Words (2023 Jan) Flashcards
Parthian Shot
Parting Shot (Ancient Parthian (Iranian) soldiers during a retreat, turned on horseback and shot the pursuing enemy) e.g. Sherlock shared his Parthian shot as he stepped out the door
Surmise
Suppose something is true, without having evidence for it; Supposition
Similar words - conjecture, guess
convulsion
- Sudden, violent, irregular movement of the body (Associated with brain disorders such as epilepsy); seizure
- Uncontrollable laughter e.g. audience was lost in convulsions at the comedy club
- Violent social or political upheaval e.g. Naxal convulsions in India in early 2000s
Florid
- Having a red or flushed complexion e.g. the suspect from Study in Scarlet
- Excessively intricate or elaborate e.g. a florid, baroque building; florid painting style
Larks
Kind of bird - known for melodious singing
Majorly found in Africa, some in North America & Australia
Allay
Diminish / reduce or put at rest (Fear, suspicion, worry)
E.g. Allay fears of the public
Relieve or alleviate (make suffering less severe) (pain or hunger)
Dunderheads
A stupid person
Injunction
Authoritative warning or order (such as a judicial order restraining an action or compelling one)
E.g. injunction issued by the judge
Smouldering
Burning slowly with smoke but without a flame
E.g. smouldering rage; passion (suppressed / concealed anger, love)
Chagrin
Annoyance or distress at having failed or being humiliated
E.g. the newcomer to his chagrin, discovered he didn’t fit in the new elite school
Chaff
Tease; pulling someone’s leg, take the Mickey out of, poke fun of, mock, rag
E.g. chaffing between mates
Sordid
- Immoral or Dishonourable actions e.g. sordid story of bribes and scams
- Dirty or squalid (extremely dirty and unpleasant - due to poverty or neglect) e.g. squalid quarters of blacks in cities
Paroxysm
Sudden attack or outburst of particular emotion or activity
E.g. paroxysm of violence prior to retreat
Dreary
Depressingly dull and bleak or repetitive (similar words - drab, dull, uninteresting, banal, unstimulating)
E.g. dreary life of working, eating and sleeping
Dingy
Gloomy and drab (similar words - cheerless, dim, dark, dis coloured, shabby, grimy)
E.g. dingy room
Tingle
experience or cause to experience, a prickling / stinging sensation e.g. felt a tingle down my spine
Mangle
destroy or severely damage by tearing or crushing e.g. car was completed mangled by the scrap yard
Pinion
- restrain or immobilize (someone) by tying up or holding their arms or legs e.g. he was pinioned to the ground
- cut off the pinion of (outer part of wing (flight feathers) or bird) to prevent flight
Jauntiness
quality of seeming happy and confident e.g. he is naturally jaunty
Sententious
given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner
“Sherlock came across as sententious in his dealings with Lestrade and Gregson”
Punitive
inflicting or intended as punishment
“Punitive measures needed with disobedient children”
Antecedents
- A thing that existed before or logically precedes another
- a person’s ancestors or family and social background e.g. Enquired about the missing person’s antecedents
Perfidious
Deceitful and untrustworthy e.g. Always look over your shoulder when dealing with perfidious personalities
Halcyon
denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful
“the halcyon days of the mid 1980s, when profits were soaring”
Trapper
a person who traps wild animals, especially for their fur.
Demure
- reserved, modest, and shy (typically used of a woman)
“she said “yes” demurely” - of clothing, of a modest manner
Waif
a homeless, neglected, or abandoned person, especially a child
“Mother Teresa took care of waifs & strays from the streets of Calcutta”
Prattle
talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way.
“she began to prattle on about her visit to the dentist”
Gaunt
(of a person) lean and haggard, especially because of suffering, hunger, or age.
“a tall, gaunt woman in black”;
(Of a building) grim and desolate
Haggard - looking exhausted and unwell, especially from fatigue, worry, or suffering.
Penitent
feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant.
“a penitent expression”
glomming
- become stuck or attached to
“the ice gloms on to bridge pilings” - steal.
“I thought he was about to glom my wallet”
Buttress
Noun, Verb
- a structure of stone or brick built against a wall to strengthen or support it.
“Cathedral’s massive buttresses” - a source of defence or support.
“she clung to her shrinking faith as a buttress against despair”
hopscotch
Verb
travel from place to place.
“Southwest network model is built on hopscotching cross-country instead of traditional hub-spoke model “
Irascible
having or showing a tendency to be easily angered.
“an irascible and difficult man” e.g. Andy Murray
Similar words - Irritable, quick / short / bad / ill tempered
traipse
walk or move wearily or reluctantly.
“students had to traipse all over London to attend lectures”
similar words - trudge (move slowly due to internal / external factors e.g. harsh conditions), slouch (stand/move/sit in drooping way - hang down limply due to weariness, dejection)
gobbledygook
language that is meaningless or is made unintelligible by excessive use of technical terms.
“reams of financial gobbledygook”
similar words - jargon, claptrap(nonsensical talk or ideas), balderdash (senseless talk or writing)
Scuttle
run hurriedly or furtively (hidden manner, without drawing attention) with short quick steps
“Mouse scuttled across the floor”
Stultify
tending to stifle enthusiasm, initiative, or freedom of action
“Stultifying bureaucracy hampering startup growth”
