deck8 Flashcards
(123 cards)
1
Q
lukewarm
A
mildly warm; lacking enthusiasm
2
Q
grandiloquent
A
using excessively fancy or pompous words
3
Q
vex
A
to disturb; to distress
4
Q
imbroglio
A
a confused misunderstanding or disagreement
5
Q
hygienic
A
tending to promote or preserve health
6
Q
emaciated
A
made thin unnaturally; abnormally thin due to starvation
7
Q
proselytize
A
to try to convert someone to one’s own faith or cause
8
Q
penurious
A
stingy, exhibiting a petty unwillingness to spend money
9
Q
heckle
A
to harass ( a speaker) with questions or taunts
10
Q
detract
A
to take away a desirable part; to diminish
11
Q
albeit
A
although
12
Q
circumlocution
A
an indirect or wordy way of expressing an idea
13
Q
boon
A
a welcome benefit
14
Q
rubric
A
a category, class, title, or name
15
Q
bona fide
A
genuine
16
Q
nonchalant
A
seemingly unconcerned or indifferent
17
Q
panegyric
A
elaborate praise, esp. in a formal, public setting
18
Q
tactile
A
of or related to the sense of touch
19
Q
iconoclast
A
one who attacks and seeks to destroy widely accepted ideas
20
Q
haphazard
A
occurring or happening by mere chance
21
Q
condolence
A
sympathy with another in sorrow
22
Q
discursive
A
covering a wide range of subjects; rambling
23
Q
drone
A
to make a continuous, low buzzing or humming sound; to speak monotonously
24
Q
wallow
A
to roll about lazily, in or as if in water, snow or mud; to revel
25
insurrection
a rebellion
26
alchemy
medieval chemistry, esp. the attempt to change common metals into gold
27
reiterate
to repeat
28
charisma
a quality of leadership that inspires great devotion in one's followers
29
nostrum
a potion given as a medicine of doubtful effectiveness
30
catalyst
something or someone that initiates a reaction, esp. without being involved in or changed by the consequences
31
distraught
anxious or agitated
32
criterion
a measurable value; a standard for judging
33
entreaty
an earnest plea or request
34
suffuse
to spread through or over (as with light or color
35
cachet
a mark of distinction
36
parley
a discussion, esp. between enemies to resolve disputes
37
emit
to send forth; to give out
38
jeer
to make fun of; mockery
39
humid
moist
40
obfuscate
to make difficult to understand; to make indistinct
41
hamper
to keep from moving or acting freely
42
reconcile
to make friendly again; to settle a dispute
43
inaugurate
to formally bring into office at the beginning of a term
44
subjugate
to bring under control; to conquer
45
plebeian
common
46
fervid
extremely emotional; passionate
47
diaphanous
of transparent or translucently fine texture
48
pathology
the study of the cause and development of disease
49
indoctrinate
to teach to accept a belief uncritically
50
enigma
something that is puzzling, ambiguous, mysterious, or inexplicable
51
besiege
to crowd on; to move in on; to overwhelm
52
motley
having elements of great variety; composed of many colors
53
impeccable
flawless
54
raillery
light, good-natured ridicule or satire
55
plunder
to rob; to take wrongfully
56
stultify
to cause to lose interest, become bored, or feel dull and not alert
57
burly
strong and muscular
58
bemuse
to confuse or stupefy
59
redoubtable
fearsome; formidable
60
vacillate
to swing back and forth
61
missive
a written message
62
inclement
harsh; severe (usually of weather)
63
magnate
a very important or influential person, esp. in business
64
taut
tense; very tight
65
jostle
to push and shove; to move by pushing or elbowing
66
headlong
with uncontrolled speed and force
67
interject
to insert between other things
68
ersatz
artificial; not genuine; fake
69
facsimile
an exact copy
70
magisterial
characteristic of a master or teacher; stately dignified in manner or appearance; overbearing
71
obeisance
a gesture, such as a bow or curtsy, that expresses respect or obedience
72
lucrative
producing wealth; profitable
73
compound
a building or group of buildings enclosed by a barrier
74
persevere
to remain constant despite obstacles
75
lapse
to decline from a previous level or standard; to come to an end
76
gouge
a chisel with a rounded blade; to cut or scoop out, as with such a chisel
77
inhibit
to hold back
78
heterodox
not in agreement with accepted beliefs, esp. religious dogma
79
wizened
wrinkled from aging
80
lithe
limber and graceful; supple
81
conduit
a channel for conducting fluids; a means by which something is transmitted
82
bastion
a well-fortified place; a source of protection
83
posthumous
done or occurring after death
84
prepossessing
impressing favorably
85
spurious
not genuine; false
86
conciliate
to overcome or try to overcome distrust or hatred through friendly acts
87
apex
the highest point
88
trajectory
the path of a moving body through space
89
secede
to withdraw formally from an alliance or membership
90
languish
to lose strength or health; to remain neglected
91
schism
a division; a split; a break
92
tax
to make difficult or excessive demands upon
93
aggravate
to worsen
94
listless
having no interest in what is going on about one; languid; spiritless
95
imperious
domineering, marked by arrogant assurance
96
frenetic
wildly excited or active
97
incur
to acquire or sustain something undesirable
98
trace
a faint amount
99
valedictory
a farewell speech
100
quagmire
wet, boggy ground; a difficult situation
101
dubious
causing doubt; questionable
102
disinter
to exhume; to dig out of the ground
103
frond
a large leaf, esp. of a fern, palm, etc
104
reign
to rule, as by a monarch; the period of rule
105
garish
marked by unpleasantly bright colors or excessive ornamentation
106
oxymoron
a figure of speech combining apparently contradictory terms, e.g., "darkness visible"
107
cower
to draw back out of fear
108
deft
quick and skillful
109
exact
to demand and obtain by force or authority
110
vindicate
to clear of blame with supporting arguments or proof
111
toddle
to walk with short, unsteady steps, like a child
112
labyrinthine
complicated; puzzling
113
stupefy
to put in a state of little or no sensation; to amaze or astonish
114
cherub
a kind of angel, usually portrayed as a child
115
theocracy
the rule of a state by religious leaders
116
fallow
of land, plowed but not planted during the growing season; characterized by inactivity
117
vouch
to give assurances of a guarantee; to give supporting evidence
118
finite
measurable; having an end
119
inexorable
impossible to stop or resist
120
ordeal
an extremely difficult experience
121
gild
to cover with a thin layer of gold
122
regale
to delight or entertain
123
exonerate
to find blameless
