J - Q Flashcards
(176 cards)
1
Q
jettison
A
discard, cast off; throw items overboard in order to lighten a ship in an emergency
2
Q
jingoism
A
excessive, loud patriotism and aggressive, warlike foreign policy
3
Q
jocular
A
joking or given to joking all the time; jolly, playful
4
Q
juxtapose
A
place side by side (either physically or in a metaphorical way, such as to make a comparison)
5
Q
kinetic
A
pertaining to motion
6
Q
knell
A
the sound made by a bell for a funeral, or any sad sound or signal of a failure, death, ending, etc. (noun);
to make such a sound (verb)
7
Q
lachrymose
A
tearful, mournful
8
Q
laconic
A
using few words, concise
9
Q
lampoon
A
a harsh satire (noun)
ridicule or satirize (verb)
10
Q
languid
A
drooping from exhaustion, sluggish, slow; lacking in spirit
11
Q
larceny
A
theft
12
Q
largess or largesse
A
generosity, the giving of money or gifts (especially with the implication that the giver is a bit superior to the recipient)
13
Q
lassitude
A
tiredness, weariness; lazy indifference
14
Q
latent
A
potential; existing but not visible or active
15
Q
layperson
A
a person who is not a member of the clergy or not a member of a particular profession (such as medicine, law, etc.)
16
Q
leery
A
suspicious or wary
17
Q
legerdemain
A
slight-of-hand (magic as performed by a magician); trickery or deception
18
Q
levity
A
lightness (of mind, spirit, or mood) or lack of seriousness, sometimes in an inappropriate way
19
Q
libertine
A
morally or sexually unrestrained person; freethinker (regarding religion)
20
Q
licentious
A
sexually unrestrained; immoral; ignoring the rules
21
Q
limpid
A
clear, transparent; completely calm
22
Q
lionize
A
treat like a celebrity
23
Q
lissome
A
flexible, supple, agile
24
Q
listless
A
spiritless, lacking interest or energy
25
loquacious
talkative, wordy
26
lugubrious
mournful, gloomy (sometimes in an exaggerated way)
27
lull
soothe or cause to fall asleep (as in a lullaby); quiet down; make to feel secure, sometimes falsely (verb)
a period of calm or quiet
28
lumber
walk in a heavy or clumsy way, sometimes due to being weighed down
29
lurid
gruesome or excessively vivid; sensational, shocking, unrestrained
30
machination or machinations
craft schemes or plots
31
maelstrom
violent whirlpool; any chaotic, turbulent situation
32
magnate
very important or influential person, especially in business
33
malediction
a curse
34
malinger
pretend to be sick, especially to get out of work, duties, etc.
35
mar
damage, spoil, ruin
36
martinet
person who adheres to rules extremely closely; strict disciplinarian
37
maudlin
excessively sentimental, showing sadness or some other emotion in a foolish or silly way
38
maverick
rebel, individualist, dissenter
39
mendacious
lying, habitually dishonest
40
mendicant
beggar, or religious follower who lives by begging
41
mercurial
quickly and unpredictably changing moods; fickle, flighty
42
meretricious
attractive in a vulgar or flashy way, tawdy; deceptive
43
metaphysical
concerned with abstract thought, related to metaphysics (branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the nature of being and of the world); very subtle or abstruse
44
milieu
environment, atmosphere; the environmental setting in which something happens or develops
45
militate
have a great effect, weigh heavily (often as militate against)
46
mired
stuck, entangled (in something, like a swamp or muddy area), soiled
47
mirth
jollity, merriment; amusement or laughter
48
misanthrope or misanthropist
hater of humankind
49
missive
letter, written message
50
modicum
a little bit or limited quantity
51
modish
stylish, contemporary
52
molt
shed or cast off, especially to regularly shed skin, feathers, etc. (as a snake)
53
monastic
