Vocab 10 Flashcards
majordomo
(N) a chief butler or assistant
syn: none
ant: none
The baron’s majordomo tends the estate while his master is away.
untenable
(Adj) impossible to defend or justify
syn: groundless; unsupported; indefensible
ant: sound; irrefutable
The judge’s dismissal of the defendant’s untenable claim was dur to lack of evidence.
perambulate
(V) to walk about; to stroll
syn: saunter; wander
ant: none
Though arthritic, the elderly woman could still perambulate among the brilliantly flowered paths of her garden.
veneer
(N) a thin, attractive layer that conceals something common or coarse
syn: disguise;; gloss;; facade
ant: none
He disquised his greed with a veneer of smiles and charitable words.
timorous
(Adj) timid
syn: bashful; sheepish; reticent
ant: bold; confident; courageous
The puppy was so small and timorous that all its siblings bullied it.
luminous
(Adj) emitting light
syn: glowing; radiant
ant: dim; dark
That wristwatch has luminous numbers so you can see them at night.
circuitous
(Adj) indirect; roundabout
syn: roundabout; meandering
ant: direct; straight
The bridge flooded the highway, so we were forced to take a circuitous detour that added two hours to our trip.
perquisite
(N) a tip or payment in addition to regular wages
syn: fringe benefit; perk; benefit
ant: none
The perquisite of a company car offset the job’s mediocre salary.
probity
(N) integrity; respectability
syn: rectitude; decency; trustworthiness
ant: wickedness; impiety
Though still a teenager, I rene had the probity to be a trustworthy babysitter.
polemical
(Adj) relating to controversy or argument
syn: controversial; contentious
ant: indisputable; agreeable
The mayor’s polemical statement jeopardized his political career.
tacit
(Adj) indicated but not expressed; implied silently
syn: hinted; suggested; unspoken
ant: explicit; frank
Dad didn’t want me to go to the concert, but he gave his tacit approval by saying nothing when I asked permission to go.
largesse
(N) generosity
syn: magnanamimity; munificence
ant: stinginess
Building the art center would have been impossible if it were not for the largesse of several wealthy benefactors.
indolent
(Adj) lazy
syn: torpid; idle; legarthic
ant: industrious; busy; productive
The first round of firings removed indolent workers who looked as though they were not working.
circumlocution
(N) unnecessarily wordy or evasive language
syn: discursiveness; indirectness; evasion
ant: conciseness; brevity
When the teacher asked about her progress on the science project, the student’s circumlocution revealed that she had not even begun it.
depredate
(V) to plunder and pillage
syn: pilfer; ransack; ravage
ant: enhance
During the riot, revelers depredated the banks and museums.
