Untitled Flashcards Set

acerbic

If you take an acerbic tone with someone, you are criticizing them in a clever but critical and mean way.

acumen

Acumen is the ability to make quick decisions and keen, precise judgments.

adduce

When you adduce, you give facts and examples in order to prove that something is true.

adroit

Someone who is adroit is skillful and clever, especially in thought, behavior, or action.

anthropomorphic

Something anthropomorphic is not human but is shaped like a human or has human characteristics, such as behavior.

aphorism

An aphorism is a short, witty statement that contains a wise idea.

canonize

When the Catholic Church canonizes someone, they are officially declared a saint; this word also refers to placing a work of art or literature in an accepted group of the best of its kind.

capitulate

When you capitulate, you accept or agree to do something after having resisted doing so for a long time.

castigate

When you castigate someone, you criticize or punish them severely.

cavort

When you cavort, you jump and dance around in a playful, excited, or physically lively way.

choleric

A choleric person becomes angry very easily.

clairvoyant

A clairvoyant person can sense things that are out of the usual range of perception.

commodious

A commodious room or house is large and roomy, which makes it convenient and highly suitable for living.

complicity

Complicity is the involvement in or knowledge of a situation that is illegal or bad.

comport

If you comport yourself in a particular way, you behave in that way.

concatenate

If you concatenate two or more things, you join them together by linking them one after the other.

concomitant

Something is concomitant when it happens at the same time as something else and is connected with it in some fashion.

conscript

To conscript someone is to force them into military service.

corpulent

Someone who is corpulent is extremely fat.

countenance

If someone will countenance something, they will approve, tolerate, or support it.

credulous

A credulous person is very ready to believe what people tell them; therefore, they can be easily tricked or cheated.

deference

If you behave with deference towards someone, you show them respect and accept their opinions or decisions, especially because they have an important position.

deleterious

Something that is deleterious has a harmful effect.

demagogue

A demagogue is someone, usually a political leader, who tries to influence people by making emotional speeches rather than using reasonable arguments.

denude

To denude an area is to remove the plants and trees that cover it; it can also mean to make something bare.

diatribe

A diatribe is a speech or piece of writing that angrily attacks someone's ideas or activities at length.

dichotomy

If there is a dichotomy between two things, there is a division of great difference or opposition between them.

disburse

To disburse is to pay out money, usually from a large fund that has been collected for a specific purpose.

disconsolate

If you are disconsolate, you are very unhappy or so sad that nothing will make you feel better.

disquiet

When someone feels disquiet about a situation, they feel very worried or nervous.

dour

Someone who is dour is serious, stubborn, and unfriendly; they can also be gloomy.

draconian

Draconian rules and laws are extremely strict and harsh.

edification

If something is done for someone's edification, it is done to benefit that person by teaching them something that improves or enlightens their knowledge or character.

epiphany

An epiphany is the moment when someone suddenly realizes or understands something of great significance or importance.

factitious

Something factitious is not genuine or natural; it is made to happen in a forced, artificial way.

fervid

A fervid person has strong feelings about something, such as a humanitarian cause; therefore, they are very sincere and enthusiastic about it.

fete

A fete is a celebration or festival in honor of a special occasion.

gesticulate

When someone gesticulates, they make movements with their hands and arms when talking, usually because they want to emphasize something or are having difficulty in expressing an idea using words alone.

grandiloquent

Grandiloquent speech is highly formal, exaggerated, and often seems both silly and hollow because it is expressly used to appear impressive and important.

idyll

An idyll is a place or situation that is extremely pleasant, peaceful, and has no problems.

imperious

Someone who is imperious behaves in a proud, overbearing, and highly confident manner that shows they expect to be obeyed without question.

imperturbable

If someone is imperturbable, they are always calm and not easily upset or disturbed by any situation, even dangerous ones.

indigent

An indigent person is very poor.

interdict

An interdict is an official order that prevents someone from doing something.

interloper

An interloper is someone who barges into a place where they are not welcome and interferes with what is going on, often for personal gain.

interpolate

If you interpolate words into a piece of writing, you insert those words into it; such altering of the text could falsify it.

interstitial

The adjective interstitial pertains to a narrow opening or a crack between two things.

jettison

If you jettison something, you get rid of it because you think it is not useful or appropriate.

latitude

If you are given latitude to do something, you have the freedom to choose your method and exercise your own judgment in doing it—as opposed to someone else's telling you how to go about it.

levity

Levity is an amusing way of speaking or behaving during a serious situation; it can lighten the moment but can also be considered inappropriate.

lien

A lien placed by a creditor on a debtor's property is a claim or legal right to keep or sell that property if the debtor cannot—or does not—repay their debt.