relating to or resembling a monastery (where monks or nuns live), especially by being quiet, secluded, contemplative, strict, and/or lacking luxuries
54
mores
customs, manners, or morals of a particular group
55
morose
gloomy, sullen
56
multifarious
diverse, having a lot of variety
57
munificient
generous, giving liberally
58
myopic
near-sighted; lacking long-term thinking, short-sighted
59
nadir
lowest point
60
mascent
coming into existence, still developing
61
neologism
new word or phrase (or a new meaning applied to an existing word or phrase)
62
neophyte
beginner, novice; person newly converted to a religion
63
nettle
irritate, sting, or annoy
64
noisome
offensive, disgusting; harmful
65
normative
implying or attempting to establish a norm; expressing value judgments or telling people what to do (rather than merely describing that which is happening)
66
obdurate
stubborn, hardhearted, hardened in wrongdoing
67
oblique
slanting or sloping; indirect, misleading, or evasive
68
obsequious
servile, very compliant, fawning
69
obstinate
stubborn or hard to control
70
obviate
prevent, eliminate, or make unncessary
71
occlude
stop up, close, shut in or shut off
72
occult
the supernatural (noun)
pertaining to magic, astrology, etc.; mysterious, secret or hidden (adj)
to hide, to shut off from view (verb)
73
officious
excessively eager in giving unwanted advice or intruding where one is not wanted; meddlesome, pushy
74
onerous
burdensome, oppressive, hard to endure
75
opaque
not translucent; not allowing light, heat, etc. to pass through; dark, dull, unclear or stupid
76
opine
express an opinion
77
opprobrium
disgrace and disapproval that result from outrageously shameful actions
78
orotund
full, rich, and clear (of the voice or speaking); pompous, bombastic
79
ossify
become bone or become hard like bone; become inflexible in attitudes, opinions, etc.
80
onstensible or ostensive
professed, evident, or pretended; outwardly appearing in a certain way
81
overwrought
overly nervous, agitated, or excited; too ornate, elaborate, or fussy; overdone
82
palatial
suitable for or resembling a palace, magnificient
83
palliate
make less serious or severe; relieve symptoms of an illness
84
pallid
abnormally pale (as skin); lacking color or vitality
85
panache
flair, style, swagger; a flamboyant or grand way of acting
86
panegyric
formal or lofty expression of praise
87
panoply
splendid, wide-ranging, impressive display or array
88
paragon
model of excellence, perfect example
89
pare
peel or cut off the outer layer (such as peeling fruit with a knife), reduce or trim as if cutting off the outer parts
90
pariah
social outcast, untouchable
91
parley
discussion, negotiation, especially between enemies (noun)
to have such a discussion (verb)
92
parry
deflect or avoid (especially a blow or attack); skillfully evade (a question)
93
partial
biased, prejudiced, favoring one over others; having a special liking for something or someone (usually partial to)
94
partisan
devoted to a particular group, cause, etc. (adj)
fervent supporter of a group, party, idea, etc.; guerilla fighter (noun)
95
pastiche
mix of incongruous parts; artistic work imitating the work of other artists, often satirically
96
patent
obvious, apparent, plain to see (adj.)
a letter from a government guaranteeing an inventor the rights to his or her invention (noun)
97
pathogenic
capable of producing disease
98
paucity
scarcity, the state of being small in number
99
peccadillo
small sin or fault
100
pedant
person who pays excessive attention to book learning and rules, or who uses his or her learning to show off
101
peddle
travel around while selling; sell illegally; give out or disseminate
102
pedestrian
ordinary, dull, commonplace
103
pejorative
disparaging, derogatory, belittling (adj.)
