C Flashcards
(119 cards)
1
Q
cacophony (n.)
A
tremendous noise, disharmonious sound (The elementary school orchestra created a cacophony at the recital.) y r a l u b a c o
2
Q
cadence (n.)
A
a rhythm, progression of sound
3
Q
cajole (v.)
A
to urge, coax
4
Q
calamity (n.)
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an event with disastrous consequences
5
Q
calibrate (v.)
A
to set, standardize
6
Q
callous (adj.)
A
harsh, cold, unfeeling
7
Q
calumny (n.)
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an attempt to spoil someone else’s reputation by spreading lies
8
Q
camaraderie (n.)
A
brotherhood, jovial unity
9
Q
candor (n.)
A
honesty, frankness
10
Q
canny (adj.)
A
shrewd, careful (The canny runner hung at the back of the pack through much of the race to watch the other runners, and then sprinted past them at the end.) canvas 1. (n.) a piece of cloth on which an artist paints (Picasso liked to work on canvas rather than on bare cement.) 2. (v.) to cover, inspect
11
Q
capacious (adj.)
A
very spacious
12
Q
capitulate (v.)
A
to surrender
13
Q
capricious (adj.)
A
subject to whim, fickle
14
Q
captivate (v.)
A
to get the attention of, hold
15
Q
carouse (v.)
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to party, celebrate
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Q
carp (v.)
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to annoy, pester
17
Q
catalyze (v.)
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to charge, inspire
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Q
caucus (n.)
A
a meeting usually held by people working toward the same goal
19
Q
caustic (adj.)
A
bitter, biting, acidic
20
Q
cavort (v.)
A
to leap about, behave boisterously (The adults ate their dinners on the patio, while the children cavorted around the pool.) censure 1. (n.) harsh criticism (The frustrated teenager could not put up with anymore of her critical mother’s censure.) 2. (v.) to rebuke formally
21
Q
cerebral (adj.)
A
related to the intellect
22
Q
chaos (n.)
A
absolute disorder
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Q
chastise (v.)
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to criticize severely
24
Q
cherish (v.)
A
to feel or show affection toward something
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chide (v.)
to voice disapproval
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choreography (n.)
the arrangement of dances (The plot of the musical was banal, but the choreography was stunning.) chronicle 1. (n.) a written history (The library featured the newly updated chronicle of World War II.) 2. (v.) to write a history
27
chronological (adj.)
arranged in order of time (Lionel carefully arranged the snapshots of his former girlfriends in chronological order, and then set fire to them.) y r a l u b a c o
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circuitous (adj.)
roundabout
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circumlocution (n.)
indirect and wordy language
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circumscribed (adj.)
marked off, bounded
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circumspect (adj.)
cautious (Though
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circumvent (v.)
to get around
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clairvoyant (adj.)
able to perceive things that normal people cannot (Zelda’s uncanny ability to detect my lies was nothing short of clairvoyant.) clamor 1. (n.) loud noise (Each morning the birds outside my window make such a clamor that they wake me up.) 2. (v.)to loudly insist
34
clandestine (adj.)
secret (Announcing to her boyfriend that she was going to the gym, Sophie actually went to meet Joseph for a clandestine liaison.) cleave 1. (v.) to divide into parts (Following the scandalous disgrace of their leader, the entire political party cleaved into warring factions.) 2. (v.) to stick together firmly
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clemency (n.)
mercy
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clergy (n.)
members of Christian holy orders
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cloying (adj.)
sickeningly sweet
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coagulate (v.)
to thicken, clot
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coalesce (v.)
to fuse into a whole
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cobbler (n.)
a person who makes or repairs shoes
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coerce (v.)
to make somebody do something by force or threat
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cogent (adj.)
intellectually convincing (Irene’s arguments in favor of abstinence were so cogent that
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cognizant (adj.)
aware, mindful
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coherent (adj.)
logically consistent, intelligible (Renee could not figure out what Monroe had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a coherent statement.) collateral 1. (adj.) secondary (Divorcing my wife had the collateral effect of making me poor, as she was the only one of us with a job or money.) 2. (n.) security for a debt
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colloquial (adj.)
characteristic of informal conversation
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collusion (n.)
secret agreement, conspiracy
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colossus (n.)
a gigantic statue or thing
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combustion (n.)
the act or process of burning
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commendation (n.)
a notice of approval or recognition
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commensurate (adj.)
corresponding in size or amount
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commodious (adj.)
roomy (Holden invited the three women to join him in the back seat of the taxicab, assuring them that the car was quite commodious.) y r a l u b a c o
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compelling (adj.)
