Word List 9 Flashcards
contented
feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation
contention
an act or instance of contending
a pointed advanced or maintained in a debate or argument
rivalry, competition
e.g. source of contention
in contention for the Olympic medal
contentious
likely to cause disagreement or argument
exhibiting an often perverse and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes
e.g. a contentious issue
The dispute involves one of the region’s most contentious leaders.
contest
strive, vie
to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation, especially dispute, challenge
e.g. She plans to contest a seat in the Congress next year.
contiguity
- contiguous
continent
self-restrained, temperate
one of the great divisions of land of the Earth
the countries of Europe except for Great Britain and Ireland
contingent
likely but not certain to happen; possible
not logically necessary, especially empirical
unpredictable; intended for use in circumstances not completely foreseen
dependent on or conditioned by something else
not necessitated; determined by free choice
e.g. plan for contingent expenses
Payment is contingent on fulfillment of certain conditions.
contort
to twist in a violent manner
e.g. features contorted with fury
distort
to twist out of the true meaning or proportion, or natural, normal, or original shape or condition
e.g. distorted facts
a face distorted by pain
The new lighting distorted colors.
tortuous
marked by repeated twists, bends, or turns; winding
marked by devious or indirect tactics; crooked, tricky
circuitous, involved
e.g. a tortuous path/conspiracy
the tortuous jargon of legal forms
contraband
illegal or prohibited traffic in goods; smuggling
goods or merchandise whose importation, exportation, or possession is forbidden; also smuggled goods
contravene
to go or act contrary to; violate
to oppose in argument; contradict
e.g. contravene a law
contravene a proposition
contrite
feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming
e.g. a contrite criminal/apology
attrition
sorrow for one’s sins
the act of rubbing together; friction; also the act of wearing or grinding down by friction
the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack
a reduction in numbers usually as a result of resignation, retirement, or death
e.g. Attrition has led to the main mechanism’s breaking.
a war of attrition
Attrition is high among social worker because of the difficult work and poor pay.
triturate
crush, grind
to pulverize and comminute thoroughly by rubbing or grinding
contrive
devise, plan
to form or create in an artistic of ingenious manner
to bring about by stratagem or with difficulty; manage
e.g. contrive ways of handling the situation
contrive household utensils from stone
He contrived a meeting with the president.
contrived
having an unnatural or false appearance or quality; artificial, labored
e.g. The movie’s contrived ending was a big disappointment.
controvert
to dispute or oppose by reasoning
e.g. The attorney offered evidence that controverted the plaintiff’s allegations.
Ever since the poem was first published, critics and scholars have controverted over the meaning of its concluding line.
substantiate
to give substance or form to; embody
to establish by proof or competent evidence; verify
e.g. substantiate a charge
contumacious
stubbornly disobedient; rebellious
e.g. The judge threatened to charge the contumacious witness with contempt of the court.
conundrum
a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun
a question or problem having only a conjectural answer; an intricate and difficult problem
e.g. the conundrum of how an ancient people were able to build such massive structures without the benefit of today’s knowledge and technology
convalesce
to recover health and strength gradually after sickness or weakness
e.g. the long months that the soldier spent in the hospital slowly convalescing from his leg injuries
convalescent
- convalesce
offbeat
an unaccented beat or portion of a beat inn a musical measure
eccentric, unconventional
e.g. an offbeat sense of humor
an offbeat approach to teaching
conversant
having knowledge or experience (used with with)
e.g. conversant in several languages
conversant with the customs of foreign cultures
converse
to exchange thoughts and opinions in speech; talk
something reversed in order, relation, or action
convey
to bear from one place to another, especially to move in a continuous stream or mass
to impart or communicate by statement, suggestion, gesture, or appearance
e.g. The singer was conveyed from her hotel to the airport by limousine.
struggling to convey his feelings
convict
to find or prove to be guilty
to convince of error or sinfulness
the person convicted of and under sentence of a crime
e.g. The jury convicted them on three counts of fraud.
