Words (of the Day) Flashcards
0
Q
Baleful
[ beyl -fuhl]
A
- Full of menacing or malign influences; pernicious
2. Wretched or miserable
1
Q
Cryptesthesia
[krip-tuhs- thee -zhuh]
A
Allegedly paranormal perception
2
Q
Oeuvre
[ œ -vruh]
A
- (French) the collective works of a writer, painter, or other type of artist
- Any work of an artist, writer, painter, or etc.
3
Q
Crapehanger
[ kreyp -hang-er]
A
A person who sees the gloomy side of things; pessimist
4
Q
Horology
[haw- rol -uh-jee, hoh-]
A
The art or science of making timepieces or of measuring time
5
Q
Kickshaw
[ kik -shaw]
A
- A tidbit or delicacy, especially one served as an appetizer
- A trinket or trifle; something showy but without value
6
Q
Pusillanimous
[pyoo-suh- lan -uh-mus]
A
- Lacking courage or resolution; cowardly or faint-hearted
2. Preceding from or indicating a cowardly spirit
7
Q
Anatine
[ an -uh-tahyn, -tin]
A
- Resembling a duck
2. Of or pertaining to the family Anatidae, comprising of the swans, geese, and ducks
8
Q
Comeuppance
[kuhm- uhp -uhns]
A
Deserved reward, usually unpleasant
9
Q
Hoyden
[hoid-n]
A
A boisterous, bold, and carefree girl; tomboy
10
Q
Sinistral
[ sin -uh-struhl]
A
- Left-handed
- Of, pertaining to, or on the left side; left (as opposed to dextral)
- (Of certain gastropod shells) coiling counterclockwise, as seen from the apex
11
Q
Gossamer
[ gos -uh-mer]
A
Noun:
- a fine, filmy cobweb seen on grass or bushes or floating in the air in calm weather, especially in autumn.
- a thread or a web of this substance.
- an extremely delicate variety of gauze, used especially for veils.
- any thin, light fabric.
- something extremely light, flimsy, or delicate.
- a thin, waterproof outer garment, especially for women.
Adjective:
7. Thin or light (of or like gossamer)
12
Q
Clowder
[ klou -der]
A
A group or cluster of cats
13
Q
Gapeseed
[ geyp -seed, gap -]
A
- (British Dialect) a person who gapes or stares in wonder, especially a rustic or unworldly person who is easily awed.
- (British Dialect) a daydream or reverie.
- (British Dialect) an idealistic, impossible, or unreal plan or goal.
- (British Dialect) something that is gaped at; anything unusual or remarkable.
14
Q
Horripilation
[haw-rip-uh- ley -shuhn, ho-]
A
A bristling of the hair on the skin from cold, fear, etc; goosebumps
15
Q
Slubber
[ sluhb -er]
A
To perform hastily or carelessly
16
Q
Pell-mill
[ pel - mel ]
A
- in a confused or jumbled mass, crowd, manner, etc.
2. in disorderly, headlong haste; in a recklessly hurried manner.
17
Q
Panivorous
[pa- niv -er-uhs]
A
Subsisting on bread; bread-eating
18
Q
Rufescent
[roo- fes -uhnt]
A
Somewhat reddish; tinged with red; rufous
19
Q
Star-crossed
[ stahr -krawst]
A
ill-fated
20
Q
Chiaroscuro
[kee-ahr-uh- skyoor -oh]
A
- the distribution of light and shade in a picture.
- Painting. the use of deep variations in and subtle gradations of light and shade, especially to enhance the delineation of character and for general dramatic effect: Rembrandt is a master of chiaroscuro.
- a woodcut print in which the colors are produced by the use of different blocks with different colors.
- a sketch in light and shade.
21
Q
Apocryphal
[uh- pok -ruh-fuhl]
A
- of doubtful authorship or authenticity.
- Ecclesiastical. a. ( initial capital letter ) of or pertaining to the Apocrypha. b. of doubtful sanction; uncanonical.
- false; spurious: He told an apocryphal story about the sword, but the truth was later revealed.
