Flashcards in Vocabulary Deck (144):
1
Hyperbole
A way of describing something by saying that it is bigger, stronger, more impressive etc. than something really is
2
Obdurate
Very determined not to change your beliefs or feelings in a way that is unreasonable; unaffected by persuasion
3
Sententious
given to moralizing in a pompous or fake and affected way; saying something in a short amount of time
4
Despotic
of a despot type; describes someone that uses power in a cruel or unfair way, especially of a ruler of a country
5
Extenuate
make a guilt or offense seem less serious or more forgivable; making forgivable
6
Fray
to unravel; a battle or argument
7
Extricate
to free someone or something from a constraining place or situation
8
Garish
very brightly colored and unpleasant to look at; tastelessly colorful or showy
9
Attrition
the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained pressure
10
Gossamer
a very light, thin and delicate substance
11
Paramour
a lover, especially the illicit partner of a married person
12
Jocund
cheerful and lighthearted
13
Confute
to prove a person or assertion to be wrong
14
Credence
the acceptance of something as true
15
Supercilious
behaving as if you think that you are superior to others
16
Doff
take off or raise one's hat as a greeting or a sign of respect
17
Arbitrate
to be a judge in an argument because both sides have asked for this
18
Petulant
childish; becoming angry because you do not get what you want
19
Plaintive
showing suffering or sadness in your voice
20
Unscrupulous
having or showing immoral principles
21
Burlesque
a theatrical work that makes fun of something through exaggerated imitation; a parody
22
Ludicrous
amusing through obvious absurdity or incongruity
23
Askance
with disapproval or distrust; with a side glance
24
Remonstration
to protest or urge reasons in opposition
25
Apoplectic
extremely angry
26
Dyspeptic
having irritability, depression or indigestion
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Insouciant
showing a lack of concern; carefree
28
Deportment
the way you conduct yourself
29
Consecrated
declare something, especially a church, as sacred
30
Addle
make unable to think clearly; confuse
31
Scourge
the cause of great suffering
32
Rostrum
a stage used for public speaking
33
Placid
not easily upset or excited; calm and peaceful
34
Slough
a discouraged or degraded state
35
Prolixity
long windedness
36
Pugnacious
willing to fight
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Pedagogical
relating to teaching or education
38
Morose
being gloomy or ill tempered
39
Digression
the act of leaving the main subject in a written or verbal expression of thought
40
Brusque
blunt in manner or speech to the point of harshness
41
Chisel
to cheat or swindle somebody out of something
42
Purveyor
a person or business that provides particular goods
43
Obtuse
slow to understand; willfully ignorant
44
Bridle
to show resentment or anger
45
Atmosphere (mood)
the feeling that a piece of writing evokes
46
Bourgeois
interested in having a lot of possessions; aspiring to be in a high position in society
47
Injunction
an authoritative warning or order that restrains a person from beginning or continuing an illegal action
48
Sentient
able to feel or perceive things
49
Ostracize
to exclude or banish
50
Snivel
to cry and sniffle
51
Harrowing
causing shock, distress or fright
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Sacrilegious
treating a holy place or object without the proper respect
53
Inane
very silly or stupid; lacking significance or point
54
Complacent
self-satisfied to the point where you are unaware of dangers or deficiencies
55
Bemused
confused; preoccupied or lost in thought; absentminded
56
Tone
the attitude of an author towards a piece of writing
57
Imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language
58
Alliteration
the use of several words together that begin with the same consonant
59
Assonance
the use of several words that have similar vowel sounds in order to produce a special effect
60
Derogatory
showing a critical or disrespectful attitude
61
Qualm
a feeling of slight worry or doubt because you are not sure if what you are doing is right
62
Metaphor
A method of describing something or someone by comparing it to something else that has similar qualities without like or as
63
Motif
the dominant idea or theme in a literary or artistic work
64
Imperious
arrogant; believing you are above other people
65
Empathy
the ability to understand or share the feelings of another
66
Denouement
the final part of a play or story where the strands of plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved
67
Mollify
to reduce the intensity or rigidity of someone or something
68
Profusion
a large amount of something; an abundance of something
69
Chafe
to become irritated or annoyed; to become sore, damaged or irritated because of rubbing
70
Oxymoron
a combination of words that seem to mean the opposite of each other but are possibly true
71
Allusion
something said or written that mentions a subject, literature, person, mythological story etc. in an indirect way
72
Paradox
a statement or situation that seems strange or impossible because it contains 2 ideas that are contradictory but are both true
73
Recumbent
lying down or resting
74
Onomatopoeia
the formation of words from a sound associated with what is named
75
Satire
a way of criticizing someone or something, in which you show his/her faults in a funny way, often trying to show possible improvements
76
unremitting
not stopping, growing weaker or slowing down
77
Cryptic
