Word List 39 Flashcards
(44 cards)
warrant
sanction, authorization
justification
to declare or maintain with certainty
to guarantee security or immunity to; secure
to give warrant or sanction to; authorize
e.g. The writing was poor, but it hardly warrants that kind of insulting criticism.
promising enough to warrant further consideration
wastrel
vagabond, waif
one who expends resources foolishly and self-indulgently; profligate
e.g. The black sheep of the family, he ended up being a wastrel and a drunkard.
watershed
a crucial dividing point, line, or factor; turning point
e.g. A watershed moment in her life came when she inherited a reasonable sum of money and was able to start her own coffee shop.
wax
to increase in size, numbers, strength, prosperity, or intensity
to grow or become
e.g. Discord waxed at an alarming rate.
He waxed angry at the insinuation.
wean
to detach from a source of dependence
to accustom to something from an early age (used in the passive especially with on)
e.g. being weaned off the medication
wean him off his excessive drinking
students who are weaned on the Internet for research
weasel
to use weasel words; equivocate
to escape from or evade a situation or obligation (oft. used with out)
e.g. The polite guest chose to weasel rather than admit that he didn’t like the meal.
welter
a state of wild disorder; turmoil
a chaotic mass or jumble
e.g. a bewildering welter of data
wheedle
to influence or entice by soft words or flattery
to gain or get by wheedling
e.g. He wheedled quite a bit of money from her.
wheedle one’s way into favor
whet
to sharpen by rubbing on or with something (as a stone)
to make keen or more acute; excite, stimulate
e.g. whet a knife
whet the appetite / whet booksellers’ interests
whim
a capricious or eccentric and often sudden idea or turn of the mind; fancy
e.g. quit his job on a whim
whimsical
full of, actuated by, or exhibiting whims
resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially, lightly fanciful
e.g. a whimsical sense of humor
hard to make plans with such a whimsical friend
whimsical decorations
whimsy
whim, caprice
a fanciful or fantastic device, object, or creation especially in writing or art
e.g. The designer’s new line showed a touch of whimsy.
a bit of decorative whimsy
whittle
to pare or cut off chips from the surface of (wood) with a knife
to reduce, remove, or destroy gradually; pare
e.g. whittle a walking stick from a maple tree branch
whittle down the company’s overhead / whittle away one’s inheritance
willful
obstinately and often perversely self-willed
done deliberately; intentional
e.g. a stubborn and willful child
willful disregard for other people’s feelings
willowy
pliant
gracefully tall and slender
wily
full of clever tricks; crafty
e.g. a wily negotiator
wince
to shrink back involuntarily (as from pain); flinch
e.g. winched at the movie’s graphic depiction of combat injuries
windbag
an exhaustively talkative person
windy
verbose, bombastic
lacking substance; empty
e.g. a windy politician
windy promises
winnow
to get rid of (something undesirable or unwanted); remove
separate, sift; select
narrow, reduce
e.g. winnow out certain inaccuracies
an old hand at winnowing what is true and significant
The least qualified applicants were winnowed out of the initial pool.
winsome
generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence
cheerful, lighthearted
e.g. a winsome smile
wistful
full of yearning or desire tinged with melancholy; also, inspiring such yearning
musingly sad; pensive
e.g. a wistful memoir
witticism
a clever witty and often biting or ironic remark
e.g. a drama critic who is best remembered for his biting witticisms
wizen
to become dry, shrunken, and wrinkled often as a result of aging or failing vitality
e.g. a face wizened by age
