Word List 44 Flashcards
helm
the entire apparatus for steering a ship
a position of control; head
steer
direct, control
e.g. a new dean at the helm of the medical school
The director has helmed many action movies.
helot
serf, slave
helve
a handle of a tool or weapon; haft
e.g. The head of the ax was crudely lashed to a wooden helve.
henpeck
to subject (one’s husband) to persistent nagging and domination
e.g. Neighbors say she henpecked him into giving up golf and selling his clubs.
herald
an official messenger in the past
one that precedes or foreshadows
to give notice of; announce
to greet especially with enthusiasm; hail
e.g. The early flowers are heralds of spring.
Rain heralds the arrival of spring.
doctors heralding a new drug
heyday
the period of one’s greatest popularity, vigor, or prosperity
e.g. In its heyday, the circus was a major form of entertainment for small-town America.
hilt
a handle especially of a sword or dagger
(to the hilt: completely)
e.g. play the role to the hilt
hinterland
a region lying inland from a coast
a region remote from urban areas
e.g. The colonies hugged the coastline, while the hinterland remained largely unexplored.
hobble
to limp along
fetter; hamper, impede
e.g. hobble across the room
hobbled by self-doubt
holocaust
a thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life
a mass slaughter of people; especially, genocide
e.g. a nuclear holocaust
holograph
a document wholly in the handwriting of its author; also, the handwriting itself
homely
suggestive or characteristic of a home
unaffectedly natural; simple
not elaborate or complex
plain or unattractive in appearance
e.g. the homely appeal of farm life
a homely face
homily
a usually short sermon
a lecture or discourse on or of a moral theme
an inspirational catchphrase; also, platitude
e.g. a brief homily on forgiveness
horology
the science of measuring time
the art of making instruments for indicating time
howler
one that howls
a humorous and ridiculous blunder
hubbub
noise, uproar
confusion, turmoil
e.g. go to the country to escape the hubbub of the city
all the hubbub surrounding the film star
idolatry
the worship of a physical object as a god
immoderate attachment or devotion to something
e.g. Her idolatry of her favorite rock star is one step removed from stalking.
illiberal
not requiring the background of a liberal arts education
not broad-minded; bigoted
opposed to liberalism
e.g. an illiberal society that viewed any artistic depiction of the nude as inherent indecent
illustrious
notably or brilliantly outstanding because of dignity or achievement or actions; eminent
e.g. an illustrious military career
an illustrious physicist who is a sure bet for a Nobel
imprecate
to invoke evil on; curse
e.g. With her dying breath the witch imprecated the villagers for their relentless persecution of her.
imputation
attribution, ascription
accusation
insinuation
e.g. deny any imputation of unfairness
impute
to lay the responsibility or blame for often falsely or unjustly
to credit to a person or a cause; attribute
e.g. People often impute his silence to unfriendliness and not to the shyness it really represents.
incrustation
a crust or hard coating
a growth or accumulation
indite
make up, compose
to put down in writing
e.g. indite a poem/message
inexpedient
not expedient; inadvisable
e.g. a nutritionally dubious, inexpedient method for losing weight
inexpiable
not capable of being atoned for
e.g. Apparently, the gubernatorial candidate is guilty of the inexpiable sin of speaking out too openly and honestly about the state’s financial woes.
infatuate
to cause to be foolish; deprive of sound judgement
to inspire with a foolish or extravagant love or admiration
ingress
entrance
the power or liberty of entrance or access
e.g. a seal preventing ingress of moisture
an area with restricted ingress
insolation
exposure to the sun’s rays
sunstroke
solar radiation that has been received
insouciance
lighthearted unconcern; nonchalance
e.g. wandered into the meeting with complete insouciance to the fact the she was late
insuperable
incapable of being surmounted, overcome, passed over, or solved
e.g. insuperable financial difficulties
interlocutor
one who takes part in dialogue or conversation
interlope
to encroach on the rights (as in trade) of others
intrude, interfere
e.g. regarded the new couple as a pair of interloping parvenus who were sure to upset the town’s social hierarchy
interstice
a space that intervenes between things
a gap or break in something generally continuous
a short space of time between events
e.g. interstices of a wall
passages of genuine literary merit in the interstices of the ludicrous plots
There’s occasional interstice in the tedium, but most of the novel is boring.
