Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Vocab #2
Chapters 4-6
65
English
11th Grade
02/21/2008

Additional English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
aggrandize
Definition
to increase in greatness, power or wealth; to build up or intensify; to mqke appear greater
Term
inscrutable
Definition
impossible to see through physically, incapable of being understood
Term
archetype
Definition
an original model after which similar things are patterned; a perfect or typical example
Term
erudite
Definition
scholarly, learned; boorish, pedantic
Term
infer
Definition
to find out by reasoning, to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought; to hint, suggest, imply
Term
affable
Definition
courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to
Term
amorphous
Definition
shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character, without organization, unity, or cohesion
Term
gossamer
Definition
thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; a very thin, light cloth
Term
aura
Definition
that which surrounds, a distinctive air or personal quality
Term
insular
Definition
relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience
Term
contraband
Definition
illegal traffic, smuggled goods, illegal, prohibited
Term
irrevocable
Definition
incapable of being charged or called back
Term
sedulous
Definition
persistent, showing industry and determination
Term
remonstrate
Definition
to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to
Term
retrench
Definition
to cut down, reduce in scope and cost
Term
resilient
Definition
able to return to an original shape or form; recover quickly
Term
reverberate
Definition
to re-echo, resound, to reflect or be reflected repeatedly
Term
querulous
Definition
peevish, complaining, fretful
Term
repudiate
Definition
to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
Term
propensity
Definition
a natural inclination or bent toward
Term
scurrilous
Definition
coarsely abusive, vulgar or low, foul-mouthed
Term
flout
Definition
to mock, treat with contempt
Term
caveat
Definition
a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior
Term
blazoned
Definition
to adorn or to embellish, to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely
Term
filch
Definition
to steal, especially in a sneaky way in petty amounts
Term
fractious
Definition
tending to be troublesome, unruly; quarrelsome, contrary, unpredictable
Term
equitable
Definition
fair, just, embodying principles of justice
Term
autonomy
Definition
self-government, political control
Term
addendum
Definition
an addition or supplement designed to increase correctness, completeness, or currency
Term
amensty
Definition
a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness
Term
axiomatic
Definition
self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule
Term
soporific
Definition
tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy, something that induces sleep
Term
scathing
Definition
bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
Term
unwieldy
Definition
not easily carried, handled or managed
Term
vapid
Definition
dull, uninteresting, tiresome, lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force
Term
prognostic
Definition
to predict, especially on the basis of present indications or signs, fortoken
Term
sepulchral
Definition
funeral, typical of the tomb, extremely gloomy or dismal
Term
transient
Definition
lasting only a short time, fleeting; one who stays only a short time
Term
straitlaced
Definition
extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct, prudish, puritanical
Term
scourge
Definition
to whip, punish severely; a cause of affliction or suffering, a source of severe punishment or criticism
Term
salutary
Definition
beneficial, helpful; healthy, wholesome
Term
precept
Definition
a rule of conduct or action
Term
brusque
Definition
abrupt, blunt, with no formalities
Term
demagogue
Definition
a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power
Term
cajole
Definition
to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice, to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises
Term
ennui
Definition
weariness and discontent from lack of occupation or interest, boredom
Term
anomalous
Definition
abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual
Term
contrive
Definition
to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan
Term
disabuse
Definition
to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking
Term
arbiter
Definition
one having power to decide a matter at issue; a judge, umpire
Term
bizarre
Definition
extremely strange, unusual, atypical
Term
castigate
Definition
to punish severely, criticize severely
Term
aspersion
Definition
a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defarming
Term
vouchsafe
Definition
to give or furnish condescendingly; to grant
Term
megalomania
Definition
a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent; far in excess of reality
Term
surreptitious
Definition
stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud
Term
transmute
Definition
to change from one nature, substance, or form to another; to transform
Term
immutable
Definition
not subject to change, constant
Term
transgress
Definition
to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law
Term
heinous
Definition
very wicked, offensive, hateful
Term
insurgent
Definition
one who rebels or rises against authority; rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on
Term
fetter
Definition
a chain or shackle placed on the feet, anything that confines or restrains, to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent
Term
sinecure
Definition
a position requiring little or no work, an easy job
Term
vicarious
Definition
performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another
Supporting users have an ad free experience!