Vocab 5 Flashcards
(46 cards)
Antithetical
directly opposed or contrasted; mutually incompatible.
“people whose religious beliefs are antithetical to mine”
Intrinsic
belonging naturally; essential.
“access to the arts is intrinsic to a high quality of life”
Phalanstery
a group of people living together in community, free of external regulation and holding property in common.
Remuneration
money paid for work or a service.
“they work in excess of their contracted hours for no additional remuneration”
Propound
put forward (an idea, theory, or point of view) for consideration by others.
“he began to propound the idea of a “social monarchy” as an alternative to Franco”
Palimpsest
a manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain.
something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form.
“Sutton Place is a palimpsest of the taste of successive owners”
Disillusioned
disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be.
“enthusiasm soon turned into disillusion”
cause (someone) to realize that a belief or an ideal is false.
“if they think we have a magic formula to solve the problem, don’t disillusion them”
Monopoly
the exclusive possession or control of the supply of or trade in a commodity or service.
“his likely motive was to protect his regional monopoly on furs”
Abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure.
“an abstruse philosophical inquiry”
Prelude
an action or event serving as an introduction to something more important.
“education cannot simply be a prelude to a career”
Ascribe
attribute something to (a cause).
“he ascribed Jane’s short temper to her upset stomach”
attribute (a text, quotation, or work of art) to a particular person or period.
“a quotation ascribed to Thomas Cooper”
regard a quality as belonging to.
“tough-mindedness is a quality commonly ascribed to top bosses”
Prefigure
be an early indication or version of (something).
“the Hussite movement prefigured the Reformation”
ARCHAIC
imagine beforehand.
“she had prefigured her small pilgrimage as made in solitude”
Intransigent
unwilling or refusing to change one’s views or to agree about something.
“her father had tried persuasion, but she was intransigent”
an intransigent person.
Spurt
gush out in a sudden and forceful stream.
“he cut his finger, and blood spurted over the sliced potatoes”
move with a sudden burst of speed.
“the other car had spurted to the top of the ramp”
Magnanimous
generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person.
“she should be magnanimous in victory”
Postulate
suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of (something) as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief.
“his theory postulated a rotatory movement for hurricanes”
a thing suggested or assumed as true as the basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief.
“perhaps the postulate of Babylonian influence on Greek astronomy is incorrect”
Abrogate
repeal or do away with (a law, right, or formal agreement).
“a proposal to abrogate temporarily the right to strike”
evade (a responsibility or duty).
“we believe the board is abrogating its responsibilities to its shareholders”
Infallible
incapable of making mistakes or being wrong.
“doctors are not infallible”
never failing; always effective.
“infallible cures”
Adduce
cite as evidence.
“a number of factors are adduced to explain the situation”
Insipid
lacking flavor.
“mugs of insipid coffee”
lacking vigor or interest.
“many artists continued to churn out insipid, shallow works”
Obsolescence
Obsolete noun
Prevarication
speak or act in an evasive way.
“he seemed to prevaricate when journalists asked pointed questions”
Desultory
lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.
“a few people were left, dancing in a desultory fashion”
(of conversation or speech) going constantly from one subject to another in a halfhearted way; unfocused.
“the desultory conversation faded”
occurring randomly or occasionally.
“desultory passengers were appearing”
Philistine
a person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts, or who has no understanding of them.
“I am a complete philistine when it comes to paintings”
