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60 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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contingent |
adj. dependent on; conditional |
Cher's father informed her that any increase in her allowance was contingent on the quality of her final grades |
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contingent |
n. group that makes up part of a gathering |
The New York contingent of delegates at the DNC was a boisterous, sometimes rowdy lot |
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contortions |
n. twistings; distortions |
As the effects of the opiate wore away, the contortions of the patient became more violent and demonstrated how much pain she was enduring |
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contraband |
N. illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods |
The coast guard tries to prevent contraband in US waters |
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contravene |
v. contradict; oppose; infringe on or transgress |
Mr. Barrett did not expect his frail daughter Elizabeth to contravene his will by eloping with Robert Browning |
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contrite |
adj. penitent
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Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he imposed sentence |
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contrived |
adj. forced; artificial; not spontaneous |
Feeling ill at ease with his new in-laws, James made a few contrived attempts at conversation and then retreated into silence |
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controvert |
v. oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict |
The witness's testimony was so clear and her reputation for honesty so well established that the defense attorney decided it was wiser to make no attempt to controvert what she said |
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contumacious |
adj. disobedient; resisting authority |
The contumacious mob shouted defiantly at the police |
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conundrum |
n. riddle; difficult problem |
During the long car ride, she invented conundrums to entertain the children |
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convene |
v. assemble |
Because much needed legislation had to be enacted, the governor ordered the legislature to convene in special session by Jan. 15th |
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convention |
n. social or moral custom; established practice |
Flying in the face of convention, George Sand shocked her contemporaries by taking lovers and wearing men's cloths |
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conventional |
adj. ordinary; typical |
His conventional upbringing left him wholly unprepared for his wife's eccentric familiy |
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converge |
v. approach; tend to meet; come together |
African american men from all over the US converged on Washington to take part in the historic Million Man march. |
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conversant |
adj. familiar with. |
In this age of specialization, someone reasonably conversant with modern French literature may be wholly unacquainted with the novels of latin America and Spain |
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converse |
n. opposite |
The inevitable converse of peace is not war but annihilation |
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convert |
n. one who has adopted a different religion or opinion |
ON his trip to Japan, though the president spoke at length about the merits of American automobiles, he made few converts to his beliefs |
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conviction |
n. judgment that someone is guijlty of a crime; strongly held belif |
Even her conviction for murder did not shake Lord Peter's conviction that Harriet was innocent |
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convivial |
adj. festive; gay; characterized by joviality |
The convivial celebrators of the victory sang their college songs |
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convoke |
v. call together |
To the surprise of Vatican observers, the new Pope John XXIII announced his intention to convoke an ecumenical council |
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convoluted |
adj. coiled around; inovlved; intricate |
His argument was so convoluted that few of us could follow it intelligently |
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copious |
adj. plentiful |
Unlike Sharon, who took copious notes during lectures, David did not take notes in class but waited until back in the dorm to write a brief summary of what he had learned |
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cordial |
adj. gracious; heartfelt |
Our hosts greeted us at the airport with a cordial welcome and a hearty hug |
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corollary |
n. consequence; accompaniment |
Brotherly love is a complex emotion, with sibling rivalry its natural corollary |
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corporeal |
adj. bodily; material |
The doctor had no patience with spiritual matters: his job was to attend to his patients; corporeal problems, not to minister to thier souls |
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correlation |
n. mutual relationship |
He sought to determine the correlation that existed between ability in algebra and ability to interpret reading exercises |
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corroborate |
v. confirm; support |
Though Huck was quite willing to corroborate Tom's story, Aunt Polly knew better than to believe either of them |
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corrode |
v. destroy by chemical action |
the girders supporting the bridge corroded so gradually that no one suspected any danger util the bridge suddenly collapsed |
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corrosive |
adj. eating away by chemicals or disease |
Stainless steel is able to withstand the effects of corrosive chemicals |
