Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
English Vocab 1
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| cowl | 1. a large loose hood, especially one forming part of a monk's habit. 2. the hood-shaped covering of a chimney or ventilation shaft. |
| to putter | move with or make a puttering sound. |
| to raven | - (of a wild animal) hunt voraciously for prey. "fierce lions went _____ to and fro" - devour voraciously. |
| piebald | (of a horse) having irregular patches of two colours, typically black and white. |
| to bay | - (of a dog, especially a large one) bark or howl loudly. - (of a group of people) shout loudly, typically to demand something. |
| nankeen | a yellowish cotton cloth. HISTORICAL: trousers made of _____. |
| nightcap | 1. HISTORICAL: a cap worn in bed. 2. a hot or alcoholic drink taken before bedtime. |
| to goggle | look with wide open eyes, typically in amazement. |
| to festoon | adorn (a place) with chains, garlands, or other decorations. |
| mincing | DEROGATORY: affectedly dainty in manner or gait; effeminate (typically used of a man). "I don't have to go through the rest of my life with that _____ voice of yours" |
| tenor | 1. a singing voice between baritone and alto or countertenor, the highest of the ordinary adult male range. 2. the general meaning, sense, or content of something. "the general _____ of the debate" |
| emetic | (of a substance) causing vomiting. INFORMAL: nauseating or revolting. |
| hobbyhorse | 1. a child's toy consisting of a stick with a model of a horse's head at one end. 2. a preoccupation or favourite topic. |
| bass | 1. the lowest adult male singing voice. 2. denoting the member of a family of instruments that is the lowest in pitch. |
| soprano | 1. the highest singing voice. 2. an instrument of a high or the highest pitch in its family. |
| hoary | 1. greyish white. - (of a person) old and having grey or white hair. 2. overused and unoriginal; trite. |
| madcap | adj. amusingly eccentric. - Done without considering the consequences; foolish or reckless. n. an eccentric or reckless person. |
| to gad | (informal) go from place to place in the pursuit of pleasure. |
| impecunious | having little or no money. |
| sexton | a person who looks after a church and churchyard, typically acting as bell-ringer and gravedigger. |
| falsetto | a method of voice production used by male singers, especially tenors, to sing notes higher than their normal range. - a singer using the _____ method of voice production. - a voice or sound that is unusually high. "Philip answered in a prim _____" |
| ratfink | (slang, mainly US and Canadian) a contemptible or undesirable person |
| prelapsarian | characteristic of the time before the Fall of Man; innocent and unspoilt. |
| to slough | 1. shed or remove (a layer of dead skin). - get rid of (something undesirable or no longer required). 2. (of soil or rock) collapse or slide into a hole or depression. |
| aspersion | an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something. |
| ornery | (informal, north American) bad-tempered or difficult to deal with. ADJ |
| rakish | 1. having or displaying a dashing, jaunty, or slightly disreputable quality or appearance. 2. (especially of a boat or car) smart and fast-looking, with streamlined angles and curves. |
| tittle | - a tiny amount or part of something. - ARCHAIC: a small written or printed stroke or dot, indicating omitted letters in a word. |
| farrago | a confused mixture. "a _____ of fact and myth about Abraham Lincoln" |
| coxcomb/cockscomb | 1. ARCHAIC: a vain and conceited man; a dandy. 2. the crest or comb of a domestic cock. |
| dissimulate | conceal or disguise (one's thoughts, feelings, or character). |
| to defray | provide money to pay (a cost or expense). "the proceeds from the raffle help to _____ the expenses of the evening" |
| timbre | the character or quality of a musical sound or voice as distinct from its pitch and intensity. |
| encumbrance | an impediment or burden. |
| embrasure | an opening in a wall or parapet which is bevelled or splayed out on the inside, typically one around a window or door. |
| syncope | 1. MEDICINE: temporary loss of consciousness caused by a fall in blood pressure. 2. GRAMMAR: the omission of sounds or letters from within a word, for example when library is pronounced /ˈlʌɪbri/. |
| vibrato | a rapid, slight variation in pitch in singing or playing some musical instruments, producing a stronger or richer tone. |
| stochastic | TECHNICAL: having a random probability distribution or pattern that may be analysed statistically but may not be predicted precisely. |
| monotonic | speaking or uttered with an unchanging pitch or tone. ADJ |
