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573 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
abject
miserable; pitiful
abscission
the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant
abysmal
very bad
accrue
to accumulate; grow by additions
adamant
uncompromising; unyielding
adjunct
something added, attached, or joined
admonish
to caution or reprimand
affinity
fondness; liking; similarity
aggregate
amounting to a whole; total
alchemy
medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold; a seemingly magical power or process of transmutation
allay
to lessen; ease; soothe
alloy
a combination; a mixture of two or more metals
allure
the power to entice by charm
ambivalence
the state of having conflicting emotional attitudes
ambrosia
something delicious; the food of the gods
amenable
agreeable; cooperative; suited
amenity
something that increases comfort
anarchy
absence of government; state of disorder
antecedent
something that comes before
antediluvian
prehistoric
apex
the highest point
apogee
the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited; the highest point
apothegm
a terse, witty saying
appease
to calm, pacify, placate
appellation
name
apposite
strikingly appropriate and relevant
apprise
to inform
appropriate
to take possession of for one's own use; confiscate
apropos
relevant
arabesque
ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body
archeology
the study of material evidence of past human life
arduous
extremely difficult; laborious
argot
a specialized vocabulary used by a group
arrest
to stop; to seize
artifact
item made by human craft
artless
guileless; natural
ascetic
one who practices self-denial
asperity
severity; harshness; irritability
aspersion
slander; false rumor
assiduous
diligent; hard-working
astringent
harsh; severe
asylum
place of refuge or shelter
atavism
in biology, the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence
autonomous
self-governing; independent
avarice
greed
aver
to affirm; declare to be true
avocation
secondary occupation
avuncular
like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant
axiomatic
taken for granted; self-evident truth
bacchanalian
pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry
banter
playful conversation
bard
poet
bawdy
obscene
beatify
to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to
bedizen
to dress in a vulgar, showy manner
behemoth
huge creature; anything very large and powerful
belie
to contradict; misrepresent; give a false impression
beneficent
kindly; doing good
blandishment
flattery
blase
bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned
boorish
rude; insensitive
bovine
cowlike
brazen
bold; shameless
broach
to mention for the first time
bucolic
characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral
buttress
to reinforce; support
cadge
to beg; sponge
callous
thick-skinned; insensitive
canon
an established set of principles; a basis or standard for judgment; a group of literary works
cant
insincere talk; language of a particular group
cantankerous
irritable; ill-humored
captious
faultfinding; intended to entrap, as in an argument
cardinal
of foremost importance
carnal
of the flesh or body; related to physical appetities
carping
to find fault; complain
caste
any of the hereditary social classes in Hindu society; social stratification
castigation
punishment; chastisement; criticism
cataclysm
a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change
categorical
absolute; without exception
caucus
smaller group within an organization
causal
involving a cause
caustic
burning; stinging; causing corrosion
celestial
concerned with sky or heavens; sublime
centrifugal
moving away from a center
centripetal
moving or directed toward a center
champion
to defend or support
chasten
to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue
chivalry
the qualities idealized by knighthood such as bravery and gallantry toward women
churlish
rude; boorish
circuitous
roundabout
clairvoyant
one who can predict the future; psychic
clamor
noisy outcry
clique
a small, exclusive group
cloister
to confine; seclude
coagulate
thicken; congeal
coda
concluding part of a literary or musical composition; something that summarizes or concludes
codify
to systematize
cognizant
informed; conscious; aware
collage
artistic composition of materials pasted over a surface; an assemblage of diverse elements
commensurate
proportional
compendium
brief, comprehensive summary
complacent
self-satisfied
complaisant
overly polite; willing to please; obliging
complement
something that completes or makes up a whole
compliant
yielding
compunction
uneasiness caused by guilt
concave
curving inward
conciliatory
overcoming distrust or hostility
concoct
to invent
concomitant
existing concurrently
confound
to baffle; perplex; mix up
