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40 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
holocaust
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N. In general, any conflagration where there is widespread destruction by fire.
Also, term referring to actions against Jews in Nazi Germany. |
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chagrin
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N. Distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure. Also connotes a sense of embarrassment.
(From identical French word meaning sad) |
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vacillate
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V. To waver in decision or in opinion; to fudge, to act in an indecisive manner.
(Latin: vacillare- to sway to and fro) |
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catharsis
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Purging, cleansing, spiritual purification that brings with it release from tension or emotional stress.
Ex: Confession for Catholics. |
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ennui
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N. Listlessness, dissatisfaction, or a feeling of discontent that usually results from boredom.
(Old French- enui: displeasure) |
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caveat
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A warning or caution "to take care, to be heedful of consequences".
(caveat emptor- 'Let the buyer beware') *Also has a meaning attached to jurisprudence. (From Latin: cavere, to take care) |
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caprice
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N. A sudden and unpredictable change or turn of mind; Capriciousness- characterized by impulsive behaviour such as changing one's mind.
*Different from fickle. (from Latin caput- 'head') |
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palliate
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V. -To cover by excuses and/or apologies.
-To lessen the violence of, to abate. ex. To palliate a child's tantrum by giving them candy. **More selfish than assuage. (From Latin palliare- 'to cloak or to conceal') |
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assuage
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V. To mollify, to pacify, to lessen the intensity of pain.
(Latin suavis- 'sweet', like suave) **similar to palliate, but the difference is in intention. Assuage implies selflessness, palliate usually selfishness. |
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axiom
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N. A proposition regarded as a self-evident truth. A maxim widely accepted on its intrinsic merits.
(from Greek axioun- 'think, worthy') |
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foible
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N. A fault, minor character flaw which implies a kind of human weakness.
(from Old French feble- 'weak') |
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fortnight
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Fourteen nights / two weeks.
(Old English- fewwertyne nigt) |
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ecdysiast
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N. Stripper.
(Coined by H.L Mencken in 40's, from science & Greek roots, ecdysis is a shedding of the outer coat, like snakes/ crabs) |
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grotesque
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Adj. Bizarre, absurdly incongruous, departing from the natural, the typical.
(from Old Italian grottesco- of a cave/ 'pittura grottesca'- cave painting) |
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fickle
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Adj. Capricious; casually changeable; not constant in loyalty or affection.
**Don't confuse w/ capricious. Refers more to one's relationships with people. |
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fulminate
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V. Implies an explosion, but the eruption is more emotional/ figurative than it is real.
Send forth censures or invectives, figuratively to do so as though throwing lightning bolts. (Middle Latin, fulimnare= 'to flash/strike with lightning') |
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dotage
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N. -A state of feeblemindedness, especially in old age. -> do/ say things that give a foolish appearance.
-Also, foolish affection. (Middle Low German- dotten: 'to be foolish') |
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expurgate
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V. To remove that which is morally harmful, offensive, or erroneous.
Also purge/ cleanse or edit, usually censorship. |
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specious
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Adj. Deceptively attractive, or having the ring of truth but actually being false.
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ostracize
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V. To ban; to exclude from a group by popular consent.
(Greek- ostrakon 'shell', 'potsherd'. In Ancient Greece banishment would be voted upon using such shells.) |
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turgid
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-To be swollen. ex. A limb, or a river.
-Bombastic, pompous, inflated. 'Turgid prose.' |
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calumniate
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V. To utter false charges maliciously to damage another's reputation. Requires deception.
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chimera
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N. (ka-MEER-a)
An illusion of the mind, an unrealisable dream. (Greek chimaira- an imaginary animal with a flaming lion's head, goat's body and serpent's tail.) |
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nirvana
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N. Extinguishing of desire and individual consciousness.
-More general meaning attached to the word: an ideal condition of rest, harmony, stability, or joy. (from Sanskrit) |
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avuncular
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Characteristic of an uncle, can relate to any one who behaves in a kindly, uncle-like fashion. ex. some teachers.
(Latin: avuncul(us)- mother's brother) |
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alpha and omega
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N. The beginning and the end.
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nebulous
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Adj. Hazy, vague, indistinct. Unclear, lack of clarity.
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bane
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N. A person or thing that ruins or spoils; noxious, poisonous. Not always harmful in a physical sense.
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imprecation
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N. Evil praying; to invoke evil upon, to curse.
ex: "May God strike you down." |
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frenetic
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Adj. frenzied, frantic.
Also might characterize the behavior of someone suffering from a mental disorder. |
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cenotaph
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N. A tomb or monument erected in honor of a person whose body is buried elsewhere.
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unctuous
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Oily, greasy, excessively smooth.
ex: A person who fawns another in hopes of gaining something. |
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vicissitude
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N. One of the sudden or unexpected turns often encountered in one's life. / "Life's ups and downs"
Shift, change. |
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titillate
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V. To tickle the senses. To excite pleasurably, agreeably.
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moribund
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Adj. The point of death, about to die.
ex: Communism languished in a moribund state decades before its demise. |
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badinage
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N. Light playful banter or a playful kind of teasing. Good-natured.
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sesquipedalian
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N/ Adj. One and one-half feet;
A word that is unusually long. Can also refer to a person who is given to using long words. |
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extirpate
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V. Exterminate; wipe out; pull up by the root leaving no trace. Sym: expunge.
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apotheosis
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N. exalted; perfect example; deification, glorified.
ex: M. Teresea is the apotheosis of the Christian life. |
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swastika
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N. Symbol of Nazi tyranny and unspeakable crimes against humanity.
(Sanskrit svastika- 'good luck charm') Irony. |