Manhattan Prep Text Completion Flashcards
(273 cards)
1
Q
indignant
A
feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment, aggrieved, affronted
“he was indignant at being the object of suspicion”
2
Q
munificent
A
generous, magnanimous
3
Q
ersatz
A
a substitute for a product, typically an inferior one
4
Q
mimetic
A
pertaining to mimesis
5
Q
clandestine
A
secret
6
Q
sophomoric
A
pretentious or juvenile
7
Q
quixotic
A
extremely idealistic, unrealistic and impractical
“a vast and perhaps quixotic project”
8
Q
arresting
A
striking
9
Q
undue
A
unwarranted or inappropriate because excessive or disproportionate
10
Q
run the gauntlet
A
to have to deal with a lot of people who are criticizing or attacking you
11
Q
run the gamut
A
to include the full range of possible things within a group or type
12
Q
ape
A
copy
13
Q
ponderous
A
slow and clumsy because of great weight;
dull or laborious (especially of speech or writing)
14
Q
cabal
A
a secret political clique or faction
15
Q
hoi polloi
A
the masses, the common people
16
Q
incendiary
A
(of a device or attack) intended to cause fires (e.g. an incendiary bomb);
provocative, seditious;
very exciting
“an incendiary live performer
17
Q
parochial
A
narrow-minded; related to a church parish
18
Q
dulcet
A
(especially of sound) sweet and soothing (often used ironically)
19
Q
facile
A
easy; simplistic, superficial
20
Q
garish
A
obtrusively bright and showy, gaudy, meretricious
21
Q
baneful
A
harmful or destructive
“baneful effects”
22
Q
noxious
A
harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant
“they were overcome by the noxious fumes”
23
Q
outstrip
A
overtake
24
Q
poultice
A
a soft, moist mass of material, typically consisting of bran, flour, herbs, etc., applied to the body to relieve soreness and inflammation and kept in place with a cloth
25
foible
weakness, shortcoming, flaw
26
mores
the essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a society or community
27
peccadillo
a minor fault
28
prerequisite
qualification
29
ruminate
contemplate
30
deluge
inundate
31
pithy
(of a fruit) containing much pith; laconic, terse
32
addled
confused; (of an egg) rotten
33
acerbic
sharp
| "acerbic wit"
34
doyenne
the most respected or prominent woman in a particular field
| "the fashion doyenne"
35
vicissitude
a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant
"her husband's sharp vicissitudes of fortune"
36
serendipity
happy chance
37
progeny
offspring
38
lackadaisical
carelessly lazy
39
akimbo
with hands on the hips and elbows turned outwards
| "she stood with arms akimbo"
40
abreast of
to stay up to date with
41
subservient
submissive
42
askance
with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval
| "the reformers looked askance at the mystical tradition"
43
taciturn
quiet
44
addlepated
confused; eccentric
45
tepid
lukewarm; showing little enthusiasm
46
enigmatic
mysterious, inscrutable
47
cajole
inveigle, coax
48
roundly
emphatically, so thoroughly as to leave no doubt
49
pan
criticise (a play or movie)
50
inscrutable
enigmatic, mysterious
51
berate
scold or criticise angrily, rebuke, reprimand, admonish
52
simpatico
(of a person) likeable and easy to get on with
"the inspector was a charming man, so simpatico";
compatible
53
maudlin
sentimental
| "a maudlin self-pity"
54
effusive
showing or expressing gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner
55
agglomerate
to collect or form into a mass or group
56
syncopate
displace the beats or accents in (music or a rhythm) so that strong beats become weak and vice versa
"syncopated dance music";
shorten (a word) by dropping sounds or letters in the middle, as in symbology for symbolology, or Gloster for Gloucester
57
amortise
pay in installations
58
recidivist
one who returns to committing crime
59
depredate
steal from, plunder
60
deft
skillful
61
consanguineous
relating to or denoting people descended from the same ancestor
"consanguineous marriages may give rise to recessive syndromes"
62
chary of
suspicious or slightly scared of, wary of
63
coltish
energetic but awkward in one's movements or behaviour
| "long, lean, coltish women"
64
fecund
fertile
65
imperious
arrogant and domineering, peremptory
66
forebear
an ancestor
67
hamper
hinder or impede
68
blithe
showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper
"a blithe disregard for the rules of the road";
happy or carefree
69
restive
restless
70
sanguine
optimistic
71
high-handed
using power or authority without considering the feelings of others
synonym: imperious, peremptory
72
odious
extremely unpleasant, repulsive, repugnant
73
potable
safe to drink, drinkable
74
risible
laughable
75
cursory
hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
76
verdant
green with grass, lush; new and inexperienced
77
jejune
naïve and superficial; (of ideas or writings) dry and uninteresting
78
modish
