Flashcards

abrogate,(v.) to repeal, cancel, declare null and void

abstruse,(adj.) extremely difficult to understand

acclamation,(n.) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval

aesthetic,(adj.) pertaining to beauty; sensitive or responsive to beauty

affront,(n.) an open or intentional insult; a slight; (v.) to insult to one's face; to face in defiance , confront

ambient,(adj.) completely surrounding, encompassing

amenity,(n.) that which is pleasant or agreeable

aperture,(n.) an opening, gap, hole; orifice

askance,(adj.) with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval

asperity,(n.) roughness, severity; bitterness or tartness

attenuate,(v.) to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value

Beatific,(adj.) blissful; rendering or making blessed

Behemoth,(n.) a creature of enormous size, power, or appearance

benign,(adj.) gentle, kind; forgiving, understanding; having a favorable or beneficial effect; not malignant

Blandishment,(n.) anything designed to flatter or coax; sweet talk, apple-polishing

bucolic,(adj.) characteristic of the countryside. rural; relating to shepherds and cowherds, pastoral

burnish,(v.) to make smooth or glossy by rubbing, polish; (n.) gloss, brightness, luster

cabal,(n.) a small group working in secret

Cacophonous,(adj.) harsh-sounding, raucous, discordant, dissonant

calumniate,(v.) to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously

canard,(n.) a false rumor, fabricated story

captious,(adj.) excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up

cavil,(v.) to find fault in a petty way, carp; (n.) a trivial objection or criticism

charlatan,(n.) one who feigns knowledge or ability; a pretender, impostor, or quack

chary,(adj.) extremely cautious, hesitant or slow; reserved

Chicanery,(n.) trickery, deceptive practices or tactices, double-dealing

cognizant,(adj.) aware, knowledgeable, informed; having jurisdiction

collusion,(n.) secret agreement or cooperation

Consign,(v.) to give over to another's care, charge, or control; to entrust, deliver; to set apart for a special use

contrite,(adj.) regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt

Coup,(n.) a highly successful stroke, masterstroke, tour de force, act, plan, or stratagem; a sudden takeover of power or leadership

cynosure,(n.) the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct

decimate,(v.) to kill or destroy a large part of

decorous,(adj.) well behaved, dignified, socially proper

defunct,(adj.) no longer in existence or functioning, dead

deign,(v.) to think it appropriate or suitable to one's dignity to do something

delectable,(adj.) delightful, highly enjoyable,; deliciously flavored, savory; (n.) an appealing or appetizing food

deprecate,(v.) to express mild disapproval; to belittle

desiccated,(adj.) thoroughly dried out; arid and uninteresting

detritus,(n.) loose bits and pieces of material resulting from disintegration or wearing away; fragments that result from any destruction

dilettante,(n.) a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an ameteurish, trifling way; (adj.) superficial

discomfit,(v.) to frustrate, thrawt, or defeat; to confuse, perplex, or embarrass

dissidence,(n.) a difference of opinion; discontent

ebullient,(adj.) overflowing with enthusiasm and excitement; boiling, bubbling

eclectic,(adj.) drawn from different sources; (n.) one whose beliefs are drawn from various sources

efficacy,(n.) the power to produce a desired result

engender,(v.) to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence

epicurean,(adj.) devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; fond of good food;comfort and ease; (n.) a person with discriminating taste

espouse,(v.) to take up and support; to become attatched to, adopt; to marry

ethereal,(adj.) light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly

Euphemism,(n.) a mild or inoffensive expression used in place of harsh or unpleasant one; a substitute

facade,(n.) the front of a building; a surface appearance
Fenrile,(adj.) feverish; pertaining to or marked by fever; frenetic
Fetish,(n.) an object believed to have magical powers; an object of unreasoning devotion or reverence
Flaccid,(adj.) limp, not firm; lacking vigor or effectiveness
Foible,(n.) a weak point, failing, minor flaw
Forgo,(v.) to do without, abstain from, give upfraught,(adj.) full of or loaded with; accompanied by

Gainsay,(v.) to deny, contridict, controvert; to dispute, oppose
Ghoulish,(adj.) revolting in an unnatural or morbid way
Gregarious,(adj.) living together in a herd or group; sociable, seeking the company of others

hapless,(adj.) marked by a persistent absence of good luck

Imminent,(adj.) about to happen, threatening
Impeccable,(adj.) faultless, beyond criticism or blame
Impecunious,(adj.) having little or no money
Imperturbable,(adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady
Importune,(v.) to trouble with demands; to beg for insistently
Improvident,(adj.) not thrifty, failing to plan ahead
Incongruous,(adj.) not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible
Increment,(n.) an enlargement, increase, addition
Inexorable,(adj.) inflexible, beyond influence; relentless, unyielding
Iniquity,(n.) wickedness, sin; a grossly immoral act
Innate,(adj.) natural, inborn, inherent; built-in
Interpolate,(v.) to insert between other parts or things; to present as an addition or correction
Inure,(v.) to toughen, harden; to render used to something by long subjection or exposure
Inviolable,(adj.) sacred; of such a character that it might not be broken, injured, or profaned
Irreparable,(adj.) incapable or being repaired or rectified

