Set 10 Flashcards
1
Q
flail
A
flail
/fleɪl/
To flail means to wave around wildly. If you are stranded on a deserted island and you see a ship in the distance, it’s a good idea to flail your arms in the air to get the captain’s attention.
Flail originates with the Latin word flagellum, which is a whip. It is also related to the noun flail, a stick with a swinging attachment to it, used to thresh grain. As a verb, it most often refers to arms, but can also involve the whole body, especially if someone is a very wild dancer. Other things can flail as well. If someone admits that his business is flailing, it’s probably lacking direction and not doing very well.
verb
1 to wave or swing wildly, often in an uncontrolled manner
…He flailed his arms to keep his balance.
…A wasp came towards us and Howard started flailing his arms around.
…The boxer flailed at his opponent but missed.
2 to beat or strike repeatedly
…The wind flailed against the windows.
…He flailed the blanket to remove the dust.
3 to struggle or move frantically
…She flailed in the water, trying to stay afloat.
…The toddler flailed in frustration when denied candy.
noun
a tool consisting of a long handle with a free-swinging stick, used for threshing grain
…The farmer used a flail to separate the wheat from the chaff.
…In medieval times, flails were sometimes used as weapons.
> Collins English Dictionary, Vocabulary.com
2
Q
strife
A
strife
3
Q
clamber
A
clamber
4
Q
monotonous
A
monotonous
5
Q
rumple
A
rumple
6
Q
adjudicate
A
adjudicate
7
Q
snuff
A
snuff
8
Q
ruinous
A
ruinous
9
Q
reedy
A
reedy
10
Q
flank
A
flank
11
Q
willowy
A
willowy
12
Q
zip through sth
A
zip through sth
13
Q
rig
A
rig
14
Q
pleat
A
pleat
15
Q
jovial
A
jovial
16
Q
stringy
A
stringy
17
Q
welsh
A
welsh
18
Q
groundswell
A
groundswell
19
Q
quandary
A
quandary
20
Q
haggard
A
haggard
21
Q
pettish
A
pettish
22
Q
aloft
/əˈlɔft/
A
(adv.) up in or into the air; overhead
The victorious team held the trophy aloft as the crowd cheered wildly.
23
Q
buffet
A
buffet
24
Q
dicky
A
dicky
25
burrow
burrow
26
scythe
scythe
27
unobtrusive
unobtrusive
28
straggle
straggle
29
crud
crud
30
shack
shack
31
chafe
chafe
32
tweak
tweak
33
tingle
tingle
34
trickle
trickle
35
shriek
shriek
36
glint
glint
37
jut
jut
38
amble
amble
39
cotton
cotton
40
bullhorn
bullhorn
41
frigid
frigid
42
clop
clop
43
undemonstrative
undemonstrative
44
subjugate
subjugate
45
snake oil
snake oil
46
drawl
drawl
47
rend
rend
48
plump
plump¹
/plʌmp/
adjective
**1** having a full, rounded shape; slightly fat
...She had plump cheeks and rosy lips.
...The plump berries were ready for picking.
**2** well-filled or well-rounded
...A plump cushion sat on the chair.
...The baker displayed plump loaves of bread.
verb
**1** to make or become fuller and rounder
...She plumped the pillows before making the bed.
...The dried fruit will plump when soaked in water.
\> late 15th century (in the sense ‘blunt, forthright’): related to Middle Dutch plomp, Middle Low German plump, plomp ‘blunt, obtuse, blockish’. The sense has become appreciative, perhaps by association with **plum**.
plump²
verb
to set or drop down heavily
...He plumped himself into the armchair.
...The bird plumped onto the branch.
noun
an abrupt plunge; a heavy fall
...The wagon came into a deep hole, with such a plump.
adverb
with a sudden, heavy fall
...She sat down plump on the floor.
...The package fell plump into the puddle.
\> late Middle English: related to Middle Low German plumpen, Middle Dutch plompen ‘fall into water’, probably of imitative origin.
\> Oxford Dictionary of English
49
embalm
embalm
50
toot one's own horn
toot one's own horn
51
dismay
dismay
52
belch
belch
53
slough
slough
54
penitent
penitent
55
delinquency
delinquency
56
hoarse
hoarse
57
morbid
morbid
58
lurch
lurch
59
hump
hump
60
alms
alms
61
brawny
brawny
62
throes
throes
63
pang
| /pæŋ/
(n.) a sudden, sharp feeling of pain or emotion
##Footnote
- She felt a pang of guilt after forgetting her best friend's birthday.
