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92 Cards in this Set
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Ascertain (Verb) "America is the only major country that tries to ascertain who was the first applicant to invent the product or procedure" Robert Pozen |
Definition: to find out definitely; learn with certainty or assurance; determine Syn:Confirm, Determine Ant:Disprove,Invalidate |
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Aberration (Noun) "I still believe it was an aberration. But when all is said and done I think change is not going to be anything that's all bad, either." Terry Ryan |
Definition A departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome. Syn: Oddity, Deviation Ant: Normal, Perfect |
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Hedonist (Noun) "When enough isn't enough, a Hedonist is born" Sukant Ratnakar |
Definition A person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life Syn:Glutton, Epicure Ant:Puritan, Ascetic |
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Presage (Verb) "Oft morning dreams presage approaching fate, For morning dreams, as poets tell, are true" Micheal Bruce |
Definition (of an event) be a sign or warning that (typically something bad) will happen Syn:Foreshadow, Foretell Ant:Conceal,Withhold |
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Surfeited (Verb) "Joy surfeited turns to sorrow" Vittorio Alfieri |
Definition Someone that desires no more of something as a result of having done it to excess. Syn:Cram, Overindulge Ant:Abstain, Diet |
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Benefaction (Noun) "In the majority of men gratitude is only a veiled desire of receiving greater benefaction" Francois de La Rochefoucauld |
Definition doing good through giving to the needy Syn:Aid, Donation Ant:Stealing, Robbery |
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Ablution (Noun) Bright star! would I were stedfast as thou art- Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night And watching with eternal lids apart, Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite, The moving waters at their priestlike task Of pure ablution round earth's human shores. John Keats |
Definition The act of washing oneself (often used for humorously formal effect) Syn:Bath, Cleansing Ant:Dirtying, Soiling |
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Baneful (Adjective) "Why cannot we correct the baneful passions, without weakening the good?" -Zebulon Pike |
Definiton Causing harm, ruin, or death Syn:Deadly, Harmful Ant:Helpful, Friendly |
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Respite (Noun) "For our penitence deserves a glimpse only; our toil respite only" Virginia Woolf |
Definition a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant Syn:break, intermission Ant:continuation, start |
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Tarries (Verb) "The watchful monster tarries nigh, though sleep has closed her infants eyes" John Keble |
Definition stay longer than intended; delay leaving a place Syn:linger, loiter Ant:hurry, allow |
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Castigation (Verb) “Now there is fame! Of all - hunger, misery, the incomprehension by the public - fame is by far the worst. It is the castigation of God by the artist. It is sad. It is true.” Pablo Picasso |
Definition to criticize someone harshly Syn:penalty, discipline Ant:pardon, forgive |
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Venerable (Adjective) “Through the sequester'd vale of rural life The venerable patriarch guileless held The tenor of his way.” Beilby Porteus |
Definition accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character Syn:grand, great Ant:common, unimpressive |
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Blight (Noun) “Our blight is ideologies — they are the long-expected Antichrist!” Carl Jung |
Definition a thing that spoils or damages something Syn:ruin, soil Ant:help, save |
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Soothsayer (Noun) “A fake fortuneteller can be tolerated. But an authentic soothsayer should be shot on sight. Cassandra did not get half the kicking around she deserved." Robert A. Heinlein |
Definition a person supposed to be able to foresee the future. Syn:Seer, oracle Ant:Liar, con artist |
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Vehement (Adjective) “If you see one cold and vehement at the same time, set him down for a fanatic.” Johann Kaspar Lavater |
Definition showing strong feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense Syn:fierce, urgent Ant:weak, hesitant |
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Disheveled (Adjective) "Most people show up for work being physically accoutered but mentally disheveled.” Eric Butterworth |
Definition (of a person's hair, clothes, or appearance) untidy; disordered. Syn:Unkept, messy Ant:ordered,organized |
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Covetousness (Adjective) “When workmen strive to do better than well, They do confound their skill in covetousness.” Will.i.am Shakespeare |
Definition inordinately or wrongly desirous of wealth or possessions;greedy. Syn:greed, cupidity Ant:apathy, generosity |
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Goads (Noun) “If you strike the goads with your fists, your hands suffer most.” Plutus |
Definition a spiked stick used for driving cattle. Syn:prod, spike Ant:not a spikey stick? |
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Insolence (Noun) "The stupidity of men always invites the insolence of power" Ralph Waldo Emerson |
Definition rude and disrespectful behavior. Syn:Abuse, lip Ant:manners, respect |
