C Flashcards
1
Q
cabal
A
small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
2
Q
cache
A
hiding place; V.
3
Q
cacophonous
A
discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony:
unpleasant mixture of loud sounds
4
Q
cadence
A
rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat; regular beat of sound; rhythm
5
Q
cajole
A
persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle
6
Q
coax
A
persuade by flattery
7
Q
calamity
A
disaster; misery
8
Q
callous
A
hardened; unfeeling; without sympathy for the
sufferings of others; unkind
9
Q
callow
A
youthful; immature; inexperienced
10
Q
calumny
A
malicious misrepresentation; slander
11
Q
camaraderie
A
good-fellowship; CF. comrade
12
Q
canard
A
unfounded false rumour; exaggerated false report
13
Q
candor
A
frankness; open honesty; ADJ. candid
14
Q
canny
A
shrewd in money matters; thrifty
15
Q
cant
A
insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people
16
Q
cantankerous
A
ill-humored; irritable
17
Q
capacious
A
spacious
18
Q
capitulate
A
surrender; give up all resistance
19
Q
caprice
A
whim; sudden change of mind without any real
cause
20
Q
capricious
A
unpredictable; fickle
21
Q
captious
A
faultfinding; too critical
22
Q
carapace
A
shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.)
23
Q
carcinogenic
A
causing cancer; N. carcinogen
24
Q
careen
A
lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger
25
canvass
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through (a region) to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; N.
26
caricature
distortion; burlesque
27
carnage
destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals
28
carnal
fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body
29
carousal
drunken revel; V. carouse
30
carping
petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble
31
castigation
punishment; severe criticism or disapproval
32
cataclysm
deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change
33
cataract
great waterfall; eye abnormality (causing a
| gradual loss of eyesight)
34
catastrophe
calamity ; disaster
35
catalyst
agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged; CF. catalysis
36
catcall
shout of disapproval or displeasure (made at the theater or a sports match); boo; V.
37
catechism
book for religious instruction in question- and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize
38
categorical
without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute
39
catharsis
purging or cleansing of any passage of the body; purging and weakening of strong emotions as a result of experiencing a dramatic work of art
40
cathartic
purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; ADJ.
41
candid
frank, straight forward
42
canon
a basic law or principle by which something is judged
43
catholic
(of likings and interests) universal; general; broad; including many different parts; wide-ranging liberal; Ex. catholic opinions/tastes
44
caucus
private meeting of a group of people in a polit- ical party to select officers or determine policy; CF. the Caucus club of Boston
45
causal
implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality
46
caustic
burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical ac- tion; sarcastically biting; (of remarks) intended to hurt; bitter; harmful; OP. harmless
47
cauterize
burn (a wound or snakebite, etc.) with hot iron or caustic substance to stop bleeding and prevent infection
48
cavalier
casual and offhand; arrogant; N: knight
49
cavil
quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault un-
| necessarily
50
cede
yield (title or territory) to (esp. after losing a war); surrender formally; N. cession
51
celibate
abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy
52
censor
(inancientRome)overseerofmorals(alsotaking the census); person who eliminates inappropriate mat- ter; V.
53
censorious
severely critical
54
censure
blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N:
| severe criticism; strong disapproval
55
celerity
speed; rapidity
56
cerebral
pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; CF. cerebrum
57
cerebration
thought; working of the brain
58
ceremonious
marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy
59
certitude
certainty
60
cessation
stoppage
61
cession
yielding to another; ceding
62
chafe
warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N.
63
chaff
1. worthless products of an endeavor; husk(outer seed cover) separated from grain; Ex. separate the wheat from the chaff
2. light hearted joking, tease good-naturedly,banter
64
chaffing
bantering; joking
65
chagrin
annoyance and disappointment;
| caused by humiliation or injured pride
66
champion
support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly (a principle, movement, person, etc.)
67
charisma
divine gift; great popular charm or appeal;
| magnetism
68
charlatan
quack; pretender to knowledge (esp. in medicine)
69
chary
cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or re- strained about giving; OP. bold
70
chaste
morallypure;virginal;abstainingfromillicitsex- ual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere
71
chasten
discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. casti- gate
72
chauvinist
blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex; ADJ. chauvinistic; CF. chauvin- ism; Nicolas Chauvin
73
chivalrous
courteous; faithful; brave; N. chivalry
74
choleric
hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily
| angered; CF. cholera
75
churlish
boorish; rude; N. churl: boor; yahoo
76
cipher
nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V.
