Vocabulary for Reading Flashcards
(310 cards)
1
Q
Profuse
A
something offered or discharged very plentifully; abundant.
Ex: I offered my profuse apologies.
2
Q
Apt
A
Appropriate or suitable in the circumstances.
Ex: The theme could not be more apt.
Or
Having a tendency to do something
Ex: He is apt to be swayed by irrational considerations.
3
Q
Brittle
A
Hard but easy to break.
Ex: Her bones became fragile and brittle.
4
Q
Nuance
A
A small difference in meaning or a very small detail.
Ex: He was familiar with the nuances of the local dialect.
5
Q
Craze
A
Something very popular for a short time.
Ex: The new craze for step aerobics.
6
Q
flourish
A
To grow stronger or healthier.
Ex: A good gardener knows plants flourish only with the right amount of sun and water.
7
Q
Trivial
A
Something of little value or importance.
Ex: Huge fines were imposed for trivial offences.
8
Q
Infinitesimal
A
Extremely small
Ex: An infinitesimal pause.
9
Q
Rife
A
of common occurrence; widespread.
Ex: Male chauvinism was rife in medicine.
10
Q
Forge
A
Create something strong, enduring or successful.
Ex: The two women forged a close bond.
11
Q
Beckon
A
Appear attractive or inviting.
Ex: The going is tough and soft options beckon.
12
Q
Indigenous
A
Originating in a certain area.
Ex: The potato is indigenous to Peru.
13
Q
Overshadow
A
Appear more prominent or important than something else.
Ex: His competitive nature often overshadows the other qualities.
14
Q
Peripheral
A
Related to or situated on the edge of something.
Ex: The peripheral areas of Europe.
15
Q
Lull
A
Calm or send to sleep with soothing sounds.
Ex: The rhythm of the boat lulled her to sleep.
OR
A temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity.
Ex: For two days there had been a lull in the fighting.
16
Q
Strife
A
Anger or bitter disagreement
Ex: Strife within the community.
17
Q
Inept
A
Having or showing no skill; bad at
Ex: The referee’s inept handling of the match.
18
Q
Excavate
A
Remove by digging into the ground.
Ex: To make a hole by excavating.
19
Q
Exacting
A
Making great demands on one’s skill, attention or other resources.
Ex: The exacting standards laid down by the organic food industry.
20
Q
Overt
A
Not secret or hidden
Ex: An overt act of aggression.
21
Q
Dwell
A
Live in or at a specified place.
Ex: Groups of people still dwell in these caves.
22
Q
Erode
A
To be slowly destroyed by wind and rain.
Ex: The cliffs on this coast have been eroded by the sea.
23
Q
Wane
A
To decrease in power or size.
Ex: Confidence in the dollar waned.
24
Q
Pseudonym
A
A false name used publicly.
Ex: I wrote under the pseudonym of Evelyn Harvey.
25
Urbane
courteous, sophisticated and polite. Refined in manner.
Ex: The supposedly urbane, restrained English gentleman.
26
Elective
An optional course of study or a class that students can select from among alternatives.
27
Rebound
Recover in value, amount, or strength after a decrease or decline.
Ex: The share index rebounded to show a twenty-point gain.
28
Irrefutable
Impossible to deny or disprove.
Ex: Irrefutable evidence
29
Offset
Counteract something by having an equal and opposite force or effect.
Ex: Donations to charities can be offset against tax.
Or
Place out of line.
Ex: Several places where the ridge was offset at right angles to its length.
30
Marked
Clearly noticeable
Ex: A marked increase in UK sales.
31
Impetus
a cause or reason to start an action
Ex: Before John met Amanda, all his shirts were old and filled with holes, but his desire to impress her gave him the impetus to buy new clothes.
32
Hamper
To slow the progress of or make more difficult.
Ex: The steep incline and hot weather hampered the group's efforts to reach the top of the hill in time to see the fireworks.
33
Thwart
Prevent someone from accomplishing something.
Ex: He never did anything to thwart his father.
34
Augment
To make something greater by adding to it; increase.
Ex: He augmented his summer income by painting houses.
35
Accrete
to grow by gradual accumulation.
Ex: The collection of art he had accreted was to be sold.
36
Convene
come or bring together for a meeting or activity; assemble.