congenial
similar in tastes and habits; friendly; suited to
conjugal
pertaining to marriage agreement
conscript
a person compulsorily enrolled for military service
consecrate
to declare sacred
contend
to assert
contentious
quarrelsome; causing quarrels
contiguous
touching; neighboring; connecting without a break
continence
self-control; abstention from sexual activity
conundrum
riddle; puzzle with no solution
convention
practice widely observed in a group; custom; accepted technique or device
converge
to approach; come together; tend to meet
convex
curved outward
convivial
sociable
copious
abundant; plentiful
coquette
woman who flirts
cornucopia
horn overflowing with fruit and grain; state of abundance
cosmology
study of the universe as a totality; theory of the origin and structure of the universe
covert
hidden; secret
covetous
desiring something owned by another
cozen
to mislead by trick or fraud; decieve
credence
acceptance of something as true
credo
statement of belief or principle; creed
daunt
to discourage; intimidate; dishearten
dearth
scarcity
debauchery
corruption
defame
to malign; harm someone's reputation
default
to fail to act
defunct
no longer existing
delineate
to represent or depict
demographic
related to population balance
demotic
pertaining to people
denigrate
to slur someone's reputation
denizen
an inhabitant; a regular visitor
denouement
outcome; unraveling of the plot of a play or work of literature
derivative
something derived; unoriginal
desuetude
state of disuse
deterrent
something that discourages or hinders
detraction
the act of taking away; derogatory comment on a person's character
dichotomy
division into two usually contradictory parts
diffuse
to spread out
digression
act of straying from the main point
discomfit
to make uneasy; disconcert
discordant
not in tune
discredit
to dishonor; disgrace; cause to be doubted
discrepancy
difference between
discrete
constituing a separate thing; distinct
discretion
quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions; circumspection; freedom to act on one's own
disingenuous
not candid, crafty
disinterested
unpredujiced; objective
disjointed
lacking order or coherence; dislocated
dismiss
put away from consideration; reject
disparage
to belittle
disseminate
to spread; scatter; disperse
dissident
person who disagrees about beliefs
dissolution
disintegration;debauchery
distill
extract the essential elements
distrait
inattentive; preoccupied
diverge
to vary; go in different directions from the same point
divest
to strip; deprive; rid
divulge
to make known something that is secret
document
to provide with written evidence to support
doggerel
poor verse
dormant
inactive
dross
waste; worthless matter; trivial
effervescence
state of high spirits or liveliness; process of bubling as gas escapes
effete
depleted of vitality; overrefined; decadent
egoism
the tendency to see things in relation to oneself; self-centeredness
egotistical
excessively self-centered; conceited
elicit
to provoke; draw out
elixir
a sustance believed to have the power to cure ills
Elysian
delightful; blissful
emaciated
thin and wasted
emollient
soothing; mollifying
empirical
derived from observation or experiment
enhance
to increase; improve
entomology
the scientific study of insects
enunciate
to pronounce clearly
epistemology
branch of philosophy tha texamines the nature of knowledge
equable
steady; unvarying; serene
equanimity
composure; calmness
errant
mistaken; straying from the proper course
essay
to make an attempt; subject to a test
ethnocentric
the attitude that one's group is superior
etiology
causes or origins
etymology
origin and history of a word
eugenics
study of factors that influence the hereditary qualities of the human race and ways to improve those qualities
euphoria
a feeling of extreme happiness
euthanasia
mercy killing
evince
to show plainly; be an indication of
evocative
tending to call to mind or produce a reaction
exact
to force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority
execrable
detestable; abhorrent
exhort
to urge by strong appeals
existential
having to do with existence; based on experience
exorcise
to expel evil spirits; free from bad influences
expatiate
to speak or write at length
expatriate
to send into exile
expiate
to atone for
explicate
to explain; interpret; clarify
expository
explanatory
extant
in existence; not lost
extemporaneous
unrehearsed
extirpate
to root up; to destroy
extraneous
not essencial
extrapolation
estimation
extrinsic
not inherent or essential
facetious
humorous
facilitate
to make less difficult
factotum
a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman
fallacious
based on a false idea or fact; misleading
fauna
animals of a period or region
fawning
seeking favor by flattering
felicitous
