Set 20 Flashcards
(199 cards)
2
Q
xenophobia
A
fear or hatred of foreigners; n. xenophobe
3
Q
conduit
A
aqueduct; passageway for fluids
4
Q
dotage
A
senility; feeblemindedness of old age; ex. In one’s dotage
5
Q
mitigate
A
appease; moderate; make or become less in force or intensity
6
Q
quiver
A
case for arrows
7
Q
accede
A
agree
8
Q
dilatory
A
delaying; tending to delay
9
Q
disconsolate
A
hopelessly sad (at the loss of something)
10
Q
sophomoric
A
immature; half-baked; like a sophomore
11
Q
vainglorious
A
boastful; excessively conceited; n. vainglory: great vanity
12
Q
vulpine
A
like a fox; crafty
13
Q
spoonerism
A
accidental transposition of sounds in successive words; ex. Let me sew you to your sheet'' forLet me show you to your seat’’; ex: William Spooner
14
Q
peerless
A
having no equal; incomparable
15
Q
turbulence
A
state of violent agitation; adj. turbulent: violently agitated or disturbed
16
Q
ceremonious
A
marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; ex: ceremony: conventional social courtesy
17
Q
epoch
A
period of time
18
Q
desperate
A
having lost all hope; despairing; reckless and violent because of loss of hope or despair; undertaken as a last resort
19
Q
epithet
A
word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing; descriptive phrase to characterize a person (often contemptous)
20
Q
groom
A
man employed to take care of horses; v. make neat and trim; clean and brush (an animal)
21
Q
tacit
A
understood (without actually being expressed); not put into words; ex. tacit agreement
22
Q
swarm
A
large group of insects moving in a mass; crowd of people or animals; v. move in a crowd or mass
23
Q
exigency
A
urgent situation; adj. exigent
24
Q
averse
A
reluctant; disinclined; not liking or opposed; ex. averse to cats/doing the house work
25
Q
estranged
A
separated; alienated; v. estrange: alienate (people in a family); n. estrangement
26
aphasia
loss of speech due to injury or illness
27
subterfuge
stratagem(deceptive scheme); pretense; evasion; ex. resort to a harmless subterfuge
28
retract
withdraw; take back; draw back; ex. retract a statement/an offer/claws; n. retraction; ex: retractile
29
comestible
something fit to be eaten
30
seminal
related to seed or semen; germinal; creative; providing a basis for further development; influencing future developments; ex. seminal research in a new field
31
vagary
capricious happening; caprice; whim; ex: wander
32
squander
waste; spend foolishly
33
bookish
fond of books and reading
34
disheveled
untidy (of hair or clothing); v. dishevel
35
ingenuous
naive and trusting; young; unsophisticated; candid
36
sunder
separate; part; ex: asunder
37
obelisk
tall column tapering(becoming gradually narrower toward the end) and ending in a pyramid
38
quaff
drink with zest; drink with relish(zest; hearty enjoyment); ?†?©?†?© ü¦?Ì«ô; ex: sip
39
incumbent
obligatory; imposed as an obligation; currently holding an office; n. person who holds an office
40
whorl
ring of leaves around stem; ring; circular arrangement;
41
volley
simultaneous discharge of a number of shots; v.
42
piquant
pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating; ex. piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help
43
jaunty
cheerful and pleased with life; lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree; dapper in appearance; ex. jaunty person/hat
44
millennium
thousand-year period (as in the New Testament); hoped-for period of happiness and prosperity
45
antiquated
obsolete; old-fashioned; outdated
46
nautical
pertaining to ships or navigation
47
mutinous
unruly; rebellious; ex. mutinous teenagers; n. mutiny: open rebellion; ex: mutineer
48
rationale
fundamental reason or principle (on which a system or principle is based); fundamental reason or justification; grounds for an action
49
glutinous
sticky; viscous; gluey
50
exchequer
treasury; ex. Chancellor of the exchequer
51
imperil
put in danger
52
requiem
mass for the dead; dirge
53
bluster
blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully; speak in a noisy or bullying manner; ex: breeze, gust, gale
54
pastry
paste of flour and water (eaten when baked)
55
polarize
split into opposite extremes or camps
56
finery
beautiful clothes for a special occasion
57
corpuscle
red or white cell in the blood
58
blight
plant disease; v. infect with blight; ruin; destroy
59
mass
Christian religious ceremony; ex: Mass: ceremony of the Eucharist
60
annex
attach; add to a large thing; take possession of; incorporate (territory) into a larger existing political unit (by force); n. building added to a large one
61
admonish
warn or speak to with gentle disapproval; reprove
62
dissipate
squander; waste foolishly; scatter
63
narcissist
conceited person; n. narcissism; ex: narcissus
64
incarcerate
imprison
65
stint
supply; allotted amount of work; assigned portion of work; limitation; ex. two-year stint in the army; ex. without stint
66
drone
talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee; n.