having a meaning that is obscure or mysterious
78
Nonchalant
not energized or disturbed by anything
79
Indolence
inclination to laziness; sloth; avoidance of activity
80
Feral
wild or savage, especially of an animal
81
Omniscient
having infinite awareness, understanding, insight or knowledge; 3rd person POV where the narrator is not in the story but knows everyone's thoughts
82
Contorted
to twisted or bent out of normal shape
83
Halitosis
the medical condition of having bad breath
84
Pantomime
exaggerated mime
85
Incognito
concealing your identity, especially in a place where a disguise is not usually used
86
Understatement
a statement that is not strong enough to express how good, impressive, bad, etc. something really is
87
Putrid
repulsive, decaying or unpleasant
88
Mottle
mark with spots or blotches of color
89
Euphemism
a polite word or expression used instead of a more direct one in order to prevent upsetting or shocking someone
90
Vacillate
to change your opinions or actions frequently; to be indecisive
91
Querulous
complaining in a childish or whining manner (constantly)
92
Partisan
someone who has strong support for a person, cause or, party; prejudiced or biased in favor of a certain cause or party
93
Whit
a very small part or amount; particle or drop
94
Canker
a fungal disease that affects trees and damages bark; a disease or condition that causes open sores that fail to heal(canker sore); bacterial infection; to infect with a bitterness that spreads to many
95
Portentous
ominous; warning, menacing, or threatening
96
Propagate
reproduce an animal or plant through natural processes; spread and promote an idea, theory, information, etc. widely;
97
Lineament
a distinctive feature or characteristic, especially of the face
98
Chaste
abstaining from extramarital, or from all, sexual intercourse; innocent
99
Wormwood
a woody shrub that is used in medicine; a state or source of bitterness or grief; a bitter tasting plant
100
Stint
to supply an amount of something that is not enough or is ungenerous; a limit on the supply or effort of someone or something; a person's fixed or allotted period of work
101
Wanton
to take part in sexual activities that are not modest; sexually unrestrained
102
Ambuscade
an ambush
103
Vestal
referring to Vesta (Greek, Artemis), a Roman goddess; a woman who does not take part in sexual intercourse, especially a nun; a virgin
104
Sham
something that is not what it is falsely claimed to be (purported); fake; to present something as the truth; something that people say is true even though it is false
105
Carrion
the decaying flesh of animals
106
Fettle
state or condition
107
Abhor
to regard with disgust and hatred; to detest
108
covert
not openly acknowledged, shown or displayed
109
Prorogue
to discontinue a session of a legislative assembly without dissolving it; to discontinue something
110
Coy
quiet, reserved or shy
111
Impute
to represent something as being done, caused or possessed by someone especially for something negative; to attribute to
112
Osier
shoot of a willow tree; a twig from a willow tree
113
Baleful
threatening harm; menacing
114
Privy
sharing in the knowledge of something secret
115
Augment
to make something greater or larger by adding to it; to increase
116
Sallow
relating to someone's face; bloodless complexion; an unhealthy yellow or pale brown color of a person's face
117
Dowdy
unfashionable and without style in appearance
118
Dirge
a lament for the dead, especially one that makes up part of a funeral ceremony; a mournful song, piece of music or poem
119
Descry
catch sight of
120
Antic
grotesque or bizarre; playful or funny
121
Bandy
discuss an idea in a casual or uninformed way
122
Cull
select from a large quantity; obtain from a variety of sources; a selective slaughter of wild animals
123
Loll
sit, lie or stand in a lazy or relaxed way
124
Invocation
to call or summon something or someone for assistance as an authority; a prayer for blessing or guidance
125
Abate
to become less intense or widespread especially of something that is negative or threatening; to make or become less
126
Scurvy
a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, which causes swollen bleeding gums and the opening of previously healed wounds (especially found in malnourished sailors); contemptible
127
Knave
a dishonest or unscrupulous man
128
Amerce
punish by fine or with another penalty
129
Sojourn
a temporary stay; to stay somewhere temporarily
130
Solace
comfort or consultation in a time of distress or sadness (can be a verb)
131
Obsequies
funeral rituals/rites/ceremony
132
Idolatry
the worship of idols or extreme admiration for someone
133
Penury
Extreme poverty; destitution
134
Peruse
to read through something in a careful way
135
Presage
an omen or portent; to be a sign or warning that something bad will happen; a warning or sign that something bad will happen; sage=all knowing person
136
Prate
to talk foolishly or tediously about something
137
Tithe
one tenth of a person's income or earning or produce, which used to be given as tax to support the church
138
Mire
a stretch of boggy or swampy ground; a difficult, distressing or embarrassing situation from which it is hard to escape from; to make stuck in mud; to cause someone to be stuck in a difficult situation
139
Sunder
to split apart
140
Prostrate
to lie down on the ground with one's face downwards; to reduce someone to extreme physical weakness; to lay yourself down in worship
141
Feign
to pretend to be affected by something
142
Inexorable
impossible to stop or prevent; impossible to persuade by request or entreaty
143
Chide
to scold
144