Vocabulary Flashcards: Advanced English Words and Definitions

abdicate

1) to step down from being queen or king or 2) to fail to fulfill a duty

abject

1) very bad, 2) very humble, or 3) very weak

abridged

shortened or diminished

abysmal

extremely poor or bad

accretion

the process of gradual growth

acquiesce

1) to comply passively or 2) to accept as inevitable

adhere

to cling to

admonish

to exhort or caution

adversity

hardship, difficulty, or tragedy

advert

to call attention to or make reference to (used with 'to')

aggregate

1) a collection of people or things or 2) the sum total

agog

full of interest or excitement

ailment

a sickness or illness

altercation

a noisy and heated quarrel

amiable

friendly

ample

1) enough or more than enough or 2) quite large

annulment

an act that makes something legally void or invalid

anterior

1) situated near the front or 2) prior in time

appalled

overcome with shock or dismay

apparition

1) the ghost or spirit of a dead person or 2) the act of becoming visible

appreciable

large enough to be noticed or measured

array

1) N: a large and impressive group, 2) V: to put in order, or 3) V: to attire

article

1) an item of goods or business, 2) a part of speech, or 3) a written piece

articulate

1) V: to speak clearly in distinct syllables or 2) A: well-spoken

aside

1) a digression or 2) something said for a limited audience

aspiration

hope

astute

shrewd and crafty

asymmetrical

lacking symmetry (symmetry = balance on all sides)

attain

to achieve or gain

attire

1) V: to put on clothing or 2) N: clothing

audacious

bold, reckless, or fearless

augment

to make larger

austere

1) stern, somber, grave, 2) ascetic, or 3) unadorned

autocratic

1) like a despot/tyrant or 2) related to a despotic rule

avian

relating to birds

awry

1) off course (amiss) or 2) in the wrong direction (askew)

balk

1) to refuse abruptly or 2) to stop short

bare

1) A: lacking covering, 2) A: mere, or 3) V: to uncover

barren

1) lacking, 2) not productive, or 3) not able to reproduce

base

1) A: inferior or ignoble, 2) V: to find a foundation for, or 3) N: a fundamental part of something

befall

to happen to (said of something bad or unpleasant)

beget

1) to produce as an effect or 2) to sire (= to father)

belated

coming after the expected time

besiege

1) to hassle with questions or 2) to surround with an army

bestow

1) to use or apply or 2) to give

bolster

1) to encourage or 2) to keep raised

brevity

shortness in duration (especially in words)

bridle

1) V: to react in an angry way, 2) V: to control or restrain, or 3) N: headgear to control a horse

brink

the edge (especially of a steep place), verge, or threshold

buffer

1) V: to cushion, 2) V: to collect data, or 3) N: a protective barrier

buoyant

1) cheerful and confident, 2) floating, or 3) causing things to float

burdensome

1) causing difficulty or worry or 2) oppressive

bygone

1) of a time in the past or 2) outmoded

calibrate

1) to adjust or measure precisely or 2) to standardize

calibration

recalibrate

catapult

1) V: to advance quickly, 2) V: to throw with a catapult, or 3) N: a device for throwing something large

cavalier

1) A: showing no concern for something serious or important or 2) N: a mounted soldier

celestial

having to do with the heavens or sky

chagrin

disappointment or humiliation

chock-full

completely full

choleric

hot-tempered, angry, or irate

clad

1) A: covered or clothed or 2) V: past and past participle of 'to clothe'

clarify

to make understandable, clear, or free of confusion

cliché

1) a trite phrase or expression or 2) a hackneyed theme or situation

cloister

1) N: a place of seclusion like a monastery or convent or 2) V: to seclude from the world

coerce

to use force or threats to achieve, restrain, or dominate

cohesion

1) unity or 2) molecular attraction

colloquial

1) conversational or 2) unacceptably informal

communion

1) an act of sharing, 2) fellowship or rapport, or 3) a body of Christians with similar beliefs

complexion

1) overall aspect or character or 2) the appearance of the skin

compromising

damaging to one's reputation

concerted

done in a planned or deliberate way by several people

conducive

tending to promote or assist

conformity

correspondence in form, manner, or behavior

confound

to confuse or baffle

conjugate

1) V: to join together, 2) V: to list the different forms of a verb, or 3) A: joined together

conjure

1) to summon as if by magic or 2) to charge or entreat earnestly

consecrated

sacred

conservator

one who protects

considerable

significant or large in extent or degree

consist

Coal consists mostly of carbon.

consolation

something that lessens disappointment, misery, or grief

conspicuous

obvious or striking

construe

to understand or explain the sense or intention of

consummation

completion, achievement, or perfection

contend

1) to compete or strive in rivalry or 2) to assert strongly

continuum

a range of things that differ slightly and exist between two positions

contrivance

an artificial development or arrangement

convene

to assemble in a group for a meeting

conventional

ordinary, usual, or traditional

counter

1) to oppose, offset, or nullify or 2) to assert in answer

counteract

to use an opposite force to nullify or neutralize the usually ill effects of something

counterargument

a contrasting, opposing, or refuting argument

countervailing

compensating for or counteracting

covert

secret or unacknowledged

covetous

greedy

cowed

intimidated, overawed, or frightened

creak

1) N: a rasping or grating noise or 2) V: to make a long grating or squeaking sound

credence

acceptance as true or real

credential

1) qualifications or skills or 2) a document that attests to one's qualifications or skills