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CARS > Words > Flashcards

Words Flashcards

1
Q

hurly burly

A

busy, boisterous activity

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2
Q

foible

A

a minor weakness or eccentricity in someone’s character

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3
Q

begrudgery

A

resentment of any person who has achieved success or wealth

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4
Q

disparagement

A

the act of speaking about someone in a negative or belittling way

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5
Q

grudge

A

a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury

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6
Q

ad infinitum

A

again and again in the same way; forever

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7
Q

specter

A

a ghost

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8
Q

sleight

A

the use of dexterity or cunning, especially so as to deceive

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9
Q

all-consuming

A

completely filling one’s mind and attention; obsessive

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10
Q

pantheon

A

all the gods of a people or religion collectively

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11
Q

metafiction

A

fiction in which the author self-consciously alludes to the artificiality or literariness of a work by parodying or departing from novelistic conventions (especially naturalism) and traditional narrative techniques.

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12
Q

atone

A

make amends or reparation

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13
Q

reprise

A

repeat (a piece of music or a performance)

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14
Q

semiotics

A

the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation

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15
Q

praxis

A

practice, as distinguished from theory

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16
Q

inculcate

A

instill (an attitude, idea, or habit) by persistent instruction

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17
Q

proficient

A

competent or skilled in doing or using something

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18
Q

stanza

A

a group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit in a poem; a verse

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19
Q

asceticism

A

severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons

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20
Q

sanctity

A

the state or quality of being holy, sacred, or saintly

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21
Q

convent school

A

a Christian community under monastic vows, especially one of nuns

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22
Q

imbrication

A

overlap

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23
Q

advocacy

A

public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy

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24
Q

wedlock

A

the state of being married

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25
Q

remuneration

A

money paid for work or a service

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26
Q

chagrin

A

distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated

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27
Q

egregious

A

outstandingly bad; shocking

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28
Q

leeway

A

the amount of freedom to move or act that is available

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29
Q

pigeonhole

A
  • assign to a particular category or class, especially in a manner that is too rigid or exclusive
  • put aside for future consideration
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30
Q

animosity

A

strong hostility

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31
Q

agnostic

A

a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God

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32
Q

garland

A
  • a wreath of flowers and leaves, worn on the head or hung as a decoration
  • adorn or crown with a garland
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33
Q

trompe l’oeil

A

visual illusion in art, especially as used to trick the eye into perceiving a painted detail as a three-dimensional object

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34
Q

precocious

A

(of a child) having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual

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35
Q

flair

A
  • a special or instinctive aptitude or ability for doing something well
  • stylishness and originality
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36
Q

quip

A
  • a witty remark

- make a witty remark

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37
Q

exalt

A

hold (someone or something) in very high regard; think or speak very highly of

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38
Q

caprice

A

a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior

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39
Q

verisimilitude

A

the appearance of being true or real

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40
Q

omnibus

A

a volume containing several novels or other items previously published separately

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41
Q

puffery

A

exaggerated or false praise

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42
Q

peruse

A

read (something), typically in a thorough or careful way

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43
Q

lament

A
  • a passionate expression of grief or sorrow

- mourn (a person’s loss or death)

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44
Q

decry

A

publicly denounce

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45
Q

wrongheaded

A

having or showing bad judgment; misguided

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46
Q

bequeath

A

leave (a personal estate or one’s body) to a person or other beneficiary by a will

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47
Q

occult

A

supernatural, mystical, or magical beliefs, practices, or phenomena

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48
Q

wring

A

squeeze and twist (something) to force liquid from it

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49
Q

quip

A
  • a witty remark

- make a witty remark

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50
Q

virtuoso

A

a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit

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51
Q

deplore

A

feel or express strong disapproval of (something)

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52
Q

pact

A

a formal agreement between individuals or parties

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53
Q

inscrutable

A

impossible to understand or interpret

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54
Q

mirth

A

amusement, especially as expressed in laughter

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55
Q

elation

A

great happiness and exhilaration

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56
Q

exhilaration

A

a feeling of excitement, happiness, or elation

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57
Q

will-o’-the-wisp

A

a person or thing that is difficult or impossible to find, reach, or catch

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58
Q

despair

A

lose or be without hope

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59
Q

sarcophagus

A

a stone coffin, typically adorned with a sculpture or inscription and associated with the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Rome, and Greece

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60
Q

sepulchral

A
  • relating to a tomb or interment

- gloomy; dismal

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61
Q

pensive

A

engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought

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62
Q

implacable

A
  • unable to be placated

- relentless; unstoppable

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63
Q

elegiac

A

relating to or characteristic of an elegy, a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead

64
Q

epitaph

A

a phrase or statement written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone

65
Q

flippancy

A

lack of respect or seriousness; frivolousness

66
Q

indefatigable

A

(of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly

67
Q

allegorical

A

constituting or containing allegory, a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one

68
Q

vicissitude

A

a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant

69
Q

moribund

A
  • (of a person) at the point of death

- (of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigor

70
Q

yeoman

A

a man holding and cultivating a small landed estate; a freeholder

71
Q

shrivel

A
  • wrinkle and contract or cause to wrinkle and contract, especially due to loss of moisture
  • lose momentum, will, or desire; become insignificant or ineffectual
  • cause to feel worthless or insignificant
72
Q

burlesque

A

an absurd or comically exaggerated imitation of something, especially in a literary or dramatic work; a parody

73
Q

vaudeville

A

a type of entertainment popular chiefly in the US in the early 20th century, featuring a mixture of specialty acts such as burlesque comedy and song and dance

74
Q

polemic

A

a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something.

