Lessons 17-18 Flashcards
autocratic
adj. exercising sole or complete control; dictatorial
(autocrat) n. one who exercises total control; domineering person
(autocracy) n. absolute rule by a single person
caustic
adj. capable of destroying tissue by chemical action; corrosive; very sarcastic; sharp or biting
debilitate
v. impair the strength of; enfeeble
duplicitous
adj. marked by deception
(duplicity) n. deceit in speech or actions; deliberate deception
emissary
n. representative sent on a special errand
felicitous
adj. happily suited to an occasion or situation; appropriate and graceful; marked by happiness or good fortune; pleasant; charming
forthright
adj. direct straightforward; frank
impecunious
adj. being habitually without money; poor
jaundiced
adj. of an unhealthy yellow appearance; affected by jealousy, resentment, or hostility
mercenary
adj. serving merely for money or gain; greedy
n. soldier who fights for whoever pays him
notorious
adj. well known for a particular quality or trait, often an unfavorable one
oust
v. reject from a position or place; drive out of use
(ouster) n. dismissal from a position
parsimonious
adj. excessively sparing or frugal; penurious
pejorative
adj. having negative or unpleasant associations; beilttling
precept
n. general principle or rule of action
bereft
adj. deprived of or lacking something that is wanted or needed
criterion
n. standard or rule by which something is judged or criticized
deride
v. laugh at in scorn or contempt; ridicule
effontery
n. boldness that is offensive because of its lack of tact; audacity
espouse
v. advocate or embrace, especially a cause or idea
hypocrisy
n. practice of pretending to believe or value things or ideas that one does not; falseness
(hypocrite) n. person who pretends to be what he or she is not or to have principles he or she does not possess
impending
adj. about to occur; imminent
incensed
adj. filled with wrath; enraged
pertinent
adj. relating to the matter at hand; relevant
