11-12 Flashcards
(20 cards)
What does ‘magnanimous’ mean?
Noble in mind; high-souled; generous in overlooking injury or insult; rising above pettiness or meanness.
Churchill emphasized that we should be firm in war, defiant in defeat, and magnanimous in victory.
What is a ‘misanthrope’?
A person who hates or mistrusts all people.
Because of his hateful stares and habitual silence, the man had the reputation of being a misanthrope.
Define ‘parsimonious’.
Unreasonably cheap or stingy.
He had become so accustomed to a parsimonious way of living that he denied himself even the simplest comforts.
What does ‘pundit’ refer to?
A person who has or professes to have great learning; actual or self-professed authority.
During the week of the Super Bowl, many so-called pundits are always telling you in advance which team will win the game.
What does ‘officious’ mean?
Offering unnecessary or unwanted advice or services; meddlesome, especially in an overbearing way.
To disguise the fact that he was performing no useful function, he developed an officious manner of intruding into everyone else’s work.
Define ‘intrepid’.
Bold; fearless; dauntless; very brave.
All honors should go to the intrepid and highly trained men who are exploring outer space.
What does ‘lugubrious’ mean?
Very sad or mournful, especially in a way that seems exaggerated or ridiculous.
His lugubrious expression was intended to suggest that he, more than anyone else, understood the sadness of the occasion.
What is ‘esoteric’?
Intended for or understood by only a chosen few; beyond the knowledge and understanding of most people.
The lecture was too esoteric to be appreciated by most people in the audience.
Define ‘imperious’.
Arrogant; haughty; seeking to dominate; overbearing.
He is so inflated with the sense of his own importance that he adopts an imperious manner toward his subordinates.
What does ‘poignant’ mean?
Distressing to the feelings; touching; appealing to the emotions; affecting.
Who can remain unmoved by the poignant scene in which Sidney Carton sacrifices his life for the woman he loves.
What does ‘repugnant’ mean?
Distasteful; offensive; repulsive.
I find his horrible manners utterly repugnant.
Define ‘tacit’.
Implied but not expressed.
Since mother raised no objection to my idea, I assumed that I had her tacit consent to go ahead with the plan.
What does ‘vicarious’ mean?
Involving sympathetic participation by a person in the experiences of another; experienced or endured or enjoyed through imaginative participation in the experiences of another.
Having been too frail to participate in competitive sports, he took vicarious pleasure in his younger brother’s football heroics.
Define ‘prevaricate’.
To evade or conceal the truth; to deviate from the truth; to lie.
Although you may be tempted to prevaricate, in the long run it will be better off if you own up to what you did.
What does ‘supercilious’ mean?
Contemptuously proud; haughty; disdainful.
In spite of his supercilious attitude, I refuse to concede that he is our social superior.
Define ‘enervate’.
To weaken; to deprive of force.
The long stretch of hot, humid weather enervated all of us.
What is a ‘plethora’?
An excess; an overabundance.
The boy has a plethora of energy and inventiveness, which he sometimes directs into mischief.
Define ‘prototype’.
An original that serves as a model on which later stages are based or judged; an early and typical example.
Salinger’s brilliant Catcher in the Rye has served as the prototype for many novels about confused teenagers.
What does ‘askew’ mean?
To one side; crookedly.
In my efforts to straighten the picture, I knocked the lampshade askew.
Define ‘abrogate’.
To cancel or repeal by authority; to annul.
Since the treaty had proved unworkable, the two nations decided to abrogate it.