forceful, demanding attention
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compensate (v.)
to make an appropriate payment for something
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complacency (n.)
self-satisfied ignorance of danger
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complement (v.)
to complete, make perfect
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compliant (adj.)
ready to adapt oneself to another’s wishes
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complicit (adj.)
being an accomplice in a wrongful act
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compliment (n.)
an expression of esteem or approval (I blushed crimson when Emma gave me a compliment on my new haircut.) compound 1. (v.) to combine parts (The difficulty of finding a fire escape amid the smoke was compounded with the dangers posed by the panicking crowds.) 2. (n.) a combination of different parts (My attraction to Donna was a compound of curiosity about the unknown, physical desire, and intellectual admiration.) 3. (n.) a walled area containing a group of buildings
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comprehensive (adj.)
including everything
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compress (v.)
to apply pressure, squeeze together
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compunction (n.)
distress caused by feeling guilty
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concede (v.)
to accept as valid
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conciliatory (adj.)
friendly, agreeable
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concise (adj.)
brief and direct in expression
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concoct (v.)
to fabricate, make up
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concomitant (adj.)
accompanying in a subordinate fashion
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concord (n.)
harmonious agreement
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condolence (n.)
an expression of sympathy in sorrow
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condone (v.)
to pardon, deliberately overlook
70
conduit (n.)
a pipe or channel through which something passes
71
confection (n.)
a sweet, fancy food (We went to the mall food court and purchased a delicious confection.) confidant (n.) a person entrusted with secrets (Shortly after we met, she became my chief confidant.) conflagration (n.) great fire (The conflagration consumed the entire building.) confluence (n.) a gathering together
72
conformist (n.)
one who behaves the same as others
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confound (v.)
to frustrate, confuse
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congeal (v.)
to thicken into a solid
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congenial (adj.)
pleasantly agreeable
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congregation (n.)
a gathering of people, especially for religious services
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congruity (n.)
the quality of being in agreement (Bill and Veronica achieved a perfect congruity of opinion.) y r a l u b a c o
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connive (v.)
to plot, scheme
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consecrate (v.)
to dedicate something to a holy purpose
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consensus (n.)
an agreement of opinion
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consign (v.)
to give something over to another’s care
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consolation (n.)
an act of comforting
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consonant (adj.)
in harmony
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constituent (n.)
an essential part
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construe (v.)
to interpret
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consummate (v.)
to complete a deal; to complete a marriage ceremony through sexual intercourse
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consumption (n.)
the act of consuming
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contemporaneous (adj.)
existing during the same time
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contentious (adj.)
having a tendency to quarrel or dispute
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contravene (v.)
to contradict, oppose, violate
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contrite (adj.)
penitent, eager to be forgiven
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contusion (n.)
bruise, injury
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conundrum (n.)
puzzle, problem
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convene (v.)
to call together (Jason convened his entire extended family for a discussion.) convention 1. (n.) an assembly of people (The hotel was full because of the cattle- ranchers’ convention.) 2. (n.) a rule, custom
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convivial (adj.)
characterized by feasting, drinking, merriment
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convoluted (adj.)
intricate, complicated (Grace’s story was so convoluted that
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copious (adj.)
profuse, abundant
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cordial (adj.)
warm, affectionate
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coronation (n.)
the act of crowning
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corroborate (v.)
to support with evidence
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corrosive (adj.)
having the tendency to erode or eat away
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cosmopolitan (adj.)
sophisticated, worldly
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counteract (v.)
to neutralize, make ineffective (The antidote counteracted the effect of the poison.) coup 1. (n.) a brilliant, unexpected act (Alexander pulled off an amazing coup when he got a date with Cynthia by purposely getting hit by her car.) 2. (n.) the overthrow of a government and assumption of authority
104
covet (v.)
to desire enviously (I coveted Moses’s house, wife, and car.) y r a l u b a c o
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covert (adj.)
secretly engaged in
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credulity (n.)
readiness to believe
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crescendo (n.)
a steady increase in intensity or volume
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criteria (n.)
standards by which something is judged
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culmination (n.)
the climax toward which something progresses
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culpable (adj.)
deserving blame
111
cultivate (v.)
to nurture, improve, refine
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cumulative (adj.)
increasing, building upon itself
113
cunning (adj.)
sly, clever at being deceitful
114
cupidity (n.)
greed, strong desire
115
cursory (adj.)
brief to the point of being superficial
116
curt (adj.)
abruptly and rudely short
117
curtail (v.)
to lessen, reduce
118
contrived
brought about or created through trickery
119
corollary
a practical consequence that follows naturally
