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125 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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agressor (n.)
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person or nation that initiates hostilities or makes an unprovoked attack; assailant; invader
In WWII, Japan was the agressor; its surprise attack on Pearl Harbor started the conflict in the Pacific. |
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agression (n.)
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unproved attack; assault; invasion
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altitude (n.)
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height; elevation; high position; eminence
Mt Washington, which rised to an altitude of 6,288 feet, is the highest peak in the Whte Mountains. |
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calamity (n.)
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great misfortune; catastrophe; disaster
The assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were national calamities. |
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calamitous (adj.)
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disastrous; catastrophic
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congregate (v.)
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come together into a growd; assemble; gather
Some homeowners near the school do not like students to congregate on their property. |
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convene (v.)
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meet in a group for a specific purpose
The board of directors will convene next Thesday to elect a new corporation president. |
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convention (n.)
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treaty; agreement
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cordiality (n.)
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friendliness; warmth of regard; amiability
Pam's parents greeted me with cordiality and made me feel like an old friend of the family. |
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cordial (adj.)
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war amd friendly; gracious; hearty
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crony (n.)
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close companion; intimate friend; chum; associate
Some students socialize only with their cronies and rarely try to make new friends. |
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deliberately (adv.)
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1. in a carefully thought out manner; purposely; intentionally
We deliberately kept Glenda off the planning committee because we didn't want her to know that the party was to be in her honor. 2. in an unhurried manner; slowly The chef measured out the ingredients deliberately, wanting the amounts to be precise. |
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dispense (v.)
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1. deal out; distribute
Some charitable organizations dispense food to the needy. 2. (followed by the preposition with) do without; get along without; forgo When our club has a guest speaker, we dispense with the reading of the minutes to save time. |
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dubious (adj.)
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doubtful; uncertain; questionable
There is no doubt about my feeling better, but it is dubious that I can be back at school by tomorrow. |
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extremity (n.)
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very end; utmost limit; border
Key West is at the southern extremity of Florida. |
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forecast (v.)
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predict; foretell; prophesy; prognosticate
The price of oranges has gone up again, as you forecasted. |
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hibernate (v.)
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spend the winter in a dormant or inactive state, as some animals do
When animals hibernate, their heart rate drops sharply and their body temperature decreases. |
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host (n.)
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1. large number; multitude; throng; crowd; flock
The merchant has expected a host of customers, but only a few appeared. 2. person who receives or entertains a guest or guests at home or elsewhere (hostess - a woman who serves has a host) Dad treats his guests with the utmost cordiality; he is an excellent host. |
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itimidate (v.)
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frighten; influence by fear; cow; overawe; coerce
A few spectators were intimidated by the lion's roar, but most were not frightened. |
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preface (n.)
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introduction (to a book or speech); foreword; prologue; preamble; exordium
Begin by reading the preface, it will help you to get the most out of the rest of the book. |
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preface (v.)
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introduce or begin with a preface; usher in; precede
Usually, I get right into my speech, but this time I prefaced it with an amusing anecdote. |
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recoil (v.)
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draw back; because of fear or disgust; shrink; wince; flinch
Marie recoiled at the thought of singing in the amateur show, but she went through with it beacuse she had promised to participate. |
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reflection (n.)
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1. thought, especially careful thought; cogitation; deliberation
When a question is complicated, don't give the first answer that comes to mind. Take time for reflection. 2. blame; discredit; aspersion; shut Yesterday's defeat was no reflection on our players; they did their very best. |
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relinquish (v.)
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give up; abandon; let go; release; surrender; cede
When an elderly man entered the crowded bus, one of the students relinquished her seat to him. |
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tolerate (v.)
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endure; bear; put up with; accept; permit
Very young children will cry when rebuked; they cannot tokerate criticism. |
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tolerable (adj.)
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bearable; endurable
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capsize (v.)
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overturn; upset
When Sam's canoe capsized, I swam over to help him turn it right side up. |
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contend (v.)
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1. compete; vie; take part in a contest; fight; struggle
Every spring some baseball writers try to predict which two teams will contend in the next World Series. 2. argue; maintain as true; assert Don't argue with the umpire. If she says you are out, it is no use contenting you are safe. |
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contentious (adj.)
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quarrelsome; belligerent
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decease (n.)
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death; demise
Shortly after President Kennedy's decease, Vice President Johnson was sworn in as the new chief executive. |
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din (n.)