22
Q
Bovarism
[ boh -vuh-riz-uhm]
A
an exaggerated, especially glamorized, estimate of oneself; conceit.
23
Q
Vespertide
[ ves -per-tahyd]
A
The period of vespers; evening
24
Frigorific
| [frig-uh- rif -ik]
Causing or producing cold
25
Gaslight
| [ gas -lahyt]
1. light produced by the combustion of illuminating gas.
2. a gas burner or gas jet for producing this kind of light.
3. to cause (a person) to doubt his or her sanity through the use of psychological manipulation: How do you know if your partner is gaslighting you?
26
Zoanthropy
| [zoh- an -thruh-pee]
a mental disorder in which one believes oneself to be an animal.
27
wanion
| [ won -yuhn]
curse; vengeance
28
clairaudience
| [klair- aw -dee-uh ns]
the power to hear sounds said to exist beyond the reach of ordinary experience or capacity, as the voices of the dead
29
vernacularise
| [ver- nac -yuh-luh-rahyz]
to translate into the natural speech peculiar to a people.
30
Famulus
| [ fam -yuh-luhs]
a servant or attendant, especially of a scholar or a magician.
31
Pavlovian
| [pav- loh -vee-uh n, -law-, - lov -ee-]
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Pavlov or his work, especially of experiments in which he elicited predictable responses from laboratory animals.
32
Philosophaster
| [fil-los-uh- fas -ter, fi- los -uh-fas-ter]
a person who has only a superficial knowledge of philosophy or who feigns a knowledge he or she does not possess
33
Happenstance
| [ hap -uh n-stans]
a chance happening or event
34
Prithee
| [ prith -ee]
"pray thee"
35
Verbigeration
| [verb-bij-uh- rey -shuh n]
the constant or obsessive repetition of meaningless words or phrases
36
Nostomania
| [nos-tuh- mey -nee-uh]
Intense homesickness; an irrepressible compulsion to return home
37
Whippersnapper
| [ hwip -er-snap-er, wip -]
an unimportant but offensively presumptuous person, especially a young one
38
Weltanschauung
| [ velt -ahn-shou-oo ng]
(German) a comprehensive conception or image of the universe and of humanity's relation to it
39
Thalassic
| [thuh- las -ik]
1. of or pertaining to seas and oceans.
2. of or pertaining to smaller bodies of water, as seas and gulfs, as distinguished from large oceanic bodies.
3. growing, living, or found in the sea; marine.
40
Subfuscous
| [suhb- fuhs -kuh s]
slightly dark, dusky, or somber
41
Chutzpa
| [ khoot -spuh, hoot-]
(Slang) unmitigated effrontery or impudence; gall
(Slang) audacity; nerve.
42
Beforetime
| [bih- fawr -tahym]
formerly
43
Mysophobia
| [mahy-suh- foh -bee-uh]
(Psychiatry) a dread of dirt or filth
44
Larrikin
| [ lar -i-kin]
disorderly; rowdy
a street rowdy; hoodlum
45
Frenetic
| [fruh- net -ik]
frantic, frenzied
46
Vinous
| [ vahy -nuh-s]
of, resembling, or containing wine.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of wine: a vinous fragrance.
produced by, indicative of, or given to indulgence in wine.
wine red; wine-colored: a vinous hue.
47
Mirth
| [murth]
gaiety or jollity, especially when accompanied by laughter: the excitement and mirth of the holiday season.
amusement or laughter: He was unable to conceal his mirth.
48
Evanesce
| [ev-uh- nes ]
to disappear gradually; vanish; fade away.
49
Flapdragon
| [ flap -drag-uh n]
an old game in which the players snatch raisins, plums, etc., out of burning brandy, and eat them.
the object so caught and eaten.
50
Incunabula
| [in-kyoo- nab -yuh-luh]
the earliest stages or first traces of anything.
extant copies of books produced in the earliest stages (before 1501) of printing from movable type.
51
Remunerative
| [ri- myoo -ner-uh-tiv]
affording remuneration; profitable: remunerative work.
that remunerates.
