Words 8/17/12 Flashcards
1
Q
artful
A
sly, crafty
2
Q
articulate
A
to express clearly
3
Q
artifice
A
trickery
4
Q
artless
A
crude, having no skill
5
Q
ascent
A
rising or going up
6
Q
ascetic
A
practicing self-denial
7
Q
ascribe
A
to attribute to a specific cause
8
Q
asinine
A
stupid
9
Q
askance
A
with suspicion or disapproval
10
Q
asperity
A
roughness or harshness
11
Q
aspersion
A
an insulting remark about someone
12
Q
assail
A
to attack violently
13
Q
assay
A
to try or test, to examine
14
Q
assent
A
to agree, to concur
15
Q
asset
A
an object of value
16
Q
assert
A
to state with force
17
Q
assess
A
to judge or decide the amount
18
Q
assiduous
A
hardworking
19
Q
astringent
A
stern, harsh, or severe
20
Q
asylum
A
an institution for the ill, a place of safety
21
Q
atavistic
A
having characteristics relating to an earlier type
22
Q
atone
A
to make amends
23
Q
attest
A
to confirm or testify to
24
Q
attrition
A
gradual reduction or weakening; a rubbing away
25
audacity
daring, boldness
26
augur
to predict, to serve as a warning
27
auspices
encouragement, sponsorship
28
auspicious
favorable, promising for the future
29
authoritarian
someone who believes in total obedience
30
autism
absorption in self-centered mental activity
31
autocratic
tyrannical
32
auxiliary
supplementary, giving help or support
33
avail
to serve, be of value to
34
avant-garde
describing the advanced group in any field
35
avarice
greed
36
averse
having a feeling of opposition or repugnance
37
avert
to prevent or avoid
38
avid
characterized by eagerness
39
avow
to claim, to admit
40
avuncular
helpful, generous
41
axiom
a widely-held belief
42
bacchanal
any drunken party or riotous celebration
43
bagatelle
something unimportant
44
baleful
hurtful, malignant
45
ballast
a stabilizer
46
ballyhoo
a lot of noise and activity with no real purpose
47
bamboozle
to cheat or dupe
48
banal
ordinary, not original
49
bandy
to trade, exchange
50
bane
cause of harm, torment
51
banter
a playful conversation
52
baritone
a male singer, with a low voice
53
baroque
extravagantly ornate, flamboyant
54
barrage
any overwhelming attack
55
barren
sterile, desolate, unproductive
56
bask
to enjoy warmth or praise
57
bastion
a stronghold, a fortified place
58
bathos
overly sentimental, triviality in style
59
bauble
a trinket
60
bazaar
marketplace
61
bedlam
noise and confusion
62
begrudge
to envy the good fortune of someone else
63
behest
an order or command
64
belated
late
65
belligerent
quarrelsome, hostile
66
bemuse
to cause to be confused
67
benchmark
a standard, point of reference
68
benediction
a blessing, an utterance of good wishes
69
benefactor
one who provides help to others
70
beneficent
showing kindness resulting in benefit
71
benevolent
kind, generous
72
benighted
ignorant, unenlightened
73
bequest
the act of giving, something left behind in a will
74
bereft
deprived of life, hope, or happiness
75
besiege
to surround with hostile forces
76
besmirch
to make dirty
77
bestow
to give as a gift or reward
78
betroth
to become engaged
79
bevy
a group of animals
80
bias
a particular tendency
81
bibelot
a small object of beauty
82
biennial
occurring every two years
83
bigot
a person partial to his own group
84
bilge
nonsense, rubbish
85
bilious
in a bad mood, unpleasant
86
biopsy
removal of a sample of human body tissue
87
bivouac
a temporary shelter, especially in the military
88
blacklist
to place a person on a list under suspicion
89
blanch
to pale from fear or illness
90
bland
no flavor
91
blandishment
flattery
92
blight
anything that prevents growth
93
bliss
extreme happiness
94
bloc
a coalition of factions
95
blunt
abrupt
96
bluster
to act in a loud or threatening way
97
bogus
not genuine
98
bombard
to assail vigorously
99
bon mot
a clever reply
100
bon vivant
a person who enjoys life
