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400 Cards in this Set
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|
abeyance
|
suspended
action |
|
|
abate
|
to
reduce in amount, degree or severity |
|
|
abdicate
|
to
renounce or relinquish a throne |
|
|
aberrant
|
abnormal
or deviant |
|
|
abject
|
utterly
hopeless, humiliating or wretched |
|
|
abjure
|
to
renounce on oath |
|
|
ablution
|
act
of cleansing |
|
|
abrogate
|
to
abolish by formal means |
|
|
abscond*
|
depart
secretly and hide |
|
|
abstemious*
|
sparing
in eating and drinking; temperate |
|
|
abstruse
|
hard
to understand; secret, hidden |
|
|
accretion
|
an
increase by natural growth |
|
|
acerbic
|
sour
or astringent in taste, harsh in temper |
|
|
acquiesce
|
to
comply, give in |
|
|
acrid
|
sharp
or biting to the taste or smell |
|
|
acrimonious
|
caustic,
stinging or bitter in nature |
|
|
adjoin*
|
to
be close or in contact with |
|
|
adjure
|
to
beg or command |
|
|
admonish
|
to
counsel against something; caution; warn; reprove |
|
|
adventitious
|
accidental
|
|
|
aggrandize
|
to
increase in power, influence and reputation |
|
|
aggregate
|
gather;
accumulate |
|
|
alacrity
|
cheerful
promptness; eagerness |
|
|
amalgamate
|
combine;
unite in one body |
|
|
amatory
|
of
or pertaining to lovers or lovemaking |
|
|
ambivalence
|
the
state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes |
|
|
ameliorate
|
to
make better; to improve |
|
|
amity
|
friendship;
peaceful harmony |
|
|
anachronism*
|
something
or someone misplaced in time; an obsolete or archaic form |
|
|
analogous
|
comparable
|
|
|
androgen
|
any
substance that promotes masculine characteristics |
|
|
animus
|
hostile
feeling or attitude |
|
|
anomalous
|
abnormal;
irregular |
|
|
antipathy*
|
aversion;
dislike |
|
|
apartheid
|
any
system or caste that separates people according to race |
|
|
apogee
|
the
highest or most distant point |
|
|
apostasy*
|
renunciation
of one’s previous loyalty; a total desertion of one’s religion, principles, cause, etc. |
|
|
apotheosis
|
glorification,
glorified ideal |
|
|
appease
|
pacify
or soothe; relieve |
|
|
apprise
|
inform
|
|
|
approbation*
|
approval;
praise, consideration |
|
|
appropriate
|
acquire;
take possession of for one’s own use |
|
|
arduous
|
hard;
strenuous |
|
|
arrogate
|
to
claim unwarrantably or presumptuously |
|
|
artless
|
without
guile; open and honest |
|
|
ascetic
|
practicing
self-denial; austere |
|
|
assiduous*
|
diligent,
persistent, hardworking |
|
|
assuage
|
to
make less severe; ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger) |
|
|
attenuate
|
make
thinner |
|
|
audacious
|
daring;
bold |
|
|
austere*
|
forbiddingly
stern in appearance; severely simple and unornamented |
|
|
autonomous*
|
self-governing;
independent |
|
|
aver*
|
assert confidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact
|
|
|
avocation
|
something
one does in addition to a principle occupation |
|
|
banal
|
boring;
commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clichéd; hackneyed |
|
|
belie
|
contradict;
give a false impression |
|
|
belligerent
|
warlike,
given to waging war |
|
|
bemoan
|
to
express pity for |
|
|
beneficent
|
kindly;
doing good |
|
|
benevolent
|
desiring
to do good to others |
|
|
benign
|
having
a kindly disposition |
|
|
bolster
|
support;
reinforce |
|
|
bombastic*
|
pompous
in speech and manner ; using inflated language |
|
|
burgeon
|
grow
forth; send out buds |
|
|
burnish
|
make
shiny by rubbing; polish |
|
|
buttress
|
support;
prop up |
|
|
capitulate
|
to
surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms |
|
|
capricious*
|
unpredictable;
fickle; changing one’s mind quickly and often |
|
|
castigate*
|
to
punish or criticize harshly |
|
|
