DEF Flashcards
(170 cards)
1
Q
Daunt
A
To discourage; intimidate; dishearten
2
Q
De facto
A
In fact, whether by right or not; exercising power without being legally established
3
Q
Dearth
A
Scarcity
4
Q
Debauchery
A
Corruption
5
Q
Decorum
A
Proper behavior
6
Q
Defame
A
To malign; harm someone’s reputation
7
Q
Default
A
To fail to act
8
Q
Defer
A
To submit to the wishes of another due to respect or recognition of the person’s authority or knowledge
9
Q
Deference
A
Respect; regard for another’s wish
10
Q
Defunct
A
No longer existing
11
Q
Delineate
A
To represent or depict
12
Q
Demographic
A
Related to population balance
13
Q
Demotic
A
Pertaining to people
14
Q
Demur
A
To express doubt
15
Q
Denigrate
A
To slur someone’s reputation
16
Q
Denizen
A
An inhabitant; a regular visitor
17
Q
Denouement
A
Outcome; unraveling of the plot of a play or work of literature
18
Q
Deride
A
To mock
19
Q
Derivative
A
Something derived; unoriginal
20
Q
Desiccate
A
To dry completely
21
Q
Desuetude
A
State of disuse
22
Q
Desultory
A
Random; disconnected; rambling
23
Q
Deterrent
A
Something that discourages or hinders
24
Q
Detraction
A
The act of taking away; derogatory comment on a person’s character
25
Deviant
A person whose behavior differs from the accepted standards of society
26
Diaphanous
Transparent; fine-textured; insubstantial; vague
27
Diatribe
Bitter verbal attack
28
Dichotomy
Division into two usually contradictory parts
29
Diffidence
Shyness; lack of confidence
30
Diffuse
V. to spread out, adj. wordy; rambling; spread out
31
Digression
Act of straying from the main point
32
Dirge
Funeral hymn
33
Disabuse
To free from misconception
34
Discern
To perceive something obscure
35
Discerning
Perceptive; exhibiting keen insight and good judgment
36
Discomfit
To make uneasy; disconcert
37
Discordant
Not in tune
38
Discredit
To dishonor; disgrace; cause to be doubted
39
Discrepancy
Difference between
40
Discrete
Constituting a separate thing; distinct
41
Discretion
Quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions; circumspection; freedom to act on one's own
42
Disingenuous
Not candid; crafty
43
Disinterested
Unprejudiced; objection
44
Disjointed
Lacking order or coherence; dislocated
45
Dismiss
Put away from consideration; reject
46
Disparage
To belittle
47
Disparate
Dissimilar
48
Dissemble
To pretend; disguise one's motinves
49
Disseminate
To spread; scatter; disperse
50
Dissident
Person who disagrees about belief, etc.
51
Dissolution
Disintegration; debauchery
52
Dissonance
Discord; lack of harmony
53
Distend
To expand; swell out
54
Distill
Extract the essential elements
55
Distrait
Inattentive; preoccupied
56
Diverge
To vary; go in different directions from the same point
57
Divest
To strip; deprive; rid
58
Divulge
To make known something that is secret
59
Doctrinaire
Relating to a person who cannot compromise about points of a theory or doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding
60
Document
To provide with written evidence to support
61
Doggerel
Poor verse
62
Dogmatic
Stating opinions without proof
63
Dormant
Inactive
64
Dross
Waste; worthless matter; trivial matter
65
Dupe
To deceive; trick
66
Ebullient
Exhilarated; enthusiastic
67
Eclectic
Selecting from various sources
68
Effervescence
State of high spirits or liveliness; the process of bubbling as gas escapes
69
Effete
Depleted of vitality; overrefined; decadent
70
Efficacy
Efficiency; effectiveness
71
Effrontery
Shameless boldness; presumptuousness
72
Egoism
The tendency to see thing in relation to oneself; self-centered
73
Egotistical
Excessively self-centered; conceited
74
Elegy
Poem or song expressing lamentation
75
Elicit
To provoke; draw out
76
Elixir
A substance believed to have the power to cure ills
77
Elysian
Blissful; delightful
78
Emaciated
Thin and wasted
79
Embellish
To adorn; decorate; enhance; make more attractive by adding details
80
Emollient
Adj. soothing; mollifying, n. an agent that soothes or makes more acceptable
81
Empirical
Derived observation and experiment
82
Emulate
To imitate; copy
83
Encomium