| indexical | relating to or denoting a word or expression whose meaning is dependent on the context in which it is used (such as here, you, me, that one there, or next Tuesday). |
| sibilant | making or characterized by a hissing sound. |
| discarnate | (of a person or being) not having a physical body. |
| to warble | - (of a bird) sing softly and with a succession of constantly changing notes. - (of a person) sing in a trilling or quavering voice. |
| midriff | the region of the front of the body between the chest and the waist. |
| alto | 1. (especially in church music) the highest adult male singing voice. - the lowest female singing voice. a person with an _____ voice. 2. denoting the member of a family of instruments pitched second or third highest. |
| plangent | (literary) (of a sound) loud and resonant, with a mournful tone. |
| galvanic | 1. relating to or involving electric currents produced by chemical action. 2. sudden and dramatic. |
| tremolo | a wavering effect in a musical tone, produced either by rapid reiteration of a note, by rapid repeated slight variation in the pitch of a note, or by sounding two notes of slightly different pitches to produce prominent overtones. |
| cajolery | coaxing or flattery intended to persuade someone to do something. N |
| airy | 1. (of a room or building) spacious, well lit, and well ventilated. - delicate, as though filled with or made of air. - giving an impression of light gracefulness and elegance. 2. not treating something as serious; casual. |
| solecism | a grammatical mistake in speech or writing. - a breach of good manners; an instance of incorrect behaviour. |
| to wheedle | use flattery or coaxing in order to persuade someone to do something or give one something. |
| sportive | - playful; light-hearted. - ARCHAIC: amorous; lustful. |
| to propitiate | win or regain the favour of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them. |
| carapace | the hard upper shell of a tortoise, crustacean, or arachnid. - something regarded as a protective or defensive covering. |
| to mewl | (especially of a baby) cry feebly or querulously; whimper. - (of a cat or bird) make a high-pitched crying noise. |
| to wamble | 1. to feel nausea 2. to move unsteadily or with a weaving or rolling motion |
| valediction | the action of saying farewell. N |
| chary | cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something. |
| sedulous | (of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence. |
| postulate | a thing suggested or assumed as true as the basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief. - MATHEMATICS: an assumption used as a basis for mathematical reasoning. |
| to weal | n. a red, swollen mark left on flesh by a blow or pressure. v. to mark with a _____. |
| turpitude | FORMAL: depraved or wicked behaviour or character. |
| indigent | adj. poor; needy. n. a poor or needy person. |
| paean | a song of praise or triumph. - a creative work expressing enthusiastic praise. |
| to shanghai | 1. HISTORICAL: force (someone) to join a ship lacking a full crew by drugging them or using other underhand means. INFORMAL: coerce or trick (someone) into a place or position or into doing something. 2. (Aus & NZ) to shoot with a catapult. |
| sybaritic | fond of sensuous luxury or pleasure; self-indulgent. |
| eyewash | 1.cleansing lotion for a person's eye. 2.INFORMAL: insincere talk; nonsense. "all that stuff about blood being thicker than water was a lot of _____" |
| vertiginous | extremely high or steep. - relating to or affected by vertigo. |
| tractable | - (of a person) easy to control or influence. - (of a situation or problem) easy to deal with. |
| rent | a large tear in a piece of fabric. "Eddie was dismayed by the _____ in the roof of the tent" |
| scrofulous | 1 : of, relating to, or affected with a particular disease, a type of tuberculosis infection 2a: having a diseased run-down appearance b: morally contaminated |
| brogue | 1: a stout coarse shoe worn formerly in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands 2: a heavy shoe often with a hobnailed sole 3: a stout oxford shoe with perforations and usually a wing tip |
| to toddle | 1: to walk with short tottering steps in the manner of a young child 2: to take a stroll |
| columbarium | 1: a structure of vaults lined with recesses for cinerary urns |
| umbrageous | 1a: affording shade b: spotted with shadows 2: inclined to take offense easily |
| to repine | 1: to feel or express dejection or discontent : COMPLAIN 2: to long for something |
| excision | the act or procedure of removing by or as if by cutting out |
| moke | 1, slang, British : DONKEY |
| to footle | 1: to talk or act foolishly 2: to waste time : TRIFLE, FOOL |
| urbanity | 1. courteousness and refinement of manner. 2. urban life. |