suitably expressed; well-chosen; appropiate
feral
existing in a wild or untamed state
fervor
warmth and intensity of emotion
fetter
to bind; confine
fiat
arbitray order; authorization
fidelity
loyalty; exact correspondence
filibuster
use of obstructive tactics in a legislature to block passage of a law
finesse
to handle with a deceptive or evasive strategy; refined in performance
fissure
crevice
fledging
beginner; novice
flora
plants of a region or era
flourish
en embellishment or ornamentation
flout
to treat scornfully
flux
flowing; a continuous moving
forbearance
patience
formidable
menacing; threatening
forswear
renounce; repudiate
founder
to sink; fail; colapse
fracas
a loud quarrel; brawl
fresco
a painting done on plaster
frieze
ornamental band on a wall
froward
stubbornly contrary; obstinately disobedient
fulminate
to attack loudly; denounce
fulsome
so excessive as to be disgusting
fusion
union; synthesis
futile
ineffective; useless; fruitless
gainsay
to deny; dispute; oppose
gauche
coarse and uncouth; clumsy
geniality
cheerfulness; kindliness; sociability
gerrymander
to divide an area into voting districts in a way that favors a political party
goad
to prod; urge on
gossamer
sheer; light and delicate; like cobwebs
gouge
to tear out; scoop out; overcharge
grandiloquent
pompous; bombastic
grouse
to complain
guileless
free of cunning or deceit; artless
guise
outward appearance; false appearance
gustatory
affecting the sense of taste
halcyon
calm and peaceful; happy; golden; prosperous
hallowed
holy; sacred
harangue
long, pompous speech; tirade
harrowing
extremely distressing; terrifying
herbivorous
an animal that feeds mainly on plants
heterodox
not widely accepted
hieroglyphics
a system of writing in which pictorial symbols represent meanings or sounds; wirting or symbols that are difficult to decipher
hirsute
covered with hair
histrionic
relating to exaggerated emotional behavior calculated for effect; theatrical acts or performances
homeostasis
automatic maintenance by an organism in balance with itself
homily
sermon; tedious moralizing lecture
idolatry
idol worship; blind or excessive devotion
igneous
produced by fire; volcanic
imbroglio
complicated situation; an entanglement
immutable
inchangeable
impair
to damage; injure
impassive
showing no emotion
impede
to hinder; block
impermeable
impossible to permeate
implausible
unlikely; unbelievable
implicit
implied; understood but not stated
implode
collapse inward violently
impute
to attribute the fault to
inadvertenly
carelessly; unintentionally
incarnate
having bodily form
incongruity
state of not fitting
inconsequencial
insignificant; unimportant
incorporate
introduce something into another thing already in existence; combine
incursion
sudden invasion
indeterminate
uncertain; indefinite
indigence
poverty
ineluctable
not to be avoided or escaped; inevitable
inert
unable to move; sluggish
inherent
firmly established by nature or habit
insensible
unconscious; unresponsive
insinuate
to suggest; say indirectly; imply
insouciant
indifferent; lacking concern or care
insularity
narrow-mindedness; isolation
insuperable
insurmountable; unconquerable
intangible
not material
interdict
to forbid; prohibit
internecine
deadly to both sides
interpolate
to insert; change by adding new words or material
intimate
marked by close acquaintance
introspective
contemplating one's own thoughts and feelings
inveigh
to disapprove; protest vehemently
inveigle
to win over by flattering or coaxing
inveterate
confirmed; long standing; deeply rooted
irresolute
unsure of how to act; weak
itinerary
route of a traveler's journey
jaundiced
affected by envy, resentment, or hostility
jibe
to be in agreement
jocose
fond of joking; jocular; playful
juggernaut
huge froce destrying everything in its path
junta
group of people united in political intrigue
juxtapose
place side by side
labile
likely to change
lambaste
to trash verbally or physically
lascivious
lustful
levee
an embankment that prevents a river from overflowing
libido
sexual desire
lilliputian
extremely small
limn
to draw, describe
linguistic
pertaining to language
litany
lengthy recitation; repetitive chant
literati
scholarly of learned persons
litigation
legal proceedings
log
record of a voyage; record of daily activities
lucre
money or profits
lustrous
shining
machiavellian
crafty; double-dealing
magnaminity
generosity; nobility
malign
to speak evil of
maverick
dissenter
megalomania
delusions of power or importance
menagerie
a variety of animals kept together
mesmerize
to hypnotize
metamorphosis
change; transformation
metaphysics
a branch of philosophy that investigates the ultimate nature of reality
metereological
concerned with the weather
mettle
courage; endurance
mettlesome
full of courage and fortitude
microcosm
a small system having analogies to a larger system
