Words Flashcards
cogent
cogent \KOH-juhnt\ , adjective:
Having the power to compel conviction; appealing to the mind or to reason; convincing.
I felt compelled to reconsider the causes of racial tension in politics after reading Jonathan Chait’s cogent New York Magazine article.
metathesis
The transposition of letters or sounds in a word. (“Larnyx” instead of “larynx”)
umbrage
noun,
Offense; resentment
objurgate
objurgate \OB-juhr-gayt\ , transitive verb:
To express strong disapproval of; to criticize severely.
aeolian
aeolian \ee-OH-lee-uhn\ , adjective:
1. (usually lowercase) of or caused by the wind; wind-blown.
2. pertaining to Aeolus, or to the winds in general.
Thus, at low obliquity we might expect large-scale dust storms to cease, leading to relatively cold, clear conditions and relatively little aeolian transport of dust.
– Peter L. Read and Stephen R. Lewis, The Martian Climate Revisited, 2004
Put simply, aeolian energy is transformed into mechanical energy that is stored in the waves, whose variations are, in the long run, smaller than those of the wind.
– R.H. Charlier and J.R. Justus, Ocean Energies, 1993
exiguity
exiguity \ek-suh-GYOO-uht-ee\ , noun:
Scantiness; smallness; thinness;the quality of being meager.
–EXIGUOUS, adjective
knell
- The stroke of a bell tolled at a funeral or at the death of a person; a death signal; a passing bell; hence, figuratively, a warning of, or a sound indicating, the passing away of anything.
intransitive verb: - To sound as a knell; especially, to toll at a death or funeral; hence, to sound as a warning or evil omen.
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea, The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
bête noir
bete noire \bet-NWAHR\ , noun:
Something or someone particularly detested or avoided; a bugbear.
Even more regrettable, as far as Dame Edna is concerned, is the presence of her old bete noire, the extravagantly disgusting Sir Les Patterson.
– “The Dame’s New Man”, Daily Telegraph, April 18, 1998
Never an exceptional student, Andrews somehow managed to navigate the academy’s rigorous courses with satisfactory grades, though all forms of mathematics were agonizing to him, remaining what he called his “bete noire” throughout life.
– Charles Gallenkamp, Dragon Hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expeditions
ratiocination
ratiocination \rash-ee-os-uh-NEY-shuhn, -oh-suh-, rat-ee-\ , noun:
the process of logical reasoning.
“I have been insisting to all my colleagues in the philosophy department, and elsewhere, that Conan Doyle’s ‘detective’ has found the solution to our human folly: close observation of ‘clues,’ and shrewd ‘ratiocination.’”
– Joyce Carol Oats, The Accursed, 2013
By a not uncommon process of ratiocination, Mrs. Fetherel’s success had convinced her of her vocation.
– Edith Wharton, “Expiation,” Cosmopolitan, 1908
chary
chary \CHAIR-ee\ , adjective:
1. Wary; cautious.
2. Not giving or expending freely; sparing.
What do you suppose the Founding Fathers, so chary of overweening government power, would make of a prosecutor with virtually unlimited reach and a staff the size of a small town?
– “U.S. trampling rights at home and abroad”, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 17, 1998
Investors should be chary, however, for the returns are far from sizzling.
– “The Stampede Into Variable Annuities”, Fortune, October 13, 1986
Bankers, consulted as to whether or not they believed that the full force of the decline had spent its fury, were chary of predictions.
– “Leaders See Fear Waning”, New York Times, October 30, 1929
verisimilitude
verisimilitude \ver-uh-si-MIL-i-tood, -tyood\ , noun:
- the appearance or semblance of truth; likelihood; probability: The play lacked verisimilitude.
- something, as an assertion, having merely the appearance of truth.
logomachy
logomachy \loh-GOM-uh-kee\ , noun:
1. a dispute about or concerning words.
2. an argument or debate marked by the reckless or incorrect use of words; meaningless battle of words.
3. a game played with cards, each bearing one letter, with which words are formed.
