Lesson 15 Flashcards
(25 cards)
Antecedent
Preceding it cause
The argument between the two men was antecedent to the fight which follow.
Abate
To reduce in intensity or amount
The flood waters abated after 40 days of rain.
Arid
Very dry
The desert is an arid place.
Baneful
A source of harm or destruction; harmful; destructive
Overeating was the bane of her existence. The baneful herbs made the woman extremely ill.
Beleaguer
To harass
The scandal caused the president to be beleaguered by the press.
Contempt
Scorn, extreme dislike or disdain
The men treated the gossip woman with contempt; talking about other people was beneath his dignity
Cynical
Given to faultfinding, steering, and sarcasm; exhibiting mocking disbelief
Some people are so cynical sneer at everything they would make life worthwhile.
Dexterous
Skillful and active with the hands; Manually adroit and skillful
The machine shop advertised for a dexterous worker.
Dour
Sullen, stern harsh
His dour behavior was caused by rain washing out his golf game.
Exalt
To glorify, to praise, to raise in rank
The woman was exalted for her successes in the field of science
Felicitous
Happy or delightful
Her marriage was a felicitous occasion.
Impeccable
Free from fault or blame
She was a woman of impeccable character and could not be blamed for the smallest wrongdoing.
Malleable
Capable of being shaped, influence, or alter; tractable
Gold is a malleable metal.
Mortify
To humiliate, to wound pride, to experience shame
It would simply mortify me to have someone say such shameful things about my family.
Obdurate
Extremely stubborn, unwilling to accept advice
She was obdurate in her refusal to listen to our concerns about her cocaine problem.
Platitude
Trite remark, banal statement
That politician can spout platitudes, but he has never passed a bill that has a substance.
Profligate
A wasteful person; extremely wasteful, given to the licentiousness
The profligate son wasted the family’s fortune on wine, woman, and song.
Pugnacious
Looking for a fight, combative, belligerent
There are many pugnacious punks at the high school that bully other students.
Savory
Appetizing
My mother is known for her savory meals.
Spurn
To reject or to refuse with hostility
The woman had always viewed the man with disdain and would spurn his attempts at friendship forever.
Supercilious
Haughty, vain and arrogant
I do not like your arrogant and supercilious attitude toward poor people.
Trite
Overused, commonplace, hackneyed
This essay is full of trite phrases; it needs a fresh approach, avoiding phrases so hackneyed and overused.
Vociferous
Clamorous; boisterous (suggests a vehement outcry)
The rock crowd became vociferous in it’s anger when it was announced that the show was canceled.
Vulgarity
Something offensive to good taste and refinement
She chose to ignore the vulgarity of his crude remark.