A formal expression of praise
84
Endemic
Inherent; belonging to an area
85
Enervate
To weaken
86
Engender
To cause; produce
87
Enhance
To increase; improve
88
Entomology
The scientific study of insects
89
Enuciate
To pronounce clearly
90
Ephemeral
Short-lived; fleeting
91
Epistemology
Branch of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge
92
Equable
Steady; unvarying; serene
93
Equanimity
Composure; calmness
94
Equitable
Fair; just; impartial
95
Equivocation
To intentionally use vague language
96
Errant
Mistaken; straying from the proper course
97
Erudite
Learned; scholarly
98
Esoteric
Hard to understand; known only to a few
99
Essay
To make an attempt; subject to a test
100
Estimable
Admirable; possible to estimate
101
Ethnocentric
Based on the attitude that one's group is superior
102
Etiology
Causes or origins
103
Etymology
Origin and history of a word
104
Eugenics
Study of factors that influence the hereditary qualities of the human race and ways to improve these qualities
105
Eulogy
High praise, especially of a person who has recently died
106
Euphemism
Use of agreeable or inoffensive language in place of unpleasant or offensive language
107
Euphoria
A feeling of extreme happiness
108
Euthanasia
Mercy killing
109
Evince
To show plainly; be an indication of
110
Evocative
Tending to call to mind or produce a reaction
111
Exacerbate
To aggravate; make worse
112
Exact
V. to force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority, adj. extremely demanding (exacting)
113
Exculpate
To clear of blame; vindicate
114
Execrable
Detestable; abhorrent
115
Exhort
To urge by strong appeals
116
Exigency
Crisis; urgent requirements
117
Existential
Having to do with existence; based on experience; having to do with the philosophy of existentialism
118
Exorcise
To expel evil spirits; free from bad influences
119
Expatiate
To speak or write at length
120
Expatriate
To send into exile
121
Expiate
To atone for
122
Explicate
To explain; interpret; clarify
123
Expository
Explanatory
124
Extant
In existence; not lost
125
Extemporaneous
Unrehearsed
126
Extirpate
To root up; to destroy
127
Extraneous
Not essential
128
Extrapolation
The act of estimation by projecting known information
129
Extrinsic
Not inherent or essential
130
Facetious
Humorous
131
Facilitate
To make less difficult
132
Factotum
A person who does all sorts of work; a handyman
133
Fallacious
Based on a false idea or fact; misleading
134
Fallow
Plowed but not sowed; uncultivated
135
Fatuous
Foolishly self-satisfied
136
Fauna
Animals of a period or region
137
Fawning
Seeking favor by flattery
138
Felicitous
Suitably expressed; appropriate; well-chosen
139
Feral
Existing in a wild or untamed state
140
Fervor
N. warmth and intensity of emotion, adj. full of strong emotion or impassioned (fervent)
141
Fetid
Having a bad smell
142
Fetter
V. to bind; confine, n. something that restricts or restrains
143
Fiat
Arbitrary order; authorization
144
Fidelity
Loyalty; exact correspondence
145
Filibuster
Use of obstructive tactics in a legislature to block passage of a law
146
Finesse
To handle with a deceptive or evasive strategy; to use finesse, that is, refinement in performance
147
Fissure
Crevice
148
Flag
To droop; grow weak
149
Fledgling
Beginner; novice
150
Flora
Plants of a region or era
151
Florid
Ruddy; reddish; flowery
152
Flourish
N. an embellishment or ornamentation, v. meaning to grow vigorously, or to thrive
153
Flout
To treat scornfully
154
Flux
Flowing; a continuous moving
155
Foment
To incite; arouse
156
Forbearance
Patience
157
Forestall
To prevent; delay
158
Formidable
Menacing; threatening
159
Forswear
Renounce; repudiate
160
Founder
To sink; fail; collapse
161
Fracas
A loud quarrel; brawl
162
Fractious
Quarrelsome; unruly; rebellious
163
Fresco
A painting done on plaster
164
Frieze
Ornamental band on a wall
165
Froward
Stubbornly contrary; obstinately disobedient
166
Frugality
Thrift
167
Fulminate
To attack loudly; denounce
168
Fulsome
So excessive as to be disgusting
169
Fusion
Union; synthesis
170
Futile
Ineffective; useless; fruitless
