Vocab 81-120 Flashcards
(40 cards)
Sardonic
Adjective
Bitterly sarcastic; mocking; jeering
Villains are often portraying with sardonic grins that suggest evil intention.
Coy
Adjective
Pretending to be shy
Shawnas shyness was just an act; she was being coy
Preposterous
Adjective
Senseless; absurd, irrational
The choice of Janet for the leading role is preposterous; she can’t act!
Covet
Verb
To want; to envy; to wish for; to desire
Sam used to covet money; but now feels that friends and family are the most important aspects of life
Insidious
Adjective
Sly; deceptive; treacherous
The villain showed absolutely no concern for others as he unleashed his insidious plot
Impromptu
Adjective
Unplanned
The band played an impromptu concert to surprise and delight the people who were there
Crux
Noun
The most important point; the essential part
Please skip over the minor details and get to the crux of the matter
Forthwith
Adverb
Immediately; without delay
The announcement was made for Ronald to report to the principals office forthwith
Nonchalant
Adjective
Without concern or enthusiasm; indifferent
I am amazed that you can be so nonchalant about the upcoming chemistry test when everyone else is so worried
Anomaly
Noun
An irregularity, a deviation from what is normal
For Brian, not taking an evening walk was an anomaly
Imperative
Adjective
Urgent; necessary, extremely important
-when a law is broken, it is imperative that the offender is punished
Terse
Adjective
Short and to the point, brief
-Sylvia’s essay was a lengthy eight pages while Jim’s was more terse at three pages in length
Gregarious
Adjective
Sociable; tending to join or associate in groups; outgoing
-because Tanya is a very gregarious person, she has many friends in school
Superfluous
Adjective
Excessive; extra; surplus
She kept only the clothes she wears on an everyday basis and donated her superfluous garments to charity
Ascertain
Verb
To discover; to find out about; to figure out
Because if the limited evidence; it was very difficult to ascertain the identity of the murderer
Nullify
Verb
To cancel out; to do away with; to abolish
-natural disasters can nullify the best engineering efforts of mankind
Brazen
Adjective
Shameless, bold
The two people were shaking in brazen defiance of the “no smoking” sign
Flabbergasted
Verb
Astounded; dumbfounded
Leonard was flabbergasted to learn that his baseball card collection was only worth twenty dollars
Erudite
Adjective
Having or containing great knowledge; scholarly
The professors were discussing the novel in a very erudite manner
Unconscionable
Adjective
Not guided by conscience or reason; unreasonable
The judge threw the book at the criminal because of his unconscionable act
Venerable
Adjective
Respected; worshiped
Everybody quieted down to hear what the venerable leader had to say
Callow
Adjective
Youthful; inexperience
Ed despite his callow appearance, he is an accomplished and venerable guitar player
Plethora
Noun
A large or excessive number
A plethora of escapes from the supposedly secure prison baffled and embarrassed the warden
Whet
Verb
To stimulate; to make keen or eager
The smell of the cooking pie whetted our appetites