- those hunger pangs that strike you in the middle of the afternoon
\> 1520s, "sudden paroxysm of physical pain, acute painful spasm," a word of unknown origin, not found in Middle English. Perhaps it is related to **prong** (*prongys of deth* is recorded from mid-15c.). Reference to mental or emotional pain is from 1560s. As a verb, "cause or suffer a pang or pangs," c. 1500. Related: Pangs.
\> Merriam-Webster, Etymonline
prong
/prɔːŋ/
noun
**1** a pointed projection, part, or branch
...The fork has four prongs.
...The deer's antlers had several prongs.
**2** one branch or path of a plan, strategy, or approach
...The investigation had three prongs.
...A two-pronged approach to solving the problem.
**3** a sharp projecting part
...The prong of the belt buckle was broken.
...The electrical plug has three prongs.
verb
to pierce or stab with a pointed object
...He pronged the potato with a fork to check if it was done.
...The gardener pronged the soil with a tool to aerate it.
\> **prong (n.)**: early 15c., prange "sharp point or pointed instrument;" mid-15c., pronge "agony, pain," from Anglo-Latin pronga "prong, pointed tool," of unknown origin, perhaps related to Middle Low German prange "stick, restraining device," prangen "to press, pinch." See also **prod**, which might be related. The sense of "each pointed division of a fork" is by 1690s.
64
hold sb to sth
hold sb to sth
65
wet INFORMAL*NORTH AMERICAN
wet INFORMAL*NORTH AMERICAN
66
heel
heel
67
gag
gag
68
tang
tang
69
writhe
writhe
70
prevail
prevail
71
slump
slump
/slʌmp/
verb
**1** to sit, lean, or fall heavily and limply, especially with a bent back; to fall or lean against something because you are not strong enough to stand
slump against/over/back etc
...She slumped against the cushions.
...She slumped against the wall, exhausted from the long hike.
...Carol slumped back in her chair, defeated.
...Ben staggered and slumped onto the floor.
be slumped
...Denis **was slumped** in his seat.
**2** to decline or decrease significantly, especially in price or value
...The company's stock price slumped following the disappointing earnings report.
**3** to perform poorly or experience a sudden downturn
...The team slumped in the second half of the season, losing most of their games.
slump
/slʌmp/
noun
**1** a period of decline or deterioration in performance, activity, or prosperity
...The economy is currently in a slump, with rising unemployment rates.
**2** a sudden decrease in price, value, or activity
...The housing market experienced a significant slump last year.
**3** a slouching or drooping posture
...His slump in posture indicated his disappointment and fatigue.
**4** in geology, a sliding of rock or mud down a slope
...The heavy rains caused a slump on the hillside, damaging several homes.
\> 1670s, "fall or sink suddenly into a muddy place," probably from a Scandinavian source such as Norwegian and Danish slumpe "fall upon," Swedish slumpa; perhaps ultimately of imitative origin. Related: Slumped; slumping.
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Oxford Dictionary of English, Etymonline
72
toss-up
toss-up
73
snuffle
snuffle
74
wriggle
wriggle
75
turd
turd
76
bulge
bulge
77
resign yourself to (doing) sth
resign yourself to (doing) sth
to accept that something undesirable cannot be avoided; If you **resign yourself to** an unpleasant situation or fact, you accept it because you realize that you cannot change it: RECONCILE ONESELF TO, become resigned to, become reconciled to, have no choice but to accept, come to terms with, learn to live with, get used to the idea of; give in to the inevitable, grin and bear it
...We **resigned ourselves to** a long wait.
...Josh **resigned himself to** the long walk home.
...Pat and I **resigned ourselves to** yet another summer without a boat.
...At sixteen, I **resigned myself to** the fact that I’d never be a dancer.
...He had **resigned himself to** watching the European Championships on television.
\> late 14c., "give up (something), surrender, abandon, submit; relinquish (an office, position, right, claim)," from Old French resigner "renounce, relinquish" (13c.), from Latin resignare "to check off, annul, cancel, give back, give up," from re-, here perhaps denoting "opposite" (see re-), + signare "to make an entry in an account book," literally "to mark," from Latin signum "identifying mark, sign" (see **sign** (n.)).
\> The notion is of making an entry (signum) "opposite" — on the credit side — balancing the former mark and thus canceling the claim it represents. The specific meaning "give up a position" also is from late 14c. The sense of "to give (oneself) up to some emotion or situation" is from 1718. Related: **Resigned**; resigning.
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Collins English Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary of English, Merriam-Webster, Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus, Etymonline
78
monkey business
monkey business
INFORMAL
bad or dishonest behavior
...There's been some **monkey business** connected with his tax returns.