Their logomachy was far more stimulating to his intellect than the reserved and quiet dogmatism of Mr. Morse.
– Jack London, Martin Eden, 1909
By happenstance or design, Conrad has fashioned in Heart of Darkness a logomachy, or battle of words.
– Theodore Billy, A Wilderness of Words, 1997
supercilious
supercilious \soo-puhr-SIL-ee-uhs\ , adjective:
Disdainfully arrogant; haughty.
The girl has a supercilious expression, and seems to be looking down her nose at the camera.
– Annie Dillard, For the Time Being
Russian emissaries used to be received at European courts and chanceries with a supercilious courtesy as representatives of a lower social and political culture seeking to be patronized by European elites.
– Abba Eban, Diplomacy for the Next Century
Cooper and Trollope arrived like avenging angels at the Guardian Hay Festival to put snobs and supercilious critics in their place.
– Fiachra Gibbons, “Queens of the bonkbuster and Aga saga defend the art - and heart - of their fiction”, The Guardian, May 30, 2003
Will I be interviewed by a supercilious don who will make fun of my accent?
– Donald MacLeod, “Passing the Oxford test”, The Guardian, August 19, 2002
putative
putative \PYOO-tuh-tiv\ , adjective:
Commonly thought or deemed; supposed; reputed.
Certainly, to have even a putative ancestor commemorated by Shakespeare is something about which to boast.
– Frances Spalding, Duncan Grant: A Biography
A report has found that the putative evidence for the paper that started the controversy was fabricated.
– Margot O’Toole, “The Whistle-Blower and the Train Wreck”, New York Times, April 12, 1991
impolitic
im-POL-i-tik, adjective
1. not politic, expedient, or judicious.
venal
venal \VEE-nuhl\ , adjective:
1. Capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration; held for sale; salable; purchasable.
2. Capable of being corrupted.
3. Marked by or associated with bribery and corrupt dealings.
Not everything was so venal in this operation, however. Sometimes votes were bought outright, but this was frowned on if the sums were too high.
– Kenneth R. Johnston, The Hidden Wordsworth
The news items accumulate to project an image of French politics as venal, power-mongering, and posing a crazy threat to all those values of humanity and civilization that Picasso’s work had always embraced.
– Rosalind E. Krauss, The Picasso Papers
allay
1.
to put (fear, doubt, suspicion, anger, etc.) to rest; calm; quiet.
2.
to lessen or relieve; mitigate; alleviate:
to allay pain.
compunction
compunction \kuhm-PUHNK-shuhn\ , noun:
1. Anxiety or deep unease proceeding from a sense of guilt or consciousness of causing pain.
2. A sting of conscience or a twinge of uneasiness; a qualm; a scruple.
Not only were tears one means of prayer, according to Benedict, they were the only pure form: “We must know that God regards our purity of heart and tears of compunction, not our many words.”
– Tom Lutz, Crying
Yet, while Louise and Ruth and I and all our ilk are consumed by self-reproach, these two can recall not an ounce of compunction.
– Rose Shepherd, “Fatal egg by pleasure laid”, Independent, September 3, 1996
If they succeeded, however, Sicily would simply come under the authority of the new revolutionary government in Naples, a government that would feel no compunctions whatsoever about saddling the island with even more “stamp duties, official papers, and forced labor” than before.
– James Fentress, Rebels and Mafiosi
I would reveal all without compunction because he is after all, my ex.
celerity
celerity \suh-LAIR-uh-tee\ , noun:
Rapidity of motion or action; quickness; swiftness.
Though not in the best of physical form, he was capable of moving with celerity.
– Malachy McCourt, A Monk Swimming: A Memoir
Furthermore, as is well known, computer technology grows obsolete with amazing celerity.
– Alan S. Blinder and Richard E. Quandt, “The Computer and the Economy”, The Atlantic, December 1997
The lightning celerity of his thought processes took you on a kind of helter-skelter ride of surreal non-sequiturs, sudden accesses of emotion and ribald asides, made all the more bizarre for being uttered in those honeyed tones by the impeccably elegant gent before you.
