R - Z Flashcards
(158 cards)
1
Q
raconteur
A
witty storyteller
2
Q
ranks
A
personnel; a group of people considered all together
3
Q
rarefied
A
lofty, very high up or elevated (in a metaphorical way); exclusive, select; thin, pure, or less dense (as air at the top of a mountain)
4
Q
reactant
A
something that reacts; a substance that undergoes a change in a chemical reaction
5
Q
recalcitrant
A
not obedient, resisting authority, hard to manage
6
Q
recant
A
withdraw, retract, or disavow something one has previously said, especially formally
7
Q
recapitulate
A
summarize, repeat in a concise way
8
Q
recluse
A
person who lives in seclusion
9
Q
recondite
A
not easily understood, hidden, dealing with an obscure topic
10
Q
recrudescent
A
revival, breaking out into renewed activity
11
Q
redound
A
to have a good or bad effect, especially as a result of a person’s efforts or actions (usually used with to, on, or upon)
12
Q
refractory
A
stubbornly disobedient, hard to manage
13
Q
refulgent
A
shining, radiant
14
Q
rejoinder
A
response or reply, especially a witty comeback
15
Q
relegate
A
send or commit to an inferior place, rank, condition, etc.; exile, banish; assign (a task) to someone else
16
Q
remedial
A
providing a remedy, curative; correcting a deficient skill
17
Q
rend
A
tear violently, especially to tear one’s clothing or hair out of grief; pull apart, split, or tear away
18
Q
render
A
give, submit, surrender; translate; declare formally; cause to become
19
Q
repast
A
a meal (noun)
to eat or feast (verb)
20
Q
repertorial
A
pertaining to a repertory or repertoire, a stock of available things or a number of theatrical performances persented regularly or in sequence
21
Q
replete
A
supplied in abundance, filled, gorged (used with with)
22
Q
repose
A
the act or state of resting; peacefulness, tranquility; lying dead in a grave
23
Q
reproach
A
blame, disgrace (noun)
criticize, express disappointment in (verb)
24
Q
reprobate
A
disreputable, unprincipled, or damned person (noun)
shameless, depraved (adj)
25
repudiate
reject, cast off, deny that something has authority
26
requite
reciprocate, repay or revenge
27
rescind
annul, repeal, make void
28
resolution
the quality of being firmly determined; resolving to do something; a formal judgment, especially decided by a vote
29
restive
impatient or uneasy under the control of another; resisting being controlled
30
reticent
not talking much; private (of a person), restrained, reserved
31
retrospective
looking to the past or backward; applying to the past, retroactive (adj)
an art exhibit of an artist's work over a long period of time (noun)
32
rhetoric
the art or study of persuasion through speaking or writing; language that is elaborate or pretentious but actually empty, meaning little
33
ribald
using or relating to obscene or vulgar humor
34
ridden
dominated or burdened by
35
rife
happening frequently, abundant, currently being reported
36
rift
a gap or fissure (such as in rock), a break in friendly relations
37
rococo
very elaborate and ornate (in decorating or metaphorically, as in speech and writing); relating to a highly ornate style of art and architecture in 18th century France
38
rustic
relating to country life, unsophisticated; primitive; made of rough wood (adj)
a rural or uncultured person (noun)
39
sacrosanct
sacred, inviolable, not to be trespassed on or violated; above any criticism
40
salient
obvious, standing out; projecting, protruding, jutting out
41
salubrious
healthful, promoting health
42
sanguine
cheerfully optimistic, hopeful; reddish, ruddy (as in rosy-red cheeks indicting health or vitality)
43
sap
the inner fluid of a plant or any essential body fluid; energy, vitality; a person taken advantage of (noun)
undermine, weaken, tire out (verb)
44
sardonic
scornfully or ironically mocking, cynically derisive
45
savant
learned person, scholar, someone admitted to membership in a scholarly field; a person with amazing mental abilities despite having a cognitive difference or disability
46
scant
not enough or barely enough
47
scathing
severe, injurious; bitterly harsh or crtical (as a remark)
48
scintilla
a tiny bit or trace
49
scurvy
contemptible, mean
50
sedition
inciting rebellion against a government, especially speech or writing that does this
51
