11 plus Witness for the Prosecution Words and phrases

Some difficult words, phrases, and idioms like used in the 1957 film "Witness for the Prosecution" along with their explanations in context

1. Eccentric (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I'm an eccentric, and I demand eccentric behavior from my staff."

Meaning: Unconventional and quirky.

2. Fastidious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I'm a fastidious man, Nurse. I like my coffee black, and my women... (pauses) ...respectful."

Meaning: Meticulous and demanding.

3. Perfidious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "You're a perfidious woman, Mrs. Vole. You've lied to me, and you've lied to the court."

Meaning: Disloyal and treacherous.

4. Inscrutable (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "You're an inscrutable woman, Mrs. Vole. I've never met anyone like you."

Meaning: Difficult to understand or interpret.

5. Eloquence (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Your eloquence is matched only by your mendacity, Mrs. Vole."

Meaning: Fluent and persuasive speech.

6. Debonair (adjective)

Context: Leonard Vole: "I'm a debonair fellow, Sir Wilfrid. I've always been a bit of a ladies' man."

Meaning: Charming and suave.

7. Ennui (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I'm suffering from ennui, Nurse. This case is too easy."

Meaning: Listlessness and boredom.

8. Finesse (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "It takes finesse to win a case like this, Nurse. Finesse and experience."

Meaning: Delicacy and subtlety of performance.

9. Ingenious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Your plan was ingenious, Mrs. Vole. But it won't work."

Meaning: Clever and inventive.

10. Cunning (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "You're a cunning woman, Mrs. Vole. But you're not cunning enough."

Meaning: Clever and deceitful.

11. Duplicity (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Your duplicity is staggering, Mrs. Vole. You've lied to everyone."

Meaning: Deception and double-dealing.

12. Incriminating (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "This evidence is incriminating, Mrs. Vole. It proves your guilt."

Meaning: Implicating someone in a crime.

13. Mitigating (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "There are mitigating circumstances in this case, Your Honor. Circumstances that reduce the defendant's guilt."

Meaning: Reducing the severity of a crime.

14. Obfuscate (verb)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "You're trying to obfuscate the truth, Mrs. Vole. But I won't let you."

Meaning: To make something unclear or difficult to understand.

15. Perjury (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "You've committed perjury, Mrs. Vole. You've lied under oath."

Meaning: Lying under oath.

16. Revelation (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "This is a revelation, Nurse. A revelation that changes everything."

Meaning: A surprising and important discovery.

17. Sagacious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I'm a sagacious man, Nurse. I know when someone is lying."

Meaning: Wise and discerning.

18. Subterfuge (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "You've used subterfuge to deceive the court, Mrs. Vole. But it won't work."

Meaning: Deception and trickery.

19. Tenuous (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "The link between Leonard and the crime is tenuous at best."

Meaning: Weak and barely existing.

20. Veracity (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I question the veracity of Mrs. Vole's testimony. I think she's lying."

Meaning: Truthfulness.

21. Vigilant (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I've been vigilant throughout this case, Nurse. I've watched everyone's moves."

Meaning: Watchful and attentive.

22. Wistful (adjective)

Context: Leonard Vole: "I'm wistful about my past, Sir Wilfrid. I've made mistakes."

Meaning: Feeling a sense of melancholy or longing.

23. Cacophony (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "The courtroom is a cacophony of lies and deceit."

Meaning: A harsh, discordant sound; a mixture of unpleasant noises.

24. Enervate (verb)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "This case has enervated me, Nurse. I'm exhausted."

Meaning: To weaken or deprive of energy.

25. Exacerbate (verb)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Your lies have exacerbated the situation, Mrs. Vole. You've made things worse."

Meaning: To make a problem or situation worse.

26. Fastidiousness (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I demand fastidiousness in my work, Nurse. Attention to detail is crucial."

Meaning: Meticulousness and demanding standards.

27. Histrionics (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's histrionics in the courtroom are unconvincing."

Meaning: Exaggerated or overly dramatic behavior.

28. Invidious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "It's invidious to compare the two cases, Nurse. They're not similar."

Meaning: Unfair or discriminatory.

29. Lassitude (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I'm feeling lassitude after this long trial, Nurse. I need a rest."

Meaning: A feeling of weariness or lack of energy.

30. Meritorious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Your work on this case has been meritorious, Nurse. You've done an excellent job."

Meaning: Deserving of praise or reward.

31. Nefarious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's nefarious plans have been exposed, Nurse. She's a criminal."

Meaning: Wicked or evil.

32. Obdurate (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole is obdurate, Nurse. She refuses to tell the truth."

Meaning: Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or attitude.

33. Perfidy (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's perfidy is shocking, Nurse. She's betrayed everyone's trust."

Meaning: Disloyalty or treachery.

34. Perturb (verb)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "This case has perturbed me, Nurse. It's unsettled me."

Meaning: To disturb or unsettle someone.

35. Rigorous (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I've been rigorous in my examination of the evidence, Nurse. I've left no stone unturned."

Meaning: Thorough and exhaustive.

