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72 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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acerbic |
having a sour or bitter taste or character |
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aggrandize |
to increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige |
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alchemy |
a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, especially base metals into gold |
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amenable |
agreeable; responsive to suggestion |
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anachronism |
something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context |
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astringent |
having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue |
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contiguous |
sharing a border; touching; adjacent |
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convention |
a generally agreed–upon practice or attitude |
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credulous |
tending to believe too readily; gullible |
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cynicism |
an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness |
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decorum |
polite or appropriate conduct or behavior |
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derision |
scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment |
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desiccate |
to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull |
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dilettante |
one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge |
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disparage |
to slight or belittle |
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divulge |
to disclose something secret |
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fawn |
to flatter or praise excessively |
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flout |
to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention |
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garrulous |
pointlessly talkative; talking too much |
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glib |
marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial |
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hubris |
overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance |
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imminent |
about to happen; impending |
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immutable |
not capable of change |
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impetuous |
hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive or vehement |
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indifferent |
having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice |
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inimical |
damaging; harmful; injurious |
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intractable |
not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate |
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intrepid |
steadfast and courageous |
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laconic |
using few words; terse |
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maverick |
an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party |
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mercurial |
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood |
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mollify |
to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity |
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neophyte |
a recent convert; a beginner; novice |
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obfuscate |
to deliberately obscure; to make confusing |
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obstinate |
stubborn; hard–headed; uncompromising |
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ostentatious |
characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy |
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pervade |
to permeate throughout |
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phlegmatic |
calm; sluggish; unemotional |
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plethora |
an overabundance; surplus |
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pragmatic |
practical rather than idealistic |
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presumptuous |
overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties |
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pristine |
pure; uncorrupted; clean |
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probity |
adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness |
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proclivity |
a natural predisposition or inclination |
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profligate |
excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant |
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propensity |
a natural inclination or tendency; penchant |
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prosaic |
dull; lacking in spirit or imagination |
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pungent |
characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste |
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quixotic |
foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals |
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quotidian |
occurring or recurring daily; commonplace |
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rarefy |
to make or become thin, less dense; to refine |
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recondite |
hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure |
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refulgent |
radiant; shiny; brilliant |
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renege |
to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise |
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sedulous |
diligent; persistent; hard–working |
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shard |
a piece of broken pottery or glass |
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soporific |
causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep |
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sparse |
thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals |
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spendthrift |
one who spends money wastefully |
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subtle |
not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern |
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tacit |
implied; not explicitly stated |
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terse |
brief and concise in wording |
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tout |
to publicly praise or promote |
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trenchant |
sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating |
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unfeigned |
genuine; not false or hypocritical |
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untenable |
indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable |
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vacillate |
to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another |
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variegated |
multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color |
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vexation |
annoyance; irritation |
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vigilant |
alertly watchful |
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vituperate |
to use harsh, condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; to berate |
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volatile |
readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive |