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loud noise; uproar; clamor; racket
I couldn't hear what you were saying because the plane passing overhead make such a din. |
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distinguish (v.)
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tell apart; differentiate; recognize
The twins are so alike that it is hard to distinguish one from the other. |
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divulge (v.)
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make known; reveal; disclose
Yesterday our teacher read us a composition without divulging the name of the writer. |
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drought (n.)
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long period of dry weather; lack of rain; dryness
While some regions are suffering from drought, others are experiencing heavy rains and floods. |
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famish (v.)
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starve; suffer from extreme hunger; make extremely hungry
The missing hikers were famished when we found them; they had not eaten for more that 2 days. |
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illuminate (v.)
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light up; lighten; brighten
The bright morning sun illuminated the room; there was no need for the lights to be on. |
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inaudible (adj.)
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incapable of being heard; not audible
The only part of your answer I could hear was the first word; the rest was inaudible. |
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incense (v.)
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make extremely angry; enrage; madden; infuriate
Some of the members were so incensed by the way Tamar opened the meeting that they walked right out. |
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inundate (v.)
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flood; swamp; deluge
The rainstorm inundated a number of streets in low-lying areas. |
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jeopardy (n.)
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danger; peril
If you arrive late for a job interview, your chances of being hired will be in serious jeopardy. |
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jeopardize (v.)
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endanger; imperil
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magnify (v.)
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cause to be or look larger; enlarge; amplify; exaggerate
The bacteria shown in your textbook have been greatly magnified; their actual size is considerably smaller. |
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municipal (adj.)
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of a city or town
Your mother works for the city? How interesting! My father is also a municipal employee. |
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puncture (v.)
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make a hole iwht a pointed object; pierce; perforate
Our neighbor swept a nail off his curb, and later it punctured one of his own tires. |
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rummage (v.)
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search thoroughly by turning over all the contents; ransack
Someone must have rummaged my desk; everything in it is in disorder. |
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simultaneously (adv.)
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at the same time; concurrently; together
The twins began school simultaneously, but they did not graduate at the same time. |
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subsequently (adv.)
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later; afterward; next
When I first saw that dress, it was $49; subsequently it was reduced to $29; now it is on sale for $19. |
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survive (v.)
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live longer than; outlive; outlast
After landing at Plymouth, the Pilgrims suffered greatly; about half of them failed to survive the first winter. |
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traverse (v.)
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pass across, over or through; cross
The Trans-Siberian Railroad, completed in 1905, traverses the Asian continent. |
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velocity (n.)
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speed; swiftness; celerety; rapidity
Do you know that light travels at a velocity of 186,000 miles a second? |
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accommodate (v)
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1. hold or contain without crowding or inconvenience; have room for
The new restaurant will accommodate 128 persons. 2. oblige; do a favor for; furnish with something desired I'm sorry I have no pen to lend you. Ask Norman. Perhaps he can accomodate you. |
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apprehend (v.)
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1. anticipate (forsee) with fear; dread
Evan began to apprehend the outcome of his English test but he passed easily. |
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apprehension (n.)
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alarm; uneasiness
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apprehensive (adj.)
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fearful; afraid
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cleave (v.)
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stick; adhere; cling; be faithful
some of the residents are hostile to new ways; they cleave to the customs and traditions of the past. |
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conceal (v.)
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keep secret; withdraw from observation; hide; secrete
I answered all questions truthfully, for I had nothing to conceal. |
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content (adj.)
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satisfied; pleased
If you are not content with the merchandise, you may return it for an exchange or a refund. |
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culprit (n.)
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one guilty of a fault or crime; offender; wrongdoer
The last time we were late for the party, I was the culprit. I wasn't ready when you called for me. |
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eliminate (v.)
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drop; exclude; remove; get rid of; rule out
The new director hopes to reduce expenses by eliminating unnecessary jobs. |
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facetious (adj.)
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given to joking; not to be taken seriously; witty; funny
Bea meant it when she waid she was quitting the team. She was not being facetious. |
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fatigue (v.)
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tire; exhaust; weary
Why not take the elevator? Climbing the stairs will fatigue you. |
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fatigue (n.)
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exhaustion; weariness
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infallible (adj.)
