Exam Vocabulary
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- bund
- noun -an embankment or causeway, particularly in India and other Asian countries
- furtive
- adj -attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive
- emigrant
- noun -a person who leaves his or her own country in oder to settle permanently in another
- proxy
- noun -the authority to represent someone else, esp. in voting
- tractable
- adj -easy to control or influence; easy to deal with
- commensal
- adj -eating together at the same table
- depilatory
- noun -a cosmetic for the temporary removal of undesired hair
- whorl
- noun -a coil or ring
- efface
- verb -erase (a mark)from a surface
- mien
- noun -a persons look or manner, esp. one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood
- abhorrent
- adj -inspiring disgust and loathing; repugnant
- maelstrom
- noun -a powerful whirlpool -a scene or state of confused and violent movement or upheaval
- inexorable
- adj -impossible to stop or prevent -(of a person) impossible to persuade by request or entreaty
- fatalism
- noun -the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable
- agoraphobia
- noun -extreme or irrational fear of crowded spaces or enclosed public places
- atavism
- noun -the appearance of characteristcs that are presumed to have been present in some ancestor
- conscription
- noun -compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces
- abacus
- noun -an oblong frame with rows of wires or grooves along which beads are slid, used for calculating
- filial
- adj -of or due from a son and daughter, following the sequence of parental generations
- flotage
- noun -the act of floating
- attenuate
- verb -weakened; diminishing adj -to become thin or fine; lesson
- capricious
- adj -impulsive; unpredictable
- coalesce
- verb -to blend or come together
- cornice
- noun -an ornamental horizon molding or frame used to conceal rods, picture hooks, or other devices
- locution
- noun -a particular word, phrase, or expression, especially one that is used by a particular person or group
- offal
- noun -the parts of a butchered animal that are considered inedible by human beings
- pompadour
- noun -a mans hairstyle in which the hair is combed up from the forehead without a part
- unsullied
- adj -spotlessly clean and fresh
- vernacular
- noun -the native speech or language of a place
- zeugma
- noun -a figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses
- fecundity
- adj -producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth; fertile
- libido
- noun -sexual instinct or sexual drive
- narcissistic
- noun -excessive self-love; vanity
- oedipus complex
- a concept used in psychoanalysis where a child has an unconscious desire for exclusive love of the parent of the opposite sex. This desire includes jealousy toward the parent of the same sex and the unconscious wish for that parents death.
- ontology
- the study of the catagories of things that exist or may exist in the same domain
- psychophysiological
- noun -the branch of physiology dealing with the relationship between physiological processes and thoughts, emotions, and behavior
- savant
- noun -a learned person, a scholar
- sublimation
- noun -modifying the natural expression of an impulse or instinct esp. a sexual one to one that is socially acceptable
- verbiage
- noun -an excess of words for the purpose; wordiness
- virile
- adj -characterized by a vigorous, masculine spirit
- cauterize
- verb -to burn the skin or flesh (of a wound to stop from leaking) with a heated instrument or caustic substance
- conical
- adj -having the shape of a cone
- diffident
- adj -modest or shy because of lack of self-confidence
- ignominy
- noun -public shame or disgrace
- incipient
- adj -an inital stage; beginning to happen or develop
- insidious
- adj -proceeding in a general, subtle way, but with harmful effects
- preempt
- verb -to take in action or to prevent (an anticipated) event from happening; forestall -taking importance over; interupt
- prodigal
- adj -spending money or recourses freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant
- sibilant
- adj -sounded with a hissing effect
- taxonomy
- noun -the branch of science concerned with classification, esp. of organisms; systematics
- chauvinism
- noun -excessive prejudiced loyalty or support for one's own cause, group, or gender
- cretin
- noun -a stupid person, someone who is deformed or mentally handicapped
- effulgent
- adj -shining brightly radiant; (0f a person or their expressions) emanating joy or goodness
- incumbent
- noun -the holder of an office or post adj -necessary for (someone) as a duty of responsibilty
- intrepid
- adj -fearless; adventurous
- invidious
- likely to arouse or incur resentment or anger in others; unfairly discriminating; unjust
- lurid
- adj -giving explicit details of crimes or sexual matters
- obeisance
- noun -a gesture expressing deferential respect, such as a bow or curtsy
- pariah
