Set 12 Flashcards
1
Q
lacquer
A
lacquer
2
Q
anesthetic
A
anesthetic
3
Q
jaunty
A
jaunty
4
Q
wad
A
wad
/wɒd $ wɑːd/
noun
1 a thick mass of something soft, especially when crushed or rolled into a lump
…He pulled a wad of paper towels from the dispenser.
…She stuffed a wad of cotton into the hole.
2 a roll of paper money
…He pulled out a thick wad of cash from his pocket.
…The robber demanded the wad of bills from the register.
3 a soft mass used as padding or stuffing
…She used wads of newspaper to pack the fragile items.
…The chair cushion was filled with wads of polyester.
verb (wads, wadding, wadded)
1 to compress (a soft material) into a lump or mass
…Wad the strips over and over so that they ball up.
…She wadded up the paper and threw it in the wastebasket.
2 to insert or pack (something) into a space, often tightly or carelessly
…She wadded the clothes into her suitcase at the last minute.
3 to stuff or fill with a soft material
…The seamstress wadded the cushions with cotton batting.
> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Oxford Dictionary of English, Merriam-Webster
5
Q
recliner
A
recliner
6
Q
purr
A
purr
7
Q
corroborate
A
corroborate
8
Q
jumble
A
jumble
9
Q
raze
A
raze
10
Q
transfix
A
transfix
11
Q
all but
A
all but
12
Q
vista
A
vista
13
Q
festoon
A
festoon
14
Q
abstain
A
abstain
15
Q
welch on sth
A
welch on sth
16
Q
rap
A
rap
17
Q
crisscross
A
crisscross
18
Q
patter
A
patter
19
Q
ken
A
ken
20
Q
scrunch
A
scrunch
21
Q
veer
A
veer
22
Q
protestation
A
protestation
23
Q
scrupulous
A
scrupulous
24
Q
blather
A
blather
25
gaudy
gaudy
26
alcove
alcove
27
astride
astride
28
booty
booty
29
trailblazer
trailblazer
30
annex
annex
31
idyllic
idyllic
32
perspiration
perspiration
33
hunch
hunch
34
rakish
rakish
35
flaxen
flaxen
36
consul
consul
37
vicarious
vicarious
38
entreat
entreat
39
utterance
utterance
40
merriment
merriment
41
heather
heather
42
plush
plush
43
rummage
rummage
44
esoteric
esoteric
45
flick sth on/off
flick sth on/off
46
preponderance
preponderance
47
ardent
ardent
48
dillydally
dillydally
49
bodice
bodice
50
billow
billow
/ˈbɪloʊ/
noun
a large wave or mass of something, especially smoke, steam, or fabric
...Thick billows of smoke rose from the burning building.
...The ship sailed through towering billows of ocean water.
verb
**1** to swell or puff out; to move or flow outward
...Smoke billowed from the chimney.
...The curtains billowed in the breeze.
**2** to surge or rise like a wave
...Dark clouds billowed across the sky.
...Steam billowed up from the ground.
\> **billow (n.)**: "a great wave or surge of the sea," 1550s, perhaps older in dialectal use (but not recorded in Middle English), from Old Norse bylgja "a wave, a billow," from Proto-Germanic \*bulgjan (source also of Swedish bölja, Danish bölge "a billow," Middle High German bulge "a billow; a bag"), from PIE \*bhelgh- "to swell," extended form of root **bhel-** (2) "to blow, swell."
\> Etymonline
51
pretense
pretense
52
stain
stain
53
bask
bask
/bɑːsk/
verb
**1** to lie in or expose oneself to pleasant warmth, especially from the sun
...The lizards basked on the hot rocks.
...She basked in the morning sunlight.
**2** bask in
to take pleasure or gratification in a situation or experience
...The actor basked in the audience's applause.
...The team basked in their victory.
\> late Middle English (originally in the sense ‘bathe’): perhaps related to Old Norse batha ‘bathe’.
\> Oxford Dictionary of English
54
stake sth out
stake sth out
55
racy
| /ˈreɪsi/
(adj.) lively, entertaining, and typically mildly titillating sexually
##Footnote
- The novel was considered too racy for young readers.
- The novel contained several racy scenes that made some readers blush.
\> From race (“having a characteristic taste (of wines, fruits, etc.)”) + -y.
\> Oxford Dictionary of English, Wiktionary
56
nook
nook
57
take the edge off sth
take the edge off sth
58
inane
inane
59
cedar
cedar
60
limp
limp
61
outwardly
outwardly
62
hew
hew
63
predicament
predicament
64
lodge
lodge
65
pathos
pathos
66
crinkle
crinkle
/ˈkrɪŋkəl/
verb
**1** to form small wrinkles or creases
...She crinkled the paper in her hands.
...His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.
**2** to become covered with small folds, or make something do this
...The heat was beginning to make the cellophane crinkle.
**3** to make a rustling or crackling sound
...The autumn leaves crinkled under his feet.
...She crinkled the candy wrapper noisily.
noun
a small wrinkle or crease
...The fabric had slight crinkles from being folded.
...Laughing created crinkles around her eyes.
\> **crinkle (v.)**: late 14c. (implied in crinkled), "become wrinkled or convoluted" (intransitive), from frequentative of Old English crincan, variant of cringan "to bend, yield" (see cringe). Transitive sense of "to form into wrinkles or convolutions" is by 1825. Related: Crinkling. As a noun from 1590s.
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Etymonline
67
tack
tack
68
rebuke
rebuke
69
mackerel
mackerel
70
piddling
piddling
71
rut
rut
72
expatriate
expatriate
73
rump
rump
74
ford
ford
75
kneel/knelt/knelt
kneel/knelt/knelt
76
be partial to sth
be partial to sth
77
glisten
glisten
78
tacit
tacit
79
dawdle
dawdle
80
morass
morass
81
drab
drab
82
stupor
stupor
/ˈstuːpər/
The words *stupor* and *stupid* come from the Latin root *stupere* that means basically “to be stunned.” Extreme heat and humidity, drugs or alcohol, or some kind of medical issue could send you into a stupor. Shocking news can also send you into a stupor, and some people feel like they’re in a stupor in the morning until they’ve had coffee.
(n.) a state of near-unconsciousness or insensibility; mental numbness; a state in which a person is almost unconscious and their thoughts are not clear; Someone who is **in** a **stupor** is almost unconscious and is unable to act or think normally, especially as a result of drink or drugs: DAZE, daze, numbness, unconsciousness, trance
...He was lying under the table in a drunken stupor.
...He was drinking himself into a stupor every night.
...Slim, chiselled Tom wakes from his stupor, newly determined to prove his haters wrong.
—Vinson Cunningham, *The New Yorker*, 25 Jan. 2025
USAGE NOTES:
**Stupor** implies a deadening of the mind and senses by shock, narcotics, or intoxicants.
- lapsed into an alcoholic *stupor*
\> late 14c., in medicine, "insensibility, numbness;" also "state of amazement," from Latin stupor "insensibility, numbness, dullness," from stupere "be stunned" (see **stupid**). By 1670s as "intellectual insensibility, apathy or torpor of mind."
\> **stupid (adj.)**: 1540s, of persons, "mentally slow, lacking ordinary activity of mind, dull, inane," from French stupide (16c.) and directly from Latin stupidus "amazed, confounded; dull, foolish," etymologically "struck senseless," from stupere "be stunned, amazed, confounded," from PIE \*stupe- "hit," from root \*(s)teu- (1) "to push, stick, knock, beat" (see **steep** (adj.)). Related: Stupidly; stupidness.
\> Collins English Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Vocabulary.com, Etymonline
83
brusque
brusque
84
at length
at length
85
ratty
ratty
86
sully
| /ˈsʌli/
(v.) to damage the purity or reputation of; to stain or tarnish
##Footnote
The scandal threatened to sully his otherwise impeccable career.
\> late 16th century: perhaps from French souiller ‘to soil’.
\> Oxford Dictionary of English
87
straddle
straddle
88
ornate
ornate
89
stoop
stoop
/stuːp/
verb
**1** to bend forward or downward, often with a hunched posture
...He stooped to tie his shoelaces.
...The elderly man stooped as he walked.
**2** to lower one's moral standards or dignity
...She would never stoop to cheating.
