English Sat/act Cards

Front 1

renunciation

Back 1

noun-rejection, especially by public announcement

Hint 1

Fiona's renunciation of red meat resulted in weight loss but confused those people who thought she'd been a vegetarian for years.

Front 2

chide

Back 2

verb-to voice disapproval

Hint 2

Sarah chided Sam for his vulgar habits and sloppy appearance.

Front 3

myriad

Back 3

adjective-consisting of a very great number

Hint 3

It was difficult to decided what to do Friday night because the city presented us with myriad possibilities for fun.

Front 4

subjugate

Back 4

verb-to bring under control, subdue

Hint 4

The invading force captured and subjugated the natives of that place.

Front 5

dissipate

Back 5

verb-to disappear, cause to disappear

*to waste

Hint 5

The sun finally came out and dissipated the haze.

*She dissipated her fortune on a series of bad investments.

Front 6

trite

Back 6

adjective-not original, overused

Hint 6

Although Keith thought himself quite learned, everyone else thought he was trite, because his observations about the world were always the same as David Letterman's.

Front 7

abscond

Back 7

verb-to sneak away and hide

Hint 7

In the confusion, the super-spy absconded into the night with the secret plans.

Front 8

iridescent

Back 8

adjective-showing rainbow colors

Hint 8

The socialite's large diamond ring was iridescent in the afternoon sun.

Front 9

trepidation

Back 9

noun-fear, apprehension

Hint 9

With great trepidation, Anya entered the boss's office for an annual performance review.

Front 10

amiable

Back 10

adjective-friendly

Hint 10

An amiable fellow, Harry got along with just about everyone.

Front 11

eminent

Back 11

adj-distinguished, prominent, famous

*adj-conspicuous

Hint 11

Mr. Jones is such an eminent scholar that every professor on campus has come to hear him lecture.

*There is an eminent stain on that shirt.

Front 12

sycophant

Back 12

noun-one who flatters for self-gain

Hint 12

Some see the cabinet as the president's closest advisers, but others see them as sycophants.

Front 13

promulgate

Back 13

verb-to proclaim, make known

Hint 13

The film professor promulgated the idea that Sean Connery's James Bond was superior to Roger Moore's, in terms of both sexual appeal and acting ability.

Front 14

abjure

Back 14

verb-to reject, renounce

Hint 14

To prove his honesty, the president abjured the evil policies of his wicked predecessor.

Front 15

ingenious

Back 15

adjective-clever, resourceful

Hint 15

Her ingenious use of walnuts, rather than the peanuts called for by the recipe, was lauded by the other garden club members, who found her cake delicious.

Front 16

exacerbate

Back 16

verb-to make more violent or intense

Hint 16

The gruesome and scary movie I saw last night exacerbated my fear of the dark.

Front 17

penitent

Back 17

adjective-remorseful, regretful

Hint 17

Had the criminal appeared penitent for his gruesome crimes, the jury's verdict might have been more lenient.

Front 18

veneer

Back 18

noun-a superficial or deceptively attractive appearance, facade

Hint 18

Thanks to her flawless makeup, Shannen was able to maintain a veneer of perfection that hid the blemishes underneath.

Front 19

vex

Back 19

verb-to confuse or annoy

Hint 19

My little brother vexes me by poking me in the ribs for hours on end.

Front 20

reputable

Back 20

adjective-of good reputation

Hint 20

After the most reputable critic in the industry gave the novel a glowing review, sales took off.

Front 21

fervent

Back 21

adjective-ardent, passionate

Hint 21

The fervent protesters chained themselves to the building and shouted all night long.

Front 22

sanctimonious

Back 22

adjective-giving a hypocritical appearance of piety

Hint 22

The sanctimonious Bertrand delivered stern lectures to anyone who would listen, but thought nothing of stealing cars.

Front 23

wily

Back 23

adjective-crafty, sly

Hint 23

Though they were not the strongest of the Thundercats, wily Kit and Kat were definitely the cleverest and full of the most tricks.

Front 24

acquiesce

Back 24

verb-to agree without protesting

Hint 24

Mr. Peters wanted to stay outside and work on his hot rod, but he nevertheless acquiesced to his wife's demands and went inside to watch Entertainment Tonight.

Front 25

denounce

Back 25

verb-to criticize publicly

Hint 25

The senator denounced her opponent as a greedy politician.

Front 26

inure

Back 26

verb-to cause someone or something to become accustomed to a situation

Hint 26

Twenty years in the salt mines inured the man to the discomforts of dirt and grime.

Front 27

cordial

Back 27

adjective-warm, affectionate

Hint 27

His cordial greeting melted my anger at once.

Front 28

rancid

Back 28

adjective-having a terrible taste or smell

Hint 28

Rob was double-dog dared to eat the rancid egg salad sandwich.

Front 29

trenchant

Back 29

adjective-effective, articulate, clear-cut

Hint 29

The directions that accompanied my new cell phone were trenchant and easy to follow.

