English Flashcards

accentuate

to emphasize or stress

adversity

misfortune; hardship

aficionado

an enthusiastic follower; a supporter or fan

allure

the power to attract or charm

amass

to gather or collect for one's use or profit; to accumulate

amenity

a feature that contributes to physical comfort

amputate

to cut off a body part, especially by surgery

antecedent

a thing or event that precedes anothergoing before; preceding

antiquity

the ancient world, especially before the middle ages; the quality of great age

appraise

to estimate the value of; to form a judgement of; to evaluate

aptitude

a natural talent

averse

having a feeling of opposition or distaste

belated

done too late; having been delayed beyond the usual time

beneficiary

one who benefits or gains an advantage from something

blandishment

(often plural) that which is intended to coax or persuade, such as flattery; an allurement

boon

a welcome gift or blessing

caliber

degree of importance or excellence; the diameter of a bullet or inside of a gun barrel

centrifugal

moving or tending away from the center

chagrin

a feeling of embarrassment or annoyance caused by having failed or being dissapointed to cause to feel unease

cleave

to cling to or be unfaithful to; to split with force or a sharp instrument

commiserate

to feel or express sorrow or compassion for; to sympathize

complacent

to self-satisfied that one sees no need for change; unconcerned

contravene

to act against or be counter to

convoluted

having numerous coils or folds; complicated; intricate

credible

believable; reliable

decapitate

to kill by cutting off the head

decimate

to kill or destroy a large portion of a group

decompose

to decay or break down into basic elements

defray

to supply the money for; to pay

default

failure to do what is required by duty or lawan automatic selection made according to a computer program when the user does not make a choice

deprecate

to criticize or express disapproval of; to represent as of little value; to belittle

depreciate

to make or become less in value; to represent as of little value; to belittle

dexterous

skillful in the use of hands or mind

discomfit

to make uneasy by confusing or embarrassing a person

doldrums

a condition of feeling sad, bored, or sluggish

emanate

to come out from a source

emblazon

to inscribe or decorate conspicuously

eminent

standing above others in worth, rank or fame

empathize

to show or feel understanding of another's feelings or problems

expend

to use of; consume

expire

to come to an end; to die

exponent

a person who explains, interprets, or works to make something popular

facet

any of the many small flat surfaces on a precious stone made by cutting; one of many sides or aspects of something

facetious

playfully humorous

facsimile

an exact copy

faculty

any of the natural powers of the mind and body, such as sight or hearing; an inborn ability; a knack; all of the teachers in a school

fallacy

a false or mistake idea

furor

an uproar; a state of great anger or excitement

garb

a style of clothing; costumeto clothe or dress

garner

to collect or gather; to aquire or obtain

gregarious

enjoying the company of others; sociable

harrowing

very distressing or acutely painful

impair

to damage, weaken, or lessen

inception

the beginning of an action or process

inherent

existing as a natural part of something

jaded

dulled or wearied by excess or overindulgence

maternal

motherly; related to or inherited through one's mother

meteoric

coming into existence swiftly, suddenly, brightly, like a meteor

nuance

a very slight change in feeling or meaning; a graduation

nurture

to care for and give sustenance tothe process of raising one's young

obstrusive

tending to push oneself forward in an unwelcome manner; noticeable in an undesirable way

overbearing

acting in an arrogant, domineering way

paucity

scarcity; smallness in number or amount

pernicious

very destructive or harmful

porous

full of tiny holes or spaces; easily penetrated by gas or liquid

proffer

to offer for acceptance or consideration

quandary

a state of being in doubt about what to do

remonstrate

to say in protest; to raise and objection

repose

to lie at rest; to place (power etc.) in some person or group

rift

a split or crack; a break in friendly relations

scintillate

to flash or sparkle; to be lively and witty

scrutinize

to examine with great careclose examination

solace

comfort or relief in sorrow or distress; consolation

solicitous

showing interest and care; concerned

spry

moving with quickness and ease; lively

succinct

expressed clearly and in few words; concise

supersede

to replace; to cause to be set aside because of superiority

synthetic

not naturally produced; made by artificial processes

tangible

real; able to be touched; possible to understand or realize; not vague or uncertain

transmute

to change the form or appearance of

trepidation

apprehension; dread

vogue

the popular fashion of the time, wide acceptance or favor

volition

an act of consciously choosing or deciding; the power of choosing