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125 Cards in this Set

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Blemish
Spotted/ Stained-Spoil the appearance of (something) that is otherwise aesthetically perfect
- thousands of Web pages are blemished with embarrassing typos
Debase
Spotted/ Stained-Reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade
- the love episodes debase the dignity of the drama
Sully
Spotted/ Stained-Damage the purity or integrity of; defile
- they were outraged that anyone should sully their good name
Taint
Spotted/ Stained-Contaminate or pollute (something)
- the air was tainted by fumes from the cars
Tarnish
Spotted/ Stained-Lose or cause to lose luster, esp. as a result of exposure to air or moisture
- silver tarnishes too easily
Deface
Spoil the surface or appearance of (something), e.g., by drawing or writing on it
- he defaced library books
Distort
Pull or twist out of shape (Spoil/disfigure)
- a grimace distorted her fine mouth
Mar
Impair the appearance of; disfigure (Spoil/disfigure)
- no wrinkles marred her face
Warp
Become or cause to become bent or twisted out of shape, typically as a result of the effects of heat or dampness (Spoil/disfigure)
- wood has a tendency to warp
Adulterate
Render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance, typically an inferior one (Impure/poisonous)
- the meat was ground fine and adulterated with potato flour
Contaminate
Make (something) impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substance (Impure/poisonous)
- the site was found to be contaminated by radioactivity
Noxious
Harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant (Impure/poisonous)
- they were overcome by the noxious fumes
Toxic
Poisonous (Impure/poisonous)
- the dumping of toxic waste
Vitiate
Spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of (Impure/poisonous)
- development programs have been vitiated by the rise in population
Catharsis
The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions (Get rid off/Clease)
"music is a means of catharsis for them
Expurgate
Remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a book or account) (Get rid off/Clease)
- the expurgated Arabian Nights
Purge
Rid (someone) of an unwanted feeling, memory, or condition, typically giving a sense of cathartic release (Get rid off/Clease)
- Bob had helped purge Martha of the terrible guilt that had haunted her
Inimitable
So good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; (Unmached/ unique)
- the inimitable ambience of Hawaii
Peerless
Unequaled; unrivaled (Unmached/ unique)
- a peerless cartoonist
Cajole
Persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery (Persuade)
- he hoped to cajole her into selling the house
Coax
Coaxial (Persuade)
- coax connectors
Cogent
(of an argument or case) Clear, logical, and convincing (Persuade)
"they put forward cogent arguments for British membership
Enjoin
Instruct or urge (someone) to do something (Persuade)
- the code enjoined members to trade fairly
Exhort
Strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something (Persuade)
- the media have been exhorting people to turn out for the demonstration
Induce
Succeed in persuading or influencing (someone) to do something (Persuade)
- the pickets induced many workers to stay away
Urge
Try earnestly or persistently to persuade (someone) to do something (Persuade)
- he urged her to come and stay with us
Wheedle
Employ endearments or flattery to persuade someone to do something or give one something (Persuade)
- you can contrive to wheedle your way onto a court
Woo
*Try to gain the love of (someone, typically a woman), esp. with a view to marriage (Persuade)
- he wooed her with quotes from Shakespeare
Gratuitous
Uncalled for; lacking good reason; (to make unnecessary)
- gratuitous violence
Justifiable
Able to be shown to be right or reasonable; defensible (to make unnecessary)
- it is not financially justifiable
Obviate
Remove (a need or difficulty) (X-to make unnecessary)
- the Venetian blinds obviated the need for curtains
Necessitate
X- Make (something) necessary as a result or consequence (X- to make unnecessary)
- the severe arthritis eventually necessitated a total hip replacement
Warrant
X- Justify or necessitate (a certain course of action)
- that offense is serious enough to warrant a court marshal
Coercion
The practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats (Put pressure)
- it wasn't slavery because no coercion was used
Compel
Force or oblige (someone) to do something (Put pressure)
- a sense of duty compelled Harry to answer her questions
Extort
Obtain (something) by force, threats, or other unfair means (Put pressure)
- he was convicted of trying to extort $1 million from a developer
Goad
Provoke or annoy (someone) so as to stimulate some action or reaction (Put pressure)
- he goaded her on to more daring revelations
Press
Put (someone or something) to a specified use, esp. as a temporary or makeshift measure (Put pressure)
- many of these stones have been pressed into service as gateposts
Dissuade
Persuade (someone) not to take a particular course of action (Put pressure)
- his friends tried to dissuade him from flying
Allure
Powerfully attract or charm; (tempt/plot/trick-)
Beguile
Charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way (tempt/plot/trick-)
- every prominent American artist has been beguiled by Maine
Collude
Come to a secret understanding for a harmful purpose; conspire (tempt/plot/trick-)
- university leaders colluded in price-rigging
Connive
Secretly allow (something considered immoral, illegal, wrong, or harmful) to occur (tempt/plot/trick-)
- you have it in your power to connive at my escape
Conspire
Make secret plans jointly to commit an unlawful or harmful act (tempt/plot/trick-)
- they conspired against him
Entice
Attract or tempt by offering pleasure or advantage (tempt/plot/trick-)
- a show that should entice a new audience into the theater
Lure
Tempt (a person or an animal) to do something or to go somewhere, esp. by offering some form of reward (tempt/plot/trick-)
- the child was lured into a car but managed to escape
Ploy
A cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one's own advantage (tempt/plot/trick-)
- the president has dismissed the referendum as a ploy to buy time
Ruse
An action intended to deceive someone; a trick (tempt/plot/trick-)
- Eleanor tried to think of a ruse to get Paul out of the house
Hallmark
Stamp with a hallmark (important mark)
2. Designate as distinctive, esp. for excellence
Landmark
An object or feature of a landscape or town that is easily seen and recognized from a distance, esp. one that enables someone to establish their location (important mark)
- the spire was once a landmark for ships sailing up the river
Milestone
A stone set up beside a road to mark the distance in miles to a particular place (important mark)
2. An action or event marking a significant change or stage in development
Watershed
An area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas (important mark)
Apotheosis
The highest point in the development of something; culmination or climax (Best Example)
- his appearance as Hamlet was the apotheosis of his career
Archetype
A very typical example of a certain person or thing (Best Example)
- the book is a perfect archetype of the genre
Embody
Be an expression of or give a tangible or visible form to (an idea, quality, or feeling) (Best Example)
- a team that embodies competitive spirit and skill
Epitome
A person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type (Best Example)
- she looked the epitome of elegance and good taste
Exemplify
Be a typical example of (Best Example)
- rock bands that best exemplify the spirit of the age
Paradigm
A typical example or pattern of something; a model (Best Example)
- there is a new paradigm for public art in this country
Paragon
A person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality (Best Example)
- it would have taken a paragon of virtue not to feel viciously jealous
Personify
Represent (a quality or concept) by a figure in human form (Best Example)
- public pageants and dramas in which virtues and vices were personified
Acuity
Sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing (Intelligent/wise)
- intellectual acuity
Acumen
The ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain (Intelligent/wise)
- business acumen
Astute
Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage (Intelligent/wise)
- an astute businessman
Discerning
Having or showing good judgment (Intelligent/wise)
- the restaurant attracts discerning customers
Discriminating
(of a person) Having or showing refined taste or good judgment (Intelligent/wise)
- he became a discriminating collector and patron of the arts
Insightful
Having or showing an accurate and deep understanding; perceptive (Intelligent/wise)
- thank you for all the insightful comments
Judicious
Having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense (Intelligent/wise)
- the efficient and judicious use of pesticides
Perceptive
Having or showing sensitive insight (Intelligent/wise)
- an extraordinarily perceptive account of their relationship
Perspicacious
Having a ready insight into and understanding of things (Intelligent/wise)
- it offers quite a few facts to the perspicacious reporter
Prudent
Acting with or showing care and thought for the future (Intelligent/wise)
- no prudent money manager would authorize a loan without first knowing its purpose
Sagacious
Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd (Intelligent/wise)
- they were sagacious enough to avoid any outright confrontation
Sage
Having, showing, or indicating profound wisdom (Intelligent/wise)
- they nodded in agreement with these sage remarks
Savant
A learned person, esp. a distinguished scientist (Intelligent/wise)
"He is a telecom savant
Shrewd
Having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute (*Intelligent/wise)
- she was shrewd enough to guess the motive behind his gesture
Impolitic
unwise. (X-Intelligent/wise)
"it was impolitic to pay the slightest tribute to the enemy"
Secular
Denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis (Not Sacred/Worldly)
- secular buildings
Temporal
Of or situated in the temples of the head (Not Sacred/Worldly)
"the Church did not imitate the secular rulers who thought only of temporal gain"
Intrinsic
Belonging naturally; essential (Inborn/firmly fixed)
- access to the arts is intrinsic to a high quality of life
Innate
Inborn; natural (Inborn/firmly fixed)
- her innate capacity for organization
