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Words 101 > Set 4 > Flashcards

Set 4 Flashcards

1
Q

picaresque

A
  • involving clever rogues in episodes of comedy or adventure
  • roguish, satirical

Huck Finn is a picaresque hero.

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1
Q

aseptic

A
  • free of pathogens or germs; with little or no emotion
  • sterile, clean; withdrawn, introverted

Doctors are always careful to use aseptic surgical equipment to prevent infection.

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2
Q

prolix

A
  • wordy or prolonged; tedious in length
  • lengthy, verbose, diffuse, wordy

The prolix manuscript took days to read.

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3
Q

foolhardy

A
  • reckless, unwisely bold
  • reckless, rash, audacious, venturous, risky

It was a foolhardy attempt to climb the Sears Tower that went very wrong.

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4
Q

raucous

A
  • rough sounding, harsh
  • boisterous, rowdy, disorderly

The raucous laughter went on long into the night.

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5
Q

providential

A
  • to occur as if from divine intervention
  • lucky, fortunate

His providential recovery, when it seemed that he would surely succumb, brought hope to many.

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6
Q

antipodal

A
  • diametrically opposed to, polar opposite

The couple had totally antipodal personalities, but they enjoyed each other’s company.

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7
Q

pillory

A
  • to punish; to hold up for public scorning

Dan was pilloried in class for his inability to spell ‘potato’.

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8
Q

infelicitous

A
  • unfortunate, awkward, inappropriate
  • unhappy, unlucky

In Thailand, it is considered infelicitous to touch someone’s head.

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9
Q

dilatory

A
  • tending to delay, put off
  • slow, tardy, sluggish, dallying

The homeowner is claiming that local firefighters were dilatory in responding to the call.

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10
Q

overweening

A
  • showing excessive confidence or pride
  • arrogance, conceited, haughty, presumptuous, brash

Ian made the overweening assumption that people would rush to help him.

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11
Q

neologism

A
  • the creation of new words, expressions or usages for words
  • neology, modernism

“Technophile” is a neologism, just as “UFO” once was.

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12
Q

lassitude

A
  • a state of listless exhaustion, weakness or weariness
  • weariness, fatigue, languor, tiredness, exhaustion, latharginess

The extreme heat led to a general lassitude that settled on the village from May to October.

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13
Q

locution

A
  • a person’s style of speech; a particular word, phrase or style used by a person or group
  • phrase, expression, idiom

The newcomers were fascinated by the Aussie’s locution.

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14
Q

jocose

A
  • characterized by a joking or humorous manner
  • jocular, playful, humorous, facetious

The jocose innkeeper could always be counted on for a bit of levity.

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15
Q

levity

A
  • the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect
  • frivolity, lightness, flippancy, giddiness

The teachers disapprove of any displays of levity during school assemblies.

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16
Q

rend

A
  • to forcibly take, to tear apart
  • tear, rip, split, lacerate

The three year old decided she wanted to play with the teddy bear, so she rent it from her infant sister’s hands.

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17
Q

stanch

A
  • stop or restrict (a flow of blood) from a wound
  • staunch, stop, stem

The doctor’s attempt to stanch the flow of blood eventually succeeded, and the patient’s blood pressure stabilized.

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18
Q

solder

A
  • to weld, fuse or join
  • braze, weld

Harry soldered the bits of scrap metal together to make a pet door.

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19
Q

demure

A
  • modest and reserved in manner or behaviour
  • coy, modest, shy

Lindsay was demure and had a tough time opening up to strangers.

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20
Q

insensible

A
  • unconscious, unresponsive, senseless, insensate, cold, numb

The boxer lay insensible on the floor of the ring.

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21
Q

rail

A
  • to complain bitterly
  • revile, abuse, berate, complain

The citizens railed against the injustice of the federal land grab in tersely-worded editorials and letters to the editor.

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22
Q

noisome

A
  • having an extremely offensive smell
  • disagreeable, unpleasant, harmful

The noisome odor of the garbage nauseated Audrey.

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23
Q

mellifluous

A
  • sweet or musical; pleasant to hear
  • mellifluent, melodious, dulcet, honeyed, euphonic

Lucy’s mellifluous voice was noted by her interviewer.

