SAT - T's Flashcards
Taciturn
Adj. habitually silent; talking little.
The stereotypical cowboy is a taciturn soul, answering lengthy questions with “Yep” or “Nope.”
Tantamount
Adj. equivalent in effect or value.
Because so few Southern blacks could afford to pay the poll tax, the imposition of this tax on prospective voters are tantamount to disenfranchisement for black voters.
Temper
V. moderate; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel).
Not even her supervisor’s grumpiness could temper Nancy’s enthusiasm for her new job.
Tenacity
N. firmness; persistence.
Jean Valjean could not believe the tenacity of Inspector Javert. Here all Valjean had done was to steal of bread, and the inspector had pursued him doggedly for twenty years.
Tentative
Adj. hesitant; not fully worked out or developed; experimental; not definite or positive.
Unsure of his welcome at the Christmas party, Scrooge took a tentative step into his nephew’s drawing room.
Terrestrial
Adj. earthly (as opposed to celestial); pertaining to the land.
In many science fiction films, alien invaders from outer space plan to destroy all terrestrial life.
Terse
Adj. concise; abrupt; pithy.
There is a fine line between speech that is terse and to the point and speech that is too abrupt.
Threadbare
Adj. worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor.
The poor adjunct professor hid the threadbare spots on his jacket by sewing leather patches on his sleeves.
Thrive
V. prosper; flourish.
Despite the impact of the recession on the restaurant trade, Phillip’s cafe thrived.
Tirade
N. extended scolding; denunciation; harangue.
The cigar smoker went into the a bitter tirade, denouncing the anti-smoking forces that he had succeeded in banning smoking from most planes and restaurants.
Torpor
N. lethargy; sluggishnessl dormancy.
Throughout the winter; nothing aroused the bear from his torpor; he could not emerge from hibernation until spring.
Torpid; Adj.
Tranquility
N. calmness; peace.
After the commotion and excitement of the city, I appreciate the tranquility of these fields and forests.
Transient
Adj. momentary; temporary; staying for a short time.
Lexy’s joy at finding the perfect Christmas gift for Phil was transient; she still had to find presents for the cousins and Uncle Bob.
Trepidation
N. fear; nervous apprehension.
As she entered the office of the dean of admissions, Sharon felt some trepidation about how she would do in her interview.
Trifling
Adj. trivial; unimportant.
Why bother going to see a doctor for such a trifling, everyday cold?
