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Vocab > Words 1 > Flashcards

Words 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Heterodox

A

Not in accordance with established or accepted doctrines or opinions, especially in theology; unorthodox
Holding unorthodox doctrines or opinions

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2
Q

Acrimony

A

Bitterness or ill feeling

‘A quagmire of lawsuits, ~, and finger-pointing”

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3
Q

Addle

A

Make unable to think clearly; confuse; muddle; muzzy, fuddled
‘Being in love must have ~ your brain”

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4
Q

Admonish

A

Warn or reprimand someone firmly; advise or urge earnestly; warn of something to be avoided.
“She ~ me for appearing at breakfast unshaven”

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5
Q

Alacrity

A

Brisk and cheerful readiness; eagerness, willingness, readiness
“She accepted the invitation with alacrity”

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6
Q

Ambivalent

A

Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone; equivocal; uncertain; unsure, doubtful, indecisive.
“Some loved her, some hated her, few were ~ about her”

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7
Q

Ameliorate

A

Make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better; improve, make better, enhance
“The reform did much to ameliorate living standards”

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8
Q

Anathema

A

Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes

“racial hatred was anathema to her”

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9
Q

Aplomb

A

Self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation; poise, self-assurance, self confidence
“Diana passed the test with ~”

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10
Q

Putative

A

Commonly regarded as such; reputed; supposed

‘The putative boss of the mob’

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11
Q

Effrontery

A

Shameless or impudent boldness; barefaced audacity

“She had the effrontery to ask for two free samples.”

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12
Q

Ascetic

A

Characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons
“An ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and manual labor”

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13
Q

Austere

A

Severe or strict in manner, attitude or appearance; severe, stern, strict, harsh, steely, flinty, dour
“An austere man”
Having no comforts or luxuries; harsh or ascetic

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14
Q

Avarice

A

Extreme greed for wealth or material gain

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15
Q

Mercurial

A

Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind.
“His mercurial tempermant”

Caprecious, volatile

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16
Q

Empyrean

A

Belonging to or deriving from heaven
Heavenly, celestial, ethereal,
The empyrean regions

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17
Q

Voluptuary

A

N; A person devoted to luxury and sensual pleasure
Adj: concerned with luxury and sensual please
“A voluptuary decade when high living was in style”

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18
Q

Credulity

A

A tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true

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19
Q

Incredulous

A

Of a person or their manner
Unwilling or unable to believe something
Disbelieving, skeptical

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20
Q

Occult

A

Supernatural, mystical or magical beliefs, practices or phenomena
Of or relating to supernatural, mystical or magical powers or phenomena
“A secret society to study alchemy and the occult”

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21
Q

Obloquy

A

Strong public criticism or verbal abuse
“He endured years of contempt and obloquy”
Vilification, denunciation

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22
Q

Vagabond

A

A person who wonders from place to place without a home or job

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23
Q

Gentry

A 
People of good social position, specifically (in the UK) the class of people next below the nobility in position and birth
(Upper classes, elite)
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24
Q

Mellifluous

A

(Of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear

Sweet-sounding, dulcet

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25
Q

Cupidity

A

Greed for money or possessions

Avarice, avariciousness, rapacity

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26
Q

Inveigh

A

Speak or write about (something) with great hostility

“Nationalists inveighed against those who worked with the British”

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27
Q

Encomium

A

A speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly

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28
Q

Verity

A

A true principle or belief, especially one of fundamental importance; truth
“Irrefutable, objective verity”

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29
Q

Pyrrhic

A

(Of a victory) won at too great a cost to have been worthwhile for the victor

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30
Q

Altruism

A

The belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others
“Some may choose to work with vulnerable elderly people out of altruism”

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31
Q

Supercilious

A

Behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others; arrogant, haughty,
“A supercilious lady’s maid”

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32
Q

Ardent

A

Enthusiastic or passionate; passionate

“An ardent baseball fan”

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33
Q

Insouciance

A

Casual lack of concern; indifference; nonchalance, unconcern, indifference
“An impression of boyish insouciance”

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34
Q

Imperious

A

Assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering
“His imperious demands”
Peremptory, commanding, imperial, overbearing,

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35
Q

Calumny

A

The making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone’s reputation; slander; defamation;
A false and slanderous statement

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36
Q

Corpulent

A

(Of a person) fat

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37
Q

Piquant

A

Having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor;

Pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind; intriguing, stimulating,