– “A life full of frolics”, The Guardian, May 19, 2001
Celerity is from Latin celeritas, from celer, “swift.” It is related to accelerate.
peremptory
per·emp·to·ry [puh-remp-tuh-ree, per-uhmp-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] Show IPA
adjective
1.
leaving no opportunity for denial or refusal; imperative: a peremptory command.
2.
imperious or dictatorial.
3.
positive or assertive in speech, tone, manner, etc.
4.
Law.
a.
that precludes or does not admit of debate, question, etc.: a peremptory edict.
b.
decisive or final.
c.
in which a command is absolute and unconditional: a peremptory writ.
Origin:
1505–15; < Latin peremptōrius final, decisive, literally, deadly, destructive (derivative of perimere to take away fully, destroy, slay), equivalent to per- per- + em- , base of emere to buy, orig. to take + -tōrius -tory1 , with intrusive p
Related forms per·emp·to·ri·ly, adverb per·emp·to·ri·ness, noun o·ver·per·emp·to·ri·ly, adverb o·ver·per·emp·to·ri·ly·ness, noun o·ver·per·emp·to·ry, adjective un·per·emp·to·ri·ly, adverb un·per·emp·to·ri·ness, noun un·per·emp·to·ry, adjective
Can be confused: peremptory, preemptive.
Synonyms
2. arbitrary, dogmatic, domineering.
ignominy
ig·no·min·y [ig-nuh-min-ee, ig-nom-uh-nee] Show IPA
noun, plural ig·no·min·ies for 2.
1.
disgrace; dishonor; public contempt.
2.
shameful or dishonorable quality or conduct or an instance of this.
Origin:
1530–40; < Latin ignōminia, equivalent to ig- (for in- in-3 , apparently by association with ignōbilis ignoble, ignōtus unknown, etc.; cf. cognomen) + nōmin- (stem of nōmen ) name + -ia -y3
Synonyms
1. disrepute, discredit, shame, obloquy, opprobrium. See disgrace.
Antonyms
1. credit, honor.
ignominy (ˈɪɡnəˌmɪnɪ)
— n , pl -minies
- disgrace or public shame; dishonour
- a cause of disgrace; a shameful act
[C16: from Latin ignōminia disgrace, from ig- (see in- ²) + nōmen name, reputation]
igno’minious
— adj
igno’miniously
— adv
igno’miniousness
— n
parity
parity [PAR-i-tee], noun;
noun
1.
equality, as in amount, status, or character.
2.
equivalence; correspondence; similarity; analogy.
3.
Finance.
a.
equivalence in value in the currency of another country.
b.
equivalence in value at a fixed ratio between moneys of different metals.
4.
Physics.
a.
a property of a wave function, expressed as +1 or −1 and noting the relation of the given function to the function formed when each variable is replaced by its negative, +1 indicating that the functions are identical and −1 that the second function is the negative of the first.
b.
Also called intrinsic parity. a number +1 or −1 assigned to each kind of elementary particle in such a way that the product of the parities of the particles in a system of particles multiplied by the parity of the wave function describing the system is unchanged when particles are created or annihilated.
5.
a system of regulating prices of farm commodities, usually by government price supports, to provide farmers with the same purchasing power they had in a selected base period.
6.
Computers. the condition of the number of items in a set, particularly the number of bits per byte or word, being either even or odd: used as a means for detecting certain errors.
droll
droll [drohl] Show IPA adjective, droll·er, droll·est, noun, verb adjective 1. amusing in an odd way; whimsically humorous; waggish. noun 2. a droll person; jester; wag. verb (used without object) 3. Archaic. to jest; joke. Origin: 1615–25; < Middle French drolle pleasant rascal < Middle Dutch drol a fat little man
Related forms
droll·ness, noun
drol·ly, adverb
Synonyms
1. diverting, odd, witty. See amusing. 2, 3. clown.
Antonyms
1. serious.
deign
deign [deyn]
verb (used without object)
1.
to think fit or in accordance with one’s dignity; condescend: He would not deign to discuss the matter with us.
verb (used with object)
2.
to condescend to give or grant: He deigned no reply.
