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192 Cards in this Set
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nettle
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*2 : to arouse to sharp but transitory annoyance or anger You could tell by his nervous reaction that the town official was nettled by the reporter’s probing questions.
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friable
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adj. Readily crumbled; brittle: "friable sandstone"; "friable carcinomatous tissue"; "friable curds formed in the stomach";"crumbly cookies" [syn: crumbly]
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belie
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1 ) to give a false impression of sb/sth 2) to show that sth cannot be true or correct 1) Her energy and youthful good looks BELIE her 65 years 2) government claims that there is no povery are BELIED by the number of homeless people on the streets
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insouciance
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the state of not being worrid about anything (noun) an air of insouciance
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bibulous
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1. Of, pertaining to, marked by, or given to the consumption of alcoholic drink. Ever since the joys of the fermented grape were discovered, the bibulous have been waking up feeling the worse for wear.
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anathema
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1) A formal ecclesiastical ban, curse, or excommunication. 2)Any person or thing that is intensely disliked. EXAMPLE: Advertising was anathema to the Internet ethos, theysaid, and people would never pay for on-line material.
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corporeal
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of or having to do with material, as opposed to spiritual; tangible.
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afflatus
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N: a divine imparting of knowledge or power Gus insists that his musical compositions are the result of hard work, not afflatus.
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multifarious
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adj: diversified; having a great variety Men's opinions, accordingly, on what is laudable or blamable, are affected by all the multifarious causes which influence their wishes in regard to the conduct of others, and which are as numerous as those which determine their wishes on any other subject.
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opprobrium
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1 : something that brings disgrace 2 a : public disgrace or ill fame that follows from conduct considered grossly wrong or vicious *b : contempt, reproach The athlete’s admission of using steroids earned her much opprobrium from former fans.
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arrogate
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V. To take or claim for oneself without right; appropriate: Presidents who have arrogated the power of Congress to declare war. The White House used the fear of terrorism and the sense of national unity to ram laws through Congress that gave law-enforcement agencies far more power than they truly needed to respond to the threat — and at the same time fulfilled the imperial fantasies of Vice President Dick Cheney and others determined to use the tragedy of 9/11 to ARROGATE as much power as they could.
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wheedle
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1. to endeavor to influence (a person) by smooth, flattering, or beguiling words or acts: We wheedled him incessantly, but he would not consent.
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winsome
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pleasant and attractive winsome smile
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gnomic
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marked by maxims/aphorisms
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pithy
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( A POSITIVE THING, NOT A NEGATIVE THING) Precisely meaningful; forceful and brief: a pithy comment.
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kahuna
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1. A priest or a medicine man.
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constabulary
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a body of officers of the peace organized on a military basis.
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gelid
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ADJ extremely cold; icy
(think "gelato"!" |
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fallacious
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logically unsound
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recondite
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1. Not easily understood; abstruse. See Synonyms at ambiguous. 2. Concerned with or treating something abstruse or obscure: recondite scholarship. 3. Concealed; hidden.
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debutante
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to make one's d['e]but. A person who makes his (or her) first appearance before the public.
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perspicuous
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adj. 1. Clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand: perspicuous prose. 2. Expressing oneself clearly and effectively: a perspicuous lecturer.
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ensconce
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1. to settle securely or snugly: I found her in the library, ensconced in an armchair.
2. to cover or shelter; hide securely: He ensconced himself in the closet in order to eavesdrop. |
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genuflect
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V. To be servilely respectful or deferential; grovel.
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impertinent
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1. intrusive or presumptuous, as persons or their actions; insolently rude; uncivil: a brash, impertinent youth. 2. not pertinent or relevant; irrelevant: an impertinent detail.
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tawdry
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1. (of finery, trappings, etc.) gaudy; showy and cheap. 2. low or mean; base: tawdry motives.
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dapper
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1. neat; trim; smart: He looked very dapper in his new suit. 2. lively and brisk: to walk with a dapper step.
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legerdemain
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1. sleight of hand. 2. trickery; deception.