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24
Q

inveterate

A
  • having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change
  • established, habitual, deep-rooted, chronic

It was Tony’s inveterate preference to drink orange juice every morning.

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25
Q

coterie

A
  • a small or exclusive group of people with common interests
  • clique, circle

The coterie of musicians began to meet on Tuesday nights and eventually established a weekly concert series.

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26
Q

impugn

A
  • to challenge or attack one’s beliefs or motives as false
  • oppugn, challenge, contest, dispute, question

The candidate went too far when he began to impugn the character of his opponent’s husband.

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27
Q

voluble

A
  • speaking or spoken incessantly and fluently
  • talkative, loquacious, garrulous

The voluble speaker talked late into the night.

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28
Q

garrulity

A
  • the quality of being wordy or talkative

  • loquacity, talkativenesss
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29
Q

misogynist

A
  • one who hates women
  • woman-hater, sexist, chauvinist

The song contained several lyrics that were so offensive to women that the singer was immediately labeled a misogynist.

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30
Q

pedagogy

A
  • the art or profession of training, teaching or instructing
  • education, pedagogics

Training in pedagogy can’t prepare you for the manic third graders.

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31
Q

ambient

A
  • related to the immediate surroundings; surrounding environment
  • surrounding, circumjacent, circumambient

The low ambient lighting made for a romantic dinner setting.

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32
Q

inquest

A
  • a judicial inquiry to ascertain the facts
  • inquiry, investigation, inquisition, probe, quest

The police opened an inquest into the cause of death.

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33
Q

preen

A
  • to clean furs or feathers of an animal
  • primp, prink

The bird preened its feathers with its beak for a few moments before taking flight.

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34
Q

parry

A
  • to block, evade, or ward off
  • repel, fend off, repulse, dodge, circumvent

The politician parried the reporter’s questions with a few of her own.

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35
Q

guy

A
  • (n)rope or cord attached to something as a brace; (v) make fun of
  • (v) mock, ridicule, deride

I was nervous that the guy for the pulley would snap.

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36
Q

sallow

A
  • of a sickly yellowish hue or complexion
  • pale, pallid, wan, pasty

There was a large number of sallow-looking patients in the doctor’s office.

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37
Q

plangent

A
  • pounding, thundering, resounding, loud

The plangent honking of geese flying overhead jolted me awake.

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38
Q

peripatetic

A
  • travelling from place to place
  • itinerant, nomadic

A peripatetic existence can take its toll on your relationships with the ones you love.

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39
Q

rue

A
  • to regret; to feel or experience remorse
  • regret, repent, deplore, lament, grieve, mourn

I rued the day I ever let her go.

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40
Q

macerate

A
  • soften or break up by soaking in a liquid
  • soak

Now, we will macerate the rest of the melon in hot water so we can use it to flavor the cream.

41
Q

callow

A
  • lacking maturity or experience
  • inexperienced, young, verdant

A callow young man was tormenting the elderly in the park.

42
Q

wistful

A
  • yearning, longing or melancholy
  • forlorn, reflective

The child stared wistfully out the window for days, waiting for her dog to return.

43
Q

corroborate

A
  • to confirm, validate
  • confirm, bear out, affirm

The mailman corroborated the alleged thief’s story, confirming that he had merely been passing by when the robbery occurred.

44
Q

couch

A
  • to express in indirect terms; to frame in a certain way
  • phrase, formulate

Her criticism was couched in flattering terms so that her co worker wouldn’t take offense.

45
Q

innervate

A
  • to give nervous energy; to supply with nerves

The team was innervated by the coach’s pep talk and approached the second half with renewed energy.

46
Q

impecunious

A
  • having little or no money
  • poor, penniless, indigent, needy, destitute

A graduate student generally leads an impecunious existence.

47
Q

grovel

A
  • to behave in a servile manner; to indulge in unworthy pursuits
  • beg, serve

The servants groveled at the king’s throne

48
Q

hirsute

A
  • hairy, shaggy

Their hirsute chests

49
Q

epicurean

A
  • devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasure, especially to the enjoyment of good food and comfort.
  • epicure, luxurious

The cruise was marketed as an epicurean adventure through the cuisines of four Caribbean nations.