3.
Obsolete . to condescend to accept.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English deinen < Old French deignier < Latin dignārī to judge worthy, equivalent to dign ( us ) worthy + -ārī infinitive suffix
tenebrous
TEN-uh-bruhs, adjective
Dark; gloomy
cerise
cerise[ suh-rees, -reez ]
adjective, noun
1. moderate to deep red.
specious
spe·cious [spee-shuhs] Show IPA adjective 1. apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible: specious arguments. 2. pleasing to the eye but deceptive. 3. Obsolete . pleasing to the eye; fair. Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English < Latin speciōsus fair, good-looking, beautiful, equivalent to speci ( ēs ) (see species) + -ōsus -ous
Related forms spe·cious·ly, adverb spe·cious·ness, noun non·spe·cious, adjective non·spe·cious·ly, adverb non·spe·cious·ness, noun
unwonted
adjective;
Out of the ordinary.
aleatory
aleatory \EY-lee-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, AL-ee-\ , adjective:
- of or pertaining to accidental causes; of luck or chance; unpredictable: an aleatory element.
- Law. depending on a contingent event: an aleatory contract.
- Music. employing the element of chance in the choice of tones, rests, durations, rhythms, dynamics, etc.
cavalier
cav·a·lier [kav-uh-leer, kav-uh-leer]
noun
1.
a horseman, especially a mounted soldier; knight.
2.
one having the spirit or bearing of a knight; a courtly gentleman; gallant.
3.
a man escorting a woman or acting as her partner in dancing.
4.
( initial capital letter ) an adherent of Charles I of England in his contest with Parliament.
adjective
5.
haughty, disdainful, or supercilious: an arrogant and cavalier attitude toward others.
6.
offhand or unceremonious: The very dignified officials were confused by his cavalier manner.
7.
( initial capital letter ) of or pertaining to the Cavaliers.
8.
( initial capital letter ) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the Cavalier poets or their work.
exigency
ex·i·gen·cy [ek-si-juhn-see, ig-zij-uhn-] Show IPA
noun, plural ex·i·gen·cies.
1.
exigent state or character; urgency.
2.
Usually, exigencies. the need, demand, or requirement intrinsic to a circumstance, condition, etc.: the exigencies of city life.
3.
a case or situation that demands prompt action or remedy; emergency: He promised help in any exigency.
Also, ex·i·gence.
Origin:
1575–85; < Medieval Latin exigentia. See exigent, -ency
Synonyms
3. crisis, contingency, plight, strait; predicament, fix, pinch.
untoward
un·to·ward [uhn-tawrd, -tohrd] Show IPA adjective 1. unfavorable or unfortunate: Untoward circumstances forced him into bankruptcy. 2. improper: untoward social behavior. 3. Archaic. froward; perverse. Origin: 1520–30; un-1 + toward
Related forms
un·to·ward·ly, adverb
un·to·ward·ness, noun
impetus
im·pe·tus [im-pi-tuhs] Show IPA
noun, plural im·pe·tus·es.
1.
a moving force; impulse; stimulus: The grant for building the opera house gave impetus to the city’s cultural life.
2.
(broadly) the momentum of a moving body, especially with reference to the cause of motion.
Origin:
1650–60; < Latin: an attack, literally, a rushing into, perhaps by haplology from *impetitus (though the expected form would be *impetītus; see appetite), equivalent to impetī-, variant stem of impetere to attack ( im- im-1 + petere to make for, assault) + -tus suffix of v. action
Can be confused: impetus, impotence, sterility.
Synonyms
1. stimulation, spur, boost.
hoary
- gray or white with age: an old dog with a hoary muzzle.
- ancient or venerable: hoary myths.
- tedious from familiarity; stale: Please don’t tell that hoary joke at dinner again tonight.
Origin: 1520–30; hoar + -y1
—Related forms
hoar·i·ly, adverb
hoar·i·ness, noun
un·hoar·y, adjective
untenable
un·ten·a·ble [uhn-ten-uh-buhl] Show IPA
adjective
1.
incapable of being defended, as an argument, thesis, etc.; indefensible.