a warning that the three escaped convicts were armed and dangerous
conviction
the act or process of convicting
a strong persuasion or belief
purvey
to supply (as provisions) usually as a matter of business
e.g. a shop purveying handmade merchandise
conveyance
the action of conveying
an instrument by which title to property is conveyed
a means of transport; vehicle
e.g. The covered wagon was the major conveyance that transported settlers and their belongings across the frontier.
convivial
relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company
e.g. a convivial gathering
The hiking club attracts a wide range of convivial people who share a love of the outdoors.
convoke
to call together to a meeting
e.g. The assembly was convoked for a special session.
invoke
to petition for help or support to call forth by incantation; conjure to make an earnest request for; solicit to put into effect or operation; implement bring about; cause
e.g. He invoked the memory of his predecessor.
She invoked history to prove her point.
He invoked his Fifth Amendment privileges.
convoluted
having convolutions; twisted and curved
involved, intricate
e.g. a convoluted explanation that left the listeners even more confused than they were before
convulse
to shake or agitate violently, especially to shake with or as if with irregular spasms
e.g. The patient reacted to the medication and began convulsing.
The country was convulsed by war.
convulsion
- convulse
e. g. The Russian Revolution was of the major convulsions of the 20th century.
coop
a cage or small enclosure (as for poultry); also a small building for housing poultry
a confined area; jail
e.g. Like many of the city’s hookers, she was back in the coop within a week of her release.
stonewall
to be uncooperative, obstructive, or evasive
e.g, They stonewalled until they could come up with a response.
They’re trying to stonewall the media.
copious
yielding something abundantly; plentiful in number
full of thought, information, or matter; profuse or exuberant in words, expression, or style
e.g. copious references to other writers
a copious talker
opulent
having a large estate or property; wealthy
amply or plentifully provided or fashioned often to the point of ostentation
e.g. an opulent upper crust that liked to show off its possessions
living in opulent comfort
cord
a unit of wood cut for fuel equal to s tack of 4x4x8 feet or 128 cubic feet
cordon
an ornamental cord or ribbon; stringcourse
a line of troops or of military posts enclosing an area to prevent passage
a line of persons or objects around a person or place
e.g. A cordon of police kept protesters away from the building.
cornucopia
a curved goat’s horn overflowing with fruit and ears of grain that is used as a decorative motif emblematic of abundance
an inexhaustible store; abundance
e.g. a cornucopia of wonderful stories
coronation
the act of ceremony of crowning a sovereign or the sovereign’s consort
corporate
formed into an association and endowed by law with the rights and liabilities of an individual; incorporated of or relating to a corporation having qualities (as commercialism or lack of originality) associated with large corporations or attributed to their influence or control of, relating to, or formed into a unified body of individuals
e.g. reorganize the corporate structures
corporate rock music/art
Human law arises by the corporate action of a people.
corporeal
having, consisting of, or relating to a physical material body
not spiritual; not immaterial or intangible, substantial
e.g. the corporeal nature of matter
corporeal cravings such as hunger and thirst
corpuscle
a minute particle
a living cell, especially one (as a red or white blood cell or a cell in cartilage or bone) or aggregated into continuous tissues
corral
a pen or enclosure for confining or capturing livestock
an enclosure made with wagons for defense of an encampment
to enclose in a corral
collect, gather
e.g. corralling votes for the upcoming election
corralled a scaterring of stray pens and quickly stuffed them in the drawer to tidy the desk
coral
a hard material formed on the bottom of the sea by the skeletons or small creatures
correspondent
corresponding
fitting, conforming (used with with or to)
one who communicates with another by letter; one who has regular commercial relations with another
one who contributes news or commentary to a publication or a radio or television network
e.g. The outcome was entirely correspondent with my wishes.
a war correspondent
corroborate
to support with evidence or authority; make more certain
e.g. The witness corroborated the policeman’s testimony.
corroborant
having an invigorating effect (used of a medicine)
corrugate
to form or shape into wrinkles or folds into alternating ridges and grooves; furrow
ruga
an anatomical fold or wrinkle
rugose
full of wrinkles
e.g. rugose cheeks
corrupt
adulterated or debased by change from an original or correction condition
e.g. a corrupt version of the text
pristine
belonging to the earliest period or state; original
not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted (as by civilization); pure
e.g. the hypothetical pristine lunar atmosphere
a pristine forest
used books in pristine condition
cosmopolitan
a cosmopolitan person or organism; cosmopolite
having worldwide rather than limited or provincial scope or bearing; having wide international sophistication
composed of persons, constituents, or elements from all or many parts of the world
found in most parts of the world and under varied ecological conditions
e.g. As someone who had lived in Paris for a year as an exchange student, she seemed very much the cosmopolitan to her old classmates.
