List B3 Flashcards
(200 cards)
1
Q
embellish
A
v. to decorate; to add ornamental or fictitious details to
2
Q
convalesce
A
v. to recover from illness; to recuperate
adj. covalescent
3
Q
truckle
A
v. to submit in a subservient manner to a superior; fawn
4
Q
acerbic
A
adj. sharp in smell and taste; harsh in a tone
n. acerbity
5
Q
avarice
A
n. excessive desire for wealth
adj. avaricious
6
Q
waver
A
v. to be uncertain of something; to sway
7
Q
rationalize
A
v. to come up with self-satisfying but incorrect excuses
8
Q
garner
A
v. to get or earn; to collect or gather
9
Q
vindictive
A
adj. seeking revenge; marked by a desire to hurt
10
Q
cantakerous
A
adj. bad-tempered; quarrelsome
11
Q
dissuade
A
v. to discourage from a course of action
12
Q
troupe
A
n. a group of touring actors, singers or performers
13
Q
careen
A
v. to lean to one side or serve while in motion (of a vehicle)
14
Q
imposing
A
adj. impressive by virtue of size, power, or manner
15
Q
boisterous
A
adj. noisy and wild; unruly
16
Q
ostensible
A
adj. outwardly appearing as such
17
Q
abse
A
v. to lower in rank or prestige
18
Q
immerse
A
v. to cover completely in a liquid; to engage wholly
n. immersion
19
Q
tenet
A
n. a belief
20
Q
revel
A
v. to delight, to enjoy (used with “in”)
n. revelry
21
Q
quirk
A
n. a rapid twist and turn; an individual mannerism
22
Q
trove
A
n. a collection of valuable items
23
Q
holistic
A
adj. dealing with something as a whole rather than by its individual parts
24
Q
calamity
A
n. an event causing extreme trouble and misery
adj. calamitous
25
partisan
n. a strong, often militant, supporter
26
prototype
n. the original model, someone or something that serves to illustrate the typical qualities of a class
27
transcend
v. to exceed; to go beyond or above the limits
28
disarming
adj. reducing or preventing criticism with charm
29
vigilant
adj. alert and watchful, esp. for what is dangerous
| n. vigilance
30
brevity
n. briefness
31
bereaved
adj. suffering the loss of a loved one
| v. bereave
32
perennial
adj. lasting through the years
33
carous
n. to participate in a loud, drunken party
| n. carousal
34
underscore
v. to emphasize
35
dubious
adj. causing doubt; questionable
36
delve
v. to look for; to search; to investigate
37
accost
v. to approach and speak to, usually aggressively
38
arrogate
v. to claim for one's self unjustly
39
engross
v. to occupy completely
40
vitiate
v. to make faulty or impure; to spoil
41
undermine
v. to weaken
42
adamant
adj. stubbornly unyielding; impervious to pleas, appeals, or reason
43
encomium
n. high praise
44
posit
v. to assume as a fact or principle
45
euphoria
n. a feeling of great happiness
| adj. euphoric
46
vacuous
adj. lacking substance or intelligence
| n. vacuity
47
dogma
n. a specific set of ideas or beliefs, esp. religious or asserted to be absolutely true
adj. dogmatic
48
turpitude
n. immoral behavior
49
venturesome
adj. adventurous, risky, daring
50
cultivate
v. to promote growth, to nurture
51
corrborate
v. to strengthen; to confirm; to support
| n. corroboration
52
expound
v. to explain in detail
53
bivouac
n. temporary encampment, often in an unsheltered area
54
hapless
adj. unfortunate; unlucky
55
wallow
v. to roll about lazily, in or as if in water, snow or mud; to revek
56
corps
n. a group of persons working together or related by a common association
57
elated
adj. in high spirits; joyful
| n. elation
58
catastrophe
n. disaster; sudden misfortune
| adj. catastrophic
59
unwieldy
adj. hard to handle or manage, esp. because of size or weight
60
realm
n. a region; a kingdom
61
gargantuan
adj. of huge size or capacity
62
watershed
n. a critical point that marks a diversion
63
impending
adj. about to happen
64
defunct
adj. having ceased to exist or live
65
fabricate
v. to make, build; to lie
66
finite
adj. measurable; having an end
67
captivate
v. to capture the attention or affection of, as by beauty, excellence, etc.