...He stooped to begging for a second chance.
noun
**1** a small porch, platform, or staircase at the entrance of a building
...They sat on the stoop, chatting in the evening.
...The apartment had a brick stoop leading to the front door.
**2** a bent or hunched posture
...Years of hard labor gave him a permanent stoop.
...Her stoop made her look older than she was.
\> **stoop (v.)**: Middle English stoupen, "bend forward and downward," especially of persons "lower the body by bending forward," from Old English stupian "to bow, bend," from Proto-Germanic \*stupojanan (source also of Middle Dutch stupen "to bow, bend," Norwegian stupa "fall, drop"), perhaps from PIE \*(s)teu- (1) "to push, stick, knock, beat" (see **steep** (adj.)), but there are objections.
\> **stoop (n.1)**: "raised open platform before the entrance of a house, approached by steps" 1755, American and Canadian, from Dutch stoep "flight of steps, doorstep, threshold," from Middle Dutch, from Proto-Germanic \*stap- "step" (see **step** (v.)).
\> Etymonline
90
panoply
panoply
91
be predicated on sth
be predicated on sth
92
muss
muss
93
rub it in someone's face
rub it in someone's face
94
genteel
genteel
95
skitter
skitter
96
patchy
patchy
97
reprise
reprise
98
lustrous
lustrous
99
brow
brow
/braʊ/
noun
**1** the part of the face above the eyes; forehead
...She wiped the sweat from her brow.
...His brow furrowed in concentration.
**2** the eyebrow
...She raised her brow in surprise.
...His thick brows drew together when he frowned.
**3** the top edge of a steep place; summit
...They reached the brow of the hill.
...Standing at the brow of the mountain, they surveyed the valley below.
**4** (figurative) general appearance or demeanor
...A proud brow
...His noble brow reflected wisdom and experience.
Common Phrases:
- knit one's brows: to frown in concentration or worry
- beetle-browed: having prominent or bushy eyebrows
- by the sweat of one's brow: through hard work
- clear/smooth one's brow: to stop worrying
Related Terms:
- browbeat (verb): to intimidate
- browline (noun): the line where forehead meets eyebrows
- browband (noun): part of a horse's bridle that crosses the forehead
Usage Note: Often used in literary contexts to describe emotional states or physical appearance.
100
flotilla
flotilla
101
libel
libel
102
brisk
brisk
/brɪsk/
adjective
**1** quick, active, and energetic: QUICK, rapid, fast, swift, speedy, fleet-footed; hasty, hurried, urgent; ENERGETIC, lively, vigorous, sharp; agile, nimble; *informal* nippy, snappy
...She took a brisk walk before breakfast.
...Business was brisk at the morning market.
**2** abrupt or curt in manner; Someone who is **brisk** behaves in a busy, confident way which shows that they want to get things done quickly: NO-NONSENSE, decisive, businesslike; BRUSQUE, abrupt, short, sharp, curt, crisp, blunt, terse, snappy, snappish, gruff; rude, discourteous, uncivil.
...The doctor gave brisk instructions to the nurse.
...He received a brisk reply to his email.
...The Chief summoned me downstairs. He was brisk and businesslike.
...She is noted for her brisk handling of business.
**3** trade or business that is brisk is very busy, with a lot of products being sold: BUSY, bustling, lively, active, vibrant, hectic; good
...The public bar was already doing a **brisk trade**.
**4** (of the weather or wind) cold but fresh and enlivening; If the weather is **brisk**, it is cold and fresh: BRACING, FRESH, INVIGORATING, crisp, refreshing, reviving, stimulating, rousing, enlivening, exhilarating, energizing; restorative, tonic, vitalizing, healthful, health-giving; sharp, biting, keen, chilly, cold; *informal* nippy
...A brisk autumn breeze blew through the trees.
—briskly adverb
in a quick and active way
...She walked briskly down the street.
...He responded briskly to the question.
\> "quick or rapid in action or motion, swift, lively," 1550s, as Scottish bruisk, which is of uncertain origin; perhaps an alteration of French brusque (see **brusque**). Related: Briskly; briskness.