2.
not fit to be occupied, as an apartment, house, etc.
Origin:
1640–50; un-1 + tenable
Related forms
un·ten·a·bil·i·ty, un·ten·a·ble·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. baseless, groundless, unsound, weak, questionable.
rudiment
ru·di·ment [roo-duh-muhnt] Show IPA
noun
1.
Usually, rudiments.
a.
the elements or first principles of a subject: the rudiments of grammar.
b.
a mere beginning, first slight appearance, or undeveloped or imperfect form of something: the rudiments of a plan.
2.
Biology . an organ or part incompletely developed in size or structure, as one in an embryonic stage, one arrested in growth, or one with no functional activity, as a vestige.
Origin:
1540–50; < Latin rudīmentum early training, first experience, initial stage, equivalent to rudi ( s ) unformed, rough (see rude) + -mentum -ment ( -ī- for -i- after verbal derivatives)
querulous
quer·u·lous [kwer-uh-luhs, kwer-yuh-] Show IPA
adjective
1.
full of complaints; complaining.
2.
characterized by or uttered in complaint; peevish: a querulous tone; constant querulous reminders of things to be done.
Origin:
1490–1500; < Latin querulus, equivalent to quer ( ī ) to complain + -ulus -ulous
Related forms quer·u·lous·ly, adverb quer·u·lous·ness, noun un·quer·u·lous, adjective un·quer·u·lous·ly, adverb un·quer·u·lous·ness, noun
Synonyms
1, 2. petulant, testy; caviling, carping, discontented.
Antonyms
1. contented.
adulterate
a·dul·ter·ate [v. uh-duhl-tuh-reyt; adj. uh-duhl-ter-it, -tuh-reyt] Show IPA verb, a·dul·ter·at·ed, a·dul·ter·at·ing, adjective
verb (used with object)
1.
to debase or make impure by adding inferior materials or elements; use cheaper, inferior, or less desirable goods in the production of (any professedly genuine article): to adulterate food.
adjective
2.
adulterated.
3.
adulterous ( def 1 ) .
Origin:
1580–90; < Latin adulterātus mixed, adulterated (past participle of adulterāre ), equivalent to ad- ad- + -ulter (perhaps combining form of alter other; see alter) + -ātus -ate1
Related forms
a·dul·ter·a·tor, noun
un·a·dul·ter·ate, adjective
parochial
pa·ro·chi·al [puh-roh-kee-uhl] Show IPA
adjective
1.
of or pertaining to a parish or parishes.
2.
of or pertaining to parochial schools or the education they provide.
3.
very limited or narrow in scope or outlook; provincial: parochial views; a parochial mentality.
Origin:
1350–1400; late Middle English parochialle < Late Latin parochiālis (see parish, -al1 ); replacing Middle English parochiele < Anglo-French parochiel < Late Latin as above
Related forms pa·ro·chi·al·ly, adverb pa·ro·chi·al·ness, noun in·ter·pa·ro·chi·al, adjective in·ter·pa·ro·chi·al·ly, adverb in·ter·pa·ro·chi·al·ness, noun non·pa·ro·chi·al, adjective non·pa·ro·chi·al·ly, adverb sem·i·pa·ro·chi·al, adjective un·pa·ro·chi·al, adjective un·pa·ro·chi·al·ly, adverb
harrowing
har·row·ing [har-oh-ing] Show IPA adjective extremely disturbing or distressing; grievous: a harrowing experience. Origin: 1800–10; harrow1 + -ing2
Related forms
har·row·ing·ly, adverb
Synonyms
painful, agonizing, tormenting, heartbreaking.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
har·row1 [har-oh] Show IPA
noun
1.
an agricultural implement with spikelike teeth or upright disks, drawn chiefly over plowed land to level it, break up clods, root up weeds, etc.
verb (used with object)
2.
to draw a harrow over (land).
