357 words Flashcards
(196 cards)
1
Q
Abate (əˈ beɪt)
A
v. to diminish in intensity
v. to cause to diminish in intensity
2
Q
Aberrant
/æˈ berənt/
A
adj. diverging from the standard type
3
Q
abjure
/əbˈʤʊə/
A
v. to reject or renounce
4
Q
abscond
æbˈ skɑnd
A
v. to leave secretly, evading detection
5
Q
abstain
/əbˈsteɪn/
A
v. to voluntarily refrain from doing something
6
Q
acumen
/əˈkjuːmen/
A
n. keen judgment and perception
7
Q
admonish
/ædˈmʌnɪʃ/
A
v. scold or to advise firmly
8
Q
adulterate
/əˈdʌltəˌreɪt/
A
v. to contaminate or make impure by introducing inferior elements
9
Q
advocate
A
v. to recommend, support, or advise
n. one who advocates
10
Q
aesthetic
/esˈθetɪk/
A
adj. concerned with the nature of beauty and art
11
Q
affectation
/æfekˈ teɪʃən/
A
n. fake or artificial behavior, often meant to impress or conceal the truth
12
Q
aggrandize
A
v. enlarge or increase, esp. wealth, power, reputation
13
Q
alacrity
/əˈlækrɪtiː/
A
n. promptness and eagerness
14
Q
alleviate
/əˈliːviːeɪt/
A
v. to relieve a problem or ease a burden
15
Q
amalgamate
A
v. to combine to or mix together
16
Q
ambiguous
/æmˈbɪgjuːəs/
A
adj. unclear
adj. open to multiple interpretations
17
Q
ambivalent
æmˈbɪvələnt
A
adj. having mixed or contradictory feelings about someone or something
18
Q
ameliorate
/əˈmiːljəreɪt/
A
v. to improve or mitigate a situation
19
Q
amenable
/əˈmiːnəbəl/
A
adj. easily convinced or persuaded
20
Q
anachronism
/əˈnækrʌˌnɪzəm/
A
n. something old-fashioned
n. something appearing in a time period where it does not belong
21
Q
analogous
/əˈnælʌgəs/
A
n. comparable
n. appropriate for analogy
22
Q
anoint
/əˈnɔɪnt/
A
v. to choose for a particular office or position
v. to use oil on a person in a religious ceremony
23
Q
anomaly
/əˈnɑːməliː/
A
n. an exception or unusual case
24
Q
antipathy
/ænˈtɪpəθiː/
A
n. strong dislike or hatred
25
antithetical
/ˌæntɪˈθetɪkəl/
adj. contrary to the very nature of
26
apathy
| /ˈæpəθiː/
n. state of total disinterest or unenthusiasm
27
appease
| /əˈpiːz/
v. to placate
| v. to satisfy (an appetite, a need)
28
arbitrary
| /ɑːrbɪˌtreriː/
adj. seemingly chosen or designated without reason or purpose
29
arcane
adj. secret or known only to a select group
30
archaic
adj. old-fashioned
| adj. no longer in the common usage
31
arduous
adj. difficult, taxing, requiring considerable effort
32
articulate
adj. exhibiting considerable communication skills, well-spoken
33
artless
adj. without artifice
| adj. natural, untrained
34
ascetic
adj. austere or self-denying
35
assuage
v. to provide relief from an unpleasant feeling
| v. to satisfy a need or appetite
36
astonishment
n. total surprise, shock
37
audacious
adj. very bold or presumptuous
38
austere
adj. severe, unadorned
39
avarice
n. greed
40
aver
v. to assert or allege
41
banal
adj. boring, cliché
42
belie
v. give a false impression (intentional or unintentional) in word, appearance, or deed
43
benign
adj. gentle, harmless
44
biased
adj. prejudiced, displaying partiality
45
bolster
v. to shore up or support
46
bombastic
adj. overblown, theatrical
47
brazen
adj. bold or open to the point of shocking
| adj. shameless
48
bucolic
adj. pastoral, rustic, countryfied
49
burgeon
v. flourish, bloom, expand or increase quickly
50
cacophony
n. loud and chaotic noise
51
calumny
n. lie or slander
52
candid
adj. honest, open
53
canon
n. accepted rules and tenets of a discipline
n. sacred works/scripture; in this sense it is also used to refer to notable literary and artistic works of a culture or discipline
54
capacity
n. the capability to perform a particular action or fulfill a given function
n. the total amount a container can hold
n. a particular position or role (i.e. “she served in an advisory capacity”)
55
capricious
