Set 10 Flashcards
(13 cards)
Calumniate
To slander, make a false accusation
Tom calumniated his rival by accusing him of having been unfaithful, but it backfired because when the truth came out, Tom ended up looking petty and deceitful
Calumny means slander, aspersion
Canny
Careful, cautious, knowing
Knowing all aspects of how to run her business, Emily has a canny eye for making a deal
Canon
An established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
Adhering to the dictates of his religion’s canon meant that he couldn’t eat pork
Canonical means following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
Capricious
Inclined to change one’s mind impulsively; erratic; unpredictable
Lee’s capricious behavior this weekend shouldn’t have come as a surprise; it’s not as if he’s usually all that stable and predictable
*having caprices (sudden changes of mind or action) makes you capricious, which means that you can be described as tending towards capriciousness
Cardinal
Of basic importance or consequence; primary
His cardinal error was in failing to bribe his sister; otherwise his parents might never have found out about the party and grounded him
Cajole
To inviegle, coax, wheedle, sweet talk
Even though I resolve not to give in, my dog is always able to cajole an extra dog biscuit out of me just by looking at me with his big brown eyes
Carnality
Something relating to the body or flesh
Though the book was primarily concerned with spiritual matters, it’s descriptions of earthly pleasures were sometimes shocking in their sheer carnality
Carnal desires are those that relate to bodily or sexual appetite
Carnage is slightly related, it means physical remains
Castigation
Severe criticism or punishment
Harriet’s expression as she slunk out of the room indicated that the castigation she had received was even worse than expected, and that we were probably in for a similar tongue lashing
Catalyst
A substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
Steve was hoping the romantic music would be all the catalyst the evening needed
To catalyze is to act as a catalyst, to bring about
Causality
The relationship between cause and effect
Because the experiment tested so many factors at the same time, it is difficult to prove the causality of one agent over another
Caustic
Burning or stinging; causing corrosion
Her caustic wit was legendary - everyone enjoyed reading Sandra’s articles as long as he or she was not the target of her humor
Censure
To criticize severely; to officially rebuke
Though the board censured the gallery for holding the exhibition, the event continued as planned, and even drew larger crowds than expected before the board’s outspoken disapproval
A judgement involving condemnation; the act of blaming or condemning
The chairman’s misdeeds were only made public and held up to censure once it became certain that the board members could not be implicated
Censorious is an adjective that means tending to or expressing censure
Chaos
A condition of confusion or unpredictability
Some seem to thrive on chaos in the workplace, but Lucy relishes a clean desk and predictable schedule