\> **brusque (adj.)**: in older use also brusk, "abrupt in manner, rude," 1650s, from French brusque "lively, fierce," introduced 16c. from Italian adjective brusco "sharp, tart, rough," which is perhaps from Vulgar Latin \*bruscum "butcher's broom plant," from Late Latin brucus "heather," from Gaulish \*bruko- (compare Breton brug "heath," Old Irish froech). Related: Brusquely; brusqueness.
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Collins English Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus, Etymonline
103
junta
junta
104
wunderkind
wunderkind
105
coltish
coltish
106
cacophony
cacophony
107
intersperse
intersperse
108
iridescent
iridescent
109
trellis
trellis
110
mischievous
mischievous
111
interject
interject
112
confide
confide
113
concede
concede
114
import
import
115
dab
dab
116
vernal
vernal
117
wisecrack
wisecrack
118
in droves
in droves
119
impart
impart
120
modesty
modesty
121
buxom
buxom
122
parlay
parlay
123
buckle down
buckle down to sth/doing sth
to start to work hard; to focus intently on a task: get (down) to work, set to work, get down to business, roll up one's sleeves, put one's hand to the plow; work hard, apply oneself, make an effort, strive, be industrious, be diligent, be assiduous, exert oneself, focus; *informal* get cracking, pull/get one's finger out, get weaving, get off one's backside; *British informal* get stuck in
...With final exams approaching, it's time to **buckle down** and start studying harder.
...He'll have to **buckle down to** his work soon if he wants to pass his finals.
...The International Maritime Organization has been trying to clean up the shipping's act for a few years now by enforcing greenhouse gas regulations, but recently **buckled down** to set ambitious net-zero emissions targets for the global industry by 2050.
—Paul Ridden, *New Atlas*, 30 Jan. 2025
\> The meaning "prepare for action of any kind" (1560s) probably is a metaphor from buckling on armor before battle. Related: Buckled; buckling.
\> Merriam-Webster, Cambridge Dictionary, Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus, Etymonline
124
bankroll
bankroll
125
entwine
entwine
126
ingenuous
ingenuous
127
equivocal
equivocal
128
unremitting
unremitting
129
bauble
bauble
130
striated
striated
131
rabid
rabid
132
grievous
grievous
133
pizzazz
pizzazz
134
lacerate
lacerate
135
muddled
muddled
136
reminisce
reminisce
137
serenity
serenity
138
incandescent
incandescent
139
lush
lush
140
homestead
homestead
141
fledgling
fledgling
142
bravado
| /brəˈvɑːdoʊ/
(n.) a show of boldness or confidence intended to impress or intimidate, often without real courage behind it: SWAGGER /ˈswæɡə $ -ər/, boast, boasting, swaggering
##Footnote
- His bravado faded quickly when he was actually challenged to a fight.
- These are young men full of bravado.
\> 1580s, "ostentatious courage, pretentious boldness," from French bravade "bragging, boasting," from Italian bravata "bragging, boasting" (16c.), from bravare "brag, boast, be defiant," from bravo "brave, bold" (see **brave** (adj.)). The English word was influenced in form by Spanish words ending in **-ado**. It also was used as a noun 17c.-18c., "swaggering fellow."
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Collins English Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary, Etymonline
143
chagrin
chagrin
144
ramshackle
ramshackle
145
talk turkey
talk turkey
to discuss something frankly and straightforwardly.
...She promised to go **talk turkey** with the representatives.
\> Oxford Dictionary of English
146
grub
grub
food, particularly pub food.
