Vocab Junkie - Set 8 Flashcards
Learn this group of tough but common English vocab words - in chunks of 10 at a time. Just rate your confidence on each word, and it will repeat in an interval of time optimized for your brain's maximum retention.
Define:
impregnable
(im-preg-nuh-bul)
adj. able to withstand attack
The fortress was surrounded by a moat so as to make it impregnable.
Define:
daft
(daft)
adj. mad, crazy
adj. foolish
The daft man was walking about the room conversing with himself.
Define:
solemn
(sol-uhm)
adj. deeply earnest, grave
adj. of a very serious nature; gloomy
Carter’s solemn voice made his family suspect that a tragedy had occurred.
Define:
impromptu
(im-promp-too)
adj. spontaneously done without preparation
During a lull in the live broadcast, the host began an impromptu dance number with some of the contestants.
Define:
impudent
(im-pyuh-dent)
adj. improperly disrespectful
The girl was forced to apologize in front of the class for her impudent attitude towards her teachers.
Define:
bedizen
(bih-dahy-zuhn)
v. to adorn, usually in a poorly conceived or tasteless manner
Paula was bedizened with gaudy decorations.
Define:
incense
(in-sense)
v. to make angry
The class’s behavior incensed the teacher to the point that she gave them all extra homework.
Define:
volition
(voh-lish-uhn)
n. a conscious decision or the capability of choosing
n. willingness
Though his friends had egged him on, it was determined that Pat stole the sunglasses of his own volition.
Define:
tamp
(tamp)
v. to plug
v. to drive in or down by a series of blows
They tamped down the soil around the base of the new sapling.
Define:
steel
(steel)
v. to make hard, strong or obdurate
v. to fill with determination
John realized that he would lose the chess match and steeled himself for disappointment.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. able to withstand attack
impregnable
(im-preg-nuh-bul)
synonyms: impenetrable, unassailable
The fortress was impregnable, with walls thick enough to withstand any attack.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. mad, crazy
adj. foolish
daft
(daft)
synonyms: absurd, insane
His daft ideas often left his friends bewildered.
It was a daft decision to invest without doing proper research.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. deeply earnest, grave
adj. of a very serious nature; gloomy
solemn
(sol-uhm)
synonyms: quiet, serious, grave, somber
The ceremony was solemn, reflecting the gravity of the occasion.
His solemn expression indicated he was deep in thought.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. spontaneously done without preparation
impromptu
(im-promp-too)
synonyms: improvised, unrehearsed, spontaneous
The impromptu speech surprised everyone, but she delivered it confidently.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. improperly disrespectful
impudent
(im-pyuh-dent)
synonyms: cocky, insolent, overbearing
His impudent remarks during the meeting shocked his colleagues.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to adorn, usually in a poorly conceived or tasteless manner
bedizen
(bih-dahy-zuhn)
synonyms: clothe, embellish, garnish
She chose to bedizen her outfit with gaudy accessories that clashed.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make angry
incense
(in-sense)
synonyms: fire up, enrage
His rude comments served to incense the entire audience.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a conscious decision or the capability of choosing
n. willingness
volition
(voh-lish-uhn)
synonyms: choice, option, preference
He made the decision of his own volition, without any pressure.
Her volition to help others was evident in her volunteer work.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to plug
v. to drive in or down by a series of blows
tamp
(tamp)
synonyms: fill, jam; ram, butt, drive
He used a cloth to tamp the hole in the pipe temporarily.
The workers needed to tamp the soil to ensure stability.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make hard, strong or obdurate
v. to fill with determination
steel
(steel)
synonyms: harden, toughen; brace, embolden
She had to steel herself for the difficult conversation ahead.
He steeled his resolve before tackling the challenging project.
Define:
gossamer
(goss-uh-murr)
adj. delicate, insubstantial, flimsy
The gossamer kite broke in two at the first gust of wind.
Define:
inimical
(ih-nim-ih-kuhl)
adj. hostile, unfriendly, unsupportive
The Antarctic is inimical to life.
Define:
vainglorious
(veyn-glawr-ee-us)
adj. boastful of one’s accomplishments or accolades; vain
Dave’s vainglorious attitude unfortunately overshadowed his considerable accomplishments.
Define:
pariah
(puh-rahy-uh)
n. an outcast; a rejected or despised person
Alex left the party feeling like a pariah.
Define:
indelible
(in-del-uh-buhl)
adj. impossible to remove or to forget
The memory of that day had become indelible in his mind.
