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25 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Expurgate
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to remove objectionable material
All the F-words and S-words in movies have been expurgated for the TV release To purge OUT (purging bile) |
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Expunge
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wipe out, remove any trace of
At the sight of her stained wedding gown, her wedding-day joy was quickly expunged |
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Censure
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express strong disapproval of
The student was quickly censured for his use of the teacher's first name - using "Mrs" was the proper way to show respect CENsors wil censure those people using foul language |
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Ponderous
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weighed down, moving slowly in a labored fashion
Her ponderous movement suggested that the bags she was carrying were much too heavy. Ponderous things will quickly sink to the bottom of a pond |
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Imponderable
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impossible to estimate, fathom, or figure out
“How long would it take driving in a car to go from one end of the universe to the other?” Unless you have a really big calculator—and a very fast car—the answer to this question would be imponderable. Princess Bride: "Imponderable!" |
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Supercillious
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haughty and disdainful
Nelly felt the Quiz Bowl director acted superciliously towards the underclassmen; really, she fumed, must he act so preternaturally omniscient each time he intones some obscure fact—as though everybody knows that Mt. Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America. SUPER = high, CILIA = hairstuffs, high-browed |
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Protean
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versatile in ability
Peter Sellers was truly a protean actor—in Doctor Strangelove he played three very different roles: a jingoist general, a sedate President and a deranged scientist. Protists have flexible bodies and live in a variety of habitats |
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Sartorial
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relating to tailoring, clothing, style
Saris are an interesting form of dress - showing sartorial internationality |
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Disabuse
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to persuade someone that their belief is not valid
As a child, I was quickly disabused of the notion that Santa Claus was a rotund benefactor of infinite largess—one night I saw my mother diligently wrapping presents and storing them under our Christmas tree. DISaBuse - DIS your Beliefs |
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Affable
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likeable, easy to talk to
For all his surface affability, Marco was remarkably glum when he wasn’t around other people. AFFable people make me smile and Laugh |
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Attenuate
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to weaken, taper off, become thinner
Her animosity towards Bob attenuated over the years, and she even went so far as to invite him to her party. - Live attenuated virus - is a weakened virus |
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Acrimony
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bitterness and ill-will
The acrimonious dispute between the president and vice-president sent an unequivocal signal to voters: the health of the current administration was imperiled. Acrimonious people leave an acrid taste in your mouth. NOT harmonious, but ACRID-monious |
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Commensurate
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proportion or corresponding in degree
The convicted felon’s life sentence was commensurate to the heinousness of his crime.the two strains of bacteria showed commensurate virulence - both killed a similar proportion of hosts in fewer than 24 hours |
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Churlish
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lacking manner or refinement
The manager was unnecessarily churlish to his subordinates, rarely deigning to say hello, but always quick with a sartorial jab if someone happened to be wearing anything even slightly unbecoming. CHURlishness does not belong in CHURCH |
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Castigate
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reprimand harshly
Drill sergeants are known to castigate new recruits so mercilessly that the latter often break down during their first week in training. Being publicly castigated feels like being casterated - it is humiliating |
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Chastised
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reprimand harshly
Though chastised for his wanton abuse of the pantry, Lawrence shrugged off his mother’s harsh words, and continued to plow through jars of cookies and boxes of donuts. - to make someone chaste by chastizing them |
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Chary
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cautious
Jack was wary of GRE words that looked similar, because they usually had different definitions; not so with chary, a word that he began to use interchangeably with wary. |
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Fractious
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irritable, causing disruption
The fractious student frequently kirked-off at the slightest provocation. Fractured-mind people are FRACTIOUS |
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Factious
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causing factions
The controversial bill proved factious, as dissension even within parties resulted. |
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Facticious
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artificial, not natural, phony
The defendant’s story was largely factitious and did not accord with eyewitness testimonies. "Factitious is *like* fact, but not quite there. Something that imitates fact is fact-like or facticious. |
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Vindicate
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prove oneself right Weather.com's prediction was vindicated when it rained exactly at 4pm.
A vindicated person was not the person who ATE their words |
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Vidictive
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strong desire for revenge
our soccer team was known for making vindictive fouls in the second half in response to the opposing team's aggressive maneuvers in the first half. vindicIVE got something for YOU! |
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Venal
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corrupt
The venal power plays by the mayor originated from his relationships with commercial industry and a strong desire to make a buck. Venal people have corruption running through their veins |
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Venial
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minor or pardonable (offense)
His dropping a tomato on the floor was a veniable slip-up, however when he threw the remaining tomato at his sister's head, he was in real trouble |
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Ardor
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intense and passionate feeling
bishop's ardor for the landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic hudson valley |