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Austere (adjective) “Nature is in austere mood, even terrifying, withal majestically beautiful." Frederick Soddy |
Definition severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance. Syn:rigid, stringent Ant:flexible, calm |
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Jocular (adjective) "Loose and jocular, Stanley proved to be a master at relating to nightclub audiences" Joel Selvin |
Definition fond of or characterized by joking; humorous or playful. Syn:Humorous, witty Ant:Depressed, serious |
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Indolence (noun) “We grow old more through indolence, than through age.” Queen Christina |
Definition avoidance of activity or exertion; laziness. Syn:Sloth, Languor Ant:Life, liveliness |
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Haughtily (Adjective) "Never be haughty to the humble or humble to the haughty" Jefferson Davis |
Definition arrogantly superior and disdainful. Syn:snobbish, pompous Ant:friendly, humble |
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Supplicate (verb) "As long as you supplicate and hope in me; I will forgive what you do and I am not concerned" Allah |
Definition ask or beg for something earnestly or humbly Syn:beg, desire Ant:answer, give |
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Palliative (Adjective) "short-term, palliative measures had been taken" Larry Page |
Definition (of a treatment or medicine) relieving pain or alleviating a problem without dealing with the underlying cause Syn:soothing,sedative Ant:hinderance, hurt |
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Ad Infinitum (adverb) "Desire wills its perpetuation ad infinitum" Susan Sontag |
Definition to infinity; endlessly; without limit. Syn:ceaselessly, forever Ant:ending, finite |
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Apportion (verb) "We try to apportion time for our leisure travelers, because we still have people trying to go on vacation, and we can't forget them” Ted Lawson |
Definition to distribute or allocate proportionally Syn:administer, allocate Ant: keep, withhold |
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Bona Fide
(adjective) "One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain't nothin' that can beat teamwork" Edward Abbey |
Definition made, done, presented, etc., in good faith; without deception or fraud Syn:authentic, true Ant: fake, deceitful |
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Buoyant
(adjective) "A buoyant, positive approach to the game is as basic as a sound swing" Tony Lema |
Definition capable of keeping a body afloat Syn: floating, bouncy Ant: heavy, weighted |
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Clique
(noun) “Nonconformists travel as a rule in bunches. You rarely find a nonconformist who goes it alone. And woe to him inside a nonconformist clique who does not conform with nonconformity” Eric Hoffer
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Definition a small, exclusive group of people Syn:cabal, posse Ant: individual, solo |
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Concede (verb) “This is a pretty fable, and I will not deny that it is logically possible, but that is the utmost that I will concede” Bertrand Russell |
Definition to acknowledge as true, just, or proper Syn: accept, admit Ant: defend, deny |
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Congenial
(adjective) "The secret of happiness is to find a congenial monotony" V.S. Pritchett |
Definition agreeable, suitable, or pleasing in nature or character Syn: affable, agreeable Ant: aloof, cold |
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Lofty
(adjective) "Some say that my teaching is nonsense. Other call it lofty but impractical. But to those who have looked inside themselves,this nonsense makes perfect sense. And to those who put it into practice,this loftiness has roots that go deep" Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
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Definition arrogantly or condescendingly superior in manner Syn:cocky, towering Ant: below, beneath |
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Migration
(noun) "And so the great American Manifest Destiny begins--one of the world's great migrations" History Book |
Definition a movement or change of position en masse Syn:exodus, flight Ant: idleness inaction |
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Perceive
(verb) “All the mighty world of eye, and ear, both what they half create, and what they perceive” William Wordsworth |
Definition to become aware of, know, or identify by means of the senses Syn: discern, distinguish Ant: disbelieve, disregard |
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Perverse
(adjective) "Men of perverse opinion do not know the excellence of what is in their hands, till someone dash it from them” Sophocles |
Definition turned away from or rejecting what is right, good, or proper Syn:contradictory, wicked Ant: agreeable, compliant |
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Prelude
(noun) "Healthy disconnect is the prelude to progress" Mahatma Gandhi |
Definition a preliminary to an action, event, condition, or work of broader scope and higher importance Syn:introduction, prologue Ant: completion, conclusion |
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Rancid (adjective) "I ordered from the Eat Smart menu and they brought out my chicken and it was just rancid" Heather McDonald |
Definition an unpleasant, and stale smell/taste Syn:fetid, moldy Ant: clean, fresh |
