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Vocabulary
Vocabulary from books and word-of-the-day websites to enhance and improve my speech and writing.
243
Language - English
8th Grade
11/30/2011

Additional Language - English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
riparian
Definition
of, or relating to rivers; riverine (freq. used to describe ownership)
Term
aesopian
Definition
seeming innocent to an outsider, but conveying something else to an insider
Term
incorrigible
Definition
not correctable or changeable
Term
cloy
Definition
to disgust with sentiment
Term
vaunt
Definition
to boast; to praise excessively
Term
tithe
Definition
one tenth (esp. of one's income)
Term
soapdodger
Definition
a scruffy or dirty person
Term
broadside
Definition
a sheet of paper with only one side that has something printed on it
Term
roundabout
Definition
something in the shape of a ring or circle
Term
conversant
Definition
having knowledge or experience
Term
coquetry
Definition
flirtation
Term
panegyrize
Definition
to eulogize; to extol
Term
bestir
Definition
to rouse
Term
serry
Definition
to crowd closely together
Term
nickum
Definition
a mischievous or troublesome person; a wag
Term
immobilize
Definition
to hold fast or prevent from moving
Term
fascicle
Definition
a small or slender bundle; one of the divisions of a book published in parts
Term
churlish
Definition
boorish, rude; stingy; peasantlike; difficult to work with (esp. soil)
Term
perdition
Definition
hell; the negative afterlife in a religion; eternal damnation
Term
recherché
Definition
rare, exotic or obscure
Term
thanatopsis
Definition
a view or contemplation of death
Term
sepulchral
Definition
hollow and deep; dismal; proper to or suggestive of a tomb; of, or relating to tombs or burials
Term
impetuous
Definition

marked by impulsive vehemence or passion

Term
pumpkinification
Definition

transformation into a pumpkin; extravagant or absurdly uncritical glorification (or an instance of this)