| patois | 1a: a dialect other than the standard or literary dialect b: uneducated or provincial speech 2: the characteristic special language of an occupational or social group : JARGON |
| ledger | 1: a book containing accounts to which debits and credits are posted from books of original entry 2: a horizontal board used for vertical support (as in scaffolding) |
| to tincture | 1: to tint or stain with a color : TINGE 2a: to infuse or instill with a property or entity : IMPREGNATE b: to imbue with a quality : AFFECT |
| nugatory | 1: of little or no consequence: TRIFLING, INCONSEQUENTIAL 2: having no force: INOPERATIVE |
| ribald | 1: marked by coarseness or lewdness : CRUDE, OFFENSIVE 2: characterized by or using coarse, indecent humor |
| chancel | the part of a church containing the altar and seats for the clergy and choir |
| cuticle | 1: an outer covering layer such as found on some insects and plants 2: dead or horny epidermis (such as that surrounding the base and sides of a fingernail) |
| patina | 1: a surface appearance of sth. grown beautiful esp. with age or use, like the green film formed naturally on copper and bronze by long exposure 2: an appearance or aura derived from association or habit 3: a superficial covering or exterior |
| stipple | 1: to engrave by means of dots and flicks 2a: to make by small short touches (as of paint or ink) that together produce an even or softly graded shadow b: to apply (something, such as paint) by repeated small touches 3: SPECKLE, FLECK |
| cumulus | 1: HEAP, ACCUMULATION (Latin) |
| pabulum | 1: FOOD, especially: a suspension or solution of nutrients in a state suitable for absorption "Roots deliver _____ to the plant." 2: intellectual sustenance 3: something (such as writing or speech) that is insipid, simplistic, or bland |
| liminal | 1: of, relating to, or situated at a sensory threshold: barely perceptible or capable of eliciting a response 2: of, relating to, or being an intermediate state, phase, or condition : IN-BETWEEN, TRANSITIONAL |
| arborisation | ANATOMY: a fine branching structure at the end of a nerve fibre. |
| aperture | 1: an opening or open space : HOLE 2a: the opening in a photographic lens that admits the light b: the diameter of the objective lens or mirror of a telescope |
| crapulous | 1: marked by intemperance especially in eating or drinking 2: sick from excessive indulgence in liquor |
| hieratic | 1: constituting or belonging to a cursive form of ancient Egyptian writing simpler than the hieroglyphic 2: SACERDOTAL 3: highly stylized or formal |
| nautch | an entertainment in India consisting chiefly of dancing by professional dancing girls |
| apposite | highly pertinent or appropriate : APT |
| integument | something that covers or encloses, especially : an enveloping layer (such as a skin, membrane, or cuticle) of an organism or one of its parts |
| leitmotif | 1: an associated melodic phrase or figure that accompanies the reappearance of an idea, person, or situation especially in a Wagnerian music drama 2: a dominant recurring theme |
| numinous | 1: SUPERNATURAL, MYSTERIOUS 2: filled with a sense of the presence of divinity : HOLY 3: appealing to the higher emotions or to the aesthetic sense : SPIRITUAL |
| demiurge | 1a: a Platonic subordinate deity who fashions the sensible world in the light of eternal ideas b: a Gnostic subordinate deity who is the creator of the material world 2: one that is an autonomous creative force or decisive power |
| empyrean | 1a: the highest heaven or heavenly sphere in ancient and medieval cosmology usually consisting of fire or light b: the true and ultimate heavenly paradise 2: FIRMAMENT, HEAVENS 3: an ideal place or state |
| sough | Verb and noun. (of the wind in trees, the sea, etc.) make a moaning, whistling, or rushing sound. |
| pall | - a cloth spread over a coffin, hearse, or tomb. - a dark cloud of smoke, dust, etc. |
| runnel | A gutter. A brook or rill. |
| bourdon | a low-pitched stop in an organ or harmonium, typically a stopped diapason of 16-foot pitch. |
| delectation | Pleasure and delight. |
| dell | a small valley, usually among trees. |
| debonair | (of a man) confident, stylish, and charming. |
| remonstrance | a forcefully reproachful protest. |
| wimple | a cloth headdress covering the head, neck, and the sides of the face, formerly worn by women and still worn by some nuns. |
| rheumatism | any disease marked by inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissue, especially arthritis. |
| avocation | a hobby or minor occupation. |
| caw | Noun and verb. The harsh cry of a rook, crow, or similar bird. |
| to whet | - sharpen the blade of (a tool or weapon). - excite or stimulate (someone's desire, interest, or appetite). |
