Untitled Flashcards Set

Breach: A break of a law, relationship or trust.

 The hacker’s attack was a serious breach of the company’s security.

Cacophony A harsh, loud mixture of sounds.

The traffic light was a cacophony of honking horns.

Cadence: A rhythmic or steady beat.

The soldiers marched with a confident cadence.

Cataract: A cloudiness in the Eye leading to blurry vision or blindness.

The old man was partially blinded by the Cataract in his right eye.

Censor: To remove anything considered harmful or inappropriate.

The government decided to censor the news report to avoid causing panic.

Char- For something to be burnt completely.

The steak was left on the grill too long, leaving it charred on the outside.

Combustible- To be easily able to be set on fire.

The wooden crate was easily combustible and must be kept away from fire.

Complement:  Something that is complete or enhances something else.

Her red scarf was the perfect complement to her black dress.

Compliment- An expression made in praise or admiration.

He gave a sincere compliment towards his friend's cooking.

Condemn- To express strong disapproval or to sentence someone for punishment.

The judge condemned the defendant to a 15 year prison sentence.

Converge- For two or more things to come together.

The multi-laned highway converged into a single exit.

Convoluted- Extremely complex or confusing.

The convoluted instructions left everyone confused and unable to build the lego set.

Discourse (both noun & verb) (noun) Formal conversation or discussion; (verb) To discuss or talk about something.

(noun): The political discourse was heated during the debate.

(verb): They discourse daily about the latest scientific discoveries.

Distill- To purify or extract something.

The team worked hard to distill information into a slideshow.

Drone To make a continuous, dull noise.

A fly began to drone next to my ear, distracting me from my homework.

Fathom (verb): To understand something deeply or thoroughly.

She couldn’t quite fathom the complexity of the situation.

Feign: To pretend or make something up.

He tried to feign an excuse as to why he got home so late.

Filigree: Intricate and delicate ornamental work, especially in metal.

The silver filigree watch was very pretty.

Foreboding: A sense that something bad is going to happen.

The cloudy sky gave off a foreboding feeling.

Furtive:Secretive or sneaky, typically because of guilt or a hidden purpose.

He took a furtive look before stealing a watch.

Galvanize:To stimulate or shock someone into action.

The car crash galvanized the town to start fundraising for better roads.

Gingerly: In a careful or cautious manner.

She stepped gingerly on the icy sidewalk to avoid slipping.

Gorge (both noun & verb) : (noun) A narrow valley; (verb) To eat greedily or to fill completely. (noun) The hiker admired the deep gorge. (Verb) He gorged himself on thanksgiving.

Homely- Unattractive but cozy.

The homely cottage was welcoming to new visitors.

Hone: To refine or perfect something over time.

She continued to hone her violin skills.

Illuminate: To light up or clarify.

The streetlights illuminated the dark roads.

Imperceptible- So subtle that it is difficult to notice.

The change in temperature was so imperceptible that no one noticed it was colder. 

Incessant:Never stopping or continuing without interruption.

The incessant noise from downstairs made it hard to sleep.

Incriminate:To make someone appear guilty of a crime or wrongdoing.

The child incriminated the dog for his actions.

Insidious:Harmful but gradually and subtly spreading or advancing.

The insidious disease took years to show symptoms.

Intuitive- Based on natural understanding or without needing reason.

The idea of breathing is intuitive to all.

Invigorate: To give energy or strength to someone or something.

The coach gave a Invigorating speech to his team.

Jowl:The lower part of the cheek or jaw, often loose skin.

The man's Jowl jiggled as he laughed.

Juggernaut: A large or powerful force.

The tech company quickly became a Juggernaut in the industry.

Languid: Weak, slow, or lacking in energy.

After a day of work she was languid.

Linguist:A person skilled in languages or studying them scientifically.

The linguist was proficient in 5 different languages.

Lubricate- To apply a substance to something to make it smooth.

The Mechanic lubricated the engine parts.

Macabre-Gruesome, horrifying, or related to death.

The macabre movie terrified its viewers.

Mausoleum- A large burial place.

The king was buried in a grand mausoleum which was visible for miles.

Mediocre: Average or not particularly good.

The restaurant had very mediocre food.

Minstrel:A medieval singer or musician who performed for entertainment.

Nectar- A sugary fluid made by plants.

The hummingbird A small suitcase or travel bag.

sipping nectar off brightly colored flowers.

Olfactory-Related to the sense of smell.

The olfactory organs were overwhelmed by the smell of dead fish,

Oracle- A person who gives wise or prophetic advice,

The oracle predicted the end of the world.

Penance- An act of self punishment or remorse.

He performed penance by volunteering around the town.

Perfunctory- Done without care or thought.

He gave a perfunctory nod without listening to the conversation.

Perpetual- Never-ending or constant.

The perpetual noise of a waterfall was soothing.

Phosphorescent-To lightly glow especially in the dark.

The ocean sparkled with phosphorescent algae.

Plummet- To fall or drop suddenly and quickly.

The company's stock prices plummeted after the news of a scandal broke.

Proboscis- A long and flexible nose or trunk.

The elephant's proboscis dug around for roots to eat.

Proclivity:A natural inclination or tendency towards something.

She had a proclivity for helping others, always volunteering at the local food bank.

Profusion- A large quantity of something often to excess.

The garden was a profusion of flowers.

Prolific-Producing a lot of something, especially in a short period.

The artist was prolific making a dozen paintings in a week.

Prudent:Wise or careful in making decisions or choices.

It was prudent to save money for emergencies.

Ravenous- Extremely hungry or eager.

After a long ski trip they were ravenous for food.

Refract:To change the direction of light as it passes through a substance.

The light began to refract as it passed through a prism.

Ricochet:To bounce off a surface, often at an angle.

The bullet ricocheted off the soldier's helmet.

Saccharine: Excessively sweet or sentimental in an artificial way.

The movie's saccharine romance was very predictable.

Scripture:Sacred writings or texts, especially of a religious nature.

The priest read from scripture during Sunday service.

Scythe-A long curved blade used to cut grass or crop.

The farmer swung his scythe through the wheat.

Submission-The act of yielding to a superior force or authority.

The knight showed submission by bowing to his king.

Skepticism:Doubt or disbelief in something.

His skepticism towards everything made him question the government.

Suffuse:to spread through or over something.

A feeling or warmth Suffered through the room when the fire was lit.

Teeming-Overflowing or full of things, often in a crowded or chaotic way.

The market was teeming with stalls.

Torrent-A fast-moving stream of water, or something that occurs in a large quantity and with great force.

The river's torrent surged after the most recent rain.

Trajectory-The path followed by an object moving through space or air.

The trajectory of the rocket was carefully calculated to reach the moon.

Treason- The betrayal of one's country.

The soldier was arrested for treason after being caught leaking information.

Thoroughfare:A main road or route used for travel.

The busy thoroughfare was clogged with cars during rush hour.

Valise:A small suitcase or travel bag.

She carried a valise with her at all times.

Venomous:Containing poison or capable of causing harm.

The venomous snake’s bite quickly paralyzed its target.

Venture: A risky or daring journey or undertaking. They decided to embark on a venture that would take them across the globe.