Term
excoriate
Definition
to denounce severely
Term
risible
Definition
laughable; ludicrous
Term
peradventure
Definition
chance or uncertainty; (archaic) it may be
Term
hircine
Definition
goat-like; smelling like a goat; of, or relating to smelly goats
Term
adamant
Definition
stubborn; too hard to cut or pierce; a legendary stone of impenetrable hardness
Term
bourse
Definition
a stock exchange (esp. of Paris or of any non-English speaking country)
Term
poky
Definition
slow or dull; small and cramped (of a room or building)
Term
evocative
Definition
calling up or producing memories, images or feelings
Term
aphrodisiacal
Definition
arousing sexual pleasure
Term
parlous
Definition
fraught with danger
Term
genuflect
Definition
to bend the knee; to touch the knee to the floor / ground (esp. in worship); to be servilely obedient or respectful
Term
vituperation
Definition
bitter and abusive language
Term
strident
Definition
loud and harsh; presenting a point of view (esp. a controversial one, in an excessively and unpleasantly forceful way)
Term
loquacious
Definition
garrulous (talkative)
Term
publican
Definition
a person who owns or manages a pub; (in ancient Roman and biblical times) a tax collector
Term
layperson
Definition
a non-professional and/or non-clergyman
Term
stratagem
Definition
an artifice or trick in warfare for deceiving / outwitting the enemy; a trick for deceiving and outwitting in general; skill in trickery
Term
bobbery
Definition
a disturbance or brawl
Term
boniface
Definition
an Anglo-Saxon missionary who was sent to Frisia and Germany to spread the Christian faith (680-754); one of the aforementioned missionaries who was martyred in Frisia; the owner or manager of an inn
Term
aberration
Definition
a departure from what is normal, usual or expected (esp. one that is unwelcome); a person whose beliefs are unacceptable or unusual; a departure from one's usual moral character or mental ability (esp. for the worse); a characteristic that deviates from the normal type
Term
capacious
Definition
roomy
Term
durance
Definition
imprisonment or confinement
Term
natch
Definition
naturally; of course; one's lifetime
Term
disputatious
Definition
(of a person) fond of having heated arguments; (of an argument or situation) motivated by or causing strong opinions
Term
happenstance
Definition
coincidence
Term
counterespionage
Definition
activities designed to prevent or thwart spying by an enemy
Term
gaucho
Definition
a cowboy of the South American pampas
Term
pampas
Definition
extensive, treeless plains in South America
Term
conjecture
Definition
an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information (or to form one); an unproven mathematical or scientific theorem
Term
asperity
Definition
harshness of tone or manner; harsh qualities or conditions; a rough edge on a surface
Term
equidistant
Definition
at equal distances
Term
thence
Definition
from a place or source previously mentioned; as a consequence; from that time
Term
thereupon
Definition
immediately or shortly after that
Term
prostrate
Definition
lying facedown (or to do so); completely overcome or helpless (esp. with illness, distress or exhaustion), (or to reduce someone to that condition); growing along the ground
Term
idiosyncracy
Definition
a mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual; a distinctive or peculiar feature or characteristic of a place or thing; an abnormal physical reaction by an individual to a food or drug
Term
lithe
Definition
thin and graceful
Term
chaise longue
Definition
a reclining chair with a lengthened seat forming a leg rest
Term
festoon
Definition
to adorn a place with chains or other decorations; a decoration
Term
legionnaire
Definition
a member of a legion (esp. an ancient Roman legion or the French Foreign Legion)
Term
dissemble
Definition
to hide under a false appearance
Term
operose
Definition
done with or involving much labor; industrious (as in a person)
Term
rollover
Definition
an act or instance of turning over
Term
pent-up
Definition
characterized by or showing the suppression of impulses or emotions
Term
crux
Definition
a puzzling or difficult problem; an essential point requiring resolution or resolving an outcome; a main or central feature of an argument
Term
collop
Definition
a small slice or portion of something (esp. meat); a fold or roll of flesh on the body
Term
Z-list
Definition
a list comprising of the least celebrated or important members of a group (esp. used to describe extreme insignificance)
Term
derisive
Definition
abusing vocally; expressing contempt or ridicule
Term
salient
Definition
jutting forward beyond a line; standing out conspiciously, significantly or prominently
Term
frondescence
Definition
leafage or foliage; the process or period of putting on leaves
Term
tetragon
Definition
a quadrilateral
Term
emblazon
Definition
to inscribe; to adorn; to celebrate or extol
Term
mawashi
Definition
a loincloth worn by a sumo wrestler
Term
weald
Definition
wooded or uncultivated country
Term
boscage
Definition
a mass of trees or shrubs
Term
green weenie
Definition
an unpleasant, unfair or undesirable situation or event (or the means by which this is inflicted upon someone); any of various types of flies with green bodies
Term
round-shouldered
Definition
hunched
Term
wallaroo
Definition
a large, reddish-gray kangaroo
Term
copse
Definition
a thicket of small trees or bushes; a small wood
Term
mouseburger
Definition
a young woman of unexceptional appearance and/or talents, regarded as timid or mousy (or such a person who can nevertheless achieve professional and/or personal success through determination)
Term
rebutter
Definition
a debater who refutes or disproves by bringing up counter-arguments
Term
kibosh
Definition
something that serves as a check or stop
Term
bough
Definition
a branch of a tree (esp. one of the larger or main branches)
Term
radge
Definition
extremely violent or enraged; mad or crazy; one who is radge; a lascivious woman
Term
lascivious
Definition
revealing an overt and often offensive sexual desire
Term
compendious
Definition
marked by brief expression of a comprehensive manner; concise
