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60 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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allay
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(v.) to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve
Synonyms: reduce, alleviate, moderate Antonyms: aggravate, exacerbate (that's... a vocab word xD), intensify |
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bestial (this one is easy to remember)
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(adj.) beastlike; beasty, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility
Synonyms: animal, depraved, loathsome Antonyms: human, humane, clement, virtuous, upright |
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convivial (think, "con vida", from spanish)
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(adj.) festive, sociable, having fun together, genial
Synonyms: fun-loving, jovial, merry Antonyms: dour, grim, sullen, unsociable |
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coterie
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(n.) a circle of acquantainces; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest
Synonyms: clique, set |
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counterpart
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(n.) a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement
Synonyms: match (LAME!!! Just think of "complement" and you're good to go) |
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demur (the best pneumonic i think of is "de-mirror")
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(v.) to object or take an exception to; (n.) an objection
synonyms: protest, object(ion) antonyms: assent to, consent to, accept(ion), agree(ment) |
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effrontery (in-front-of-thee, think of "being in front" as bold)
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(n.) shameless boldness, impudence
Synonyms: gall, chutzpah (that's a word?!), nerve, impertinence Antonyms: shyness, diffidence, timidity |
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embellish
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(v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details
Synonyms: ornament, garnish Antonyms: strip, mar, disfigure |
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ephermeral (it's a stretch, but it sounds like "if-him-were-old")
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(adj.) lasting only a short time, short-lived
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felicitous (think, "feliz", from spanish)
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(adj.) appropriate, apt, well-chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy
synonyms: fortunate, well-put antonyms: inappropriate, inept, graceless, unhappy |
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furtive
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(adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen
synonyms: clandestine, covert, surreptitious antonyms: forthright, aboveboard, open |
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garish (think "glare-ish")
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(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way
synonyms: gaudy, flashy, tawdry antonyms: subdued, muted, understated, quiet |
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illusory (pretty obvious, think of "illusion-y")
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(adj.) misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality
Synonyms: specious, spurious, fanciful, imaginary Antonyms: actual, real, factual, objective |
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indigent (sounds a little like "in danger")
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(adj.) needy, impoverished
synonyms: penniless, poverty-stricken, destitute Antonyms: wealthy, affluent, prosperous |
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inordinate (think "not in order")
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(adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive
synonyms: exorbitant, extravagant antonyms: moderate, reasonable, equitable |
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jettison
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(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome
synonyms: cast off, discard, dump, junk, abandon antonyms: conserve, retain, hold on to, keep |
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misanthrope (anyone remember their greek roots? anthropos means "human")
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(n.) a person who hates or despises people
synonyms: people-hater (what kind of synonym is this?!) |
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pertinacious
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(adj.) very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied
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picayune (think, "piqueño", from spanish)
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(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry,measly; concerned with trifling matter, small-minded
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raiment
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(n.) clothing, garments
synonyms: apparel, attire |
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allege
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(v.) to assert without proof or confirmation
synonyms: claim, contend (accuse) antonyms: prove, deny |
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arrant (think like "arr(og)ant")
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(adj.) thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant
synonyms: egregious, unmitigated |
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badinage
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(n.) light and playful conversation
synonyms: banter, persiflage (what is that?!!), repartee antonym: sermon |
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conciliate (think like (re)concile)
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(v.) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent
synonym: placate, mollify, propitiate antonym: antagonize, alient |
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countermand (think "counter" + "command")
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(v.) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first
synonym: recall, revoke antonym: reaffirm, reassert |
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echelon
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(n.) one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement
(just say hierarchy already!!!) synonyms: level, rank |
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exacerbate
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(v.) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful
synonyms: aggravate, intensify, worsen antonyms: alleviate, mitigate, ameliorate |
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fatuous (if you want to think "fat", think of it in a selfish way)
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(adj.) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way
synonyms: silly, vapid, inane, doltish, vacuous antonyms: sensible, intelligent, perceptive, bright |
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irrefutable
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(adj.) impossible to disprove; beyond argument
synonyms: indisputable, incontrovertible, undeniable antonyms: disputable, indefensible, untenable |