Define:
byzantine
(biz-uhn-teen)
adj. complex, intricate, labyrinthine
The byzantine rules of the card game confused everyone.
Define:
inveigh
(in-vey)
v. to attack verbally, to deprecate
The protesters were inveighing against government policies.
Define:
peccadillo
(pek-uh-dil-oh)
n. slight infraction of rules, a minor sin
As a society, we tend to take our politicians to task over peccadilloes while overlooking the failings of our political system as a whole.
Define:
panegyric
(pan-ih-djirr-ik)
n. a formal and elaborate public compliment; praise, laudation
The mayor extended a panegyric to all of the citizens who were fighting overseas.
Define:
quaff
(kwaf)
v. to drink deeply; to intoxicate oneself with great enjoyment
He quaffed the pint in three hearty gulps.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. delicate, insubstantial, flimsy
gossamer
(goss-uh-murr)
synonyms: thin, delicate, light, fragile
The gossamer fabric flowed gracefully in the breeze.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. hostile, unfriendly
inimical
(ih-nim-ih-kuhl)
synonyms: antagonistic, harmful
The inimical environment made survival difficult for newcomers.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. boastful of one’s accomplishments or accolades; vain
vainglorious
(veyn-glawr-ee-us)
synonyms: immodest, self-absorbed
His vainglorious boasting about his achievements alienated his friends.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. an outcast; a rejected or despised person
pariah
(puh-rahy-uh)
synonyms: vagabond, persona non grata
After the scandal, he became a pariah in his community.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. impossible to remove or to forget
indelible
(in-del-uh-buhl)
synonyms: enduring, lasting, unforgettable
The indelible memories of her childhood stayed with her forever.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. labyrinthine, complex. intricate
byzantine
(biz-uhn-teen)
synonyms: convoluted, elaborate
The byzantine regulations made it challenging for businesses to operate.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to attack verbally, deprecate
inveigh
(in-vey)
synonyms: remonstrate, lambaste
She would often inveigh against the injustices she witnessed.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. slight infraction of rules, a minor sin
peccadillo
(pek-uh-dil-oh)
synonyms: faux pas, misdemeanor, vice
His minor peccadillo was quickly forgiven by his friends.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a formal and elaborate public compliment; praise, laudation
panegyric
(pan-ih-djirr-ik)
synonyms: flattery, compliment, credit
The mayor delivered a panegyric in honor of the retiring principal.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to drink deeply; to intoxicate oneself with great enjoyment
quaff
(kwaf)
synonyms: guzzle, swig
They gathered to quaff their drinks in celebration of the occasion.
Define:
inchoate
(in-koe-it)
adj. not fully formed
An inchoate sense of duty is no substitute for a sober assessment of the hardships that lie ahead if you decide to follow your husband to his remote post.
Define:
essay
(n., ess-ey; v., ess-ey)
n. an attempt or trial
v. to test, try, experiment, investigate
My frequent essays at piano playing have only met with failure.
Define:
incisive
(in-sahy-siv)
adj. quick to understand or perceptive
adj. clearly expressed; decisive
The boy’s incisive mind allowed him to excel in all of his classes.
Define:
incorrigible
(in-kor-ih-juh-bull)
adj. unable to be corrected or reformed
Incorrigible juvenile offenders are sent to a special program within the prison.
Define:
inculcate
(ing-cull-kate)
v. to teach by frequent repetition
Throughout the year, the faculty is expected to inculcate the essentials of fire safety in the students.
Define:
indigenous
(in-didj-ih-nuss)
adj. originating in a certain place
The Aborigines are a people indigenous to Australia.
Define:
indigent
(in-dih-djunt)
adj. extremely poor
The organization’s mission was to provide educational resources to indigent women in various countries.
Define:
indolent
(in-dull-uhnt)
adj. habitually lazy
adj. causing little or no pain
The company’s owner decided to fire the most indolent workers first.
Define:
redolent
(red-uhl-uhnt)
adj. fragrant, suggestive, or evocative
The fraternity house was redolent of stale beer and day-old pizza
Define:
provident
(prov-ih-duhnt)
adj. looking to the future
adj. frugal
The young couple’s provident financial planning was an asset to them later in life.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. not fully formed
inchoate
(in-koe-it)
synonyms: undeveloped, beginning, elementary
The inchoate project needed more planning before it could proceed.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. an attempt or trial
v. to test, try, experiment, investigate
essay
(n., ess-ey, v., ess-ey)
synonyms: experiment, endeavor, attempt, trial
His essay to improve the system was well-received.