77
circumscribe
limit; confine; draw a line around
78
circumspect
prudent; cautious; acting after careful
| thought
79
circumvent
outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart; baffle; avoid; get around
80
clairvoyant
having foresight; fortuneteller; N. clairvoyance
81
clamor
loud continous noise; continuous demand or complaint made by a large number of people; V: make a clamor; express (a demand) continually and loudly; ADJ. clamorous
82
clandestine
secret
83
chaperon
older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman/another person/group of people
84
claustrophobia
fear of being locked in
85
scrimmage
disorderly fight between two or more people
86
clemency
disposition to be lenient in deciding punish-
| ments; mildness as of the weather; ADJ. clement
87
cliche ́
phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; plati- tude; ADJ. cliche ́d
88
clique
small exclusive group of people
89
cloister
monastery or convent
90
clout
greatinfluence(especiallypoliticalorsocial);hard blow with fist
91
cloying
distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess
92
coagulate
congeal; thicken; clot; N. coagulant
93
coalesce
combine; fuse; N. coalescence
94
coddle
treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mol- lycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs
95
codicil
supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will
96
coercion
use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce
97
coeval
living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time; contemporary; of the same age
98
cogent
convincing
99
cogitate
think over; ponder
100
cognate
having a common origin; related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature; Ex. cognate languages; N.
101
cognitive
having to do with knowing or perceiving re- lated to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing
102
cognizance
knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowl- edge; aware
103
cohabit
live together
104
cohere
stick together
105
cohesion
tendency to keep together
106
cohorts
groupofpeoplewhosharesomecommonqual- ity; armed band; a group of between 300 and 600 sol- diers under one commander (in the ancient Rome)
107
coiffure
hairstyle
108
coincidence
the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events; V. coincide: happen at the same time; be in agreement; CF. coinci- dent; CF. coincidental
109
colander
utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
110
collate
examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order (the sheets of a book before they are bound)
111
collateral
security given for loan; ADJ: secondary; de- scended from the same person but through different sons or daughters
112
collation
a light meal; collating
113
colloquial
pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression
114
colloquy
informal discussion; conversation
115
collusion
conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or
| deceive others; V. collude
116
colossal
huge
117
colossus
gigantic statue; person or thing of great size or importance
118
comatose
in a coma; extremely sleepy
119
comely
attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance
120
comeuppance
deserts; well-deserved punishment or misfortune; rebuke
121
comity
courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations
122
coax
persuade/manipulate (someone) gradually or by flattery to do something
123
commemorative
remembering; honoring the memory of; Ex. commemorative stamp
124
commensurate
equal in extent; of the same size
125
commiserate
feel or express pity or sympathy for
126
commune
small (often rural) community whose mem- bers share work and income; V: exchange thoughts or feelings; Ex. commune with nature
127
compelling
overpowering; irresistible in effect; holding one’s attention; that compels one to do something; Ex. a compelling adventure story; V. compel
128
compendium
brief, comprehensive summary; ADJ. compendious
129
complacency
self-satisfaction; smugness; ADJ. complacent
130
complaisant
trying to please; obliging; willing to please
| others
131
complement
complete; consummate; make perfect; N.