minatory
threatening; menacing
minuscule
very small
minutia
petty details
miscellany
mixture of writtings on various subjects
miscreant
villain; criminal
misogynist
one who hates women
mnemonic
realated to memory; assisting memory
modicum
limited quantity
monolithic
solid and uniform; constituing a single, unified whole
morose
ill-humored; sullen
motley
many colored; made up of many parts
mundane
worldy as opposed to spiritual; concerned with the ordinary
necromancy
black magic
negate
to cancel out; nullify
nexus
a means of connection;a connected group or series; a center
nonplussed
bewildered
nostalgia
sentimental longing for a past time
nostrum
medicine or remedy of doubtful effectiveness
nugatory
trifling; invalid
obsequy
funeral ceremony
occult
relating to practices connected with supernatural phenomena
odyssey
a long, adventurous voyage; a quest
olfactory
concerning the sense of smell
oligarchy
form of government in which power belongs to only a few leaders
onomatopeia
formation or use of words that imitate sounds of the actions they refer to
ornithologist
scientist who studies birds
oscillate
to move back and forth
overweening
presumptuous; arrogant; overbearing
paean
song of joy or triumph; a fervent expression of joy
paleonthology
study of past geological eras through fossil remains
partisan
one-sided; committed to a party, group or cause; prejudiced
pathological
departing from normal condition
patois
regional dialect; nonstandard speech; jargon
paucity
scarcity
pellucid
transparent; translucent; easily understood
penchant
inclination
peremptory
imperative; leaving no choice
perennial
present throughout the years; persistent
perigee
point in an orbit that is closest to the earth
perturb
to disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious; cause a body to deviate from its regular orbit
petulant
rude; peevish
phoenix
anything that is restored after suffering great destruction
physiognomy
facial features
piety
devoutness
piquant
pleasantly pungent; attractive
pique
fleeting feeling or hurt pride
placate
soothe; pacify
placid
calm
plaintive
melancholy; mournful
platitude
stale; overused expression
platonic
spiritual; theoretical
plumb
to examine deeply; determine the depth
plummet
to fall; plunge
plutocracy
society ruled by the wealthy
porous
full of holes; permeable to liquids
poseur
poerson who affects an attitude to impress others
pragmatic
practical
prate
to talk idly; chatter
preamble
preliminary statement
precarious
uncertain
precept
principle; law
precursor
forerunner; predecessor
preempt
to supersede; appropiate for oneself
prehensile
capable of grasping
premonition
forewarning; presentiment
presage
to foretell; indicate in advance
presumptuous
rude; improperly bold
preternatural
supernatural; beyond the normal use of nature
primordial
original; existing from the beginning
problematic
posing a problem; doubtful
profound
deep, not superficial
prohibitive
so high as to prevent the purchase or use of; preventing; forbidding
propensity
inclination; tendency
proscribe
to condemn, forbid, outlaw
provident
providing for future need, frugal
puissant
powerful
punctilious
careful in observing rules of behavior or ceremony
pungent
strong or sharp in smell or taste; penetrating; caustic; to the point
purport
to profess, suppose, claim
quagmire
marsh, difficult situation
quail
to cower, lose heart
qualified
limited, restricted
qualm
sudden feeling of faintness or nausea; uneasy feeling about the rightness of actions
query
question
quibble
to argue over insignificant and irrelevant details
quorum
number of memeber necessary to conduct a meeting
rail
to scold with bitter or abusive language
raiment
clothing
ramification
implication, consequence
rarefied
refined
rationale
fundamental reason
rebu
puzzle in whic pictures or symbols represent words
recalcitrant
resisting authority or control
recant
retract a statement of opinion
recluse
person who lives in seclusion and often in solitude
recondite
abstruse, profound
redoubtable
formidable; arousing fear; worthy of respect
refractory
stubborn; unmanageable; resisting ordinary methods of treatment
refulgent
brightly shining, resplendent
refute
to contradict, disprove
regale
to entertain
relegate
to consign to an inferior position
remonstrate
to object or protest
renege
to go back on one's word
reparation
amends, compensation
repine
fret, complain
reprise
repetition, especially of a piece of music
reproach
to find fault with, blame
reprobate
morally unprincipled person
rescind
to cancel
resolution
determination, resolve
resolve
determination, firmness of purpose
reverent
expressing deep respect, worshipful
riposte
retaliatory action or retort
rubric
protocol, title or heading, category
rue
regret
ruse
trick, crafty stratagem
sage
wise
salacious
