Word List 22 Flashcards
rejuvenate
to make young or youthful again; give new vigor to
to restore to an original or new state
e.g. Each candidate claims to have a plan to rejuvenate the sagging.
juxtapose
to place side by side
e.g. a display that juxtaposes modern art with classical art
kaleidoscope
a variegated changing pattern or scene
a succession of changing phases or actions
a diverse collection
e.g. a kaleidoscope of colors
a kaleidoscope of changing fashions
ken
the range of vision
sight, view
the range of perception, understanding, or knowledge
e.g. abstract words that are beyond the ken of young children
kennel
a shelter for a dog or cat; an establishment for the breeding or boarding of dogs or cats
a pack of dogs
kernel
the inner softer part of a seed, fruit stone, or nut
a whole seed of a cereal
a central or essential part; germ
e.g. Like many stereotypes, this one too contains some kernels of truth.
The kernel of your argument seems to be the inevitability of the division of that nation along ethnic lines.
killjoy
one who spoils the pleasure of others
e.g. His perpetual negative attitude made him a real killjoy when others were trying to have fun.
kindle
to start (a fire) burning; light
to stir up; arouse
to bring into being; start
to cause to glow; illuminate
e.g. kindle interest
kinescope
picture tube; also, a motion picture made from an image on a picture tube
knack
a clever trick or stratagem
a special ready capacity that is hard to analyze or teach
e.g. a jazz musician with an incredible knack for improvisation
knave
a tricky deceitful fellow
e.g. He plays the role of the duplicitous knave who tries to foil the play’s hero.
knead
to work and press into a mass with or as if with hands
to manipulate or massage with a kneading motion
e.g. kneading dough
knead sore neck muscles
knotty
marked by or full of knots; especially, so full of difficulties and complications as to be likely to defy solution
e.g. The candidates cautiously gave their views on an array of knotty issues.
know-how
knowledge of how to do something smoothly and efficiently; expertise
kudos
fame and renown resulting from an act or achievement; prestige
praise given for achievement
e.g. The company has earned kudos for responding so quickly to customers’ concerns.
labile
readily or continually undergoing chemical, physical, or biological change or breakdown; unstable
readily open to change
e.g. a labile mineral
labored
produced or performed with labor
lacking ease of expression
e.g. labored breathing
labored speech
lacerate
to tear or rend roughly; wound jaggedly
to cause sharp mental or emotional pain to; distress
lachrymose
given to tears or weeping; tearful
tending to cause tears; mournful
e.g. a drama with a lachrymose hero
The more lachrymose mourners at the funeral required a steady supply of tissues.
lackadaisical
lacking life, spirit, or zest; languid
e.g. His teacher did not approve of his lackadaisical approach to homework
feeling particularly lackadaisical in the summer heat
lackluster
lacking in sheen, brilliance, or vitality; dull, mediocre
refulgence
a radiant or resplendent quality or state; brilliance
e.g. the refulgence of a full moon on a clear autumn night
laconic
using or involving the use of a minimum or words; concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
e.g. The sportscaster’s color commentary tends to be laconic but very much to the point.
voluble
easily rotating or turning; rotating
characterized by ready or rapid speech; glib, fluent
lactic
of or relating to milk
obtained from sour milk or whey
involving the production of lactic acid
lair
the resting or living place of a wild animal; den
a refuge or place for hiding
e.g. She runs the project from her private lair in the suburbs.
laity
the people of a religious faith as distinguished from its clergy
the mass of people as distinguished from those of a particular profession or those specially skilled
lambaste
to assault violently; beat, whip
to attack verbally; censure
e.g. letters lambasting the new law
baste
to moisten meat at intervals during cooking
to beat severely or soundly; thrash
to scold vigorously; berate
lament
to mourn aloud; wail
to express sorrow, mourning, or regret for often demonstratively; mourn
to regret strongly
e.g. She lamented over the loss of her best friend.
lampoon
satire; especially, a harsh satire usually directed against an individual
to make the subject of a lampoon; ridicule
e.g. He said such ridiculous things that he was often the target of lampoons in the press.