catalyst
|
agent
that increases the rate of a chemical action; person or thing that causes action |
|
|
caustic
|
burning;
sarcastically biting |
|
|
chicanery*
|
trickery;
deception by means of craft or guile |
|
|
circuitous
|
roundabout,
indirect |
|
|
circumambulate
|
to
walk about or around |
|
|
circumspect
|
watchful
and discreet |
|
|
coagulate
|
thicken;
congeal; clot |
|
|
coda
|
concluding
section of a musical or literary composition; something that summarizes or concludes |
|
|
cogent*
|
convincing
and well reasoned |
|
|
commensurate
|
corresponding
in extent, degree, etc.; proportionate |
|
|
compendium
|
brief,
comprehensive summary |
|
|
complaisant
|
trying
to please; overly polite; obliging |
|
|
compunction
|
a
feeling of uneasiness for doing wrong |
|
|
concentric
|
having
a common center |
|
|
conciliate
|
to
placate, win over |
|
|
conciliatory
|
reconciling;
soothing |
|
|
conflagration
|
a
large destructive fire |
|
|
confluence
|
merging
into one |
|
|
congenital
|
existing
or as such from birth |
|
|
connoisseur
|
person
competent to act as a judge of art; a lover of art |
|
|
contention
|
claim;
thesis |
|
|
contentious
|
quarrelsome
|
|
|
contravene
|
to
come into conflict with |
|
|
contrite
|
feeling
regret and sorrow for one’s sins or offenses; penitent |
|
|
convalescent
|
recovering
from illness |
|
|
convoke
|
to
call together |
|
|
convoluted
|
intricate
and complicated |
|
|
corroborate
|
to
provide supporting evidence |
|
|
craven
|
cowardly
|
|
|
credulous*
|
too
trusting; gullible |
|
|
cursory
|
going
rapidly over something; hasty; superficial |
|
|
decadent
|
decaying;
deteriorating |
|
|
decorum
|
propriety;
orderliness and good taste in manners |
|
|
default
|
failure
to act |
|
|
deference*
|
respect;
courteous regard for another’s wishes |
|
|
deferential
|
respectful;
to yield judgment to |
|
|
deign
|
to
think fit or in accordance with one’s dignity |
|
|
delineate
|
portray;
depict; sketch |
|
|
delude
|
to
mislead the mind of judgment of, deceive |
|
|
denigrate
|
blacken
|
|
|
deride
|
ridicule;
make fun of |
|
|
derision
|
contemptuous
or jeering laughter; ridicule. |
|
|
desiccate
|
to
dry out thoroughly |
|
|
desultory*
|
aimless;
haphazard; digressing at random |
|
|
diatribe
|
bitter
scolding; invective |
|
|
dichotomy*
|
split;
branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones) |
|
|
diffident*
|
lacking
or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid. |
|
|
dilatory*correct
a false impression; to set right; to free from error |
correct
a false impression; to set right; to free from error |
|
|
dilettante
|
someone
with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic |
|
|
dirge
|
lament
with music |
|
|
disabuse*
|
correct
a false impression; to set right; to free from error |
|
|
discerning
|
mentally
quick and observant; having insight |
|
|
discordant
|
not
harmonious; conflicting |
|
|
discrete
|
separate;
unconnected; consisting of distinct parts |
|
|
disingenuous
|
lacking
genuine candor; insincere |
|
|
disinterested
|
unprejudiced
|
|
|
disjointed
|
lacking
coherence; separated at the joints |
|
|
disparage
|
belittle
|
|
|
disparate
|
fundamentally
distinct or different in kind; entirely dissimilar |
|
|
disport
|
to
divert or amuse oneself |
|
|
disquiet
|
a
lack of calm or peace |
|
|
dissemble
|
*
disguise; pretend; to disguise one’s real intentions or character |
|
|
disseminate*
|
distribute;
spread widely; scatter (like seeds) |
|
|
dissolution
|
disintegration;
looseness in morals |
|
|
distend
|
to
expand by stretching; swell out |
|
|
diverge
|
vary;
go in different directions from the same point |
|
|
divest
|
strip;
deprive |
|
|
doctrine
|
a
principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief; dogma |