Term
adytum
Definition
(pl. adyta) a sacred place that the public is forbidden to enter; an inner shrine; the most sacred or reserved part of any house of worship
Term
ad absurdum
Definition
to the point of absurdity; to an absurd degree; designating a method of demonstrating a falsity of a hypothesis by showing that the consquence of assuming it to be true is something absurd or contradictory
Term
confederate
Definition
a person who joins with another in carrying out some plan (esp. an unethical or illegal plan)
Term
incommunicado
Definition
without means of communication; in a situation or state not allowing communication
Term
novation
Definition
the introduction of something new; the substitution of a new obligation for an old one
Term
pabulum
Definition
anything taken in by a living organism or tissue to maintain life or growth (nutrients); that which feeds a fire (fuel); that which nourishes the mind or soul (food for thought, or spiritual sustenance); bland intellectual fare
Term
unexceptionable
Definition
beyond any reasonable objection; irreproachable
Term
rapporteur
Definition
a person who gives reports (as at a meeting of a learned society)
Term
truss
Definition
to tie, bind or fasten; (of a hawk, falcon, etc.) to grasp prey firmly
Term
orc
Definition
a devouring monster; an ogre
Term
à la mode
Definition
in or according to the fashion; served with a portion of ice cream (often as a topping); larded and braised or stewed with vegetable, herbs, etc., and served with a rich brown gravy
Term
autochthon
Definition
an indigenous person; an earliest known inhabitant; a person or creature born out of the Earth; an indigenous plant
Term
splenic
Definition
of or relating to the spleen
Term
zeitgeist
Definition
the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era
Term
felonious
Definition
wicked or villainous; pertaining to, of the nature of, or involving a felony
Term
swivet
Definition
a state of extreme agitation
Term
cortege
Definition
a procession (esp. a ceremonial one); a line or train of attendants 
Term
southern lights
Definition
the aurora australis (a large light visible in Antarctica in the winter)
Term
extenuation
Definition
acting in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious
Term
parochial
Definition
of or relating to a church parish; limited in range or scope
Term
solecism
Definition
a breach of good manners or etiquette; a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage; any error, impropriety or inconsistency 
Term
Newtonically
Definition
in the manner of Sir Isaac Newton; with regard to Newton's theories
Term
backer
Definition
a person who gives financial or other support
Term
headlong
Definition
with the head foremost; recklessly; without pause or delay
Term
fetial
Definition
concerned with declarations of war or treaties of peace
Term
accidie
Definition
physical or mental laziness (esp. as a condition leading to listlessness or lack of interest in life); apathy, lethargy or torpor
Term
charger
Definition
a horse trained for battle; a cavalry horse
Term
epithet
Definition
a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing; an abusive word or phrase
Term
gasconade
Definition
extravagant boasting; boastful talk; to boast
Term
brain sucker
Definition
a person who takes credit for or benefits undeservedly from the intellectual labor of others; a plagiarist; a parasite; a person or thing that feeds on brain matter; something regarded as harmful to the intellect
Term
hubris
Definition
excessive pride or self-confidence
Term
grandiloquent
Definition
pompous or extravagant in language, style or manner (esp. in a manner that aims to impress)
Term
libidinous
Definition
showing excessive sexual drive; lustful
Term
cerulean
Definition
deep-blue in color like a clear sky; such a color
Term
mulct
Definition
to extract money from someone through fine or taxation; to deprive someone of money or possessions deceptively; a fine
Term
moxie
Definition
force of character, determination or nerve
Term
gymkhana
Definition
a day event comprising of races and other competitions between horse riders or car drivers
Term
inestimable
Definition
beyond calculation or measure
Term
cartomancy
Definition
divination, or fortune-telling, involving playing cards
Term
calaboose
Definition
jail (esp. the local jail)
Term
sprat
Definition
a small or inconsequential person or thing
Term
adumbrate
Definition
to foreshadow; to describe or state (esp. faintly or in outline); to overshadow; to add shading to a picture
Term
banal
Definition
so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring
Term
hitherto
Definition
until now; until the point in time being discussed
Term
haphazard
Definition
lacking any obvious principle of organization
Term
aperçu
Definition
a comment or brief reference that makes an illuminating or entertaining point
Term
jejune
Definition
naïve, simplistic and superficial; (of ideas or writings) dry and uninteresting
Term
humdrum
Definition
lacking excitement or variety; dull; monotonous; dullness; monotony
Term
Cimmerian
Definition
very dark; gloomy; deep
Term
froggery
Definition
a place where frogs are kept for breeding; a place where frogs live or congregate in the wild; a group or colony of frogs
Term
Achilles' heel
Definition
a weak or vulnerable spot
Term
fair-to-middling
Definition
slightly above average
Term
ho-hum
Definition
boring; (exclamation) used to express boredom or resignation
Term
comme ci, comme ça
Definition
(in answer to a question) neither very good nor very bad (so-so)
Term
comme il faut
Definition
correct in behavior or etiquette
Term
per se
Definition
by or in itself or themselves; intrinsically
Term
intrinsic
Definition
belonging naturally; essential
Term
insipid
Definition
lacking flavor, vigor or interest
Term
bestiality
Definition
savagely cruel or depraved behavior; sexual intercourse between a human and an animal
Term
deprave
Definition
to make immoral or corrupt
Term
pedophilia
Definition
sexual feelings directed towards children
Term
antediluvian
Definition
of or belonging to the time before the biblical Flood; ridiculously old-fashioned
Term
abrasive
Definition

