Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
48 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
|
skookum (SKOO-kuhm) adjective
|
Powerful; first-rate; impressive.
[From Chinook Jargon, from a Chehalis word meaning spirit or ghost.] |
From Chinook Jargon
|
|
|
chaparral (shap-uh-RAL, chap-) noun
|
A dense, often impenetrable, growth of shrubs and thorny bushes.
[From Spanish chaparral, from chaparro (dwarf evergreen oak), from Basque txapar (thicket).] |
From Spanish
|
|
|
bosh (bosh) noun, interjection
|
1. Nonsense.
[From Turkish bos (empty). The term was popularized in English by its use in the novels of James J. Morier (1780-1849).] 2. The lower sloping part of a blast furnace, between hearth and stack. [Apparently from German.] |
From Turkish and German
|
|
|
nark (nark) noun
|
1. An annoying person.
2. A stool pigeon or informer. [From Romany nak (nose).] 3. A variant of narc: a police officer involved in investigating narcotics violations. [From shortening of narcotic.] |
From Romany
|
|
|
nark (nark) verb intr.
|
1. To irritate or annoy.
2. To be an informer. [From Romany nak (nose).] |
From Romany
|
|
|
peri (PEER-ee) noun
|
1. A fairy in Persian mythology.
2. A beautiful, graceful girl or woman. [From Persian peri, variant of pari (fairy), from Avestan pairika (witch or female demon.] |
From Persian
|
|
|
grip (grip) noun
|
A general assistant on a movie set responsible for handling production equipment, such as setting up and moving camera dollies, lighting, etc. The head grip is called the key grip.
[From English grip since the task required firmly holding bulky material.] |
From English
|
|
|
gaffer (GAF-uhr) noun
|
1. The head of the electrical department responsible for the lighting setup on a movie or television set.
2. An old man, especially a country man. 3. A foreman, supervisor, or boss. [Contraction of godfather, influenced by grandfather.] |
|
|
|
best boy (best boi) noun
|
The first assistant to the gaffer (head electrician) of a film crew.
[Apparently borrowed from the sailing terminology.] |
|
|
|
foley (FO-lee) adjective
eponym |
Of or relating to the sound effects.
[After Jack Donovan Foley (1891-1967) who pioneered the techniques of adding sound effects during his three decades at Universal Pictures.] |
eponym
|
|
|
stuntman (stunt-man) noun
|
A man who substitutes for an actor in scenes involving dangerous feats. Also known as double.
[From English word stunt (an unusual or dangerous feat) which is of unknown origin.] |
From English
|
|
|
odium (O-dee-uhm) noun
|
1. Hatred accompanied by contempt.
2. A state of infamy or disgrace. [From Latin odium (hatred), from odisse (to hate).] |
From Latin
|
|
|
presentism (PREZ-uhn-tiz-uhm) noun
|
Evaluating past events and people by present-day values.
[From English present, from Middle English, from Old French, from Latin praesent- (stem of praesens), from present participle of praeesse (to be present before others), from prae- (pre-) + esse (to be).] |
From Latin
|
|
|
repine (ri-PYN) verb intr.
|
1. To feel discontent; to fret.
2. To yearn for something. [From re- + pine, from Middle English, from Old English pinian (to suffer).] |
From English
|
|
|
diriment (DIR-uh-ment) adjective
|
Nullifying.
[From diriment-em, present participle of dirimere (to separate or interrupt), from emere (to take).] |
|
|
|
animus (AN-uh-muhs) noun
|
1. Hostility; ill will.
2. Purpose; disposition; governing spirit. 3. In Jungian psychology, the masculine part of a woman's personal unconscious. [From Latin animus (spirit, mind).] |
From Latin
|
|
|
airy-fairy (AIR-ee FAIR-ee) adjective
|
1. Light, delicate, fragile.
2. Fanciful, impractical, unrealistic. [From Alfred, Lord Tennyson's 1830 poem Lilian whose opening lines are: Airy, Fairy Lilian, Flitting, fairy Lilian, When I ask her if she love me, Claps her tiny hands above me, Laughing all she can.] |
|
|
|
hubble-bubble (HUB-buhl-BUB-buhl) noun
|
1. A form of hookah: a smoking device in which the smoke is passed through a bowl of water, making a bubbling noise, before being drawn through a long pipe.
2. Commotion, uproar, turmoil. [Reduplication of the word bubble.] |
|
|
|
riprap (RIP-rap) noun
|
1. A protective foundation, embankment, etc. made of loose chunks of stones placed together.
2. Material used for such a construction. [Reduplication of rap.] |
|
|
|
riprap (RIP-rap) verb tr.
|
To construct, or strengthen with, a riprap.
[Reduplication of rap.] |
|
|
|
niminy-piminy (NIM-uh-nee PIM-uh-nee) adjective
|
Affectedly delicate or refined.
[Origin uncertain; probably alteration of namby-pamby.] |
|
|
|
holus-bolus (HO-luhs BO-luhs) adverb
|
All at once.
[Apparently a reduplication of bolus (lump), or a rhyming compound based on the phrase whole bolus.] |
|
|
|
diglot (DY-glot) adjective
|
Bilingual.
[From Greek diglottos, from di- (two) + -glottos, from glossa (tongue, language).] |
From Greek
|
|
|
diglot (DY-glot) noun
|
A bilingual book, person, etc.
[From Greek diglottos, from di- (two) + -glottos, from glossa (tongue, language).] |
From Greek
|
|
|
feme covert (fem KOV-uhrt) noun, plural femes covert
|
A married woman.