Ex: He had convened a secret meeting of military personnel.
37
Despondent
In low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
Ex: She grew more and more despondent.
38
Celebrated
Greatly admired; renowned.
Ex: A celebrated mathematician.
39
Seasoned
Experienced at doing something.
Ex: Given the manager's extensive experience, the boss requested that each of her seasoned managers work closely with new hires.
40
Fastidious
Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.
Ex: She dressed with fastidious care.
41
Lavish
sumptuously rich, elaborate or luxurious.
Ex: A lavish banquet.
42
Forgo
To decide not to use or have something good.
Ex: Terry had to forgo his summer backpacking trip across Europe in order to save money to fix his car instead.
43
Baffle
Totally bewilder or perplex
Ex: An unexplained occurrence that baffled everyone.
44
Poised
Having a composed and self assured manner.
Ex: Not everyday you saw that poised, competent kid distressed.
45
Squalor
The state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant. Especially as a result of poverty or neglect.
Ex: They live in squalor and disease.
46
Trifle
Treat without seriousness or respect.
Ex: He is not a man to be trifled with.
47
Insidious
Something unpleasant or dangerous that develops gradually without being noticed.
Ex: Sexual harassment is a serious and insidious problem.
48
Inchoate
just begun and not so fully formed or developed, rudimentary.
Ex: A still inchoate democracy.
49
Antithesis
A person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else.
50
Poignant
Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret, touching.
Ex: A poignant reminder of the passing of time.
51
Respite
A short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.
Ex: The refugee encampment will provide some respite from the suffering.
52
Pry
Inquire too closely into a person's private affairs.
Ex: Sorry, I don't mean to pry.
53
Platitude
A remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful.
Ex: He masks his disdain for her with platitudes about how she should believe in herself more.
54
Banal/ trite
Something lacking in originality, as to be obvious and boring.
Ex: Songs with banal, repeated words.
55
Mandate
An official order or commission to do something.
Ex: A mandate to seek the release of political prisoners.
56
Ensconced
Establish or settle in a comfortable, safe place.
Ex: Agnes ensconced herself in their bedroom.
57
Impetuous
Acting or done quickly and without thought or care.
Ex: She might live to rue this impetuous decision.
58
Fratricide
The killing of one's brother or sister.
Ex: Cain justifies his fratricide with lethal logic.
OR
The accidental killing of one's own forces in war.
Ex: The Vietnam War saw fratricide increase because of the close-in jungle fighting.
59
Bedecked
Decorate
Ex: He led us into a room bedecked with gold.
60
Credence
Belief in or acceptance of something as true.
Ex: I'm not prepared to give credence to anonymous complaints
61
Saccharine
Excessively sweet or sentimental.
Ex: Saccharine music
62
Piquant
having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor.
Ex: A piquant tartare sauce.
Or
Pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind.
63
Relish
Enjoy greatly.
Ex: He was relishing his moment of glory.
64
Discretion
The quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offence or revealing confidential information.
Ex: She knew she could rely on his discretion.
65
Recourse
A source of help in a difficult situation.
Ex: Surgery may be the only recourse.
66
Placate or pacify
Make someone less angry or hostile.
Ex: He has tried to placate his critics within the party.
67
Reprieve
Cancellation or postponement of a punishment.
Ex: He accepted the death sentence and refused to appeal for a reprieve.
68
Stupefy
Astonish and shock.
Ex: The amount they spend on clothes would appal their parents and stupefy their grandparents.
69
Incandescent
Full of strong emotion; passionate.
Ex: She felt an incandescent love for life.
70
Listless
lacking energy or enthusiasm.
Ex: I have felt listless all day.
71
Absolution
Formal release from guilt, obligation or punishment.
Ex: Absolution from the sentence.
72
Poppycock
nonsense
Ex: He said I was talking poppycock.
73
Indignation
Anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment.
Ex: The letter filled Lucy with indignation.
74
Culpable
Deserving blame.
Ex: They are both culpable for putting political life on the danger list.
75
Contrition
The state of feeling remorseful and penitent.
Ex: To show contrition for his crime, he offered to do community service.
76
Peckish
Hungry
Ex: I hadn't eaten and was quite peckish.