67
tureen
deep dish for serving soup
68
deputize
work or appoint as a deputy; n. deputy: person who has the power to take charge when the leading person is away
69
resilient
elastic; having the power of springing back; able to recover quickly (as from misfortune)
70
testy
irritable; impatient and bad-tempered; short-tempered; n. testiness
71
discriminating
able to see differences; discerning; prejudiced; n. discrimination
72
conscript
draftee; person forced into military service; v.
73
germinate
cause to sprout; sprout
74
excise
cut away; cut out; n. government tax on good produced and used inside a country; n. excision
75
punitive
punishing; ex. punitive measures
76
deadpan
wooden; impassive; with no show of feeling; with an expressionless face
77
validate
make valid; confirm; ratify
78
aseptic
preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
79
hone
sharpen (a tool); n. whetstone for sharpening a tool
80
hummock
small hill; hillock
81
mundane
worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday; of the ordinary; ex. mundane existence; ex: world
82
facilitate
help bring about; make less difficult
83
mobile
movable; not fixed; n. mobility
84
loft
room or space under the roof; attic
85
expropriate
take possession of (often for public use and without payment)
86
brocade
rich, figured(patterned) fabric
87
repartee
quick clever reply
88
ventriloquist
someone who can make his or her voice seem to come from another person or thing (without moving lips or jaws); n. ventriloquism, ventriloquy
89
anthem
song of praise or patriotism; ex. national anthem
90
scoff
laugh (at); mock; ridicule; ex. scoff at their threats
91
hostage
person who is kept as a prisoner by an enemy so that the other side will do what the enemy demands
92
repress
hold back (the natural expression of); restrain; crush; oppress; ex. repressed child; ex. repress a laugh/rebellion
93
droll
queer and amusing
94
asunder
into parts; apart; v. sunder
95
inimical
(of someone) unfriendly; hostile; (of something) harmful; detrimental; ex: enemy
96
conciliatory
reconciling; soothing; v. conciliate: reconcile; soothe; win the friendly feelings (by removing anger)
97
bully
one who is habitually cruel to weaker people; v.
98
controvert
oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict; adj. controversial; n. controversy
99
incendiary
arsonist; adj. causing fire; of arson; ex. incendiary bomb
100
vouch
give a personal guarantee; ex. I can vouch for his integrity; n. voucher
101
fulminate
thunder; explode; issue a severe denunciation
102
quicksilver
mercury
103
shoot
new growth from a plant
104
phenomena
observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation; SG. phenomenon: observable fact; very unusual person, thing, or event; marvel; wonder; ex: phenomenons; adj. phenomenal: very unusual; extraordinary; of a phenomenon; ex. phenomenal strength
105
repertoire
list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to present; ex: repertory
106
summation
act of finding the total; summing-up; summary (esp. one given by the judge at the end of a trial)
107
wheedle
deceive, persuade, or obtain by flattery; cajole; coax; ex. wheedle a promise out of her
108
cadet
student at a military school
109
renegade
deserter; traitor; adj.
110
tutelary
protective; pertaining to a guardianship; ex. tutelary deities
111
cistern
reservoir or water tank
112
reverberate
echo repeatedly; resound; ex. The thunder reverberated across the valley.
113
incline
slope; slant; ex. steep incline
114
gall
bitterness of feeling; nerve; effrontery; «‹ç—(bile); ex: gall bladder
115
minutiae
petty or trivial details; ex: minutia
116
ambulatory
able to walk
117
brindled
tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)
118
reverent
respectful; worshipful; v. revere: regard with reverence; n. reverence: profound respect
119
forgo(forego)
give up; do without
120
parable
short simple story teaching a moral
121
negate
cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny; n. negation
122
titanic
gigantic; n. titan
123
importunate
urging; always demanding; troublesomely urgent or persistent
124
deport
send out of the country; behave; n. deportation, deportment
125
smear
spread or cover with a sticky substance; n. mark made by smearing
126
girth
distance around something; circumference
127
wastrel
waster; profligate
128
rapt
engrossed; absorbed; enchanted; ex. rapt listener
129
epaulet(epaulette)
ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.)
