Flashcards in Group 1 Deck (50)
1
privation
n. deprivation, lack of usual comforts or necessities of life; his life of __ began to affect his health.
2
concupiscence
n. lust, sexual desire; ardent, usually sensuous, longing.
3
badinage
n. light playful banter or raillery. The __ ceased instantly and an ominous silence fell on the people.
4
troubadour
n. wandering singer or minstrel. He is a __ that happens to be in grief.
5
reconnoiter
v. inspect, examine, explore (a region, area, etc.). He immediately sent a detachment of men to __.
6
ablution
n. cleansing with water esp. as religious ritual. The __ ought, strictly, to be performed once every 24 hours.
7
vulgate
n. the Latin version of the Bible, used as the authorized version of the Catholic Church
8
pentateuch
n. first 5 books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
9
morass
n. marshy ground; quagmire. The act straightened out a __ of legal requirements.
10
affected
adj. feigned, inclined to, fancy something. New students __ing a nonchalance they didn't feel.
11
pedant
n. egghead, someone who makes an excessive display of learning; stickler. He talks pleasantly, and nothing of a pedant, as I half dreaded he would be.
12
vicinage
n. vicinity, proximity. It was available in the public libraries of the __
13
nomenclature
n. vocabulary, terminology. But because they wanted something friendlier, they came up with the nomenclature of "screen name"
14
hortatory
adj. urging, exhorting, encouraging. A __ speech.
15
posterity
n. future generations. Judgment of this age must be left to _. His fortune was gradually dissipated by his _.
16
lapidary
adj. refinement (suggestive of gem cutting). Lincoln is one of whom no one expected __ style
17
pecuniary
adj. monetary. Fitzgerald 18 yrs old, able bodied, but without _ means.
18
lyceum
n. college, institution. Consider this episode from a __ lecture written when Lincoln was 29...
19
crucible
n. melting pot. A severe test/trial. His letters on diverse subjects are the __ in which Lincoln cast his style
20
epigram
n. witticism, aphorism, quip. The story is short without crackling like an __
21
terse
adj. effectively consise. abruptly consies, curt. She offered a _ description of how her asthmatic brother had come to die.
22
evince
v. show, manifest. Sarah __s tremendous intellectual potential
23
edify
v. uplift, benefit morally, spiritually. Listen to _ing talks!
24
crass
adj. gross, obtuse, stupid. A _ misrepresentation of the facts. __ commercialism.
25
non sequitur
n. paradox, statement of illogical conclusion. A response that isn't clearly related to anything previously said
26
behest
n. command, strongly worded request. I quit sinning at the _ of Jesus
27
rheumy
n. mucousy
28
bough
n. big tree branch. He saw a bird sitting on a __
29
rote
n. routine, mechanical. The _ of daily living is not very exciting.
30
coxcomb
n. conceited, foolish dandy. He could not be mistaken for a pedant unless a _ is a sort of pedant.
31
appellate
adj. dealing with decision reversal applications
32
anomalous
adj. abnormal, atypical. an _ situation
33
deviant
adj. different, aberrant.
34
usurious
adj. lending money at high interest rates. A _ moneylender.
35
piecemeal
adv. gradual, piece by piece. The village was slowly killed off by _ development.
36
consign
v. commit decisively, entrust. She _ed the letter to the wastebasket.
37
parley
n. conference btw opposing sides in a dispute, eps. for terms of armistice.
38
prefect
n. a chief officer, regional governor in countries. I met the girl's _.
39
magistrate
n. civil officer who administers the law, deals w minor offenses, holds preliminary hearings for serious offenses.
40
sunset law
n. law that will be eliminated in a set amount of time. He would have _ a guest worker program after 5 years.
41
moratorium
n. temporary prohibition of an activity; legal authorization to debtors to postpone payment.
42
tort
n. wrongful act leading to legal liability and compensation.
43
fetters
n. anything that restrains or confines. Drowning in __.
44
connoisseur
n. authority, adept, someone especially competent to pass critical judgments in an art.
45
confederacy
n. coalition, alliance between people for a purpose
46
carte blanche
n. complete freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best. We were given complete _ in our new offices.
47
despot
n. dictator, ruler who holds power in oppressive way.
48
impunity
n. exception from punishment, consequences.
49
maven
n. connoisseur, expert
50