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61 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
polygamist |
one who has more than one spouse at a time; CF. bigamy; CF. polyandry
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polyglot
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speaking several languages; multilingual; Ex. polyglot person/society; N.
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pomposity
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self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt(pompous person); ADJ. pompous: self-important
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ponderous
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having great weight; weighty; unwieldy; lacking lightness; dull; Ex. ponderous body/style of writing
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pontifical
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pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious; CF. pontiff: pope; bishop
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pore
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study industriously; ponder; scrutinize; Ex. pore over the book; N.
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porous
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full of pores; like a sieve
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interstice
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narrow space between things
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portend
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foretell; presage; be a sign or warning of; N. portent: sign; omen; forewarning
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soothsayer
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one who foretells the future
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portly
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stout; corpulent
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stout
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rather fat; strong in body; sturdy; resolute; determined; strong in determination; Ex. stout stick/supporter
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poseur
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person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others; person who poses; CF. pose
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pose
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assume a particular posture; put forward; present; affect a particular attitude (to impress others); Ex. pose a threat; N.
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posterity
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descendants; future generations; Ex. go down to posterity; CF. posterior, anterior
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posthumous
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after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death); coming or occurring after one's death; Ex. posthumous fame/novel
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postmortem
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autopsy; ADJ: occurring after death; of a postmortem
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postulate
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self-evident truth; something assumed without proof; V: assume the truth of (as a basis of an argument)
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posture
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assume an affected pose; act artificially; N: pose; attitude
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potable
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suitable for drinking; drinkable
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potent
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powerful; convincing; persuasive; greatly influential
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potentate
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monarch; sovereign
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potential
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expressing possibility; latent; N: capacity for growth
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potion
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dose (of liquids); liquid dose
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potpourri
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heterogeneous mixture; medley; mixture of dried flower petals a pot (to give a pleasant smell to a room)
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poultice
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soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body
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practicable
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feasible
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practical
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based on experience; of or acquired through practice (rather than theory); useful; Ex. practical man
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pragmatic
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practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with practical worth or impact of something; Ex. pragmatic test of the skill
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pragmatist
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practical person; N. pragmatism: pragmatic way of dealing with things
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prance
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move about in a spirited manner (proudly and confidently)
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prate
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talk idly; speak foolishly; boast idly
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prattle
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talk idly; babble; N. CF. prate
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idle
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not working; not employed or busy; lazy; without purpose; useless; lacking substance; baseless; not based on truth; Ex. idle worker; Ex. talk idly; V.
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preamble
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introductory statement
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precarious
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unsafe; lacking in stability; uncertain; risky; Ex. precarious living
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precedent
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something preceding in time which may be used as an authority or guide for future action; V. precede; CF. unprecedented
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precedent
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preceding (in time, rank, etc.)
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precept
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practical rule guiding conduct; Ex. mother's precept
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precipice
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cliff; dangerous position; Ex. on the edge of the precipice
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brink
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edge (at the top of a cliff); Ex. on the brink of the Grand Canyon
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precipitant
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something that causes a substance in a chemical solution to separate out in solid form; ħÀüÁ¦; OP. solvent
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precipitate
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hurl downward; throw headlong; hasten; cause to happen sooner; condense and fall as rain or snow; cause (a solid substance) to be separated from a solution; ADJ. hasty; rash; premature; sudden
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precipitous
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steep; overhasty; precipitate
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pr\'ecis
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abstract; concise summing up of main points; concise summary of a text
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precise
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exact
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preclude
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make impossible; prevent; exclude; eliminate
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precocious
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advanced in development; N. precocity
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precursor
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forerunner; predecessor
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predator
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predatory animal or bird; predatory person; creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others; ADJ. predatory: living by preying on other organisms; plundering; N. predation
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predecessor
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former occupant of a post
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predetermine
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determine in advance; predestine; settle or decide beforehand; influence markedly
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predicament
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difficult situation; tricky or dangerous situation; dilemma
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predilection
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preference; partiality
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predispose
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give an inclination toward (in advance); make susceptible to; Ex. predispose people to certain cancer; N. predisposition
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preeminent
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outstanding; superior
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preempt
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prevent in advance; head off(forestall); forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself before others; supplant; take the place of; displace; Ex. preempt any attempts; ADJ. preemptive
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preen
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make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction or pride; (of a bird) smooth or clean (feathers) with the beak; Ex. preen oneself on; CF. prune
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prefatory
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introductory; of a preface
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prehensile
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capable of grasping or holding (esp. by wrapping around); Ex. prehensile tails
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prelate
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church dignitary; priest of high position in the church (esp. bishop) |