Writing Tools By Roy, Peter Clark Flashcards
Decrepit
Elderly and infirm
Pun
Make a joke, exploiting different meanings of words
Cadaver
Corpse
Bemoan
Express discontent
Intractable
Hard to control or deal with
Wry
adjective
1.
using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor.
“a wry smile”
Similar:
ironic
sardonic
satirical
mocking
scoffing
sneering
derisive
scornful
sarcastic
double-edged
dry
droll
witty
humorous
sarky
2.
(of a person’s face or features) twisted into an expression of disgust, disappointment, or annoyance
Cliffhanger
noun
an ending to an episode of a serial drama that leaves the audience in suspense.
“it will take more than outrageous cliffhangers to win the ratings wars”
a story or event with a strong element of suspense.
“the game was a cliffhanger right up to the final buzzer”
Gazillion
numberINFORMAL
a very large number or quantity (used for emphasis).
“I’d like to sell gazillions of books”
Squish
verb
make a soft squelching sound when walked on or in.
“the mud squished under my shoes”
noun
a soft squelching sound.
“the squish of wet sand between the toes”
Swish
verb
1.
move with a hissing or rushing sound.
“a car swished by”
2.
BASKETBALL
sink (a shot) without the ball touching the backboard or rim.
noun
1.
a hissing or rustling sound.
“he could hear the swish of a distant car”
2.
INFORMAL•BASKETBALL
a shot that goes through the basket without touching the backboard or rim.
adjectiveINFORMAL
1.
BRITISH
impressively smart and fashionable.
“dinner at a swish hotel”
Visceral
adjective
relating to the viscera.
“the visceral nervous system”
relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect.
“the voters’ visceral fear of change”
Anecdote
noun
a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.
“told anecdotes about his job”
Synonymes :
story
tale
narrative
sketch
urban myth
urban legend
reminiscence
yarn
shaggy-dog story
an account regarded as unreliable or hearsay.
“his wife’s death has long been the subject of rumor and anecdote”
the depiction of a minor narrative incident in a painting.
“the use of inversions of hierarchy, anecdote, and paradox by Magritte, Dali, and others”
Vignette
noun
1.
a brief evocative description, account, or episode.
“a classic vignette of embassy life”
2.
a small illustration or portrait photograph which fades into its background without a definite border.
verb
portray (someone) in the style of a vignette.
Brooding
adjective
showing deep unhappiness of thought.
“he stared with brooding eyes”
appearing darkly menacing.
“a dark, brooding landscape”
Elude
verb
evade or escape from (a danger, enemy, or pursuer), typically in a skillful or cunning way.
“he managed to elude his pursuers by escaping into an alley”
Synonymes :
evade
avoid
get away from
dodge
flee
escape (from)
run (away) from
lose
duck
shake off
give the slip to
slip away from
throw off the scent
slip through someone’s fingers
slip through the net
circumvent
bilk
Antonymes :
be caught by
(of an idea or fact) fail to be grasped or remembered by (someone).
“the logic of this eluded most people”
(of an achievement, or something desired or pursued) fail to be attained by (someone).
“sleep still eluded her”
Unquiet
adjective
not inclined to be quiet or inactive; restless.
“she prowled at night like an unquiet spirit”
uneasy; anxious.
“her unquiet desperation”
Dilatory
adjective
slow to act.
“he had been dilatory in appointing a solicitor”
Synonymes :
slow
unhurried
tardy
unpunctual
lax
slack
sluggish
sluggardly
snail-like
tortoise-like
lazy
idle
indolent
slothful
lollygagging
Antonymes :
fast
prompt
intended to cause delay.
“they resorted to dilatory procedural tactics, forcing a postponement of peace talks”
Purge
rid (someone or something) of an unwanted quality, condition, or feeling.
“Bob had helpedpurgeMarthaofthe terrible guilt that had haunted her”
2.
remove (a group of people consideredundesirable) from an organization or place in anabruptor violent way.
“he purged all but 26 of the central committee members”
Similar:
remove
get rid of
clear out
sweep out
expel
eject
exclude
evict
dismiss
sack
oust
axe
depose
eradicate
root out
weed out
scour
defenestrate
noun
1.
anabruptor violent removal of a group of people.
“many of us live in fear of a purge”
Similar:
removal
expulsion
ejection
exclusion
eviction
clearance
clear-out
discharge
dismissal
sacking
ousting
deposition
eradication
rooting out
weeding out
defenestration
deposal
2.
DATED
alaxative.
“in this plant was a milky substance which was a drastic purge”
Plodder
noun
a person who walksdoggedlyand slowly with heavy steps.
“I am more of a plodder than a hiker”
a person who works in a slow andperseveringbutuninspiredmanner.
“he’s a cautious plodder”
Daybook
Day books are simple journals that are used to record daily events as they occur. Books of this type provide a daily written document that normally includes details such as the date, time of day, and the basic data regarding the event. They can be helpful in a number of business situations, including the creation of a chronological listing of transactions that are later recorded in accounting records.
Cinch
noun
1.
INFORMAL
an extremely easy task.