77
Adept
Means skilled
78
Adversary
Means opponent
79
Align(oneself with)
To support or adopt the position of
80
Authentic
Means genuine
81
Centrality
State of being central or essential
82
Complement
To complete or perfect
83
Comprehensive
Means wide-ranging
84
Contingent
Means dependent upon
85
Confer
Means to give or grant
86
Corollary
describes a result that is the natural consequence of something else
87
Contemporary
Means current
88
Displace
To force someone or something from its home or habitat
89
Disposition
A person's inherent qualities of mind and character, personality.
90
Marginal
At the edge or margin OR
minor and unimportant; not central
91
Mitigate
Make something less severe
92
Solemn
something characterized by deep sincerity.
Ex: He swore a solemn oath to keep faith.
OR
something formal and dignified
Ex: A solemn procession.
93
frivolous
Not having any serious purpose or value, flippant
Ex: Frivolous ribbons and lacy frills.
94
Confound
to cause surprise or confusion in someone especially not according with their expectations, amaze
Ex: The inflation figure confounded by economic analysts.
95
Docile
Ready to accept control or instruction, submissive
96
Precocious
developed certain abilities at an earlier age than is usual or expected, advanced
Ex: A precocious solitary boy.
97
Precarious
not securely held in position, dangerously likely to fall.
Ex: A precarious ladder.
OR
Dependent on chance; uncertain
Ex: He made a precarious living as a painter.
98
Proponents
A person who advocates a theory, proposal, or course of action, an advocate
Ex: a strong proponent of the free market and liberal trade policies.
99
Polemicist
A person who engages in controversial debate.
Ex: A brilliant polemicist with an independent critical mind.
100
Relic
An object surviving from an earlier time, especially one of historical interest.
Ex: A museum of railway relics.
101
Forerunner
A person or thing that precedes the coming or development of someone or something else.
Ex: The ice safe was a forerunner of today's refrigerator.
102
Subversive
seeking or intended to subvert an established system or institution, disruptive
Ex: The government blamed a subversive organization for the riots.
103
Profound
Very great of intense
Ex: Profound feelings of sorrow
104
Disquiet
a feeling of worry or unease, anxiety, worry
Ex: A public unease over animal testing.
105
Cryptic
having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure.
Ex: he found his boss's utterances too cryptic.
106
Intimate
private and personal.
Ex: intimate details of his sexual encounters.
OR
closely acquainted; familiar.
Ex: Intimate friends
107
Exult
Feel or show triumphant elation or jubilation, rejoice
Ex: Exulting in her escape, Lisa closed the door behind her.
108
Repose
A state of rest, sleep or tranquility.
Ex: In repose her face looked relaxed.
109
Ablation
the ancient past, especially the period of classical and other human civilizations before the Middle Ages
Ex: The great civilizations of antiquity
110
Obscure
Not discovered or known about; uncertain.
Ex: His origins and parentage are obscure.
111
Esoteric/Arcane
Understood by few; mysterious or secret.
Ex: Arcane procedures for electing people.
112
Tenuous
Very weak or slight.
Ex: The tenuous link between interest rates and investment.
113
Obtrusive
Noticeable or prominent in an unwelcome or intrusive way.
Ex: The sofa would be less obtrusive in a paler colour.
114
Idiomatic
Using, containing or denoting expressions that are natural to a native speaker.
Ex: He spoke fluent, idiomatic English.
115
Dexterous
Showing or having skill, especially with the hands.
Ex: A dexterous keyboard player.
116
Arduous
Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.
Ex: An arduous journey.
117
Expedient
Convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral.
Ex: Either side could break the agreement if it were expedient to do so.
118
Idiosyncratic
Unique to an individual; peculiar or individual; distinctive
Ex: She emerged as one of the great, idiosyncratic talents of the nineties
119
Seemliness
The quality or state of being especially suitable or fitting.
120
Colloquial
Used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary.
Ex: Colloquial and everyday language.
121
Prejudice
Preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
Ex: Prejudice against people from different backgrounds.
122
Abhorrent
Inspiring disgust and loathing; repugnant.
Ex: Racism was abhorrent to us all.
123
Tact
Skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues, thoughtfulness
Ex: The inspector broke the news to me with tact and consideration.