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Cambridge Dictionary
79
kittenish
kittenish
80
libelous
libelous
81
admonish
admonish
82
eon
eon
83
stucco
stucco
84
sybaritic
sybaritic
85
possessive
possessive
86
languor
languor
87
despise
despise
88
inure
inure
89
imposing
imposing
90
cataract
cataract
91
tenement
tenement
92
obstinate
obstinate
93
hemlock
hemlock
94
noncommittal
noncommittal
95
entrust
entrust
96
bouffant
bouffant
97
ligature
ligature
98
plop
plop
/plɒp/
noun
a short sound as of a small, solid object dropping into water without a splash
...The stone fell into the water with a soft plop.
verb
**1** to fall or cause to fall with a plop
...The stone plopped into the pond.
**2** to sit or lie down gently but clumsily
...He plopped himself down on the nearest chair.
\> Oxford Dictionary of English
99
cavernous
cavernous
100
heed
heed
101
scour
scour
102
dank
dank
103
prestigious
prestigious
104
injunction
injunction
105
a penny for your thoughts
a penny for your thoughts
106
to the hilt
to the hilt
107
aloof
aloof
108
musty
musty
109
endearing
endearing
110
immolate
immolate
111
tranquil
tranquil
112
burble
burble
113
whitecap
whitecap
114
apropos
apropos
115
anachronistic
anachronistic
116
ire
ire
117
revel in sth
revel in sth
118
apparition
apparition
/ˌæpəˈrɪʃən/
noun
**1** a ghost or ghostlike image of a person or thing
...She claimed to have seen an apparition in the old house.
...The apparition vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
**2** a sudden or unusual sight; an appearance
...The ship was a strange apparition in the morning mist.
...The rare bird was an unexpected apparition in their garden.
**3** the act of appearing or becoming visible
...The sudden apparition of the sun through the clouds was breathtaking.
...The apparition of the comet occurs once every 75 years.
**4** FORMAL
an appearance that is unexpected or different from what is normal
...His sudden apparition at the party caused quite a stir.
...The strange apparition in the sky turned out to be a weather balloon.
\> From Middle French apparition, from Latin apparitio, from appareo.
\> Wiktionary
119
rambling
rambling
120
incision
incision
121
piecemeal
piecemeal
122
rudder
rudder
123
lash
lash
124
fume
fume
125
befit
befit
126
saddle
saddle
127
swoon
swoon
128
keel
keel
129
urchin
urchin
130
enclave
enclave
131
circumscribe
circumscribe
/ˈsɜrkəmskraɪb/
verb
**1** to restrict or limit within bounds; to confine or limit
...The contract circumscribed the company's activities.
...His authority was circumscribed by law.
**2** (geometry) to draw or describe (a geometric figure) enclosing or touching another figure
...The circle was circumscribed around the triangle.
...They learned how to circumscribe a circle around a polygon.
\> late 14c., "to encompass; confine, restrain, mark out bounds or limits for," from Latin circumscribere "to make a circle around, encircle, draw a line around; limit, restrain, confine, set the boundaries of," from circum "around, round about" (see **circum-**) + scribere "to write" (from PIE root **skribh-** "to cut"). Related: Circumscribed; circumscribing.
\> Etymonline
132
contrive
contrive
133
awning
awning
134
offshoot
offshoot
135
tinge
tinge
136
tawny
tawny
137
lark
lark
138
prescience
prescience
139
grill
grill
140
spate
spate
141
recapitulate
recapitulate
142
diminutive
diminutive
143
austere
austere
144
macabre
macabre
145
watertight
watertight
146
recount
recount
147
filigree
filigree
148
phosphorescence
phosphorescence
149
minutiae
minutiae
150
regal
regal
151
afield
afield
152
gourmet
gourmet
153
smolder
smolder
154
diminution
diminution
155
be entranced by sth
be entranced by sth
156
frazzle
frazzle
/ˈfræzəl/
verb
**1** to make someone feel completely exhausted; to put in a state of extreme physical or nervous fatigue
...The long work hours began to frazzle her nerves.
...He's a clever player who knows how to frazzle his opponents.
...Dealing with difficult customers had frazzled him completely.
**2** to wear or become worn to shreds; make or become ragged : FRAY
...The old rope was frazzled from years of use.
...Years of use have frazzled the cord for the window blinds to the breaking point.
...The hem of her dress was beginning to frazzle.
noun
**1** a state of physical or nervous exhaustion
...The holiday season left her in a complete frazzle.
→ be worn to a frazzle
INFORMAL
to feel very tired and anxious
...Months of overtime work have left her **worn to a frazzle**.