luminary

A luminary is someone who is much admired in a particular profession because they are an accomplished expert in their field.

magnate

A magnate is a rich and powerful person in an industry or business.

malaise

Malaise is a feeling of discontent, general unease, or even illness in a person or group for which there does not seem to be a quick and easy solution because the cause of it is not clear.

malfeasance

Malfeasance is an unlawful act, especially one committed by a trusted public official.

mercurial

A mercurial person's mind or mood changes often, quickly, and unpredictably.

missive

A missive is a written letter, especially a formal, legal, or important one.

modicum

A modicum is a small amount of something, especially a good quality.

moribund

If you describe something as moribund, you imply that it is no longer effective; it may also be coming to the end of its useful existence.

nascent

Something that is nascent is just starting to develop and is expected to become stronger and bigger in time.

nexus

A nexus is a connection or a series of connections between a number of people, things, or ideas that often form the center of a system or situation.

officious

An officious person acts in a self-important manner; therefore, they are very eager to offer unwanted advice or services—which makes them annoying.

panache

If you do something with panache, you do it in a way that shows great skill, style, and confidence.

paradigm

A paradigm is a model or example of something that shows how it works or how it can be produced; a paradigm shift is a completely new way of thinking about something.

parlance

You are applying parlance when you use words or expressions that are used by a particular group of people who have a unique way of speaking; for example, "descendants" is often used in place of "children" in legal parlance.

pedantic

If someone is pedantic, they give too much importance to unimportant details and formal rules.

peripatetic

If someone leads a peripatetic life, they travel from place to place, living and working only for a short time in each place before moving on.

permutation

A permutation is a complete change or total transformation.

piquant

Something that is piquant is interesting and exciting; food that is piquant is pleasantly spicy.

plastic

A person who is plastic can be easily influenced and molded by others.

plaudit

If you receive a plaudit, you receive admiration, praise, and approval from someone.

politic

To be politic in a decision is to be socially wise and diplomatic.

polyglot

A polyglot is someone who can speak or understand many languages.

portent

A portent is a warning that indicates what is likely to happen in the future, which is usually something unpleasant.

poseur

A poseur pretends to have a certain quality or social position, usually because they want to influence others in some way.

prescient

Someone who is prescient knows or is able to predict what will happen in the future.

probity

Probity is very moral and honest behavior.

proffer

When you proffer something to someone, you offer it up or hold it out to them to take.

proletarian

The proletarian class in society is made up of the workers or blue-collar class; they usually do not receive a salary but work for an hourly wage.

prophylactic

A prophylactic is used as a preventative or protective agent to keep someone free from disease or infection.

putative

Something putative is supposed to be real; for example, a putative leader is one who everyone assumes is the leader—even though they may not be in reality.

putrid

A putrid substance is decaying or rotting; therefore, it is also foul and stinking.

quiescence

A state of quiescence is one of quiet and restful inaction.

rapt

If someone watches or listens to something with rapt attention, they are so involved with it that they do not notice anything else.

rectitude

You show rectitude if you behave or conduct yourself in an honest and morally correct manner.

regale

If someone regales you, they tell you stories and jokes to entertain you— and they could also serve you a wonderful feast.

riposte

A riposte is a quick and clever reply that is often made in answer to criticism of some kind.

rubric

A rubric is a set of instructions at the beginning of a document, such as an examination or term paper, that is usually printed in a different style so as to highlight its importance.

sacrilegious

A sacrilegious act is one of deep disrespect that violates something that is sacred or holy.

sacrosanct

Something that is sacrosanct is considered to be so important, special, or holy that no one is allowed to criticize, tamper with, or change it in any way.

satiate

If something, such as food or drink, satiates you, it satisfies your need or desire so completely that you often feel that you have had too much.

segue

If a song, idea, or activity segues into another song, idea, or activity, it changes smoothly into it or is followed immediately by it without any stops or breaks.

sentient

A sentient being is able to experience the world through its senses; it may have emotional feelings as well.

sinuous

Something that is sinuous is shaped or moves like a snake, having many smooth twists and turns that can often be highly graceful.

solicitous

A person who is solicitous behaves in a way that shows great concern about someone's health, feelings, safety, etc.

solvency

If an organization is in a state of solvency, it has enough money to pay its bills and other debts.

sophistry

Sophistry is the clever use of arguments that seems correct but is in fact unsound and misleading, done with the intent to deceive people.

taciturn

A taciturn person is quiet or silent by nature.

tensile

A tensile quality of something is its ability to be stretched or extended; it also pertains to its tension.

tremulous

Someone is tremulous when they are shaking slightly from nervousness or fear; they may also simply be afraid of something.