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131 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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ingenuous
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frank and candid (POSSIBLE ANTONYM: "calculating")
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spate
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1.a sudden, almost overwhelming, outpouring: a spate of angry words.
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scurrilous
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1. Given to the use of vulgar, coarse, or abusive language; foul-mouthed. 2. Expressed in vulgar, coarse, and abusive language.
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accost
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1. To approach and speak to boldly or aggressively, as with a demand or request. 2. To solicit for sex.
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willful
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1. Said or done on purpose; deliberate. See Synonyms at voluntary. 2. Obstinately bent on having one's own way.
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assuage
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to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
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noxious
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harmful; injurious
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obtuse
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lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
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stymie
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to block; thwart
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truculent
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fierce and cruel; eager to fight
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virulent
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extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
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ameliorate
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to make better or more tolerable
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complaisance
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the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
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ebullience
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the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
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exonerate
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to remove blame
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facetious
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playful; humorous (sarcastic)
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impecunious
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lacking funds; without money (THIS WORD IS JUST LITERAL IN MEANING; NO IMPLICATION OF "STINGY")
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penurious
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ungenerous; excessively thrifty (NEGATIVE)
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preen
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to dress up; to groom oneself with elaborate care
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squalid
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sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
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penury
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poverty; destitution
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pith
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the essential or central part
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pithy
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precise and brief
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repudiate
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to disown; to refuse to have anything to do with
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reverent
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marked by feeling, or expressing a feeling of profound awe and respect (NOUN: reverence)
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aggrandize
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1. To increase the scope of; extend.
2. To make greater in power, influence, stature, or reputation. 3. To make appear greater; exaggerate: aggrandize one argument while belittling another. |
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spendthrift
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one who spends money wastefully
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Panglossian
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characterized by or given to extreme optimism, esp. in the face of unrelieved hardship or adversity. [Origin: 1825–35; after Pangloss, an optimistic character in Voltaire's Candide;
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droll
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–adjective 1. amusing in an odd way;
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dalliance
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frivolous spending of time 1. the deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working 2. playful behavior intended to arouse sexual interest [syn: flirt]
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apodictic
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adjective : expressing or of the nature of necessary truth or absolute certainty Example sentence: The apodictic tone of Liza’s writing reflects her complete confidence in the correctness of her statements.
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adventitious
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1. Added extrinsically; not essentially inherent. 2. (Biology) Out of the proper or usual place; as, "adventitious buds or roots."
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adjuvant
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2 : assisting in the prevention, amelioration, or cure of disease Example sentence: Dr. Browne and his research team are running a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. (i.e. surgery is the main treatment, but chemotherapy improves surgery's effectiveness)
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caterwaul
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NOUN:1. the yowling sound made by a cat in heat
VERB: 1. To cry or screech like a cat in heat. 2. To make a shrill, discordant sound. 3. To have a noisy argument. |
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cohort
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c : a group of individuals having a statistical factor (as age or class membership) in common in a demographic study 2 : companion, colleague “A cohort of chambermaids would descend twice daily with mops, brooms, and fresh towels in tow.” (Doone Beale, Gourmet, April 1989)
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assuage
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*1 : to lessen the intensity of (something that pains or distresses) : ease 2 : pacify, quiet 3 : to put an end to by satisfying : appease, quench Example sentence: After her son’s first fender bender, Patty tried to assuage his feelings of humiliation by sharing tales of her own misadventures behind the wheel.
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mien
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= DEMEANOR
1. Manner or bearing, especially as expressive of mood, attitude, or personality; demeanor. 2. Aspect; appearance. He raised and answered the question with the dispassionate mien of a professor advising a student on a course of study. For her part, Amy soon learned to cloak her self-assurance and pride in her achievements in a modest mien. |
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canorous
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Richly melodious; pleasant sounding; musical.
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Lucullan
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lavish, luxurious Example sentence: The banquet guests were treated to a Lucullan feast in the royal dining room.
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leitmotif
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A dominant and recurring theme, as in a novel. (FOCUS ON "motif")
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hortatory
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adj. Marked by exhortation or strong urging: a hortatory speech.