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Rustic (adjective) "He who postpones the hour of living is like the rustic who waits for the river to run out before he crosses" Horace |
Definition of, relating to, or living in the country, as distinguished from towns or cities Syn:austere, homey Ant: sophisticated, abnormal |
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Sever (verb) “Friendship should be more than biting time can sever” T.S. Eliot |
Definition to separate (a part) from the whole, as by cutting or the like Syn:detach, disconnect Ant: attach, combine |
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Sordid (adjective) "There is no work, however vile or sordid, that does not glisten before God" John Calvin |
Definition morally ignoble or base; vile Syn:disreputable, nasty Ant: lean, decent |
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Untenable (adjective) “I hear it said that West Berlin is militarily untenable - and so was Bastogne, and so, in fact, was Stalingrad. Any danger spot is tenable if men - brave men - will make it so” John Fitzgerald |
Definition incapable of being defended, as an argument, thesis, etc. Syn:illogical, unsound Ant: altruist, defensible |
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Versatile (adjective) "There is nothing as versatile as pen and paper" -Me |
Definition having or capable of many uses Syn:adaptable, skillful Ant: useless, incapable |
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Vindicate (verb) “In him was vindicated the greatness of real goodness and the goodness of real greatness” Philip Brooks |
Definition to clear, as from an accusation, imputation, suspicion, or the like Syn:absolve, acquit Ant: blame, charge |
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Wane (verb) "The moon wanes until it's nearly completely dark" -Corey Bankston |
Definition to decrease in strength, intensity, etc. Syn:abate, atrophy Ant: brighten, develop |
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adip- fat Latin adeps, adipis "fat" adipose |
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aer- air, atmosphere Greek ἀήρ (aēr) "air" aeronautics, aerosol |
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aesthet- feeling, sensation Greek aisthētikos "of sense perception"aesthetics, anaestheticfrom αἰσθάνεσθαι |
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agr- field Greek ἀγρός (agros) "field" agronomy |
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agri-, -egri- field Latin ager, agris "field, country" agriculture, peregrine |
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alb- dull white Latin albus albedo, albino, albumen |
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amor-love, loved Latin amor "love" from amāre "toam-, amat-,amateur, amorouslove" |
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Annex verb "The first ten amendments were annexed to the Constitution in 1791" |
Definition append or add as an extra or subordinate part, especially to a document. Syn Addition, append Ant Destroy, rid |
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Cleave verb "the large ax his father used to cleave wood for the fire" |
Definition split or sever (something), especially along a natural line or grain Syn hew, hack Ant create, combine |
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Cordial adjective "the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed" |
Definition warm and friendly Syn warm, friendly Ant cold, mean |
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Conerstone noun "a national minimum wage remained the cornerstone of policy" |
Definition a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls. Syn foundation, wall Ant n/a |
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debacle noun "the economic debacle that became known as the Great Depression" |
Definition a sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco. Syn fiasco, failure Ant success, good |
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Devitalize verb "an effective product to treat devitalized skin" |
Definition deprive of strength and vigor. Syn weaken, fatigue Ant strengthen, power-up |
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Embroil verb "she became embroiled in a dispute between two women she hardly knew" |
Definition involve (someone) deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation. Syn involve, entangle Ant disinvolve, get rid of |
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Exonerate verb "the court-martial exonerated me" |
Definition absolve from blame for a fault or wrongdoing, especially after due consideration of the case. Syn absolve, clear Ant cloudy, found guilty |
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Glib adjective "she was careful not to let the answer sound too glib" |
Definition (of words or the person speaking them) fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow. Syn slick, pat Ant harsh, rude |
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Haphazard adjective "the kitchen drawers contained a haphazard collection of silver souvenir spoons" |
Definition lacking any obvious principle of organization Syn random, unplanned Ant not random, planned |
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improvise verb "the ability to improvise operatic arias in any given style" |
Definition create and perform (music, drama, or verse) spontaneously or without preparation. Syn extemporize, ad lib Ant plan, prepare |
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Incite verb "the offense of inciting racial hatred" |
Definition encourage or stir up (violent or unlawful behavior). Syn stir up, whip up Ant stir down, discourage |