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obliquely
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adv. # 1. Indirect or evasive: oblique political maneuvers. 2. Devious, misleading, or dishonest: gave oblique answers to the questions.
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donnybrook
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an inordinately wild fight or contentious dispute; brawl; free-for-all.
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a priori
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Made before or without examination; not supported by factual study. (I.E. you reach a conclusion based on your reasoning rather than knowledge)
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epochal
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highly significant or important especially bringing about or marking the beginning of a new development or era; "epochal decisions made by Roosevelt and Churchill"; "an epoch-making discovery"
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suborn
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1. to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime. 2. Law. a. to induce (a person, esp. a witness) to give false testimony.
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countenance
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verb (used with object) 6. to permit or tolerate: You should not have countenanced his rudeness. 7. to approve, support, or encourage.
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abet
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to encourage or help somethone to do something that is wrong: to abet a swindler; to abet a crime.
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revanche
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" 1. The act of retaliating; revenge. 2. A usually political policy, as of a nation or an ethnic group, intended to regain lost territory or standing.
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plaintive
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adjective; expressing sorrow or melancholy; mournful: a plaintive melody.
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prosaic
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–adjective 1. commonplace or dull; matter-of-fact or unimaginative: a prosaic mind.
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crucible
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1. A vessel made of a refractory substance such as graphite or porcelain, used for melting and calcining materials at high temperatures. 2. A severe test, as of patience or belief; a trial. See Synonyms at trial. 3. A place, time, or situation characterized by the confluence of powerful intellectual, social, economic, or political forces: "Macroeconomics . . . was cast in the crucible of the Depression" (Peter Passell).
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over-determined
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In psychology, a process in which several factors act simultaneously to produce a single mental phenomenon, such as an image in a dream or a neurotic symptom, but in which any one of the several factors on its own can produce the same phenomenon.
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theocracy
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A government ruled by or subject to religious authority.
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interpellation
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2. The act of interposing or interceding; intercession.
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belie
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1. to show to be false; contradict: His trembling hands belied his calm voice. 2. to misrepresent: The newspaper belied the facts.
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labile
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adj. Readily or frequently changing states (capricious)
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chimerical
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2.wildly fanciful; highly unrealistic: a chimerical plan.
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bellwether
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n. One that serves as a leader or as a leading indicator of future trends: "The degree to which the paper is censored is a political bellwether" (Justine De Lacy).
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logrolling
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1. U.S. Politics. the exchange of support or favors, esp. by legislators for mutual political gain as by voting for each other's bills. 2. cronyism or mutual favoritism among writers, editors, or critics, as in the form of reciprocal flattering reviews; back scratching.
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littoral
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1. A coastal region; a shore.2. The region or zone between the limits of high and low tides.
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redolent
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1. having a pleasant odor; fragrant. 2. odorous or smelling (usually fol. by of): redolent of garlic. 3. suggestive; reminiscent (usually fol. by of): verse redolent of Shakespeare.
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genuflect
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1. To bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor or ground, as in worship. 2. To be servilely respectful or deferential; grovel.
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indolence
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inactivity resulting from a dislike of work (SIMILAR TO LAZINESS)
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lassitude
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1. a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness) [syn: lethargy] 2. a feeling of lack of interest or energy [syn: languor]
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artful
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adjective 1. slyly crafty or cunning; deceitful; tricky: artful schemes. 2. skillful or clever in adapting means to ends; ingenious: an artful choice of metaphors and similes.
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tautology
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1. needless repetition of an idea, esp. in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.” 2. an instance of such repetition.
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dour (adj)
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extremely serious and stern; forbidding
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unmitigated
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complete; total
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disingenuous
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# Not straightforward or candid; insincere or calculating: "an ambitious, disingenuous, philistine, and hypocritical operator, who ... exemplified ... the most disagreeable traits of his time" (David Cannadine).# Pretending to be unaware or unsophisticated;
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urbane
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having the polish and suavity regarded as characteristic of sophisticated social life in major cities: an urbane manner. 2. reflecting elegance, sophistication, etc., esp. in expression: He maintained an urbane tone in his letters.
