week 13 vocab Flashcards
piquant adj.
having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor.
“a piquant tartare sauce”
pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind.
“a story’s ____ twist”
pique v.
stimulate (interest or curiosity).
“you have piqued my curiosity about the man”
feel irritated or resentful.
“she was piqued by his curtness”
pithy adj.
(of language or style) concise and forcefully expressive.
pivotal adj.
of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else.
“the alliance that played a pivotal role in the revolution”
fixed on or as if on a pivot.
“a sliding or pivotal motion”
placate v.
make (someone) less angry or hostile.
“they attempted to placate the students with promises”
plagiarism n.
the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own.
“there were accusations of plagiarism”
platitude n.
a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful.
“he masks his disdain for her with platitudes about how she should believe in herself more”
a dull remark made as if it were profound
plausible adj.
(of an argument or statement) seeming reasonable or probable.
“a plausible explanation”
plebeian n./adj.
n. a member of the common man
adj. relating to the common man
plethora n.
a large or excessive amount of (something).
“a plethora of committees and subcommittees”
poignant adj.
evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret.
“a poignant reminder of the passing of time”
intense, sincere, profoundly moving
ponderous adj.
slow and clumsy because of great weight.
“her footsteps were heavy and ponderous”
portentous adj.
accurately describing or predicting what will happen in the future.
giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious.
[esp. when indicating a momentous incident]
“the envelope and its portentous contents”
posthumous adj.
occurring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator.
“he was awarded a posthumous Military Cross”
postulate n./v.
a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.
to hypothesize
potent adj.
having great power, influence, or effect.
“thrones were potent symbols of authority”
pragmatic adj.
dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.
“a pragmatic approach to business ethics”
precarious adj.
not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.
“a precarious ladder”
dependent on chance; uncertain.
“he made a precarious living as a painter”
precedent n.
an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.
“there are substantial precedents for using interactive media in training”
preclude v.
prevent from happening; make impossible.
“the secret nature of his work precluded official recognition”
(of a situation or condition) prevent someone from doing something.
“his difficulties preclude him from leading a normal life”
inactivity can _____ improvement
precocious adj.
(of a child) having developed certain abilities at an earlier age than usual.
“he was a precocious, solitary boy”
precursor n.
a person or thing that comes before another of the same kind; a forerunner.
“a three-stringed precursor of the violin”
hypertension is a _____ to heart disease
predatory adj.
relating to or denoting an animal or animals preying naturally on others.
“predatory birds”
seeking to exploit or oppress others.
“new laws have been passed designed to crack down on predatory lenders”
predecessor n.
a person who held a job or office before the current holder.
“his approach is very similar to that of his predecessor”
