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76 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abate (v)
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to lessen in intensity or degree
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accolade (n)
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an expression of praise
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adulation (n)
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excessive praise; intense adoration
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aesthetic (adj)
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dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
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ameliorate (v)
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to make better or more tolerable
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ascetic (n)
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one who practices rigid self-deanial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
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avarice (n)
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greed, esp. for wealth
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axiom (n)
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a universally recognized principle
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burgeon (v)
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to grow rapidly or flourish
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bucolic (adj)
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rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
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cacophony (n)
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harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
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canon (n)
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an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
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castigation (n)
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severe criticism or punishment
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catalyst (n)
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a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change
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caustic (adj)
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burning or stinging;causing corrosion
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chary (adj)
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wary; cautious; sparing
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cogent (adj)
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appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
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complaisance (n)
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the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
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contentious (n)
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argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
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contrite (adj)
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regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
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culpable (adj)
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deserving blame
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dearth (n)
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smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
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demur (v)
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to question or oppose
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didactic (adj)
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intended to teach or instruct
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discretion (n)
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cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
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disinterested (adj)
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free of bias or self-interest; impartial
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dogmatic (adj)
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expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles
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ebullience (adj)
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the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
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eclectic (adj)
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composed of elements drawn from various sources
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elegy (n)
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a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
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emollient (adj. or n)
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soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
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empirical (adj)
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based on observation or experiment
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enigmatic (adj)
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mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
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ephemeral (adj)
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brief; fleeting
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esoteric (adj)
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intended for or understood by a small, specific group
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eulogy (n)
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a speech honoring the dead
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exonerate (v)
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to remove blame
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facetious (adj)
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playful; humorous
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fallacy (n)
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an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief
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furtive (adj)
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marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
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gregarious (adj)
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sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
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harangue (v/n)
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to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
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heretical (adj)
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violating accepted dogma or convention
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hyperbole (n)
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an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech
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impecunious (adj)
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lacking funds; without money
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incipient (adj)
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beginning to come into being or to become apparent
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inert (adj)
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unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
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innocuous (adj)
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harmless; causing no damage
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intransigent (adj)
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refusing to compromise
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inveigle (v)
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to obtain by deception or flattery
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morose (adj)
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sad; sullen; melancholy
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odious (adj)
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evoking intense aversion or dislike
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opaque (adj)
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impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
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oscillation (n)
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the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterruptedrhythm
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penurious (adj)
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penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
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pernicious (adj)
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extremely harmful; potentially causing death
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peruse (v)
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to examine with great care
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pious (adj)
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extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion
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precursor (n)
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one that precedes and indicates or announces another
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preen (v)
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to dress up; to prmp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
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prodigious (adj)
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abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
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prolific (adj)
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producing large volumes or amounts; productive
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putrefy (v)
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to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
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quaff (v)
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to drink deeply
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quiescence (n)
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stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at rest
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redoubtable (adj)
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awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
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sanction (n/v)
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authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority to
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satire (n)
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a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision
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squalid (adj)
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sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
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stoic (adj)
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indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
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supplant (v)
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to take the place of; supersede
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torpid (adj)
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lethargic; sluggish; dormant
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ubiquitous (adj)
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existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
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urbane (adj)
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sophisticated; refined; elegant
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vilify (v)
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to defame; to characterize harshly
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viscous (adj)
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thick; sticky
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