|
|
document
|
provide
written evidence |
|
|
dogma
|
a
firmly held opinion, often a religious belief |
|
|
dogmatic*
|
opinionated;
arbitrary; doctrinal |
|
|
doleful
|
sorrowful,
mournful |
|
|
dour
|
sullen,
gloomy |
|
|
dystrophy
|
faulty
or inadequate nutrition or development |
|
|
ebullient
|
showing
excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm |
|
|
eclectic*
|
selective;
composed of elements from a variety of sources |
|
|
effigy
|
a
dummy; a likeness or image, especially of a person. |
|
|
effluence
|
flowing
out of |
|
|
effrontery
|
impudence;
shameless boldness; sheer nerve; presumptuousness |
|
|
elegy*
|
a
sorrowful poem or speech |
|
|
elicit
|
draw
out by discussion |
|
|
elocution
|
art
of clear and expressive speaking |
|
|
endemic
|
prevailing
among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country |
|
|
enervate*
|
weaken;
to reduce in strength |
|
|
engender*
|
to
produce, cause or bring about |
|
|
ephemeral*
|
short-lived;
fleeting |
|
|
epigram
|
a
witty or pointed saying tersely expressed |
|
|
epithet
|
a
word or phrase characteristically used to characterize a person or thing |
|
|
equanimity
|
calmness
of temperament; composure |
|
|
equivocate
|
*
lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth |
|
|
erudite
|
*
learned, scholarly, bookish |
|
|
esoteric*
|
hard
to understand; known only to the chosen few |
|
|
estimable
|
admirable
|
|
|
euphemism
|
an
inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive |
|
|
euphony
|
pleasantness
of sound |
|
|
exculpate
|
*
to clear from blame; prove innocent |
|
|
execrable
|
abominable
|
|
|
exigency
|
urgent
situation; pressing needs or demands; state of requiring immediate attention |
|
|
exigent
|
urgent;
requiring immediate action |
|
|
expound
|
to
set forth in detail |
|
|
extrapolation
|
projection;
conjecture |
|
|
exult
|
to
show or feel triumphant joy |
|
|
facetious
|
joking
(often inappropriately); humorous |
|
|
fallacious
|
false;
misleading |
|
|
fatuous
|
brainless;
inane; foolish, yet smug |
|
|
fawning*
|
trying
to please by behaving obsequiously, flattering, or cringing |
|
|
felicitous
|
apt;
suitably expressed; well chosen |
|
|
fervor
|
glowing
ardor; intensity of feeling |
|
|
fiduciary
|
of
a trust; held or given in trust |
|
|
flag
|
droop;
grow feeble; to decline in vigor or strength |
|
|
fledgling
|
inexperienced
|
|
|
flout
|
reject;
mock; show contempt for |
|
|
foment
|
*
to arouse or incite |
|
|
forestall
|
*
prevent by taking action in advance |
|
|
fractious
|
irritable,
peevish |
|
|
frugality
|
thrifty;
economy |
|
|
fusillade
|
continuous
discharge of firearms or outburst of criticism |
|
|
gainsay
|
deny
|
|
|
garrulous
|
loquacious;
talkative; wordy |
|
|
gouge
|
overcharge
|
|
|
grandiloquent*
|
pompous
or inflated in language; bombastic; using high-sounding language |
|
|
gregarious
|
sociable
|
|
|
guile
|
deceit
or trickery |
|
|
harangue
|
long,
passionate, and vehement speech |
|
|
heterodox
|
different
from acknowledged standard; holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines |
|
|
hyperbole
|
exaggeration;
overstatement |
|
|
iconoclast*
|
one
who opposes established beliefs, customs and institutions |
|
|
immutable
|
unchangeable
|
|
|
impassive
|
*
without feeling; imperturbable; showing or feeling no emotion |
|
|
imperturbable
|
calm;
placid |
|
|
impervious
|
*
impenetrable; incapable of being damaged or distressed |
|
|
impetuous
|
*
quick to act without thinking |
|
|
implacable
|
incapable
of being pacified |
|
|
importune
|
to
urge or press with excessive persistence |
|
|
impugn
|
to
attack as false or questionable; challenge in argument |
|
|
inamorata
|
a
female lover |
|
|
inchoate
|
*
not fully formed; disorganized; rudimentary; elementary |