132
complementary
serving to complete something
133
compliance
conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield; disposition to yield to others; V. comply
134
compliant
readily acting in accordance with a rule, order, or the wishes or others; yielding; comforming to requirements
135
complicity
participation; involvement (in a question- able act or a crime)
136
comport
bear one’s self; behave; Ex. comport oneself;
| N. comportment
137
composure
mental calmness
138
comprehensive
broad; including a lot or everything; thorough; inclusive
139
comprehend
include; understand
140
compunction
remorse; strong uneasiness caused by guilt
141
concede
admit; acknowledge as being true (often reluc- tantly); yield; grant; Ex. concede a goal
142
conceit
vanity or self-love; too high opinion of one’s own value; extravagant metaphor (in poetry)
143
conception
beginning; forming of an idea; fertilization; V. conceive: form an idea in the mind; devise; become pregnant; CF. inception
144
concerted
mutually agreed on; done together by agree- ment; Ex. concerted effort; CF. in concert: working together
145
concession
an act of yielding; conceding; something conceded; point, right, etc. given unwillingly; privilege of maintaining a business in a certain place; Ex. oil con- cessions in the North sea; CF. concessionaire
146
conciliatory
reconciling; soothing; V. conciliate: recon- cile; soothe; win the friendly feelings (by removing anger)
147
conclave
private secret meeting
148
concoct
prepare by mixing or combining; make up in concert; devise (something false) so as to deceive; Ex. concoct an elaborate excuse for being late; N. concoction
149
concomitant
that which accompanies; Ex. Deafnes is a frequent concommitant of old age; ADJ: existing or hap- pening together with something else
150
concord
harmony; accord
151
concordat
formal agreement
152
concur
agree; coincide; happen at the same time
153
condescend
(derog.) bestow courtesies with a superior air; descend to the level of one considered inferior
154
condole
express condolences; N. condolence: sympathy
| for someone who has experienced great sorrow
155
condone
overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
156
conducive
helpful; contributive; V. conduce; Ex. con- duce to/towards
157
confidant(confidante)
```
trusted friend (to whom one tells
one’s secret)
```
158
confide
tell in confidence (to a person one trusts); be confident about
159
confiscate
seize; take possession of (private property) by official order (usu. as a punishment); commandeer
160
conflagration
great fire
161
confluence
flowing together;the place where two rivers flow together; crowd; gathering together
162
conformity
harmony; agreement with established rules or customs; similarity; Ex. behave in conformity with; V. conform: be similar; act in agreement; comply; Ex. conform to the rule; CF. conformance
163
conformist
person who uncritically conforms to the customs of a group; OP. nonconformist: one who does not conform to accepted beliefs of norms
164
confound
confuse; puzzle
165
congeal
freeze; coagulate
166
congenial
pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one’s tastes and nature; Ex. congenial weather
167
congenital
existing at birth
168
conglomerate
corporation made up of several different companies in diversified fields; mass of various material gathered together; rock consisting of small stones held together by clay; V.
169
congruence
correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship; CF. congruity
170
congruent
in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly; CF. congruous
171
conjecture
surmise; guess; V.
172
conjugal
pertaining to marriage
173
conjure
cause to appear by magic; summon (a devil or a spirit) by magical power; practice magic (esp. by very quick movement of the hands); evoke; conjure up: bring into the mind; Ex. The magician conjured a rabbit out of his hat.
174
connivance
pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend; V. connive: feign igno- rance (of a wrong); cooperate secretly in an illegal ac- tion; conspire
175
connoisseur
person competent to act as a judge of art, etc. (whose judgments are respected); a lover of an art
176
connotation
suggested or implied meaning of an ex- pression; V. connote
177
connubial
pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state
178
consanguinity
kinship; relationship by birth
179
consanguineous(consanguine)
having a common ancestor
180
conscientious
scrupulous; through and careful; Ex. conscientious worker
181
conscript
draftee; person forced into military service; V.
182
consecrate
dedicate; sanctify; declare as sacred; Ex. consecrate one’s life to helping the poor
183
consensus
general agreement; opinion reached by a group
184
consequential
self-important; significant; consequent; following as a result; Ex. consequential air; CF. subsequent
185
consign
send to a person or place for sale; deliver of- ficially; entrust; put into the care of another; set apart (for a special purpose); N. consignment; CF. consignor, consignee
186
console
lessen sadness or disappointment; give com- fort; allay the sorrow of; N. consolation
187
consolidation
unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger; V. consolidate: merge; strengthen
188
consonance
harmony; agreement
189
consort
associate with; keep company; N: husband or wife (or a ruler)
190
consternation
great shock; dismay
191
construe
explain; interpret; Ex. construe her silence as meaning that she agreed; CF. misconstrue
192
consummate
complete; V.