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38
Q

Chicanery

A

The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial or legal purpose
“An underhanded person who schemes corruption and political chicanery behind closed doors”
Trickery, deception, deceit, duplicity

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39
Q

Gallivant

A

Go around from one place to another in the pursuit of pleasure or entertainment
“She quit her job to go gallivanting around the globe”

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40
Q

Exult

A

Show or feel elation or jubilation, especially as the result of a success
“Exulting in her escape, Annie closed the door behind her”

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41
Q

Propitiate

A

Win or regain the favor of (a god or person) by doing something that pleases them
“The pagans thought it was important to propitiate the gods with sacrifices”

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42
Q

Vitriolic

A

Filled with bitter criticism or malice
“Vitriolic attacks on the politicians”
Acrimonious, rancorous, bitter

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43
Q

Prosaic

A

Having the style or diction or prose; lacking poetic beauty
“Prosaic language can’t convey the experience”
Commonplace; unromantic
“The masses were too preoccupied by prosaic day-to-day concerns”

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44
Q

Cabal

A

A secret political clique or faction

“A cabal of dissidents”

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45
Q

Conviviality

A

The quality of being friendly and lively; friendliness

“The conviviality of the evening”

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46
Q

Mellifluous

A

(Of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear. “Sweet sounding”
“The voice was mellifluous and smooth”

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47
Q

Cupidity

A

Greed for money or possessions

= Avarice, Rapacity, covetousness

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48
Q

Sardonic

A

Grimly mocking or cynical
“Starkey attempted a sardonic smile”
Satirical, ironic, sarcastic

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49
Q

Imperious

A

Assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering
Peremptory, high-handed, commanding, imperial

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50
Q

Calumny

A

The making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone’s reputation; slander
A false and slanderous statement

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51
Q

Pecuniary

A

relating to or consistin gof money “he admitted obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception”

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52
Q

Cogent

A

Clear, logical and convincing (of an argument or case); convincing; compelling; strong

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53
Q

Loquacious

A

tending to talk a great deal; talkative; garrulous; voluble

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54
Q

Doff

A

To raise (one’s hat) as a greeting or toke of respect; remove an item of clothing (the manager doffed his hat to her)

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55
Q

Sangfroid

A

composure or coolness, sometimes excessive, as shown in danger or under trying circumstances; composure, equanimity, self-possession, aplomb, poise

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56
Q

Askance

A

with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval; “the reformers looked askance at the mystical tradition; suspiciously, skeptically, cynically

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57
Q

Apostasy

A

The abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief

58
Q

Effervescent

A

(of a liquid) giving off bubbles; fizzy (2) vivacious and enthusiastic

59
Q

Trenchant

A

Vigorous or incisive in expression or style. “she heard angry voices, not loud, yet certainly trenchant.” ; incisive, penetrating, sharp

60
Q

Retinue

A

a group of advisers, assistants, or others accompanying an important person. Entourage, escort, company court,

61
Q

Disinter

A

dig up (something that has been buried, especially a corpse); exhume, “the defense attorney requested that the body be disinterred for further examination; (2) discover (something that is well hidden)

62
Q

Malodorous

A

smelling very unpleasant

63
Q

Choleric

A

bad-tempered or irritable

64
Q

Bibulous

A

Excessively fond of drinking alcohol

65
Q

Bleat

A

(of a sheep, goat, or calf) make a characteristic wavering cry

66
Q

Calve

A

To give birth to a calf; or (of an iceberg or glacier) split and shet

67
Q

Choleric

A

Bad-tempered or irritable

68
Q

Churlish

A

rude in a mean-spirited and surly way (it seems churlish to complain

69
Q

Compunction

A

a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad. “spend the money without compunction”

70
Q

Contrite

A

Feeling or expression remorse or penitence; affected by guilt; “a broken and a contrite heart” ; remorseful, repentant, penitent

71
Q

Demiurge

A

a being responsible for the creation of the universe, in particular

72
Q

Derision

A

Contemptuous ridicule or mockery “my stories were greeted with derision and disbelief” mockery, ridicule, jeers,

73
Q

Didactic

A

Intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive “a didactic novel that set out to expose social injustice”

74
Q

Diffident

A

Modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence “a diffident youth” ; shy, bashful, modest, self-effacing, unassuming, meek

75
Q

Disparate

A

essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison. “They inhabit disparate worlds of thought” ; contrasting, different, differing, dissimilar, unalike