|
|
inculpate
|
to
charge with fault |
|
|
incursion
|
a
hostile entrance into a place |
|
|
indeterminate
|
uncertain;
not clearly fixed; indefinite |
|
|
indigence
|
poverty
|
|
|
indigent
|
experiencing
want or need; impoverished. |
|
|
indoctrinate
|
to
imbue someone with learning |
|
|
induce
|
to
move or lead by influence |
|
|
ineffable
|
too
great for description |
|
|
infusion
|
liquid
extract so obtained |
|
|
ingenuous
|
* naive
and trusting; young; unsophisticated |
|
|
inherent
|
firmly
established by nature or habit |
|
|
inimical
|
hostile,
unfriendly |
|
|
innocuous
|
harmless
|
|
|
insensate
|
without
feeling or sensitivity |
|
|
insensible
|
unconscious;
unresponsive |
|
|
insidious
|
intended
to trap or beguile |
|
|
insinuate
|
hint;
imply; creep in |
|
|
insipid
|
* lacking
in interest or flavor; dull |
|
|
insularity
|
narrow-mindedness;
isolation |
|
|
interloper
|
someone
who intrudes in the domain of others |
|
|
intractable
|
unruly;
stubborn; unyielding |
|
|
intransigence
|
refusal
of any compromise; stubbornness |
|
|
intransigent
|
*
refusing to agree or compromise |
|
|
inundate
|
overwhelm;
flood; submerge |
|
|
inured
|
accustomed;
hardened |
|
|
invective
|
*
of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse |
|
|
irascible
|
*
irritable; easily angered |
|
|
irresolute
|
uncertain
how to act; weak |
|
|
laconic
|
brief
and to the point; using few words |
|
|
lassitude
|
languor;
weariness |
|
|
levity
|
lack
|
|
|
litigate
|
to
make the subject of a lawsuit |
|
|
loquacious
|
talkative
|
|
|
lucid
|
easily
understood; clear; intelligible |
|
|
magnanimity
|
generosity
|
|
|
magnanimous
|
generous
in forgiving an insult or injury |
|
|
magnate
|
a
powerful or influential person |
|
|
maladroit
|
clumsy,
tactless |
|
|
malfeasance
|
misconduct
or wrongdoing often committed by a public official |
|
|
malign
|
to
speak harmful untruths about, to slander |
|
|
malinger
|
to
evade responsibility by pretending to be ill |
|
|
malingerer
|
one
who feigns illness to escape duty |
|
|
maverick
|
rebel;
nonconformist |
|
|
maxim
|
an
expression of general truth or principle |
|
|
mendacious
|
lying;
habitually dishonest |
|
|
minatory
|
menacing,
threatening |
|
|
misanthrope
|
*
one who hates mankind |
|
|
miscegenation
|
interbreeding
of races |
|
|
mitigate
|
*
to soften, to lessen |
|
|
mollify
|
*
to calm or make less severe; soothe |
|
|
morose
|
ill-humored;
sullen; melancholy |
|
|
mundane
|
worldly
as opposed to spiritual; everyday |
|
|
nascent
|
starting
to develop |
|
|
neophyte
|
*
recent convert; beginner |
|
|
obdurate
|
stubborn,
hardened in feelings; resistant to persuasion |
|
|
obfuscate
|
to
render indistinct or dim |
|
|
oblique
|
having
a slanting or sloping direction |
|
|
obsequious
|
*
overly submissive and eager to please; servile; sycophantic |
|
|
obsolescent
|
becoming
obsolete |
|
|
obstreperous
|
noisily
defiant, unruly |
|
|
obtuse
|
not
sharp, pointed or acute |
|
|
obviate
|
to
prevent; make unnecessary; get rid of |
|
|
occlude
|
to
stop; close; to prevent the passage of |
|
|
officious
|
meddlesome;
excessively pushy in offering one’s services |
|
|
onerous
|
*
troublesome and oppressive; burdensome |
|
|
opprobrium
|
* public
disgrace; infamy; vilification |
|
|
oscillate
|
vibrate;
waver |
|
|
ostentatious
|
showy;
pretentious; trying to attract attention |
|
|
panegyric
|
formal
or elaborate praise at an assembly |
|
|
panoply
|
a
wide-ranging and impressive array or display |
|
|
paragon
|
*
model of excellence or perfection |
|
|
partisan
|
one-sided;
prejudiced; committed to a party |
|
|
pathogenic
|
causing
disease |
|
|
pathological
|
pertaining
to disease |
|
|
paucity
|
*
smallness of quantity; scarcity; scantiness |