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juggernaut
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(n.) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path
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lackadaisical (i guess, think "lacking daisies")
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(adj.) lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted
synonyms: listless, indolent, indifferent, lax antonyms: energetic, vigorous, wholehearted |
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litany (may i remind you of the prefix "lit")
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(n.) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list
synonyms: rigmarole, catalog, megillah |
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macabre (think "Macbeth" by shakespeare)
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(adj.) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject
synonyms: grotesque, grim, ghoulish |
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paucity
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(n.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth
synonym: lack antonym: abundance, glut, plenitude, deluge |
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portend
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(v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give an advance warning of
synonyms: bode, fortell, foreshadow, suggest |
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raze (like... the opposite of "raise", or, you can think of "razor")
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(v.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out
synonyms: pull down, demolish, shave off antonyms: build, construct, raise, erect |
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recant
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(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract
synonyms: repudiate, disavow antonyms: reaffirm, reassert |
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saturate
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(v.) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully
synonym: permeate, drench, flood, imbue antonym: drain |
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saturnine
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(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood
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slough
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(v.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if in mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression
synonym: (v.) shed, slog antonym: (v.) take on, acquire, assume |
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acclamation (think of "aclaim")
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(n.) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal note of approval
synonyms: ovation, cheering, plaudits (O__O'... plaudits?) antonyms: booing, hissing, jeers, catcalls (omg seriously, wtf?) |
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bucolic
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(adj.) characteristic of the countryside, rural; relating to shepherds and cowards, pastoral
synonym: rustic antonyms: urban, metropolitan |
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calumniate
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(v.) to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously
synonym: defame, libel antonym: flatter, whitewash, praise |
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chary
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(adj.) extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident
synonyms: wary, skittish antonyms: heedledd, reckless, incautious |
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collusion
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(n.) secret agreement or cooperation
synonym: conspiracy, plot, connivance, cahoots |
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dilettante
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(n.) a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish, trifling way; (adj.) superficial
synonyms: amateur, trifler antonyms: professional |
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imperturbable
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(adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady
synonyms: unflappable, unexcitable, serene, unruffled antonyms: excitable |
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increment
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(n.) an enlargement, increase, addition
synonyms: accretion, gain antonyms: loss, reduction |
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mandate (think "mandate of heaven" from your history class)
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(n.) an authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v.) to issue such an order
synonym: directive antonyms: forbid, ban, outlaw |
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paltry
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(adj.) trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy
synonyms: measly, meager, piddling, trivial antonyms: gigantic, immense, colossal |
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paroxysm
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(n.) a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion
synonyms: fit, seizure |
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pedantry
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(n.) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details
synonyms: fit, seizure |
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peregrination
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(n.) the act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country
synonyms: journey, wandering, odyssey |
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redolent
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(adj.) fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura
synonyms: evocative, reminiscent, aromatic antonyms: unevocative, odorless |
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refulgent
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(adj.) shining, radiant, resplendent
synonyms: luminous, splendid antonyms: dim, dark, obscure, dingy, dull, murky |
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shibboleth
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(n.) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others; a commonplace saying or truism
synonyms: catchphrase, password, slogan |
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tyro
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(n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill
synonym: neophyte antonym: veteran, past master, expert |
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unremitting
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(adj.) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless
synonyms: constant, incessant, unrelenting antonym: desultory, intermittent |
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vacillate (back to greek roots, "illate" stems for "waves")
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(v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will
synonyms: seesaw, fluctuate, oscillate antonym: persevere |
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vituperative
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(adj.) harshly abusive, severely scolding
synonym: abusive, scurrilous, insulting antonym: complimentary, laudatory, flattering |
