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English > 601 Words Lessons 21-25 > Flashcards

601 Words Lessons 21-25 Flashcards

(75 cards)

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0
Q

Jejune

A

Barren; flat; dull. The Latin word that this word derives from means empty.

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1
Q

Dilettante

A

An amateur; lover of of fine arts

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2
Q

Libidinous

A

Characterized by lust; lewd; lascivious.

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3
Q

Licentious

A

Morally unrestrained; lascivious. This word comes from an old French word that meant “license” and referred to an abuse of liberty or undisciplined freedom.

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4
Q

Mercurial

A

Changeable; volatile. These adjectives are characteristic of the heavy, silver-white metallic element mercury. In Roman mythology the swift messenger of the gods, Mercury, was volatile, quick-witted, eloquent, and manually skillful.

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5
Q

Meretricious

A

Flashy; tawdry; falsely alluring. Comes from the Latin word that means prostitute.

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6
Q

Minatory

A

Menacing; threatening.

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7
Q

Mutable

A

Inconstant; fickle, tending to frequent change.

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8
Q

Nonchalant

A

Cool; indifferent; without warmth or animation. It comes from a French root which means to care for.

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9
Q

Noxious

A

Unwholesome; harmful to health. It comes from a Latin word which means to hurt.

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10
Q

Obdurate

A

Hardhearted; inflexible; not easily moved to pity.

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11
Q

Obtuse

A

Slow to understand; dull.

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12
Q

Officious

A

Meddlesome; offering unnecessary and unwanted advice.

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13
Q

Omniscient

A

Having infinite knowledge; knowing all things.

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14
Q

Pusillanimous

A

Cowardly; fainthearted. Comes from a Latin word meaning tiny mind.

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15
Q

Amicus curiae

A

A friend of the court; a lawyer or layman who advises the court on a legal matter.

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16
Q

Arson

A

The crime of setting fire to property in order to collect insurance.

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17
Q

Barrister

A

Lawyer in England.

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18
Q

Embezzle

A

To steal money that was entrusted under your care.

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19
Q

Extradition

A

Turning over a fugitive from one jurisdiction to another. The root of the word is the Latin trachtio, the act of handing over.

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20
Q

Habeas corpus

A

A court order requiring that a prisoner be produced to determine the legality of his imprisonment; a procedure lawyers use to get clients out of illegal detention. In Latin in means “to have the body”.

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21
Q

Immaterial

A

Without substance; unimportant

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22
Q

Incarcerate

A

To jail; to confine.

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23
Q

Indeterminate

A

Having inexact limits; indefinite.

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24
Larceny
Theft.
25
Litigious
Quarrelsome; given to carrying on lawsuits.
26
Miscreant
Villain; criminal; evil person. The original meaning was "unbeliever" or "heretic". From there it was an easy jump to "villain".
27
Perpetrator
A person who commits an offense.
28
Plagiarism
Passing off someone else's writings or ideas as your own.
29
Probation
A period of testing or trial. This refers to a suspension of sentence on the condition that the convicted person demonstrates good behavior in order to stay out of jail.
30
Avant-garde
The leaders of a movement; vanguard. These people are generally regarded as reformers, people with new ideas who are somewhat ahead of their time.
31
Bête noire
Someone or something that is feared or disliked. In French these two words mean "black beast". A black sheep was an eyesore in the flock-its wool was less valuable.
32
Bon mot
A bright saying; witticism. In French it means good word.
33
Coup de grâce
The shot or blow that brings death; the finishing stroke. The actual French meaning is the blow of mercy.
34
Cul-de-sac
A passage or street with only one outlet; a situation from which there is no escape; an argument that leads nowhere. In French it means "bottom of the sack".
35
Deus ex machina
Someone who intervenes unexpectedly to solve a dilemma. The literal Latin meaning is "god out of the machine". In the ancient theater the first few acts laid out the problems facing the characters and when no solution was apparent, a "god" was lowered onto the stage and helped to resolve the issues.
36
Fait accompli
Something that is already done so that there is no use in debating it. In French it means an accomplished fact.
37
Fin de siècle
Referring to the last years of the 19th century; decadent. The French meaning is "the end of the century".
38
Gauche
Awkward; lacking grace; without tact. It is French for "left-handed". Lefties were thought to be clumsy (sinister in Latin). Another French meaning is "warped".
39
Junta
A political group that seeks to control a government; a faction or cabal. In Spanish this word originally meant "to join". In Spain, a junta was a legislative assembly; the word has corrupted into junto, which meant "clique" or "faction". Today, we use the original word with its changed meaning.
40
Laissez-Faire
Hands off policy; letting businesses operate without government interference.
41
Mot juste
The right word; exact phrase.
42
Non compos mentis
Incapable of handling one's own affairs; insane. In Latin, "not sound of mind". This could be said of someone who has lost his memory and understanding by reason of disease or accident.
43
Non sequitur
In logic this is a conclusion that does not follow from the evidence; a remark that seems out of place. The Latin meaning is "it does not follow".
44
Sine qua non
An essential condition; that which is indispensable. The Latin meaning is "without which not".
45
Au courant
Up-to-date; modern.
46
Coiffure
A style of hair arrangement.
47
Denouement
The final outcome of the intricacies of a plot. The French meaning is "the untying of a knot".
48
De rigueur
Required; necessary.
49
Éclat
Acclaim; brilliant success. The French meaning is "to burst out".
50
Élan
Enthusiasm; ardor; vigor. It's original meaning was "to throw a lance".
51
Entrepreneur
One who organizes and manages a business undertaking.
52
Impasse
Difficulty without a solution; stalemate; blind alley.
53
Ingenue
Actress playing an innocent, inexperienced young woman.
54
Malaise
A feeling of discomfort or uneasiness. In French it means "bad" and "ease".
55
Repartee
Quick, witty reply; wit. The French meaning is "the quick return of a thrust or blow".
56
Sangfroid
Composure; equanimity. In French it means "cold blood".
57
Tête-à-tête
Intimate conversation between two people. The literal meaning is "head-to-head".
58
Tour de force
A feat of strength or skill.
59
Vignette
An anecdote; a brief literary composition.
60
Acrid
Bitter; sharp; irritating taste or smell.
61
Addle
To muddle; confuse. This word is often used in compounds.
62
Ado
Fuss; trouble; bother.
63
Alms
Money, food, or clothing given to poor people.
64
Amulet
Something worn around the neck as a protection against bad luck; a charm.
65
Aperture
Opening; hole; gap.
66
Askew
On one side; crooked.
67
Bauble
Trinket; toy; showy but worthless thing.
68
Bevy
Group; flock. Come for an old French word that meant "drinking group".
69
Bilk
Deceive; swindle; cheat.
70
Blithe
Light-hearted; joyful; cheerful. The Anglo-Saxon version of this word meant bright sky.
71
Careen
To cause to lean sideways; to lurch or toss from side to side. The Latin version of this word meant "side of a ship".
72
Chary
Careful; cautious; shy. Anglo Saxon word meant "sorrowful".
73
Nabob
A very rich or influential man.
74
Onus
Task; burden; responsibility.

English (5 decks)

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