124
Vindicate
Clear someone of blame or suspicion.
Ex: Hospital staff were vindicated by the inquest verdict.
125
Vindictive
Having or showing a strong desire for revenge.
Ex: The criticism was both vindictive and personalized.
126
Valiant
Possessing or showing courage or determination.
Ex: She made a valiant effort to hold her anger in check.
127
Puerile
Childishly, silly and immature
Ex: A puerile argument.
128
Imperative
of vital importance; crucial
Ex: immediate action was imperative
129
Delectable
delicious
Ex: Delectable handmade chocolates.
130
Sycophant
A person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage.
Ex: Because he is high-ranking, he's surrounded by sycophants.
131
Obsequious
Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
Ex: They were served by obsequious waiters.
132
Inventive
Having the ability to create or design new things or to think originally, creative
Ex: The most inventive composer of his time.
133
Cavalier
showing a lack of proper concern; indifferent
Ex: Anne was irritated by his cavalier attitude.
134
Sagely
In a profoundly wise manner.
Ex: James nodded sagely to reinforce his point.
135
Eminent
famous and respected within a particular sphere, illustrious or distinguished
Ex: One of the world's most eminent statisticians.
136
Ingenious
clever, original, and inventive.
Ex: He was ingenious enough to overcome the limited budget.
137
Detractors
a person who belittles someone or something, critic
Ex: The island, say its detractors, has been devoured by development.
138
Disparage
regard or represent as being of little worth.
Ex: He never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors.
139
Fib
a small lie that doesn't cause any harm.
Ex: why did you tell him such a dreadful fib?
140
Unfetter
release from a restraining or inhibiting force, to be restrained
Ex: His imagination is unfettered by the laws of logic.
141
Frailty
the condition of being weak and delicate.
Ex: The increasing frailty of old age.
142
Facetious
treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour; flippant.
Ex: A facetious remark.
143
Chattel
a personal possession
Ex:
144
Ordeal
a very unpleasant and prolonged experience.
Ex: As a consequence he forced the families through the ordeal of the trial.
145
convalescent
Recovering from an illness or medical treatment, recovering
Ex: a convalescent child
146
Peaky
Pale from an illness or fatigue, sickly
Ex: You're looking a bit peaky—a change of scene would do you good.
147
Divulge
To make private or sensitive information known, reveal
Ex: I do not want to divulge my plans at the moment.
148
Loathe
feel intense dislike or disgust for, detest
Ex: she loathed him on sight.
149
Duplicitous
means deceitful
Ex: A duplicitous philanderer.
150
Ruse
an action intended to deceive someone; a trick or ploy.
Ex: Emma tried to think of a ruse to get Paul out of the house.
151
Abscond
leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to escape from custody or avoid arrest; runaway
Ex: The barman absconded with a week's takings.
152
Vehement
showing strong feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense.
Ex: Her voice was low but vehement.
153
Ardent
very enthusiastic or passionate.
Ex: An ardent supporter of the cause of education.
154
Behemoth
a huge or monstrous creature.
155
Dispense
do without or get rid of.
Ex: Let's dispense with the formalities, shall we?
156
Predilection
a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something.
Ex: My predilection for Asian food.
157
Temperance
The quality of moderation or self restraint.
Ex: The whole multitude of men lack temperance in their lives, either from ignorance or from want of self-control
158
Cordial
warm and friendly
Ex: The atmosphere was cordial and relaxed.
OR
strongly felt, intense
Ex: I earned his cordial loathing.
159
Affable
Friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.
Ex: An affable and agreeable companion.
160
Traipse
walk or move wearily or reluctantly, trek
Ex: The student had to traipse all over London to attend lectures.
161
Litany
A tedious recital or repetitive series.
Ex: A litany of complaints.
162
Menagerie
a collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition.
OR
a strange or diverse collection of people or things.
163
Contrive
To plan with ingenuity; devise.
Ex: His opponents contrived a cabinet crisis.
164
Haphazard
lacking any obvious principle of organization; disorganized
Ex: The music business works in a haphazard fashion.
165
Veracity
habitual truthfulness
Ex: Officials expressed doubts concerning the veracity of the story.
166
Illicit
forbidden by laws, rules or customs.
Ex: Illicit drugs.