Laconic,(adj.) concise, using few words
Languish,(v.) to become weak, feeble, or dull; to droop; to be depressed or dispirited; to suffer neglect
Loath,(adj.) unwilling, reluctant, disinclined
Luminous,(adj.) emitting or reflecting light, glowing; illuminating

Machination,(n.) a crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some end
Mandate,(n.) an authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v.) to issue such an order
Manifest,(adj.) clear, evident to the eyes or mind; (v.) to show plainly, exhibit, evince; (n.) a list of cargo and/or passengers
Mendacious,(adj.) given to lying or deception; untrue
Mesmerize,(v.) to hypnotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch
Minutiae,(pl. n.) small or trivial details, trifling matters
Moratorium,(n.) a suspension of activitiy; an offical waiting period; an authorized period of delay
Moribund,(adj.) dying, on the way out
Mutable,(adj.) open to or capable of change; fickle

Nadir,(n.) the lowest point
Nascent,(adj.) just beginning to exist or develop; having just come into existence
Necromancer,((n.) one who claims to reveal or influence the future through magic
Nostrum,(n.) an alleged cure-all; a remedy or scheme of questionable effectiveness

Obeisance,(n.) a deep bow or other body movement indicating respect or submission; homage
Obsequious,(adj.) marked by slavish attentiveness; excessively submissive
Obtuse,(adj.) blunt, not coming to a point; slow or dull in understanding; not causing a sharp impression
Omnipresent,(adj.) present in all places at all times
Onerous,(adj.) burdensome; involving hardship or difficulty
Opprobrium,(n.) disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach
Oscillate,(v.) to swing back and forth with a steady rhythm; to fluctuate or waver

Paltry,(adj.) trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy
Panegyric,(n.) formal or elaborate praise; a tribute
Pariah,(n.) one who is rejected by a social group or organizationParoxysm,(n.) a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion
Pedantry,(n.) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details
Penitent,(adj.) regretful for one's sins or mistakes. (n.) one who is sorry for wrongdoing
Peregrination,(n.) the act or traveling ; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country
Peremptory,(adj.) having the nature of a command that leaves no opportunity for debate, denial, or refusal
Perfunctory,(adj.) done in a superficial or halfhearted manner; without interest or enthusiasm
Pillory,(n.) a device for publicly punishing offenders; a means for exposing one to public contempt or ridicule
Pittance,(n.) a woefully meager allowance, wage, or portion
Plaintive,(adj.) expressive of sorrow or woe, melancholy
Presage,(v.) to foreshadow and point to a future event; to predict; (n.) a warning or indication of the future
Progeny,(n.) descendants, offspring, children, followers
Promulgate,(v.) to explain or issue officially; to make known far and wide
Putative,(adj.) generally regarded as such; reputed; inferred

Rebuff,(v.) to snub; to repel, drive away; (n.) a curt rejection, a check
Reconnoiter,(v.) to engage in reconnaissance; to make a preliminary inspection
Rectitude,(n.) uprightness, righteousness; correctness
Redolent,(adj.) fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura
Refulgent,(adj.) shining, radiant, resplendent
Requite,(v.) to make suitable repayment, as for a kindness, service, or favor; to make retaliation, as for an injury or wrong; to reciprocate
Restive,(adj.) restless, hard to manage, balky
Rife,(adj.) common, prevalent, widespread, happening often; full, abounding; plentiful, abundant
Rudiments,(n.) the parts of any subject that are learned first; the earliest stages of anything

Sequester,(v.) to set apart, separate for a special purpose; to take possession of and hold in custody
Seraphic,(adj.) angelic, heavenly, celestial
Shambles,(n.) a slaughterhouse; a place of mass bloodshed; a state of complete disorder and confusion
Shibboleth,(n.) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others, a commonplace saying or truism
Sporadic,(adj.) occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order
Subsist,(v.) to have existence; to remain alive, manage to make a living or maintain life; to persist or continue

Tantamount,(adj.) equivalent, having the same meaning, value, or effect
Tyro,(n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill

Unremitting,(adj.) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless

Vacillate,(v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will
Visionary,(adj.) not practical, lacking in realism; having the nature of a fantasy or dream; (n.) one given to far fetched ideas; a dreamer or seer characterized by vision or foresight
Vituperative,(adj.) harshly abusive, severely scolding

Winnow,(v.) to get rid of something unwanted, delete; to sift through to obtain what is desirable; to blow on, fan
Wizened,(adj.) dry, shrunken, and wrinkled (often as the result of aging)