conforming to or following what is currently popular and fashionable
79
mirth
amusement, especially as expressed in laughter
| "his six-foot frame shook with mirth"
80
excoriation
harsh criticism
81
garland
a wreath of flowers and leaves; an accolade or mark of honour
82
obloquy
opprobrium
83
artifice
clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others
84
parsimony
miserliness
85
pulchritude
beauty
86
unstrung
unnerved, upset
87
cane
beat with a cane
88
lacuna
a gap; a missing portion in a book or manuscript
89
profligate
recklessly extravagant or wasteful; dissipated, dissolute, licentious; reprobate, libertine
90
seraph
angel
91
overture
prelude; an approach or proposal made to someone with the aim of opening negotiations or establishing a relationship
92
trenchant
incisive
93
inexorable
inevitable, unstoppable
94
metastasise
(of a cancer) spread to other sites in the body by metastasis
95
semiotic
relating to signs and symbols
96
parlous
dangerous
97
appose
side by side with or close to something else
98
eremitic
reclusive
99
bleated
speak or complain in a weak, querulous, or foolish way; to make the weak, wavering cry of a sheep, goat, or calf
100
turpitude
wickedness, depravity
101
scruple
qualm
102
gasket
a shaped sheet or ring of rubber or other material sealing the junction between two surfaces in an engine or other device
103
jalopy
old car in a dilapidated condition
104
careen
to turn a ship on its side for repair, cleaning, etc.; (of a ship) to tilt or lean over
105
trundle
move slowly and heavily
106
tarry
stay longer than necessary, to delay leaving a place, loiter, linger
107
transmute
change
108
sangfroid
composure, equanimity
109
intrepidity
fearlessness
110
vainglorious
excessively proud of oneself, excessively vain
111
solace
comfort in a time of great distress
112
plaudit
an expression of praise or approval
113
didactic
instructive
114
protean
ever-changing, mutable; versatile
115
Arcadian
idealistic
116
squalid
extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect; showing or involving a contemptible lack of moral standards, sordid, unsavoury
117
penumbra
the partially shaded outer region of the shadow cast by an opaque object; a peripheral or indeterminate area or group
118
hinterland
the remote areas of a country away from the coast or the banks of major rivers; the area beyond or around a major town or port; an area lying beyond what is visible or known
"the strange hinterland where life begins and ends"
119
tony
fashionable among wealthy or stylish people
120
Apollonian
relating to the rational, ordered, and self-disciplined aspects of human nature
121
spartan
showing or characterized by austerity or a lack of comfort or luxury
122
faux-naif
pretending to be naive
123
dyed-in-the-wool
unwilling to change
124
callow
immature
125
stonewall
stall
126
regressive
backwards or hopelessly old-fashioned
127
prudish
having or revealing a tendency to be easily shocked by matters relating to sex or nudity; excessively concerned with sexual propriety
128
whet
stimulate
129
loggerhead
a type of turtle or bird
130
stymy/stymie
to present an obstacle to, to stand in the way
131
ululate
howl
132
sophistry
subtly deceptive reasoning or argumentation
133
boosterism
enthusiastic support
134
muckrake
to search out and publicly expose real or apparent misconduct of a prominent individual or business
135
incorrigible
resistant to correction
136
seemliness
the state of being proper and appropriate
137
plangent
mournful; marked by a high volume of sound
138
seething
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger; to be in a state of violent rolling motion (e.g. the water seethed)
139
bay
to speak so as to be heard at as distance; to let out a long loud mournful sound
"he bayed a plaintive, plangent cry"
140
farcical
causing or intending to cause laughter; so pointless or foolish as to be worthy of scornful laughter
141
ecumenical
representing a number of different Christian Churches
"he was a member of ecumenical committees";
promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian Churches
"the ecumenical movement"
142
stature
height; position in society
143
umbrage
offense
144
redress
rectify
145
foster
encourage the development of (something desirable)
146
heralded
acclaimed; signaled
147
ratified
officially approved
148
adduce
cite as evidence
| "a number of factors are adduced to explain the situation"
149
adumbrate
report in an outline
150
appropriate
take possession for one's own use; confiscate
151
incensed
enraged
152
pander
gratify or indulge (an immoral or distasteful desire or taste or a person with such a desire or taste)
"newspapers are pandering to people's baser instincts"
153
fester
suppurate; rot; become worse or more intense, especially through long-term neglect or indifference
"below the surface, the old antagonisms festered"; deteriorate physically and mentally in isolated inactivity
