Studied by 106 people
abstruse
(adj) difficult to understand
amity
(n) a friendly relationship
arrogant
(adj) having an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities
averse
(adj) having a strong dislike / opposition to something
bolster
(v) to support or strengthen, prop up
clemency
(n) mercy / lenience
contingent
(adj) 1. subject to chance 2. dependent on certain circumstances
cupidity
(n) the greed for money or possessions
desultory
(adj) lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
dissolution
(n) 1. the closing down or dismissal of a group / partnership 2. debauched living
emulate
(v) to match or surpass a person or achievement by imitation
euphemism
(n) an indirect word or phrase substituted for one considered to be too blunt when referring to something unpleasant
fastidious
(adj) very attentive to / concerned with accuracy and detail
garish
(adj) obnoxiously bright and showy
heed
(v) to pay attention to
impetuous
(adj) done quickly and without thought or care
incredulous
(adj) unwilling / unable to believe something
insolent
(adj) showing a rude / arrogant lack of respect
jeopardy
(n) the danger of loss, harm, or failure
legacy
(n) 1. the long lasting impact of something that happened in the past / a person’s life 2. an amount of money / property left to someone in a will
malefactor
(n) a person who commits a crime or some other wrong
mitigate
(v) to make less severe, serious, or painful
nurture
(v) to care for and encourage the growth / development of …
optimist
(n) a person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future
pervade
(v) to spread through and be perceived in every part of
preclude
(v) to prevent from happening
proximity
(n) nearness in space, time, or relationship
recluse
(n) a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid others
revere
(v) to feel deep respect / admiration for
seditious
(adj) causing people to rebel against the authority of their state
stealth
(n) a cautious, secretive way of moving to avoid detection
tangent
(n) 1. a completely different line of thought or action 2. a straight line / plane that touches a curve / curved surface at a point but does not cross it
trite
(adj) overused, lacking importance and originality
vacillate
(v) to alternate or waver between different opinions or actions
wane
(v) 1. to have a progressively smaller part of [moon’s'] visible surface illuminated 2. decrease in power and extent
affable
(adj) friendly, good natured, or easy to talk to
antiquated
(adj) old fashioned / outdated
assail
(v) to make a violent attack on …
belie
(v) to fail to give a true impression of (disguise) something
candor
(n) the quality of being open and honest
complacent
(adj) showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself
converge
(v) to tend to meet at a point
daunted
(adj) causing fear or discouragement
digress
(v) to leave the main subject temporarily when speaking or writing
dogmatic
(adj) inclined to lay down principles as undeniably true
enigma
(n) something that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand
expurgate
(v) to remove stuff thought to be objectionable / unsuitable from a text or account
fledgling
(n) 1. someone / thing that is immature / inexperienced 2. a young bird that has just fledged
gravity
(n) 1. extreme / alarming importance 2. the force that attracts mass towards another body of mass
hyperbole
(n) exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally
inadvertent
(adj) not resulting from deliberate planning
infamy
(n) the state of being well known for a bad quality
intractable
(adj) hard to control or deal with
jubilant
(adj) feeling great happiness and triumph
loath
(adj) reluctant, unwilling
meager
(adj) lacking in quantity or quality
mundane
(adj) 1. lacking interest or excitement 2. of this earthly world
obscure
(adj) not discovered or known about
paragon
(n) a person / thing considered the perfect example of a specific quality
phlegmatic
(adj) having an unemotional and calm personality
pretentious
(adj) attempting to impress others by giving oneself greater importance
quandary
(n) a state of uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation
reprove
(v) to reprimand
sanction
(n) 1. a threatened penalty for disobeying a rule 2. official permission for an action
slander
(n) the action of making a false spoken statement damaging a person’s reputation
subtle
(adj) delicate or precise enough to be difficult to analyze or describe
tenacious
(adj) tending to keep a firm hold of something
ubiquitous
(adj) present / found everywhere
vapid
(adj) offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging
wax
(v) to cover something with wax
alienate
(v) to cause someone to feel isolated
arbitrary
(adj) based on random choice rather than any reason
astute
(adj) having an ability to accurately assess situations and turn this into one’s advantage
benign
(adj) gently and kindly
censure
(v) to formally express severe disapproval of ...
composure
(n) the state of being calm and in control of oneself
cordial
(adj) warm and friendly
deplore
(v) to feel or express strong disapproval of …
disdain
(n) the feeling that someone / thing is unworthy of one’s consideration or respect
elated
(adj) extremely happy
erratic
(adj) irregular in pattern or movement
extraneous
(adj) irrelevant or unrelated to the current subject
fulminate
(v) to express intense protest
harbor
(v) 1. to keep a thought in one’s mind 2. to shelter or hide a criminal
imminent
(adj) about to happen
incompatible
(adj) 2 things opposed enough in character to be incapable of existing together
infer
(v) to conclude from evidence and reasoning rather than explicit statements
irascible
(adj) having a tendency to be easily angered
laconic
(adj) using very few words
lucid
(adj) expressed clearly and easy to understand
mellifluous
(adj) sweet, musical, and pleasant to hear
novelty
(n) 1. the quality of being new, original, or unusual 2. a small and inexpensive toy
obtuse
(adj) 1. annoyingly insenstive or stupid 2. angle greater than 90 and smaller than 180
penury
(n) extreme poverty
ponderous
(adj) slow and clumsy due to heavy weight
profound
(adj) 1. very great or intense 2. having great knowledge or insight
rampant
(adj) spreading unchecked
reserve
(n) a supply of a commodity not needed for immediate use but available if required
scrutinize
(v) to examine closely and thoroughly
sporadic
(adj) occurring at irregular intervals
Note 
Flashcard (26)