3.
to disturb keenly or painfully; distress the mind, feelings, etc., of.
verb (used without object)
4.
to become broken up by harrowing, as soil.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English harwe; akin to Old Norse herfi harrow, Dutch hark rake, Greek krṓpion sickle
Related forms
har·row·er, noun
lissom
lissom \LISS-uhm\ , adjective;
also lissome:
1. Limber; supple; flexible.
2. Light and quick in action; nimble; agile; active.
Raphaelle Boitel moves with the lissom, contortionist plastique of a snake-woman.
sang-froid
sang-froid \sang-FRWAH\ , noun;
also sangfroid:
Freedom from agitation or excitement of mind; coolness in trying circumstances; calmness.
The Treasury Secretary’s sang-froid in moments of crisis.
– “Keeping the Boom From Busting”, New York Times, July 19, 1998
Both men were mightily impressed by the calmness of the Americans on board, particularly among the women. “I had, during my sojourn in America,” Beaumont said later, “a thousand occasions to see the sang-froid of the American.”
– Michael Kammen, “Wrecked on the Fourth of July”, New York Times, July 6, 1997
Gaviria knew Alberto as an impulsive but cordial man capable of maintaining his sangfroid under the most stressful circumstances.
– Gabriel Garcia Marquez, News of a Kidnapping
asseverate
verb
To declare earnestly or solemnly; affirm positively; aver.
noun:
asseveration
raillery
noun
Good-humored teasing.
nonplussed
adjective
Surprised and confused to the point of not knowing how to act.
rubicund
adjective
Having a ruddy complexion
emollient
adjective
1. having the power of softening or relaxing, as a medicinal substance; soothing, especially to the skin: emollient lotions for the face.
patois
pat-TWAH (rhymes with “cat claw”)
- A regional dialect, especially one without a literary tradition.
2.
a. A creole.
b. Nonstandard speech. - The special jargon of a group; cant. See Synonyms at dialect.
leonine
‘lē uh nīn
adjective
Of or resembling a lion.
abstemious
adjective
Not self-indulgent, especially when eating and drinking.
extenuate
Verb
Make seem less serious or more forgivable.
insuperable
adj
(of a difficulty or obstacle) impossible to overcome.
grandiloquent
adj
Pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, esp. in a way that is intended to impress.
apposite
adj
Apt in the circumstances or in relation to something: an apposite quotation
ponderous
adjective
of great weight; heavy; massive.
awkward or unwieldy: He carried a ponderous burden on his back.
dull and labored: a ponderous dissertation.
raffish
RAF-ish
adjective
Unconventional and slightly disreputable, esp. in an attractive manner
columbine
columbine
KOL-uhm-bahyn, -bin
adjective
dovelike; dove-colored.
of a dove.
noetic
noh-ET-ik
adjective
of or pertaining to the mind.
originating in or apprehended by the reason.
sapid
SA-pid
adjective
1. having taste or flavor. agreeable to the taste; palatable. agreeable, as to the mind; to one's liking. —Related forms sa·pid·i·ty, sap·id·ness, noun
consanguineous
kän-sang-win-ee-us
Related to or denoting people descended from the same ancestor: consanguineous marriages
apothegm
AP-uh-them
A concise saying
vagary
va·gar·y [vuh-gair-ee, vey-guh-ree] Show IPA
noun, plural va·gar·ies.
1.
an unpredictable or erratic action, occurrence, course, or instance: the vagaries of weather; the vagaries of the economic scene.
2.
a whimsical, wild, or unusual idea, desire, or action.
Origin:
1565–75, in sense “wandering journey”; apparently < Latin vagārī to wander
Synonyms
2. caprice, whim, quirk, crotchet.
incipient
[in-sip-ee-uhnt] Show IPA
adjective
beginning to exist or appear; in an initial stage: an incipient cold.
Origin:
1580–90; < Latin incipient- (stem of incipiēns, present participle of incipere to take in hand, begin), equivalent to in- in-2 + -cipi- (combining form of capi- take) + -ent- -ent
Related forms
in·cip·i·ent·ly, adverb
Can be confused: incipient, insipid, insipient.
Synonyms
beginning, nascent, developing.
