331 Flashcards
(331 cards)
1
Q
Abase
A
Degrade or humble; to lower in rank, status, or esteem
2
Q
Abate
A
Reduce, diminish
3
Q
abdicate
A
Formally give up the throne (or some other
power or responsibility
4
Q
aberrant
A
Abnormal, deviant
5
Q
abeyance
A
Temporary suspension, inactivity
6
Q
abhor
A
Detest, regard with disgust
7
Q
abjure
A
Give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or shun (especially formally or under oath)
8
Q
abrasive
A
Rough, suitable for grinding or polishing (such as sandpaper); causing irritation or annoyance
9
Q
abreast
A
Side-by-side. The more common “abreast of” means keeping up with, staying aware of, or remaining equal in progress with.
10
Q
abridge
A
Reduce or lessen; shorten by omitting parts throughout while retaining the main idea
11
Q
abscission
A
Cutting off; sudden termination; the separation of leaves, petals, or other parts from a plant or animal
12
Q
abscond
A
Depart suddenly and secretively
13
Q
abstain
A
Hold back, refrain (especially from something bad or unhealthy); decline to vote
14
Q
abyss
A
A deep and vast space or cavity; anything profound or infinite
15
Q
accede
A
Agree, give consent; assume power (usually as “accede to”)
16
Q
accretion
A
Gradual increase; an added part or addition
17
Q
acerbic
A
Sour; harsh or severe
18
Q
acidulous
A
Slightly acid or sour; sharp or caustic
19
Q
acme
A
Summit, peak, highest point
20
Q
activism
A
The practice of pursuing political or other goals through vigorous action, often including protests and demonstrations
21
Q
acumen
A
Keen, quick, accurate insight or judgment
22
Q
adhere
A
Stick (to), such as with glue, or to a plan or belief
23
Q
admonish
A
Mildly scold; caution, advise, or remind to do something
24
Q
adulterate
A
Make impure by adding inappropriate or inferior ingredients
25
adumbrate
Give a rough outline of; foreshadow; reveal only partially; obscure
26
adverse
Opposing, harmful
27
advocate
Speak or argue in favor of (verb); a person who pleads for a cause or on behalf of another person (noun)
28
aerie
Dwelling or fortress built on a high place; the nest of a bird of prey, such as an eagle or hawk, built on a mountain or cliff
29
aesthetic
Concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste, pertaining to the science of what is beautiful (adj); a sense of beauty and taste of a
particular time and place (noun)
30
affable
Warm and friendly, pleasant, approachable
31
affectation
Fake behavior (such as in speech or dress) adopted to give a certain impression
32
aggrandize
Make greater; exaggerate
33
aggregate
Gather together, amount to (verb);
constituting a whole made up of constituent parts (adj)
34
alacrity
Cheerful or speedy willingness
35
albeit
Although, even though
36
alienate
Cause to become unfriendly, hostile, or distant
37
alleviate
Lessen, make easier to endure
38
aloof
Distant physically or emotionally; reserved; indifferent
39
amalgamate
Blend, merge, or unite
40
ambiguous
Not clear, hard to understand, open to having several meanings or interpretations
41
ambivalent
Uncertain; unable to decide, or wanting to do two contradictory things at once
42
ameliorate
Improve; make better or more bearable
43
amortize
Gradually pay off a debt, or gradually write off an asset
44
anachronism
Something that is not in its correct historical time; a mistake in chronology, such as by assigning a person or event to the wrong time period
45
analgesia
Pain relief; inability to feel pain
46
analogous
Comparable, corresponding in some
particular way (making a good analogy)
47
anarchy
Absence of law or government; chaos,
disorder
48
annul
Make void or null, cancel, abolish (usually of laws or other established rules)
49
anodyne
Medicine that relieves pain (noun); soothing, relieving pain (adj)
50
anoint
Rub or sprinkle oil on; make sacred, such as by a ceremony that includes applying oil to someone
51
anomaly
Deviation from what is common;
inconsistency
52
antagonize
Make hostile or unfriendly
53
antedate
Be older than, precede in time; assign to an earlier date
54
antithetical
Directly opposed, opposite; involving
antithesis (the rhetorical act of placing two phrases opposite one another for contrast, as in love me or hate me)
55
apathy
Not caring; absence of feeling; lack of interest or concern
56
apocryphal
Of questionable authenticity; false
57
apostate
Person who deserts a party, cause, religion, etc.