sedulous
persevering, persistent, diligent in one's efforts
52
semantic
relating to the different meanings of words or other symbols
53
sentient
conscious; experiencing sensation or perceiving with the senses
54
seraphic
like an angel; serene, spiritually carried off or transported
55
sinecure
a job or position that pays while requiring little or no work
56
slake
satisfy (especially thirst), cool, or refresh; make less active
57
slew
a large number or quantity
58
sobriquet
a nickname
59
solecism
nonstandard use of grammar or words; mistake, especially in etiquette
60
solicitous
concerned or anxious (about another person), expressing care; eager or desirous; very careful
61
somatic
of the body
62
soporific
causing sleep; sleepy, drowsy (adj)
something that causes sleep (noun)
63
sound
measure the depth of (usually of water) as with a sounding line; penetrate and discover the meaning of, understand (usually as sound the depths)
64
spartan
very disciplined and stern; frugal, living simply, austere; suggestive of the ancient Spartans
65
spate
sudden outpouring or rush; flood
66
specious
seemingly true but actually false; deceptively attractive
67
sportive
playful, merry, joking around, done "in sport" (rather than intended seriously)
68
squelch
crush, squash; suppress or silence; walk through ooze or in wet shoes, making a smacking or sucking sound
69
stasis
equilibrium, a state of balance or inactivity, especially caused by equal buy opposing forces
70
steeped
immersed (in), saturated (with)
71
stentorian
very loud and powerful (generally of a human voice)
72
stint
period of time spent doing something, or a specific, limited amount of work (noun)
to be frugal, to get by on little (verb)
73
stipulate
specify; make an open demand, especially as a condition of agreement
74
stolid
unemotional, showing little emotion, not easily moved
75
stratagem
military maneuver to deceive or surprise; crafty scheme
76
stratum
one of many layers (such as in a rock formation or in the classes of a society)
77
strut
a structural support or brace
78
stymie or stymy
block, hinder, or thwart (verb)
an obstacle (noun)
79
sublime
lofty or elevated, inspiring reverence or awe; excellent majestic; complete, utter
80
supplant
take the place of, displace, especially through sneaky tactics
81
supplicate
pray humbly; ask, beg, or seek in a humble way
82
supposition
assumption, hypothesis, something that has been supposed
83
surfeit
excess, excessive amount, overindulgence
84
surly
bad-tempered, hostile, unfriendly, or rude
85
surmise
guess, infer, think, or make an opinion with incomplete information
86
sybarite
servile flatterer, parasitic person who fawns in order to get ahead
87
symbiosis
mutually dependent relationship between two organisms, people, groups, etc.
88
synchronous
happening at the same time; occurring at the same rate and thus happening together repeatedly
89
synoptic
relating to a synopsis or summary; giving a general view
90
tacit
understood without being said; implied, not stated directly; silent
91
taciturn
not talking much, reserved; silent, holding back in conversation
92
tangential
only slightly relevant, going off-topic
93
tawdry
gaudy, cheap or cheap-looking; indecent
94
temperance
moderation, self-control, especially regarding alcohol or other desires or pleasures; total abstinence from alcohol
95
tendentious
marked by a strong point of view, biased
96
tenuous
long and thin, slender; flimsy, having little substance
97
terrestrial
relating to the Earth or to land; wordly
98
terse
concise, brief and to the point (sometimes to the point of rudeness)
99
timorous
fearful, timid
100
tirade
bitter, abusive criticism or verbal attack
101
toady
someone who flatters or acts in a servile manner for self-serving reasons
102
token
sign, symbol, mark, badge; souvenir, memento; coin-like disk used as currecny for subways, arcade games, etc.; sample, or person, or thing, idea taken to represent an entire group (noun)
of very little or merely symbolic value (adj)
103
tome
large or scholarly book; one of the volumes in a set of several books
104
torpor
sluggishness, lethargy, or apathy; a period of inactivity
105
torrid
very hot, parching, burning; passionate
106
tortuous
twisting, winding, complex; devious, not straightforward
107
