Word List 48 Flashcards
swank
show off, swagger
characterized by showy display; ostentatious
fashionably elegant; smart
also
swarthy
of a dark color, complexion, or cast
e.g. a dark-eyed, swarthy young man with killer looks
tarry
to delay or be tardy in acting or doing
to linger in expectation; wait
to abide or stay in or at a place
stay, sojourn
e.g. However much there may be to interest us, we must not tarry long.
a fable about the tarry of two Americans in a village
tattered
wearing ragged clothes
torn into shreds; ragged
broken down; dilapidated
e.g. a tattered barefoot boy
decaying houses along tattered paved streets
tautology
needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word
teem
(obsolete) produce
be become filled to overflowing; abound
to be present in large quantity
empty, pour
e.g. His expression seem to teem with benignity.
With the rain teeming down at the manor, Italy seemed a long way off.
teetotal
completely abstinent from alcoholic drinks
total, complete
thespian
relating to the drama; dramatic
actor
thrall
a servant slave; bondman; also, serf
a state of servitude submission
a state of complete absorption
e.g. in thrall to his emotions
Mountains could still hold me in thrall with a subtle attraction of their own.
throe
pang, spasm
(pl.) a hard or painful struggle
e.g. collapsed in the throes of agony
The third-world country is caught up in the throes of a democratic revolution.
throttle
to compress the throat of; choke
to prevent or check expression or activity of; suppress
e.g. policies that throttle creativity
tinge
to color with a light shade or stain; tint
to affect or modify in character
a slight staining or suffusing shade of color
an affective or modifying property or influence; touch
e.g. a tinge of guilt
tipple
to drink liquor especially by habit or to excess
an alcoholic drink
topsy-turvy
in utter confusion or disorder
with the top or head downward; upside down
also
torrid
parched with heat especially of the sun; hot
giving off intense heat; scorching
ardent, passionate
e.g. The team had a torrid time trying to score.
dry, torrid summers in Arizona
torrid love letters
tousle
dishevel, rumple
e.g. tousled hair
traduce
to expose to shame or blame by means of falsehood and misrepresentation
violate, betray
e.g. traduce one’s reputation
traduce a principle of law
trammel
a net for catching birds or fish
restraint (pl.)
enmesh; also, confine
e.g. students and parents who want to throw off the trammels of outdated school policies
tramp
to walk or step heavily
to walk for a long distance or time
trawl
to fish with a trawl
to make a search as if by trawling
a large conical fishing net
e.g. He trawled the Internet looking for websites on growing grapes.
trek
to make one’s way arduously; broadly, journey
a trip or movement especially when involving difficulties or complex organization; an arduous journey
e.g. trekked for five days along the bank of the river
tremulous
characterized by or affected with trembling or tremors
affected with timidity; timorous
exceedingly sensitive; easily shaken or disordered
e.g. She opened the letter with tremulous hands.
tribulation
distress or suffering resulting from oppression or persecution; also, a trying experience
e.g. the tribulations of a family of immigrants in NYC
the trials and tribulations of starting a new business
truant
one who shirks duty; especially, one who stays out of school without permission
also
truism
an undoubted or self-evident truth; especially, one too obvious for mention
trumpery
worthless nonsense
trivial or useless articles; junk
also
e.g. a wagon loaded with household trumpery
tumid
marked by swelling; swollen, enlarged
protuberant, bulging
bombastic, turgid
tutelage
guardianship
the state of being under a guardian or tutor
instruction especially of an individual
a guiding influence
e.g. a business under/relying on the tutelage of a new director
a governess overseeing the tutelage of the family’s children
twaddle
silly idle talk; drivel
nonsense
also
e.g. The novel’s elaborate theory detailing a supposed 2000-year-old conspiracy is mostly tiresome twaddle.
