B 876 - 1000
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- parry
- v. to deflect an attack
- fulsome
- adj. disgusting because excessive or insincere; repulsive
- gait
- n. manner of moving on foot; rater or manner of proceeding
- erudite
- adj. well-educated
- oratory
- n. public speaking, esp. marked by pompous rhetoric
- inaugurate
- v. to formally bring into office at the beginning of a term
- barb
- n. a cutting or biting remark
- aegis
- n. a protection; sponsorship
- nefarious
- adj. very wicked; villainous
- edict
- n. an authoritative order issued publicly; a decree
- indoctrinate
- v. to teach to accept a belief uncritically
- debacle
- n. an overwhelming defeat or rout
- circumlocution
- n. an indirect or wordy way of expressing an idea
- didactic
- adj. intended to teach; inclined to teach excessively
- intrinsic
- adj. relating to the essential nature of something
- transcend
- v. to exceed; to go beyond or above the limits
- eminent
- adj. outstanding, distinguished, towering above others
- nonchalant
- adj. seemingly to be unconcerned or indifferent
- enigma
- n. a perplexing, usually ambiguous puzzle
- laggard
- n. a slow person; loiterer
- hackneyed
- adj. made trite and commonplace by overuse
- portly
- adj. fat, esp. of one who has a stately, imposing bearing
- probity
- n. complete and confirmed honesty
- monopoly
- n. exclusive possession or control; a company or group having that control
- buttress
- v. to prop up or support
- drone
- v. to make a continuous, low buzzing or humming sound; to speak monotonously
- iconoclast
- n. one who widely attacks and seeks to destroy widely accepted ideas
- alchemy
- n. medieval chemistry, esp. the attempt to change common metals into gold
- mollify
- v. to soothe the temper; pacify; appease
- tenure
- n. holding or possession of an office or property; guaranteed permanent employment, especially as a teacher
- synthesis
- n. the combination of separate parts into a unified whole
- adulation
- n. excessive flattery or admiration
- estrange
- v. to make hostile or indifferent, usu., between two person
- contravene
- v. to act counter to; violate
- flabbergast
- v. to overcome with astonishment
- impasse
- n. a dead end
- ascetic
- adj. self-denying
- vex
- v. to disturb; to distress
- requisite
- adj. needed; necessary
- detract
- v. to take away a desirable part; to diminish
- ameliorate
- v. to improve; to become better
- reluctant
- adj. unwilling; disinclined
- recant
- v. to formally take back a previous statement
- minuscule
- adj. very small
- bereaved
- adj. suffering the loss of a loved one
- reproof
- n. an expression of disapproval; a rebuke
- tirade
- n. an abusive speech
- tautology
- n. needless repetition of an idea in different words (e.g., "widow woman")
- forestall
- v. to prevent or delay beforehand
- appropriate
- v. to set apart for a specific use; to take possession of, often without permission
- pathology
- n. the study of the cause and development of disease; a departure from a normal condition
- eccentric
- adj. unconventional; odd
- swagger
- v. to walk in an arrogant manner
- apotheosis
- n. the ideal example; the elevation of a person to the rank of a god
- fetter
- v. to confine, to restrain, or keep down; n. chains; shackles
- lukewarm
- adj. mildly warm; lacking enthusiasm
- supercilious
- adj. feeling or showing proud contempt
- incisive
- adj. keen or penetrating in thought or expression
- indolent
- adj. lazy
- collaborate
- v. to work together, esp. at an intellectual effort
- amble
- v. to walk slowly or leisurely
- dichotomy
- n. division into two contradictory parts
- watershed
- n. a critical point that marks a division
- glean
- v. to gather bit by bit
- implacable
- adj. unable to be pacified; relentless
- attire
- n. clothes, esp. fancy or elaborate apparel
- unconscionable
- adj. beyond reason; not restrained by conscience
- hamper
- v. to keep from moving or acting freely
- diligent
- adj. painstaking and steady
- reiterate
- v. to repeat
- unscathed
- adj. unharmed
- bifurcate
- v. to divide into two parts
- feat
- n. an act or accomplishment showing skill
- epigram
- n. a short, cleverly-worded statement
- reconcile
- v. to make friendly again; to settle a dispute
- mortify
- v. to humiliate; to fill with embarrassment
- verbose
- adj. wordy
- distraught
- adj. anxious or agitated
- manifesto
- n. a public declaration of principles, often political
- diaphanous
- adj. of transparent or translucently fine texture; delicate and insubstantial
- kowtow
- v. to show servile deference; to touch the forehead to the ground as an act of respect
- criterion
- n. a measurable value; a standard for judging
- esoteric
- adj. known by or confined to a small number of people
- ascendant
- adj. in a position of power or superiority
- scrupulous
- adj. conscientious and exact; having principles
- passe
- adj. old fashioned; out-of-style
- anomaly
- n. a departure from the regular pattern
- complement
- n. something that complete a whole or bring to perfection
- jettison
- v. to throw overboard; discard or abandon something no longer wanted
- grandiloquent
- adj. using excessively fancy or pompous words
- atrophy
- n. wasting away, esp. of body tissue
- hobbyhorse
- n. a favorite pastime; a topic with which one is obsessed
- desultory
- adj. lacking a plan or purpose; unmethodical
- aberration
- n. a departure from what is right, true, correct
- hyperbole
- n. exaggeration
- renown
- n. fame or celebrity
- covert
- adj. concealed or disguised; no openly practiced
- bona fide
- adj. genuine
- vignette
- n. a small design or portrait; a brief scene (as from a movie) or literary sketch
- upshot
- n. the decisive or final result
- trenchant
- adj. keen and forceful; caustic
- emit
- v. to send forth; to give out
- penchant
- adj. a strong liking
- charisma
- n. a quality of leadership that inspired great devotion in ones followers; personal magnetism or charm
- peremptory
- adj. having the nature of a command; permitting no denial
- bilk
- v. to swindle; to cheat
- diatribe
- n. prolonged and bitter speech or writing
- concomitant
- adj. accompanying (of events)
- exult
- v. to rejoice greatly
- gainsay
- v. to deny; declare false
- obliging
- adj. ready to do favors; helpful; courteous
- unscrupulous
- adj. proceeding ruthlessly; without regard for right or wrong
- flamboyant
- adj. extravagant; showy
- malediction
- n. evil talk about someone; slander; a curse
- lionize
- v. to look upon or treat as a celebrity
- ostentatious
- adj. showy; pretentious
- scourge
- n. a cause of widespread suffering
- cachet
- n. a mark of distinction
- allude
- v. to refer to indirectly
- tacit
- adj. unspoken but understood; silent
- discursive
- adj. covering a wide range of subjects; rambling
- entreaty
- n. an earnest plea or request
- callow
- adj. inexperienced; not developed; immature
- dint
- n. power; effort
- auspicious
- adj. marked by favorable circumstances