Vocab #13 Flashcards
(20 cards)
Obsequious
(adj) Characterized by or showing servile complaisance or
deference; fawning: an obsequious bow.
Servilely compliant or deferential: obsequious servants.
Obedient; dutiful.
Visage
(n) The face, usually with reference to shape, features, expression, etc.;countenance. Aspect; appearance.
• The strain was increasingly evident in his gaunt and saddened visage.
Trifle
(n) An article or thing of very little value. A matter, affair, or circumstanceof trivial importance or significance. A small, inconsiderable, or trifling sum of money. A small quantity or amount of anything; a little: She’s still a trifle angry.
Tempest
(n) A violent windstorm, especially one with rain, hail, or snow. A violent commotion, disturbance, or tumult.
(v – used with object) To affect by or as by a tempest; disturb violently.
Manifest
(adj) Readily perceived by the eye or the understanding; evident; obvious; apparent; plain: a manifest error.
Psychoanalysis: Of or pertaining to conscious feelings, ideas, and impulses that contain repressed psychic material: the manifest content of a dream as opposed to
the latent content that it conceals.
(v – used with object) To make clear or evident to the eye or the understanding; show plainly: He manifested his approval with a hearty laugh.
To prove; put beyond doubt or question: The evidence manifests the guilt of the defendant.
Sans
(prep) Without
Interim
(n) An intervening time; interval; meantime: in the interim.
A temporary or provisional arrangement; stopgap; makeshift.
(adj) For, during, belonging to, or connected with an
intervening period of time; temporary; provisional: an interim order.
(adv) Meantime
• The interim governor will have to contend with the same cantankerous assembly that made life miserable for the former leader.
Commence
(v) To begin; start.
• Our renovation plans must be approved by the city before any construction commences.
Discord
(n) Lack of concord or harmony between persons or things: marital discord. Disagreement; difference of opinion. Strife; dispute; war. Music: An inharmonious
combination of musical tones sounded together. Any confused or harsh noise; dissonance.
Voluble
(adj) Characterized by a ready and continuous flow of words; fluent; glib; talkative: a voluble spokesman for the cause.
Pestilence
(n) A deadly or virulent epidemic disease. Bubonic plague. Something that is considered harmful, destructive, or evil.
• In recent months the city has revived its efforts to curb honking, smoking and the pestilence of plastic bags.
Impediment
Obstruction; hindrance; obstacle. Any physical defect that impedes normal or easyspeech; a speech disorder.
• In every romantic comedy, there is some impediment that at first prevents the two people from getting together.
Vile
(adj) Wretchedly bad: a vile humor. Highly offensive, unpleasant, or objectionable:vile slander. Repulsive or disgusting, as to the senses or feelings: a vile odor Morally debased, depraved, or despicable: vile deeds. Foul; filthy: vile language.
Procure
(v – used with object) To obtain or get by care, effort, or the use of special means: to procure evidence.
To bring about, especially by unscrupulous and indirect means:to procure secret documents.
To obtain (a person) for the purpose of prostitution.
(v – used without object) To act as a procurer or pimp.
• Many dishes in urbane restaurants are based on simple recipes, but the chefs spend considerable time procuring the freshest ingredients for the meals.
Boon
(n) Something to be thankful for; blessing; benefit. Something that is asked; a favorsought.
• Popular books, like The Hunger Games trilogy, have been a boon to publishing companies.
Ruminate
(v – used without object) To chew the cud, as a ruminant. To meditate or muse; ponder.
(v – used with object) To chew again or over and over. To meditate on; ponder.
• She ruminated constantly about what she might have done wrong to the point where she developed insomnia.
Reproach
(v – used with object) To find fault with (a person, group, etc.); blame; censure. To upbraid. To be a cause of blame or discredit to.
(n) Blame or censure conveyed in disapproval: a term of reproach. An expression of upbraiding, censure, or reproof. Disgrace,discredit, or blame incurred: to bring reproach on one’s family. A cause or occasion of disgrace or discredit.
Breach
(n) The act or a result of breaking; break or rupture. An infraction or violation, as of a law, trust, faith, or promise. A gap made in a wall, fortification, line of soldiers, etc.; rift;
fissure.
A severance of friendly relations. The leap of a whale above the surface of the water.
Taint
(n) A trace of something bad, offensive, or harmful. A trace of infection, contamination, or the like. A trace of dishonor or discredit. Obsolete. Color; tint.
(v – used with an object) To modify by or as if by a trace of something offensive or deleterious.
To infect,contaminate, corrupt, or spoil. To sully or tarnish (a person’s name, reputation, etc.). Obsolete.
To color or tint.
Bombastic
(adj) Of speech, writing, etc.: high-sounding; high-flown; inflated; pretentious.
