of nervous excitement or energy
e.g. a febrile imagination
feisty
having or showing a lively aggressiveness; spunky
felicitate
to consider happy or fortunate
to offer congratulations to
e.g. The other pianists rushed to felicitate the winner of the piano competition.
festal
of or relating to a feast or festival; festive
fetish
a strong and unusual need or desire for something
an object that is believed to have magical
e.g. a fetish for secrecy
wear a fetish to ward off evil spirits
fiend
devil, demon; a person of great wickedness
a person extremely devoted to a pursuit or study; fanatic
addict
wizard
e.g. a golf fiend / a dope fiend
a fiend at mathematics
filch
to appropriate furtively or casually (something small or of little value)
e.g. filch a cookie/pack of gum
filial
of or relating to a son or daughter; appropriate or assuming the relation of a child or offspring
e.g. filial obedience
firebrand
a piece of burning wood
one that creates unrest or strife (as in aggressively promoting a cause); agitator
e.g. a firebrand who urged crowds to riot during the blackouts
fissile
capable of or prone to being split
capable of undergoing fission
e.g. fissile wood/crystals
fitful
having an erratic or intermittent character; irregular
e.g. have a few fitful hours of sleep
several fitful attempts at negotiation
flabby
lacking resilience or firmness; flaccid
weak and ineffective; feeble
flair
a skill or instinctive ability to appreciate or make good use of something; talent
inclination, tendency
a uniquely attractive quality; style
e.g. a flair for making friends quickly
a restaurant with a European flair
flay
to strip off the skin or surface of; skin
to criticize harshly; excoriate
to strike or beat with or as if with a whip; lash
e.g. Her husband flayed her constantly for her incessant shopping.
The wind whipped up to gale fury, flaying his face.
floppy
tending to flop; especially, being both soft and flexible
florescence
a state or period of flourishing
e.g. the florescence of Mayan art in the seventh century A.D.
footle
to talk or act foolishly
to waste time; trifle, fool
e.g. spent the morning footling about
fop
a man who is devoted to or vain about his appearance or dress; coxcomb, dandy
foray
to make raid or brief invasion
raid
a brief excursion or attempt especially outside one’s accustomed sphere
e.g. forayed into enemy territory
a quick foray into town for some supplies
the novelist’s foray into nonfiction
foreclose
to shut out; preclude
to hold exclusively
to deal with or close in advance
a subject to foreclosure proceedings
e.g. They’ve been unable to make their mortgage payments, and the bank has threatened to foreclose.
forensic
belonging to, used in, or suitable to courts of judicature or to public discussion and debate
argumentative, rhetoric
relating to or dealing with the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems
e.g. In his first forensic arguments his rapid utterance was as indistinct as if he had mush in his mouth.
forensic science/pathologist
forswear
to reject or renounce under oath
to renounce earnestly
to deny under oath
e.g. She forswore her allegiance to the old regime.