adj. mercurial, unpredictable, whimsical
56
castigate
v. to scold or berate strongly
57
catalyst
n. something that speeds up a process or causes action
58
caustic
adj. corrosive
| adj. bitterly sarcastic
59
censure
v. to express intense condemnation
60
chauvinist
n. someone who believes prejudicially that their own group is the superior one
61
chicanery
n. trickery or deception
62
chronological
adj. ordered by time
63
coalesce
| /koʊəˈles/
v. to come together, esp. from disparate parts (
| essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison)
64
cogent
| /ˈkoʊʤənt/
adj. clearly laid out and persuasive
65
commensurate
| /kəˈmensərɪt/
adj. in accordance with, proportional
66
compelling
adj. captivating
| adj. very persuasive
67
comprehensive
adj. complete and thorough
68
condone
v. to approve or allow
69
confound
v. to confuse or astonish
70
connoisseur
| /kɑːnəˈsɜːr/
n. an expert in a particular subject matter area, usually relating to the fine arts or cultural pursuits
71
consequential
adj. as a result of
| adj. significant or memorable
72
construe
v. to interpret
73
consumption
n. utilization (esp. of a resource)
74
contend
v. assert or claim
| v. grapple with
75
contentious
adj. controversial
| adj. involving conflict
76
contrite
adj. remorseful
77
convoluted
adj. roundabout, not straightforward
78
copious
adj. plentiful or abundant
79
cosmopolitan
adj. of or relating to a city or urban area
| adj. sophisticated
80
covet
v. to desire something that does not belong to you
81
craft
n. cunning
| n. skill
82
craven
adj. cowardly to the point of being shameful
83
credence
n. belief or trust
84
credulous
adj. gullible, naïve
85
decorum
n. appropriate behavior or good manners
86
deference
n. respect or polite submission
87
deflect
v. divert or cause to ricochet
88
deftness
adj. skill, acumen
| adj. manual dexterity
89
delineate
v. to describe very accurately
v. to clearly demarcate a boundary
v. to render an outline
90
demur
v. to object or raise concerns
91
denigrate
v. say negative things about, particularly in a defamatory way
92
deride
v. to mock or ridicule
93
derivative
adj. imitates another work in a way that is unoriginal or uninspiring
94
desiccate
v. to dry out completely
| v. to suck out the vitality and passion
95
desultory
adj. halfhearted
| adj. inconsistent or random
96
detachment
n. objectivity or aloofness
97
determinant
n. a strong factor in an outcome
98
diatribe
n. a rant or angry speech denouncing someone or something
99
didactic
adj. educational or with an instructive purpose; often includes an element of moralizing
100
diffident
adj. shy, timid, or reserved due to a lack of confidence
101
dilettante
n. someone with an amateur, nonserious interest in something
102
dirge
n. funeral or mourning lament
| n. any sad, slow song
103
disabuse
v. to dispel someone’s illusions or false impressions about something
104
discern
v. to perceive
105
discrepancy
n. inconsistency
106
disinterested
adj. objective, unbiased
| adj. not invested in the outcome
107
disparage
v. to belittle
108
disparate
adj. dissimilar to such a degree that comparison is not possible
109
dispassionate
adj. impartial or cool
110
disregard
v. to ignore or pay no attention to
111
dissemble
v. to mislead or conceal the truth, esp. with respect to one’s motives
112
disseminate
v. to spread widely (esp. information)
113
dissonance
n. a clash between two elements that don’t blend well
114
diverge
v. to split apart, esp. a road or path
115
dogma
n. the official beliefs or tenets of particular sect or group
116
dupe
v. to deceive or fool
117
ebullient
adj. cheerful, enthusiastic, excited
118
eccentric
adj. quirky or unusual
119
eclectic
adj. composed of a variety of styles, themes, motifs, etc.
