Vocabulary (Adj) Flashcards
Jarring (adj)
Hint : 3 meanings
- a jarring sight, sound, or experience is so different or unexpected that it has a strong and unpleasant effect on something or someone
E.g. a jarring cry/chord
E.g. jarring colours
E.g. a jarring experience
E.g. The telephone struck a jarring note in those Renaissance surroundings. - wrong or unsuitable:
E.g. a jarring contrast - shaking or moving violently:
E.g. a jarring tackle/collision
Institutional (adj)
relating to an institution:
E.g. The hospital provides typically awful institutional food.
E.g. The report made it plain that institutional racism is deep-rooted in this country.
E.g. The walls are painted a dull, institutional grey.
E.g. The report blamed the incident on institutional failures within the school.
E.g the rooms are rather drab and institutional.
High-powered (adj)- people
used to describe people who are very successful or in an important position
E.g. a high-powered executive/lawyer/lobbyist
E.g high-powered senior executives.
(someone) is an institution
That person is long established in a place/position/field
Overbearing (adj)
too confident and too determined to tell other people what to do, in a way that is unpleasant
E.g. Milligan had a pompous, overbearing father.
E.g. he can’t wait to get away from his overbearing parents.
Scholarly (adj)
Hint : 2 meanings
- containing a serious, detailed study of a subject
E.g. a scholarly article/book/work/journal - A scholarly person studies a lot and knows a lot about what they study
E.g. a scholarly young woman
Rigorous (adj)
Hint : 2 meanings
- careful to look at or consider every part of something to make certain it is correct or safe ; detailed and careful:
E.g. I want rigorous financial analysis of the options.
E.g. The selection process is extremely rigorous.
E.g. rigorous testing/checking/methods
E.g. the rigorous testing of consumer products. - controlling behaviour in a severe way; strict or severe
E.g. A rigorous monetary and fiscal policy should encourage efficiency.
E.g. Refrigeration of food, improved hygiene and rigorous standards in the food industry prevent gastro-intestinal infections.
E.g. the rigorous controls governing the sale of shares
Rarefied (adj)
Hint: 2 meanings
- without any of the problems of ordinary life
E.g. the rarefied atmosphere of academia
E.g. She moves in rarefied circles.
E.g. You get a very rarefied view of things living on a college campus.
E.g. rarefied scholarly pursuits. - (of air) with little oxygen
Esoteric (adj)
very unusual and understood or liked by only a small number of people, especially those with special knowledge
E.g. He has an esoteric collection of old toys and games.
E.g. disapproving or humorous She has a somewhat esoteric taste in clothes.
E.g. esoteric philosophical debates.
Arid (adj)
Hint: 3 meanings
- very dry and without enough rain for plants
E.g. The desert is so arid that nothing can grow there.
E.g. the arid plains north of Cape Town. - not interesting and showing no imagination
E.g. I found his writing extremely arid.
E.g. his arid years in suburbia. - unsuccessful
E.g. After several arid years, the company has started to become successful.
Outmoded (adj)
no longer modern, useful, or necessary
E.g. Outmoded working practices are being phased out.
E.g. an outmoded Victorian building.
Polemical (adj)
(of a piece of writing or a speech) strongly attacking or defending a particular opinion, person, idea, or set of beliefs
E.g. a polemical essay
E.g. Many philosophical texts have a highly polemical style.
Formidable (adj)
causing you to have fear or respect for something or someone because that thing or person is large, powerful, or difficult
E.g. a formidable obstacle/task
E.g. a formidable adversary/enemy/opponent
E.g. a formidable intellect
E.g. disapproving the director and his formidable wife
E.g. a formidable opponent
Disparaging (adj)
to criticize someone or something in a way that shows you do not respect or value him, her, or it
E.h. The actor’s work for charity has recently been disparaged in the press as an attempt to get publicity.
E.g. disparaging remarks about council houses.
Unabashed (adj)
without any worry about possible criticism or embarrassment
E.g. She is to this day unabashed in her patriotism.
E.g. He is an unabashed capitalist.
E.g. he was unabashed by the furore his words provoked.
Perturbed (adj)
worried:
E.g. He didn’t seem unduly/overly perturbed by the news.
E.g. she didn’t seem perturbed about the noises around her.
Genteel (adj)
Hint: 2 meanings
- typical of a high social class
E.g. The mansion had an atmosphere of genteel elegance and decay.
E.g. He took elocution lessons to try to make his accent sound more genteel. - being very polite, gentle, or graceful:
E.g. a genteel southern lady
E.g. her genteel upbringing.
Eccentric (adj) - of person/behaviour
strange or unusual, sometimes in a humorous way:
E.g. eccentric behaviour
E.g. eccentric clothes
E.g. he noted her eccentric appearance
Filial (adj)
of a son or daughter
E.g. filial duty/respect/affection
E.g. At least Jamie recognised some filial bond.