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nondescript
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dull; not standing out
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coup de grace
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an action or event that finally ends something that has been getting weaker or worse
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default
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to fail to meet financial obligations
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pedantic
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2. overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, esp. in teaching.
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ethos
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The disposition, character, or fundamental values peculiar to a specific person, people, culture, or movement:
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coterie
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n. A small, often select group of persons who associate with one another frequently.
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accoutrements
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# An accessory item of equipment or dress. Often used in the plural. # Military equipment other than uniforms and weapons. Often used in the plural.
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ancillary
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adj 1. Of secondary importance: "For Degas, sculpture was never more than ancillary to his painting" (Herbert Read). 2. Auxiliary; helping: an ancillary pump. NOUN 1. Something, such as a workbook, that is subordinate to something else, such as a textbook.
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prerogative
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a right, privilege, etc., limited to a specific person or to persons of a particular category:
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benighted (adj)
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intellectually or morally ignorant; unenlightened: benighted ages of barbarism and superstition.
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provident
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# Providing for future needs or events. # Frugal; economical
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hackneyed
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adj. 1. Banal; trite.
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forlorn
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nhappy or miserable, as in feeling, condition, or appearance. 2. lonely and sad; forsaken. 3. expressive of hopelessness; despairing
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haphazard
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adj. Dependent upon or characterized by mere chance.
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diffident
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1. lacking confidence in one's own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy. 2. low-key. restrained or reserved in manner, conduct, etc.
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apostate
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n. One who has abandoned one's religious faith, a political party, one's principles, or a cause.
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sinecure
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1.an office or position requiring little or no work, esp. one yielding profitable returns.
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trenchant
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# Forceful, effective, and vigorous: a trenchant argument. See Synonyms at incisive.# Caustic; cutting: trenchant criticism.
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whimsical
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not serious in a way that is either amusing or annoying
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prima donna
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a temperamental person; a person who takes adulation and privileged treatment as a right and reacts with petulance to criticism or inconvenience.
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prima facie
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at first appearance; at first view, before investigation. based on what at first seems to be true, although it may be proved false later
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ineluctable
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unavoidable
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inveterate
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–adjective 1. settled or confirmed in a habit, practice, feeling, or the like: an inveterate gambler.2. firmly established by long continuance, as a disease, habit, practice, feeling, etc.; chronic.
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solicitous
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1. Anxious or concerned: a solicitous parent. 2. Expressing care or concern: made solicitous inquiries about our family. See Synonyms at thoughtful.
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restive
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irreverent
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scruple
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a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions. 2. a very small portion or amount.
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scrupulous
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1.having scruples; having or showing a strict regard for what one considers right; principled.
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sanguine
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cheerful and confident about the future
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guile
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the use of clever but dishonest behavior in order to deceive people
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solipsism
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the theory that only the self exists or can be known (the only think you can truly know is yourself)
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beholden (adj)
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owing sth to sb because of sth that they have done for you
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dilettante
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a person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, esp. in a desultory or superficial way; dabbler.
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mimetic
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. characterized by, exhibiting, or of the nature of imitation or mimicry: mimetic gestures.
2. mimic or make-believe. |
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cross purposes
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If two people are AT CROSS PURPOSES, they do not understand each other because they are talking about or aiming at different things without realizing it
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countervailing
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1. To act against with equal force; counteract. 2. To compensate for; offset.
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trite
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Lacking power to evoke interest through overuse or repetition; hackneyed.
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penchant
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noun a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something: a penchant for outdoor sports.
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precocious
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.unusually advanced or mature in development, esp. mental development: a precocious child.
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epicure
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1. A person with refined taste, especially in food and wine. 2. A person devoted to sensuous pleasure and luxurious living. See Usage Note at gourmet.
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progeny
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a person's offspring
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prophylactic
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1. defending or protecting from disease or infection, as a drug. 2. preventive or protective.