58
apposite
Highly appropriate, suitable, or relevant
59
apprise
Inform, give notice to
60
apostle
Pioneer of a reform movement (originally, an
early follower of Jesus)
61
approbation
Praise or approval, especially formal approval
62
appropriate
Set aside or authorize (such as money) for a particular purpose; take for one's own use
63
arbiter
Judge, umpire, person empowered to decide matters at hand
64
arcane
Known or understood by only a few; obscure, secret
65
archaic
Characteristic of an earlier period, ancient, primitive
66
ardent
Very passionate, devoted, or enthusiastic
67
arduous
Very difficult, strenuous; severe, hard to endure
68
arrogate
Claim or take presumptuously or without the right to do so
69
articulate
Using language in a clear, fluent way (adj); speak distinctly or give clarity to an idea (verb)
70
artifact
Any object made by humans, especially those from an earlier time, such as those excavated by archaeologists
71
artless
Free of deceit or craftiness, natural, genuine; lacking skill or knowledge, crude, uncultured
72
ascertain
Find out with certainty
73
ascetic
abstinent or austere in lifestyle (adj); a person who leads an austere and simple life without material pleasures, esp. someone who does this for religious reasons
74
ascribe
Assign or credit to a certain cause or source
75
aseptic
Free from germs
76
asperity
Rigor, severity; harshness or sharpness of tone; roughness of surface
77
aspersions
Damaging remarks, defamation, slander
78
assail
Attack violently, assault
79
assiduous
Persevering, diligent, constant
80
assuage
Make milder, relieve; soothe, pacify, or calm
81
attenuate
Weaken or thin out
82
attuned
In harmony; in sympathetic relationship
83
audacious
Very bold or brave, often in a rude or reckless way; extremely original
84
augment
Make larger
85
augury
Telling the future, such as through
supernatural means
86
august
Venerable, majestic; inspiring admiration
87
austere
Severe in manner or appearance; very selfdisciplined, ascetic; without luxury or ease; sober or serious
88
autonomous
Self-governing, independent
89
avarice
Insatiable greed; a miserly desire to hoard wealth
90
aver
Declare or affirm with confidence
91
avid
Enthusiastic, dedicated, passionate;
excessively desirous
92
axiom
Self-evident truth requiring no proof;
universally or generally accepted principle
93
balk
Refuse to proceed or to do something
94
balloon
Swell or puff out; increase rapidly
95
bane
Something that ruins or spoils
96
banal
Lacking freshness and originality; cliché
97
base
Morally low, mean, dishonorable; of little or
no value; crude and unrefined; counterfeit
98
baying
Howling in a deep way, like a dog or wolf
99
belie
Contradict or misrepresent
100
beneficent
Doing good
101
benign
Harmless; favorable; kindly, gentle, or
beneficial; not cancerous
102
bent
Personal inclination or tendency
103
besiege
Attack, overwhelm, crowd in on or surround
104
bevy
Group of birds or other animals that stay close together; any large group
105
bifurcate
To fork into two branches or divide into two halves
106
bilk
Cheat or defraud
107
blight
Disease that kills plants rapidly, or any cause of decay or destruction (noun); ruin or cause to wither (verb)
108
blithe
Joyous, merry; excessively carefree (so as to ignore more important concerns)
109
bogus
Fake, fraudulent
110
bolster
Strengthen or support
111
bombastic
(Of speech or writing) far too showy or dramatic than is appropriate; pretentious
112
bonhomie
Friendliness, open and simple good heartedness
113
boor
Rude, ill-mannered, or insensitive person; a peasant or country bumpkin
114
brandish
Shake, wave, or flourish, as a weapon
115
brook
Suffer or tolerate
116
bucolic
Pertaining to shepherds; suggesting a peaceful and pleasant view of rural life
117
buffer
Something that shields, protects, absorbs shock, or cushions
118
bureaucracy
Government characterized by many bureaus and petty administrators or by excessive, seemingly meaningless requirements
119
burgeon
Grow or flourish rapidly; put forth buds or shoots (of a plant)
120
burnish
Polish, make smooth and lustrous
121
buttress
Support or encourage (verb); a support or
prop, esp. projecting from and supporting the wall of a building (noun)
122
bygone
Past, former (adj); that which is in the past (usually plural noun)
123
cacophony
Harsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture of sounds
124
calumny
Malicious lie intended to hurt someone's reputation; the act of telling such lies
125
canard
Rumor, a false or baseless story
126
candid
Open, sincere, honest
127
canonical
Authorized, recognized; pertaining to the canon, or body of accepted rules, standards or artistic works
128
capricious
Acting on impulse, erratic
129
cardinal
Chief, most important
130
cartography
Mapmaking
131
castigate
Criticize severely; punish in order to correct
132
catalyst
Causer of change
133
catholic
Universal, broad-minded
134
caustic
Capable of corroding metal or burning the skin; very critical or sarcastic
135
censure
Strong disapproval or official reprimand (noun); to issue such disapproval or reprimand (verb)
136
chauvinism
Fanatical patriotism or blind enthusiasm for military glory; undue or biased devotion to any group, cause, etc.