52
Niveous
| [niv-ee-uh s]
resembling snow, especially in whiteness; snowy
53
Gleed
| [gleed]
a glowing coal
54
Rallentando
| [rah-luh n- tahn-doh]
slackening; becoming slower (used as a musical direction)
55
Sororal
| [suh- rawr-uh l]
of, relating to, or characteristic of a sister or sisters; sisterly
56
Cogitation
| [koj-i- tey-shuh n]
concerted thought or reflection; meditation; contemplation: After hours of cogitation he came up with a new proposal
the faculty of thinking: She was a serious student and had a great power of cogitation
a thought; design or plan: to jot down one's cogitations.
57
Interosculate
| [in-ter- os -kyuh-leyt]
to form a connecting link
to interpenetrate; inoculate
58
Dowie
| [ doh -ee]
Scot. and North England. dull; melancholy; dismal
59
Railbird
| [ reyl -burd]
any kibitzer or self-styled critic or expert
a horse-racing fan who watches races or workouts from the railing along the track
60
Alight
| [uh- lahyt ]
to settle or stay after descending
to dismount from a horse, descend from a vehicle, etc.
to encounter or notice something accidentally
61
Fiddlestick
| [fid-l-stik]
anything; a bit
62
Subrogate
| [ suhb -ruh-geyt]
to put into the place of another; substitute for another
Civil Law- to substitute (one person) for another with reference to a claim or right
63
Dalles
| [dalz]
the rapids of a river running between the walls of a canyon or gorge
64
Cabotage
| [ kab -uh-tij, kab-uh- tahzh]
navigation or trade along the coast
Aviation- the legal restriction to domestic carriers of air transport between points within a country's borders
65
Sodality
| [soh- dal -i-tee]
fellowship; comradeship
an association or society
Roman Catholic Church- a lay society for religious and charitable purposes
66
Indemnify
| [in- dem -nuh-fahy]
to compensate for damage or loss sustained, expense incurred, etc
to guard or secure against anticipated loss; give security against (future damage or liability)
67
Comminate
| [ kom -uh-neyt]
to threaten with divine punishment or vengeance
to curse; anathematize
68
Nonesuch
| [ nuhn -suhch]
a person or thing without equal; paragon
69
Mizzle
| [ miz -uh l]
(South Midland and Southern U.S.) to rain in fine drops; drizzle; mist
(South Midland and Southern U.S.) mist or drizzle
70
Brobdingnagian
| [brob-ding- nag -ee-uh n]
of huge size; gigantic; tremendous
an inhabitant of Brobdingnag
a being of tremendous size; giant
71
Winnow
| [ win -oh]
to separate or distinguish (valuable from worthless parts)
to free (grain) from the lighter particles of chaff, dirt, etc., especially by throwing it into the air and allowing the wind or a forced current of air to blow away impurities
to drive or blow (chaff, dirt, etc.) away by fanning
to blow upon; fan
to subject to some process of separating or distinguishing; analyze critically; sift: to winnow a mass of statements
to fan or stir (the air) as with the wings in flying
72
Succorance
| [ suhk -er-uh ns]
the act of seeking out affectionate care and social support
73
Tenebrific
| [ten-uh- brif -ik]
producing darkness
74
Epistolize
| [ih- pis -tl-ahyz]
to write a letter
75
Solipsistic
| [sol-ip- sis -tik]
of or characterized by solipsism, or the theory that only the self exists, or can be proved to exist
76
Peacock
| [ pee -kok]
to make a vainglorious display; strut like a peacock
the male of the peafowl distinguished by its long, erectile, greenish, iridescent tail coverts that are brilliantly marked with ocellated spots and that can be spread in a fan
any peafowl
a vain, self-conscious person
(initial capital letter) Astronomy. the constellation Pavo.