Front 30

whimsical

Back 30

adjective-fanciful, full of whims

Hint 30

The whimsical little girl liked to pretend that she was an elfin princess.

Front 31

circuitous

Back 31

adjective-roundabout

Hint 31

The bus's circuitous route took us through numerous outlying suburbs.

Front 32

insolent

Back 32

adjective-rude, arrogant, overbearing

Hint 32

This celebrity is so insolent, making fun of his fans right to their faces.

Front 33

clemency

Back 33

noun-mercy

Hint 33

After he forgot their anniversary, Martin could only beg Maria for clemency.

Front 34

reclusive

Back 34

adjective-solitary, shunning solidarity

Hint 34

Reclusive authors, such as J.D Salinger, do not relish media attention and sometimes even enjoy holding up in remote cabins in the woods.

Front 35

inchoate

Back 35

adjective-unformed or formless, in a beginning stage

Hint 35

The country's government is still inchoate and therefore quite unstable.

Front 36

propriety

Back 36

noun-the quality of being proper

Hint 36

Erma's old-fashioned parents believed that her miniskirt lacked the propriety expected of a "nice" girl.

Front 37

adroit

Back 37

adjective-skillful, dexterous

Hint 37

The adroit thief could pick someone's pocket without attracting attention.

Front 38

refute

Back 38

verb-to prove wrong

Hint 38

Alice refuted the president's argument as she yelled and gesticulated at the TV.

Front 39

superfluous

Back 39

adjective-exceeding what is necessary

Hint 39

Tracy had already won the campaign, so her constant flattery of others was superfluous.

Front 40

derivative

Back 40

adjective-taken directly from a source, unoriginal

Hint 40

Joe's lyrics were derivative; they sounded like they had been stolen from a Beatles song.

Front 41

negligent

Back 41

adjective-habitually careless, neglectful

Hint 41

Jessie's grandfather called me a negligent fool after I left the door to his apartment unlocked.

Front 42

travesty

Back 42

noun-a grossly inferior imitation

Hint 42

According to the school newspaper's merciless theater critic, Pacific Coast High's rendition of the musical Oklahoma was a travesty of the original.

Front 43

reciprocate

Back 43

verb-to give in return

Hint 43

When Steve gave Samantha a sweater for Christmas, she reciprocated by giving him a kiss.

Front 44

belated

Back 44

adjective-late, delayed

Hint 44

Lori gave her parents a belated anniversary card, because she had been on vacation on the actual date.

Front 45

hypocrisy

Back 45

noun-pretending to believe what one does not

Hint 45

Once the politician began passing legislation that contradicted his campaign promises, his hypocrisy became apparent.

Front 46

noxious

Back 46

adjective-harmful, unwholesome

Hint 46

Environmentalists showed that the noxious weeds were destroying the insects' natural habitats.

Front 47

atrophy

Back 47

verb-to wither away, decay

Hint 47

If muscles do not receive enough blood, they will soon atrophy and die.

Front 48

transgress

Back 48

verb-to violate, go over the limit

Hint 48

The monster's actions transgressed morality and human decency.

Front 49

viscous

Back 49

adjective-not free flowing; thick

Hint 49

The viscous syrup took three minutes to pour out of the bottle.

Front 50

compound

Back 50

verb-to combine parts

Hint 50

My enjoyment of the meal was compounded by the arrival of a cherry pie and two cupcakes.

Front 51

animated

Back 51

adjective-lively

Hint 51

When he begins to talk about the drama, his true passion, he becomes animated.

Front 52

nominal

Back 52

adjective-trifling, insignificant

Hint 52

Because he was moving the following week and needed to get rid of his furniture, Jordan sold everything for a nominal fee.

Front 53

repentant

Back 53

adjective-penitent, sorry

Hint 53

The repentant Dennis apologized profusely for breaking his mother's prized figurine.

Front 54

stoic

Back 54

adjective-unaffected by passion or feeling

Hint 54

Penelope's faithfulness to Odysseus required that she be stoic and put off her many suitors.

Front 55

exasperate

Back 55

verb-to irritate, irk

Hint 55

George's endless complaints exasperated his roommate.

Front 56

annul

Back 56

verb-to make void or invalid

Hint 56

After seeing its unforeseen and catastrophic effects, Congress sought to annul the law.

Front 57

malediction

Back 57

noun-a curse

Hint 57

When I was arrested for speeding, I screamed maledictions at the policemen.

Front 58

undulate

Back 58

verb-to move in waves

Hint 58

As the storm began to brew, the placid ocean began to undulate furiously.

Front 59

engender

Back 59

verb-to bring about, create, generate

Hint 59

During the Olympics, the victories of the US athletes engender a patriotic spirit among Americans.

Front 60

linchpin

Back 60

noun-something that holds separate parts together

Hint 60

The linchpin in the prosecution's case was a hair from the defendant's head, which was found at the scene of the crime.

Front 61

repose

Back 61

verb-to rest, lie down

Hint 61

The cat, after eating an entire can of tuna fish, reposed in the sun and took a long nap.