167
Manifest
Clear or obvious to the eye or mind.
Ex: Her manifest charm and proven ability.
OR
show (a quality or feeling) by one's acts or appearance; demonstrate.
Ex: Lizzy manifested signs of severe depression.
168
Savant
A very learned or talented person, especially one distinguished in a particular field of science or the arts. An intellectual
Ex: He portrayed himself as a savant and a genius.
169
Egress
The action of going out of or leaving a place.
Ex: Direct means of access and egress for passengers.
170
Deign
to do something unwillingly and in a way that shows that you think you are too important to do it.
Ex: If she deigns to reply to my letter, I'll be extremely surprised.
171
Adjunct
a thing added to something else as a supplementary rather than an essential part.
Ex: Computer technology is an adjunct to learning.
172
Modicum
a small quantity of a particular thing, especially something desirable or valuable.
Ex: His statement had a modicum of truth.
173
Stricken
seriously affected by an undesirable condition or unpleasant feeling; troubled
Ex: The pilot landed the stricken aircraft.
174
Implicate
show to be involved in a crime.
OR
to imply something
Ex: By stating coffee would keep her awake, Mary implicated that she didn't want any.
175
Levity
a lack of seriousness
Ex: She would not tolerate any levity in the classroom.
176
Solemn
serious and without any humor.
Ex: He looked stern and solemn and rarely talked.
177
Flummoxed
so confused that you do not know what to do
Ex: Doctor's were flummoxed by the boy's symptoms.
178
Copious
In large amounts or more than enough.
Ex: A copious blood supply.
179
Gallivant
to visit or go to a lot of different places, enjoying yourself and not worrying about other things you should be doing
Ex: Well you won't be able to go off gallivanting around like this when there's a baby to be taken care of.
180
Quibble
to argue about, or say you disapprove of, something that is not important
Ex: There's no point quibbling about/over a couple of dollars.
181
Superficial
appearing to be true or real only until examined more closely.
Ex: The resemblance between the breeds is superficial
OR
Existing or occurring at or on the surface.
Ex: the building suffered only superficial damage.
182
Facile
ignoring the true complexities of an issue; superficial.
Ex: Facile generalizations.
OR
easily achieved; effortless.
A facile seven-lengths victory.
183
Absolute
very great or to the largest degree possible:
Ex: a man of absolute integrity/discretion
OR
true, right, or the same in all situations and not depending on anything else:
Ex: an absolute law/principle/doctrine
184
Negate
to make something ineffective; nullify
Ex: Alcohol negates the effects of the drug.
185
Entrench
establish (an attitude, habit, or belief) so firmly that change is very difficult or unlikely.
Ex: Ageism is entrenched in our society
186
Entrancing
capable of attracting and holding interest; charming.
Ex: an entrancing smile.
187
Prefigure
be an early indication or version of (something).
Ex: the Hussite movement prefigured the Reformation.
188
Affinity
a natural liking for and understanding of someone or something
Ex: He had a special affinity with horses.
189
Corroborate
confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)
Ex: The witness had corroborated the boy's account of the attack
190
Subsume
include or absorb (something) in something else.
Ex: Most of these phenomena can be subsumed under two broad categories.
191
Ascertain
find (something) out for certain; make sure of.
Ex: an attempt to ascertain the cause of the accident.
192
Discern
Recognize or find out.
Ex: I can discern no difference between the two policies
193
Qualified (other definition that isnt related to certification or meeting requirements for a position)
make (a statement or assertion) less absolute; add reservations to or limit
Ex: She felt obliged to qualify her first short answer.
194
Coxcombical
a conceited and foolish person.
195
Conceited
excessively proud of oneself; vain
Ex: Fred's so conceited he'd never believe anyone would refuse him.
196
197
Chastise
Rebuke or reprimand seriously; scold
Ex: He chastised his colleagues for their laziness.
198
Ramification
a complex or unwelcome consequence of an action or event.
Ex: Any change is bound to have legal ramifications.
199
Conscientious
wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly; diligent or punctilious
Ex: A conscientious man, he took his duties very seriously.
200
Grimaces
an ugly, twisted expression on a person's face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement, frown.
Ex: she gave a grimace of pain.
201
Extricable
to free or remove from entanglement or difficulty.