| filigree | ornamental work of fine (typically gold or silver) wire formed into delicate tracery. |
| cognoscenti | people who are especially well informed about a particular subject. |
| to declaim | utter or deliver words in a rhetorical or impassioned way, as if to an audience. |
| beau | - a boyfriend or male admirer. - a rich, fashionable young man; a dandy. |
| weltanschauung | a particular philosophy or view of life; the world view of an individual or group. |
| pinion | Noun. The outer part of a bird's wing including the flight feathers. Verb. 1. restrain or immobilize (someone) by tying up or holding their arms or legs. 2. cut off the pinion of (a wing or bird) to prevent flight. |
| to enjoin | instruct or urge (someone) to do something. |
| to rejoin | - join together again; reunite. - say something in reply, typically in a quick or critical manner. |
| eudaimonia | A Greek word commonly translated as happiness or welfare; however, "human flourishing or prosperity" and "blessedness" have been proposed as more accurate translations. |
| din | noun 1. a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise. verb 1. make (someone) learn or remember an idea by constant repetition. "a runner-up, he _____ into them, was a loser" 2. make a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise. |
| redress | Noun and verb. Remedy or set right (an undesirable or unfair situation). |
| probity | Formal. The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency. |
| libation | a drink poured out as an offering to a deity. |
| to flit | 1: to pass quickly or abruptly from one place or condition to another 2 archaic : ALTER, SHIFT 3: to move in an erratic fluttering manner |
| nacreous | consisting of or resembling mother-of-pearl. Also, having a play of lustrous rainbow colors, like an iridescent oil slick. |
| viatic | Of or having to do with travel. |
| priapic | - relating to or resembling a phallus. - relating to male sexuality and sexual activity. |
| fruity | 1. (of a voice or sound) mellow, deep, and rich. 2. INFORMAL, BRITISH: sexually suggestive in content or style. 3. INFORMAL, OFFENSIVE: relating to or associated with homosexuals. 4. INFORMAL, US: eccentric or crazy. |
| favonian | Pertaining to the west wind. (by extension) Mild, gentle. |
| torrid | 1. Very hot and dry. 2. Full of intense emotions arising from sexual love; ardent and passionate. "a _____ love scene in a film or novel" 3. Full of difficulty. |
| to list | (Of a ship) lean over to one side, typically because of a leak or unbalanced cargo. |
| staid | sedate, respectable, and unadventurous. |
| pastiche | An artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period. |
| axillary | Anatomy. Relating to the armpit or a corresponding part. |
| apropos | Preposition. With reference to; concerning. Adjective. Very appropriate to a particular situation. |
| domicile | Noun and verb. The country that a person treats as their permanent home, or lives in and has a substantial connection with. Also, in the US, a person's residence or home. |
| romp | Noun and verb. 1. (especially of a child or animal) play roughly and energetically. 2. Informal. proceed without effort to achieve something. 3. Informal. engage in sexual activity, especially illicitly. |
| filament | 1. a slender threadlike object or fibre, especially one found in animal or plant structures. 2. conducting wire or thread with a high melting point, forming part of an electric bulb |
| prismatic | - relating to or having the form of a prism or prisms. - (of an instrument) incorporating a prism or prisms. - (of colours) formed, separated, or distributed by or as if by an optical prism - (of colours) varied and brilliant. |
| to burnish | Polish (something, especially metal) by rubbing. |
| friable | easily crumbled. |
| corpuscle | BIOLOGY: a minute body or cell in an organism, especially a red or white cell in the blood of vertebrates. HISTORICAL: a minute particle regarded as the basic constituent of matter or light. |
| equipoise | Noun and verb. To balance or counterbalance (something). |
| coccyx | a small triangular bone at the base of the spinal column in humans and some apes, formed of fused vestigial vertebrae. |
| to rue | To bitterly regret somehting. |
| ilium | The uppermost and largest part of the hip bone, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, |
| toady | - Noun. a person who behaves obsequiously to someone important. - Verb. Act in an obsequious way. |
| duenna | an older woman acting as a governess and companion in charge of girls, especially in a Spanish family; a chaperone. |
| to monkey | 1. To behave in a silly or playful way. 2. To tinker with. |
| backfisch | German slang for a teenage or late-adolescent girl. |
| lentor | Slowness, slugishness. |
