1-50 Flashcards
(50 cards)
bide
to remain in a condition or state; to wait
Obeying a command to stay, Fido bided outside the store while his master went inside.
consent
to approve; to agree; to yield
Knowing that he had nothing to hide, Martin consented to a search of his car by the police.
volition
a conscious choice or decision
The U.S. Marshals were relieved when the 300-pound convict agreed to accompany them of his own volition.
nascent
coming into being; being born
The plan has been carefully thought out by now, but when it was a nascent idea, it had many problems.
amplify
to make larger
Certain types of soil can amplify the shaking of an earthquake, making buildings built on such soil particularly vulnerable to damage.
lurid
causing shock or horror; tastelessly vivid; glowing like fire through a haze
When critics complained the descriptions of violence were too lurid, the novelist responded that he was writing about war.
own
to admit, esp. taking personal responsibility for one’s own actions or thoughts
One of the things people seem to respect about Craig is his ability to own up to his mistakes.
collude
to plot secretly for a deceitful or illegal purpose
In 1991, the Ivy League schools were accused of colluding in financial-aid decisions.
tally
to count; to add
It takes an hour each day after closing for all the bank employees to tally their cash drawers.
disarray
confusion, disorder
The animals left the living room in a state of disarray with all my belongings strewn about the room.
tepid
moderately warm; lacking force or enthusiasm
The director decided to spice up his next film after a tepid response to the last one.
conjecture
an inference or conclusion based on incomplete evidence
Her conjecture that she would get a new car for her birthday was wrong.
pious
exhibiting reverence and religious observation
His insistence that he do no work on the Sabbath springs from a lazy impulse, not a pious one.
abet
to encourage, assist, or support, usually in wrongdoing
You became just as guilty when you chose to abet the thieves by providing the key.
interloper
one who interferes with the affairs of others; a meddler
Elizabeth was offended by the interloper who disrupted her plans.
subsequent
happening afterward; following in order
As subsequent events proved, the campaign promise was false.
surmise
to infer something by intuition or with slender evidence
With only a guilty grin to go on, she could surmise he hadn’t done his homework.
jot
to write briefly and hastily; a very small amount
He didn’t jot down her number before he forgot it.
discern
to perceive and understand so as to make distinctions
Audiences must discern quality shows from inferior ones.
blight
a plant disease; something that impairs growth
Dutch elm disease is a blight that can ruin longstanding forests.
voluble
talkative
Even the shyest worker will become voluble when discussing a raise.
divine
related to a god; supremely good or beautiful
Francis sought divine guidance through meditation.
premonition
a sense of a future event; a warning in advance
Umberto had a premonition of dying in a crash.
proverbial
well-known because widely repeated
It’s easier for the proverbial camel to pass through the needle’s eye.
