VOCAB 22 Flashcards
extremely difficult to understand
syn: arcane, recondite, occult
abstruse
an open or intentional insult; a slight; to insult one’s face; to face in defiance, confront
syn: offense; offend
affront
a false rumor, fabricated story
syn: hoax
canard
excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up
syn: faut finding, carping
captious
aware, knowledgable, informed; having jurisdiction
syn: acquainted
cognizant
regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt; thoroughly penitent
syn: remorseful, rueful
contrite
the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves the guide of direct
syn: focus
cynosure
well-behaved, dignified, socially proper
syn: seemly, becoming, tasteful
decorous
to think it appropriate or suitable to one’s dignity to do something; to condescend
syn: deem
deign
thoroughly dried out; divested of spirit or vitality; arid and uninteresting
syn: dehydrated, shriveled
desiccated
the power to produce a desired result
syn: effectiveness, potency, reliability
efficacy
to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence, assume form
syn: generate, cause, form
engender
light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly (rather than earthbound)
syn: heavenly, celestial, gossamer
ethereal
the front or face of a building; a surface appearance (as opposed to what may lie ahead)
syn: exterior, surface, mask
facade
revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead
syn: barbarous, monstrous
ghoulish