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Influx noun "a massive influx of refugees from front-line areas" |
Definition an arrival or entry of large numbers of people or things Syn rush, stream Ant calm, blockage |
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Pallor noun "Pallor is the result of a reduced amount of oxyhaemoglobin and is visible in skin or mucous membrane" |
Definition an unhealthy pale appearance. Syn paleness, wanness Ant colorful, special |
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Pedigree noun "I have a pedigree" -Squidward |
Definition the recorded ancestry, especially upper-class ancestry, of a person or family Syn ancestry, descent Ant n/a |
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Precipitous adjective "the precipitous cliffs of the North Atlantic coast" |
Definition dangerously high or steep. Syn steep, sheer Ant flat, shallow |
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Profuse adjective "I offered my profuse apologies" |
Definition specially of something offered or discharged) exuberantly plentiful; abundant. Syn copious, abundant Ant rare, uncommon |
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Reconcile verb "she wanted to be reconciled with her father" |
Definition restore friendly relations between. Syn settle, makeup Ant divorce, hurt |
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Shackle noun "I was in shackles" |
Definition a pair of fetters connected together by a chain, used to fasten a prisoner's wrists or ankles together. Syn chains, irons Ant n/a |
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Threadbare adjective "shabby rooms with threadbare carpets" |
Definition (of cloth, clothing, or soft furnishings) becoming thin and tattered with age. Syn worn, old Ant new, well-conditioned |
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Abase Verb "I watched my colleagues abasing themselves before the board of trustees" |
Definition to behave in a way as to belittle or degrade Syn ridicule, attack Ant praise, support |
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Actuate Verb "The pendulum actuates an electrical switch" |
Definition to cause a machine to operate Syn activate, turn on Ant malfunction, turn off |
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Avert Verb "She averted her eyes during the more violent scenes" |
Definition to turn away Syn about face, turn Ant approach, come toa |
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Boorish Adjective "The prince turned out to be quite boorish at the party" |
Definition rough and bad-mannered Syn uncouth, russian Ant refined, nice |
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Brunt Noun "The President will bear the brunt of the blame for America's actions" |
Definition the worst/climax part of a thing Syn climax, impact Ant lightness, easy part |
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Combatant Noun "He was a combatant in WWI" |
Definition a person in combat, mostly in war Syn soldier, veteran Ant pacifist, peacemaker |
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Dormant Adjective "That volcano isn't erupting, it's dormant" |
Definition sleeping or hibernating Syn resting, asleep Ant awake, operational |
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Dubious Adjective "I don't like your plan; I'm dubious about its chances of success |
Definition hesitating or doubting Syn uncertain, in doubt Ant continuing, flowing |
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Harangue Noun "I don't like your plan; I'm dubious about its chances of success" |
Definition a long speech Syn lecture, speech Ant brief talk, briefchase |
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Harry Verb |
Definition to consistently harass Syn nag, bully Ant be nice, ostracize |
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Impertinent Adjective "The boy was impertinent to his teacher" |
Definition rude Syn insolent, boorish Ant courteous, nice |
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Knave Nound "That knave isn't anyone's first choice for a husband" |
Definition an unscrupulous man Syn brigand, dick Ant gentleman, gentlesir |
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Legion Noun "The 501st Legion lead an attack on the Jedi Temple in 19BBC" |
Definition a unit of an army Syn Attack battalion, Army Ant n/a |
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Liberality Noun "I have some liberality towards bisexuality" |
Definition giving or spending freely, or being open to new ideas Syn lavish, open-minded Ant frugal, close-minded |
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Plaintiff Noun "The plaintiff was charging the defendant with rape" |
Definition the person who brings a case to the court Syn prosecutor, plaintiff Ant defendant |
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Probe Verb "The aliens probed my innards" |
Definition to physically explore something Syn examine, put in Ant take out, ignore |
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Protact Verb "They're certainly protracting the process of grading my papers" |
Definition prolong Syn procrastinate, wait Ant complete, finish |
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Quarry Verb "Stop quarrying and make up already" |
Definition fight or argue Syn quibble, fight Ant make peace, resolve |
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Spurn Verb "Speaking gruffly, he spurned the proposal" |
Definition reject Syn scorn, reject Ant accept, receive |
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Subterfuge Noun "Quit with the subterfuge and tell me straight up" |
Definition stealth Syn concealment Ant bombasticness |
