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132 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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Abate
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To reduce in amount, degree, or severity
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As the hurricane's force abated, the winds dropped and the sea became calm.
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Abscond
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To leave secretly
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The patron absconded from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door.
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Aesthetic
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Concerning the appreciation of beauty
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Followers of the aesthetic movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art.
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Aggrandize
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To increase in power, influence, and reputation
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The supervisor sought to aggrandize himself by claiming that the achievements of his staff were actually his own.
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Ameliorate
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To make better, to improve
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The doctor was unable to ameliorate the patient's suffering using painkillers.
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Anachronism
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Something out of place in time
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The aged hippie used anachronistic phrases like groovy and far out that had not been popular for years.
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Analogous
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Similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
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In a famous argument for the existence of God, the universe is analogous to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent "clockmaker."
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Anomaly
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Deviation from what is normal
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Albino animals may display too great and anomaly in their coloring to attract normally colored mates.
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Antipathy
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Extreme Dislike
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The antipathy between the french and the English regularly erupted into open warfare.
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Ardor
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Intense and passionate feeling
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Bishop's ardor for landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley.
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Assuage
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To make something unpleasant less severe
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Serena used Aspirin to assuage her pounding headache.
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Attenuate
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To reduce in force or degree; to weaken
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The Bill of Rights attenuated the traditional power of government to change laws at will.
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Austere
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Severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
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The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seem austere to the untrained eye.
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Banal
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Predictable, cliched, boring
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He used banal phrases like Have a nice day, or Another Day, Another Dollar.
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Bombastic
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Pompous in speech and manner
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The dictator's speeches were mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact.
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Capricious
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Changing one's mind quickly and often
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Queen Elizabeth I was quite capricious; her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy.
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Castigate
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To punish or criticize harshly
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Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore castigate perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the United States.
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Caustic
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Biting in wit
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Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for caustic wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults.
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Chauvinist
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Someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
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The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefor must be obeyed is common among male chauvinists.
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Chicanery
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Deception by means of craft or guile
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Dishonest car salesmen often use chicanery to sell their beat-up old cars.
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Cogent
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Convincing and well reasoned
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Swayed by the cogent argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.
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Condone
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To overlook, pardon, or disregard
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Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as condoning an air of lawlessness.
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Corroborate
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To provide supporting evidence
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Fingerprints corroborated the witness's testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim's apartment.
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Credulous
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Too trusting; gullible
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Although some four year olds believe in the easter bunny, only the most credulous nine year olds also believe in him.
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Decorum
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Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
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The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the decorum appropriate for a visit to the palace.
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Deference
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Respect, Courtesy
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The respectful young law clerk treated the supreme court justice with the utmost deference.
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Deride
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to speak of or threat with contempt; mock
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The awkward child was often derided by his "cooler" peers.
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Desiccate
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To dry out thoroughly
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After a few weeks of lying on the desert's baking sands, the cow's carcass became completely desiccated.
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Desultory
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Jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
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Diane had a desultory academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years.
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Diatribe
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An abusive, condemnatory speech
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The trucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off.
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Diffident
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Lacking self confidence
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Steve's diffident manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.
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Dilate
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To make larger; to expand
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When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes dilate to let in more light.
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Dilatory
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Intended to delay
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The congressman used dilatory measures to delay the passage of the bill.
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Dilettante
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Someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic.
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Jerry's friends were such dilettantes that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.
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Dirge
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A funeral hymn or mournful speech
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Melville wrote the poem "A Dirge for James McPherson" for the funeral of a Union general who was killed in 1864.
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Disabuse
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To set right; to free from error
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Galileo's observations disabused scholars of the notion that the Sun revolved around the Earth.
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Disparate
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Fundamentally different; entirely unlike
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Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are disparate.
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Dissemble
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To present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
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The villain could dissemble to the police no longer--he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man.
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Dogma
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A firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
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Linus's central dogma was that children who believed in the great pumpkin would be rewarded.
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Dogmatic
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Dictatorial in one's opinions
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The dictator was dogmatic--he, and only he, was right.
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Dupe
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to deceive; a person who is easily decieved
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Bugs bunny was able to dupe elmer fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit.
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Eclectic
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Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources.
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Budapest's architecture is an eclectic mix of eastern and western styles.
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Efficacy
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Effectiveness
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The efficacy of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.
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Elegy
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A sorrowful poem or speech.
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Although Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life, and to trust in spirituality.
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Eloquent
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Persuasive and Moving, especially in speech.
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The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its eloquent words.
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Enervate
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To reduce in strength
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The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would enervate the regular army.