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scission
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*1 : a division or split in a group or union : schism 2 : an action or process of cutting, dividing, or splitting : the state of being cut, divided, or split Example sentence: Despite the bitter scissions that divided their party, the Republicans dominated the state’s political scene throughout the 1990s.
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menagerie
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other meaning: diverse or varied group Leaner organizations may not have the infrastructure or a menagerie of specialists, but they are able to offer greater personal attention, accountability and economy.C765
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gadfly
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2 : a person who stimulates or annoys especially by persistent criticism Example sentence: Robert, the self-appointed gadfly of the local paper, would write a scathing letter to the editor whenever he felt the news coverage had been inadequate or inaccurate.
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raiment
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Clothing in general; garments; -- usually singular in form, with a collective sense. People want "habitations for shelter and safety, and raiment for warmth and decency."
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truckle
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truckle :to act in a subservient manner : submit
Example sentence: Jumana decided that she had had enough of her older sister’s demands and vowed not to truckle to her anymore. |
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ersatz
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Being a substitute or imitation, usually an inferior one. Meanwhile, a poor copy was erected in the courtyard; many an unsuspecting traveler paid homage to that ersatz masterpiece.
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Sedulity
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nounthe quality of being constantly diligent and attentive
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Sedulous
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marked by care and persistent effort (OR ANOTHER DEFINITION) (of a person or his efforts etc) steady, earnest and persistent Example: He worked with sedulous concentration.rt;
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Dither –
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n. A state of indecisive agitation.
"He was in a dither." |
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vim
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vitality and energy
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inflammable
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easily set on fire
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protraction
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extended duration
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inchoate
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disorganized and incoherent (in the sense of not yet fully formed)
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stymie
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to block; thwart
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Truculent
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– fierce and cruel – eager to fight
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Virulent
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– extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile
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Ameliorate –
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to make better or more tolerable
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Complaisance
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– willingness to comply with the wishes of others.
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Preen –
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to dress up; to groom oneself with elaborate care.
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Pithy –
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precise and brief
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Repudiate –
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1. to reject as having no authority or binding force: to repudiate a claim.
2. to cast off or disown: to repudiate a son. 3. to reject with disapproval or condemnation: to repudiate a new doctrine. 4. to reject with denial: to repudiate a charge as untrue. 5. to refuse to acknowledge and pay (a debt), as a state, municipality, etc. |
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Reverent –
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marked by feeling, or expressing a feeling of profound awe and respect (noun form: reverence)
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Aggrandize –
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to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige
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succor
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noun:1. Aid; help; assistance; especially, assistance that relieves and delivers from difficulty, want, or distress. 2. The person or thing that brings relief. In Asakusa, a crowd sought succor around an old and lovely Buddhist temple, dedicated to Kannon, goddess of mercy.
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fastidious
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# Possessing or displaying careful, meticulous attention to detail.
# Difficult to please; exacting. # Excessively scrupulous or sensitive, especially in matters of taste or propriety. |
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subterfuge
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A deceptive device or stratagem. EGShe has also complained . . . that the reporter used subterfuge to interview her, pretending to be the mother of an inmate.
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factitious
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1. Produced artificially, in distinction from what is produced by nature.
2. Artificial; not authentic or genuine; sham. EG When a significant level of distrust evolves among segments of the public, for genuine or factitious reasons, police may be seen as "them" as opposed to the "us" of the general populace. |
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contumely
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noun
: harsh language or treatment arising from haughtiness and contempt; Example sentence: Early in his career, the pioneering scientist’s colleagues heaped CONTUMELY on him for his unconventional ideas, which were eventually proven to be correct. |
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abominate
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To hate in the highest degree; to detest intensely; to loathe; to abhor. transitive verb: the abominatable snowman is so-called because he hates everything. I had no wish to study or learn anything, and as for Latin, I abominated it.
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pestiferous
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adjective: 1. Bearing or bringing disease. 2. Infected with or contaminated by a pestilential disease. 3. Morally evil or dangerous to society; pernicious. 4. Bothersome; troublesome; annoying.
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punctilio
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noun *1 : a minute detail of conduct in a ceremony or in observance of a code 2 : careful observance of forms (as in social conduct) Example sentence: Unsure of the punctilios of formal dining, Todd worried he would make a bad impression on his fiancée’s parents.