130
creed
system of religious or ethical belief
131
lumber
move heavily or clumsily; ex. The bear lumbered through the woods; n. timber
132
glimmer
shine erratically; twinkle; n. dim or unsteady light; faint indication; ex. glimmer of hope
133
unwonted
unaccustomed; unusual; ex. He arrived with unwonted punctuality.
134
dour
sullen; gloomy; stubborn
135
jettison
throw overboard (from a ship or plane)
136
gale
windstorm; gust of wind; emotional outburst (laughters, tears); ex. gale of laughter
137
feud
bitter prolonged quarrel (usually between two peoples or families); v. ex: Romeo and Juliet; ex: feudal, feudalism
138
shrivel
make or become shrunken and wrinkled (often by drying)
139
trickle
flow in drops or in a thin stream; n.
140
intelligentsia
intellectuals; members of the educated elite (often used derogatorily)
141
tiller
handle used to move boat's rudder (to steer)
142
negligence
neglect; failure to take reasonable care; adj. negligent: neglectful; lax; not taking enough care
143
anomalous
abnormal; irregular
144
entourage
group of attendants; retinue; ex: surround
145
annul
make void
146
insolence
impudent disrespect; haughtiness; adj. insolent; ex: haughty + rude
147
inflated
exaggerated; pompous; enlarged (with air or gas)
148
warranted
justified; authorized
149
languid
lacking energy or vitality; weary; sluggish; listless
150
premise
assumption; postulate; proposition upon which an argument is based
151
contempt
scorn; disdain; adj. contemptuous; ex: contemptible
152
relent
become less severe; give in(surrender); adj. relentless: unyielding; continuously severe
153
cunning
clever in deceiving; sly; n. cleverness in deceiving; deceit
154
warranty
guarantee; assurance by seller
155
explicit
totally clear; definite; outspoken
156
gazette
official periodical publication; newspaper
157
garner
gather; store up; amass
158
discursive
(of a person or writing) digressing; rambling (without any clear plan)
159
lucrative
profitable; producing wealth
160
prefatory
introductory; of a preface
161
acidulous
slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic
162
cryptic
mysterious; hidden; secret
163
veritable
being truly so; real or genuine; actual; not false or imaginary
164
reinstate
restore to a previous condition or position
165
sherbet
flavored dessert ice
166
blare
loud or harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light
167
eddy
swirling current of water, air, etc.; v.
168
cataract
great waterfall; eye abnormality (causing a gradual loss of eyesight)
169
innovation
change; something newly introduced; introduction of something new; v. innovate: begin or introduce (something new); be creative; adj. innovative
170
fertile
producing many young, fruits, or seeds; (of land) producing good crops; v. fertilize
171
suitor
man who is courting a woman
172
shyster
lawyer using questionable methods; unscrupulous practioner
173
ascribe
refer; attribute; assign
174
hortatory
encouraging; exhortive; marked by exhortation; ex: exhort
175
vestige
trace; remains; ex. vestiges of some ancient religion
176
reckon
count; calculate; regard as; think; suppose
177
vaunted
boasted; bragged; highly publicized; v. vaunt: boast; brag
178
sloth
slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness; adj. slothful: lazy; indolent
179
dowse
use a divining rod to search for underground water or minerals
180
fructify
bear fruit; produce fruit
181
acerbity
bitterness of speech and temper; adj. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste, manner, or tone)
182
malapropism
comic misuse of a word; ex: Mrs. Malaprop
183
unseemly
unbecoming; not proper in behavior; indecent; ex. leave with unseemly haste
184
unintimating
unfrightening
185
apathy
lack of caring; indifference; lack of concern or interest in important matters; ex. He was sunk in apathy after his failure; adj. apathetic
186
murmur
low, indistinct, continuous sound; v. ex: mumble
187
gesticulation
motion; gesture; v. gesticulate: make gestures (while speaking)
188
phalanx
formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears; group of men packed together (for attack or defense)
189
flighty
(esp. of a woman's behavior) capricious; often changing, esp. from one lover to another; impulsive
190
cerebral
pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; ex: cerebrum
191
stupor
state of being stupefied; state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness
192
resurrect
revive
193
profusion
great amount; plenty; overabundance; excess; lavish expenditure; ex. profusion of choices; adj. profuse: plentiful; copious; giving or given abundantly; extravagant
194
steadfast
steadily loyal; unswerving; steady
195
disgorge
surrender something (stolen); eject; vomit; OP. gorge
196
vernal
pertaining to spring
197
noose
loop formed in a rope
198
clapper
striker (tongue) of a bell
199
confine
shut in an enclosed space; restrict; keep within limits; n. confinement
200
forestall
prevent by taking action in advance