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
147
lurgy
lurgy
an unspecified mild illness or feeling unwell
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
148
dab hand
dab hand
skilled or proficient at something
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
149
tipsy
tipsy
INFORMAL*BRITISH
slightly drunk
USAGE NOTES:
merry or tipsy: slightly drunk, while "wasted" or "pissed" signifies being heavily intoxicated
**NOTE**: pissed off (BRITISH) = pissed (NORTH AMERICAN) = angry
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
150
chuffed
chuffed
INFORMAL*BRITISH
very happy or pleased
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
151
gutted
gutted
INFORMAL*BRITISH
feeling disappointed or upset
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
152
ear bashing
ear bashing
INFORMAL*BRITISH
angry criticism or scolding
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
153
hacked off
hacked off
INFORMAL*BRITISH
annoyed or angry
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
154
rank
rank
INFORMAL*BRITISH
having a disgusting taste or smell
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
155
dodgy
dodgy
INFORMAL*BRITISH
something or someone suspicious, dishonest or potentially dangerous
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
156
naff
naff
INFORMAL*BRITISH
something unsophisticated or tacky
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
157
skint
skint
INFORMAL*BRITISH
having no money
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
158
taking the piss
taking the piss
INFORMAL*BRITISH
**1** mocking someone or something
**2** doing or saying something unreasonable
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
159
jump on the bandwagon
jump on the bandwagon
to join or adopt a popular trend or follow something that is currently fashionable or widely accepted
\> [English with Lucy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvsfOE2Vx8)
160
be in for a treat
be in for a treat
to be guaranteed to receive or experience something unexpectedly pleasant or beneficial.
...Is this your first time seeing this movie? Gosh, **you're in for a treat**!
To say "you are in for a treat" means that you are going to receive or experience something very enjoyable or pleasant, usually as a surprise or a reward. For example, if someone says "You're in for a treat when you see the new movie", it means that they think you will like the movie very much and have a good time watching it. This is a common expression in English that can be used in various situations to express excitement or anticipation.
\> The Free Dictionary
161
play sth by ear
play sth by ear
**1** INFORMAL•NORTH AMERICAN
to do something without special preparation; to decide what to do according to the way a situation develops, without making plans before that time
...We’ll see what the weather’s like and **play it by ear**.
...I don't know how they'll react to our proposal, so we'll just have to **play it by ear** and hope for the best.
...As he has no political party that can provide him with practical support, he is forced to **play it by ear**.
**2** to play music that you have heard without having to read written music
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Merriam-Webster
162
equate
equate
163
rusty
rusty
164
spall
spall
165
courtesan
courtesan
166
obdurate
obdurate
167
precept
precept
168
mortify
mortify
169
washout
washout
170
fodder
fodder
171
capricious
capricious
172
shoal
shoal
173
ransack
ransack
174
virulent
virulent
175
plunge
plunge
176
indeterminate
indeterminate
177
marvel
marvel
178
wallow
wallow
179
nimrod
nimrod
180
neaten
neaten
181
peremptory
peremptory
182
egalitarian
egalitarian
183
muse
muse
184
famished
famished
185
muzzle
muzzle
186
pinion
pinion
187
archetype
archetype
188
on the back burner
on the back burner
189
artistry
artistry
190
slipshod
slipshod
191
besotted
besotted
192
penultimate
penultimate
193
ordination
ordination
194
unflappable
unflappable
195
inchoate
inchoate
196
humus
humus
197
perdition
perdition
198
unbidden
unbidden
| /ˌʌnˈbɪdən/
(adj.) not asked for or invited; appearing or occurring without being asked
##Footnote
- unbidden guests
- thoughts that come to the mind unbidden
- Tears came unbidden to her eyes as she read the letter.
\> Oxford Dictionary of English, Merriam-Webster
199
lope
lope
/ləʊp/
verb
to run or move with long, bounding strides
...The horses loped across the field.
...The dog was loping along by his side.
...He went loping up the hill.
noun
**1** a relaxed, steady running gait with long strides
...The horse settled into an easy lope.
**2** an act of moving in this way
...They watched the gazelle's graceful lope across the savanna.
\> From Middle English lopen, from Old Norse hlaupa (“to leap, jump”).[1] See leap. Cognate with German laufen (“walk, run”), Danish løbe (“run”), Dutch lopen (“walk, run”), Norwegian løpe (“run”). Doublet of leap.
\> Oxford Dictionary of English, Merriam-Webster, Wiktionary
200
ruddy
ruddy
/ˈrʌdi/
adjective
**1** (of skin or complexion) having a healthy reddish color
...She has a ruddy face.
...a ruddy complexion
...His cheeks were ruddy from the cold mountain air.
**2** having a reddish color or tinge
...The ruddy glow of the setting sun painted the clouds.
**3** INFORMAL•BRITISH
damn; bloody
...Where's my ruddy keys?
\> Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Merriam-Webster