50
Q

countenance

A
  • (n) appearance of a person’s face; (v) to permit, to allow
  • (n) face, visage, look; (v) support, favor

Many people thought she was friendly because of her kindly countenance.

51
Q

scurvy

A
  • not admirable
  • despicable, vile, mean, ignoble, foul

The scurvy pirate secured his escape by throwing gun powder into the eyes of his pursuer.

52
Q

covert

A
  • not openly acknowledged or displayed
  • secret, hidden, ulterior, occult, privy

The government’s covert operations were laid bare by the shocking article.

53
Q

craven

A
  • cowardly, recreant, chicken-hearted

The craven man ran away at the first sign of danger.

54
Q

eugenics

A
  • the study of heredity improvements by genetic control

Nazi Germany is known to have carried out many eugenics experiments that provoked outrage once they came to light.

55
Q

credence

A
  • belief that something is true, plausibility
  • belief, trust, faith

She gave credence to the rumors when she failed to deny them.

56
Q

execrate

A
  • feel or express great loathing for
  • imprecate, abominate, curse, swear, detest, abhor

The rival teams appeared on the news to execrate one another.

57
Q

sempiternal

A
  • eternal, infinite, everlasting, perennial

Nothing in life is sempiternal, alas.

58
Q

credulous

A
  • easily convinced that something is true
  • gullible, trustful

His lies were so ridiculous that only the most credulous child would have believed them.

59
Q

plumb

A
  • to measure the depth; to examine critically

I think she is the only architect working today who has the courage to truly plumb the possibilities of recycled construction paper.

60
Q

debase

A
  • to corrupt or lower the value of; lower the morale or character of someone
  • degrade, demean, humiliate, cheapen

Many argue that modern society has been debased by materialism.

61
Q

decadent

A
  • in a state of decline; self-indulgent
  • effete

Louis XIV was known for his decadent displays of wealth and power.

62
Q

decorous

A
  • conforming to what is acceptable to society; marked by propriety and etiquette
  • decent, seemly, becoming, respectable

One must always behave in a decorous manner at formal events.

63
Q

decry

A
  • strongly disapprove of; publicly denounce
  • condemn, disparage, censure

The preacher decried society’s indifference towards the poor.

64
Q

disparage

A
  • to speak of in a slighting or disrespectful way; to reduce in esteem or rank
  • depreciate, belittle, decry, underestimate

She disparaged her friend behind his back, yet praised him to his face.

65
Q

artless

A
  • without guile or deception; without effort or pretentiousness
  • simple, naive, ingenuous, unsophisticated

She had an artless grace about her that endeared her to strangers.

66
Q

ascetic

A
  • (adj) relating to self-denial; (n) a person who practices self-denial
  • (adj) auster; (n) hermit, anchoret

The ascetic monks rejected modern comforts such as electricity.

67
Q

ascendant

A
  • (adj) rising in power or influence; (n) a position of being dominant or in control

  • (adj) dominant, rising, upward;
68
Q

ascribe

A
  • to attribute or assign to a cause
  • impute, accredit, attribute

Her success was ascribed to the hours she had spent studying.

69
Q

assiduous

A
  • making careful and persistent effort
  • diligent, sedulous, industrious, studious

John was an assiduous student who always tried his best.

70
Q

sedulous

A
  • showing dedication and diligence
  • diligent, assiduous, industrious, studious

John was an sedulous student who always tried his best.

71
Q

astute

A
  • having practical intelligence and good judgement
  • shrewd, wily, craft, canny, sagacious, adroit, perspicacious

An astute teacher always checks for plagiarism.

72
Q

suppliant

A
  • (adj) asking humbly, beseeching esp. to someone in power or authority; (n) a person making a humble plea to someone in power or authority
  • (adj) beseeching, pleading, supplicatory, imploring; (n) supplicant, petitioner

The boy was peering into the pet store window with the look of a suppliant on his face.

73
Q

atrophy

A
  • to deteriorate, to waste away
  • dwindle

The paralyzed patient began to show signs of atrophy in his leg muscles.

74
Q

anosmia

A
  • loss of the sense of smell

-

Melissa has been afflicted with anosmia since birth.