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cosmic |
adj. pertaining to the universe; vast |
Cosmic rays derive their name from the fact that they bombard the earth's atmosphere from outer space |
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countenance |
v. approve; tolerate |
Miss manners refused to countenance such rude behavior on their part |
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countenance |
n. face |
When Jose saw his newborn daughter, a proud smile spread across his countenance |
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countermand |
v. cancel; revoke |
The general countermanded the orders issued in his absence |
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counterpart |
n. person or thing that functions in the same way as another; equivalent |
among the many differences that set folk musicians apart from their pop music counterparts is longevity |
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coup |
n. highly successful action or sudden attack |
As the news of his coup spread throughout Wall Street, his fellow brokers dropped by to congratulate him |
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couple |
v. join, unite |
The Flying Karamazovs couple expert juggling and amateur joking in their nightclub act |
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courier |
n. messenger |
The publisher sent a special courier to pick up the manuscript |
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covenant |
n. agreement |
We must comply with the terms of the covenant |
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covert |
adj. secret; hidden; implied |
Investigations of the CIA and other secret service networks reveal that such covert operations can get out of control |
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covetous |
adj. avaricious; eagerly desirous of. |
The poor man wants many things; the covetous man, all. |
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cow |
v. terrorize; intimidate |
The little boy was so cowed by the hulking bully that he gave up his lunch money without a word of protest |
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cower |
v. shrink quivering, as from fear |
The frightened child cowered in the corner of the room |
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coy |
adj. shy; modest; coquettish |
Reluctant to commit herself so early in the game, Kay was coy in her answers to Ken's offer |
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crass |
adj. very unrefined; grossly insensible |
The film critic deplored the crass commercialism of movie makers who abandon artistic standards in order to make a quick buck |
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craven |
adj. cowardly |
Lillian's craven refusal to join the protest was criticized by her comrades, who had expected her to be brave enough to stand up for her beliefs |
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credence |
n. belief |
It is unlikely that Richard III killed his queen, but his evident alarm at the thought that such a story might gain credence even among his faithful followers clearly shows how fragile he felt his reputation to be |
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credo |
n. creed |
just two months before his death, as he talked about life with his friends, the writer Jack London proclaimed his credo: The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time |
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credulity |
n. belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete |
Con artists take advantage of the credulity of einexperienced investors to swindle them out of their savings |
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creed |
n. system of religious or ethical belief |
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and l live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. |
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crescendo |
n. increase in the volume or intensity, as in a musical passage; climax |
The overture suddenly changed from a quiet pastoral theme to a crescendo featuring blaring trumpets an dclashing cymbals |
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crestfallen |
adj. dejected; dispirited |
We were surprised at his reaction to the failure of his project; instead of being crestfallen, he was busily engaged in planning new activities |
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cringe |
v. shrink back, as if in fear |
The dog cringed, expecting a blow |
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criteria |
n. pl. standards used in judging. |
What criteria did you use when you selected this essay as the prize winner? |
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crux |
n. essential or main point |
Will the Turkish people as a whole embrace Islamism, or will they adopt European values and standards? This is the crux of the matter; the answer will determine Europe's future for decades to come |
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crypt |
n. secret recess or vault usually used for burial |
Until recently only bodies of rulers and leading statesmen were interred in this crypt. |
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cryptic |
adj. mysterious; hidden; secret |
Thoroughly baffled by Holmes's cryptic remarks, Watson wondered whether Holmes was intentionally concealing his thoughts about the crime |
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cull |
v. pick out; reject |
Every month the farmer culls the nonlaying hens from his flock and sells them to the local butcher |
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culmination |
n. attainment of highest point |
His inauguration as President of the United States marked the culmination of his political career |
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culpable |
adj. deserving blame |
Corrupt politicians who condone the activities of the gamblers are equally culpable |
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cumbersome |
adj. heavy; hard to manage |
She was burdened with cumbersome parcels |
