Final Vocabulary Flashcards
Quiz Zee on words for her Final (120 cards)
1
Q
clout
A
power and influence over other people or events:
The small firms banded together so they would have more clout in Washington
2
Q
tiff
A
a slight argument:
We had a little tiff over whose turn it was to walk the dog.
3
Q
goad
A
to cause someone to do something by being annoying:
His brother goaded him into a wrestling match.
4
Q
skulk
A
to hide or move around as if trying not to be seen, usually with bad intentions:
Dogs were skulking in the alleys.
5
Q
iconoclast
A
a person who strongly opposes generally accepted beliefs and traditions
Rogers, an iconoclast in architecture, is sometimes described as putting the insides of buildings on the outside.
6
Q
jade
A
a : a disreputable woman
b : a flirtatious girl
7
Q
rabble
A
the mass of people who are ordinary, unimportant, and poor, and sometimes threatening
8
Q
unwitting
A
without knowing or planning:
The harmful radiation tests were performed long ago on unwitting subjects.
9
Q
doddering
A
weak and unable to walk in a normal way, usually because you are old
a doddery old man
10
Q
gratis
A
free; not costing anything:
Drinks were gratis.
11
Q
quoits
A
a game in which you throw rings over a small post, often played on ships
12
Q
anlage
A
the foundation of a subsequent development; can be referenced to organs
13
Q
derelict
A
(of buildings or equipment) not cared for and in bad condition
14
Q
feral
A
existing in a wild state, especially describing an animal that was previously kept by people
feral dogs/cats
15
Q
pustule
A
a small raised area on the skin which contains pus (= thick liquid)
16
Q
augur
A
to be a sign of especially good or bad things in the future
The company’s sales figures for the first six months augur well for the rest of the year.
17
Q
preen
A
(of a bird) to clean and arrange its feathers using its beak
People who preen make themselves more attractive:
[I] As they preened in the sun, Evelyn snapped photos of them.
18
Q
rubicund
A
having a red face
19
Q
seditious
A
language or behavior intended to persuade other people to oppose their government and change it, sometimes by using violence:
He himself was tried for sedition and sentenced to ten years in jail.
20
Q
tow-headed
A
a head of hair resembling tow especially in being flaxen or tousled; also : a person having such a head of hair
21
Q
cognizant
A
to take notice of and consider something, especially when judging
The lawyer asked the jury to take cognizance of the defendant’s generosity in giving to charity.
22
Q
ennui
A
a feeling of being bored and mentally tired caused by having nothing interesting or exciting to do
The whole country seems to be affected by the ennui of winter.
23
Q
debunk
A
to show that something is not true:
Every week some long-held medical theory is debunked.
24
Q
cadence
A
a regular rise and fall of sound, esp. of the human voice:
She spoke in the lyrical cadence of her East African accent.
25
pastoral
(of a piece of art, writing, or music) having or representing the pleasant, traditional features of the countryside:
a pastoral scene
26
blanch
to become pale, esp. from being surprised:
| When he realized who was on the phone, he blanched.
27
chafe
to make or become damaged or sore by rubbing:
| [T] That bracelet chafed my wrist.
28
nimbus
halo
29
lore
knowledge and stories, usually traditional, about a subject:
| He published several books on Indian lore and hunting.
30
virulent
(of a disease) dangerous and spreading quickly, or (of poison) having an effect very quickly:
a virulent strain of flu
31
precis
a short form of a text that gives only the important parts
32
rend
to break something violently; tear
33
sated
having had more of something than you can easily have at one time
sated with drink/food
34
conundrum
a problem that is difficult to deal with:
| The best shows pose moral conundrums that are hard to solve.
35
misnomer
a name that is not correct or does not suit what it refers to, or a use of such a name:
Dry cleaning is a misnomer, since the clothes are cleaned in a fluid.
36
curry
to groom in order to get attention
37
acrid
strong, bitter, and unpleasant:
| The electrical fire sent thick clouds of acrid smoke through the office.
38
pulverize
to press or crush something until it becomes powder or a soft mass:
Seashells were pulverized by the ocean’s waves.
infml Our team aims to pulverize the competition (= badly defeat them).