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arcana
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2. Specialized or mysterious knowledge, language, or information that is not accessible to the average person (generally used in the plural). Through the years, Usenet evolved into an international forum on thousands of topics, called Usenet news groups, from the arcana of programming languages to European travel tips.
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faineant
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1. Doing nothing or given to doing nothing; idle; lazy. 2. A do-nothing; an idle fellow; a sluggard.
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petulance
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1. Unreasonably irritable or ill-tempered; peevish. 2. Contemptuous in speech or behavior.
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facile
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facile \FASS-ul\ adjective 1 a : easily accomplished, handled, or attained *b : shallow, superficial
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recidivism
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–noun 1. repeated or habitual relapse, as into crime. 2. Psychiatry. the chronic tendency toward repetition of criminal or antisocial behavior patterns.
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inculpate
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1. to charge with fault; blame; accuse. (CULP=blame)
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docile
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1. Ready and willing to be taught; teachable. 2. Yielding to supervision, direction, or management; tractable. (DOC="teach")
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doleful
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Filled with or expressing grief; mournful.
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abjure
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renounce an oath (jur=swear)
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malapropism
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1. Ludicrous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound. 2. An example of such misuse.
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punctilious
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1. Strictly attentive to minute details of form in action or conduct. 2. Precise; scrupulous.
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risible
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ADJ 1. causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous.2. having the ability, disposition, or readiness to laugh.3. pertaining to or connected with laughing.
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supercilious
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arrogant
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-------
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parlous
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1. Perilous; dangerous: "starting from scratch in parlous economic times" (Madalynne Reuter).
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antediluvian
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ancient; outmoded; (literally,before the flood)
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blandishment
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speech or action intended to coax someone into doing something
blan·dish (blān'dĭsh) Pronunciation Key tr.v. blan·dished, blan·dish·ing, blan·dish·es To coax by flattery or wheedling; cajole. |
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bombast
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pompous speech (adj: bombastic)
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caprice
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impulse
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complaisant
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willingly compliant or accepting of the status quo (n: complaisance)
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depredation
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the act of preying upon or plundering: "The depredations of the invaders demoralized the population."
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gossamer
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fine cobweb on foliage; fine gauzy fabric; very fine: "She wore a gossamer robe."
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guileless
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honest; straightforward (n: guilelessness)
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incorrigible
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not capable of being corrected: "The school board finally decided the James was incorrigible and expelled him from school."
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laconic
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using few words; terse: "a laconic reply."
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acturial
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calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
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lugubrious
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weighty, mournful, or gloomy, especially to an excessive degree: "Jake's lugubrious monologues depressed his friends."
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peccadillo
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a small sin or fault
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pedantic
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showing a narrow concern for rules or formal book learning; making an excessive display of one's own learning: "We quickly tired of his pedantic conversation." (n: pedant, pedantry).
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petulant
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easily or frequently annoyed, especially over trivial matters; childishly irritable
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phlegmatic
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not easily excited; cool; sluggish
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rarefy
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to make or become thin; to purify or refine (n: rarefaction, adj: rarefied)
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reproof
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the act of censuring, scolding, or rebuking. (v. reprove).
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saturnine
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having a gloomy or morose temperament
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sedulous
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diligent; persevering; persistent: "Her sedulous devotion to overcoming her background impressed many." (n: sedulity; sedulousness; adv. sedulously)
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turpitude
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depravity; baseness: "Mr. Castor was fired for moral turpitude."
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actuary
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someone who advises insurance companies
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addle
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make or become confused; muddle;
To muddle; confuse: "My brain is a bit addled by whiskey" ( |
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zephyr
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gentle breeze; west wind
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yeoman
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man or farmer owning small estate; middle-class farmer
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wrangle
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quarrel noisily; obtain through arguing; herd cattle; N.
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wizened (adj)
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(DOES NOT MEAN "WISE"!!!) withered; shriveled: a wizened old man; wizened features.