She would essay various techniques to find the best solution.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. quick to understand or perceptive
adj. clearly expressed; decisive
incisive
(in-sahy-siv)
synonyms: intelligent, quick; clear-cut
Her incisive analysis of the data impressed her colleagues.
His incisive comments clarified the complex issue.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. unable to be corrected or reformed
incorrigible
(in-kor-ih-juh-bull)
synonyms: rebellious, disobedient, incurable
The incorrigible child continued to misbehave despite repeated warnings.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to teach by frequent repetition
inculcate
(ing-cull-kate)
synonyms: communicate, drill, instill
Teachers aim to inculcate critical thinking skills in their students.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. originating in a certain place
indigenous
(in-didj-ih-nuss)
synonyms: native, inborn, aboriginal
The indigenous cultures of the region have a rich history.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. extremely poor
indigent
(in-dih-djunt)
synonyms: destitute, impoverished
The indigent family received assistance from local charities.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. habitually lazy
adj. causing little or no pain
indolent
(in-dull-uhnt)
synonyms: idle, lazy; insensitive
His indolent lifestyle prevented him from achieving his goals.
The indolent tumor was not causing any immediate health issues.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. fragrant, suggestive or evocative
redolent
(red-uhl-uhnt)
synonyms: aromatic, imbued with
The kitchen was redolent of freshly baked bread and spices.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. looking to the future
adj. frugal
provident
(prov-ih-duhnt)
synonyms: cautious, prepared; thrifty
Her provident planning ensured a secure retirement.
He was provident with his resources, always saving for a rainy day.
Define:
untoward
(uhn-tawrd)
adj. troublesome, unruly, adverse, or indecent
This is not the first time I have noted untoward similarities between those two students’ papers.
Define:
paean
(pee-uhn)
n. a song or expression of joy or praise
After their country won the World Cup, the band wrote a paean to the national team that became a Top 20 hit.
Define:
aspersion
(uh-spur-zhuhn)
n. the act of defamation or maligning; a derogatory remark
The aspersions cast by his political opponent took weeks to eradicate.
Define:
lucid
(lue-sid)
adj. easy to understand
adj. transparent (permitting light to pass through)
adj. having a clear mind
The artist was unable to express his abstract ideas in a lucid manner.
Define:
luminous
(lue-muh-nus)
adj. emitting light; bright
adj. enlightening
My friend raves about this “luminous” collection of poems, though I didn’t think it was particularly insightful.
Define:
luxuriant
(lug-zhure-ee-unt)
adj. growing in extreme abundance
adj. luxurious and complexly detailed
Anne’s luxuriant garden was considered the nicest in the neighborhood.
Define:
malevolent
(muh-lev-uh-lunt)
adj. wishing evil on others
The malevolent old woman was always trying to make her neighbors miserable.
Define:
manifest
(man-ih-fest)
n. a list of the people aboard a ship or plane
adj. clearly apparent
v. to exhibit a quality
Linda’s laziness was manifest in the messy state of her apartment.
Define:
mannered
(man-urd)
adj. artificial or affected
The pretentious socialite had a mannered way of speaking that did not impress many of her peers.
Define:
mantle
(man-tul)
n. a covering or concealing object
n. a symbol of power or duty
Amid the spate of resignations at town hall, the untested woman was forced to accept the mantle of leadership as the town’s youngest mayor ever.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. troublesome, unruly, adverse, or indecent
untoward
(uhn-tawrd)
synonyms: problematic, objectionable
The untoward incident disrupted the otherwise smooth event.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a song or expression of joy or praise
paean
(pee-uhn)
synonyms: hymn, melody
The choir sang a paean to celebrate the community’s achievements.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the act of defamation or maligning; derogatory remark
aspersion
(uh-spur-zhuhn)
synonyms: abuse, belittlement
The politician cast aspersion on his opponent’s character during the debate.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. easy to understand
adj. transparent (permitting light to pass through)
adj. having a clear mind
lucid
(lue-sid)
synonyms: clearheaded, sensible, unblurred
The professor’s lucid explanations made complex concepts accessible to all students.
The water was so lucid that they could see the bottom of the lake.
After a good night’s sleep, she felt lucid and ready to tackle the day.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. emitting light; bright
adj. enlightening
luminous
(lue-muh-nus)
synonyms: glowing; edifying
The luminous stars lit up the night sky.