lascivious, lustful
salutary
expecting an improvement, favorable to health
sanction
to approve, ratify, permit
sartorial
pertaining to tailors
saturate
imbue throughout, soak thoroughly
saturnine
gloomy
satyr
a creature that is half-man, half beast, with the horns and legs of a goat
savor
to enjoy, have a distinctive flavor or smell
schematic
relating to or in the form of an outline or diagram
secrete
produce and release substance into organism
sedulous
diligent
seismic
relating to earthquakes; earthshaking
sensual
relating to the senses, gratifying the physical (sexual) senses
sensuous
relating to the senses
servile
submissive, obedient
sextant
navigation tool that determines latitude and longitude
shard
a piece of broken glass or pottery
sidereal
relating to the stars
simian
apelike, relating to apes
simile
comparison of one thing with another using "like" or "as"
singular
unique, extraordinary, odd
sinuous
winding, intricate, complex
skeptic
one who doubts
sobriety
seriousness
sodden
thoroughly soaked, saturated
solicitous
concerned, attentive, eager
soliloquy
literary or dramatic speech by one character, not addressed to others
solvent
able to meet financial obligations
somatic
relating to or affecting the body, corporeal
sordid
filthy, contemptible and corrupt
spectrum
band of color, broad range of related ideas or objects
spendthrift
person who spends money recklessly
sporadic
irregular
squalor
filthy, wretched condition
staccato
marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds
stanch
to stop or check the flow of
stint
to be sparing; a period of time spent doing something
stipulate
to specify as an essential condition
stratified
arranged in layers
striated
marked with thin, narrow grooves or channels
stricture
something that restrains, negative criticism
strident
loud, harsh, unpleasantly noisy
strut
to swagger, display to impress others
stultify
to impair or reduce to uselessness
stupefy
to dull the senses of, stun, astonish
Stygian
dark and gloomy, hellish
subpoena
notice ordering someone to appear in court
subside
to settle down, grow quiet
substantiate
to support with proof or evidence
substantive
essential
subsume
to include, incorporate
subversive
intended to undermine or over, especially an established government
succor
relief, help in time of distress or want
suffrage
the right to vote
sundry
various
supersede
to replace, especially to displace as inferior or antiquated
supine
lying in the back, marked by lethargy
suppliant
beseeching
supplicant
one who asks humbly and earnestly
supposition
the act of assuming to be true or real
syllogism
a form of deductive reasoning with a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion
sylvan
related to the woods or forest
talisman
charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune
tautology
unnecessary repetition
taxonomy
science of classification
tenet
belief, doctrine
tenuous
weak, insubstantial
theocracy
government by priests representing a god
thespian
an actor or actress
timbre
the characteristic quality of sound produced by a particular instrument or voice; tone color
torque
a turning or twisting force
tortuous
having many twists and turns, highly complex
tout
to promote or praise energetically
tractable
obedient, yielding
transgression
act of trespassing or violating a law or rule
transient
temporary, short-lived, fleeting
translucent
transparent
travail
work, especially arduous work
travesty
parody, exaggerated imitation, caricature
treatise
article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly
tremulous
trembling, quivering, frugal, timid
trepidation
fear and anxiety
truculence
aggressiveness, ferocity
tryst
agreement between lovers to meet, rendezvous
tumid
swollen, distended
turbid
muddy, opaque, in a state of great confusion
tutelary
serving as a guardian or protector
uncanny
mysterious, strange
undulating
moving in waves
unfeigned
genuine
untenable
indefensible
untoward
not favorable, troublesome, adverse, unruly
vacuous
empty, void, lacking intelligence, purposeless
valedictory
pertaining to a farewell
vapid
tasteless, dull
vaunt
to boast, brag
venal
bribable, mercenary, corruptible
vendetta
prolonged feud marked by bitter hostility
vertigo
dizziness
viable
practicable, capable of developing
vindictive
spiteful, vengeful, unforgiving
virtuoso
someone with master skills, expert musician
visage
countenance, appearance, aspect
vitiate
to impair the quality of, corrupt morally, make inoperative
vivisection
dissection, surgery, or painful experiments performed on a living animal for the purpose of scientific research
vogue
prevailing fashion or practice
vortex
whirlpool, center of turbulence
warranted
justified
wary
careful, cautious
welter
wallow or roll, toss about, be in turmoil
wistful
vaguely longing; sadly thoughtful