154
arrant
complete, utter, downright
155
erstwhile
former or past
156
tantamount to
equivalent to
157
hinging on
dependent on
158
reciprocal
corresponding
159
contretemps
a minor dispute or disagreement; an unexpected and unfortunate occurrence
160
retch
gag, heave; vomit (retch up)
161
gaffe
blunder
162
pontification
a pompous expression of one's dogmatic beliefs
163
peruse
read or examine carefully, thoroughly, or at length
164
garnish
decorate, embellish, adorn
165
glean
obtain (information) from various sources, often with difficulty, extract, collect gradually
166
pillory
attack or ridicule publicly
167
chide
scold, rebuke, chastise
168
loaf
do nothing
169
voluble
talking fluently, readily, or incessantly
"a voluble game-show host";
(of speech) characterized by fluency and readiness of utterance
"an excited and voluble discussion"
170
inane
silly
171
spectre
ghost; something widely feared as a dangerous occurrence
| "the spectre of nuclear holocaust"
172
skitter around
to move very quickly and lightly
173
pass over
disregard, ignore
174
regalia
the emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of royalty; decorations or insignia indicative of an office or membership; royal rights or prerogatives; special dress
175
blather
voluble nonsensical or inconsequential talk or writing
176
puffery
exaggerated commendation especially for promotional purposes
177
confabulation
friendly informal conversation; discussion, conference
178
unctuous
phony, affected, dishonest, disingenuous; overly flattering
| "unctuous puffery"
179
agonistic
aggressive
180
plum
good
181
chauvinism
the strong and unreasonable belief that your own country or race is the best or most important
182
hegemony
(especially of countries) the position of being the strongest and most powerful and therefore able to control others
183
dispensation
special permission, especially by the Church, to do something that is not usually allowed; a political or religious system controlling a country at a particular time; distribution, provision
184
by numbers
following simple instructions
185
crack
very good
186
extortionate
overly expensive
187
lummox
a clumsy, stupid person
188
rote
mechanical or habitual repetition of something to be learned
| "a poem learnt by rote in childhood"
189
senescent
becoming old, and therefore in less good condition and less able to function well
190
conceit
a fanciful notion
191
debase
to reduce the quality or value of; lower the moral character of (someone)
"war debases people"
192
deface
to spoil the appearance of something by writing or marking on it ("deface a statue")
193
defer
postpone
194
bedlam
disorderly situation
195
vitreous
made of or similar to glass
196
grizzled
grey or greying
197
doodad
anything whose name you cannot remember or do not know
198
tactful
careful not to say or do anything that could upset someone
| "mentioning his baldness wasn't very tactful"
199
rancorous
having or showing a feeling of hate and continuing anger about something in the past
200
doting
showing that you love someone very much
201
sea change
profound transformation
202
putsch
overthrow of government
203
aleatory
due to luck
204
notional
existing only as an idea, or as an approximate amount
| "notional value"
205
perquisite
perk
206
remuneration
payment for work or services
207
interlocutor
someone who is involved in a conversation
| "Abraham was able to act as interpreter and interlocutor for our group"
208
obtuse
stupid and slow to understand
209
genteel
polite and correct in manner, or trying to be polite and correct in order to appear to be of a high social class; typical of a high social class; calm and gentle
210
populist
trying to be popular with ordinary people and to represent their ideas and opinions or someone who is trying to be popular with ordinary people and to represent their ideas and opinions
211
juvenile
(relating to) a young person or child
212
allegorical
in or relating to a story, play, picture, or other work in which the characters and events represent moral, religious, or political qualities or ideas
213
heuristic
(one who teaches by) allowing students to learn by discovering things themselves and learning from their own experiences rather than by telling them things
214
hermeneutic
relating to the meaning of texts and the ways in which they are understood
215
avant-garde
novel
216
convoke
to call a meeting to order
217
excogitate
think out, plan, or devise
218
frantic
distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion
"she was frantic with worry";
hurriedly and in a disorganised way
219
mordant
(especially of humour) having or showing a sharp or critical quality, biting, acerbic; an adhesive substance; a corrosive liquid used to etch the lines on a printing plate; impregnating or treating with a mordant
220
choleric
bad-tempered or irritable
221
nominal
