Vocabulary Flashcards
Genuflect
gen·u·flect v. [intrans.] lower one’s body briefly by bending one knee to the ground, typically in worship or as a sign of respect: she genuflected and crossed herself.
adverbial] FIGURATIVE show deference or servility: politicians had to genuflect to the far left to advance their careers.
Balkanization
Balkanization, or Balkanisation, is a geopolitical term, originally used to describe the violent process of fragmentation or division of a region or state into smaller regions or states that are often hostile or non-cooperative with one another.[1] It is considered pejoratively by some.[2]
Pejorative
pe·jo·ra·tive
pəˈjôrədiv/
adjective
1.
expressing contempt or disapproval.
““permissiveness” is used almost universally as a pejorative term”
synonyms: disparaging, derogatory, denigratory, deprecatory, defamatory, slanderous, libelous, abusive, insulting, slighting; informalbitchy
“his remarks were considered too pejorative for daytime radio”
antonyms: complimentary
noun
noun: pejorative; plural noun: pejoratives
1.
a word expressing contempt or disapproval.
Acolyte
1 :one who assists a member of the clergy in a liturgical service by performing minor duties
2 :one who attends or assists :follower
in·su·per·a·ble
inˈso͞op(ə)rəb(ə)l/
adjective
(of a difficulty or obstacle) impossible to overcome.
“insuperable financial problems”
Suzerainty (/ˈsjuːzərənti/ or /ˈsjuːzərɛnti/)
a situation in which a powerful region or people controls the foreign affairs of a tributary vassal state while allowing the subservient nation internal autonomy
dem·a·gogue
ˈdeməˌɡäɡ/
noun
a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.
synonyms: rabble-rouser, agitator, political agitator, soapbox orator, firebrand, fomenter, provocateur
“he was drawn into a circle of campus demagogues”
i·ras·ci·ble
iˈrasəb(ə)l/
adjective
having or showing a tendency to be easily angered.
“an irascible man”
synonyms: irritable, quick-tempered, short-tempered, hot-tempered, testy, touchy, tetchy, edgy, crabby, petulant, waspish, dyspeptic, snappish; More
antonyms: even-tempered, good-natured
Origin
late Middle English: via French from late Latin irascibilis, from Latin irasci ‘grow angry,’ from ira ‘anger.’
per·fid·i·ous
pərˈfidēəs/
deceitful and untrustworthy. "a perfidious lover" synonyms: treacherous, duplicitous, deceitful, disloyal, faithless, unfaithful, traitorous, treasonous, false, false-hearted, double-dealing, two-faced, Janus-faced, untrustworthy "a perfidious lover" antonyms: faithful Origin
late 16th century: from Latin perfidiosus, from perfidia ‘treachery.’
Translate perfidious to
Use over time for: perfidious
sar·don·ic
särˈdänik/
adjective grimly mocking or cynical. "Starkey attempted a sardonic smile" synonyms: mocking, satirical, sarcastic, ironical, ironic; More Origin mid 17th century: from French sardonique, earlier sardonien, via Latin from Greek sardonios ‘of Sardinia,’ alteration of sardanios, used by Homer to describe bitter or scornful laughter. Translate sardonic to Use over time for: sardonic
par·si·mo·ni·ous
ˌpärsəˈmōnēəs/
adjective
unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy or frugal.
“parsimonious New Hampshire voters, who have a phobia about taxes”
synonyms: cheap, miserly, mean, niggardly, close-fisted, close, penny-pinching, ungenerous, Scroogelike
po·lem·ic
pəˈlemik/
noun
1.
a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something.
“his polemic against the cultural relativism of the sixties”
synonyms: diatribe, invective, rant, tirade, broadside, attack, harangue, condemnation, criticism, stricture, admonition, rebuke
ob·se·qui·ous
əbˈsēkwēəs/
adjective
obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.
“they were served by obsequious waiters”
synonyms: servile, ingratiating, sycophantic, fawning, unctuous, oily, oleaginous, groveling, cringing, subservient, submissive, slavish;
syc·o·phant
ˈsikəˌfant,ˈsikəfənt/
noun
a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage.
synonyms: yes-man, bootlicker, brown-noser, toady, lickspittle, flatterer, flunky, lackey, spaniel, doormat, stooge, cringer, suck, suck-up
ris·i·ble
ˈrizəbəl/
adjective
such as to provoke laughter.
“a risible scene of lovemaking in a tent”
synonyms: laughable, ridiculous, absurd, comical, comic, amusing, funny, hilarious, humorous, droll, farcical, silly, ludicrous, hysterical;
in·ter·ne·cine
ˌintərˈnesēn,-ˈnēsēn,-sin/
adjective
destructive to both sides in a conflict.
“the region’s history of savage internecine warfare”
of or relating to conflict within a group or organization.
“the party shrank from the trauma of more internecine strife”
Origin
mid 17th century (in the sense ‘deadly, characterized by great slaughter’): from Latin internecinus, based on inter- ‘among’ + necare ‘to kill.’
vi·tu·per·a·tion
vəˌt(y)o͞opəˈrāSHən,vī-/
noun
bitter and abusive language.
“no one else attracted such vituperation from him”
synonyms: invective, condemnation, opprobrium, scolding, criticism, disapprobation, fault-finding;
antonyms: praise
des·ul·to·ry
ˈdesəlˌtôrē/
adjective
lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.
“a few people were left, dancing in a desultory fashion”
synonyms: casual, cursory, superficial, token, perfunctory, half-hearted, lukewarm; More
antonyms: keen
(of conversation or speech) going constantly from one subject to another in a halfhearted way; unfocused.
“the desultory conversation faded”
occurring randomly or occasionally.
“desultory passengers were appearing”
ob·strep·er·ous
əbˈstrepərəs/
adjective
noisy and difficult to control.
“the boy is cocky and obstreperous”
synonyms: unruly, unmanageable, disorderly, undisciplined, uncontrollable, rowdy, disruptive, truculent, difficult, refractory, rebellious, mutinous, riotous, out of control, wild, turbulent, uproarious, boisterous; More