202
Fervour
intense and passionate feeling.
Ex: He talked with all the fervour of a new convert.
203
Dastardly
wicked and cruel
Ex: Pirates and their dastardly.
204
Coy
making a pretence of shyness or modesty that is intended to be alluring (typically used of a woman), flirtatious
Ex: She treated him to a coy smile of invitation.
OR
reluctant to give details about something considered as sensitive.
Ex: He is coy about his age.
205
Decadence
moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury, luxurious self indulgence.
Ex: He denounced Western decadence.
206
Impugn
dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or motive); call into question.
Ex: The father does not impugn her capacity as a good mother.
207
Stymie
To prevent or hinder the progress of.
Ex: The changes must not be allowed to stymie new medical treatments.
208
Decry
Publicly denounce
Ex: They decried human rights abuses.
209
Frisk
Skip or leap playfully; frolic
Ex: Spaniels frisked around me.
OR
of a police officer or other official) pass the hands over (someone) in a search for hidden weapons, drugs, or other items.
Ex: He raised his arms to permit the officer to frisk him.
210
Upend
Set or turn (something) on its end or upside down.
Ex: She upended a can of soup over the portions.
211
Redact
censor or obscure (part of a text) for legal or security purposes.
Ex: a confidential memo which has been redacted from 25 pages to just one paragraph.
212
Predisposed
make someone liable or inclined to a specified attitude, action, or condition.
Ex: lack of exercise may predispose an individual to high blood pressure.
213
Embargo
an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country.
Ex: an embargo on grain sales.
214
Sacrosanct
regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with.
Ex: the individual's right to work has been upheld as sacrosanct.
215
Endearing
Inspiring affection.
Ex: An endearing little grin.
216
Megalomaniac
someone who has an unnaturally strong wish for power and control, or thinks that they are much more important and powerful than they really are.
Ex: He has been accused of being a megalomaniac.
217
Domicile
Treat a specified country as a permanent home, reside or based.
Ex: The tenant is domiciled in the United Kingdom.
218
Commune
to get very close to someone or something by exchanging feelings or thoughts.
Ex: Lying naked in the grass, among the trees and birds, he felt he was communing with nature.
OR
A group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities.
Ex: she went to California and joined a commune.
219
Innocuous
not harmful or offensive.
Ex: it was an innocuous question.
220
Convoluted
extremely complex and difficult to follow.
Ex: the film is let down by a convoluted plot in which nothing really happens.
221
Abjure
solemnly renounce (a belief, cause, or claim).
Ex: MPs were urged to abjure their Jacobite allegiance.
222
Dismal
causing a mood of gloom or depression, dingy, sombre or dark.
Ex: The dismal weather made the late afternoon seem like evening.
223
Indolence
avoidance of activity or exertion; laziness.
Ex: My failure is probably due to my own indolence.
224
Predate
exist or occur at a date earlier than (something).
Ex: Here parish boundaries seem clearly to predate Roman roads.
225
Pillage
rob a (place) using violence, especially in wartime.
Ex: The abbey was plundered and pillaged.
226
Rustic
made in a plain and simple fashion, homespun.
Ex: rustic pottery
227
Treacly
excessively sentimental.
Ex: Treacly melodramas
228
Cesspool
a disgusting or corrupt place.
Ex: the town is not the cesspool you portrayed.
229
Amiss
not quite right; inappropriate or out of place.
Ex: There was something amiss about his calculations.
230
Posterity
all future generations of people.
Ex: the victims' names are recorded for posterity.
231
Heresy or heretical
holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted.
Ex: I feel a bit heretical saying this, but I think the film has too much action.
232
Recant
say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, especially one considered heretical.
Ex: Heretics were burned if they would not recant.
233
Incursion
an invasion or attack, especially a sudden or brief one.
Ex: Incursions into enemy territory.
234
Fortuitous
happening by chance rather than intention.
Ex: The similarity between the paintings may not be simply fortuitous.
235
Misanthrope
a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.
Ex: Scrooge wasn't the mean-spirited misanthrope most of us believe him to be.
236
Disenfranchised
deprive (someone) of a right or privilege.
Ex: We strongly oppose any measure which would disenfranchise people from access to legal advice.
