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e.g. students and parents who want to throw off the trammels of outdated school policies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