**2** BRITISH
the state of being completely burned
→ be burnt to a frazzle
INFORMAL
to be completely burnt
...The grass was regrowing within days of being **burned to a frazzle**.
\> c. 1825, "to unravel" (of clothing), from East Anglian variant of 17c. fasel "to unravel, fray" (as the end of a rope), from Middle English facelyn "to fray" (mid-15c.), from fasylle "fringe, frayed edge," diminutive of Old English fæs "fringe, border." Related: Frazzled, frazzling. Compare German Faser "thread, fiber, filament," Middle Dutch vese "fringe, fiber, chaff." Probably influenced in form by fray (v.).
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Oxford Dictionary of English, Merriam-Webster, Etymonline
157
hubbub
hubbub
158
bushel
bushel
159
portico
portico
160
blasé
blasé
161
celibate
celibate
162
gloat
gloat
163
cuddle
cuddle
164
ploy
ploy
165
disembody
disembody
166
propriety
propriety
167
shudder
shudder
168
soggy
soggy
/ˈsɒɡi/
adjective (soggier, soggiest)
**1** : saturated or heavy with water or moisture: such as
**1a** : thoroughly wet and heavy with water; saturated
...The soggy newspaper fell apart in his hands.
...The rain left the ground soggy and muddy.
**1b** : (of food) unpleasantly soft and wet; heavy or doughy because of imperfect cooking
...The cereal became soggy in the milk.
...The sandwiches have **gone** all **soggy**.
...Nobody likes soggy french fries.
**2** heavily dull : SPIRITLESS
...The party had a soggy atmosphere.
...The movie had several soggy moments that dragged on.
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Merriam-Webster
169
nibble
nibble
170
vanquish
| /ˈvæŋkwɪʃ/
(v.) to defeat thoroughly; to conquer or overpower; To **vanquish** someone means to defeat them completely in a battle or a competition: DEFEAT, BEAT, CONQUER, reduce
##Footnote
- The army was able to vanquish its enemies and reclaim the territory.
- Napoleon was vanquished at the battle of Waterloo in 1815.
- The vanquished army surrendered their weapons.
Usage Notes:
- **Vanquish** implies a complete overpowering.
- *vanquished* the enemy and ended the war
\> Middle English: from Old French vencus, venquis (past participle and past tense of veintre), vainquiss- (lengthened stem of vainquir), from Latin vincere ‘conquer’.
\> Collins English Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary of English, Cambridge Dictionary
171
quadrangle
quadrangle
172
sorority
sorority
173
epitaph
epitaph
174
underhanded
underhanded
175
ragtag
ragtag
176
commemoration
commemoration
177
risible
risible
178
sprout
sprout
179
crumbly
crumbly
180
smattering
smattering
181
twig
twig
182
curt
curt
183
glee
glee
184
supple
supple
185
comer
comer
186
tangible
tangible
187
lump
lump
188
anemic
anemic
189
lanky
| /ˈlæŋki/
(adj.) tall, thin, and often awkward in movement or appearance
##Footnote
The lanky teenager struggled to find clothes that fit his long limbs properly.
\> 1630s, "straight and flat," used of hair, from lank (adj.) + -y (2). Sense of "awkwardly tall and thin" is first recorded 1818. Fowler writes that "The short form is almost only literary, the long chiefly colloquial." Related: Lankily (1848); lankiness (1846).
\> **lank (adj.)**: Old English hlanc "loose and empty, meagerly slim, flaccid," from Proto-Germanic \*hlanka-, forming words meaning "to bend, turn," perhaps from PIE root \*kleng- "to bend, turn," with a connecting notion of "flexible" (compare German lenken "to bend, turn aside;" see **flank** (n.)).
\> Etymonline
190
artless
artless
191
peruse
peruse
192
anathema
anathema
193
bemoan
bemoan
194
slicker
slicker
195
purse
purse
196
loopy
loopy
197
facilitate
facilitate
198
forge
forge
199
murmur
murmur
/ˈmɜːrmər/
verb
**1** to speak in a soft, low voice that is difficult to hear clearly
...She murmured a few words of thanks.
...The couple murmured to each other during the movie.
**2** to make a continuous, low, soft sound
...The stream murmured as it flowed over the rocks.
...The wind murmured through the trees.
noun
**1** a soft, low, continuous sound
...The murmur of conversation filled the café.
...There was a gentle murmur of waves against the shore.
**2** a quiet expression of criticism or complaint by a group of people
...There was a murmur of discontent among the workers.
...A murmur of disapproval spread through the crowd.
**3** (medical) an unusual sound heard in the heart, lungs, or blood vessels
...The doctor detected a heart murmur during the examination.
...The patient was diagnosed with a benign heart murmur.