237
Propensities
an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way.
Ex: His propensity for violence.
238
Enamored
have a liking or admiration for
Ex: She was truly enamored of New York
239
Dour
relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance.
Ex: A hard, dour, humorless fanatic.
240
Construe
interpret (a word or action) in a particular way.
Ex: His words could hardly be construed as an apology.
241
Leering
looking or gazing in a lascivious(lecherous) or unpleasant way.
Ex: Every leering eye in the room was on her.
242
Presumptuous
failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate; overconfident or overbold.
Ex: I hope I won't be considered presumptuous if I offer some advice.
243
Futile
incapable of producing any useful result; pointless
Ex: a futile attempt to keep fans from mounting the stage.
244
Extricate
free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty, disentangle.
Ex: He was trying to extricate himself from official duties.
245
Confluence
an act or process of merging.
Ex: A major confluence of the world's financial markets.
246
Fictitious
not real or true; imaginary or fabricated.
Ex: Reports of a deal were dismissed as fictitious by the Minister.
247
Potent
having great power, influence, or effect.
Ex: Thrones were potent symbols of authority.
248
Rapacious
aggressively greedy or grasping.
Ex: Rapacious landlords.
249
Brazen
bold and without shame.
Ex: he went about his illegal business with a brazen assurance.
250
Pilfer
steal (things of little value).
Ex: she produced the handful of coins she had managed to pilfer.
251
Quaint
attractively unusual or old-fashioned.
Ex: Quaint country cottages.
252
Amalgamation
the action, process, or result of combining or uniting.
Ex: The threat of amalgamation with another college.
253
Ostensibly
outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended; basically having a false surface appearance.
Ex: An ostensible cheerfulness concealing sadness.
254
Tantamount
equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as or equivalent to something.
Ex: The resignations were tantamount to an admission of guilt.
255
Jejune
naive, simplistic, and superficial.
Ex: Their entirely predictable and usually jejune opinions.
OR
(of ideas or writings) dry and uninteresting.
256
Fraught
filled with or likely to result in (something undesirable).
Ex: Marketing any new product is fraught with danger.
OR
causing or affected by anxiety or stress.
Ex: there was a fraught silence.
257
Repudiate
refuse to accept; reject.
Ex: She has repudiated policies associated with previous party leaders.
258
Vitriolic
filled with bitter criticism or malice; acrimonious
Ex: Vitriolic attacks on the politicians.
259
Virtuous
having or showing high moral standards.
Ex: He considered herself very virtuous because she neither drank nor smoked.
260
Decrepit
worn out or ruined because of age or neglect.
Ex: a row of decrepit houses.
OR
of a person) elderly and infirm; feeble
Ex: I stay active as I don't want to be decrepit.
261
Tedium
the state or quality of being tedious.
Ex: the tedium of car journeys.
262
Thrall
the state of being in someone's power, or of having great power over someone.
Ex: The town in thrall to a villain.
263
Eviscerate
deprive (something) of its essential content.
Ex: myriad little concessions that would eviscerate the project.
264
Disparage
regard or represent as being of little worth; belittle
Ex: He never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors.
265
Arbiter
a person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter; a judge basically.
Ex: The Secretary of State is the final arbiter.
266
Git
an unpleasant or despicable person.
Ex: That mean old git.
267
Contempt
the feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or beneath consideration; disrespect
Ex: Pam stared at the girl with total contempt.
268
Reproach
express to (someone) one's disapproval of or disappointment in their actions.
Ex: Critics reproached him for his failure to tackle the deficiency.
269
Deluge
a severe flood
Ex: this may be the worst deluge in living memory.
OR
a great quantity of something arriving at the same time.
Ex: a deluge of complaints.
270
Aberration
something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected; an anomaly
Ex: they described the outbreak of violence in the area as an aberration
271
Tentative
not certain or fixed; provisional.
Ex: a tentative conclusion.
OR
done without confidence; hesitant.
Ex: He eventually tried a few tentative steps round his hospital room.
272
Mar
impair the quality or appearance of; spoil
Ex: The violence marred a number of New Year's celebrations.
273
Petulant
childishly sulky or bad-tempered.
Ex: He was moody and petulant.
274
Depraved
morally corrupt; wicked.
