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72 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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astral
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relating to the stars
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astringent
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binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism
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astronomical
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enormously large or extensive
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astute
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wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to one's advantage
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asunder
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into parts; apart; V. sunder
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asylum
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place of refuge or shelter; protection (religious or political)
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asymmetric
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not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
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atavism
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resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic
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atheistic
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denying the existence of God; N. atheism
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atone
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make amends for; pay for; Ex. atone for
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atrocity
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brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious
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atrophy
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wasting away; V: weaken and lose flesh and muscle (through lack of blood or lack of use)
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attentive
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alert and watchful; listening carefully; paying attention; considerate; thoughtful; politely helpful; Ex. attentive audience; Ex. He was attentive to the old lady; N. attentions: act of courtesy and consideration
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attenuate
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make thin; weaken
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attest
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testify; bear witness
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attribute
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essential quality; V: ascribe; explain
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attrition
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rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of attrition
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atypical
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not normal; not typical
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audacious
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daring; bold; N. audacity
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audit
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examination of accounts of a business; official examination; V.
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augment
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increase; add to
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augury
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omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future)
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august
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impressive; majestic
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aureole
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sun's corona; halo; bright circle of light
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auroral
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pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis
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auspicious
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favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices
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austere
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forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monk's austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity
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authenticate
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prove genuine
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authoritarian
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subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another's will; Ex. authoritarian regime/father
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authoritative
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having the weight of authority; regarded as providing knowledge that can be trusted; reliable; peremptory and dictatorial; Ex. authoritative dictionary/manner; CF. definitive
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autocratic
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having absolute unchecked power; dictatorial; N. autocrat, autocracy
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automaton
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mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself
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autonomous
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self-governing; N. autonomy
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autopsy
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examination of a dead body; postmortem; V.
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auxiliary
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offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; N: helper; assistant
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avalanche
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great mass of falling snow and ice
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avarice
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greediness for wealth
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avenge
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take vengence for something or on behalf of someone; Ex. They avenged his death by burning the village; Ex. He swore to avenge his brother; Ex. They avenged themselves on their enemy.
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aver
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state confidently; declare as true
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averse
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reluctant; disinclined; not liking or opposed; Ex. averse to cats/doing the house work
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aversion
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firm dislike
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avert
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prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought); Ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; Ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight.
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aviary
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enclosure for birds; large cage
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avid
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greedy; extremely eager for; Ex. avid learner; N. avidity
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avocation
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secondary or minor occupation
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avow
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declare openly; N. avowal
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avuncular
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of or like an uncle
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awe
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solemn wonder; feeling of respect mixed with wonder and fear; V: fill with awe; ADJ. awesome
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awful
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terrible; very bad
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awl
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pointed tool used for piercing
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awry
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distorted; crooked; bent; Ex. Our plans have gone awry.
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axiom
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self-evident truth requiring no proof
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azure
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sky blue
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babble
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chatter idly or foolishly; make continuous sounds like water running gently over rounded stone; N.
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bacchanalian
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drunken
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bacchanal
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noisy party with a lot of drinking
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Bacchanalia
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the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus
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badger
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pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal
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badinage
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teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
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baffle
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frustrate; perplex
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bait
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harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals
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baleful
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evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look
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balk
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stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate
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ballast
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heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast
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nbalm
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something that relieves pain; oily liquid with a pleasant smell from trees
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pang
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sudden sharp feeling of pain
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balmy
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soft and mild (of air); fragrant
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banal
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hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clichéd
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bandy
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discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with
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bane
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posion; cause of ruin; ADJ. baneful: harmful; poisonous
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bantering
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joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter
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barb
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sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark
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