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Creekside Vocab A-5 51~100

Terms in this set (50)

aspire
verb
1. Direct one's hopes or ambitions towards achieving something
2. Rise high; tower
folly
noun
1. Lack of good sense; foolishness
2. A costly ornamental building with no practical purpose, especially a tower or mock-Gothic ruin built in a large garden or park
3. A theatrical revue with glamorous female performers
rubble
noun
1. Waste or rough fragments of stone brick, concrete, etc., especially as the debris from the demolition of buildings
omnipotent
adjective
1. (of a deity) having unlimited power
1.1 Having great power and influence
muster
verb
1. Assemble (troops) especially for inspection or in preparation for battle
2. Collect or assemble (a number or amount)
noun
1. A formal gathering of troops, especially for inspection, display or exercise
2. A group of peacocks
chafe
verb
1. (with reference to a part of the body) make or become sore by rubbling against something
2. Rub (a part of the body) to restore warmth or sensation
3. Become or make annoyed or impatient because of a restriction or inconvenience
noun
1. Wear or damage caused by rubbing
2. A state of annoyance
contempt
noun
1. The feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or beneath consideration
scuffle
noun
1. A short, confused fight or struggle at close quarters
2. An act of sound moving in a hurries confused, or shuffling manner
verb
1. Engage in short, confused fight or struggle at close quarters
2. Move in a hurried, confused, or awkward way, making a rustling or shuffling sound
panhandler
noun
1. A beggar
panache
noun
1. Flamboyant confidence of style or manner
2. A tuft or plume of feathers, especially as a headdress or on a helmet
audacious
adjective
1. Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks
2. Showing an impudent lack of respect
quaint
adjective
1. Attractively unusual or old-fashioned
unprecedented
adjective
1. Never done or known before
clergy
noun
1. The body of all people ordained for religious duties, especially in the Christian Church
authoritarian
adjective
1. Favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom
1.1 Showing lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others;dictatorial
noun
1. An authoritarian person
tantalize
verb
1. Tormentor or tease (someone) with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable
1.1 Excite the senses or desires of (someone)
monarchy
noun
1. A form of government with a monarch at the head
exorbitant
adjective
1. (of a price or amount charged) unreasonably high
cynical
adjective
1. Believing that people are motivated purely by self interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity
2. Concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted standards in order to achieve them
cursory
adjective
1. Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
feign
verb
1. Pretend to be affected by (a feeling or injury)
cliche
noun
1. A phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought
2. A stereotype or electrotype
embargo
noun
1. An official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country
2. An order of a state forbidding foreign ships to enter, or any ships to leave its ports
verb
1. Import an official ban on (trade or a country or a commodity)
2. Seize (a ship or goods) for state service
vulnerable
adjective
1. Exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally
bureaucracy
noun
1. A system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives
2. Excessively complicated administrative procedure
digress
verb
1. Leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing
gridlock
noun
1. A situation of very severe traffic congestion
2. Another term for deadlock
impudent
adjective
1. Not showing due respect for another person; impetinent
scruples
noun
1. (usually scruples) A feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action
2. A unit of weight equal to 20 grains, used by apothecaries
2.1 A very small amount of something; especially a quality
verb
1. Hesitate or be reluctant to do something that one thinks may be wrong
herald
noun
1. An official employed to oversee state ceremonial, precedence, and the use of armorial bearings, and (historically) to make proclamations, carry official messages, and oversee tournaments
2. A person or thing viewed as a sign that something is about to happen
3. A brown moth with dull orange markings, often hibernating in houses and old buildings
verb
1. Be a sign that (something) is about to happen
melee
noun
1. A confused fight or scuffle
repose
noun
1. A state of rest, sleep or tranquility
1.1 The states of being calm and composed
verb
1. Be situated or kept in a particular place
fanatic
noun
1. A person filled with excessive and single minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious or political cause
adjective
1. Filled with or expressing excessive zeal
revel
verb
1. Enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy way, especially with dancing and drinking
noun
1. Lively and noisy enjoyment especially with dancing and drinking
vagabond
noun
1. A person who wanders place to place without a home or job
adjective
1. Having no settled home
verb
1. Wander about as or like a vagabond
frail
adjective
1. (of a person) weak and delicate
noun
1. A woman
retort
noun (2)
1. A sharp angry or witty reply
1(2). A container or furnace for carrying out a chemical process on a large or industrial scale
verb (2)
1. Say something in answer to a remark, typically in a sharp, angry or witty manner
2. Repay (an insult or injury)
1(2). Heat in a retort in order to separate or purify
quirk
noun
1. A peculiar aspect of a person's character or behavior
2. An acute hollow between convex or other mouldings
verb
1. (with reference to a person's mouth or eyebrow) move or twist suddenly, especially to express surprise or amusement
aesthetic
adjective
1. Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty
noun
1. A set of principles underlying the work of a particular artist or artistic movement
disparage
verb
1. Regard or represent as being of little worth
prevalent
adjective
1. Widespread in a particular area at a particular time
1.1 Predominant; powerful
dubious
adjective
1. Hesitating or doubting
2. Not to be relied upon; suspect
jargon
noun (2)
1. Special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult to understand
1(2). A translucent, colorless, or smoky gem variety of zircom
enigmatic
adjective
1. Difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious
debacle
noun
1. A sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco
conspiracy
noun
1. A secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful
1.1 The action of plotting or conspiring
catastrophe
noun
1. An event causing great and usually sudden damage or suffering; a disaster
2. The denouement of a drama, especially a classical tragedy
upheaval
noun
1. A violent or sudden change or disruption to something
2. An upward displacement of part of the earth's crust
dogmatic
adjective
1. Inclined to lay down principles as undeniably true
finesse
noun
1. Impressive delicacy and skill
2. (in bridge and whist) an attempt to win a trick with a card that is not a certain winner
verb
1. Bring about or deal with (something) by using great delicacy and skill
2. (in bridge and whist) play (a card) in the hope of winning a trick
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