in name only; (of a price or charge) very small, far below the real value or cost
222
rack and ruin
destruction
223
quotidian
everyday, ordinary, banal
224
costive
constipated; slow and reluctant in speech and action, reticent, unforthcoming
225
homely
(of a person) unattractive in appearance
226
dotage
a period of life in which a person is old and weak, declining years
227
jouissance
physical or intellectual pleasure, delight, or ecstasy
228
picayune
of little value or significance, petty
| "picayune squabbles"
229
dole
distribute shares of something, give, apportion
230
cad
a man who behaves dishonourably, especially towards a woman, reprobate
231
floe
sheet of floating ice, e.g. the floes of Greenland
232
fib
(an unimportant) lie
233
draconian
harsh, strict, severe
234
vintage
the year or place in which wine, especially wine of high quality, was produced
"1982 is one of the best vintages of the century";
relating to or denoting wine of high quality
235
mitigating
lessening the gravity of an offence or mistake
| "he would have faced a prison sentence but for mitigating circumstances"
236
anathema
something or someone that one vehemently dislikes
"racial hatred was anathema to her";
a formal curse by a pope or a council of the Church, excommunicating a person or denouncing a doctrine
237
patent
obvious or evident
238
spurious
false or fake; (of a line of reasoning) specious
239
dissimulation
concealment of one's thoughts, feelings, or character; pretence
"an attempt at dissimulation"
240
flagrancy
the quality or state of being flagrant, obviousness
241
contrapuntal
having two or more independent harmonies
242
ballast
a heavy substance (such as rocks or water) placed in such a way as to improve stability and control (as of the draft of a ship or the buoyancy of a balloon or submarine); something that gives stability (as in character or conduct)
"she provided the ballast we needed during stressful times";
gravel or broken stone laid in a railroad bed or used in making concrete;
a device used to provide the starting voltage or to stabilize the current in a circuit (as of a fluorescent lamp)
243
albatross
something that causes anxiety or guilt or that burdens and encumbers
244
hallmark
stamp; a distinguishing characteristic, trait, or feature
245
exorbitant
exceeding the appropriate limits; not coming within the scope of the law
246
wax
to grow or increase
247
detriment
(a cause of) injury or damage (e.g. a detriment to progress, a detriment to one's health)
248
boon
a timely benefit, blessing
"a boon to new homeowners";
favour, especially one done in response to a request; convivial
249
sop
a conciliatory or propitiatory bribe, gift, or gesture; to dip in or as if in liquid; soak; mop
250
daft
silly, foolish; mad, insane
251
asseveration
an emphatic assertion
252
avaricious
greedy
253
titillation
to excite pleasurably : arouse by stimulation
254
simulacrum
imitation
255
dilettante
dabbler
256
artisan
a worker who practices a trade or handicraft
257
idealogue
an often blindly partisan advocate or adherent of a particular ideology; an impractical idealist
258
acumen
keenness of judgement
259
garner
accumulate, collect; earn
| "garner praise"
260
rend (past tense: rent)
to remove from place by violence, wrest;
to split or tear apart or in pieces by violence;
to tear (the hair or clothing) as a sign of anger, grief, or despair;
to lacerate physically or emotionally;
to pierce with sound; to divide (something, such as a nation) into contesting factions
261
faddish
fashionable but not likely to stay fashionable for a long time
262
tendentious
(of speech or writing) expressing or supporting a particular opinion that many other people disagree with
263
modishness
stylishness
264
conversance
the quality of being conversant or having knowledge of or experience with
"his conversance with modern history"
265
balkanise
to break up (a region, a group, etc.) into smaller and often hostile units; divide, compartmentalise
266
sequalae
unintended or secondary consequences
267
defeasible
capable of being annulled or made void
| "a defeasible claim"
268
adjuvant
serving to aid or contribute, auxiliary; enhancing the effectiveness of medical treatment
"retinoids also seem to be useful as adjuvant therapy";
one that helps or facilitates (of drugs substances, or ingredients)
269
myopic
near-sighted; lacking in foresight or discernment : narrow in perspective and without concern for broader implications
270
fissile
capable of or prone to being split or divided in the direction of the grain or along natural planes of cleavage (e.g. fissile wood, fissile crystals);
capable of undergoing fission
271
touchstone
a fundamental or quintessential part or feature
"a touchstone film of that decade";
a test or criterion for determining the quality or genuineness of a thing
272
stanchion
an upright bar or post; support
273
pundit
expert