a name or word that is disparaging (noun)
104
pellucid
transparent, translucent; clear, easy to understand
105
penchant
liking or inclination (usually penchant for)
106
penumbra
outer part of a shadow from an eclipse; any surrounding region, fringe, periphery; any area where something "sort of" exists
107
penury
extreme poverty or scarcity
108
per se
intrinsically; by itself; in itself
109
pereginate
travel from place to place, especially on foot
110
perennial
lasting through the years or indefinitely, enduring; recurring
111
perfidious
disloyal, treacherous, violating one's trust
112
perfunctory
done superficially, without much care, or merely as routine
113
peripatetic
journeying from place to place; traveling on foot
114
peripheral
relating to or making up an outer boundary or region; not of primary importance, fringe
115
pernicious
very harmful or destructive, deadly
116
perspicacious
having penetrating insight or good discernment
117
phalanx
formation of soldiers carrying shields close together for defense; any very close group of people
118
philistine
person deficient in or hostile to culture
119
phlegmatic
apathetic, sluggish, not easily excited or made emotional
120
pith
core, essence; significance or weight
121
plastic
able to be shaped or formed; easily influenced
122
platitude
a shallow, overused statement; cliche
123
plausible
believable, having the appearance of truth
124
plebian
of the common people
125
plucky
brave, spirited
126
plutocracy
rule by the wealthy
127
polemic
controversial argument, especially one attacking a specific idea
128
politic
shrewd, pragmatic; tactful or diplomatic
129
polygot
speaking or composed of many languages (of a person, book, etc.); a person who knows several languages
130
ponderous
heavy; bulky and unwieldy; dull, labored
131
posit
presume, suggest, put forward (an idea)
132
posthumous
happening or continuing after death
133
potentate
ruler, person of great power
134
pragmatic
practical; dealing with actual facts and reality
135
prattle
talk in an idle, simple-minded, meaningless, or foolish way; chatter, babble
136
pre-empt
prevent; take the place of, supplant; take before someone else can
137
preamble
introductory statement, preface
138
precipitate
cause to happen suddenly or prematurely; fling, plunge, or hurl down
139
precis
concise summary, abstract
140
precursor
something that comes before, especially something that also announces or suggests something on its way
141
predilection
preference, tendency or favorability towards
142
prescient
having foreknowledge or foresight, seeing the future
143
presumptive
based on inference or assumption; providing reasonable grounds for belief
144
presumptuous
too bold or forward; going beyond that which is proper
145
preternatural
supernatural, exceptional
146
prevaricate
stray from the truth, mislead, lie
147
primacy
the state of being first or most important
148
principled
having high moral standards
149
pristine
in an original, pure state; uncorrupted
150
probity
honesty, integrity
151
proclivity
inclincation, natural tendency
152
prodigal
wasteful, extravagant; giving abundantly, lavish
153
prodigious
extraordinarily large, impressive, etc.
154
profligate
completely and shamelessly immoral, or extremely wasteful
155
profuse
abundant, extravagant, giving or given freely
156
prolix
excessively long and wordy (of a person, piece of writing, etc.)
157
propagate
reproduce, spread, increase
158
propensity
natural inclination or tendency
159
propitiate
attempt to reconcile with, satisfy, or reduce the animosity of (a person who is angry, offended, etc.)
160
propitious
favorable, giving good signs for the future, likely to work out; kind or forgiving
161
propriety
conforming to good manners or appropriate behavior; justness
162
prosaic
dull, ordinary
163
proscribe
prohibit, outlaw; denounce; exile or banish
164
providential
lucky, fortunate, or relating to divine care (the idea that a deity has helped or cared for a person)
165
puerile
juvenile, immature
166
pugilism
boxing, fighting with the fists
167
pugnacious
inclined to fight, combative
168
puissance
power, might
169
pulchritude
physical beauty
170
pusillanimous
cowardly, timid
171
qualified
modified, limited, conditional on something else
172
querulous
given to complaining, grumbling
173
quibble
make trivial arguments or criticisms, find faults in a petty way, especially to evade something more important
174
quiescent
quiet, still
175
quixotic
extremely impractical but very romantic, chivalrous, or idealistic; impulsive
176
quotidian
daily; everyday, ordinary