Greater cultural diversity has led to a more cosmopolitan attitude among the town’s younger generations.
the cosmopolitan taste of the store’s customers
a cosmopolitan herb
cosmopolis
a cosmopolitan city
e.g. a sprawling cosmopolitan where ambitious people from all over come to make their fortune
cosset
to treat as a pet; to give (someone) a lot of (often too much of) care and attention
e.g. The hotel cossets its guests with friendly service.
a cosseted childhood
coterie
an intimate and often exclusive group of persons with a unifying common interest or purpose
e.g. her coterie of fellow musicians
coterminous
having the same or coincident boundaries
coextensive in scope or duration
e.g. a voting district coterminous with the city
Her partnership was more or less coterminous with Broadway’s golden age.
an experience of life coterminous with the years of his father
countenance
calm expression; mental composure; look, expression
bearing or expression that offers approval or sanction; moral support
e.g. a pleasant countenance that puts visitors at ease
continence
self-restraint
e.g. Experiencing a moment of unusual continence, I refrained from returning her gratuitous insult.
counterbalance
a weight that balances another
a force or influence that offsets or checks an opposing force
e.g. Charitable giving is usually a good counterbalance to self-indulgence.
counterfeit
made in imitation of something else with intent to deceive; forged
insincere, feigned; imitation
also and
e.g. counterfeit money
counterfeit sympathy
The will as well as the other documents turned out to be counterfeits.
an expert at counterfeiting money
countermand
to revoke (a command) by a contrary order to recall or order back by a superceding contrary order
e.g. Orders to blow up the bridge were countermanded.
countermand reinforcements
counterpart
one of the two corresponding copies of a legal instrument; duplicate
something that completes or fits perfectly
one having the same function or characteristics as another
e.g. The secretary of defense met with his counterparts in Asia to discuss the nuclear crisis.
coup
a brilliant, sudden, and usually highly successful stroke or act
coup d’etat
e.g. Winning that big contract was a real coup.
court
to seek to gain or achieve
allure, tempt; to act so as to invite or provoke
to seek the affections of, especially to seek to win a pledge or marriage from
e.g. court power
court disaster
college teams courting high school basketball stars
The couple courted for two years before marrying.
covenant
a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement; contract
to promise by a covenant; pledge
to enter into a covenant; contract
e.g. an international covenant on human rights
The home buyers had to covenant that they would restore and keep the house for at least 10 years in exchange for a low mortgage rate.
covert
not openly shown, engaged in, or avowed; veiled
e.g. a covert military operation
covet
to wish for earnestly
to desire
e.g. His religion warns against coveting material goods.
cow
to destroy the resolve or courage of; also to bring to a state or an action by intimidation (used with into)
e.g. a sharp glare that cowed the child into being quiet
cower
to shrink away or crouch, especially for shelter from something that menaces, domineers, or dismays
e.g. They cowered at the sight of the gun.
coy
shrinking from contact or familiarity; marked by cute, coquettish, or artful playfulness
showing reluctance to make a definite commitment
e.g. using coy tricks to attract attention
a coy response
cozen
to deceive, win over, or induce to do something by artful coaxing and wheedling or shrewd trickery
to gain by cozening someone
e.g. cozened scores of people into believing by persuading them to hand over funds
cozened his supper out of the old couple
crab
to make sullen; sour
to complain about peevishly
spoil, ruin
e.g. Old age has crabbed his nature.