76
Q

Ebullient

A

Cheerful and full of energy “she sounded ebullient and happy”; exuberant, buoyant, cheerful, joyful, cheery, merry

77
Q

Errant

A

Erring or straying from the proper course or standards. “he could never forgive his daughter’s errant ways” ;
Guilty, culpable, misbehaving, delinquent

78
Q

Excoriate

A

Censure or criticize severely; damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin)

79
Q

Exculpate

A

show or declare that (someone is not guilty of wrongdoing; “the article exculpated the mayor

80
Q

Fatuous

A

Silly and pointless; “A fatuous comment” ; silly, foolish, stupid, inane, idiotic

81
Q

Fugacious

A

tending to disappear; fleeting; “She was acutely conscious of her fugacious youth”

82
Q

Fulminant

A

(of a disease or symptom) severe and sudden in onset

83
Q

Genuflect

A

Lower one’s body briefly by bending one knee to the ground, typically in worship or as a sign of respect. “She genuflected” ; Show deference or servility “politicians had to genuflect to the far left to advance their careers”

84
Q

Geriatric

A

Relating to old people, especially with regard to their health care. “a geriatric hospital” ; an old person, especially one receiving special care “a rest home for geriatrics”

85
Q

Gourmand

A

A person who enjoys eating and often eats too much; glutton; gobbler; gorger

86
Q

Grouse

A

complain pettily; grumble; “she heard him grousing about his assistant” ; grumble, complain, protest

87
Q

Gumption

A

Shrewd or spirited initiative and resourcefulness. “she had the gumption to put her food down and head Dan off from those crazy schemes”; initiative, resourcefulness, enterprise, ingenuity, imagination

88
Q

Imbibe

A

drink (alcohol); absorb or assimilate (ideas or knowledge) – assimilate, absorb, soak up, take in

89
Q

Inchoate

A

Just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary
“A still inchoate democracy”
Rudimentary, undeveloped

90
Q

Incongruous

A

not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something
“The duffel coat looked incongruous with the black dress she wore underneath.”
Out of place, out of keeping, inappropriate

91
Q

Ineffable

A

too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words
“The ineffable natural beauty of the Everglades”
Indescribable, inexpressible
Not to be uttered

92
Q

Insipid

A

Lacking flavor
“mugs of insipid coffee”
Lacking vigor or interest
“many artists continued to churn out insipid, shallow works”

93
Q

Invective

A

n. Insulting, abusive, or highly critical language
“he let out a stream of invective”
Abuse, insults, swearing, curses, foul language,

94
Q

Inveterate

A

Having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change.
“he was an inveterate gambler”
Ingrained, deep-seated, deep-rooted
(of a feeling or habit) long-established and unlikely to change. confirmed, hardened, incorrigible, addicted, habitual

95
Q

Irascible

A

having or showing a tendency to be easily angered;
“an irascible man”
Irritable, quick-tempered, short-tempered

96
Q

Laconic

A

(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words. “his Laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic.”
Brief, conscise, terse

97
Q

Lechery

A

excessive or offensive sexual desire; lustfulness

98
Q

Levity

A

humor or frivolity, especially the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect
“as an attempt to introduce a note of levity, the words were a disastrous flop”

99
Q

Maladroit

A

Ineffective or bungling; clumsy.

Bungling, awkward, inept, clumsy, bumbling

100
Q

Malaise

A

A general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose exact cause is difficult to identify.
“A society afflicted by a deep cultural malaise”
Unhappiness, uneasiness, discomfort

101
Q

Mendacious

A

Not telling the truth; lying

“mendacious propaganda”

102
Q

Missive

A

A letter, especially a long or official one

“He hastily banged out electronic ~s”

103
Q

Moxie

A

Force of character, determination, or nerve

“When you’ve got ~, you need the clothes to match”

104
Q

Occident

A

The countries of the West, especially Europe and the Americas (contrasted with orient)

105
Q

Parable

A

A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels
“The parable of the prodigal son”

106
Q

Prodigal

A
  1. Spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant;
  2. Having or giving something on a lavish scale
    “The dessert was crunchy with brown sugar and prodigal with whipped cream”
107
Q

Peccadillo

A

A small, relatively unimportant offense or sin

“I’m sure we can overlook a few peccadilloes”

108
Q

Pellucid

A

Translucently clear
“Mountains reflected in the pellucid waters”
Translucent, transparent, clear
Lucid in style or meaning; easily understood