68
livitate
v. to rise or cause to rise and float in the air
| n. levitation
69
allure
n. the power to attract with something desirable
| adj. alluring
70
coterie
n. a small, often exclusive group of people who associate with one another frequently
71
debunk
v. to expose the falsehood of
72
vignette
n. a small design or portrait; a brief scene (as from a movie) or literary sketch
73
tumult
n. a great commotion or uproar
| adj. tumultous
74
exculoate
v. to clear from blame or guilt
75
allude
v. to refer to indirectly
| n. allusion
76
predilection
n. a preference
77
epitome
n. a representative example of a type
| v. epitomize
78
conceit
n. a fanciful idea of image, esp. an exaggerated poetic comparison; an extravagant construction
79
baleful
adj. harmful or threatening harm or evil
80
ameliorate
v. to improve; to become better
81
orient
v. to establish one's location; n. the east
82
vex
v. to disturb; to distress
n. vexation
adj. vexatious
83
variegated
adj. distinctly marked with different colors; diverse
84
vertiginous
adj. causing dizziness, as from spinning or heights
85
anesthesia
n. unawareness of pain or other sensation; drugs that cause this state
86
upshot
n. the decisive or final result
87
effervescent
adj. giving off gas bubbles; showing high spirits or excitement
v. effervesce
n. effervescence
88
retrospect
n. the consideration of past events
| adj. retrospective
89
laity
n. all the people not belonging to a given profession, esp. the clergy
90
benediction
n. blessing
91
bifurcate
v. to divide into two parts
| n. bifurcation
92
affable
adj. friendly; easy to talk to
| n. affability
93
verity
n. a widely-accepted truth
94
verbatim
adj. word for word
95
abrogate
v. to cancel or repeal by authority
| n. abrogation
96
discreet
adj. careful about what one says or does; prudent
| n. discretion
97
altercation
n. a heated or noisy argument
98
outmoded
adj. no longer in fashin
99
feud
n. a bitter, prolonged quarrel
100
delude
v. to make someone believe something that is untrue; to deceive
adj. deluded
n. delusion
101
metaphysical
adj. highly abstract or theoretical; lacking physical form
| n. metaphysics
102
kudos
n. glory; fame
103
implacable
adj. unable to be pacified; relentless
104
autocracy
n. rule by one person with unlimited power
n. autocrat
adj. autocratic
105
pinnacle
n. the highest point; summit
106
succulent
adj. full of juice; highly enjoyable
107
vain
adj. not producing the desired outcome; worthless' proud or conceited
n. vanity
108
obeisance
n. a gesture, such as a curtsy, that expresses respect or obedience
109
havoc
n. great destruction and devastation
110
infatuated
adj. experiencing an unreasonable passion or attraction
| n. infatuation
111
maudlin
adj. excessively sentimental
112
discrete
adj. individually distinct or separate
113
foreboding
n. a sense of impending evil, esp. one without definite cause
114
attrition
n. gradual reduction
115
devour
v. to eat up greedily
116
impetuous
adj. characterized by sudden emotion, energy, etc.; impulsive and passionate
n. impetuousity
117
imminent
adj. impending; threatening; likely to happen
118
ephemeral
adj. lasting for a short time; fleeting
119
fledgling
n. a young inexperienced person; a young bird just growing feathers
120
dispatch
v. to send off promptly; n. efficient speed; a message, esp. official or from a journalist
121
firebrand
n. one who stirs up trouble or revolt
122
privation
n. lack of basic necessities
123
garish
adj. marked by unpleasantly bright colors or excessive ornamentation
124
feral
adj. existing in a wild or untamed state
125
compendium
n. a short, complete summary
| adj. compendious
126
disheveled
adj. disarranged; untidy; rumpled
127
dispense
v. to administer; to distribute; (with prep. "with) to do without
128
dispirited
adj. sad
| v. dispirit
129
icon
n. an image; a symbol; a representation of a holy person, esp. in the Orthodox Christian churches
adj. iconic
130
malleable
adj. able to be pounded; capable of being molded; adaptable
131
heyday
n. a time of success or popularity
132
meander
v. to follow a winding course; to wander without any fixed destination
133
sanctuary
n. a holy place; a place of refuge
134
patina
n. a thin greenish layer that forms on copper as a result of corrosion; the sheen on any surface produced by age or use
135
cherish
v. to hold in great affection
136
sparse
adj. thinly spread or distributed; not dense or crowded
137
narcissistic
adj. excessively interested in one's own appearance, comfort, importance, etc.
