Out of the Silent Planet Vocab Flashcards
(181 cards)
1
Q
malediction (9)
A
a curse
2
Q
sanguine (9)
A
cheerfully optimistic
3
Q
doggedly (10)
A
with obstinate determination; stubbornly preserving
4
Q
intelligentsia (10)
A
intellectuals or highly educated people as a group
5
Q
breeziness (10)
A
airy; nonchalant (having an air of easy unconcern or indifference)
6
Q
philologist (10)
A
a humanist specializing in classical scholarship; one who studies literature and language as used in it
7
Q
metalled (10)
A
when referring to a road, essentially equivalent to “paved”
8
Q
substantial (10)
A
of considerable importance, size, or worth
9
Q
fretful (10)
A
feeling or expressing distress or irritation
10
Q
solidity (11)
A
the quality of being firm or strong in structure
11
Q
ascertaining (11)
A
finding something out for certain; finding out definitely
12
Q
copse (11)
A
a small group of trees
13
Q
eccentric (12)
A
a person of unconventional views and/or slightly strange behavior
14
Q
smarting (12)
A
causing a sharp, stinging pain
15
Q
groped (12)
A
felt about or searched blindly or uncertainly with the hands
16
Q
lorries (12)
A
large, heavy motor vehicles for transporting goods; trucks
17
Q
vigilance (13)
A
the action or state of keeping careful watch for danger or difficulties
18
Q
scrum (13)
A
a rugby play in which the forwards of each side come together in a tight formation and attempt to get the ball with their feet
19
Q
blubbering (14)
A
sobbing noisily and uncontrollably
20
Q
laboured (14)
A
contrived; lacking grace or fluency
21
Q
cordiality (14)
A
warmth and sincerity; friendlieness
22
Q
apropos (15)
A
very appropriate to a particular situation
23
Q
assent (15)
A
the expression of approval or agreement
24
Q
snivelling (16)
A
crying; complaining in a whining or tearful way
25
barefaced (16)
shameless; undisguised
26
scruples (16)
feelings of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality of a course of action
27
syphon (18)
siphon (a tube used to draw liquid from one container into another on a lower level)
28
prise (18)
pry (move or force, especially in an effort to get something open)
29
benighted (18)
overtaken by darkness
30
masochism (18)
the tendency to derive pleasure from one's own pain or humiliation; the enjoyment of what appears painful or tiresome
31
don (19)
(British usage) a member of the teaching staff at a university or college, especially Oxford or Cambridge
32
scullery (19)
a small kitchen or room at the back of a house used for washing dishes and other dirty household work
33
sulkily (21)
in a gloomy or dismal manner
34
lassitude (23)
a state of physical or mental weariness
35
apprehensions (24)
anxieties or fears that something unpleasant will happen
36
reconnaissance (24)
preliminary surveying or research
37
prosaic (25)
commonplace; unromantic
38
delirious (25)
in a disturbed state of mind characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence of thought or speech
39
portentous (25)
of momentous or ominous significance
40
oblong (26)
a rectangular object with unequal adjacent sides
41
deuce (28)
used as a euphemism for "devil" in certain expressions
42
vivisection (29)
the practice of performing operations on live animals for experimentation
43
girdle (31)
a belt or cord worn around the waist
44
tinned (31)
canned; sealed in a can or jar
45
alacrity (31)
brisk and cheerful readiness
46
contemptuously (31)
without respect; in a disdainful manner
47
loquacious (32)
tending to talk a great deal
48
smote (33)
struck with a firm blow
49
microcosm (33)
something regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger
50
vacuity (34)
emptiness
51
blasphemous (34)
sacrilegious against sacred things; profane
52
libel (34)
a false or malicious statement
53
enjoined (34)
instructed or urged to do something
54
odious (35)
extremely unpleasant
55
loathsome (36)
causing hatred or disgust
56
poignant (37)
evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret
57
crustacean (37)
belonging to a class of arthropods with segmented bodies and a hard exoskeleton
58
rasping (37)
harsh-sounding and unpleasant
59
bulbous (37)
fat, round, or bulging
60
mandibles (37)
jaws or jawbones, especially the lower jawbones of mammals and fishes
61
pious (37)
devoutly religious
62
stupefied (37)
dazed; in a state of mental numbness
63
bellicose (38)
demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight
64
coprologies (40)
profanities (similar to 'scatological')
65
blasé (42)
unimpressed or indifferent to something because one has experienced it so often before
66
billowy (43)
rising and rolling; characterized by great swelling waves or surges
67
heather (44)
a purple-flowered Eurasian heath (type of plant) that grows abundantly on moorland and heathland
68
trencherman (46)
a person who eats in a specified manner, typically heartily
69
protracted (46)
lasting for a long time
70
muzzle (46)
the open end of the barrel of a firearm
71
ebbing (49)
gradually lessening; reducing
72
hummocks (49)
small hills or mounds
73
tracery (49)
a delicate branching pattern
74
cataract (50)
a large waterfall
75
forecastles (51)
raised decks at the bows of ships
76
coruscating (52)
flashing; sparkling
77
basso profondissimo (53)
low and deep
78
voracious (53)
wanting or devouring great quantities of food
79
pylons (54)
upright structures used for support or for navigational guidance
80
pallid (54)
pale; lacking in intensity or brightness
81
denuded (54)
made bare; stripped of covering
82
cadaverous (54)
resembling a corpse
83
ineffaceable (54)
unable to be erased or forgotten
84
stoat (55)
a small carnivorous mammal of the weasel family native to Eurasia and North America
85
reticence (57)
reserve; the trait of being uncommunicative
86
protuberances (57)
things that stick out from something else
87
sinuous (60)
having many curves and turns
88
ineluctable (61)