109
Q

Perfidy

A

Deceitfulness; untrustworthy,

“the perfidy of her husband”

110
Q

Perfunctory

A

(Of an action or gesture) carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection

111
Q

Peripatetic

A

Traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods

112
Q

Perspicacious

A

Having a ready insight into and understanding things
“It offered quite a few facts to the perspicacious reporter”
Discerning, shrewd, perceptive

113
Q

Petulant

A

(of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered
“He was moody and petulant”

114
Q

Polemic

A
  • A strong verbal or written attack on someone or something
    “His polemic against the cultural relativism of the sixties”
    Diatribe, invective, rant,
  • The art or practice of engaging in controversial debate or dispute
115
Q

Portent

A

A sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen
“they believed that wild birds in the house were portents of death”
Omen, sign, signal, token

116
Q

Preponderant

A

Predominant in influence, number, or importance

“The Preponderant influence of the US within the alliance”

117
Q

Priapic

A

Relating to or resembling a phallus
“priapic carvings”
Relating to male sexuality and sexual activity (~ cartoons)

118
Q

probative

A

having the quality or function of proving or demonstrating something; affording proof or evidence
“it places the probative burden on the defendant”

119
Q

Propitious

A

Giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable
“The timing for such a meeting seemed propitious”
Favorable, auspicious

120
Q

Puissant

A

Having great power or influence

121
Q

Pulchritude

A

Beauty

122
Q

Quiescent

A

In a state or period of inactivity or dormancy
“Strikes where headed by groups of works who had previously been quiescent”
Inactive, inert, idle, dormant

123
Q

Rapine

A

The violent seizure of someone’s property

124
Q

Recuse

A

Challenge (a judge, prosecutor, or juror) as unqualified to perform legal duties because of a possible conflict of interest or lack of impartiality
“A motion to recuse the prosecutor”
“The Justice Department demanded that he recuse himself from the case”

125
Q

Remonstrate

A

Make a forcefully reproachful protest
“He turned angrily to remonstrate with Tommy”
Protest, complain,

126
Q

Renunciation

A

The formal rejection of something, typically a belief, claim, or course of action
“entry into the priesthood requires renunciation of marriage”
abstention from, refraining from, going without

127
Q

Replete

A

Filled or well-supplied with something.
Very full of or sated by food
“Sensational popular fiction, replete with adultery and sudden death”
“I went out into the sun-drenched streets again, replete and relaxed”
Filled, well-stocked,

128
Q

Resplendent

A

Attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous
“She was resplendent in a sea-green dress”
Splendid, magnificent, brilliant, dazzling

129
Q

Riposte

A

A quick clever reply to an insult or criticism
“an indignant riposte”
Retort, counter, rejoinder
A quick return thrust following a parry

130
Q

Rotund

A

(of a person) plump
(of speech or literary style) indulging in grandiloquent (i.e. pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, especially in a way that is intended to impression) expression

131
Q

Sacrosanct

A

(especially of a principle, place, or routine) regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with
“the individual’s right to work has been upheld as sacrosanct.”

132
Q

Salubrious

A

health-giving; healthy
Salubrious weather
(of a place) pleasant; not run-down

133
Q

Sartorial

A

Relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress

“sartorial elegance”

134
Q

Sclerotic

A

of or having sclerosis

Becoming rigit and unresponsive; losing the ability to adapt

135
Q

Senescence

A

The condition or process of deterioration with age; loss of a cell’s power of division and growth

136
Q

Sepulcher

A

A small room or monument, cut in rock or built of stone, in which a dead person is laid or buried
“an old family sepulcher on the grounds of the estate”

137
Q

Shambolic

A

chaotic, disorganized, or mismanaged.

“The department’s shambolic accounting”

138
Q

Shibboleth

A 
A custom, principle, or belief distinguishing a particular class or group of people, especially a long-standing one regarded as outmoded or no longer important
"The party began to break with the shibboleths of the left"
139
Q

Snifter

A

a footed glass that is wide at the bottom and tapers to the top, used for brandy and other drinks

140
Q

Somnolent

A

Sleepy, drowsy
Causing or suggestive of drowsiness
“a somnolent summer day”

141
Q

Succor

A

(n) assistance and support in times of hardship and distress
(v) give assistance or aid to
“prisoners of war were liberated and succored”

142
Q

Synecdoche

A

A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa, as in “Cleveland won by six runs” (meaning ‘Cleveland’s baseball team’)

Vocab (2 decks)

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