E.g. a display of filial affection.
Miscellaneous (adj)
consisting of a mixture of various things that are not usually connected with each other
E.g. miscellaneous household items
E.g. he picked up the miscellaneous papers in his in tray.
Torrential (adj)
used to refer to very heavy rain
E.g. torrential rain
E.g. a torrential downpour.
Copious (adj)
in large amounts, or more than enough
E.g. They drank copious amounts of wine.
E.g.He took copious notes during the lecture.
Patriarchal (adj)
Hint : 2 meanings
- ruled or controlled by men:
E.g. She states that the legal system is essentially patriarchal.
E.g. patriarchal structure
E.g.a patriarchal society
E.g. patriarchal values. - relating to a patriarchy, or to the idea that men are more important than women
E.g. Her morality is not dictated by patriarchal norms, but rather guided by the belief that women’s needs are her sole concern.
E.g. This is an expression of women’s revolt against years of male patriarchal oppression.
Sibilant (adj)
making a s or sh sound:
E.g. The microphone exaggerates every sibilant.
E.g. his sibilant whisper.
Prolific (adj)
producing a great number or amount of something
E.g. He was probably the most prolific songwriter of his generation.
E.g. Rabbits and other rodents are prolific
E.g. mahogany was once prolific in the tropical forests
Biennial (adj)
Taking place once every two years
E.g. the first of a series of biennial exhibitions.
Biannual (adj)
occurring twice a year
E.g. the biannual meeting of the planning committee.
Big-headed (adj)
thinking that you are more important or more intelligent than you really are
E.g. She’s so bigheaded!
E.g. I’m trying not to get too big-headed
Easy-going (adj)
relaxed and not easily upset or worried
E.g. an easy-going attitude/manner
E.g. a friendly, easy-going type of guy
E.g. a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere.
Contemporary (adj)
existing or happening now, and therefore seeming modern:
E.g. contemporary music/literature/art/fashion
E.g. Although the play was written hundreds of years ago, it still has a contemporary feel to it.
E.g. I wanted to update my kitchen and put in something more contemporary.
E.g. the event was recorded by a contemporary historian.
Subtle (adj)
Hint: 3 meanings
- achieved in a quiet way that does not attract attention to itself and is therefore good or clever
E.g. a subtle plan/suggestion
E.g. subtle questions
E.g. his language expresses rich and subtle meanings - small but important:
E.g. There is a subtle difference between these two plans. - not loud, bright, noticeable, or obvious in any way
E.g. The room was painted a subtle shade of pink.
E.g. The play’s message is perhaps too subtle to be understood by young children.
Psychiatric (adj)
of or relating to the study of mental illness
E.g. psychiatric treatment
E.g. a psychiatric patient
E.g. the hospital’s psychiatric unit
E.g. a psychiatric disorder.
Chic (adj)
stylish and fashionable
E.g. I like your haircut - it’s very chic.
E.g. a chic restaurant
E.g. she looked every inch the chic Frenchwoman.
Ravenous (adj)
extremely hungry:
E.g. I’m ravenous - where’s supper?
E.g. Growing boys have ravenous appetites.
E.g. I’d been out all day and was ravenous.
Brackish (adj)
Brackish water is salty, dirty, and unpleasant.
E.g. Most larvae of the above mentioned bird parasites are found in areas of lower salinity and can complete therefore their life cycle in brackish waters.
E.g. a cup of brackish water
Desolate (adj)
Hint: 2 meanings
- A desolate place is empty and not attractive, with no people or nothing pleasant in it
E.g. The house stood in a bleak and desolate landscape.
E.g. a desolate Pennine moor. - extremely sad and feeling alone
E.g. She felt desolate when her best friend moved away.
Abstract (adj)
Hint: 3 meanings
- existing as an idea, feeling, or quality, not as a material object
E.g. Truth and beauty are abstract concepts.
E.g. abstract concepts such as love or beauty.
dealing with ideas rather than events
E.g. the novel was too abstract and esoteric to sustain much attention - An abstract argument or discussion is general and not based on particular examples
E.g. This debate is becoming too abstract - let’s have some hard facts! - used to refer to a type of painting, drawing, or sculpture that uses shapes, lines, and colour in a way that does not try to represent the appearance of people or things
E.g. abstract art
E.g. an abstract painter
Feline (adj)
Hint: 2 meanings
- belonging or relating to the cat family
E.g. feline leukaemia - appearing or behaving like a cat
E.g. She had pretty, almost feline features.
Ephemeral (adj)
lasting for only a short time
E.g. Fame in the world of rock and pop is largely ephemeral.
E.g. fashions are ephemeral: new ones regularly drive out the old
E.g. works of more than ephemeral interest.
