0524 Flashcards
ubiquitous
seeming to be everywhere – sometimes used humorously
Coffee shops are ubiquitous these days.
a French film, starring the ubiquitous Gérard Depardieu
hot rod
American English informal an old car that has been fitted with a powerful engine to make it go faster
gas guzzler
American English informal a car that uses a lot of petrol
Souped up
a souped-up car has been made more powerful
backseat driver
1 : a passenger in a car who gives usually unwanted driving advice to the driver.
2 : someone who gives unwanted advice or who tries to control something that is supposed to be controlled by another person
Several members of the board of directors have accused him of being a backseat driver.
scald
We will not blame you if your reach exceeds your grasp; if love so ignites your words they go down in flames and nothing is left but their scald.
v. to burn your skin with hot liquid or steam
Don’t scald yourself with that kettle!
n. a burn on your skin caused by hot liquid or steam
reticence
Or if, with the reticence of a surgeon’s hands, your words suture only the places where blood might flow.
reticent: unwilling to talk about what you feel or what you know SYN reserved
not excessive or extravagant
suture
a stitch that is used to sew a wound together
scariness
Language alone protects us from the scariness of things with no names.
scary-> n. scariness
galvanize
I envisioned my students galvanized, as I had been in eighth grade, by Martin Luther King, Jr.s’ “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” and mesmerized, as I had been in high school, by Malcolm X’s autobiography.
to shock or surprise someone so that they do something to solve a problem, improve a situation etc
galvanize somebody into (doing) something
The possibility of defeat finally galvanized us into action.
The report galvanized world opinion.
