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Level H Midterm Vocab
N/A
72
English
12th Grade
01/19/2012

Additional English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Bellwether
Definition
the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse; a leader, as in a desperate or violent undertaking; an indicator of trends
Term
Caterwaul
Definition
a howl or screech like a cat; to quarrel; a harsh or noisy cry; a racket
Term
Effete
Definition
lacking in wholesome vigor or energy; worn out or exhausted; sterile or unable to produce; out-of-date.
Term
Fait accompli
Definition
an accomplished and presumably irreversible deed, fact, or action
Term
Hierarchy
Definition
any system of things or people arranged or graded one above another in order of rank, wealth, class, etc.
Term
Liturgy
Definition
a religious service or rite; the form of a ritual or other acts of public worship
Term
Oblivious
Definition
forgetful; unaware
Term
Proselyte
Definition
a convert; a disciple
Term
Claque
Definition
a group of people hired to applaud a performer or performance; enthusiastic or fawning admirers; an opera hat
Term
Deracinate
Definition
to pull up by the roots; to root out, uproot, or dislocate; to eliminate all traces of
Term
Eleemosynary
Definition
charitable; dependent upon or supported by charity; derived from or provided by charity
Term
Lachrymose
Definition
given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful, lugubrious
Term
Lexicon
Definition
a dictionary of a language; the special vocabulary of a person, group,or subject; a compendium
Term
Melee
Definition
a confused struggle; a violent free-for-all; a tumultuous mingling
Term
Minuscule
Definition
very small, tiny; a lowercase letter
Term
Obfuscate
Definition
to darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder
Term
Paternalism
Definition
the policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner of a father dealing with his children
Term
Purview
Definition
the range, extent, or scope of something; in law, the scope or limit of what is provided in a statute
Term
Sanguine
Definition
having a ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook
Term
Verisimilitude
Definition
the quality of appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable
Term
Ancillary
Definition
subordinate or supplementary
Term
Condescend
Definition
to come down or stoop voluntarily to a lower level; to deal with people in a patronizing manner
Term
Cozen
Definition
to trick; to cheat or swindle
Term
Gratis
Definition
free; without charge
Term
Virtuoso
Definition
a brilliant performer; a person with masterly skill or technique; masterly or brilliant
Term
Affinity
Definition
a natural attraction to a person, thing, or activity; a relationship, connection
Term
Derring-do
Definition
valor or heroism; daring deeds or exploits(often used to poke fun at false heroics)
Term
Divination
Definition
the art or act of predicting the future or discovering hidden knowledge
Term
Folderol
Definition
foolish talk, ideas, or procedures; nonsense; a trifle
Term
Gamut
Definition
an entire range or series
Term
Hoi polloi
Definition
the common people, the masses
Term
Ineffable
Definition
not expressible in words; too great or too sacred to be uttered
Term
Obloquy
Definition
public abuse indicating strong disapproval or censure; the disgrace resulting from such treatment
Term
Parameter
Definition
a determining or characteristic element; a factor that shapes the total outcome; a limit, boundary
Term
Browbeat
Definition
to intimidate by a stern or overbearing manner; to bully
Term
Diaphanous
Definition
very sheer and light; almost completely transparent
Term
Genre
Definition
a type, class, or variety, especially a distinctive category of literary composition; a style of painting in which everyday scenes are realistically depicted
Term
Homily
Definition
a sermon stressing moral principles; a tedious moralizing lecture or discourse
Term
Immure
Definition
to enclose or confine within walls; to imprison; to seclude or isolate
Term
Matrix
Definition
a mold; the surrounding situation or environment
Term
Panache
Definition
a confident and stylish manner, dash; a strikingly elaborate or colorful display
Term
Sacrosanct
Definition
very sacred or holy; inviolable; set apart or immune from questioning or attack
Term
Systemic
Definition
of or pertaining to the entire body; relating to a system or systems
Term
Tendentious
Definition
intended to promote a particular point of view, doctrine, or cause; biased or partisan
Term
Vicissitude
Definition
a change, variation, or alteration; successive or changing phases or conditions
Term
Dictum
Definition
a short saying; an authoritative statement
Term
Iconoclastic
Definition
attacking or seeking to overthrow popular or traditional beliefs, ideas, or institutions
Term
Internecine
Definition
mutually destructive; characterized by great slaughter and bloodshed
Term
Maudlin
Definition
excessively or effusively sentimental
Term
Portentous
Definition
foreshadowing an event to come; causing wonder or awe; self-consciously weighty; pompous
Term
Quid pro quo
Definition
something given in exchange or return for something else
Term
Ambivalent
Definition
having opposite and conflicting feelings about someone or something
Term
Beleaguer
Definition
to set upon from all sides; to surround with an army; to trouble, harass
Term
Éclat
Definition
dazzling or conspicuous success or acclaim; great brilliance(of performance or achievement)
Term
Imbue
Definition
to soak or stain thoroughly; to fill the mind
Term
Inchoate
Definition
just beginning; not fully shaped or formed
Term
Malleable
Definition
capable of being formed into different shapes; capable of being altered, adapted, or influenced
Term
Philistine
Definition
lacking in, hostile to, or smugly indifferent to cultural and artistic values or refinements; such a person
Term
Picaresque
Definition
involving or characteristic of clever rogues or adventurers
Term
Refractory
Definition
stubborn; hard or difficult to manage; not responsive to treatment or cure
Term
Savoir-faire
Definition
the ability to say and do the right thing in any situation; social competence
Term
Aberration
Definition
a departure from what is proper, right, expected, or normal; a lapse from a sound mental state
Term
Bane
Definition
the source or cause of fatal injury, death, destruction, or ruin; death or ruin itself; poison
Term
Bathos
Definition
the intrusion of commonplace or trite material into a context whose tone is lofty or elevated; grossly insincere or exaggerated sentimentality; the lowest phase,nadir; an anticlimax, comedown
Term
Cantankerous
Definition
ill-tempered, quarrelsome; difficult to get along or deal with
Term
Depredation
Definition
the act of preying upon or plundering
Term
Empathy
Definition
a sympathetic understanding of or identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of someone or something else
Term
Harbinger
Definition
a forerunner, herald; to herald the approach of
Term
Lackluster
Definition
lacking brilliance or vitality; dull
Term
Mellifluous
Definition
flowing sweetly or smoothly; honeyed
Term
Peccadillo
Definition
a minor sin or offense; a trifling fault or shortcoming
Term
Lampoon
Definition
a malicious satire; to satirize, ridicule
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