36. Sagacity (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "My sagacity has served me well in this case, Nurse. I've seen through Mrs. Vole's lies."

Meaning: Wisdom and discernment.

37. Sanctimonious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's sanctimonious attitude is annoying, Nurse. She's hypocritical."

Meaning: Excessively self-righteous or hypocritical.

38. Sophistry (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's sophistry won't work in this courtroom, Nurse. The truth will come out."

Meaning: The use of fallacious reasoning, especially with the intention of deceiving.

39. Specious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's alibi is specious, Nurse. It's false and misleading."

Meaning: False or deceptive.

40. Tenacious (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I've been tenacious in my pursuit of the truth, Nurse. I won't give up."

Meaning: Holding firmly to a goal or objective.

41. Trenchant (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "My trenchant questioning has revealed the truth, Nurse. Mrs. Vole's lies have been exposed."

Meaning: Sharp and incisive; having a strong and effective quality.

42. Vacillate (verb)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I won't vacillate, Nurse. I'll make a decision and stick to it."

Meaning: To hesitate or waver in one's decisions or actions.

43. Vehement (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I'm vehement in my opposition to Mrs. Vole's testimony, Nurse. I know she's lying."

Meaning: Showing strong and unrelenting passion or intensity.

44. Vitriolic (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's vitriolic attacks on her husband are unwarranted, Nurse. She's trying to deflect attention from herself."

Meaning: Bitter and caustic; having a sharp and corrosive quality.

45. Voluble (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole is voluble, Nurse. She talks a lot, but says very little."

Meaning: Talking or speaking a great deal; fluent but often insincere.

46. Wily (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole is wily, Nurse. She's clever and cunning, but I'm not fooled."

Meaning: Cunning and clever; having a strong sense of self-preservation.

47. Abstruse (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "The details of this case are abstruse, Nurse. They require careful consideration."

Meaning: Difficult to understand; obscure or esoteric.

48. Cacography (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's handwriting is a cacography, Nurse. It's illegible and sloppy."

Meaning: Poor or ungrammatical writing or handwriting.

49. Defenestration (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I've had enough of Mrs. Vole's lies, Nurse. I'm tempted to throw her out the window, a defenestration of sorts."

Meaning: The act of throwing someone or something out of a window.

50. Garrulous (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole is garrulous, Nurse. She talks too much and reveals too little."

Meaning: Talkative or loquacious; fond of talking.

51. Incongruous (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's alibi is incongruous, Nurse. It doesn't fit with the rest of the evidence."

Meaning: Not harmonious or consistent; out of place.

52. Insouciant (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole is insouciant, Nurse. She's carefree and nonchalant, but I'm not fooled."

Meaning: Carefree and nonchalant; having a lack of concern or worry.

53. Mercurial (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's moods are mercurial, Nurse. She changes quickly and unpredictably."

Meaning: Changing quickly and unpredictably; having a fluid or volatile nature.

54. Nebulous (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "The details of Mrs. Vole's alibi are nebulous, Nurse. They're vague and unclear."

Meaning: Unclear or vague in meaning or form.

55. Obfuscation (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's testimony is an obfuscation, Nurse. She's trying to confuse the issue."

Meaning: The act of making something unclear or difficult to understand.

56. Perfidiousness (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's perfidiousness is staggering, Nurse. She's betrayed everyone's trust."

Meaning: The quality of being disloyal or treacherous.

57. Quixotic (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Leonard Vole's defense is quixotic, Nurse. It's idealistic but impractical."

Meaning: Extravagantly chivalrous or romantic in a way that is considered unrealistic or impractical.

58. Reclusive (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole is reclusive, Nurse. She keeps to herself and avoids social contact."

Meaning: Preferring to be alone or avoiding social contact.

59. Scurrilous (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's accusations are scurrilous, Nurse. They're false and malicious."

Meaning: Grossly insulting or slanderous.

60. Tintinnabulation (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "The sound of the courtroom clock is a tintinnabulation, Nurse. A constant reminder of time passing."

Meaning: A ringing or tinkling sound, especially of a bell.

61. Uxoricide (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "The prosecution's case is one of uxoricide, Nurse. The murder of a wife by her husband."

Meaning: The act of murdering one's wife.

62. Vacillation (noun)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I won't tolerate vacillation, Nurse. We must make a decision and stick to it."

Meaning: The act of hesitating or wavering in one's decisions or actions.

63. Wheedling (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "Mrs. Vole's wheedling tone is insincere, Nurse. She's trying to manipulate us."

Meaning: Using flattery or persuasion to get what one wants.

64. Xenophobic (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "The prosecution's xenophobic attitude is unacceptable, Nurse. We must remain impartial."

Meaning: Having a fear or dislike of people from other countries.

65. Yare (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "We must be yare, Nurse. Quick and agile in our thinking."

Meaning: Quick or agile.

66. Zestful (adjective)

Context: Sir Wilfrid: "I'm zestful, Nurse. I have a keen enthusiasm for life and for justice."

Meaning: Having a quality of excitement and enthusiasm.