75
Q

guerilla

A
  • a member of a small independent group taking part in irregular fighting, typically against larger regular forces
  • referring to actions or activities performed in an impromptu way, often without authorization
76
Q

epistemology

A

the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion

77
Q

heed

A

pay attention to; take notice of

78
Q

polemicist

A

a person who engages in controversial debate

79
Q

peaceable

A

inclined to avoid argument or violent conflict

80
Q

commotion

A

a state of confused and noisy disturbance

81
Q

unsullied

A

not spoiled or made impure

82
Q

inexorable

A

impossible to stop or prevent

83
Q

anathema

A

something or someone that one vehemently dislikes

84
Q

obtuse

A

annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand; difficult to understand

85
Q

oblique

A

not explicit or direct in addressing a point

86
Q

knell

A

the sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral

87
Q

eugenics

A

the science of improving a human population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics. Developed largely by Francis Galton as a method of improving the human race, it fell into disfavor only after the perversion of its doctrines by the Nazis

88
Q

dialectic

A

the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions; inquiry into metaphysical contradictions and their solutions

89
Q

pervasive

A

(especially of an unwelcome influence or physical effect) spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people

90
Q

mote

A

a tiny piece of a substance

91
Q

licentious

A

promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters

92
Q

amalgam

A

a mixture or blend

93
Q

bootleg

A

make, distribute, or sell (illicit goods, especially liquor, computer software, or recordings) illegally

94
Q

nymph

A

a mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations

95
Q

desert

A

a person’s worthiness or entitlement to reward or punishment

96
Q

squander

A

waste (something, especially money or time) in a reckless and foolish manner

97
Q

calamity

A

an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster

98
Q

cloak

A

dress in a cloak; hide, cover, or disguise (something)

99
Q

garb

A

clothing or dress, especially of a distinctive or special kind

100
Q

compulsion

A

the action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint; an irresistible urge to behave in a certain way, especially against one’s conscious wishes

101
Q

antics

A

foolish, outrageous, or amusing behavior

102
Q

obscure

A

not discovered or known about; uncertain

103
Q

charlatan

A

a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill; a fraud

104
Q

masquerade

A

a false show or pretense

105
Q

draconian

A

(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe

106
Q

espouse

A

adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life)

107
Q

unconscienable

A

not right or reasonable

108
Q

tout

A

attempt to sell (something), typically by pestering people in an aggressive or bold manner

109
Q

cull

A

select from a large quantity; obtain from a variety of sources

110
Q

hearken

A

listen

111
Q

stilted

A

(of a manner of talking or writing) stiff and self-conscious or unnatural

112
Q

sacrosanct

A

(especially of a principle, place, or routine) regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with

113
Q

precipice

A

a very steep rock face or cliff, typically a tall one

114
Q

oratory

A

a small chapel, especially for private worship

115
Q

hew

A

chop or cut (something, especially wood) with an ax, pick, or other tool

116
Q

chink

A

a narrow opening or crack, typically one that admits light

117
Q

aerie

A

a large nest of a bird of prey, especially an eagle, typically built high in a tree or on a cliff

118
Q

hermit

A

a person living in solitude as a religious discipline

119
Q

pillage

A

rob (a place) using violence, especially in wartime

120
Q

eremitic

A

hermitic

121
Q

grandiloquent

A

pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, especially in a way that is intended to impress

122
Q

penitent

A
  • feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant
  • a person who repents their sins or wrongdoings and (in the Christian Church) seeks forgiveness from God
123
Q

vernacular

A
  • (of language) spoken as one’s mother tongue; not learned or imposed as a second language
  • (of architecture) concerned with domestic and functional rather than monumental buildings
124
Q

populist

A

a member or adherent of a political party seeking to represent the interests of ordinary people

125
Q

revelry

A

lively and noisy festivities, especially when these involve drinking a large amount of alcohol

126
Q

vicarious

A

experienced in the imagination through the feelings or actions of another person

127
Q

proverbial

A

(of a word or phrase) referred to in a proverb or idiom; well known, especially so as to be stereotypical

128
Q

extemporaneous

A

spoken or done without preparation

129
Q

jest

A

a thing said or done for amusement; a joke

130
Q

burnish

A

polish (something, especially metal) by rubbing

131
Q

dwindle

A

diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength

132
Q

garble

A

reproduce (a message, sound, or transmission) in a confused and distorted way

133
Q

semblance

A

the outward appearance or apparent form of something, especially when the reality is different

134
Q

protean

A

tending or able to change frequently or easily; able to do many different things; versatile

135
Q

lacuna

A

an unfilled space or interval; a gap

136
Q

extol

A

praise enthusiastically

137
Q

stillbirth

A

the birth of an infant that has died in the womb

138
Q

complacent

A

showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements

139
Q

insolence

A

rude and disrespectful behavior

140
Q

reprove

A

reprimand or censure (someone)

141
Q

fount

A

a source of a desirable quality or commodity

142
Q

hale

A

(of a person, especially an elderly one) strong and healthy

143
Q

vociferate

A

shout, complain, or argue loudly or vehemently

144
Q

pounce

A
  1. (of an animal or bird of prey) spring or swoop suddenly so as to catch prey
  2. a sudden swoop or spring
145
Q

impugn

A

dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or motive); call into question

146
Q

uphold

A

confirm or support (something that has been questioned)

147
Q

destitute

A
  1. without the basic necessities of life

2. not having

148
Q

sloth

A

reluctance to work or make an effort; laziness

149
Q

sluggard

A

a lazy, sluggish person

150
Q

loll

A

sit, lie, or stand in a lazy, relaxed way

151
Q

precept

A

a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought

152
Q

toil

A

work extremely hard or incessantly

153
Q

exaltation

A

a feeling or state of extreme happiness

154
Q

pomp

A

ceremony and splendid display, especially at a public event

155
Q

solemnity

A

the state or quality of being serious and dignified

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