“the program was a cinch to use”
Similar:
easy
uncomplicated
not difficult
undemanding
unexacting
unchallenging
effortless
painless
trouble-free
facile
simple
straightforward
elementary
idiot-proof
plain sailing
a walkover
a gift
nothing
easy-peasy
easy as pie
as easy as falling off a log
as easy as ABC
a piece of cake
a cakewalk
child’s play
kids’ stuff
no sweat
a picnic
a doddle
a doss
a breeze
a pushover
a sitter
a five-finger exercise
a walk in the park
money for old rope
money for jam
duck soup
a snap
easy-breezy
a bludge
a snack
a piece of old tackle
a snip
View 1 vulgar slang word
Opposite:
challenge
2.
NORTH AMERICAN
agirthfor a Western saddle or pack.
“they watered the horses and loosed the cinches”
verb
NORTH AMERICAN
1.
secure (a garment) with a belt.
“my cut-offs are cinched by a belt”
2.
INFORMAL
make certain of.
“his advice cinched her decision to accept the offer”
Culminate
verb
reach a climax or point of highest development.
“the tensions and disorders which culminated in World War II”
Similar:
come to a climax
come to a crescendo
come to a head
reach a finale
peak
climax
reach a pinnacle
build up to
lead up to
come to an end with
end with
finish with
conclude with
close with
terminate with
wind up
Opposite:
start
begin
peter out
be the climax or point of highest development of.
“her book culminated a research project on the symmetry studies of Escher”
ASTRONOMY•ASTROLOGY
(of a celestial body) reach the highest point at the meridian.
Rivulet
A very small stream or flow
Ailing
In poor health
Impetus
noun
the force or energy with which a body moves.
“hit the booster coil before the flywheel loses all its impetus”
Similar:
momentum
propulsion
impulsion
impelling force
motive force
driving force
drive
thrust
continuing motion
energy
force
power
push
steam
strength
the force that makes something happen or happen more quickly.
plural noun: impetuses
“the crisis of the 1860s provided the original impetus for the settlements”
Almanac
noun
an annual calendar containing important dates and statistical information such as astronomical data and tide tables.
“the almanac says there will be above normal rainfall in the first half of the winter in California”
Similar:
yearbook
calendar
register
annual
manual
handbook
compendium
annal(s)
archive(s)
chronicle(s)
a handbook, typically published annually, containing
Abhor
verb
regard with disgust and hatred.
“professional tax preparers abhor a flat tax because it would dry up their business”
Mimeograph
a duplicating machine which produces copies from a stencil, now superseded by the photocopier.
verb
make a copy of (a document) with a mimeograph.
“a mimeographed letter”
Convene
verb
come or bring together for a meeting or activity; assemble.
Chime in with (idiom)
chime in with
idiom
1
: to add (one’s comment or opinion) to a conversation or discussion that one has been listening to
He kept chiming in with his opinions.
2
: to be in agreement or harmony with
Solemnity
noun
the state or quality of being serious and dignified.
“his ashes were laid to rest with great solemnity”
Similar:
dignity
ceremony
stateliness
courtliness
majesty
impressiveness
portentousness
splendor
magnificence
grandeur
importance
augustness
formality
solemnness
seriousness
earnestness
gravity
sobriety
somberness
sternness
grimness
dourness
humorlessness
glumness
gloominess
moodiness
thoughtfulness
preoccupation
pensiveness
meditativeness
staidness
sedateness
studiousness
bookishness
owlishness
a formal, dignified rite or ceremony.
plural noun: solemnities
“the ritual of the Church was observed in all its solemnities”
Levity
noun
humor or frivolity, especially the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect.
“as an attempt to introduce a note of levity, the words were a disastrous flop”
Donnybrook
nounNORTH AMERICAN•AUSTRALIAN
a scene of uproar and disorder; a heated argument.
“raucous ideological donnybrooks”
Lure
verb
tempt (a person or animal) to do something or to go somewhere, especially by offering some form of reward.
“the child was lured into a car but managed to escape”
Similar:
tempt
entice
attract
induce
coax
persuade
inveigle
allure
seduce
win over
cajole
beguile
bewitch
ensnare
captivate
enrapture
decoy
draw
lead (on)
whet someone’s appetite
Opposite:
deter
put off
noun
something that tempts or is used to tempt a person or animal to do something.
“the film industry always has been a glamorous lure for young girls”
Plight
noun
a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation.
“we must direct our efforts toward relieving the plight of children living in poverty”
Deflect
verb
cause (something) to change direction by interposing something; turn aside from a straight course.
“the bullet was deflected harmlessly into the ceiling”
Similar:
turn aside/away
divert
avert
sidetrack
distract
draw away
block
parry
stop
fend off
stave off
(of an object) change direction after hitting something.
“the ball deflected off his body”
Similar:
bounce
glance
ricochet
turn aside/away
turn
alter course
change course/direction
diverge
deviate
veer
swerve
slew
drift
bend
swing
twist
curve
cause (someone) to deviate from an intended purpose.
“she refused to be deflected from anything she had set her mind on”
Coalesce
verb
come together to form one mass or whole.
“the puddles had coalesced into shallow streams”
Similar:
unite
join together
combine
merge
fuse
mingle
meld
blend
intermingle
knit (together)
amalgamate
consolidate
integrate
affiliate
link up
homogenize
synthesize
converge
commingle
commix
combine (elements) in a mass or whole.
“to help coalesce the community, they established an office”