- noun -an outcast -a member of a low caste or of no caste in southern India
- temerity
- noun -excessive confidence or boldness; audacity
- agrarian
- adj -relating to land, rural -pertaining to farming
- jerry rig
- verb -to assemble quickly from what is at hand for temporary use -quick fix for now
- nappy
- adj -kinky hair, often used to describe African American hair
- parse
- verb -to analyze (a sentence) in terms of grammatical parts of speech
- phalanx
- noun -body of troops/things in a close array
- pinafore
- noun -a child's apron, usually large
- recalcitrant
- adj -resisting authority or control; hard to manage or operate
- subterfuge
- noun - a pretense, something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity; deception, tick or scheme
- sultana
- noun -small seedless raison
- surly
- adj -threatening rough -bad tempered and unfriendly ; brusque
- amorphous
- adj -lacking definite form; shapeless
- communism
- noun -a theory or system of economics -based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state
- dissolute
- adj -indifferent to moral restraint; given to immoral or improper conduct; dissipated; reckless
- estivation
- noun -act of hibernation in the summer
- gable
- noun -the portion of the front side of a building enclosed by or masking the end of a pitched roof
- illegitimate
- adj -a child born with unmarried parents; not sanctioned by law or custom
- laterite
- noun -any soil by the decomposition of the rocks beneath it
- vacuous
- adj -without contents; empty; lacking ideas, intelligence
- sloth
- adj -laziness
- vigilant
- adj -watchful, alert
- bulbous
- swollen
- chintz
- a fabric, often seen in upholstery or draperies embossed with floral designs
- elocution
- the practice of speaking well
- florid
- flushed with a rosy color
- gaunt
- thin, bony, emaciated
- ghazal
- a Persian poem structure written in couplets with a refrain and all lines follow the same pattern or meter. the poems are generally written about loss or love
- inane
- irrational, silly and goofy
- resinous
- describes resin which is a liquid that comes out of plants
- shivah
- the mourning process following a funeral in Jewish faith
- superfluous
- unnecessary and uncalled for
- belligerent
- adj -inclined or eager to fight; hostile or aggressive
- brazen
- adj -having a loud, usually harsh, resonant sound -imprudent
- conciliate(d)
- verb -to make or attempt to make compatible; reconcile
- duenna
- noun -in spain and portugal- an older woman serving/overseeing as an escort or chaperon of a young lady
- gilded
- adj -having a pleasing or showy appearance -dipped/covered in gold
- impertinent
- adj -intrusive or presumptuous as a person or their actions; rude or uncivil
- monotonous
- adj -having very little inflection -limited variety
- querulous
- adj -full of complaints; peevish
- sidle
- verb -to move sideways
- vassal
- noun -a servant or slave, follower -a person who held land from a feudal lord and received protection in return for homage and allegiance
- acrimonious
- adj -caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, behavior, etc; Bitter and sharp in language or tone
- archetype
- noun -the original pattern or model from which all of the same kind are copied or on which are based; a model or first form; prototype
- diaphanous
- adj -very sheer and light; almost completely transparent or translucent; delicately hazy
- hegemony
- noun -leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a confederation; aggression or expansionism by large nations in an effort to achieve world domination
- insouciant
- adj -unconcerned, undisturbed; carefree and nonchalant
- litany
- noun -ceremonial or liturgical form of prayer consisting of a series of invocations or supplications with responses that are the same for a number in succession; a prolonged or tedious account; a repetitive or incantatory recital
- primordial
- adj -original; elementary; pertaining to or existing at or from the very beginning
- propitious
- adj -presenting favorable conditions; favorable; indicative of favor; auspicious
- staccato
- adj -notes are abruptly disconnected; composed of or characterized by abruptly disconnected elements; disjointed
- strident
- adj -making or having a harsh sound; grating; creaking; having a shrill, irritating quality or character
- barrage
- (military) a concentrated artillery bombardment over a wide area -a concentrated out pouring, as of questions or blows
- corbel
- a projection jutting out of a wall to support a structure above it
- effluent
- flowing out or forth
- gossamer
- something extremely light, flimsy, or delicate
- fetid
- having an offensive oder, stinking
- nubile
- (of young woman) suitable for marriage esp. in regard to age or physical development; marriageable
- precipice
- a cliff with a vertical or overhanging face
- sumptuous
- splendid and expensive looking; lavish
- vortex
- a whirling mass
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