Ambivalent (adj)
having two opposing feelings at the same time, or being uncertain about how you feel
E.g. I felt very ambivalent about leaving home.
E.g. He has fairly ambivalent feelings towards his father.
E.g. an ambivalent attitude to exercise
E.g. some loved her, some hated her, few were ambivalent about her
Pernicious (adj)
having a very harmful effect or influence
E.g. The cuts in government funding have had a pernicious effect on local health services.
E.g. the pernicious effects of air pollution
E.g. he is one of the most pernicious influences in the party
E.g. this whole line of thinking is pernicious.
Ubiquitous (adj)
seeming to be everywhere:
E.g. Leather is very much in fashion this season, as is the ubiquitous denim.
E.g. The Swedes are not alone in finding their language under pressure from the ubiquitous spread of English.
E.g. The mobile phone, that most ubiquitous of consumer-electronic appliances, is about to enter a new age.
E.g. his ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family
E.g. cowboy hats are ubiquitous among the male singers.
Eloquent (adj)
giving a clear, strong message
E.g. She made an eloquent appeal for action.
E.g. The pictures were an eloquent reminder of the power of the volcano.
E.g. an eloquent speech.
Colloquial (adj)
(of words and expressions) informal and more suitable for use in speech than in writing
E.g. colloquial speech
E.g. colloquial and everyday language
E.g. colloquial phrases.
Quintessential (adj)
being the most typical example or most important part of something
E.g. Sheep’s milk cheese is the quintessential Corsican cheese.
E.g. he was the quintessential tough guy—strong, silent, and self-contained.
Rickety (adj)
in bad condition and therefore weak and likely to break
E.g. Careful! That chair’s a bit rickety.
E.g. She slowly climbed the rickety wooden steps.
E.g. The recession put a lot of strain on an already rickety economic system.(figurative)
E.g. we went carefully up the rickety stairs
E.g. a rickety banking system-figurative.
Sinister (adj)
making you feel that something bad or evil might happen
E.g. The ruined house had a sinister appearance.
E.g. A sinister-looking man sat in the corner of the room. e.g. there was something sinister about that murmuring voice.
Intricate (adj)
Hint: 2 meanings
- having a lot of small parts that are arranged in a complicated or delicate way
E.g. The watch mechanism is extremely intricate and very difficult to repair.
E.g. The tiled floor is installed in an intricate pattern.
E.g. an intricate network of canals - with many complicated details that make something difficult to understand
E.g. Police officers uncovered an intricate web of deceit.
Endearing (adj)
making someone like you
E.g. She laughs at herself a lot, which is always endearing
E.g. an endearing little grin
Palpable (adj)
so obvious that it can easily be seen or known, or (of a feeling) so strong that it seems as if it can be touched or physically felt
E.g. a palpable effect
E.g. Her joy was palpable.
E.g. a palpable sense of loss.
Ineffable (adj)
causing so much emotion, especially pleasure, that it cannot be described
E.g. ineffable joy/beauty
E.g. I am caught up in the ineffable, seemingly inexorable event that is out of my hands.
E.g. the ineffable mysteries of the soul.
E.g. As they stood on the mountain’s summit, the breathtaking view of the vast valley below left them in an ineffable state of wonder.
E.g. The joy she felt upon reuniting with her childhood friend after years of separation was so profound, it was truly ineffable.
Deprived (adj)
not having the things that are necessary for a pleasant life, such as enough money, food, or good living conditions
E.g. She had a deprived childhood/comes from a deprived background.
E.g. a deprived area
E.g. I was so sleep deprived I was bumping into walls
Prevalent (adj)
existing very commonly or happening often
E.g. These diseases are more prevalent among young children.
E.g. Trees are dying in areas where acid rain is most prevalent.
E.g. the social ills prevalent in society today.
Sublime (adj)
extremely good, beautiful, or enjoyable, and therefore satisfying:
sublime food/scenery
E.g. Mozart’s sublime piano concertos
(the sublime as noun)
E.g.experiences that ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Prehensile (adj)
(of parts of the body) able to hold on to things, especially by curling around them
E.g. a prehensile tail
E.g. many monkeys have long, prehensile tails which they use in swinging through the trees
Adhesive (adj)
a sticky substance that is used for joining things together, usually permanently:
E.g. You’ll need a strong adhesive to mend that chair.
E.g. Fill in the gaps with clear silicone adhesive.
E.g. an adhesive label
Erratic (adj)
Hint: 2 meanings
- moving or behaving in a way that is not regular, certain, or expected
E.g. He drove in an erratic course down the road.
E.g. She can be very erratic; one day she is friendly and the next she’ll hardly speak to you. - something that is erratic is not regular, certain, or organized in its movement or behaviour
E.g. The erratic behaviour of the stock market is making investors nervous.
