vocab Flashcards
(300 cards)
1
Q
aberrant
A
markedly different from an accepted norm
2
Q
abeyance
A
temporary cessation or suspension
3
Q
abscond
A
run away, often taking something or somebody along
4
Q
abstemious
A
marked by temperance in indulgence
5
Q
abstruse
A
difficult to understand
6
Q
absurd
A
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
7
Q
abyss
A
a bottomless gulf or pit
8
Q
adamant
A
a very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem
9
Q
adept
A
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
10
Q
admonish
A
scold or reprimand; take to task
11
Q
adulate
A
flatter in an obsequious manner
12
Q
adulation
A
exaggerated flattery or praise
13
Q
adulterate
A
make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance
14
Q
adumbrate
A
describe roughly or give the main points or summary of
15
Q
adverse
A
in an opposing direction
16
Q
aesthete
A
one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art
17
Q
affable
A
diffusing warmth and friendliness
18
Q
affliction
A
a cause of great suffering and distress
19
Q
affluent
A
having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value
20
Q
aggrandize
A
embellish; increase the scope, power, or importance of
21
Q
agitate
A
move or cause to move back and forth
22
Q
agog
A
highly excited
23
Q
alacrity
A
liveliness and eagerness
24
Q
allegation
A
a formal accusation against somebody
25
acquiesce
agree or express agreement
26
allegiance
the act if binding yourself to a course of action
27
ally
a friendly nation
28
amalgamate
bring or combine together with something else
29
ambiguous
having more than one possible meaning
30
ambivalent
uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
31
ambrosial
worthy of the gods
32
ameliorate
make better
33
amenable
disposed or willing to comply
34
anachronism
locating something at a time when it couldn’t have existed
35
analgesic
capable of relieving pain
36
annex
attach to
37
annotate
add explanatory notes to or supply with critical comments
38
annul
cancel officially
39
anomalous
deviating from the general or common order or type
40
antediluvian
of or relating to the period before the biblical flood
41
antipathy
a feeling of intense dislike
42
antiseptic
thoroughly clean and free of disease-causing organisms
43
aphoristic
terse and witty and like a maxim
44
apocryphal
being of questionable authenticity
45
apparition
a ghostly appearing figure
46
appraise
consider in a comprehensive way
47
apprehension
fearful expectation or anticipation
48
apprise
inform somebody of something
49
approbation
official acceptance or agreement
50
aptitude
inherent ability
51
aqueous
similar to or containing or dissolved in water
52
arable
capable of being farmed productively
53
arbitrate
act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
54
arduous
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
55
articulate
express or state clearly
56
ascetic
someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
57
ascribe
attribute or credit to
58
asperity
harshness of manner
59
aspersion
a disparaging remark
60
aspiration
a cherished desire
61
assess
estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
62
assuage
provide physical relief, as from pain
63
astringent
tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
64
astute
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
65
atone
turn away from sin or do penitence
66
atrophy
a decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse
67
attentive
taking heed
68
attenuate
become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
69
audacious
disposed to venture or take risks
70
augment
enlarge or increase
71
auspicious
indicating favorable circumstances and good luck
72
austere
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor
73
avarice
reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth
74
aver
declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
75
averse
strongly opposed
76
avert
turn away or aside
77
avid
marked by active interest and enthusiasm
78
baleful
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
79
balk
refuse to proceed or comply
80
banal
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
81
baneful
evil or sinister
82
banter
light teasing repartee
83
barefaced
with no effort to conceal
84
bask
expose oneself to warmth and light, as for relaxation
85
belie
be in contradiction with
86
bellicose
having or showing a ready disposition to fight
87
benevolent
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
88
benign
kind in disposition or manner
89
bilk
cheat someone out of what is due, especially money
90
bizarre
conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual
91
blandishment
flattery intended to persuade
92
bleak
unpleasantly cold and damp
93
blithe
carefree and happy and lighthearted
94
blunder
an embarrassing mistake
95
board
a stout length of sawn timber
96
bog
wet spongy ground of decomposing vegetation
97
bogus
fraudulent; having a misleading appearance
98
bolster
support and strengthen
99
bombast
pompous or pretentious talk or writing
100
boor
a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking refinement