ulterior
further, future
more distant; also, situated on the farther side
kept hidden in order to get a particular result
e.g. ulterior motives
ultramundane
outside or beyond the earth or the orbits of the planets
outside the sphere of physical existence
unbidden
not bidden; unasked, uninvited
e.g. thoughts that come to mind unbidden
undulate
having a wavy surface, edge, or markings
to form or move in waves; fluctuate
e.g. flags undulating in the wind
the wail of a siren undulating in the distance
upstart
to jump up suddenly
one that has risen suddenly; parvenu; especially, one that claims more personal importance than is warranted
a start-up enterprise
e.g. a young upstart from Harvard who thinks he knows more than anyone
upsurge
a rapid or sudden rise
e.g. an upsurge of interest
urchin
a mischievous and often poor and raggedly clothed youngster
ursine
suggesting or characteristic of a bear
e.g. a lumbering ursine gait
uxorious
excessively fond of or submissive to a wife
valetudinarian
a person of a weak or sickly constitution
also sickly, weak
vanguard
the forefront of an action or movement
verbatim
in the exact words; word for word
also
e.g. quoted the speech verbatim
a verbatim report of the meeting
vernal
of, relating to, or occurring in the spring
fresh or new like the spring; also, youthful
e.g. trees and flowers in vernal bloom
vesture
a covering garment
clothing, apparel
something that covers
e.g. The man’s sober vesture contrasted sharply with his companion’s festive finery.
viand
an item of food; especially, a choice or tasty dish
(pl.) provisions, food
e.g. a shop selling cavier, foie gras, designer chocolates, and other pricey viands
vim
robust energy and enthusiasm
e.g. Some food and a little rest should give me back some of my vim.
vindication
justification against denial or censure; defense
e.g. recanted testimony that resulted in a long-overdue vindication
virago
a loud overbearing woman; termagant
a woman of great stature, strength, and courage
virile
having the nature, properties, or qualities of an adult male
energetic, vigorous
characteristic of or associated with men; masculine
masterful, forceful
visceral
felt in or as if in the internal organs; deep
not intellectual; instinctive, unreasoning
dealing with crude or elemental emotions; earthy
e.g. a visceral conviction
Her visceral reaction was to curse at the other drive.
vitreous
resembling glass; glassy
vulpine
of, relating to, or resembling a fox
foxy, crafty
e.g. vulpine smiles/charms
wade
to move or proceed with difficulty or labor
to set to work or attack with determination or vigor (used with in or into)
to pass or cross by wading
e.g. wade through the crowd
wade through all the evidence
wade into a task
wallop
to boil noisily
to move with reckless or disorganized haste; advance in a headlong rush
to hit with force; sock
wallow
to roll oneself about in a lazy, relaxed, or ungainly manner
to devote oneself entirely; especially, to take unrestrained pleasure; delight
to indulge oneself immoderately
e.g. hogs wallowing in the mud
a family that wallows in money
wallowing in self-pity/ignorance
wangle
to resort to trickery or devious methods
to adjust or manipulate for personal or fraudulent ends
to make or get by devious means; finagle
e.g. wangle an invitation to the party
wangle his way into the party
wanton
mischievous
lewd, bawdy; lustful, sensual
merciless, inhumane; malicious
luxuriantly rank; unduly lavish; extravagant
e.g. Vandals were guilty of the wanton destruction of the school property.
a wanton disregard for his friend’s feelings
waspish
easily annoyed; snappish, petulant
slightly built; very thin
waylay
to lie in wait for or attack from ambush
e.g. Gangs sometimes waylay travelers on that road.
welsh
to avoid payment (used with on)
to break one’s word; renege
e.g. welsh on his promise to help in the campaign
whelm
cover or engulf completely with usually disastrous effect
to overcome in thought or feeling; overwhelm
e.g. The news so whelmed them that they were stunned into silence.
whit
a very small amount
e.g. what some people will do for a whit of publicity
windfall
an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage
e.g. Hitting the lottery jackpot was an incredible windfall for the recently laid-off worker.
winkle
to pry something out of a place
e.g. no attempt to winkle out the motives behind the crime
wiretap
to tap a telephone or telegraph wire in order to get information
also
wizen
to become dry, shrunken, and wrinkled often as a result of aging or failing vitality
also
e.g. a face wizened by age
wont
accustomed, used
inclined, apt
accustom, habituate
habitual way of doing; use
e.g. She paced about the room, as she is wont to do whenever she is agitated.
wraith
ghost, specter
an insubstantial form or semblance; shadow
wrangle
to dispute angrily or peevishly; bicker
to obtain by persistent arguing or maneuvering; wangle
e.g. wrangle over money
wreak
to cause the infliction of (vengeance or punishment)
bring about, cause
e.g. wreaking mayhem/havoc
yaw
a side to side movement
to move from side to side; to turn by angular motion about the vertical axis
alternate
e.g. sensors built to measure the pitch and yaw of the plane
restlessly yawing between apparent extremes
yeoman
a person who owns and cultivates a small farm
one that performs great and loyal service
e.g. did a yeoman’s job in seeing the program through
zesty
appealingly piquant or lively
e.g. zesty sauce/humor
