Vocab Final #1 Flashcards
(118 cards)
1
Q
providence
A
n. divine guidance or care; a guiding power
2
Q
H
A
adj. ill tempered or cranky; having an ugly or mean disposition ANT: amiable; affable; genialzmn
M
3
Q
ambuscade
A
n. an ambush -OR- v. to ambush; to hide and attack
4
Q
skiff
A
n. a flat bottomed boat
5
Q
palaver
A
n. idle chatter; chit chat
6
Q
abolitionist
A
n. one who is part of an organization to get rid of slavery
7
Q
rapscallion
A
n. a mischievous person; a rascal
8
Q
trifling
A
adj. having little value or importance; shallow; frivolous
9
Q
pensive
A
adj. dreamily thoughtful
10
Q
cavort
A
v. to romp or frolic; to play in a lively, boisterous manner
11
Q
aristocracy
A
n. a government ruled by the nobility or upper class
12
Q
frivolous
A
adj. or little importance or value; trifling; trivial ANT: imperative; consequential; vital; paramount
13
Q
temperance
A
n. moderation; restraint
14
Q
forlorn
A
adj. sad and lonely because of isolation or desertion
15
Q
sheepish
A
adj. embarrassed; chagrined; shy
16
Q
indifferent
A
adj. having or showing no concern, interest or feeling; unconcerned; uninterested; apathetic ANT: fervent; zealous; vehement
17
Q
soliloquy
A
n. talking to oneself (especially in a play); monologue
18
Q
affront
A
v. to insult openly; to offend -OR- n. an insult
19
Q
hanker
A
v. to crave, long or yearn; (followed by “for,” “after,” or “to”)
20
Q
sanctified
A
adj. dedicated; consecrated; made holy
21
Q
haughty
A
adj. snobby; supercilious; blatantly and disdainfully proud ANT: unpretentious; self effacing; unassuming
22
Q
dissipate
A
v. to drive away or dispel by or as if by dispersing; to scatter
23
Q
histrionic
A
adj. dramatic; deliberately affected, theatrical; relating to actors, acting, or the theater
24
Q
muse
A
v. to become absorbed in thought; to ponder; to meditate; to consider reflectively
25
commence
v. to make a begging, start ANT: cease; terminate
26
brazen
adj. marked by contemptuous boldness; bold; defiant; impudent; insolent ANT: demure, meek
27
contrite
adj. sorry for past sins or wrongdoings; remorseful; pentinent ANT: remorseless; unscrupulous; incorrigible
28
benefactor
n. one who does good for others; one who gives help, especially financial help
29
sublime
adj. of outstanding spiritual, intellectual, or moral worth; having transcendent excellence; splendid ANT: mediocre; common
30
calamity
n. a disaster; a state of deep distress or misery caused by major misfortune or loss
31
calamitous
adj. disastrous
32
oppression
n. something that crushes or burdens by abuse of power or authority
33
languish
v. to become weak or feeble; to lose strength or vigor ANT: energize; invigorate
34
illustrious
adj. famous or celebrated
35
adage
n. a saying that embodies a common observation; a proverb; a maxim
36
awry
adj. or adv. in a turn or twisted position or direction; askew; out of the right or hoped-for course; amiss
37
contrive
v. to devise; to plan; to scheme
38
insurrection
n. an act or instance of revolting against the civil authority or the established government; a rebellion
39
azure
adj. the color blue; the color of the clear sky
40
heathen
n. one who is regarded as irreligious or uncivilized
41
sultry
adj. oppressively hot and moist; humid; sweltering (sexual connotations) ANT: arid
42
pious
adj. devoutly religious; virtuous; moral ANT: sacrilegious; immoral
43
stealthy
adj. secretive; sly; undercover ANT: candid; frank
44
audacious
adj. bold; fearlessly daring; insolent
45
elocution
n. the art of public speaking
46
blithe
adj. filled with gaiety; cheerful; carefree
47
imperative
adj. urgent; necessary; having power to restrain, control, and direct; not to be avoided or evaded -OR- n. a command, order, rule, or guide; an obligatory act or duty
48
obsequies
plural n. funeral or burial rites
49
candid
adj. open; honest; frank; sincere; free from bias, prejudice, or malice; indicating or suggesting sincere honesty and absence of deception ANT: stealthy; surreptitious
50
mortify
v. to subject to severe and vexing embarrassment; to shame
51
consummation
n. the ultimate end; finish
52
decorum
n. whatever is suitable or proper; propriety and good taste in behavior, speech, dress, etc.