n. narcissism
138
persevere
v. to remain constant despite obstacles
139
fiat
n. an authoritative order; an arbitrary decree
140
inscutable
adj. hard to understand; enigmatic
141
palliate
v. to lessen the pain or severity
| adj. palliative
142
haggard
adj. appearing tired and thin, as from anxiety, disease, hunger, etc,
143
pandemonium
n. a situation of great confusion, esp. because of fear or anger
144
benign
adj. kindly; creating a favorable influence; (in medicine) not dangerous to one's health
n. benignity
145
flaccid
adj. lacking firmness
146
gesticulate
v. to make gestures, esp. while speaking
| n. gesticulation
147
myopic
adj. near-sighted
| n. myopia
148
chic
adj. smartly elegant in style and manner
149
melancholy
adj. sad, esp. a lingering or habitual state of mind; n. persistent sadness
150
berate
v. to scold severely and at length
151
quaint
adj. odd, esp, in an old-fashioned way
152
mores
n. accepted rules of behavior
153
perfunctory
adj. done without care or interest merely as a form or routine
154
civic
adj. pertaining to a city or citizen
155
fraternize
v. to associate in a friendly manner
156
deprive
v. to take or keep something away from someone
| n. deprivation
157
manifold
adj. of many kinds; numerous and varied
158
redolent
adj. aromatic; fragrant; suggestive
| n. redolence
159
prescribe
v. to set down as a rule
| n. prescription
160
obstruse
adj. slow in understanding; dull; stupid
| n. obstruseness
161
ignominy
n. shame; dishonor
| adj. ignominious
162
erratic
adj. inconsistent, unpredicatble
163
convivial
adj. sociable; festive
| n. conviviality
164
mercurial
adj. easily changeable; erratic
165
disspate
v. to scatter; to spend wastefully
166
shear
v. to cut hair or wool from
167
largess
n. generosity in giving gifts
168
invective
n. language that abuses or denounches
169
dote
v. to show excessive love or fondness
170
cornucopia
n. an abundance
171
mellifluous
adj. smooth and sweet; flowing with sweetness
172
innuendo
n. an indirect suggestion about someone or something, esp. of a negative nature
173
penitent
adj. feeling regret
| n. penitence
174
malediction
n. evil talk about someone; slander; a curse
175
toady
n. a person who flatters others for self-serving reasons; a sycophant
176
expedite
v. to speed up
| adj. expeditious
177
unruly
adj. difficult to control; disobedient
178
caliber
n. degree of worth or value
179
solicitous
adj. showing anxious concern
180
oppugn
v. to oppose with argument; to contradict or call into question
181
hidebound
adj. narrow-minded
182
inchoate
adj. at an early stage of development; not well developed
183
monolithic
adj. massive, solid and uniform in appearance
| n. monolith
184
nonchalant
adj. seemingly unconcerned or indifferent
| n. nonchalance
185
reproach
v. to express disapproval for a fault, usually out of a sense of disappointment
n. reproach
adj. reproachful
186
haven
n. a safe place
187
placate
v. to make less angry
188
gamut
n. an entire range or series
189
feign
v. to pretend; to fake
190
decor
n. a decorative style or scheme, as of a room
191
tentative
adj. experimental; not sure
192
poignant
adj. sharply painful to the feelings
| n. poignancy
193
memento
n. a reminder or a souvenir
194
patronize
v. to sponsor or support; to be ind or helpful in a snobbish way, as if dealing with an inferior
adj. patronizing
195
sumptuous
adj. of a size or splendor suggesting great expense; lavish
196
filibuster
v. to use a prolonged speech to delay legislative action; n. a speech that delays legislative action
197
hysteria
n. a sudden outburst of uncontrolled emotion such as fear, excitement, etc.
adj. hysterical
198
imbecile
n. a stupid or silly person
| adj. imbecilic
199
dwindle
v. to decrease gradually until little remains
200
purvey
v. to supply
| n. purveyor