101
breach
an opening, especially a gap in a dike or fortification
102
brisk
quick and energetic
103
brittle
having little elasticity
104
brood
hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing
105
burgeon
grow and flourish
106
burlesque
a theatrical entertainment of broad and earthy humor
107
buttress
a support usually of stone or brick
108
cadge
obtain or seek to obtain by wheedling
109
cajole
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
110
calisthenics
light exercises designed to promote general fitness
111
cant
a slope in the turn of a road or track
112
caprice
a sudden desire
113
captor
a person who entraps and holds someone else
114
castigate
inflict severe punishment on
115
catalyst
substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction
116
caustic
capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action
117
cavern
a large cave or a large chamber in a cave
118
censor
a person authorized to suppress unacceptable material
119
censure
harsh criticism or disapproval
120
cessation
a stopping
121
charter
a document creating an institution and specifying its rights
122
chary
characterized by great caution
123
chicanery
the use of tricks to deceive someone
124
circumlocution
an indirect way of expressing something
125
circumspect
careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
126
claim
assert or affirm strongly
127
clot
a lump of material formed from the content of a liquid
128
clumsy
lacking grace in movement or posture
129
coagulant
an agent that produces coagulation
130
coerce
cause to do through pressure or necessity
131
cogent
powerfully persuasive
132
cognizance
the state or act of having knowledge of
133
coherent
marked by an orderly an consistent relation of parts
134
collusion
secret agreement
135
commensurate
corresponding in size or degree or extent
136
commentator
an expert who observes and remarks on something
137
complacent
contented to a fault with oneself or one’s actions
138
complaisant
showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
139
composure
steadiness of mind under stress
140
concede
give over
141
conceit
the trait of being unduly vain
142
concession
the act of yielding
143
conciliatory
making or willing to make concessions
144
concoct
make something by mixing
145
concur
happen simultaneously
146
condescend
behave in a patronizing manner
147
conducive
tending to bring about; being partly responsible for
148
confidential
given in secret
149
confine
place limits on
150
conflagration
a very intense and uncontrolled fire
151
conflate
mix together different elements
152
confound
be confusing or perplexing to
153
confrontation
discord resulting from a clash of ideas or opinions
154
congruent
corresponding in character or kind
155
conifer
a type of tree or shrub bearing cones
156
conjecture
believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
157
conjure
summon into action or bring into existence
158
conscript
enroll into service compulsorily
159
consensus
agreement in the judgement reached by a group as a whole
160
consign
give over to another for care or safekeeping
161
console
give moral or emotional strength to
162
conspicuous
obvious to the eye or mind
163
conspire
act in agreement and in secret towards a deceitful purpose
164
consternation
sudden shock or dismay that causes confusion
165
contend
compete for something
166
contentious
showing an inclination to disagree
167
contingent
determined by conditions or circumstances that follow
168
contrite
feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
169
controversial
marked by or capable of causing disagreement
170
convoke
call together
171
convoluted
highly complex or intricate
172
corporal
affecting the body as opposed to the mind or spirit
173
corroborate
give evidence for
174
covert
secret or hidden
175
covet
wish, long, or crave for
176
cower
crouch or curl up
177
coy
affectedly shy especially in a playful or provocative way
178
crave
have an appetite or great desire for
179
craven
lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
180
crease
an angular indentation made by folding
181
credulity
tendency to believe readily
182
crockery
ceramic dishes used for serving food
183
culpable
deserving blame or censure as being wrong or injurious
184
curb
the act of restraining power or action or limiting excess
185
dabble
bob under so as to feed off the bottom of a body of water
186
dampen
lessen in force or effect
187
dangle
hang freely
188
dazzle
cause to lose clear vision, especially from intense light
189
dearth
an insufficient quantity or number
190
debacle
a sudden and complete disaster
191
debilitate
make weak
192
decorous
characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste
193
decorum
propriety in manners and conduct
194
decree
a legally binding command or decision
195
decry
express strong disapproval of
196
dedication
complete and wholehearted fidelity
197
defer
yield to another’s wish or opinion
198
deference
courteous regard for people’s feelings
199
defiance
a hostile challenge
200
defiant
boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