77
Commensal
| [kuh- men -suh l]
eating together at the same table
Ecology. (of an animal, plant, fungus, etc.) living with, on, or in another, without injury to either
Sociology. (of a person or group) not competing while residing in or occupying the same area as another individual or group having independent or different values or customs
a companion at table
Ecology. a commensal organism
78
Sternutation
| [stur-nyuh- tey -shuh n]
the act of sneezing
79
Skookum
| [ skoo -kuh m]
Northwest U.S., Canada. excellent; first-rate
Northwest U.S., Canada. large; powerful; impressive
80
Triskaidekaphobia
| [tris-kahy-dek-uh- foh -bee-uh]
fear or a phobia concerning the number 13
81
Pigsney
| [ pigz -nee]
Obsolete. a darling
Obsolete. an eye
82
Belie
| [bih- lahy ]
to show to be false; contradict: His trembling hands belied his calm voice
to misrepresent: The newspaper belied the facts
to act unworthily according to the standards of (a tradition, one's ancestry, one's faith, etc.)
Archaic. to lie about; slander
83
Polymathy
| [puh- lim -uh-thee]
learning in many fields; encyclopedic knowledge
84
Ballast
| [ bal -uh-st]
anything that gives mental, moral, or political stability or steadiness: the ballast of a steady income
Nautical. any heavy material carried temporarily or permanently in a vessel to provide desired draft and stability
Aeronautics. something heavy, as bags of sand, placed in the car of a balloon for control of altitude and, less often, of attitude, or placed in an aircraft to control the position of the center of gravity
gravel, broken stone, slag, etc., placed between and under the ties of a railroad to give stability, provide drainage, and distribute loads
Electricity. a. Also called ballast resistor. a device, often a resistor, that maintains the current in a circuit at a constant value by varying its resistance in order to counteract changes in voltage.
b. a device that maintains the current through a fluorescent or mercury lamp at the desired constant value, sometimes also providing the necessary starting voltage and current
to give steadiness to; keep steady: parental responsibilities that ballast a person
to furnish with ballast: to ballast a ship
85
Thaumaturge
| [ thaw -muh-turj]
a worker of wonders or miracles; magician
86
Effulgent
| [ih- fuhl -juh nt]
shining forth brilliantly; radiant
87
Doggo
| [ daw -goh]
Informal. in concealment; out of sight
88
Augur
| [ aw -ger]
to conjecture from signs or omens; predict
to be a sign; bode: The movement of troops augurs ill for the peace of the area
to divine or predict, as from omens; prognosticate
to serve as an omen or promise of; foreshadow; betoken: Mounting sales augur a profitable year
one of a group of ancient Roman officials charged with observing and interpreting omens for guidance in public affairs
soothsayer; prophet
89
Glitterati
| [glit-uh- rah -tee]
wealthy or famous people who conspicuously attend fashionable events
90
Brolly
| [ brol -ee]
an umbrella
91
Demassify
| [dee- mas -uh-fahy]
to break (something standardized or homogeneous) into elements that appeal to individual tastes or special interests: to demassify the magazine industry into special-interest periodicals
to cause (society or a social system) to become less uniform or centralized; diversify or decentralize: to demassify the federal government
92
Pickwickian
| [pik- wik -ee-uh n]
(of words or ideas) meant or understood in a sense different from the apparent or usual one
(of the use or interpretation of an expression) intentionally or unintentionally odd or unusual
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Mr. Pickwick, central character of The Pickwick Papers
93
Inutile
| [in- yoo-til]
of no use or service
94
Ad hockery
| [ad hok -uh-ree]
reliance on temporary solutions rather than on consistent, long-term plans
95
Butyraceous
| [byoo-tuh- rey -shus]
of the nature of, resembling, or containing butter
96
Emblem
| [ em -bluh m]
an object or its representation, symbolizing a quality, state, class of persons, etc.; symbol: The olive branch is an emblem of peace
a sign, design, or figure that identifies or represents something: the emblem of a school
an allegorical picture, often inscribed with a motto supplemental to the visual image with which it forms a single unit of meaning
Obsolete. an inlaid or tessellated ornament