137
chicanery
Trickery, deception by knowingly false arguments
138
chronological
Arranged in or relating to time order
139
circumscribe
Strictly limit a role, range of activity, or area; in math, to be constructed around so as to touch as many points as possible
140
circumspect
Cautious, prudent; careful to consider the circumstances and consequences
141
clamber
Climb awkwardly or with difficulty,
scramble
142
clamor
Noisy uproar or protest, as from a crowd; a loud, continuous noise
143
clinch
Make final or settle conclusively; to fasten or hold together
144
cloying
Disgustingly or distastefully sweet
145
coagulate
Cause a liquid to become solid or semisolid
146
coalesce
Come together, unite; fuse together
147
coda
Final part of a musical composition; an ending, esp. one that sums up what has come before
148
coffer
Chest for storing valuables; financial resources, a treasury
149
cogent
Very convincing, logical
150
collude
Conspire; cooperate for illegal or fraudulent purposes
151
commensurate
The same in size, extent, etc., equivalent; proportional
152
compendium
Concise but complete summary; a list or collection
153
complacent
Self-satisfied, smug; overly content (and therefore lazy, neglectful, or some other bad quality)
154
complaisant
Eager to please; cheerfully complying
155
complementary
Completing; fitting together well; filling mutual needs
156
compliant
Obeying, submissive; following the requirements
157
concede
Give in, admit, yield; acknowledge reluctantly; grant or give up (such as giving up land after losing a war)
158
conciliatory
Reconciling, appeasing, attempting to make the peace
159
concur
Approve, agree
160
condone
Overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless
161
confer
Consult, compare views; bestow or give
162
confound
Confuse, frustrate; mix up or make worse
163
connoisseur
Expert, especially in the fine arts; person of educated, refined tastes
164
connote
Suggest or imply in addition to the precise, literal meaning
165
console
Lessen the suffering or grief of (verb); a control panel, or small table or cabinet (noun)
166
consolidate
Unite, combine, solidify, make coherent
167
constrict
Squeeze, compress; restrict the freedom of
168
construe
Interpret or translate
169
contentious
Controversial; prone to causing arguments, especially gratuitous or petty ones
170
contextualize
Place in context, such as by giving the background or circumstances
171
contraries
Things that are opposing; either of two opposite things
172
contrite
Remorseful; feeling sorry for one's offenses or sins
173
contumacious
Rebellious; stubbornly disobedient
174
conundrum
Riddle, the answer to which involves a play on words; any mystery
175
converge
Move towards one another or towards a point; unite
176
conversant
Knowledgeable about or experienced with
177
conversely
In an opposite way; on the other hand
178
convoke
Call together, as to a meeting
179
convoluted
Twisted; very complicated
180
copious
Plentiful, bountful
181
corroborate
Support, add evidence to
182
cosmopolitan
Belonging to the entire world, at home globally; free from local or national prejudices or attachments
183
cosset
Treat as a pet, pamper
184
coterie
Close or exclusive group, clique
185
countenance
Facial expression or face (noun); approve or tolerate (verb)
186
counterintuitive
Against what one would intuitively expect
187
counterpoint
Contrasting item, opposite; a complement; the use of contrast or interplay in a work of art
188
counterproductive
Defeating the purpose; preventing the intended goal
189
covert
Secret, veiled, undercover
190
crafty
Cunning, skillful in deception or
underhanded schemes
191
craven
Very cowardly, lacking courage
192
credibility
Believability, trustworthiness
193
credulous
Gullible; prone to believing or trusting too easily or without enough evidence
194
crescendo
Steady increase in force, intensity, or the loudness of a musical passage; a climactic moment or peak
195
culminate
Reach the highest point or final stage
196
cupidity
Greed, great or excessive desire
197
curmudgeon
Bad-tempered, difficult person; grouch
198
cynical
Thinking the worst of others' motivations; bitterly pessimistic
199
daunt
Discourage, dishearten, lessen the courage of
200
debase
Degrade; lower in quality, value, rank, etc.; lower in moral quality
201
debunk
Expose, ridicule, or disprove false or exaggerated claims
202
declaim
Speak in an impassioned, pompous, or oratorical manner; give a formal speech
203
declivity
Downward slope
204
decorous
Behaving with propriety and good taste; polite
205
deem
Judge; consider
206
deface
Vandalize, mar the appearance of
207
default
Failure to act, neglect (noun); fail to fulfill an obligation, especially a financial one (verb)
208
deference
Respectful submission; yielding to the authority or opinion of another
209
deflect
Cause to curve; turn aside, esp. from a straight course; avoid
210
deleterious
Harmful, unhealthful