201
deft
skillful in physical movement, especially of the hands
202
delineate
represented accurately or precisely
203
deluge
a heavy rain
204
demote
assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
205
demur
politely refuse or take exception to
206
denounce
speak out against
207
denunciation
a public act of condemnation
208
deposition
the act of putting something somewhere
209
deprivation
the disadvantage that results from losing something
210
deprive
take away
211
descry
catch sight of
212
desiccate
lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless
213
desperate
a person who is frightened and in need of help
214
despicable
morally reprehensible
215
detached
no longer connected or joined
216
deter
turn away from as by fear or persuasion
217
devoid
completely wanting or lacking
218
diatribe
thunderous verbal attack
219
dichotomy
a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
220
diffident
showing modest reserve
221
digress
wander from a direct or straight course
222
dilettante
an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
223
diligent
quietly and steadily persevering in detail or exactness
224
din
a loud, harsh, or strident noise
225
dirge
a song or hymn of mourning as a memorial to a dead person
226
disabuse
free somebody from an erroneous belief
227
disassemble
take apart
228
disburse
expend, as from a fund
229
discomfit
cause to lose one’s composure
230
discourse
an extended communication dealing with some particular topic
231
discreet
marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
232
discrete
constituting a separate entity or part
233
disdain
lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
234
disguise
any attire that conceals the wearer’s identity
235
disinterested
unaffected by concern for one’s own welfare
236
dislodge
remove or force from a position previously occupied
237
disparate
fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
238
disparity
inequality of difference in some respect
239
dispassionate
unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
240
dispel
cause to separate and go in different directions
241
disprove
show to be false
242
disrobe
get undressed
243
dissemble
behave unnaturally or affectedly
244
dissent
a difference of opinion
245
distend
cause to expand as if by internal pressure
246
distract
draw someone’s attention away from something
247
distraught
deeply agitated especially from emotion
248
divest
take away possessions from someone
249
divulge
make known to the public information previously kept secret
250
docile
easily handled or managed
251
dogmatic
pertaining to a code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
252
doleful
filled with or evoking sadness
253
dormant
inactive but capable of becoming active
254
drab
a dull greyish to yellowish or light olive brown
255
drawl
a slow speech pattern with prolonged vowels
256
droll
comical in an odd or whimsical manner
257
drone
make a monotonous low dull sound
258
drought
a shortage of rainfall
259
dubious
fraught with uncertainty or doubt
260
dumbfound
be a mystery or bewildering to
261
dupe
fool or hoax
262
dwarf
a person who is markedly small
263
dwindle
become smaller or lose substance
264
ebullient
joyously unrestrained
265
eclectic
selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
266
efface
remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing
267
efficacious
giving the power to produce an intended result
268
effrontery
audacious behavior that you have no right to
269
egalitarian
favoring social equality
270
egregious
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
271
elicit
call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
272
eloquence
powerful and effective language
273
elucidate
make clear and comprehensible
274
elusive
skillful at evading capture
275
embellish
make more attractive, as by adding ornament or color
276
embrace
squeeze tightly in your arms, usually with fondness
277
emissary
someone sent to represent another’s interests
278
emollient
a substance with a soothing effect when applied to the skin
279
enchant
cast a spell over someone or something
280
encomium
a formal expression of praise
281
encroach
advance beyond the usual limit
282
encumber
hold back, impede, or weigh down
283
endeavor
attempt by employing effort
284
endorse
approve of
285
enervate
weaken physically, mentally, or morally
286
engender
call forth
287
engrossed
giving or marked by complete attention to
288
enigma
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
289
enlist
join the military
290
ensign
a person who holds a commissioned rank in the u.s. navy
291
enthral
hold spellbound
292
entrenched
dug in
293
ephemeral
anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day
294
epistemology
the philosophical theory of knowledge
295
epistle
a specially long, formal letter
296
epithet
descriptive word or phrase
297
epitome
a standard or typical example
298
equivocate
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
299
equivocation
intentional vagueness or ambiguity
300
eradicate
destroy completely, as if down to the roots