[From Anglo-French feme covert, from feme (woman) + covert (protected).] |
|
|
|
tribology (try-BOL-uh-jee, tri-) noun
|
The study of interacting surfaces in relative motion and associated issues, such as friction, lubrication, and wear.
[From Greek tribos (rubbing), from tribein (to rub).] |
From Greek
|
|
|
nonplus (non-PLUS, NON-plus) verb tr.
|
To put at a loss for what to do, think, or say; perplex.
[From Latin non plus (no more).] |
From Latin
|
|
|
nonplus (non-PLUS, NON-plus) noun
|
A state of perplexity or bewilderment.
[From Latin non plus (no more).] |
From Latin
|
|
|
pedology (pi-DOL-uh-jee) noun
|
The study of soil: its formation, usage, classification, etc. Also called soil science.
[From Greek pedon (soil).] |
From Greek
|
|
|
chiaroscuro (kee-ar-uh-SKYOOR-o) noun
|
The treatment of light and shade in a work of art, especially to give an illusion of depth. Also known as claire-obscure.
[From Italian, from chiaro (clear, light) + oscuro (obscure, dark).] |
From Italian
|
|
|
collage (kuh-LAZH, koh-) noun
|
A form of art where various disparate objects are assembled together.
[From French collage (gluing), from coller (to glue), from colle (glue), from Vulgar Latin colla, from Greek kolla (glue).] |
From Greek
|
|
|
grisaille (gri-ZAI, ZAYL) noun
|
A painting in tones of a single color, especially gray, to represent objects in relief.
[From French grisaille (grayness), from gris (gray).] |
From French
|
|
|
encaustic (en-KO-stik) adjective
|
A method of painting using pigments with wax fixed onto the surface by heat.
[From Latin encausticus, from Greek enkaustikos, from enkaiein (to burn in), from en- + (kaiein) to burn.] |
From Latin
|
|
|
encaustic (en-KO-stik) noun
|
A work of art produced by this process
[From Latin encausticus, from Greek enkaustikos, from enkaiein (to burn in), from en- + (kaiein) to burn.] |
From Latin
|
|
|
trompe l'oeil (tromp loi) noun
|
1. A style of painting in which objects are rendered in extremely
realistic detail, giving an illusion of reality. 2. A painting, mural, etc. made in this style. [From French, literally "fools the eye", from tromper (to deceive) + le (the) + oeil (eye).] |
From French
|
|
|
matrocliny (MA-truh-kli-nee) noun, also matricliny
|
Inheritance of traits primarily from the mother.
[From Latin matro- (mother) + -clino, from Greek klinein (to lean).] Patrocliny is the male counterpart of this term. |
From Greek
|
|
|
muliebrity (myoo-lee-EB-ri-tee) noun
|
Womanly qualities; womanhood; femininity.
[From Latin muliebritas (womanhood), from muliebris (womanly), from mulier (woman).] Virility is the masculine equivalent of the term. |
From Latin
|
|
|
misandry (MIS-an-dree) noun
|
Hatred of men.
[From mis-, from miso- (hate) + -andry (male).] The feminine counterpart of this term is misogyny, and hatred of humankind is known as misanthropy. |
|
|
|
sororal (suh-ROR-uhl) adjective
|
Of or pertaining to a sister; sisterly.
[From Latin soror (sister).] Fraternal is the male equivalent of this term. |
From Latin
|
|
|
matriarch (MAY-tree-ark) noun
|
1. A woman who is the head of a family.
2. A woman who is the founder or leader of a group or community. 3. A venerable old woman. [From Latin matri- (mother) + Greek -arch (leader, ruler).] Patriarch is the masculine form of this word. |
|
|
|
mano a mano (MA-no a MA-no) plural manos a manos adverb
|
In direct competition; head to head.
[From Spanish mano a mano, literally hand to hand.] |
From Spanish
|
|
|
mano a mano (MA-no a MA-no) plural manos a manos adjective
|
One-on-one; face-to-face.
[From Spanish mano a mano, literally hand to hand.] |
From Spanish
|
|
|
mano a mano (MA-no a MA-no) plural manos a manos noun
|
1. A bullfight where two matadors compete in turn, fighting several bulls.
2. A direct or face-to-face confrontation. [From Spanish mano a mano, literally hand to hand.] |
From Spanish
|
|
|
hoosegow or hoosgow (HOOS-gou) noun
|
A jail.
[From Spanish juzgado (court), past participle of juzgar (to judge), from Latin judicare (to judge).] |
From Spanish/Latin
|
|
|
temblor (TEM-bluhr) noun
|
An earthquake.
[From Spanish temblor (trembling), from temblar (to tremble), from Vulgar Latin tremulare, from Latin tremulus (tremulous), from tremere (to tremble).] |
From Latin
|
|
|
pistolero (pist-LAY-ro) noun
|
A gunman; hired killer.
[From Spanish, from pistola (pistol), via German from Czech pístala (pipe, fife).] |
From Spanish
|
|
|
incommunicado (in-kuh-myoo-ni-KA-do) adjective, adverb
|
Out of contact, either voluntarily or deprived of the right to communicate with anyone; in solitary confinement.
[From Spanish incomunicado, past participle of incomunicar (to deprive of communication), from in- (not) + comunicar (to communicate), from Latin communicare, from communis (common). ] |
From Spanish
|
|
|
ebrious (EE-bree-uhs) adjective
|
1. Inclined to excessive drinking.
2. Tipsy. [From Latin ebrius (drunk).] |
From Latin
|