193
contagion
infection (by contact); ADJ. contagious; CF. infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air
194
contempt
scorn; disdain; ADJ. contemptuous; CF. contemptible
195
contend
struggle; compete; assert earnestly; state strongly
196
contention
assertion; claim; thesis; struggling; competition
197
contentious
quarrelsome; controversial; likely to cause arguments
198
contiguous
adjacent to; touching upon
199
continence
self-restraint; sexual chastity; sexual abstinence; voluntary control over bladder and bowel func- tions; ADJ. continent
200
contingent
dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional; happening by chance; accidental; N: a group of soldiers, ships to a larger force; CF. contingency: future event that may or may not occur; possibility; Ex. prepare for every contingency
201
contortions
twistings; distortions; V. contort: twist violently out of shape; CF. contortionist
202
contraband
illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods; ADJ.
203
contravene
contradict; oppose; violate (a rule, law, or custom); N. contravention
204
contrite
Feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong , penitent; repentant; N. contrition
205
contrived
unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous; Ex. The ending was rather contrived.
206
contrive
invent or fabricate in a clever way (by improvisation); manage; Ex. contrive to attract his attention
207
controvert
oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict; ADJ. controversial; N. controversy
208
contumacious
stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority (esp. disobedient to an order made by a court)
209
contusion
bruise
210
conundrum
riddle; difficult problem
211
convene
come together; assemble; call to meet; Ex. convene the council
212
convention
social or moral custom; established prac- tice; formal meeting; international agreement
213
converge
approach; tend to meet; come together
214
conversant
familiar with; having knowledge of
215
conviction
judgment that someone is guilty of a crime; strongly held belief
216
convivial
pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; characterized by joviality; jovial
217
convoke
call together; Ex. convoke Parliament; N. convocation
218
convoluted
coiled around; twisted; involved; complicated; intricate; complex; N. convolution: twist; one of the convex folds of the surface of the brain
219
convulsion
violent uncontrollable shaking movement (caused by illness); V. convulse; ADJ. convulsive
220
copious
plentiful
221
coquette
flirt; flirtatious woman; woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without sincere feelings; V.
222
cordial
warmly friendly; gracious; heartfelt; Ex. cordial welcome
223
cordon
extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress
224
corollary
natural consequence (which naturally follows from something else)
225
corporeal
bodily (rather than spiritual); of a bodily form; material; tangible
226
corpulent
very fat; N. corpulence
227
corpuscle
red or white cell in the blood
228
correlation
mutual relationship
229
corroborate
confirm; support; strengthen
230
countenance
approve; support; tolerate; Ex. countenance his rude behavior; N: face; appearance
231
coup
highly successful action or sudden attack; coup(s) d’e ́tat; CF. coup de graˆce: deathblow or shot which kills
232
covenant
binding agreement between two groups or people; compact; V: enter into a covenant; promise
233
covert
secret; hidden; implied; OP. overt
234
covetous
avaricious; desirous of (someone else’s possessions); V. covet: desire eagerly (someone else’s possessions)
235
cow
terrorize; intimidate
236
cower
shrink quivering as from fear; cringe
237
coy
shy (flirtatiously); showing a (pretended) lack of self-confidence; modest; coquettish; CF. job offer
238
cozen
cheat; hoodwink; swindle
239
crabbed
sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting
240
crass
very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating; Ex. crass behavior
241
craven
cowardly
242
credence
belief
243
credulity
belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete ́; ADJ. credulous
244
crescendo
increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; CF. crescent
245
crestfallen
dejected; dispirited
246
crevice
crack; fissure
247
cringe
shrink back as if in fear; cower
248
culinary
relating to cooking or kitchen
249
cull
pick out from others (to kill the weakest members); reject; select; collect (information); N.
250
culpable
deserving blame; blameworthy
251
culprit
one guilty of a crime
252
cumbersome
heavy and awkward to carry or wear;burdensome; Ex. cumbersome parcel/uniform
253
cupidity
greed (for wealth); CF. cupid; CF. Cupid
254
curmudgeon
churlish, tempered old person miserly individual; badempered
255
cursive
(of writing) flowing; running; having the successive letters joined
256
cursory
casual; hastily done with little attention to detail
257
cynosure
object of general attention; person or thing that is a center of attention; CF. Ursa Minor
258
caveat
1. a warning or caution, admonition
259
cachinnate
laugh loudly