| redolent | Strongly reminiscent or suggestive of. |
| adumbrate | 1. To indicate faintly or represent by giving an outline. 2. foreshadow (a future event). 3. Overshadow. |
| ken | 1: the range of perception, understanding, or knowledge 2a: the range of vision b: SIGHT, VIEW |
| to filch | to steal secretly or casually |
| to cadge | to obtain (something) for free often by persuading or imposing on another : SPONGE |
| to scrounge | 1: STEAL, SWIPE 2a: to get as needed by or as if by foraging, scavenging, or borrowing b: FINAGLE, WHEEDLE —often used with up |
| cipher | 1a: ZERO b: one that has no weight, worth, or influence : NONENTITY 2a: a method of transforming a text in order to conceal its meaning Verb: : to use figures in a mathematical process |
| fug | Noun: the stuffy atmosphere of a poorly ventilated space also : a stuffy or malodorous emanation Verb: - to loll indoors in a stuffy atmosphere - to make stuffy and odorous |
| to straggle | 1: to wander from the direct course or way : ROVE, STRAY 2: to trail off from others of its kind |
| plaint | 1: LAMENTATION, WAIL 2: PROTEST, COMPLAINT |
| to arrogate | 1a: to claim or seize without justification b: to make undue claims to having : ASSUME 2: to claim on behalf of another : ASCRIBE |
| frieze | 1: a heavy coarse wool and shoddy fabric 2: a pile surface of loops or of patterned cut and uncut loops 3: the part of an entablature between the architrave and the cornice 4: a sculptured or richly ornamented band (as on a building or piece of furniture) |
| burble | Verb 1: to make a bubbling sound 2: BABBLE, PRATTLE Noun 1: PRATTLE 2: the breaking up of the smooth flow of air about a body (such as an airplane wing) |
| chasseurs | 1: HUNTER, HUNTSMAN 2: one of a body of light cavalry or infantry trained for rapid maneuvering 3: a liveried attendant : FOOTMAN |
| phial | : VIAL |
| to fox | 1a: to trick by ingenuity or cunning : OUTWIT b: BAFFLE |
| to wig | to scold severely |
| obeisance | 1: a movement of the body made in token of respect or submission : BOW After making his obeisances he approached the altar. 2: acknowledgment of another's superiority or importance : HOMAGE |
| asymptote | a straight line associated with a curve such that as a point moves along an infinite branch of the curve the distance from the point to the line approaches zero and the slope of the curve at the point approaches the slope of the line |
| skittish | - (of an animal, especially a horse) nervous or excitable; easily scared. - (of a person) playfully frivolous or unpredictable. |
| waif | 1. a homeless, neglected, or abandoned person, especially a child. 2. a young person who is thin and looks unhealthy or uncared for. |
| umbra | 1. the fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object, especially the area on the earth or moon experiencing the total phase of an eclipse. 2. Literary. Shadow or darkness. |
| pleat | Noun and verb. a double or multiple fold in a garment or other item made of cloth, held by stitching the top or side. |
| bodice | the close-fitting upper part of a dress, covering the chest and back above the waist. |
| coeval | Adjective: having the same age or date of origin; contemporary. Noun: a person of roughly the same age as oneself; a contemporary. |
| fey | 1. giving an impression of vague unworldliness or mystery. 2. having supernatural powers of clairvoyance. |
| inly | Another term for inwardly. |
| comely | Archaic. (typically of a woman) pleasant to look at; attractive. |
| poltroon | Archaic and literary. An utter coward. |
| to descry | Literary. catch sight of. |
| to tiddle | Obsolete. To treat with tenderness; to fondle. Also, to potter about; to do something idly. |
| to potter | occupy oneself in a desultory but pleasant way. Move or go in a casual, unhurried way. |
| desultory | lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm. |
| somatic | relating to the body, especially as distinct from the mind. |
| to espy | Literary. catch sight of. |
| trite | (of a remark or idea) lacking originality or freshness; dull on account of overuse. |
| to inveigle | persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery. Also, gain entrance to (a place) by using deception or flattery. |
| winsome | attractive or appealing in a fresh, innocent way. |
| recumbent | (especially of a person or effigy) lying down. |
| supine | 1. (of a person) lying face upwards. 2. failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence. |
| prone | 1. likely or liable to suffer from, do, or experience something unpleasant or regrettable. 2. lying flat, especially face downwards. |
| to modulate | 1. exert a modifying or controlling influence on. 2. vary the strength, tone, or pitch of (one's voice). |
Created by:
Yakisha
Popular Academic Vocabulary sets