39
fetid
smelling extremely bad and stale
| fetid air/breath
40
intermittent
not happening regularly or continuously; stopping and starting repeatedly or with long periods in between
41
crucible
a container for melting metals
42
quail
show fear or apprehension; cower
43
gull
to take advantage of
44
dissemble
to hide your real intentions and feelings or the facts
| He accused the government of dissembling.
45
malign
to say things about someone or something that are harmful and usually not true:
He said he had been unfairly maligned by a few board members who wanted him fired.
46
malevolent
causing or wanting to cause harm or evil:
| a malevolent juvenile delinquent
47
vindictive
having or showing a desire to harm someone because you think that the person has harmed you; unwilling to forgive:
She was immature, spiteful, even vindictive at times.
48
pedantic
caring too much about unimportant rules or details and not enough about understanding or appreciating a subject:
Professor Harris had a narrow, pedantic approach to history that put us to sleep.
49
rile
to annoy or make angry:
Many farmers have been riled by Department of Agriculture fines.
[M] Your loud parties rile up the neighbors.
50
predilection
a strong liking or preference:
| a predilection for spicy foods
51
abscond
to escape and hide somewhere, esp. because you have stolen something:
They absconded with $100,000 of the company’s money.
52
obsolete
outdated; no longer being used
53
excise
Cut out surgically
54
burnish
to rub metal until it is smooth and shiny
• If you burnish something such as your public image, you take action to improve it and make it more attractive.
The company is currently trying to burnish its socially responsible image.
55
mollycoddle
to give someone too much care or protection
| You're not helping the children by mollycoddling them - they have to grow up sometime.
56
genuflect
to bend one knee or touch one knee to the floor as a sign of worship or respect
57
amorphous
having no fixed form or shape; not clear or not determined:
| Plans for a 40-acre shopping center section remain so amorphous that the project has been shelved.
58
yaw
to veer; twist
59
chary
uncertain and frightened to take risks; unwilling to take action
I'm a bit chary of using a travel agency that doesn't have official registration.
60
noisome
very unpleasant and offensive
| a noisome stench
61
ossify
If habits or ideas ossify, or if something ossifies them, they become fixed and unable to change
Years of easy success had ossified the company's thinking and it never faced up to the challenge of the new technology.
62
sinuous
moving in a twisting, curving or indirect way, or having many curves
He enjoyed watching the sinuous bodies of the dancers.
The walkers followed the sinuous path through the trees.
63
ineffable
causing so much emotion, especially pleasure, that it cannot be described
ineffable joy/beauty
64
oblation
something offered in worship or devotion : a holy gift offered usually at an altar or shrine
65
pipe dream
an idea or plan that is not practical or possible:
| Many people still believe that traveling to Mars is just a pipe dream.
66
germane
applicable
| Her remarks could not have been more germane to the discussion.
67
obtuse
angle over 90 degrees or
a : lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect : insensitive, stupid
b : difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression
68
effluvium
1 : an invisible emanation; especially : an offensive exhalation or smell
2
: a by-product especially in the form of waste
69
sophomoric
(of an adult) typical of someone acting like a child:
| sophomoric behavior
70
potentate
a ruler who has a lot of power, especially one whose power is not limited, for example by the existence of a parliament
71
excommunicate
(of the Christian Church, esp. the Roman Catholic Church) to refuse to allow someone to be a member of the church
72
lecher
a lecherous person
| (esp. of men) too interested in sex
73
bucolic
relating to the countryside
| The painting shows a typically bucolic scene with peasants harvesting crops in a field.
74
glut
a supply or amount that is much greater than necessary:
a glut of new housing
a glut of information
75
ipso facto
by that fact or act:
| If he is right, then anyone who disagrees with him is, ipso facto, wrong
76
effervescent
describes a liquid that produces bubbles of gas
| effervescent vitamin C tablets
77
probity
the quality of being honest and behaving correctly:
| The Secretary-General will spare no effort to continue to ensure that the highest standards of probity are maintained.
78
pathos
a quality in life or art that causes feelings of sadness or sympathy:
The dying girl’s speech generates genuine pathos.