75
Q

austere

A
  • severe, strict or very plain; having no comforts
  • severe, stern, strict, rigorous

The austere room was anything but inviting.

76
Q

autonomous

A
  • independent, self-governing

The revolutionaries are fighting to make their country autonomous.

77
Q

rapacious

A
  • aggressively greedy; take by force
  • greedy, ravenous, predatory, avaricious, marauding

The Vikings were rapacious warriors.

78
Q

insatiable

A
  • (of an appetite or desire) impossible to satisfy
  • insatiate, voracious, unquenchable, greedy

an insatiable hunger

79
Q

avarice

A
  • insatiable greed
  • greed, cupidity, avidity

The rich man’s avarice led him to buy up most of the neighborhood.

80
Q

unflappable

A
  • having or showing calmness in a crisis
  • imperturbable, unperturbed

The unflappable hero maintained his level-headed mentality during the disaster.

81
Q

aver

A
  • to declare as true
  • affirm, assert, claim, declare

When interviewed, Susan’s friends all averred that she was a trustworthy person.

82
Q

emasculate

A
  • to make weaker or less effective; deprive a man of his identity
  • castrate, evirate, weaken, geld

Wearing the frilly pink shirt made him feel emasculated.

83
Q

dormant

A
  • inactive for a period of time
  • inactive, idle, asleep

The dormant volcano exploded unexpectedly, injuring many.

84
Q

recumbent

A
  • lying down
  • lying

He sat recumbent on the picnic blanket.

85
Q

dote

A
  • be extremely fond of

-

She was spoiled outrageously by her doting father.

86
Q

frangible

A
  • fragile; easily broken

  • fragile, friable, breakable
87
Q

magnanimous

A
  • noble in spirit, generous in forgiving others
  • generous, large hearted

Susan’s magnanimous personality made her many life-long friends.

88
Q

ebb

A
  • (v)decrease or recede; (n)outward flow of the tide
  • (v) wane, subside; (n) decline, reflux

Her affection for him began to ebb few days after the hasty wedding.

89
Q

wizen

A
  • to shrivel, wrinkle with old age

-

A wizened old man was walking through the park.

90
Q

counternmand

A
  • revoke or cancel an order
  • cancel, rescind, annul, repeal, revoke

The general countermanded his previous order to retreat, telling the men to march straight into battle.

91
Q

ebullient

A
  • cheerful and full of energy
  • exuberant, boiling

Linda was ebullient when she made it into the semifinals.

92
Q

apogee

A
  • the highest point
  • zenith, climax, pinnacle, acme, culmination

The apogee of the roller coaster terrified even the most seasoned riders.

93
Q

ecclesiastical

A
  • relating to the church
  • ecclesiastic, spiritual, sacred, clerical

Mary decided to take up her ecclesiastical concerns with the local priest.

94
Q

eclectic

A
  • composed of parts from many different sources
  • heterogenous

The girl’s fashion sense was an eclectic mix of conservative Victorian and colorful modern styles.

95
Q

edify

A
  • to educate

John attempted to edify the impolite young man.

96
Q

efficacious

A
  • successful in producing a desired or intended result
  • effective, effectual, potent

The woman insisted that her herbal medicines would be the most efficacious remedy for the young patient.

97
Q

puerile

A
  • childish, immature
  • childish, babyish, infantile

The comedian had a puerile sense of humor, invoking the bathroom in practically every joke.

98
Q

effrontery

A
  • insolent or impertinent behavior
  • impudence, impertinence, insolence, cheek

Although my sister had not invited me to her party, she had the effrontery to ask me for help setting up.

99
Q

effusive

A
  • related to excessive or unchecked emotion
  • demonstrative, expansive

Susan’s effusive praise of Ramon’s new car made him think that perhaps she didn’t really like it.

100
Q

tortuous

A
  • full of twists and turns; excessively lengthy and complex
  • winding, sinuous, devious, serpentine

The sinuous path through the mountains was probably the most dangerous route to take.

101
Q

debauchery

A
  • excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures
  • debauch, profligacy, lechery

The debauchery in the movie was enough to make me blush.

Words 101 (6 decks)

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