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P words Flashcards

1
Q

pablum

A

bland or insipid intellectual fare, entertainment, etc.; pap.

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2
Q

pacifist

A

a person who favors peace

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3
Q

painstaking

A

careful, taking great pains, meticulous, assiduous, diligent

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4
Q

pall

A

A morose covering of cloth, smoke, or similar matter; or to become less appealing through familiarity

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5
Q

panegyric

A

A published speech or published text in praise of something or someone.

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6
Q

panoply

A

a complete or impressive collection of things

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7
Q

paragon

A

a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality.

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8
Q

parody

A

a humorous imitation of a work of art

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9
Q

parsimonious

A

unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy or frugal.

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10
Q

parsimony

A

extreme stinginess, miserliness

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11
Q

partisan

A

strongly supporting one party or cause, biased

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12
Q

parvenu

A

a person of obscure origin who has gained wealth, influence, or celebrity.

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13
Q

pastiche

A

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

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14
Q

patrician

A

an aristocrat or nobleman

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15
Q

paucity

A

the presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity.

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16
Q

pearlite

A

a finely laminated mixture of ferrite and cementite present in cast iron and steel, formed by the cooling of austenite.

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17
Q

pecuniary

A

of, relating to, or consisting of money

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18
Q

pedant

A

a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.

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19
Q

penchant

A

liking, inclination, proclivity, predilection

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20
Q

penury

A

extreme poverty

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21
Q

perceptive

A

having keen understanding

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22
Q

perfunctory

A

done with little interest or care, cursory

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23
Q

peripatetic

A

traveling from place to place, esp. working or based in various places for relatively short periods

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24
Q

peripheral

A

on or having to do with the outer edge

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25
perspire
give out sweat through the pores of the skin as the result of heat, physical exertion, or stress
26
pessimism
a tendency to expect the worst
27
pestilence
a fatal epidemic disease, esp. bubonic plague
28
petulant
irritable, touchy, irascible
29
phoenix
(in classical mythology) a unique bird that lived for five or six centuries in the Arabian desert, after this time burning itself on a funeral pyre and rising from the ashes with renewed youth to live through another cycle.
30
pi
To spill or mix printing type
31
piccalilli
a relish of chopped vegetables, mustard, and hot spices.
32
piety
religiousness, devoutness
33
piki
cornmeal bread in the form of very thin sheets, made by the Hopi Indians of the southwestern US
34
pilothouse
A part of a plane serving as a shelter for the person at the wheel.
35
pique
to arouse; to irritate, exasperate, vex
36
placate
to calm the anger of, appease, mollify, conciliate
37
plagiarism
the theft of someone else's ideas
38
platitude
a dull, overused remark, something banal or hackneyed
39
plausible
believable, reasonable
40
plethora
overabundance, excess, copiousness
41
plucky
Having or showing determined courage in the face of difficulties
42
pluvial
relating to or characterized by rainfall.
43
poignant
evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret.
44
pointer
A long thin piece of metal on a scale or dial that moves to indicate a figure or position; or a dog of a breed that, on scenting game, stands rigid looking toward it.
45
polymath
a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning.
46
polystyrene
a synthetic resin that is a polymer of styrene, used chiefly as lightweight rigid foams and films.
47
ponderous
slow and clumsy because of great weight.
48
potboiler
a book, painting, or recording produced merely to make the writer or artist a living by catering to popular taste.
49
pother
a commotion or fuss.
50
preclude
to make impossible, prevent
51
precocious
maturing early (especially mentally)
52
predilection
preference, liking, inclination, proclivity, penchant
53
preeminent
superior to all others
54
presumptuous
overly forward; overly bold
55
pretender
A person who claims or aspires to a title or position.
56
preternatural
Beyond what is normal or natural
57
prevalent
widespread, commonly accepted
58
previse
Foresee (or predict) an event.
59
prig
a self-righteously moralistic person who behaves as if superior to others.
60
pro bono publico
For the public good
61
proclivity
tendency, leaning, inclination, predilection, penchant
62
procrustean
Enforcing uniformity or conformity without regard to natural variation or individual value.
63
prodigal
wasteful with money, extravagant
64
prodigious
immense; astonishing [don't confuse with prodigal!]
65
proficient
skilled, capable, competent
66
profligate
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources
67
profuse
very abundant; giving freely
68
proliferate
to grow, increase, burgeon, flourish
69
prominent
important, well-known
70
propitiating
win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them
71
provincial
narrow-minded, unsophisticated
72
prurient
having or encouraging an excessive interest in sexual matters.
73
psychobiology
the branch of science that deals with the biological basis of behavior and mental phenomena.
74
puckish
playful, especially in a mischievous way.
75
pugnacious
eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.
76
pule
cry querulously or weakly.
77
pulverize
to demolish
78
punctilious
showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.
79
puny
small and weak.
80
pupa
an insect in its inactive immature form between larva and adult, e.g., a chrysalis.
81
purloin
steal (something).
82
pygmy
a member of certain peoples of very short stature in equatorial Africa and parts of Southeast Asia

Vocab (22 decks)

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