intestate
having made no valid will
not disposed of by will
e.g. died intestate
an intestate estate
intumescence
a swollen or enlarged part of a plant or animal; also, the process of swelling up or enlarging
investiture
the act of establishing in office or ratifying
something that covers or adorns
e.g. the investiture of a new member of parliament
invigilate
to keep watch; especially, to supervise students at an examination
supervise, monitor
irradiate
illuminate; enlighten
to emit like rays of light; radiate
e.g. food irradiated to kill any germs
irradiating strength and comfort
jamboree
a noisy or unrestrained carouse
juncture
joint, connection
a point of time; especially, one made critical by a concurrence of circumstances
e.g. Negotiations between the countries reached a critical juncture.
jurisprudence
the study of law
lackey
footman, servant
a servile follower; toady
e.g. He was nothing but a spineless lackey of the establishment.
laggard
lagging or tending to lag; dilatory
e.g. I hate being stuck behind laggard motorists on the freeway.
lapidary
a cutter, polisher, or engraver of precious stones usually other than diamonds
having the elegance and precision associated with lapidary
e.g. a stanza with a lapidary dignity
leeward
the side that is sheltered from the wind
being in or facing the direction toward which the wind is blowing; also, being the side opposite the windward
lesion
injury, harm
an abnormal change in structure of an organ or part due to injury or disease
lexical
of or relating to words or the vocabulary of a language as distinguished from its grammar and construction
of or relating to a lexicon or to lexicography
e.g. lexical information - what a word means
libido
sexual drive
licit
conforming to the requirements of the law; permissible
e.g. Law enforcement agencies are demanding stricter regulation of the sale of licit medications that can later be used to in the home manufacture of illicit drugs.
ligature
something that is used to bind; specifically, a filament used in surgery
e.g. a ligature around the tube to keep it in place
A common language is often the ligature that unites the people of a nation.
limbo
a place or state of restraint or confinement
a place or state of neglect or oblivion
an intermediate or transition place or state
e.g. proposals kept in limbo
lineament
an outline, feature, or contour of a body or figure and especially of a face (oft. pl.)
a distinguishing or characteristic feature (oft. pl.)
e.g. His fine lineaments made him the very image of his father.
the lineaments of sincere repentance
littoral
of, relating to, or situated or growing on or near a shore especially of the sea
e.g. Littoral warfares includes amphibious landings.
loam
a type of soil good for growing plants
logjam
deadlock, impasse
blockage
jam, crowd
e.g. try to break the logjam in the negotiations
The presence of an ambulance on the side of the highway created a logjam of rubbernecks who just had to have to a look.
lore
knowledge gained through study or experience
traditional knowledge or belief
lout
an awkward brutish person
lubricious
marked by wantonness; lecherous; also, salacious
having a smooth or slippery quality
e.g. back in the days when lubricious employers could, with impunity, take advantage of naive factory girls
a lubricious skin
lucre
monetary gain; profit
luscious
having a delicious taste or smell; sweet
sexually attractive; seductive, sexy
lusty
full of strength and energy
e.g. a young, lusty, growing country
a lusty spirit of adventure
lynch
to put to death by mob action without legal sanction
mackintosh
raincoat
a lightweight waterproof fabric originally of rubberized cotton
maestro
a master usually in art; especially, an eminent composer, conductor, or teacher of music
magniloquent
speaking in or characterized by a high-flown often bombastic style or manner
e.g. magniloquent boasts
malefactor
one who commits an offense against the law; especially, felon
one who does ill toward another
malodor
an offensive odor
manacle
handcuff
something used as a restraint
e.g. The warring groups need to shake off the manacle of their troubled past and learn to live with one another in peace.
mangy
(of an animal) having a skin disease that causes itching and loss of hair; suffering from mange
having many worn or bare spots
seedy, shabby
e.g. a mangy old car covered in rust
maraud
to roam about and raid in search of plunder
raid, pillage
e.g. Just for kicks, bored teenagers marauded neighborhood houses while their owners were away.