53
desist
v. to cease; to stop; to abstain
54
dolefully
adv. in manner full of sorrow or sadness; mournfully
55
fractious
adj. rebellious; unruly; hard to manage
56
gilded
adj. covered or coated with gold or a gold color (connotations that suggest something gilded may be making something seem more attractive or valuable than it is)
57
gumption
n. courage and initiative; enterprise and boldness
58
incredulous
adj. disbelieving; doubting; skeptical
59
languid
adj. lacking energy; sluggish; listless; weak; utterly relaxed; laying down in a completely relaxed way
60
languish
v. to become weak or feeble; to lose strength or vigor
61
mien
n. a way of carrying and conducting oneself; manner
62
portly
adj. large and heavy in a stately and dignified way; stout or corpulent
63
pugnacious
adj. eager to fight; having a quarrelsome nature or disposition
64
reconcile
v. to bring together after a quarrel; to make friendly again; to harmonize
65
reproof
n. disapproval; censure; a rebuke
66
shiftless
adj. lacking the will or ability to do or accomplish; incapable; inefficient; lazy
67
sodden
adj. thoroughly soaked; saturated ANT: wizened; parched
68
temerity
n. boldness; audacity; foolish recklessness
69
beseech
v. to ask for earnestly; to entreat; to implore
70
chasten
v. to punish in order to correct or make better; to chastise
71
coquetry
n. flirting; acting like a coquette (a woman who tries to get men's attention and admiration; a temptress)
72
deftly
adv. in a manner which is skillful in a quick, sure and easy way; skillfully
73
discomfiture
n. frustration or disappointment; lack of ease; discomfort
74
emanate
v. to come forth; to emit
75
fetid
adj. having a bad smell, as of decay; stinking; putrid
76
homage
n. showing of honor or respect (usually with "do" or "pay")
77
hyperbole
n. extreme exaggeration
78
insensate
adj/ not feeling or not capable of feeling sensation; insensitive
79
peevish
adj. ill-tempered; irritable; fretful
80
pretense
n. a false claim; a false show
81
sacrilege
n. disrespect toward or desecration of a sacred person, place or thing
82
seraph
n. any of the highest order of angels (above cherubim)
83
stolid
adj. showing little or no emotion; unexcitable
84
supplication
n. a humble request; a plea or prayer
85
wanton
adj. morally loose; recklessly ignoring morals of justice or decency
86
supercilious
adj. (from Latin, "with the eyebrows raised") haughty, condescending, acting superior
87
incredulous
adj. full of disbelief; skeptical; not trusting
88
complacent
adj. content to the point of inaction; pleased with oneself and one's situation to the point of laziness
89
innuendo
n. a subtle implication (usually insulting or sexual); indirectly (but not explicitly) suggesting something scandalous about another person
90
vacuous
adj. (same root as "vacuum" and "vacuole") empty-headed; completely lacking in intellectual power
91
fluctuate
v. (same root as "fluid" and "fluent," from Latin "to flow") to go up and down like a wave; undulate; to vary back and forth
92
rajah
n. (from Hindu word meaning "prince," similar to "nabob") a prince; a wealthy or powerful man
93
reproach
v. to scold; to chastise; to upbraid someone for bad behavior -OR- n. a criticism; a scolding
94
nebulous
adj. (from Latin "nebula," cloud) vague; lacking organization or form; foggy; cloud-like (can be physical)
95
laudable
adj. (same root as "magna cum laude," Latin "laudare," to praise) worthy of praise
96
debauch
v. to corrupt yourself or someone else morally -OR- n. a wild party at which people can corrupt themselves; an orgy; a bacchanal
97
ingratiate
v. (same root as "gracious," "gratitude") to get in the good graces of people; to charm; to try to get people to like you by being charming or flattering
98
elusive
adj. (same root as "elude," escape; avoid capture) difficult to catch or pin down; making efforts to avoid telling the truth
99
portentous
adj. (Latin "portare," to carry) ponderous; heavy with meaning; weighty with significance
100
vicarious
adj. living through someone else; secondhand (instead of having experiences yourself); getting enjoyment or stimulation by watching other people have exciting or intense experiences
101
garrulous
adj. extremely talkative in an irritating or abrasive way
102
surmise
v. to come to a logical hypothesis based on a reasonable amount of evidence -OR- n. educated guess; a reasonable hypothesis based on evidence
103
superfluous
adj. (Latin "to flow") overflowing in excess
104
acute
adj. sharp or severe
105
aplomb
n. assurance; poise; self possession and confidence
106
arbitrate
v. to settle a dispute by choosing a person to hear both sides and come to a decision
107
cagey
adj. sly; tricking; cunning
108
chicanery
n. trickery
109
chronic
adj. lasting a long time or recurring often; of long duration
110
ethereal
adj. not earthly; heavenly; celestial
111
hovel
n. a miserable, dirty dwelling; a shack or hut
112
impregnable
adj. unconquerable; able to resist attack
113
indigent
adj. poor; needy -OR- n. a poor or needy person
114
insubordination
n. disobedience
115
maudlin
adj. tearfully emotional; sentimentally sad
116
placate
v. to soothe or calm
117
squalor
n. extreme filth; dirt
118
veritable
adj. true or actual; can be verified