to represent with an emblem
97
Switcheroo
| [swich-uh- roo ]
an unexpected or sudden change or reversal in attitude, character, position, action, etc
98
Variorum
| [vair-ee- awr -uh m]
containing different versions of the text by various editors: a variorum edition of Shakespeare
containing many notes and commentaries by a number of scholars or critics: a variorum text of Cicero
a variorum edition or text
99
Sastruga
| [ sas -truh-guh]
Usually, sastrugi. ridges of snow formed on a snowfield by the action of the wind
100
Eyesome
| [ ahy -suh m]
pleasant to look at
101
Circumvolve
| [sur-kuh m- volv ]
to revolve or wind about
102
Phillumenist
| [fi- loo -muh-nist]
a collector matchbooks and matchboxes
103
Chronometer
| [kruh- nom -i-ter]
a timepiece or timing device with a special mechanism for ensuring and adjusting its accuracy, for use in determining longitude at sea or for any purpose where very exact measurement of time is required
any timepiece, especially a wristwatch, designed for the highest accuracy
104
Formication
| [fawr-mi- key -shuh n]
a tactile hallucination involving the belief that something is crawling on the body or under the skin
105
Magniloquent
| [mag- nil -uh-kwuh nt]
Lofty or grandiose in speech or expression; using a high-flown style of discourse; bombastic
speaking or expressed in a lofty or grandiose style; pompous; bombastic; boastful
106
Momism
| [ mom -iz-uh m]
excessive adulation of the mother and undue dependence on maternal care or protection, resulting in absence or loss of maturity and independence
107
Spondulicks
| [spon- doo -liks]
older slang for money or cash
108
Intenerate
| [in- ten -uh-reyt]
to make soft or tender; soften
109
Dysphemism
| [ dis -fuh-miz-uh m]
the substitution of a harsh, disparaging, or unpleasant expression for a more neutral one
an expression so substituted
110
Knackered
| [ nak -erd]
British Slang exhausted; very tired: He is really knackered after work
111
Collywobbles
| [ kol -ee-wob-uh lz]
Informal. a feeling of fear, apprehension, or nervousness
Informal. intestinal cramps or other intestinal disturbances
112
Brogue
| [brohg]
an Irish accent in the pronunciation of English
any strong regional accent
113
Beamish
| [ bee -mish]
bright, cheerful, and optimistic
114
Amain
| [uh- meyn ]
Archaic. with full force
Archaic. at full speed
Archaic. suddenly; hastily
Archaic. exceedingly; greatly
115
Anthesis
| [an- thee -sis]
Botany. the period or act of expansion in flowers, especially the maturing of the stamens
116
Mal de mer
| [mal duh mer ]
French. seasickness
117
Gibber
| [ jib -er, gib -]
to speak inarticulately or meaninglessly
to speak foolishly; chatter
gibbering utterance
118
Nonevent
| [non-i- vent ]
an occurrence of only superficial interest or content; a dull or insignificant occasion
an event or situation that is anticipated but does not occur or occurs with much less than the expected impact, especially one that has been widely publicized; anticlimax
119
Furtherance
| [ fur -th er-uh ns]
the act of furthering; promotion; advancement
120
Dendrochronology
| [den-droh-kruh- nol -uh-jee]
the science dealing with the study of the annual rings of trees in determining the dates and chronological order of past events
121
Forsooth
| [fawr- sooth ]
Archaic. (now used in derision or to express disbelief) in truth; in fact; indeed
122
Cantillate
| [ kan -tl-eyt]
to chant; intone
123
Pepper-upper
| [ pep -er- uhp -er]
Informal. something, as a food, beverage, or pill, that provides a quick but temporary period of energy and alertness
Informal. something added to food to relieve blandness
Informal. an experience that increases enthusiasm or zeal, as a pep talk
124
Globular
| [ glob -yuh-ler]
Informal. something, as a food, beverage, or pill, that provides a quick but temporary period of energy and alertness
Informal. something added to food to relieve blandness
Informal. an experience that increases enthusiasm or zeal, as a pep talk
125
Funambulist
| [fyoo- nam -byuh-list]
a tightrope walker
126
Paramnesia
| [par-am- nee -zhuh]
Psychiatry. a distortion of memory in which fact and fantasyare confused
the inability to recall the correct meaning of a word
127
Malarkey
| [muh- lahr -kee]
Informal. speech or writing designed to obscure, mislead, or impress; bunkum: The claims were just a lot of malarkey.
