VOCAB 20 Flashcards
(20 cards)
with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval
syn: distrustfully, suspiciously
askance
to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value
syn: thin out, dilute, water down
attenuate
gentle, kind; forgiving, understanding; having a favorable or beneficial effect; not malignant
syn: benevolent, salubrious, harmless
benign
to find in a petty way, carp; a trivial objection
syn: nitpick
cavil
one who feigns knowledge or ability; a pretender, imposter,or quack
syn: mountebank
charlatan
to kill or destroy a large part of
syn: devastate
decimate
a weak point, failing, minor flaw
syn: shortcoming, quirk
foible
to do without, abstain from, give up
syn: refrain from, renounce
forgo
full of or loaded with; accompanied by
syn: charged with
fraught
to toughen, harden; to render used to something by long subjection or exposure
syn: accustom, acclimate
inure
emitting or reflecting light, glowing; illuminating
syn: bright, refulgent, lustrous
luminous
marked by slavish attentiveness; excessively submissive, often for purely self-interested reasons
syn: serville, sycophantic, mealymouthed
obsequious
blunt, not coming to a point; slow or dull in understanding; measure between 90’ and 180’; not causing a sharp impression
syn: dumb, thick, mild, dull-witted
obtuse
to swing back and forth with a steady rhythm; to fluctuate or waver
syn: vibrate
oscillate
regretful for one’s sins or mistakes; one who is sorry for wrongdoing
syn: remorseful, regretful, rueful
penitent
having the nature of a command that leaves no opportunity for debate, denial, or refusal; offensively self-assured, dictatorial; determined, resolute
syn: unconditional
peremptory
to snub; to repel, drive away; a curt rejection, a check
syn: repulse, reject; setback
rebuff
to engage in reconnaissance; to make a preliminary inspection
syn: scout
reconnoiter
a slaughterhouse; a place of mass bloodshed; a state of complete disorder and confusion, mess
shambles
occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order
syn: intermittent, spasmodic
sporadic