rough to the ear; showing little concern for the feelings of others 


Term
lordosis
Definition
an abnormal forward curvature of the spine
Term
mordant
Definition
biting and sarcastic in manner, thought or style; burning or pungent
Term
incisive
Definition
intelligently analytical and clear-thinking
Term
caustic
Definition
scathingly sarcastic
Term
profligacy
Definition
reckless extravagance; shameless dissoluteness; great abundance
Term
dissolute
Definition
lax in morals
Term
automaton
Definition
a mechanism with hidden machinery or wiring; a humanoid robot
Term
fritter
Definition
to spend frivolously and unwisely
Term
spendthrift
Definition
a person who spends improvidently or wastefully
Term
heterotelic
Definition
having the purpose of its existence or occurrence apart from itself
Term
aegrotat
Definition
a certificate that a student is too ill to take an examination; a pass or credit awarded to a student, allowing them to not take the exam because of sickness
Term
meander
Definition
to take an indirect route
Term
perk
Definition
to become cheerful
Term
braggadocio
Definition
vain and empty boasting
Term
defer
Definition
to postpone or delay (esp. one's induction into military service)
Term
paregmenon
Definition
the juxtaposition of words that have a common derivation as in "sense and sensibility"
Term
obreption
Definition
the action or attempt of obtaining through fraud; the action of creeping up on an unaware person
Term
palmist
Definition
fortune-teller who predicts futures through the lines on a person's palms
Term
kudos
Definition
prestige; praise given for an achievement
Term
expostulate
Definition
to reason earnestly with someone against somethign that person intends to do or has done
Term
nyctograph
Definition
a device invented by Lewis Carroll with which a person can record ideas without light at night without having to fully wake up
Term
housebound
Definition
confined to one's house (as by illness)
Term
bonny
Definition
pleasing to the eye
Term
Generation X
Definition
a generation of young people about whose future there is uncertainty; a lost generation; the generation that reached adulthood in the 1980's and 1990's, perceived to be disaffected, directionless or irresponsible
Term
thole
Definition
to endure
Term
viscid
Definition
sticky; covered by a sticky substance
Term
gullet
Definition
esophagus
Term
crucible
Definition
a vessel in which metals or other substances are heated or melted; a severe test; a place or situation where forces cause or influence change or development
Term
desinence
Definition
a termination or ending
Term
aureate
Definition
golden; brilliant or splendid as gold
Term
depracatory
Definition
tending to diminish or disparage
Term
xylography
Definition
the art of making engravings on wood (esp. for printing)
Term
outrance
Definition
the utmost extremity
Term
black swan
Definition
a rarity
Term
harum-scarum
Definition
lacking a sense of responsibility; reckless
Term
ostensible
Definition
intended for display; plausible rather than demonstratably true or real
Term
perspicacious
Definition
keen in perception and understanding
Term
pussyfoot
Definition
characterized by excessive caution or hesitation; commited to or advocating total abstinence; one who is pussyfoot
Term
graupel
Definition
granular snow
Term
alate
Definition
winged
Term
absquatulate
Definition
to leave urgently and/or secretly; to send away; to dismiss
Term
abscond
Definition
to leave urgently and/or secretly
Term
cerebrate
Definition
to think or infer
Term
fustian
Definition
extravagant or affected writing or speech
Term
high-flown
Definition
(of language) extravagant and lofty
Term
shiv
Definition
a knife (esp. a switchblade)
Term
adscititious
Definition
forming an addition or supplement; not integral
Term
arboreous
Definition
abounding in trees
Term
deucedly
Definition
devilishly
Term
dragonet
Definition
a small or young dragon
Term
pettifog
Definition
to argue over petty things
Term
weltschmerz
Definition
mental depression or apathy caused my comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state; a mood of sentimental sadness
Term
remora
Definition
an obstacle, hindrance or obstruction
Term
frog and toad
Definition
the road
Term
lurcher
Definition
someone waiting in concealment
Term
leonine
Definition
of, relating to or suggestive of lions
Term
natheless
Definition
nevertheless
Term
adjuration
Definition
the act or action of summoning, invoking or commanding an evil spirit; the action of commanding or appealing to someone in the name of God or a god; a solemn or earnest appeal or command
Term
yegg
Definition
robber or safecracker
Term
slimsy
Definition
flimsy
Term
doryphore
Definition
one who brings attention to the small errors made by others
Term
belly-up
Definition
financially ruined
Term
educe
Definition
to draw forth or bring out (as something potential or latent); to infer or deduce
Term
neep
Definition
a turnip; a Swede
Term
oodles
Definition
a large number or amount
Term
intercalate
Definition
to insert (as a day) in a calender; to insert between existing elements or layers
Term
bleb
Definition
a bubble; a blister or vesicle
Term
galah
Definition
a fool or simpleton
Term
varlet
Definition
a deceitful or unreliable scoundrel
Term
loath
Definition
reluctant
Term
mettle
Definition
courage or disposition
Term
Euroclydon
Definition
any stormy wind or gale
Term
arbalest
Definition
a crossbow (esp. one of medieval times)
Term
conciliate
Definition