tractable
easily controlled or managed, docile; easily shaped or molded
108
transgression
violation of a law, moral, rule, order, etc.; sin
109
travesty
exaggerated, debased, or grotesque imitation
110
trenchant
forceful or vigorous, effective, keen; caustic, sharp
111
trifling
trivial, not very important; so small as to be unimportant; frivolous, shallow
112
trite
lacking freshness and originality, lacking effectiveness due to overuse, cliche
113
truculent
fierce, cruel, savage; belligerent
114
tumultuous
riotous, violently agitated, marked by disturbance or uproar; noisy, chaotic
115
turgid
swollen, inflated; or, metaphorically "inflated," such as in overblown, pompous speech
116
turpitude
depravity, baseness of character, corrupt or depraved acts
117
tyro
beginner
118
ubiquitous
existing everywhere at the same time
119
umbrage
offense or annoyance (usually as take umbrage, meaning become offended or annoyed)
120
unconscionable
not guided by conscience; morally wrong, unjust, unreasonable
121
underscore
emphasize (or, literally, to underline text)
122
unequivocal
unambiguous, clear, absolute; having only one possible meaning
123
unseemly
improper, inappropriate, against the rules of taste or politeness
124
untempered
not toned down, not moderated, controlled, or counterbalanced
125
upbraid
find fault with, criticize or scold severely
126
usury
charging interest on a loan, especially charging illegally high or excessive interest
127
vacillate
waver in one's mind or opinions, be indecisive
128
vanguard
leading units at the front of an army; leader in a trend or movement, people on the "cutting edge"; the forefront of a trend or movement
129
variegated
varied in color, having multicolored patches or spots; diverse
130
venerate
revere, regard with deep respect and awe
131
veracity
truthfulness, accuracy; habitual adherence to the truth
132
verbose
wordy
133
verdant
green, such as with vegetation, plants, grass, etc.; young and inexperienced
134
verisimilar
having the appearance of truth, probable
135
vernal
relating to the spring; fresh, youthful
136
vestige
trace or sign of something that once existed
137
viable
capable of living (or growing, developing, etc.); practical, workable
138
vicissitude
changes or variations over time, especially regular changes from one thing or another
139
vim
pep, enthusiasm, vitality, lively spirit
140
virulent
extremely infectious, poisonous, etc.; hateful, bitterly hostile
141
viscid or viscous
thick, adhesive, or covered in something sticky
142
vitriol
something highly caustic, such as criticism (literally, one of the number of chemcials including sulfuric acid)
143
vituperate
verbally abuse, rebuke or criticize harshly
144
voluble
easily fluent in regards to speech
145
wan
unnaturally pale, or showing some other indication of sickness, unhappiness, etc.; weak, lacking forcefulness
146
wanton
reckless, vicious, without regard for what is right; unjustifiable, deliberately done for no reason at all; sexually unrestrained or excessively luxurious
147
warranted
justified, authorized (warrant can mean to justify or a justification, but can also mean to vouch for or guarantee)
148
welter
confused mass or pile, jumble; confusion or turmoil (noun)
roll around, wallow, toss about, writhe (verb)
149
whet
stimulate, make keen or eager (especially of an appetite)
150
whimsical
marked or motivated by whims (odd, fanciful ideas); erratic, unpredictable
151
whitewash
a substance used to whiten walls, wood, etc. (noun)
deception, covering up of wrongs, errors, misdeeds, etc. (verb)
152
wily
crafty, cunning, characterized by tricks or artifice
153
winnow
sift, analyze critically, separate the useful part from the worthless part
154
winsome
charming, engaging, especially in a sweet and innocent way
155
wizened
withered, shriveled
156
xenophobia
fear or hatred of foreigners or that which is foreign
157
yoke
a burden or something that oppresses; a frame for attaching animals (such as oxen) to each other and to a plow or other equipment to be pulled, or a bar across a person's shoulders to help carry buckets of water, etc. (noun)
to unite together or to burden (verb)
158
zeal
great fervor or enthusiasm for a cause, person, etc.; tireless diligence in furthering that cause; passion, ardor
