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70 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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au courant
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well-informed; up to date
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blase
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tired of pleasures; bored
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chic
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stylish
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gauche
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lacking social grace; crude; tactless; awkward
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naive
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simple in nature; artless; ingenuous
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attache
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member of the diplomatic staff of an ambassador or minister
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coterie
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set or circle of acquaintances; clique
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elite
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group of individuals thought to be superior; aristocracy; choice part
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envoy
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diplomatic agent or messenger
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martinet
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person who enforces very strict discipline
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aplomb
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absolute confidence in oneself; poise; self-possession
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ennui
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feeling of weariness and discontent; boredom; tedium
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esprit de corps
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feeling of union and common interest pervading a group; devotion to a group or to its ideals
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savoire faire
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knowledge of just what to say or do; tact
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cliche
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worn-out expression; trite phrase
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resume
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1. brief account of experience and qualifications submitted by an applicant; curriculum vitae
2.summary |
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tete-a-tete
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private conversation between two persons
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carte blanche
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full discretionary power; freedom to use one's own judgement
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debacle
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collapse; disaster; overthrow; rout; fiasco
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impasse
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deadlock; predicament with no obvious way out; stalemate
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liaison
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1. bond; linking up; coordination of activities
2. person who establishes and maintains this connection |
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detente
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relaxing, as of strained relations between government
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laissez-faire
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doctrine opposing interference by governments in economic affairs; noninterfernce
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avant-garde
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experimentalists or innovaters in any art
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a la mode
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1. according to fashion; stylish
2. with ice cream |
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barritone
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male voive between bass and tenor
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tenor
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adult male voice beritone and alto
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falsetto
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artificially high voice
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soprano
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highest voice in women and boys
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adagio
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slow; in an easy, graceful manner
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allegro
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brisk; quick; lively
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presto
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quick
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crescendo
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gradually increasing in force or loudness
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dolce
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soft; sweet
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a cappella
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without musical accompaniment
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staccato
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with breaks between successive notesw; disconnected; abrupt
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vibrato
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slightly throbbing or pulsating effect, adding warmth and beauty to the tone
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concerto
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long musical composition for one or more principal instruments with orchestral accompaniment
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opera
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play mostly sung, with costumes, scenery, action and music
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cameo
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1. gem or medallion cut in relief, the carved figure projecting
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campanile
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bell tower
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cupola
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1. rounded roof; dome
2. small dome or tower on a roof |
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fresco
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1. art of painting with watercolors on dam fresh plaster
2. picture or design so painted |
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mezzanine
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intermediate story in a theater between the main floor and the first balcony
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patina
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film or incrustation, usually green, on the surface of old bronze or copper
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rotunda
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1. round building, esp one with a dome or cupola
2. large round room |
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dilettante
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1. dabbler in an art or other field
2. art lover |
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mountebank
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boastful pretender; charlatan; quack
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viruoso
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one who exhibits great technical skill in an art, esp in playing a musical instrument
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imbroglio
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1. difficult situation
2. complicated disagreement |
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aficionado
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devoted follower of some sport or art; fan ; devotee
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duenna
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elerly woman chaperon of a young lady governess
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gaucho
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South American cowboy
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junta
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1. council for legislation or administration
2. group of military officers controlling a government after a coup d'etat 3. junto |
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macho
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man exhibiting machismo
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picador
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rider on horseback in a bullfight who lances the bull to weaken its neck and shoulder muscles
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renegade
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traito; turncoat; deserter; apostate
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travado
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pretense of bravery
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flotilla
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small fleet; fleet of small vessels
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adobe
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1. brick of sun-dried clay and straw
2. structure made of such bricks |
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arroyo
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1. water-carved, often dry, gully
2. brook; creek |
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bonanza
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1. large and rich mine
2. souce yielding an often unexpectedly rich return |
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hacienda
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1. large estate or ranch; plantation
2. main house on such an estate |
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pueblo
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1. Native American village of southwestern US
2. communal dwelling of adobe or stone in such a village |
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sierra
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mountain range having an irregular or serrated (saw-toothed) outline
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cabana
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cabinlike shelter at a beach or pool
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manana
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tommorrow; (in) the indefinite future
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pampa
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vast, treeless, grassy plain, esp in Argentina; prarie
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peccadillo
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slight offense; small fault
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poncho
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1. blanketlike with a slit in the middle of the head
2. waterproofed and hooded raincoat of similar shape |
