3/11 Flashcards
(45 cards)
Oust
V.
Expel; drive out.
The world wondered if Aquino would be able to oust Marcos from office.
Outlandish
Adj.
Bizarre; peculiar; unconventional.
The eccentric professor who engages it markedly outlandish behavior is a stock figure in novels with an academic setting.
Outmoded
Adj.
No longer stylish; old fashioned.
Unconcerned about keeping in style, Lenore was perfectly happy to wear outmoded clothes as long as they were clean and unfrayed
Outskirts
N.
Fringes; outer boarders.
We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of a great city.
Outstrip
V.
Surpass; outdo.
Jesse Owens easily outstripped his white competitors to win the gold medal at the Olympic Games.
Overbearing
Adj.
Bossy and arrogant; decisively important.
Certain of her own importance, and of the unimportance of everyone else, Lady Bracknell was intolerably overbearing in her manner.
Overt
Adj.
Open to view.
According to the United States Constitution, a person must commit an overt act before he may be tried for treason
Overwrought
Adj.
Extremely agitated; hysterical.
When Kate heard the news of the sudden tragedy, she became too overwrought to work and had to leave the office early.
Pacifist
N.
One opposed to force; antimilitarist.
During the war, though the pacifists refused to bear arms, they nevertheless served in the front lines as ambulance drivers and medical corpsmen.
Palatable
Adj.
Agreeable; pleasing to the taste.
Neither Jack’s underbaked opinions nor his overcooked casseroles were palatable to Jill.
Palette
N.
Flat surface on which painter mixes pigments; range of colors commonly used by a particular artist.
The artist’s apprentices had the messy job of cleaning his brushes and palette.
Pacify
V.
Soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue.
Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to pacify them.
Pact.
N.
Agreement; treaty.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee made a pact not to quarrel anymore.
Paean
N.
Song of praise or joy.
Paeans celebrating the victory filled the air.
Painstaking
Adj.
Showing hard work; taking great care.
The new high-frequency word list is the result of painstaking efforts on the part of our research staff.
Pall
V.
Grow tiresome.
The study of word lists can eventually pall and put one to sleep.
Palliate.
V.
Lessen the violence of (a disease); alleviate; moderate intensity; gloss over with excuses.
Not content merely to palliate the patient’s sores and cankers, the researcher sought a means of wiping out the disease.
Pallid
Adj.
Tangible; easily perceptible; unmistakable.
The patient’s enlarged spleen was palpable; even the first year medical student could feel it.
Palpitate
V.
Throb; flutter.
As he became excited, his heart began to palpitate more and more erratically.
Paltry
Adj.
Insignificant; petty; trifling.
One hundred dollars for a genuine imitation Rolex watch! Lady, this is a paltry sum to pay for such a high-class piece of jewelry.
Pan
V.
Criticize harshly.
Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was miserable when the critics panned it unanimously.
Panacea
N.
Cure-all; remedy for all diseases.
The rich youth cynically declared that the panacea for all speeding tickets was a big enough bribe.
Panache
N.
Flair; flamboyance.
Many performers imitate Noel Coward, but few have his panache and sense of style.
Pandemic
Adj.
Widespread; affecting the majority of people.
They feared the AIDS epidemic would soon reach pandemic proportions.