|
|
pedantic
|
showing
off learning; bookish |
|
|
penchant
|
strong
inclination; liking |
|
|
penury
|
severe
poverty; stinginess |
|
|
percipient
|
having
perception; discerning; discriminating |
|
|
perennial
|
something
long-lasting |
|
|
perfidious
|
*
treacherous; disloyal; willing to betray one’s trust |
|
|
perfunctory
|
*
superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; done in a routine way; |
|
|
peripatetic
|
walking
or traveling about; itinerant |
|
|
permutation
|
a
complete change; transformation |
|
|
perquisite
|
a
gratuity, tip |
|
|
perspicacious
|
having
keen mental perception and understanding; shrewd; astute |
|
|
pertinacious
|
resolute;
persistent, stubborn |
|
|
petulant
|
showing
sudden irritation, esp. over some annoyance |
|
|
philanderer
|
one
who carries on flirtations |
|
|
philology
|
the
study of literary texts to establish their authenticity and determine their meaning |
|
|
phlegmatic
|
calm;
not easily disturbed |
|
|
placate
|
pacify;
conciliate |
|
|
plasticity
|
ability
to be molded |
|
|
platitude
|
trite
remark; commonplace statement |
|
|
porous
|
full
of pores; like a sieve |
|
|
preamble
|
introductory
statement |
|
|
precarious
|
uncertain;
risky |
|
|
precept
|
a
commandment given as a rule of action or conduct |
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|
precipitate
|
n.
to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation |
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precipitate
|
adj.
rash, premature, hasty, sudden |
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preclude
|
to
prevent the presence of |
|
|
precocious
|
unusually
advanced or mature in mental development or talent |
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|
precursor
|
forerunner
|
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predilection
|
preference,
liking |
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|
prescient
|
having
knowledge of things before they happen |
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presentiment
|
a
feeling of anticipation over a future event |
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prevaricate
|
*
to lie or deviate from the truth |
|
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pristine
|
characteristic
of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled |
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probity
|
*
honesty; uprightness; incorruptibility |
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prodigal
|
*
lavish; wasteful; reckless with money |
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proliferate
|
*
grow rapidly; spread; multiply |
|
|
promulgate
|
to
make known by open declaration |
|
|
propensity
|
natural
inclination |
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|
propitiate
|
*
to conciliate; to appease |
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|
propound
|
to
set forth for consideration |
|
|
proscribe
|
*
to condemn as harmful or odious; ostracize; banish; outlaw |
|
|
proselytize
|
to
convert (a person) from one belief, doctrine, cause, or faith to another |
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|
protract
|
to
prolong, draw out, extend |
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|
provident
|
having
or showing foresight |
|
|
prudence
|
wisdom,
caution or restraint |
|
|
puerile
|
childish,
immature |
|
|
pugnacious
|
to
quarrel or fight readily |
|
|
punctilious
|
strict
or exact in the observance of formalities |
|
|
pusillanimous
|
lacking
courage or resolution |
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|
qualified
|
limited;
restricted |
|
|
querulous
|
full
of complaints |
|
|
quibble
|
minor
objection or complaint |
|
|
quiescence
|
n.
