Word List 8 Flashcards
Censure (v)
blame; criticise
The senator was censured for behaviour
Cerebral (adj)
pertaining to the brain or intellect
Cumberbatch portrayed Holmes as a cerebral, almost affectless figure, someone whose passions were intellectual rather than emotional
Certitude (n)
certainty
Though there was no certitude of his getting the job, Lou thought he had a good chance of being hired
Cession (n)
yielding (something) to another; ceding
The battle that led to the major U.S. naval victory in the war of 1812, ensured control over Lake Erie and ruled out any territorial cession from the NW to GB in the peace settlement
Chagrin (n)
vexation (caused by humiliation or injured pride)
A person filled with chagrin doesn’t grin; he mortified
Charlatan (n)
quack; pretender to knowledge
When they realised that the Wizard didn’t know how to get them back to Kansas, Dorothy and her friends were sure they’d been duped by a charlatan
Chary (adj)
cautious; sparing or restrained about giving
A prudent, thrifty NE, DeWitt was as chary of investing money in junk bonds as he was chary of paying people unnecessary compliments
Chasm (n)
abyss
They could not see the bottom of the chasm
Chaste (adj)
pure; virginal; modest
Chauvinist (n)
blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group or cause
Cherubic (adj)
angelic; innocent-looking
With her cheerful smile and rosy cheeks, she was a particularly cherubic child
Chicanery (n)
trickery; deception
Those sneaky lawyers misrepresented what occurred, made up all sorts of implausible alternative scenarios to confuse the jurors, and in general depended on chicanery to win the case
Chide (v)
scold
Grandma began to chide Steven for his lying
Chimerical (adj)
fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; imaginative
As everyone expected, Ted’s chimerical scheme to make a fortune by raising ermines in his backyard proved a dismal failure
Choleric (adj)
hot-tempered
His flushed, angry face indicated a choleric nature
Chortle (v)
chuckle with delight
When she heard that her rival had just been jailed for embezzlement, she chortled with joy. She was not a nice lady
Churlish (adj)
boorish; rude
Dismayed by his churlish manners at the party, the girls vowed never to invite him again
Circuitous (adj)
roundabout
Because of the traffic congestion on the main highways, she took a circuitous route
Circumlocution (n)
unnecessarily wordy and indirect speech; evasive language
Don’t beat around the bush, but just say what you want to say: I’m fed up with listening to your circumlocotion
Clairvoyant (adj)
having foresight; fortuneteller
Clamber (v)
climb by crawling
Clamor (n)
noise
Clandestine (adj)
secret
After avoiding their chaperon, the lovers had a clandestine meeting
Clangor (n)
loud; resounding noise
The blacksmith was accustomed to the clangor of hammers on steel
Clemency (n)
disposition to be lenient; mildness, as of the weather
Why did the defence lawyer look pleased when his case was sent to the Judge Bland’s chambers? Bland was noted for her clemency to fine offenders
Clime (n)
region; climate
Clout (n)
great influence (esp political or social) Gatsby wondered whether he had enough clout to be admitted to the exclusive club
Cloying (adj)
distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental
Disliking the cloying sweetness of standard wedding cakes, Jody and Tom chose a homemade carrot cake for their reception (cloy v)
Coalesce (v)
combine; fuse