E.g. Stocks closed up slightly after an erratic day of trading.
E.g. her breathing was erratic.
Substantive (adj)
important, serious, or related to real facts
E.g. Substantive research on the subject needs to be carried out.
E.g. The documents are the first substantive information obtained by the investigators.
E.g. there is no substantive evidence for the efficacy of these drugs
Interrogative (adj)
in the form of a question, or used in questions
E.g. an interrogative adverb
E.g. a hard, interrogative stare
Ecstatic (adj)
extremely happy:
E.g. The new president was greeted by an ecstatic crowd.
E.g. The last movement is sheer ecstatic joy: the double subject treatment shows the hand of a master craftsman
E.g. ecstatic fans filled the stadium
Integral (adj)
Hint: 2 meanings
- necessary and important as a part of a whole
E.g. He’s an integral part of the team and we can’t do without him.
E.g. Bars and terrace cafés are integral to the social life of the city.
E.g. games are an integral part of the school’s curriculum
E.g. systematic training should be integral to library management - contained within something; not separate
E.g. All rooms have a flat-screen TV with integral DVD-player.
E.g. The integral garage had been converted to make another bedroom.
Agreeable (adj)- feeling
pleasant or pleasing
E.g. We spent a most agreeable evening by the river.
Paramount (adj)
more important than anything else
E.g. There are many priorities, but reducing the budget deficit is paramount/is of paramount importance.
E.g. the interests of the child are of paramount importance.
Exploratory (adj)
done in order to discover more about something
E.g. an exploratory expedition to Antarctica
E.g. She’s having some exploratory tests done to find out what’s causing the illness.
E.g. We’re having an exploratory meeting next week to talk about merging the two companies.
E.g. surgeons performed an exploratory operation
E.g. exploratory talks.
Vacant (adj) - expression
showing no interest or mental activity
E.g. She had a vacant look/expression on her face.
E.g. a vacant stare.
Malicious (adj)
intended to harm or upset other people
E.g. malicious gossip
E.g. a malicious look in his eyes
E.g. He complained that he’d been receiving malicious phone calls.
E.g. He was charged with malicious wounding.
E.g. he was found guilty of malicious damage e.g. a hotbed of rumour and malicious chit-chat
E.g. the transmission of malicious software such as computer viruses.
Sadistic (adj)
deriving pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others
E.g. she took a sadistic pleasure in tormenting him
E.g. a sadistic killer.
Cladestine (adj)
planned or done in secret, especially describing something that is not officially allowed
E.g. The group held weekly clandestine meetings in a church.
E.g. He has been having a clandestine affair with his secretary for three years.
E.g. She undertook several clandestine operations for the CIA.
E.g. she deserved better than these clandestine meetings.
Illicit (adj)
illegal or disapproved of by society
E.g.illicit drugs such as cocaine and cannabis
E.g. the illicit trade in stolen vehicles
E.g. an illicit love affair
E.g. illicit drugs illicit sex.
Diabolical (adj)
extremely bad or shocking
E.g. Conditions in the prison were diabolical.
E.g. His driving is diabolical!
E.g. his diabolical cunning.
Agile (adj)
Hint:2 meanings
- able to move your body quickly and easily
E.g.Monkeys are very agile climbers.
E.g. You need to have agile fingers to do this kind of work.
E.g. Ruth was remarkably agile and light on her feet
E.g. the changes were needed for the company to become more agile and move faster (figurative) - able to think quickly and clearly:
E.g. For a man of 80, he has a remarkably agile mind.
Sprightly (adj)
(especially of old people) energetic and in good health
E.g. He’s a sprightly old man of 75.
E.g. she was quite sprightly for her age.
Sapient (adj)
Hint : 3 meanings
- wise:
E.g. his failure to heed my sapient advice
the sapient king
E.g. members of the female quarter were more sapient but no less savage than the others - intelligent; able to think
E.g. She is sapient, conscious, able to hold an intelligent discussion. - relating to the human species Homo sapiens:
E.g. We may inherit a universal linguistic blueprint from our sapient ancestors of 40,000 years ago.
Juvenile (adj)
relating to a young person who is not yet old enough to be considered an adult
E.g. juvenile crime/offenders
E.g. He was later taken to juvenile detention for violating the terms of his parole.
Bleary (adj)
If you have bleary eyes, your eyes are red or have tears in them and you cannot see clearly, because you are tired or have just woken up
E.g. to be bleary-eyed
E.g. Boris opened a bleary eye
E.g. bleary-eyed business travellers.
Splayed (adj)
to spread wide apart
E.g. At one point the dancers flipped onto their backs and splayed their legs.
E.g. The petals splay out from the middle of the flower.
E.g. half of the crowd was watching through splayed fingers.