79
undulate
describing or having small hills and slopes that look like waves
undulating roads
I love the gently undulating hills of the Dales.
• moving gently up and down
undulating waves
80
nugatory
worth nothing or of little value
| a nugatory amount
81
apotheosize / apotheosis
elevation to divine status
82
consanguinity
a close relation or connection
83
impugn
to cause people to doubt or not trust someone’s character, honesty, or ability:
He could no longer work as a doctor because his reputation had been impugned.
84
cleave
o cut or break into two or more parts:
| [I] The volcano cleaved nearly in half after its last eruption.
85
bilk
to block the free development of : frustrate
2
a : to cheat out of something valuable : defraud
86
palaver
unnecessary work and trouble
Organizing the annual office lunch was such a palaver, I swore I'd never do it again.
idle talk
87
extemporize
to speak or perform without any preparation or thought
| I'd lost my notes and had to extemporize.
88
peremptory
having the expectation of immediate and complete obedience, or to be obeyed without explanation:
In his usual peremptory manner, he ordered us all into the conference room.
89
disconcerting
to make someone feel suddenly uncertain or worried:
| He was disconcerted by all the attention he was getting.
90
jaunty
happy and confident
91
languid
lacking energy, or causing a lack of energy or enthusiasm:
| He sat on the porch enjoying the delicious, languid warmth of a summer afternoon.
92
defunct
broken; no longer existing or working
| He was a reporter for the defunct New York Herald newspaper.
93
harrowing
extremely upsetting because connected with suffering:
| His book tells the harrowing story of how they climbed Mt. Everest.
94
dilatory
slow and likely to cause delay
dilatory behaviour/tactics
British institutions have been dilatory in cutting credit card charges.
95
proximity
the state of being near in space or time:
| Mexico is a popular vacation spot because of its proximity to California.
96
septic
infected by bacteria which produce pus
| I had my ears pierced and one of them went septic.
97
ruddy
(of a white person’s skin) having a red color, often suggesting good health:
a ruddy-cheeked girl
98
contumely
harsh language or treatment arising from haughtiness and contempt; also : an instance of such language or treatment
99
malefactress
a woman who violates the law or does evil.
100
iniquity
sinfulness; wickedness
They fought long and hard against the iniquities of apartheid.
The writer reflects on human injustice and iniquity.
101
mien
a person's appearance, especially the typical expression on their face
His aristocratic mien and smart clothes singled him out.
102
trifle
a matter or item of little value or importance
a trifle
› A trifle means slightly or to a small degree:
He admits to being a trifle nervous before every show.
103
intimate
to imply or hint
104
cabalistic
Relating to or associated with mystical interpretation or esoteric doctrine
105
adduce
to give reasons why you think something is true
| None of the evidence adduced in court was conclusive.
106
vilify
to say or write unpleasant things about someone or something, in order to cause other people to have a bad opinion of them
He was vilified by the press as a monster of perversity.
107
sedulous
(of a person or action) Showing dedication and diligence: "he watched himself with the most sedulous care".
108
loquacious
having the habit of talking a lot
109
contiguity
next to or touching another, usually similar, thing
| The two states are contiguous with/to each other, but the laws are quite different.
110
misanthrope
someone who dislikes other people and avoids involvement with society
111
colloquy
a formal conversation
112
somnambulism
the action, sometimes happening regularly, of a person walking around while they are sleeping
113
conceit
a fanciful idea
114
scurrilous
rude and cruel, and sometimes damaging:
| scurrilous remarks
115
verdure
(the green colour of) fresh healthy plants
116
asperity
the quality of being severe in the way that you speak and behave
the asperity of her manner
117
disquietude
worry
| The leader's decline in popularity is causing disquiet among supporters.
118
obeisance
obedience and respect, or something you do which expresses this
One by one the noblemen made their obeisances (= bent at the waist) to the Queen.
119
pithy
(of speech or writing) brief and full of meaning:
pithy comments
a pithy quote
120
preternatural
more than is usual or natural
| Anger gave me preternatural strength, and I managed to force the door open.