Her luminous ideas inspired the entire team.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. growing in extreme abundance
adj. luxurious and complexly detailed
luxuriant
(lug-zhure-ee-unt)
synonyms: fertile, lush, prolific
The luxuriant garden was filled with vibrant flowers.
The hotel room featured luxuriant furnishings and decor.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. wishing evil on others
malevolent
(muh-lev-uh-lunt)
synonyms: hateful, malicious, malignant
The malevolent glare from the villain sent shivers down her spine.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a list of the people aboard a ship or plane
adj. clearly apparent
v. to exhibit a quality
manifest
(man-ih-fest)
synonyms: ledger; conspicuous, unambiguous; demonstrate, show
The manifest listed all the passengers aboard the ship.
His disappointment was manifest in his downcast expression.
She hoped to manifest her dreams through hard work and determination.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. artificial or affected
mannered
(man-urd)
synonyms: unnatural, stilted
His mannered speech sounded artificial and pretentious.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a covering or concealing object
n. a symbol of power or duty
mantle
(man-tul)
synonyms: cloak, covering
The mantle of the fireplace was adorned with family photos.
He accepted the mantle of leadership with pride.
Define:
mar
(mar)
v. to make imperfect
n. a mark that damages the appearance of something
Although entertaining and well-written, the screenplay was marred by its dependence on stereotypes instead of well-developed characters.
Define:
martinet
(mar-tih-net)
n. one who demands strict adherence to rules
The nanny was hired for the unruly children because of her reputation as a martinet who would be sure to keep them in line.
Define:
matrix
(may-tricks)
n. a place in which something originates or develops
This computer program is the matrix for the movie’s digital art.
Define:
palette
(pal-it)
n. a board used by artists to mix paint colors
n. a range of colors
The poor artist managed to make an interesting piece with a palette of only black and white.
Define:
paradigm
(pair-ih-dahym)
n. a standard example
n. a pattern or model
He used the Civil War as a historical paradigm to support his point.
Define:
paramount
(pair-ih-mount)
adj. most important
Educational reform was a paramount issue for both mayoral candidates.
Define:
parch
(parch)
v. to make dry
v. to make thirsty
The sun’s intense heat parched the ground and wilted the leaves on the trees.
Define:
parsimonious
(par-suh-moh-nee-us)
adj. frugal; cheap
Her aunt was too parsimonious to chip in for the family’s annual reunion.
Define:
pathology
(pah-thol-uh-djee)
n. the study of disease
n. a disease’s progression or manifestation
An oncologist concerns herself with the pathology of cancer.
Define:
paucity
(paw-suh-tee)
n. a small amount
The paucity of resources meant the film had to be made with unpaid actors and few crew members.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make imperfect
n. a mark that damages the appearance of something
mar
(mar)
synonyms: hurt, blemish, ruin
A single scratch can mar the surface of the beautiful table.
The mar on the painting diminished its overall value.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. one who demands strict adherence to rules
martinet
(mar-tih-net)
synonyms: authoritarian, enforcer
The teacher was a martinet, insisting on strict discipline in her classroom.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a place in which something originates or develops
matrix
(may-tricks)
synonyms: forge, source, origin
The _matrix _for the new product was developed in the research lab.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a board used by artists to mix paint colors
n. a range of colors
palette
(pal-it)
synonyms: paint board, spectrum
The artist arranged her paints on the palette before starting.
The designer chose a warm palette for the living room.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a standard example
n. a pattern or model
paradigm
(pair-ih-dahym)
synonyms: archetype, template
The new model serves as a paradigm for future designs.
This paradigm shift in thinking has transformed the industry.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. most important
paramount
(pair-ih-mount)
synonyms: principal, prominent, significant
Safety is paramount when conducting experiments in the lab.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make dry
v. to make thirsty
parch
(parch)
synonyms: dehydrate, dry, evaporate
The sun will parch the fields if it doesn’t rain soon.
The long hike in the heat left him feeling parched.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. frugal; cheap
parsimonious
(par-suh-moh-nee-us)
synonyms: penurious, miserly, simple
Her parsimonious habits saved her money but often frustrated her friends.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the study of disease
n. a disease’s progression or manifestation
pathology
(pah-thol-uh-djee)
synonyms: disease science
He specialized in pathology to understand diseases better.
The pathology of the illness revealed its effects over time.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a small amount
paucity
(paw-suh-tee)
synonyms: lack, scarcity
The paucity of resources made it difficult to complete the project on time.
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