unable to be resisted or avoided
89
prow (61)
the portion of a ship's bow above water
90
promontory (61)
a point of high land that juts out into a large body of water
91
prospect (61)
an extensive view of landscape
92
archipelagos (62)
groups of islands
93
gaunt (62)
grim or desolate in appearance
94
bastion (62)
a natural rock formation resembling a projecting part of a fortification
95
tableland (62)
a broad, high, level region; plateau
96
furlong (63)
an eighth of a mile; 220 yards
97
caryatid (63)
a stone carving of a draped female figure used like a pillar in Greek-style buildings
98
skiff (64)
a shallow, flat-bottomed boat with sharp bow and square stern
99
ghastly (65)
causing great horror or fear
100
solaced (66)
comforted or consoled in a time of distress or sadness
101
faute de mieux (67)
for want of a better alternative
102
antiphonally (67)
in a responsive manner (antiphon: a verse sung or chanted as a response)
103
pulpy (67)
mushy; soft; fleshy
104
conscientious (69)
wishing to do what is right
105
halting (70)
slow and hesitant
106
begetting (74)
the process of bringing a child into existence by reproduction
107
continent (75)
exercising self-restraint, especially sexually
108
monogamous (75)
having one mate
109
promiscuity (75)
the state of having many sexual relationships
110
deplorably (75)
in a shockingly bad, condemnable manner
111
nettled (76)
irritated or annoyed
112
clumsy (78)
difficult to use
113
unwonted (79)
unaccustomed or unusual
114
muffed (79)
failed to hit a shot or target
115
pinnacles (80)
high, pointed pieces of rock
116
aft (80)
toward the stern (rear) of a ship
117
bedraggled (82)
dirty and disheveled
118
imprecations (82)
spoken curses
119
defying (85)
openly resisting or refusing to obey
120
chastened (86)
restrained; moderated
121
landsman (87)
a person unfamiliar with sailing
122
bolting (87)
(when referring to a horse) running away without control
123
Lapland (88)
referring to a region in northern Europe that lies mainly within the Arctic Circle
124
cleft (88)
a fissure or split, especially in rock
125
shanks (92)
the lower parts of an animal's foreleg
126
plied (93)
worked steadily at
127
hewn (96)
made or shaped by cutting or chopping a material like wood or stone
128
hobble (96)
walk in an awkward way
129
gallant (97)
brave; heroic
130
plume (98)
a long, soft feather or arrangement of feathers used by a bird for display or worn by a person for ornament
131
precarious (98)
dangerously likely to fall or collapse
132
ludicrous (99)
so foolish, unreasonable, or out of place as to be amusing
133
moulding (99)
ornamental trimmings on flat surfaces
134
frothed (100)
rose or overflowed in a soft, light mass
135
spectral (101)
of or like a ghost
136
august (101)
respected and impressive
137
vulgar (101)
unrefined; lacking sophistication or good taste
138
ochre (104)
of a moderate orange-yellow color
139
conflagration (104)
an extensive fire that destroys a great deal of land or property
140
downland (104)
an area of open chalk hills, especially those in southern England
141
virginal (105)
untouched or undefiled
142
inimitable (105)
so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique
143
crags (106)
steep or rugged cliffs or rock faces
144
benumbed (106)
deprived of physical (or emotional) feeling
145
arabesques (106)
ornamental designs consisting of intertwined flowing lines
146
plying (107)
directing numerous questions at someone
147
surmised (107)
supposed that something was true without having evidence to confirm it
148
liaison (107)
communication or cooperation that facilitates a close working relationship
149
sedate (108)
calm; dignified; quiet
150
furrow (110)
a long narrow trench made in the ground, especially for planting seeds or for irrigation
151
cameos (112)
pieces of jewelry consisting of portraits in profile carved in relief on a background of different color
152
hedged (113)
avoided making a definite decision or statement
153
piping (115)
high-pitched
154
account (115)
importance
155
gauntlet (117)
an intimidating or dangerous crowd or place one goes through to reach a goal
156
consistory (118)
a church council or court
157
biers (125)
movable frames on which coffins or corpses are placed as they are carried to their graves
158
obeisance (125)
deferential respect
159
jove (125)
Jupiter (the supreme god of Romans)
160
infirmity (126)
physical or mental weakness
161
baying (127)
loud barking or howling
162
bluster (128)
talk in a loud, aggressive, or indignant way with little effect
163
mirth (129)
amusement, especially as expressed in laughter
164
cisterns (129)
tanks for storing water
165
dirge (130)
a lament for the dead
166
lank (132)
long, limp, and straight
167
douches (133)
showers of water
168
coracles (134)
small, round boats made of wickerwork covered with watertight material and powered by paddling
169
maxims (135)
short, pithy truths expressing general truths or rules of conduct
170
tarry (140)
stay longer than intended
171
expedients (141)
means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but considered improper or immoral
172
parochial (143)
having a limited or narrow outlook or scope
173
consummation (145)
the point at which something is complete or finalized
174
preternaturally (148)
supernaturally
175
bitter (149)
beer that is strongly flavored with hops and has a bitter taste or liquor flavored with plant extracts used to promote appetite or digestion
176
tutelary (151)
serving as a protector or guardian
177
incredulity (151)
the state of being unwilling or unable to believe in something
178
corker (155)
an excellent or astonishing person or thing
179
desideratum (155)
something that is needed or wanted
180
sextons (157)
people who look after churches and churchyards, sometimes acting as bell-ringers and formerly as gravediggers
181
nocturne (157)
a picture of a night scene