the condition of being at rest, still, inactive |
|
|
rarefied
|
made
less dense (of a gas) |
|
|
recalcitrant
|
obstinately
stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly |
|
|
recant
|
disclaim
or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error |
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|
recondite
|
abstruse;
profound; secret |
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|
recumbent
|
lying
down; reclining; leaning |
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|
refractory
|
*
stubborn; unmanageable; rebellious |
|
|
rejoinder
|
to
reply, retort |
|
|
relegate
|
banish
to an inferior position; delegate; assign |
|
|
remonstrate
|
to
say or plead in protest, objection, or reproof |
|
|
reprisals
|
retaliation
against an enemy |
|
|
reproach
|
express
disapproval or disappointment |
|
|
reprobate
|
*
person hardened in sin; wicked person; devoid of a sense of decency |
|
|
repudiate
|
*
disown; disavow; to reject the validity of |
|
|
rescind
|
cancel
|
|
|
resolution
|
n.
determination |
|
|
reticent
|
*
silent; reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence |
|
|
reverent
|
respectful;
worshipful |
|
|
revile
|
to
criticize with harsh language |
|
|
sage
|
person
celebrated for wisdom |
|
|
salient
|
prominent
or conspicuous |
|
|
salubrious
|
conducive
or favorable to health or well-being |
|
|
sanction
|
approve;
ratify |
|
|
satiate
|
satisfy
fully |
|
|
sedition
|
incitement
of discontent or rebellion against a government |
|
|
solicitous
|
worried;
concerned |
|
|
soporific
|
*
sleep-causing; lethargy; marked by sleepiness |
|
|
specious
|
*
having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious) |
|
|
stint
|
to
restrict or limit, as in amount or number; be sparing with |
|
|
stolid
|
*
dull; impassive; unemotional; lacking sensitivity |
|
|
striated
|
marked
with parallel bands; grooved |
|
|
subjugate
|
to
conquer |
|
|
substantiate
|
establish
by evidence; verify; support |
|
|
subterfuge
|
an
artifice or expedient used to evade a rule |
|
|
supercilious
|
arrogant,
haughty, condescending |
|
|
supersede
|
cause
to be set aside; replace; make obsolete |
|
|
supplicate
|
to
make humble and earnest entreaty |
|
|
supposition
|
hypothesis;
surmise |
|
|
tacit
|
understood;
not put into words |
|
|
taciturn
|
silent,
not talkative |
|
|
tenable
|
capable
of being held, maintained or defended |
|
|
tenacious
|
holding
fast; holding or tending to hold persistently to something |
|
|
tendentious
|
marked
by a strong implicit point of view; partisan |
|
|
tenuous
|
thin;
rare; slim |
|
|
tirade
|
extended
scolding; denunciation; harangue |
|
|
torpor
|
*
lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy |
|
|
tortuous
|
winding;
full of curves |
|
|
tractable
|
*
docile; easily managed or controlled |
|
|
transcendent
|
going
beyond ordinary limits |
|
|
truculence
|
aggressiveness;
ferocity |
|
|
unconscionable
|
not
restrained by conscience; unscrupulous |
|
|
vacillate
|
waver;
fluctuate |
|
|
venerate
|
revere
|
|
|
veracious
|
truthful
|
|
|
veracity
|
filled
with trust and accuracy |
|
|
verbose
|
wordy
|
|
|
verisimilitude
|
the
appearance or semblance of truth |
|
|
verity
|
truthfulness
|
|
|
viscous
|
sticky,
gluey |
|
|
vituperative
|
adj.
abusive; scolding |
|
|
vociferous
|
crying
out noisily |
|
|
volatile
|
changeable;
explosive; evaporation rapidly |
|
|
volition
|
free
choice, free will; act of choosing |
|
|
voracious
|
having
a great appetite |
|
|
warranted
|
justified;
authorized |
|
|
welter
|
turmoil;
bewildering jumble |
|
|
zealot
|
fanatic;
person who shows excessive zeal |