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incapable of being in error; sure; certain; absolutely reliable
When Phil disputes my answer or I question his,w e take it to our math teacher. We consider her judgment infallible. |
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pilfer (v.)
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steal (in small amounts); purloin
The shoplifter was apprehended after pilfering several small articles. |
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province (n.)
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1. proper business or duty; shpere; jurisdiction
If your brother misbehaves, you have no right to punish him; that is not your province. 2. territory; region; domain |
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reflect (v.)
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think carefully; meditate; contemplate
I could have given a much better answer if I had had the time to reflect. |
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reverse (v.)
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turn completely about; change to the opposite position; revoke; annul
Shortly after President Kennedy's decease, Vice President Johnson was sworn in as the new chief executive. |
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reverse (n.)
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setback; defeat; reversal
In 1805, Napoleon's fleet met with a serous reverse at the Battle of Trafalgar. |
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reversible (adj.)
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able to be worn with either side out
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shallow (adj.)
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1. not deep
2. lacking intellictual depth; superficial; uncritical Nonswimmers must use the shallow end of the pool. |
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superfluous (adj.)
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beyond what is necessary or desirable; surplus; needless
We already have enough volunteers; additional help would be superfluous. |
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surmount (v.)
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conquer; overcome; climb over
At the end of the third quarter, the visitors were ahead by 18 points, a lead that our team was unable to surmount. |
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urban (adj.)
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having to do with cities or towns
in the United States today, the urban population far outnumbers the farm population. |
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vicinity (n.)
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neighborhood; locality; region about or near a place
Katerina lost her keys in the vicinity of Pine Street and Wyoming Avenue. |
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vocation (n.)
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occupation; calling; business; trade; profession
Ruth will be studying to be an engineer. Bob plans to enter teaching. I, howevery, have not yet chosen a vocation. |
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abate (v.)
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1. become less; decrease; dimihish; let up
The water shortage is abating, but it is still a matter of some concern. 2. make less; reduce; moderate Helen's close defeat in the tennis tournament has not abated her zeal for the game. |
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abatement (n.)
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slackening; letup
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accord (n.)
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agreement; understanding
If both sides to the dispute can be brought to the conference table, perhaps they can come to an accord. |
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accord (v.)
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agree; correspond
Check to see if your definition accords with the one in the dictionary. |
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aggravate (v.)
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make worse; worsen; intensify
If your sunburn itches, don't scratch; that will only aggravate it. |
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belligerent (adj.)
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fond of fighting; warlike; combative
Bert still has a tendency to settle his arguments with his fists. When wll he learn that it;s childish to be so belligerent? |
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conspicuous (adj.)
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noticeable; easily seen; prominent; striking
Among Manhattan's skyscrapers, the Empire State Building is conspicuous for its superior height. |
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craft (n.)
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1. skill; art; trade
The weavers of Oriental rugs are famous for the remarkable craft. 2. skill or art in a bad sense; guile The Greeks took Troy by craft; they used the trick of the wooden horse. |
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crafty (adj.)
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sly; cunning
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craven (adj.)
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cowardly; dastardly; pusillanimous; gutless
Henry Fleming thought he would be a hero, but as the fighting began he fled from the field in craven fear. |
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currency (n.)
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something in circulation as a medium of exchange; money; coin; bank notes
Some New England tribes used beads as currency. |
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deter (v.)
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turn aside through fear; discourage; hinder; keep back
The heavy rain did not deter people from coming to the play. Nearly every seat was occupied |
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duplicate (n.)
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one of two things exactly alike; copy; reproduction
If the photocopying machine had been working, I couldn have made a duplicate. |
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fictitious (adj.)
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1. made up; imaginary; not real
In Johnny Tremain, there are fictitious characters like Johnny and Rab, as well as real ones, like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere. 2. false; pretended; assumed for the purpose of deceiving The suspect said she lived at 423 Green Street, but she later admitted it was a fictitious address. |
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immaculate (adj.)
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spotless; without a stain; absolutely clean; unblemished
The curtains were spotless; the tablecloth was immaculate, too. |
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intervene (v.)
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1. occur between; be between; come between
More that two months intervene between a president's election and the day he takes office. 2. come between to help settle a quarrel; intercede; interfere Ralph is unhappy that I stepped into the dispute between him and his brother. He didn not want me to intervene. |
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intervention (n.)
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interference; interposition
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miniature (adj.)
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Kim has a miniature stapler in her bag. It takes up very little room.