120
efficacy
n. effectiveness
121
elegy
n. sad poem or song, often in remembrance of someone deceased
122
elicit
v. to provoke a response
123
eloquence
adj. persuasive and articulate speech
124
eminent
adj. well-known, respected, distinguished
125
empirical
adj. based on evidence
126
emulate
v. to imitate or attempt to equal in accomplishment
127
enervate
v. to exhaust or drain of energy
128
engender
v. to cause or give rise to
129
enhance
v. intensify, increase, augment
130
entitlement
n. belief that one deserves things one has not earned
| n. the rights one is afforded under the law
131
ephemeral
adj. short-lived or transient
132
equable
adj. even-tempered
| adj. not given to much change or variation
133
equivocate
v. to use ambiguous language in order to mislead or deceive
134
erroneous
adj. incorrect
135
erudite
adj. learned
136
eschew
v. avoid or abstain from
137
esoteric
adj. obscure, arcane
138
estimable
adj. deserving respect, esteem, and admiration
139
eulogy
n. memorial speech for one who has passed, normally given at a funeral
140
exacerbate
v. to make worse
141
exacting
adj. challenging, demanding, grueling
142
exculpate
v. to exonerate or vindicate
143
exigent
adj. urgent or pressing
144
exonerate
v. to clear of charges of wrongdoing
145
expatiate
v. to elaborate on something in great detail
146
explicate
v. to explain in detail
147
exposition
n. a thorough explanation
| n. a public show or fair
148
extraneous
adj. irrelevant or superfluous
149
extrapolate
v. to estimate or conjecture about the future based on presently available information or facts
150
facetious
adj. glib or flippant
151
facilitate
v. to make something easier or simpler
152
fallacious
adj. relying on a fallacy and thus incorrect/misinformed
153
fastidious
adj. meticulous
| adj. invested in cleanliness
154
fluctuate
v. to shift without apparent pattern
155
foment
v. to foster unrest or discontent
156
forestall
v. to hold off or try to prevent
157
fortuitous
adj. fortunate and lucky
158
frugal
adj. economical, thrifty
159
gainsay
v. deny or oppose
160
galvanize
galvanize
161
garrulous
adj. talkative
162
gauche
adj. socially inept, inappropriate, or awkward
163
germane
adj. relevant to the matter at hand
164
glib
adj. talking volubly, but carelessly or insincerely
165
gregarious
adj. sociable, genial
166
guile
n. craftiness and cunning
167
hackneyed
adj. cliché, trite, banal
168
harangue
n. diatribe or rant
169
hedonism
n. the pursuit of pleasure
170
hierarchical
adj. arranged in rank order or hierarchy
171
homogenous
adj. uniform, identical
172
hyperbole
n. obvious exaggeration for effect
173
loquacious
adj. talkative
| /ləʊˈ kweɪʃəs/
174
Malign
adj. evil or harmful
| v. to speak negatively about someone or something
175
misanthrope
/ˈmɪzənθrəʊp/
Person who hates humanity
176
nonplussed
adj. confused and baffled
177
occult
n. the mystical and supernatural
178
onerous
/ˈ ɑ:nərəs/
| adj. difficult or burdensome
179
ostentatious
adj. overly showy in a way that is gaudy or vulgar
180
placate
/pləˈ keɪt/ - v. to calm, esp. an angry or upset person
181
plethora
n. a surplus or overabundance of something
182
plummet
v. to fall quickly and far
183
rescind - /rɪˈ sɪnd/
v. to take back or retract (an offer or statement)
184
salubrious
adj. health-promoting
185
soporific /səpəˈ rɪfɪk/
adj. makes sleepy
186
specious
adj. spurious; appearing true but actually false
187
sycophant
n. a fawning, insincere admirer
188
subversive
adj. meant to undercut established institutions or norms
189
superbly
adv. excellently
190
tacit
adj. unspoken; implicit
191
tenuous
adj. weak, flimsy, insubstantial
192
ubiquitous
/juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/
adj. ever-present or universal
193
untenable
adj. weak or unsupportable, esp. with respect to an opinion or situation
194
vacillate
v. to shift between multiple options or opinions
195
verbose
adj. long-winded;
196
volatile
adj. easily changeable or extreme; unstable