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winsome
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charming (in a childlike way); agreeable; gracious; engaging
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winnow
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sift; separate the chaff from grain by blowing; separate good parts from bad; CF. wind
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whit
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small amount; smallest speck; Ex. not a whit of
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waylay
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ambush; lie in wait for and attack
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profligate
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waster; profligate
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warren
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tunnels in which rabbits live; overcrowded living area; crowded conditions in which people live
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wanton
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unrestrained; gratuitously cruel; willfully malicious; unchaste; sexually improper; promiscuous; Ex. wanton spending/killing; CF. having no just cause
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wangle
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achieve by cleverness or trick; wiggle out; fake; Ex. She tried to wangle an invitation to the party.
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wanderlust
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strong longing to travel
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wan
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having a pale or sickly color; pallid
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waive
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give up temporarily; yield; N. waiver: waiving a right or claim; document that waives a right or claim
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waif
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homeless child or animal; Ex. waifs and strays
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waggish
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humorous; mischievous; tricky
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vulpine
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like a fox; crafty
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vouchsafe
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grant condescendingly; guarantee; Ex. vouchsafe your fair return on your investment
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vivesection
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act of dissecting living animals
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vitreous
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. of the nature of or resembling glass, as in transparency, brittleness, hardness, glossiness, etc.: vitreous china.
2. of or pertaining to glass. |
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vitiate
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spoil the effect of; make inoperative; corrupt morally
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visceral
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felt in one's inner organs; N. viscera: internal body organs; CF. eviscerate
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vintner
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wine merchant; winemaker; seller of wine
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victuals
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food; provisions; V. victual: provide with food
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vicar
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4. a person who acts in place of another; substitute.5. a person who is authorized to perform the functions of another; deputy: God's vicar on earth.
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vernal
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pertaining to spring
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verdant
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green; covered with green plants or grass; lush in vegetation; Ex. verdant meadows
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ventral
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abdominal
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venial
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Capable of being forgiven; not heinous; excusable; pardonable.
Look less severely on a venial error. His mistake might in other circumstances have seemed a venial one. Committing adultery was a mortal sin, while eating meat on Fridayswas a venial sin. |
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venal
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capable of being bribed; corrupt;
1. willing to sell one's influence, esp. in return for a bribe; open to bribery; mercenary: a venal judge. 2. able to be purchased, as by a bribe: venal acquittals. 3. associated with or characterized by bribery: a venal administration; venal agreements. |
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variegated
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many-colored
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valediction
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saying farewell; expression of leave-taking
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valedictory
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pertaining to farewell; N: farewell address (esp. at graduation exercises)
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vainglorious
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(THINK "VANITY")
boastful; excessively conceited; N. vainglory: great vanity |
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vagary
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an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's behavior, etc.); "the vagaries of the weather"; "his wealth fluctuates with the vagaries of the stock market"; "he has dealt with human vagaries for many years"
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uxorious
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excessively submissive or devoted to one's wife; CF. uxor: wife
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usury
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lending money at illegal high rates of interest
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ursine
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bearlike; pertaining to a bear
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unwonted
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unaccustomed; unusual; Ex. He arrived with unwonted punctuality.
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unfrock
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defrock; strip a priest or minister of church authority
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unfledged
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immature; not having the feathers necessary to fly; CF. fledgling
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unfetter
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liberate; free from chains; V. unfetter
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unbridled
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violent; uncontrolled; Ex. unbridled rage/greed
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tutelary
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protective; pertaining to a guardianship; Ex. tutelary deities
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turbid
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having the sediment disturbed; muddy; thick
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travail
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1. Painful or arduous work; severe toil or exertion.
2. Agony; anguish. 3. The labor of childbirth |
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trappings
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outward decorations; ornaments (as an outward sign of rank)
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traduce
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to speak maliciously and falsely of; slander; defame: to traduce someone's character.
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tonsure
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shaving of the head especially by person entering religious orders; V.
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tome
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large volume; book
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timorous
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fearful; timid; demonstrating fear
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tightwad
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miser; excessively frugal person
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threadbare
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worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor; hackneyed; Ex. threadbare excuses
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testator
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maker of a will; CF. testatrix
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