211
delimit
Fix, mark, or define the boundaries of
212
delineate
Mark the outline of; sketch; describe in detail
213
demagogue
A leader who lies and gains power by arousing the passions and especially prejudices of the people
214
demur
Show reluctance or object, especially for moral reasons
215
denigrate
Belittle, attack the reputation of
216
denote
Be a name or symbol for
217
deride
Mock, scoff at, laugh at contemptuously
218
derivative
Derived from something else; not original
219
desiccate
Thoroughly dried up, dehydrated
220
desultory
Lacking consistency or order, disconnected, sporadic; going off topic
221
detached
Impartial, disinterested; unconcerned,
distant, aloof
222
deterrent
Something that restrains or discourages
223
diaphanous
Very sheer, fine, translucent
224
diatribe
Bitter, abusive attack or criticism; rant
225
dichotomy
Division into two parts or into two contradictory groups
226
dictum
Formal or authoritative pronouncement; saying or proverb
227
didactic
Intended to instruct; teaching, or teaching a moral lesson
228
diffident
Lacking confidence, shy
229
diffuse
Spread widely, disseminate (verb); dispersed, widely spread out, or wordy and going offtopic (adj)
230
digress
Go off-topic when speaking or writing
231
dilate
To become wider or make wider, cause to expand; to speak or write at length, elaborate upon
232
dilatory
Slow, late; procrastinating or stalling for time
233
dilettante
Person who takes up an art or activity for amusement only or in a superficial way
233
din
Loud, confused noise, esp. for a long period of time
233
dirge
A funeral or mourning song or poem
234
disabuse
Free someone from a mistake in thinking
235
discomfiting
Disconcerting, confusing, frustrating
236
discordant
Harsh or inharmonious in sound; disagreeing, incongruous
237
discredit
Injure the reputation of, destroy credibility of or confidence in
238
discerning
Having good judgment or insight; able to distinguish mentally
239
discrepancy
Difference or inconsistency
240
discrete
243.
Separate, distinct, detached, existing as individual parts
241
discriminating
Judicious, discerning, having good
judgment or insight
242
disingenuous
Insincere, not genuine
242
disinterested
Unbiased, impartial; not interested
242
dismiss
Allow to disperse or leave; fire from a job; put aside or reject, especially after only a brief consideration
243
disjointed
Disconnected, not coherent, jerky; having the joints separated
244
disparage
Belittle, put down; bring shame upon, discredit
245
disparate
Distinct, different
246
dispassionate
Unbiased, not having a selfish or personal motivation; calm, lacking emotion
247
dispatch
Speed, promptness; send off or deal with in a speedy way
248
disperse
Scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish
249
disposition
A person's general or natural mood; tendency
250
disquieting
Disturbing, causing anxiety
251
dissemble
Mislead, conceal the truth, put on a false appearance of
252
disseminate
Scatter, spread about, broadcast
253
dissent
Disagree or take an opposing view, esp. in relation to a formal body such as a government, political party, or church; such a view
254
dissolution
Dissolving, the state of having been dissolved; breaking bonds or breaking up of a group of people; death, disintegration; sinking into extreme hedonism, vice, and degradation
255
dissonance
Harsh, inharmonious sound; cacophony; disagreement
256
distaff
Female, esp. relating to the maternal side of the family; women or women's work; a staff that holds wool or flax for spinnin
257
distend
Swell, expand, stretch, bloat
258
distill
Purify; extract the essential elements of
259
dither
Act indecisively (verb); a state of fear or trembling excitement
260
diurnal
Occurring every day; happening in the daytime (rather than at night)
261
diverge
Differ, deviate; branch off or turn aside, as from a path
262
divest
Deprive or strip of a rank, title, etc., or of clothing or gear; to sell off holdings (opposite of invest)
263
divine
Discover through divination or supernatural means; perceive by insight
264
doctrinaire
Person who applies doctrine in an impractical or rigid and close-minded way (noun); merely theoretical, impractical, or fanatical about other people accepting one's ideas (adj)
265
document
Support with evidence, cite sources in a detailed way, create documentary evidence of
266
doff
Take off (such as clothes), put aside; remove one's hat as a gesture
267
dogma
A system of principles laid down by an authority; established belief
268
dormant
Asleep, inactive, on a break
269
dovetail
Join or fit together
270
droll
Funny in an odd way
271
dubious
Doubtful, questionable, suspect
272
dupe
Person who is easily fooled or used (noun); to fool or exploit (verb)
273
duplicity
Deceit, double-dealing, acting in two different ways for the purpose of deception
274
dyspeptic
Grumpy, pessimistic, irritable; suffering from dyspepsia (indigestion)
275
e.g.