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virago
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1. A woman of extraordinary stature, strength, and courage. 2. A woman regarded as loud, scolding, ill-tempered, quarrelsome, or overbearing.
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amative
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adjective: Pertaining to or disposed to love, especially sexual love; full of love; amorous.
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dégringolade \day-gran-guh-LAHD\
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noun : a rapid decline or deterioration (as in strength, position, or condition) : downfall Example sentence: The journalist’s reputation never recovered from the dégringolade that ensued when it was discovered that he had plagiarized another’s work.
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collegium
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noun : a group in which each member has approximately equal power and authority Example sentence: Each paper published by the journal has been approved by a collegium of scientists.
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copacetic
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adj very satisfactory; fine; all good. Terry Glenn will return to the Patriots on Monday, but don't think that everything is copacetic as far as the oft-troubled receiver is concerned.
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phillipic
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noun
=tirade Example sentence: The columnist’s most recent philippic took the governor to task for her neglect of education reform in light of declining test scores throughout the state. |
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apace
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adverb with speed; quickly; swiftly.
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headlong
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1. with the head foremost; headfirst: to plunge headlong into the water. 2. without delay; hastily: to plunge headlong into work. 3. without deliberation; rashly: to rush headlong into battle.
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espouse
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1. to make one's own; adopt or embrace, as a cause. 2. to marry.
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munificent
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1. extremely liberal in giving; very generous. 2. characterized by great generosity: a munificent bequest.
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stalwart
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adjective 1. strongly and stoutly built; sturdy and robust. 2. strong and brave; valiant: a stalwart knight. 3. firm, steadfast, or uncompromising: a stalwart supporter of the U.N. –noun 4. a physically stalwart person. 5. a steadfast or uncompromising partisan: They counted on the party stalwarts for support in the off-year campaigns.
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dudgeon
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a feeling of intense indignation (now used only in the phrase 'in high dudgeon') "Slamming the door in Meg's face, Aunt March drove off in high dudgeon"
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pettish
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adj. Ill-tempered; peevish.
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novitiate
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novitiate noun . the period during which you are a novice (especially in a religious order)
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proselyte
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n. A new convert to a doctrine or religion.
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burgeoning
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" 1. 1. To put forth new buds, leaves, or greenery; sprout. 2. To begin to grow or blossom. 2. To grow or develop rapidly.
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mordacious
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1. biting or given to biting. 2. sharp or caustic in style, tone, etc.
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factitious
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=ARTIFICIAL
1. not spontaneous or natural; artificial; contrived: factitious laughter; factitious enthusiasm. 2. made; manufactured: a decoration of factitious flowers and leaves. |
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objurgate
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to reproach or denounce vehemently; upbraid harshly; berate sharply.
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wraith
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1. An apparition of a living person that appears as a portent just before that person's death. 2. The ghost of a dead person. 3. Something shadowy and insubstantial.
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abnegate
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1. To give up (rights or a claim, for example); renounce. THE KING ABNEGATED HIS POWER TO THE MINISTERS
2. To deny (something) to oneself: The minister ABNEGATED the luxuries of life. |
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bemuse
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to bewilder or confuse (someone).
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rebarbative
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causing annoyance, irritation, or aversion; repellent. "he became rebarbative and prickly and spiteful";
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chagrin
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A keen feeling of mental unease, as of annoyance or embarrassment, caused by failure, disappointment, or a disconcerting event: To her chagrin, the party ended just as she arrived.
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compunction (pay attention to #2 definition)
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a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety of the conscience caused by regret for doing wrong or causing pain; contrition; remorse.
2. any uneasiness or hesitation about the rightness of an action. |
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gaucherie
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1. lack of social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkwardness; crudeness; tactlessness. 2. an act, movement, etc., that is socially graceless, awkward, or tactless.
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canard
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An unfounded or false, deliberately misleading story.