Front 62

acclaim

Back 62

noun-high praise

Hint 62

Greg's excellent poem won the acclaim of his friends.

Front 63

congeal

Back 63

verb-to thicken into a solid

Hint 63

The sauce had congealed into a thick paste.

Front 64

ascribe

Back 64

verb-to assign, credit, attribute to

Hint 64

Some scholars ascribe the invention of fireworks and dynamite to the Chinese.

Front 65

notorious

Back 65

adjective-widely and unfavorably known

Hint 65

Jacob was notorious for always arriving late at parties.

Front 66

repulse

Back 66

verb-to disgust

Hint 66

Antisocial Annie tried to repulse people by neglecting to brush her teeth.

Front 67

verdant

Back 67

adj-green in tint or color

Hint 67

The verdant leaves on the trees made the world look emerald.

Front 68

antecedent

Back 68

noun-something that came before

Hint 68

The great tradition of Western culture has its antecedent in the culture of Ancient Greece.

Front 69

dissemble

Back 69

verb-to conceal, fake

Hint 69

Not wanting to appear greedy, she dissembled her intention to sell her ailing father's stamp collection.

Front 70

bias

Back 70

noun-a tendency, inclination, prejudice

Hint 70

The judge's hidden bias against smokers led him to make an unfair decision.

Front 71

accessible

Back 71

adjective-obtainable, reachable

Hint 71

After using Spark Notes and getting a great score on the SAT, Sandy happily realized that her goal of getting into an Ivy League college was accessible.

Front 72

litigant

Back 72

noun-someone engaged in a lawsuit

Hint 72

When the litigants began screaming at one another, Judge Koch ordered them to be silent.

Front 73

precipice

Back 73

noun-the face of a cliff, a steep or overhanging place

Hint 73

The mountain climber hung from a precipice before finding a handhold and pulling himself up.

Front 74

modicum

Back 74

noun-a small amount of something

Hint 74

Refusing to display even an modicum of sensitivity, Susan announced her boss's affair in front of the entire office.

Front 75

umbrage

Back 75

noun-resentment, offense

Hint 75

He called me a lily-livered coward, and I took umbrage at the insult.

Front 76

appropriate

Back 76

verb-to take, make use of

Hint 76

The government appropriated the farmer's land without justification.

Front 77

daunting

Back 77

adjective-intimidating, causing one to lose courage

Hint 77

He kept delaying the daunting act of asking for a promotion.

Front 78

induce

Back 78

verb-to bring about, stimulate

Hint 78

Who knew that our decision to boycott lunch would induce a huge riot.

Front 79

pellucid

Back 79

adjective-easily intelligible, clear

Hint 79

Wishing his book to be pellucid to the common man, Albert Camus avoided using complicated grammar when composing The Stranger.

Front 80

parody

Back 80

noun-a satirical imitation

Hint 80

A hush fell over the classroom when the teacher returned to find Deborah acting out a parody of his teaching style.

Front 81

serendipity

Back 81

noun-luck, finding good things without looking for them

Hint 81

In an amazing bit of serendipity, penniless Paula found a $20 bill in the subway station.

Front 82

turpitude

Back 82

noun-depravity, moral corruption

Hint 82

Sir Marcus's chivalry often contrasted with the turpitude he exhibited with the ladies at the tavern.

Front 83

forestall

Back 83

verb-to prevent, thwart, delay

Hint 83

I forestalled the cold I was getting by taking plenty of vitamin C pills and wearing a scarf.

Front 84

ebullient

Back 84

adjective-extremely lively, enthusiastic

Hint 84

Elizabeth became ebullient upon receiving an acceptance letter from her first-choice college.

Front 85

adumbrate

Back 85

verb-to sketch out in a vague way

Hint 85

The coach adumbrated a game plan, but none of the players knew precisely what to do.

Front 86

penurious

Back 86

adjective-miserly, stingy

Hint 86

Stella complained that her husband's penurious ways made it impossible to live the lifestyle she felt she deserved.

Front 87

salutation

Back 87

noun-a greeting

Hint 87

Andrew regularly began letters with the bizarre salutation "ahoy ahoy."

Front 88

turgid

Back 88

adjective-swollen, excessively embellished in style or language

Hint 88

The haughty writer did not realize how we all really felt about her turgid pose.

Front 89

confound

Back 89

verb-to frustrate, confuse

Hint 89

MacGuyver confounded the policemen pursuing him by covering his tracks.

Front 90

aerial

Back 90

adjective-somehow related to the air

Hint 90

We watched a the fighter planes conducted aerial maneuvers.

Front 91

impregnable

Back 91

adjective-resistant to capture or penetration

Hint 91

Though the invaders used battering grams, catapults, and rain dances, the fortress proved impregnable and repelled all attacks.

Front 92

venerate

Back 92

verb-to regard with respect; to honor

Hint 92

The tribute to John Lennon sought to venerate his music, his words, and his legend.