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30 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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precocious
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advanced in development
By her rather adult manner of discussing serious topics, the child demonstrated that she was precocious. |
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halcyon
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calm; peaceful;
In those halcyon days, people were not worried about sneak attacks and bombings. |
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queasy
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easily nauseated; squeamish;
As the ship left the harbor, he became queasy and thought that he was going to suffer from seasickness. |
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azure
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sky blue
azure skies are indicative of good weather. |
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alacrity
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cheerful promptness
He demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master. |
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compatible
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harmonious; in harmony with ;
They were compatible neighbors, never quarreling over unimportant matters. |
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equity
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fairness; justice;
Our courts guarantee equity to all. |
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title
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fairness; justice;
Though the penniless Duke of Ragwort no longer held title to the family estate, he still retained his title as head of one of England's oldest families. |
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dexterous
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skillful
The magician was so dexterous that we could not follow his movements as he performed his tricks. |
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malleable
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capable of being shaped by pounding
Gold is a malleable metal. |
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patina
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green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painting ;
Judging by the patina on this bronze statue, we can conclude that this is the work of a medieval artist. |
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sectarian
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narrow-minded; limited in scope;
As university chaplain, she sought to address universal religious issues and not limit herself to mere sectarian concerns. |
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volatile
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changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly
The political climate today is extremely volatile%3a no one can predict what the electorate will do next. |
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gyroscope
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apparatus used to maintain balance; ascertain direction; etc
By using a rotating gyroscope, they were able to stabilize the vessel, counteracting the rolling movements of the sea. |
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quarantine
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isolation of a person; place; or ship to prevent spread of infection
We will have to place this house under quarantine until we determine the nature of the disease. |
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avuncular
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like an uncle
Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's shortcomings. |
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dowdy
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slovenly; untidy;
She tried to change her dowdy image by buying a fashionable new wardrobe. |
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homily
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sermon; serious warning;
His speeches were always homilies, advising his listeners to repent and reform. |
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misgivings
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doubts
Hamlet described his misgivings to Horatio but decided to fence with Laertes despite his foreboding of evil. |
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tipple
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drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently
He found that his most enjoyable evenings occurred when he tippled with his friends at the local pub. |
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devious
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going astray; erratic ;
Your devious behavior in this matter puzzles me since you are usually direct and straightforward. |
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malfeasance
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wrongdoing
The authorities did not discover the campaign manager's malfeasance until after he had spent most of the money he had embezzled. |
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undulate
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move with a wavelike motion
The flag undulated in the breeze. |
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ascendancy
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controlling influence
President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendency over Philippines. |
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cuisine
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style of cooking
French cuisine is noted for its use of sauces and wines. |
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guise
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appearance; costume;
In the guise of a plumber, the detective investigated the murder case. |
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quail
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cower; lose heart;
He was afraid that he would quail in the face of danger. |
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avert
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prevent; turn away;
She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway. |
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lucrative
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profitable
He turned his hobby into a lucrative profession. |
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adage
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wise saying; proverb;
There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money. |