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distaff
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noun 1. the sphere of work by women
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endogamous
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adjective
1. characterized by or fit for fertilization by pollen from another flower of the same kind [ant: exogamic, autogamic] 2. pertaining to or characterized by the custom of marrying only within the limits of a clan or tribe [ant: exogamic] |
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raillery
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n. pl. rail·ler·ies 1. Good-natured teasing or ridicule; banter. 2. An instance of bantering or teasing.
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riposte
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–noun 1. a quick, sharp return in speech or action; counterstroke: a brilliant riposte to an insult. 2. Fencing. a quick thrust given after parrying a lunge.
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interstice
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1. an intervening space. 2. a small or narrow space or interval between things or parts, esp. when one of a series of alternating uniform spaces and parts: the interstices between the slats of a fence.
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unstinting
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adj. Very generous; Bestowed liberally: EG unstinting approval.
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unctuous
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1. Of the nature or quality of an unguent or ointment; fatty; oily; greasy.
2. Having a smooth, greasy feel, as certain minerals. 3. Insincerely or excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech; marked by a false or smug earnestness or agreeableness. He approached Sean wearing a smile so unctuous it seemed about to slide right off his face. |
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hector
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NOUN: A bully. OR VERB: v. tr. to intimidate or dominate in a blustering way. v. intr. To behave like a bully; swagger.
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martinet
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noun 1. a strict disciplinarian, esp. a military one. 2. someone who stubbornly adheres to methods or rules.
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carom
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2.any strike and rebound, as a ball striking a wall and glancing off.
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sidle
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to go or move in a manner intended not to attract attention or as if one is shy or uncertain
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circumlocution
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# Evasion in speech or writing. # A roundabout expression.
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periphrastic
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roundabout and unnecessarily wordy;
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esurient
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adjective
1. extremely hungry; "a ravenous boy"; 2. (often followed by 'for') ardently or excessively desirous; "the esurient eyes of an avid curiosity"; "greedy for fame" [syn: avid] 3. devouring or craving food in great quantities; "edacious vultures"; "a rapacious appetite"; "ravenous as wolves"; "voracious sharks" [syn: edacious] |
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auspice
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A sign indicative of future prospects; an omen: Auspices for the venture seemed favorable.
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fey
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1. Possessing or displaying a strange and otherworldly aspect or quality; magical or fairylike; elfin. 2. Having power to see into the future; visionary; clairvoyant. 3. Appearing slightly crazy, as if under a spell; touched.
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forfend
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1. a. (Archaic) To prohibit; to forbid. b. To ward off; to prevent; to avert.` 2. To defend; to protect; to preserve. In addition, to forfend direct Chinese involvement, which was extremely unlikely, the administration guaranteed the northern regime, thus removing a major deterrent.
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canny
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shrewd; : a canny negotiator.
skilled; expert. |
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disconsolate
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# extremely dejected: disconsolate at the loss of the dog. # Cheerless; gloomy: a disconsolate winter landscape. (DIS + CONSOLE)
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threnody
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A poem or song of mourning or lamentation.
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renitent
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1. Resistant to physical pressure; not pliant. 2. Reluctant to yield or be swayed; recalcitrant.
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compendious
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adj. Containing or stating briefly and concisely all the essentials; succinct. a compendious history of the world.
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taciturn
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1. inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation. 2. dour, stern, and silent in expression and manner.
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antecede
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To precede. Shakespeare antecedes Milton.
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antedate
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1. To be of an earlier date than; precede in time. 2. 1. To assign to a date earlier than that of the actual occurrence. 2. To date as of a time before that of actual execution: antedate a contract; antedate a check.
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penultimate
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next-to-last; 1. next to the last; "the author inadvertently reveals the murderer in the penultimate chapter";
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fealty
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# 1. The fidelity owed by a vassal to his feudal lord. 2. The oath of such fidelity. # Faithfulness; allegiance.
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expatiate
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To speak or write at length: expatiated on the subject until everyone was bored.
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apothegm
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noun a short, pithy, instructive saying; a terse remark or aphorism.
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bromide
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noun; 3. a platitude or trite saying. 4. a person who is platitudinous and boring.
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sententious
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1. abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims: 2.given to excessive moralizing; self-righteous.
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decamp
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1. To depart secretly or suddenly. 2. To depart from a camp or camping ground.
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