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English > new words > Flashcards

new words Flashcards

1
Q

vacuity

A

lack of thought or intelligence, empty-handedness

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2
Q

vanity

A

inflated pride in oneself or one’s appearance

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3
Q

banal

A

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring

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4
Q

irreverent

A

showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously

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5
Q

solipsistic

A

focused on their own wants and needs that they don’t think about other people at all

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6
Q

elusive

A

difficult to find, to catch, to achieve

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7
Q

maligners

A

pretend to be ill in order to escape duty or work

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8
Q

cynicism

A

an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; scepticism

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9
Q

allay

A

diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry)

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9
Q

obfuscation

A

the action of making something obscure, unclear, or unintelligible

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10
Q

aesthete

A

a person who has or affects to have a special appreciation of art and beauty

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11
Q

penultimate

A

last but one in a series of things; second last

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12
Q

patina

A

an appearance or aura that is derived from association, habit, or established character

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13
Q

ennui

A

a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement

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14
Q

Desolation

A

a state of complete emptiness or destruction

great unhappiness or loneliness

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15
Q

Squalor

A

the state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect

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16
Q

Ontology

A

the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being
The study of existence

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17
Q

Non sequitur

A

A non sequitur is a conversational literary device, often used for comedic purposes. It is something said that, because of its apparent lack of meaning relative to what preceded it, seems absurd to the point of being humorous or confusing

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18
Q

Pretensions

A

a claim or assertion of claim to something

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19
Q

Alienation

A

Sense of disconnection or separation from one’s self, others or society

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20
Q

Isolation

A

Physically or emotionally seperated from others

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21
Q

Ambient

A

Relating to the immediate surroundings of something

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22
Q

Entropy

A

lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder

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23
Q

Disenchantment

A

a feeling of disappointment about someone or something you previously respected or admired; disillusionment

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24
Q

staid

A

sedate, respectable, and unadventurous

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25
Q

Desolation

A

A state of complete emptiness or destruction
Great unhappiness or loneliness

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26
Q

drudgery

A

hard, dull work

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27
Q

menial

A
28
Q

eponymous

A

(of a person) giving their name to something
(of a thing) named after a particular person

29
Q

pastiche

A

an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period

30
Q

beset

A

to trouble with problems

31
Q

atrophy

A

to be reduced in size and therefore strength, or, more generally, to become weaker

32
Q

efficaciously

A

in a way that is able to produce the intended result

33
Q

nihilism

A

the rejection of all religious and moral principles, in the belief that life is meaningless

34
Q

decadent

A

characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline
a person who is luxuriously self-indulgent

35
Q

enigmatic

A

difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious

35
Q

ontological

A

relating to the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being

36
Q

sordid

A

dirty, filthy

37
Q

panoptic

A

showing or seeing the whole at one view

38
Q

pastiche

A

an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period

39
Q

quotidian

A

of or occurring every day; daily

40
Q

vacillate

A

alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive

41
Q

reticent

A

not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily

42
Q

amalgam

A

a mixture, a blend of

43
Q

transcendental

A

relating to a spiritual relm

44
Q

ineffable

A

too great or extreme for words

45
Q

paucity

A

the presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities or amounts

46
Q

Decadence

A

Moral or cultural decline, characterised by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury

47
Q

plight

A

a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation

48
Q

pseudo

A

fake, not genuine

49
Q

spurious

A

not what it’s intended to be

50
Q

plebiscite

A

direct vote of all members of an electorate on an important public question such as a change in the constitution

51
Q

experiential

A

based on experience /observation

52
Q

enumerating

A

mention (a number of things) one by one

53
Q

penance

A

punishment inflicted on oneself as an outward expression of repentance for wrongdoing
a sacrament in which a member of the Church confesses sins to a priest and is given absolution

54
Q

mythic

A

exaggerated or idealised

55
Q

incorrigibility (incorrigible)

A

bad and impossible to change or improve

56
Q

inexplicable

A

unable to be explained or accounted for

57
Q

peroration

A

the concluding part of a speech, typically intended to inspire enthusiasm in the audience

58
Q

oration

A

a formal speech, especially one given on a ceremonial occasion

59
Q

utilitarian

A

designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive.

60
Q

enumeration

A

the action of mentioning a number of things one by one

61
Q

pseudo

A

not genuine

62
Q

transgressive

A

going beyond acceptable boundaries of taste, convention, or the law

63
Q

epochal

A

extremely important, significant, influential

64
Q

providentialism

A

the belief that all events on Earth are controlled by God.

65
Q

christian humanism

A
66
Q
A

English (3 decks)

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