Ex: He was a depraved lecher.
275
Chastise
rebuke or reprimand severely.
Ex: He chastised his colleagues for their laziness.
OR
punish, especially by beating.
Ex: the General cruelly chastised them with a whip.
276
Occult
mystical, supernatural, or magical powers, practices, or phenomena.
Ex: a secret society to study alchemy and the occult.
OR
not accompanied by readily discernible signs or symptoms.
Ex: careful palpation sometimes discloses occult spina bifida.
277
latent
existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed.
Ex: they have a huge reserve of latent talent.
278
Conjecture
an opinion or suppostion(conclusion) formed on the basis of incomplete information; guess
Ex: conjectures about the newcomer were many and varied.
279
Penchant
a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something.
Ex: He has a penchant for adopting stray dogs
280
Callous
showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others; heartless
Ex: His callous comments about the murder made me shiver.
281
Phantom
a figment of the imagination or ghost.
Ex: He tried to clear the phantoms from his head and grasp reality.
282
Insatiable
Impossible to satisfy.
Ex: An insatiable hunger for success.
283
Herald
a person or thing viewed as a sign that something is about to happen; an indicator of something
Ex: They considered the first primroses as the herald of spring.
284
Sanctimony
the action or practice of acting as if one were morally superior to other people.
Ex: They have no shame and turn on the phony sanctimony.
285
Wench
a prostitute
286
Reap my just desserts
something bad happens to you that you deserve because of something bad you have done.
287
Gallant
brave; heroic.
Ex: she had made gallant efforts to pull herself together.
OR
charmingly attentive and chivalrous to women.
Ex: a gallant gentleman came over and kissed my hand.
288
Derelict
in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect.
Ex: a derelict Georgian mansion.
289
Accost
approach and address (someone) boldly or aggressively.
Ex: reporters accosted him in the street.
290
Wanton
deliberate and unprovoked.
Ex: sheer wanton vandalism.
OR
a sexually unrestrained woman.
Ex: She'd behaved like a wanton"
291
Beguile
to charm or enchant, often in a deceptive way.
Ex: He beguiled the voters with his good looks.
OR
help (time) pass pleasantly.
Ex: to beguile some of the time they went to the cinema.
292
Trollop
a female prostitute.
293
Polarize
divide or cause to divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs.
Ex: The cultural sphere has polarized into two competing ideological positions.
294
Moratorium
a temporary prohibition of an activity.
Ex: A moratorium on the use of drift nets.
295
Prescient
having or showing knowledge of events before they take place; prophetic or predictive
Ex: a prescient warning.
296
Revel in something
Take great pleasure in something; be overjoyed and celebrated
Ex: She reveled in her success.
297
Transcend
Be or go beyond the range or limits of (a field of activity or conceptual sphere).
Ex: This was an issue transcending the tech space and reaching other corners of society.
OR
Surpass (a person or achievement).
Ex: He doubts that he will ever transcend Shakespeare"
298
Sweltering
uncomfortably hot.
Ex: a sweltering English summer.
299
Assuage
make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense; relieve
Ex: the letter assuaged the fears of most members.
OR
satisfy (an appetite or desire).
Ex: an opportunity occurred to assuage her desire for knowledge.
300
Confide
trust (someone) enough to tell them of a secret or private matter; divulge
Ex: He confided in friends that he and his wife planned to separate.
301
Consign
deliver (something) to a person's keeping; entrust
Ex: He consigned three paintings to Sotheby's.
302
Reprove
reprimand (someone); scold, reproach.
Ex: He was reproved for obscenity.
303
Prostrate
reduce (someone) to extreme physical weakness.
Ex: She was so prostrated by migraine that she could scarcely totter up the stairs to bed.
304
305
Acrimony
bitterness or ill feeling; rancour or resentment
Ex: The AGM dissolved into acrimony
306
Infallible
incapable of making mistakes or being wrong.
Ex: Doctors are not infallible.
307
Conflate
combine (two or more sets of information, texts, ideas, etc.) into one.
308
epicaricacy
derive pleasure from the misfortune of another.
309
moribund
of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigour.
"the moribund commercial property market"
(of a person) at the point of death.
"on examination she was moribund and dehydrated"
310