He always crabs about the weather.
crabbed
marked by a forbidding moroseness
difficult to read or understand
e.g. a crabbed view of human nature
crabbed handwriting
cranky
given to fretful fussiness; readily angered when opposed; crotchety
marked by eccentricity
full of twists and turns
working erratically; unpredictable
e.g. his bizarre and cranky mix of ideas and beliefs
a cranky road
a cranky old tractor
crass
gross, having or indicating such grossness of mind as precludes delicacy and discrimination
being beneath one’s dignity
used as a pejorative intensifier
guided by or indicative of base or materialistic values
e.g. crass concerns of daily life
crass flattery/propaganda
crass measures of success
a loudmouthed jerk given to rude jokes and crass comments
crater
a bowl-shaped cavity at the mouth of a volcano
a pit made by an exploding bomb
cravat
a band or scarf worn around the neck
necktie
craven
lacking the least bit of courage; contemptibly fainthearted
e.g. a craven refusal to deliver the unwelcome news personally
crease
a line, mark, or ridge made by or as if by folding a pliable substance
to make a crease in or on; wrinkle
to wound slightly especially by grazing
e.g. tiny creases at the corners of his eyes
She looked up, her face creasing into a smile.
credence
a mental acceptance as true or real; credibility
credentials
e.g. The theory is gaining credence among scientists.
I’m afraid I don’t put much credence in common gossip.
credulous
ready to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence
proceeding from credulity
e.g. accused of swindling credulous investors
credulous superstitions
creel
a basket that is used for carrying fish that have just been caught
crescendo
a gradual increase
the peak of a gradual increase; climax
e.g. Complaints about stifling smog conditions reach a crescendo.
Their divorce was merely the formal crescendo of marital stress and estrangement.
crestfallen
having a dropping crest or hanging head
feeling ashamed or humiliation; dejected
cringe
to draw in or contract one’s muscles involuntarily (as from cold or pain)
to shrink in fear or servility
to behave in an excessively humble or servile way
to recoil in distaste
e.g. Americans cringed at the use of the term now.
apologist
one who speaks or write in defense of someone or something
croak
to make a deep harsh sound; to speak in a hoarse throaty voice
to mutter in discontent; grumble
crockery
earthenware
cronyism
partiality to cronies especially as evidenced in the appointment of political hangers-on to office without regard to their qualifications
crook
bend; curve, wind
also
e.g. The road suddenly crooked to the left.
the crook of his arm
crudity
the quality or state of being crude
something that is crude
e.g. the crudity of the drawing
The movie’s crudities were supposed to be funny, but they didn’t make me laugh.
crumple
to press, bend, or crush out of shape; rumple
to cause to collapse
to contract into wrinkles
e.g. She crumpled the piece of paper into a ball.
At the sight of blood, he crumpled to the floor.
crusade
a remedial enterprise undertaken with zeal and enthusiasm
e.g. a grassroots crusade for spending more money on our public schools
crutch
to support on crutches; pop up
also
e.g. He used liquor as a psychological crutch.
crux
a puzzling or difficult problem; an unsolved question
an essential point requiring resolution or resolving an outcome
a main or central feature (as of an argument)
e.g. The crux of the problem is that the school’s current budget is totally inadequate.
cub
a young carnivorous mammal; a young shark
a young person; apprentice
e.g. the kind of big story that can propel a cub reporter into the stratosphere of the newspaper world
culmination
the action of culminating
culminating position; climax
e.g. an acting performance that was seen as the culmination of a brilliant career on the stage
culpable
meriting condemnation or blame especially as wrong or harmful
e.g. culpable for the accident
culpable negligence
exculpate
to clear from alleged fault or guilt
cult
formal religious veneration; worship
e.g. Long after it had gone off the air, the TV series continued to have a huge cult.
cultivate
to improve by labor, care, or study
further, encourage
to seek the society of; make friends with
e.g. cultivate the mind
cultivate the arts
cultivated
raised or grown on a farm or under other controlled conditions
prepared and used for growing
refined; educated
e.g. The museum’s annual gala for charity attracts not only a very wealthy, but also a very cultivated crowd.
