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Jan9
Term | Definition |
---|---|
tacky (a) | not having or exhibiting good taste a tacky publicity stunt, a tacky outfit |
vitreous (a) | made from glass |
grizzled (a) | having gray hair |
vulgar (a) | lacking in cultivation, perception, or taste : coarse/gross; offensive in language : earthy |
avaricious (a) | greedy of gain : excessively acquisitive especially in seeking to hoard riches avaricious land-grabbers |
rancorous (a) | malevolent |
dote (v) | be lavish or excessive in one's attention, fondness, or affection, usually used with on doted on her only grandchild |
mutiny (n) | forcible or passive resistance to lawful authority The sailors staged a mutiny and took control of the ship. |
sea change (n) | a marked change : transformation a sea change in public policy |
helmsman (n) | a person who steers a ship |
ward off (v) | fend off or avert |
dissuade (v) | advise (a person) against something |
dispensation (n) | something dispensed or distributed |
pique (n) | a transient feeling of wounded vanity : resentment |
encumbrance (n) | something that encumbers : impediment, burden |
detractor (n) | opposer/condemner |
interlocutor (n) | one who takes part in dialogue or conversation |
genteel (a) | polite the genteel manners of an old southern gentleman |
populist (n) | a member of a political party claiming to represent the interests of the common people |
explicate (v) | explain |
strain (n) | inherited or inherent character, quality, or disposition a strain of weakness in the family |
crank (n) | a bad-tempered person : grouch |
heuristic (a) | involving or serving as an aid to learning, discovery, or problem-solving by experimental and especially trial-and-error methods heuristic techniques, a heuristic assumption |
literary (a) | characteristic of humane learning or literature/books; well-read a literary education; he is literary, given to quoting to himself rather long stretches of remembered lines |
allegorical (a) | symbolic or metaphorical |
avant-garde (a) | developing new or experimental artistic concepts |
figurehead (n) | a leader in name only, with little or no authoritative power |
ebullient (a) | enthusiastic and exuberant |
requisite (a) | needed for a particular purpose : essential, necessary |
imbue (v) | inspire or permeate with some characteristic or feeling |
supplant (v) | replace |
contrived (a) | having an unnatural or false appearance or quality : artificial, labored a contrived plot |
draconian (a) | harsh, strict, or severe |
fatuous (a) | silly, pointless |
nonplussed (a) | unsure about what to say, think, or do : perplexed She was nonplussed, but quickly collected herself, explained that the plumbing had been acting up for days, and told them to pay it no mind. |
(grand) farce (n) | mockery |
tenet (n) | a principle, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true |
gospel (n) | something accepted or promoted as infallible truth or as a guiding principle or doctrine took her words as gospel/ spreading the gospel of conservation |
anathema (n) | something that is cursed or loathed |
pure and simple | with nothing other than what has been mentioned It was fraud, pure and simple. |
flagrancy (n) | the act of being flagrant, offensive |
tit for tat | retaliation |
parable (n) | story with morals the Biblical parable of the Good Samaritan |
innuendo (n) | hint or insinuation, often negative His reputation has been damaged by innuendos about his drinking and gambling. |
give teeth to | give something a real effect |
counterpoint (n) | use of contrast in a work of art |
macabre (n) | having death as a subject : comprising or including a personalized representation of death The macabre dance included a procession of skeletons. |
albatross (n) | a bird; something that causes persistent deep concern or anxiety Fame has become an albatross that prevents her from leading a normal life. |
candor (n) | honest and direct communication the candor with which he acknowledged a weakness in his own case |
wax (v) | grow |
exorbitant (a) | exceeding accepted standards regarding amount or degree exorbitant prices |
assent (n) | an act of agreeing to something especially after thoughtful consideration : an act of assenting : acquiescence, agreement She gave her assent to the proposal. |
simulacrum (n) | image, representation a reasonable simulacrum of reality |