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91 Cards in this Set
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- Back
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philanthropist
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lover of mankind; doer of good; N. philanthropy
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philatelist
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stamp-collector; N. philately: stamp collecting
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philistine
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narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain; uncultured person who is indifferent to artistic and cultural values; member of an ancient people in Palestine; OP. aesthete
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philology
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study of language or words
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phlegmatic
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calm and unexcitable; not easily disturbed; CF. phlegm: sticky mucus produced in the respiratory tract
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phobia
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morbid fear
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phoenix
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symbol of immortality or rebirth; Ex. phoenix rising from its ashes
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phylum
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major classification, second to kingdom, of plants and animals; category ranking below a kingdom and above a class; division
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physiognomy
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face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features
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physiological
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pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms; N. physiology
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piebald
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of different colors; mottled; spotted in different colors (esp. in black and white); Ex. piebald horse; CF. pie+bald
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piecemeal
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one part at a time; gradually; in stages; Ex. read a novel piecemeal
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pied
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piebald; variegated(many-colored); multicolored
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piety
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devoutness; reverence for God; ADJ. pious
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pigment
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coloring matter (usually powder to be mixed with water or oil)
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pillage
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plunder
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pillory
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punish by placing in a wooden frame or pillory; subject or expose to criticism and ridicule; N.
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pine
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long for; yearn; languish from longing or grief; decline
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pinion
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restrain or immobilize by binding the wings or legs; N: bird's wing
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pinnacle
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peak; highest point; acme; Ex. pinnacle of fame
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pious
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devout; religious; N. piety
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piquant
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pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating; Ex. piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help
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pique
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irritation; resentment from wounded pride (eg. loss in a contest); V: provoke; arouse; annoy; cause to feel resentment; Ex. pique her curiosity
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piscatorial
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pertaining to fishing; CF. Pisces
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pitfall
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hidden danger; concealed trap
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pith
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core or marrow; spongelike substance in the center of stems; essence; substance
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pithy
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concise and meaningful; substantial; meaty
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pittance
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small amount (of money); small allowance or wage
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pivotal
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of a pivot; central; critical; crucial
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placate
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pacify; bring peace to; conciliate; appease
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placebo
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harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill
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placid
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peaceful; calm; Ex. placid child/lake
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plagiarize
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steal another's ideas or writings and pass them off as one's own; Ex. ideas plagiarized from my article; N. plagiarism; CF. kidnap
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plaintive
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expressing sorrow; mournful; Ex. plaintive song
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plait
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braid; interwine; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; Ex. plaited hair; N: braided length as of hair o fabric; CF. pigtail, ponytail
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plasticity
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ability to be molded; ADJ. plastic: capable of being shaped or molded; Ex. plastic material such as clay
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platitude
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trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous
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platonic
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purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire
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plaudit
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praise; enthusiastic approval; round(succession or series) of applause; ADJ. plauditory; CF. applaud
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plausible
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conceivably true; having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious
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plebeian
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common; vulgar; pertaining to the common people; N: common people in ancient Rome; CF. patrician
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plenary
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(of power) complete; full; fully attended by all qualified members; Ex. plenary power
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plenitude
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abundance; plenty; great amount; completeness; fullness; CF. plenary, plenty
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plethora
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excess; overabundance; Ex. a plethora of excuses
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pliable
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flexible; easily influenced; yielding; adaptable
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pliant
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flexible; easily influenced
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plight
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difficult condition; condition or state (esp. a bad state or condition); predicament
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pluck
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courage; V: pull off or out; pull out the hair or feathers of; ADJ. plucky: courageous; brave
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plumage
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feathers of a bird;
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plumb
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exactly vertical; N: weight on the end of a line; V: examine very carefully or critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding); Ex. plumb the depth of
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plummet
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fall sharply; fall straight down; Ex. Stock prices plummeted.
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plutocracy
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society ruled by the wealthy
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podiatrist
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doctor who treats ailments of the feet; chiropodist; N. podiatrics
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podium
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pedestal; raised platform
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poignancy
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quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion; ADJ. poignant: touching; deeply moving; (of sorrow, grief, etc.) painful; keenly distressing to the mind; Ex. poignant memory/anxiety; CF. prick
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polarize
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split into opposite extremes or camps
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polemic
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attack or defense of an opinion; controversy or refutation; argument in support of point of view; N. polemics: art of debate or controversy
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polemical(polemic)
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aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious (rather than simply expressing opinions)
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politic
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prudent; judicious; well judged; expedient; well devised
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polity
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(particular form of) political organization; form of government of nation or state; Ex. student polity
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polygamist
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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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portend
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foretell; presage; be a sign or warning of; N. portent: sign; omen; forewarning
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portly
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stout; corpulent
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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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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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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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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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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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