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English > Lessons 26-30 > Flashcards

Lessons 26-30 Flashcards

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0
Q

Calliope

A

A musical instrument fitted with stream whistles, played from a keyboard, and usually heard at carnivals and circuses. It is named after the Greek Muse of epic poetry.

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1
Q

Argonaut

A

Adventurer; one who sailed with Jason on the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. Specifically it refers to a participant of the California Gold Rush of 1849.

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2
Q

Cyclopean

A

Vast, massive and rough; suggestive of the Cyclops, the race of one-eyed giants, descended from the Titans. One of the most exciting tales in the Odyssey recounts the blinding of the one-eyed Polyphemus, who had confined Odysseus’ crew in his cave and promised to “reward” Odysseus by eating him last.

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3
Q

Gorgon

A

A repulsively ugly or terrifying woman. In Greek mythology these creatures had snakes for hair and had eyes that, if looked into, turned the beholder into stone.

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4
Q

Harpy

A

A shrewish woman; a predatory person. The word derives from a creature who had a woman’s head and trunk, and a birds tail, wings and talons.

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5
Q

Homeric

A

Suggestive of Homer or his poetry; of heroic dimensions; grand; imposing.

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6
Q

Myrmidon

A

A faithful follower who carries out orders without question. It derives from the legendary Greek warriors of ancient Thessaly who followed their king Achilles on the expedition against Troy.

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7
Q

Oracular

A

Uttered or delivered as if divinely inspired or infallible; ambiguous or obscure; portentous; ominous. Priests or priestesses in the shrines of Ancient Greece would give ambiguous answers as the response of a god to an inquiry. One famous shrine was the oracle of Apollo at Delphi.

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8
Q

Paean

A

Any song of joy or praise, joy or triumph. In classical mythology this was a god serving as a physician to the Olympian gods, later identified by with Apollo.

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9
Q

Promethean

A

Creative and boldly original. In mythology he was a Titan who who taught mankind various arts. He was punished by being chained to a rock and an eagle eating his liver.

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10
Q

Siren

A

A seductive woman. In mythology they lured seamen to their death on the rocks.

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11
Q

Stygian

A

Gloomy and dark, hellish; infernal; inviolable (safe from profanation). Name after the river that brought souls to the Underworld.

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12
Q

Tantalize

A

Tease. Named after someone who stole food from the gods and gave it to mortals. He was punished by hunger (food was just in his reach).

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13
Q

Terpsichorean

A

Pertaining to dancing. Named after the muse of dancing and choral singing.

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14
Q

Thespian

A

Dramatic (adj.); an actor or actress (noun). Named after a Greek poet of the sixth century who was the reputed originator of tragic drama.

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15
Q

Pedantic

A

Stressing trivial points of learning; lacking a sense of proportion in scholarship. Describes a person who is narrow-minded and insists on rigid adherence to a set of arbitrary rules.

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16
Q

Pertinacious

A

Stubborn; unyielding; holding firmly to some belief.

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17
Q

Pontifical

A

Ornate; stiff; having the pomp and dignity of a high priest or Pope.

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18
Q

Pretentious

A

Making claims to some distinctions; showy. These kinds of people try to seem more important than they are.

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19
Q

Prolix

A

Wordy; long-winded.

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20
Q

Puerile

A

Childish; silly; young. In Latin it means “boy”.

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21
Q

Quiescent

A

Inactive; in repose; latent.

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22
Q

Recalcitrant

A

Unruly; refusing to obey authority. In Latin it means “to kick someone’s heels in defiance”.

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23
Q

Restive

A

Hard; to control; restless; contrary.

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24
Ribald
Coarse; vulgar in language; irreverent.
25
Sardonic
Sarcastic; bitterly sneering. It is believed that this word can be traced to a plant whose bitter taste caused facial distortion.
26
Sedulous
Busy; working hard; diligent.
27
Sleazy
Flimsy or thin in texture or substance; of poor quality.
28
Supercilious
Naughty; arrogant; contemptuous.
29
Voluptuous
Sensuous; full of sensual delights and pleasures.
30
A cappella
Without instrumental accompaniment. Usually used to describe choral signing. In Italian, the meaning is "in the chapel style".
31
Ad hoc
For this case only; temporary. The most frequent use of this Latin term is to describe a committee that is organized to deal with a specific issue and will be disbanded later.
32
Bon vivant
One who enjoys good food and other pleasant things.
33
De facto
In fact; actual. The law may require one thing, but as a matter of fact the reality is quite different.
34
Gemütlich
Agreeable; cheerful. The German word is often used to describe a sense of well being.
35
Leitmotif
A short musical phrase that recurs and is associated with a given character, situation, or emotion in an opera.
36
Nolo contendere
A defendant's plea declaring that he will not make a defense but not admitting his guilt.
37
Par excellence
In the greatest degree of excellence. This French term also means "beyond comparison".
38
Parvenu
One who has suddenly acquired wealth or power; a person. Who is considered an upstart because he does not conform to the standards of the class into which he has risen. This word has the same "put down" connotation as "nouveau riche".
39
Pièce de résistance
The principal dish of a meal; the main item or event in a series.
40
Postprandial
After dinner.
41
Quid pro quo
One thing in return for another.
42
Qui vive
To be on the lookout or on the alert. The literal French meaning is "who lives?" or "who goes there?" and, as such, was a term used by sentries.
43
Savoir faire
A ready of knowledge of what to do or say; tact.
44
Sub rosa
Secretly; confidentially; In Latin "under the rose". The rose was a symbol of silence or secrecy in ancient times.
45
Vis-á-vis
A person or thing that is face to face with another; opposite; in reference to; opposed to.
46
Ambivalent
Having conflicting feelings toward a person or thing, such as love or hate.
47
Bucolic
Rural; rustic; pastoral. The Greek equivalent means "herdsman".
48
Crotchety
Full of peculiar whims; ill-tempered; eccentric.
49
Dilatory
Slow; late in doing things; inclined to delay; meant to gain time.
50
Disconsolate
Sad; dejected; cheerless.
51
Dudgeon
Resentment; an angry or offended feeling. It came from an Anglo-French expression which meant "the hand on the dagger hilt".
52
Froward
Contrary; not easily controlled; stubbornly willful.
53
Genteel
Well-bred; refined; excessively polite.
54
Jocund
Pleasant; agreeable; genial. Our word joke can be traced back to this word.
55
Loquacious
Talkative.
56
Splenetic
Irritable; bad-tempered; spiteful.
57
Tendentious
Opinionated; advancing a definite point of view or doctrine.
58
Truculent
Fierce; cruel; savage.
59
Vacuous
Empty; purposeless; stupid; senseless.
60
Venal
Readily bribed or corrupted.
61
Amorphous
Without definite for; shapeless.
62
Copious
Abundant; large.
63
Gargantuan
Huge; gigantic; prodigious.
64
Iota
Very small quantity; a jot; the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet.
65
Lissome
Supple; limber; flexible.
66
Macrocosm
The great world; the universe.
67
Magnitude
Greatness of size or extent; importance or influence.
68
Magnum opus
A great work, especially of art or literature.
69
Microcosm
A little world; miniature universe.
70
Micrometer
An instrument for measuring very small distances, angles, diameters.
71
Scintilla
The least trace; a particle. In Latin it means "a spark".
72
Serpentine
Evilly cunning or subtle; treacherous; coiled; twisting.
73
Sinuous
Bending; wavy.
74
Smidgen
A small amount; a bit.
75
Tenuous
Unsubstantial; flimsy; physically thin.

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