deck6 Flashcards
(146 cards)
1
Q
taciturn
A
almost always silent
2
Q
caste
A
a rigid and hereditary social class
3
Q
diverge
A
to depart from a set course or opinion
4
Q
bigot
A
one who favors his or her own group and is intolerant of those who differ
5
Q
insular
A
narrow in outlook
6
Q
chicanery
A
deception by trickery
7
Q
masquerade
A
to wear a disguise; to put on a false appearance
8
Q
keen
A
having a sharp edge; perceptive
9
Q
forebear
A
a person from whom one is descended; an ancestor
10
Q
dissipate
A
to scatter; to spend wastefully
11
Q
impute
A
to assign credit, often of guilt or blame
12
Q
vendetta
A
a bitter feud or quarrel; fight
13
Q
elicit
A
to draw out; to invoke
14
Q
truculent
A
inclined to fight
15
Q
leverage
A
strategic advantage
16
Q
reprobate
A
a person who lacks morals
17
Q
baffle
A
to frustrate, as by confusing
18
Q
mitigate
A
to improve by lessening the severity of
19
Q
reckon
A
to calculate; to regard as
20
Q
foray
A
a sudden raid
21
Q
sententious
A
expressing much in few words; given to pompous moralizing
22
Q
tenet
A
a belief
23
Q
foment
A
to stir up negative feelings, esp. those that lead to violent action
24
Q
befuddle
A
to confuse
25
colloquial
appropriate to spoken, as opposed to written, language; informal
26
naive
simple; childlike; lacking worldly wisdom
27
haughty
stuck-up; arrogant; snobbish
28
liability
something for which one who is responsible; a debt; a disadvantage
29
deduce
to reach a conclusion by reasoning
30
evince
to give outward evidence of; to display clearly
31
pragmatic
dealing practically with a situation or a thing; based on experience rather than theory
32
demagogue
a leader who obtains power by appealing to the emotions and passions of the people
33
latitude
freedom from normal limitations; room for movement or action
34
confluence
joining together of different streams
35
vagary
an erratic notion or action
36
exculpate
to clear from blame or guilt
37
homage
a sign of respect
38
rummage
to search thoroughly by handling or disarranging the contents of
39
exert
to put forth or bring to bear
40
affliction
pain
41
qualm
a sudden feeling of sickness
42
innuendo
an indirect suggestion about someone or something, esp.of a negative nature
43
expedient
suitable for a purpose; a means to an end, esp. when based on self-interest
44
exodus
the departure of a large number of people
45
decrepit
weakened, worn out, or broken down by old age or excessive use
46
belie
to picture falsely; to contradict
47
arraign
to bring before a court to answer a legal charge
48
unfledged
not yet grown
49
erstwhile
former; of an earlier time
50
saunter
to walk in a leisurely manner
51
behemoth
an enormous animal or person
52
stigma
a sign of disgrace; a mark that lowers a reputation
53
posit
to assume as a fact or principle
54
foible
a minor weakness of character
55
retrench
to reduce, esp. expenses
56
pivotal
crucial
57
derelict
abandoned; negligent
58
commensurate
equal in proportion
59
sentinel
one who keeps watch
60
scrutiny
close examination
61
ostracize
to shun
62
congregate
to assemble into a group
63
chronicle
a recording of events in order of time
64
soporific
promoting sleep
65
coddle
to treat indulgently
66
fledgling
a young, inexperienced person
67
eclat
great brilliance, as of performance or achievement
68
vociferous
loud and vehement
69
ravenous
very hungry
70
facile
with effortless ease
71
demeanor
outward behavior, esp. that reveals one's personality or attitude
72
enmity
the bitter attitude or feelings of an enemy or of mutual enemies
73
verbatim
word for word
74
schema
an outline or model, often drawn as a diagram
75
invigorate
to give strength and energy to
76
cede
to give or formally surrender to another
77
supplicate
to request with great humility, as though by praying
78
anthropomorphism
the attribution of human characteristics to animals or inanimate objects
79
preoccupied
absorbed in thought
80
circumspect
showing discretion and careful judgement
81
proximity
closeness
82
zest
hearty enjoyment
83
chimerical
created by or as if by a fanciful imagination
84
wheedle
to persuade or obtain through flattery or cunning
85
dowdy
lacking in neatness or style; shabby
86
dilatory
characterized by delay; tardy
87
ensconce
to settle securely or snugly
88
paean
a song of joy, triumph, or praise
89
niche
a place or situation suited for a person or thing; a recess in a wall
90
attribute
to assign as the source; quality, characteristic
91
meticulous
extremely or excessively careful about details
92
ingratiate
to bring oneself into another's favor or good graces by conscious effort
93
recount
to tell in detail
94
corroborate
to strengthen; to confirm; to support
95
propensity
a natural inclination; a tendency
96
beguile
to deceive by charm
97
gesticulate
to make gestures, esp. while speaking
98
hiatus
an interruption in activity or progress
99
painstaking
very thorough; careful
100
avant-garde
a group active in inventing and applying new techniques, esp. in the arts
101
countenance
appearance, esp. the expression of the face; to tolerate
102
manacles
shackles; handcuffs
103
genial
cheerful; friendly
104
impassioned
filled with emotion; fervent
105
brevity
briefness
106
mainstay
a chief support
107
extrovert
an outgoing person
108
pedigree
record of ancestry; family tree
109
affinity
a natural attraction or feeling of kinship
110
feckless
careless; irresponsible
111
elude
to escape from, as by daring or skill
112
divert
to change the direction of; to amuse
113
mediocre
ordinary to inferior in quality; not standing out from the average
114
scorn
a feeling of contempt of disdain
115
aloof
distant or removed in attitude or manner
116
garrulous
talking too much, esp. about trivial things
117
sumptuous
of a size or splendor suggesting great expenses; lavish
118
debonair
easy and carefree in manner
119
ascribe
to attribute to a specific source
120
scintilla
a small amount; a spark
121
motif
a recurring subject or theme, esp. in a work of art or literature
122
remnant
a small amount left over after the rest has been used; a surviving trace
123
gall
boldness
124
ferret
to search
125
prose
the ordinary form of written or spoken language, without rhyme or meter
126
avuncular
resembling an uncle; benevolent
127
denouement
conclusing
128
dally
to waste time
129
dismal
causing gloom or depression
130
waif
a homeless person, esp. a child or orphan
131
ward
to repel or turn aside
132
congenital
present since birth
133
corpus
a large collection of writings
134
torpid
inactive
135
inept
without skill
136
cozen
to defraud or deceive
137
insolent
boldly disrespectful in speech or behavior
138
exhort
to urge strongly
139
compendium
a short, complete summary
140
palpitate
to beat rapidly
141
abjure
to renounce under oath; to give up or deny
142
alacrity
cheerful willingness; swiftness
143
inadvertent
unintentional; accidental
144
maraud
to raid
145
crass
dull-witted; unrefined
146
envoy
a government representative sent on a special diplomatic mission