The politician was lampooned in cartoons.
paean
a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph
a work that praises or honors its subject; encomium, tribute
e.g. His retirement party featured many paeans for his long years of service to the company.
lance
a steel-tipped spear carried by mounted knights or light cavalry
lancet; a spear used for killing whales or fish; lancer
to pierce with or as if with a lance
to open with or as if with a lancet
to throw forward; hurl
e.g. The lance struck squarely on the knight’s shield, knocking him from his horse.
Doctors used to lance infected sores, so that they could drain clean.
lancet
a sharp-pointed and commonly 2-edged surgical instrument used to make small incisions
landfill
a system of trash and garbage disposal in which the waste is buried between layers of earth to build up low-lying land
an area built up by landfill
e.g. using landfill to dispose of trash
landlocked
enclosed or nearly enclosed by land
confined to freshwater by some barrier
living or located away from the ocean
e.g. a landlocked country
landlocked salmon
a landlocked sailor
landslide
the usually rapid downward movement of a mass of rock, earth, or artificial fill on a slope
a great majority of votes for one side; an overwhelming victory
e.g. The presidential election turned out to be one of the biggest landslides in history.
languid
drooping or flagging from or as if from exhaustion; weak
sluggish in character or disposition; listless
lacking force or quickness of movement; slow
e.g. They proceeded at a languid pace.
a hot, languid summer day
vivacious
lively in temper, conduct, or spirit; sprightly
e.g. an outgoing, vivacious girl who became a successful sales rep
a vivacious expression of love
languish
to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated
to suffer neglect
to assume an expression of grief or emotion appealing for sympathy
e.g. Older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave.
The bill languished in the Senate for eight months.
languor
weakness or weariness of body or mind
listless indolence or inertia
e.g. the languor brought on by a hot summer afternoon
lank
not well filled out; slender, thin
insufficient in quantity, degree, or extent
hanging straight and limp without spring or curl
e.g. lank cattle
Right after a shower, her lank hair hung down to her shoulders.
stalwart
marked by outstanding strength and vigor of body, mind, or spirit
e.g. their strong and stalwart son
the stalwart soldiers in the army of Alexander the Great, who willingly followed him to the ends of the known world
stalwart common sense
lap
responsible custody; control
to fold over or around something; wind, fold
to take in food or drink with the tongue; to take in or absorb eagerly or quickly
e.g. going to drop the whole thing in your lap
The crowd lapped up every word he said.
lapse
a slight error a becoming less; decline interruption, discontinuance a passage of time; also, interval sink, slip to go out of existence; cease; also, to let slip, forfeit to glide along; pass
e.g. a lapse in table manners / a lapse from grace
a minor mental lapse
returned to college after a lapse of several years
lapsed into unconsciousness
After a few polite exchanges, the conversation lapsed.
time lapses
all of those who have lapsed their membership
elapse
pass, go by
e.g. Four years elapsed before he returned.
larder
a place where food is stored; pantry
a supply food
largess
liberal giving to or as if to an inferior; also, something given
generosity
e.g. He relied on the largess of friends after he lost his job.
lark
a songbird that is usually brownish in color; especially, skylark
to engage in harmless fun or mischief (oft. used with about)
a source of or quest for amusement or adventure
e.g. We would rather lark about in the summer than get part-time jobs.
He thought life was a lark.
entered the race on lark
lash
to move violently or suddenly; dash to thrash or beat violently to mark a verbal attack or retort (oft. used with out) drive, whip also to bind with or as if with a line
e.g. Rain lashed at the windowpanes.
lashed them into a fury with his fiery speech
The disobedient sailors were threatened with the lash.
lassitude
a condition of weariness or debility; fatigue
a condition of listlessness; languor
e.g. Our lassitude was such that we couldn’t even be bothered to get more soda from the fridge.