Inherent
Existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute (Inborn/firmly fixed)
- any form of mountaineering has its inherent dangers
Entrenched
(of an attitude, habit, or belief) Firmly established and difficult or unlikely to change; ingrained (Inborn/firmly fixed)
- an entrenched resistance to change
Congenital
(esp. of a disease or physical abnormality) Present from birth (Inborn/firmly fixed)
- a congenital malformation of the heart
Ferret
(of a person) Hunt with ferrets, typically for rabbits (Uncover a secret)
"ferreting is increasing in popularity"
Unearth
Find (something) in the ground by digging (Uncover a secret)
"workmen unearthed an ancient artillery shell"
Unravel
Undo (twisted, knitted, or woven threads) (Uncover a secret)
"they were attempting to unravel the cause of death"
Astray
Away from the correct path or direction (Go off track)
- we went astray but a man redirected us
Awry
Away from the appropriate, planned, or expected course; amiss (Go off track)
- many youthful romances go awry
Circuitous
(of a route or journey) Longer than the most direct way (Go off track)
- the canal followed a circuitous route
Desultory
Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm (Go off track)
- a few people were left, dancing in a desultory fashion
Digress
Leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing (Go off track)
- I have digressed a little from my original plan
Discursive
Digressing from subject to subject (Go off track)
- students often write dull, secondhand, discursive prose
Divergent
Tending to be different or develop in different directions (Go off track)
- divergent interpretations
Ramble
Walk for pleasure, typically without a definite route (Go off track)
"I spent most of my spare time rambling and climbing"
Tangential
Of, relating to, or along a tangent (Go off track)
- a tangential line
Cognizant
Having knowledge or being aware of (Aware)
- statesmen must be cognizant of the political boundaries within which they work
Oblivious
Not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one(X-UnAware)
- she became absorbed, oblivious to the passage of time
Affected
Influenced or touched by an external factor (Artificial/ Pretense)
- apply moist heat to the affected area
Contrived
Deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously (Artificial/ Pretense)
- the carefully contrived image of party unity
Mannered
Behaving in a specified way (Artificial/ Pretense)
- pleasant-mannered
Posture
Behave in a way that is intended to impress or mislead others (Artificial/ Pretense)
- a masking of fear with macho posturing
Pretentious
Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed (Artificial/ Pretense)
- a pretentious literary device
Behest
A person's orders or command (Flattering/Beg)
- they had assembled at his behest
Beseech
Ask (someone) urgently and fervently to do something; implore; entreat (Flattering/Beg)
- they beseeched him to stay
Entreaty
An earnest or humble request (Flattering/Beg)
- the king turned a deaf ear to his entreaties
Implore
Beg someone earnestly or desperately to do something (Flattering/Beg)
- he implored her to change her mind
Importune
Ask (someone) pressingly and persistently for or to do something (Flattering/Beg)
- if he were alive now, I should importune him with my questions
Supplicate
Ask or beg for something earnestly or humbly (Flattering/Beg)
- the plutocracy supplicated to be made peers
Asinine
Extremely stupid or foolish (Studpid/foolish)
- Lydia ignored his asinine remark
Fatuous
Silly and pointless (Studpid/foolish)
- a fatuous comment
Imbecile
Stupid; idiotic (Studpid/foolish)
- try not to make imbecile remarks
Inane
Silly; stupid (Studpid/foolish)
- don't constantly badger people with inane questions
Oafish
Stupid, uncultured, or clumsy (Studpid/foolish)
- oafish behavior
Obtuse
Annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand (Studpid/foolish)
- he wondered if the doctor was being deliberately obtuse
Behold
See or observe (a thing or person, esp. a remarkable or impressive one) (to see)
- behold your king!
Discerning
Having or showing good judgment (to see)
- the restaurant attracts discerning customers
Espy
Catch sight of (to see)
- she espied her daughter rounding the corner
Perceive
Become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand (to see)
- his mouth fell open as he perceived the truth
Imperceptible
Impossible to perceive (X-to see)
- his head moved in an almost imperceptible nod
Dour
Relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance (sulking or bad tempered)
- a hard, dour, humorless fanatic
Morose
Sullen and ill-tempered (sulking or bad tempered)
Peevish
Easily irritated, esp. by unimportant things (sulking or bad tempered)
- all this makes Steve fretful and peevish
Petulant
(of a person or their manner) Childishly sulky or bad-tempered (sulking or bad tempered)
- he was moody and petulant
Pout
Push one's lips or one's bottom lip forward as an expression of petulant annoyance or in order to make oneself look sexually attractive (sulking or bad tempered)
- she lounged on the steps, pouting
Saturnine
(of a person or their manner) Slow and gloomy (sulking or bad tempered)
- a saturnine temperament
Sullen
Bad-tempered and sulky; gloomy (sulking or bad tempered)
- a sullen pout