128
Boodle
| [ bood -l]
the lot, pack, or crowd: Send the whole boodle back to the factory
a large quantity of something, especially money: He's worth a boodle
a bribe or other illicit payment, especially to or from a politician; graft
stolen goods; loot; booty; swag
to obtain money dishonestly, as by bribery or swindling
129
Fabular
| [ fab -yuh-ler]
of or pertaining to a story, novel, or the like written in the form of a fable
130
Oology
| [oh- ol -uh-jee]
the branch of ornithology that studies birds' eggs
131
Panoply
| [ pan -uh-plee]
a wide-ranging and impressive array or display: the dazzling panoply of the maharaja's procession; the panoply of European history
a complete suit of armour
a protective covering
full ceremonial attire or paraphernalia; special dress and equipment
132
Diddle
| [ did -l]
to cheat; swindle; hoax
133
Badinage
| [bad-n-ahzh ]
light, playful banter or raillery
to banter with or tease (someone) playfully
134
Caustic
| [ kaw -stik]
severely critical or sarcastic: a caustic remark
capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue
a caustic substance
Optics: a) caustic curve
b) caustic surface
135
Brume
| [broom]
fog, mist
136
Galenical
| [gey- len -I-kuh l]
an herb or other vegetable drug, distinguished from a mineral or chemical drug
a crude drug, tincture, or decoction, distinguished from a preparation that has been refined
137
Derring-do
| [ der -ing- doo ]
daring deeds; heroic daring
138
Polyglot
| [ pol -ee-glot]
containing, composed of, or written in several languages: a polyglot Bible
able to speak or write several languages; multilingual
a mixture or confusion of languages
a person who speaks, writes, or reads a number of languages
a book, especially a Bible, containing the same text in several languages.
139
Caseous
| [ key - see -uh s]
of or like cheese
140
Argot
| [ahr- go ]
a specialized idiomatic vocabulary peculiar to a particular class or group of people, especially that of an underworld group, devised for private communication and identification: a Restoration play rich in thieves' argot
the special vocabulary and idiom of a particular profession or social group: sociologists' argot
141
Asafetida
| [as-uh- fet -i-duh
a soft, brown, lumpy gum resin having a bitter, acrid taste and an obnoxious odor, obtained from the roots of several Near Eastern plants belonging to the genus Ferula, of the parsley family: formerly used in medicine as a carminative and antispasmodic
142
Brio
| [ bree -oh]
vigor, vivacity
143
Atticism
| [ at -uh-siz-uh m]
concise and elegant expression, diction, or the like
the style or idiom of Attic Greek occurring in another dialect or language
attachment to Athens or to the style, customs, etc., of the Athenians
144
Gauche
| [gohsh]
lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless: Their exquisite manners always make me feel gauche
145
Mirepoix
| [mir- pwah]
a flavoring made from diced vegetables, seasonings, herbs, and sometimes meat, often placed in a pan to cook with meat or fish
finely chopped vegetables, as onions and carrots, sometimes with meat, often used as a bed for meat that is to be braised
146
Bolide
| [ boh -lahyd]
a large, brilliant meteor, especially one that explodes; fireball
147
Sang-froid
| [sahn- frwa ]
coolness of mind; calmness; composure
148
Culturati
| [kuhl-chuh- rah -tee]
people deeply interested in cultural and artistic matters
149
Simulacrum
| [sim-yuh- ley -kruh m]
a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or substance
an effigy, image, or representation
150
Bafflegab
| [ baf -uh l- gab]
Slang. confusing or generally unintelligible jargon
151
Defenestrate
| [dee- fen -uh-streyt]
to throw (a person or thing) out of a window
152
Bafflegab
| [ baf -uh l- gab]
Slang. confusing or generally unintelligible jargon
153
Defenestrate
| [dee- fen -uh-streyt]
to throw (a person or thing) out of a window