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quintet (n.)
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group of five
A basketball team, because it has five players, is often called a quintet. |
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reconcile (v.)
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1. cause to be friends again; restore to friendship or harmony
Pat and Tom are friends again. I wonder who reconciled them. 2. settle; resolve We are firends again; we have reconciled our differences. |
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rural (adj.)
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having to do with the country (as distinguished from the city or town)
Six inches of snow fell in the city and up to fourteen inches int he rural areas updstate. |
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security (n.)
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1. safety; protection
Guests are advised to deposit their valuables in the hotel's vault for greater security. 2. measures taken to assure protection against attack, crime, sabotage, etc. Security has been tightened at airports. |
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stamina (n.)
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strength; vigor; endurance
Swimming the English Channel is a feat that requires considerable stamina. |
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volition (n.)
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act of willing or choosing; will; choice
Did the employer dismiss him, or did he leave of his own volition? |
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alternative (n.)
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1. choice; one of two or more things offered for choice
If given the choice of making either an oral or written report, I would pick the second alternative. 2. other or remaining choice |
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beverage (n.)
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drink; liquid for drinking
Orange juice is a healthful beverage.l |
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blunder (n.)
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mistake or error caused by stupidity or carelessness
Have you ever committed the blunder of mailing a letter without a stamp? |
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controversy (n.)
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dispute; quarrel; debate; strife
The Republicans and the Democrats have been engaged in a controversy over which party is responsible for the increased taxes. |
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controversial (adj.)
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arousing controversy; contentious; disputatious
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custody (n.)
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care; safekeeping; guardianship
The treasurer has custody of our money. |
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diminutive (adj.)
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below average size; small; tiny
To an observer in an airplane high over the cityl even the largest buildings seem diminutive. |
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dispel (v.)
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drive away by scattering; scatter; disperse
The two officers were commended for the skill in dispelling the mob. |
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dormant (adj.)
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inactive, as if asleep; slepping; quiet; sluggish; resting
In early spring; new buds begin to appear on trees that have been dormant all winter. |
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exclusively (adv.)
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solely; without sharing with others; undividedly
Mrs. Lopez has bought the computer for all of her children, but the oldest behave as if it were exclusively his. |
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exclusive (adj.)
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sole; single; unshared
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exempt (adj.)
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freed or released from a duty. liability, or rule to which others are subject
Students with A averages are exempt from final exams. |
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exemption (n.)
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immunity; impunity
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imperil (v.)
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endanger; jeopardize
The fishing vessel was imperiled by high winds but it managed to reach port safely. |
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lineage (n.)
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descent (in a direct lien form a common ancestor); ancestry; family; extraction
A study of FDR's lineage shows that he was descended from a Dutch ancestor who settled in America about 1638. |
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major (adj.)
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greater; larger; more important; principal
When the major companies in an industry raise prices, the smaller ones usually follow suit. |
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objective (n.)
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aim or end (of an action); goal
Our fund has alread rasied $650; its objective is $1000. |
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objective (adj.)
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involving facts, rather than personal feelings or opinions
College admissions committees consider two kinds of data; subjective evidence, such as letters of recommendation; and objective evidence, such as your scores on college-entrance tests. |
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opinionated (adj.)
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unduly attached to one's own opinions; obstinate; stubborn
If you keep arguing that you are right, in the face of overwhelming objective evidence that you are wrong, you are opinionated. |
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presently (adv.)
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in a little time; shortly; soon; before long
We won;t have to wait long for our bus. It will be here presently. |
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procrastinate (v.)
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put things off; delay; postpone; defer; dawdle
When a book is due; return it to the library promptly. Otherwise you will be fined 10 cents for every day you procrastinate. |
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prodigious (adj.)
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extraordinary in size, quantity, or extent; vast; enormous; huge; amazing
The average American city requires a prodigious amount of fresh mild daily. |
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prodigy (n.)
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something extraordinary; wonder; phenomenon
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protract (v.)
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draw out; lengthen in time; prolong; extend
The visitors had planned ot stay for a few hours only, but they were persuaded to protract their visit. |
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retain (v.)
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keep; continue to hvae, hold or use
The corporation will close its restaurants but retain its most profitable clothing stores. |
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retentive (adj.)
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having the power to retain or remember; tenacious
Evan's retentive memory will help him on his exams. |