For example, such as
276
ebullient
Very enthusiastic, lively, excited; bubbling as though being boied
277
eccentric
Peculiar, odd, deviating from the norm esp. in a whimsical way
278
echelon
A level, rank or grade; the people at that level
279
eclectic
Selecting the best of everything or from many diverse sources
280
eclipse
The obscuring of one thing by another, such as the sun by the moon or a person by a more famous or talented person (noun); to obscure, darken, make less important (verb)
281
edify
Uplift, enlighten, instruct or improve in a spiritual or moral way
282
efficacy
The quality of being able to produce the intended effect
283
effigy
Representation or image of a person, esp. a crude facsimile used to mock a hated person
284
effrontery
Shameless boldness
285
egalitarian
Related to belief in the equality of all people, esp. in political, economic, or social spheres
286
egregious
Extraordinarily or conspicuously bad; glaring
287
egress
An exit or the action of exiting
288
elated
Very happy, in high spirits
289
elegy
Song or poem of sorrow, esp. for a deceased person
290
elevate
Raise, lift up; lift the spirits of; move up to a higher rank or status or raise up to a higher spiritual or intellectual plane
291
elicit
Call forth, bring out, evoke
292
eloquent
Marked by forceful, fluid, apt speech; expressive, emotionally moving
293
emaciate
Make abnormally thin, cause to physically waste away
294
embellish
Decorate, add ornamentation; enhance (a story) with fictional or fanciful details
295
eminent
Prominent, distinguished, of high rank
296
empirical
Coming from, based on, or able to be verified by experience or experimentation; not purely based on theory
297
emulate
Copy in an attempt to equal or be better than
298
encomium
Warm, glowing praise, esp. a formal expression of praise
299
endemic
Native, local; natural, specific to, or confined to a particular place
300
enervate
Weaken, tire
301
engender
Produce, give rise to, cause to exist; procreate
302
enhance
Raise to a higher value, desirability, etc.
303
enigma
Puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or contradictory person
304
entitlement
Having the right to certain privileges; believing, sometimes without cause, that one deserves or has a right to certain privileges
305
enumerate
Count or list; specify one-by-one
306
ephemeral
Lasting only a short time, fleeting
307
epicure
Person with cultivated, refined tastes, esp. in food and wine
308
equanimity
Composure, evenness of mind; mental or emotional stability, esp. under stress
309
equitable
Fair, equal, just
310
equivocate
Use unclear language to deceive or avoid committing to a position
311
erratic
Inconsistent, wandering, having no fixed course
312
erroneous
Mistaken, in error; improper, morally incorrect
313
ersatz
Artificial, synthetic; being an inferior substitute
314
erstwhile
Former, previous (adj); in the past, formerly (adv)
315
erudite
Scholarly, knowledgeable; possessing deep, often systematic, knowledge
316
eschew
Shun, avoid, abstain from
317
esoteric
Understood by or intended for only a few; secret
318
estimable
Worthy of esteem, admirable; able to be estimated
319
ethos
The character, personality, or moral values specific to a person, group, time period, etc.
320
eulogy
Speech of praise or written work of praise, esp. a speech given at a funeral
321
euphemism
Substitution of a mild, inoffensive, or indirect expression for one that is considered offensive or too direct
322
euphony
Pleasing or sweet sound, especially as formed by a harmonious use of words
323
exacerbate
Make worse (more violent, severe, etc.), inflame; irritate or embitter (a person)
324
exacting
Very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention
325
exculpate
Clear from guilt or blame
326
exhaustive
Comprehensive, thorough, exhausting a topic or subject, accounting for all possibilities; draining, tending to exhaust
327
exigent
Requiring immediate attention, action, or aid; excessively demanding