to overcome the distrust or hostility of; to win; to reconcile; to become reconciled

 

Term
rebus
Definition
a cryptic representation of a word/phrase through pictures/symbols
Term
bright-line
Definition
providing an unambiguous criterion or guideline (esp. in law)
Term
green man
Definition
a supernatural being connected with nature and fertility, often viewed as a personification of the woodland or forest; a representation of a man's face composed of foliage or branches; a raw or inexperienced man or recruit (esp. in fishing or whaling, someone who has never been to sea before)
Term
purlieu
Definition
an outer adjacent area of any place
Term
Cook's tour
Definition
a rapid or cursory survey or review
Term
hotchpot
Definition
the bringing together of shares or properties in order to be divided equally
Term
neoterism
Definition
an innovation in language (a new word, phrase or expression); the usage of one
Term
delude
Definition
to deceive
Term
gambol
Definition
to skip about in play; to frolic
Term
idoneous
Definition
appropriate
Term
thoughtlet
Definition
a small or insignificant though
Term
doyenne
Definition
a woman who is the senior member of a group, class or profession
Term
prognosticant
Definition
prophetic
Term
flounder
Definition
to walk with great difficulty
Term
stiction
Definition
the force required to cause one body in contact with another to begin to move
Term
peroration
Definition
a long, pompous speech; a conclusion to a speech that persuades the audience by repeating a prior phrase earnestly and forcefully
Term
baller
Definition
one who takes part in a ball
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