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Engender
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to produce, cause, or bring about
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His fear and hatred of clowns was engendered when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown.
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Ephemeral
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Lasting a short time
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The lives of mayflies seem ephemeral to us, since the flies' average life span is a matter of hours.
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Equivocate
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To use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead
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When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician equivocated and left all parties thinking he agreed with them.
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Erratic
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Wandering and unpredictable
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The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of erratic turns that surprised the audience.
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Erudite
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Learned, scholarly, bookish
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The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most erudite, well published individuals in the field.
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Esoteric
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Known or understood by only a few
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Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the esoteric world of particle physics.
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Estimable
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Admirable
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Most people consider it estimable that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India.
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Exacerbate
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To make worse
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It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only exacerbate the problem.
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Exculpate
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To clear from blame; prove innocent
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The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to exculpate those who are innocent.
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Exigent
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Urgent, requiring immediate action
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The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was exigent to stop the source of the bleeding.
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Exonerate
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To clear of blame
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The fugitive was exonerated when another criminal confessed to committing the crime.
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Fawn
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To grovel.
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The understudy fawned over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis.
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Fervid
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Intensely emotional, feverish
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The fans of Maria Callas were unusually fervid, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer.
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Florid
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Excessively decorated or embellished
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The palace had been decorated in an excessively florid style; every surface had been carved and gilded.
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Foment
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To arouse or incite.
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The protesters tried to foment feeling against the war through their speeches and demonstrations.
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Garrulous
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Tending to talk a lot.
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The garrulous parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking.
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Gregarious
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Outgoing, Sociable
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She was so gregarious that when she found herself alone she felt quite sad
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Guile
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Deceit or Trickery
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since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to guile in an effort to trap his enemy.
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Iconoclast
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One who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions.
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His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an iconoclast.
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Imperturbable
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Not capable of being disturbed
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The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that she seemed imperturbable, even when faced with the wildest tantrums.
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Impervious
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Impossible to penetrate, incapable of being affected
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A good raincoat will be impervious to moisture.
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Impetuous
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Quick to act without thinking
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It is not good for an investment broker to be impetuous, since much thought should be given to all the possible options.
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Implacable
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Unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
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His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained implacable for weeks.
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Inchoate
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Not fully formed, disorganized.
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The ideas expressed in Nietzsche's mature work also appear in an inchoate form in his earliest writing.
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Ingenuous
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Showing innocence or childlike simplicity
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She was so ingenuous that her friends feared that her innocence and trustfulness would be exploited when she visited the big city.
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Inimical
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Hostile, unfriendly
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Even though the children had grown up together they were inimical to each other at school
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Innocuous
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Harmless
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Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are innocuous and pose no danger to humans.
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Insipid
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Lacking interest of flavor
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The critic claimed that the painting was insipid, containing no interesting qualities at all.
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Intransigent
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Uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled
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The professor was intransigent on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time.
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Irascible
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Easily made angry
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Attila the hun's irascible and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives.
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Laconic
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Using few words
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She was a laconic poet who built her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible.
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Lethargic
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Acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner.
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The clerk was so lethargic that, even when the store was slow, he always had a long line in front of him.
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Loquacious
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Talkative
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She was naturally loquacious, which was a problem in situations in which listening was more important than talking.
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Malinger
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To evade all responsibility by pretending to be ill
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A common way to avoid the draft was by malingering--pretending to be mentally or physically ill so as to avoid being taken by the army.
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Metaphor
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A figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol.
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The metaphor "a sea of troubles" suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea.
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Misanthrope
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A person who dislikes others
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The character Scrooge in A Christmas Carol is such a misanthrope that even the sight of children singing makes him angry.
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Mitigate
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To soften; to lessen
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A judge may mitigate a sentence if she decides that a person committed a crime out of need.
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Mollify
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To calm or make less severe
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Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would mollify them.
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Obdurate
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Hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion.
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The president was completely obdurate on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change his mind.
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Obsequious
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Overly submissive and eager to please
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The obsequious new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor's tie and agree with him on every issue.
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Obviate
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To prevent; to make unnecessary
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The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which obviated the need for a bridge.
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Occlude
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To stop up; to prevent the passage of
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A shadow is thrown across the Earth's surface during a solar eclipse, when the light from the sun is occluded by the moon.
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Onerous
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Troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
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The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved onerous to the team in charge of it.
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Opprobrium
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Public disgrace
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After the scheme to embezzle the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter opprobrium.
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Ostentation
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Excessive showiness.
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The ostentation of the Sun King's court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace at Versailles.
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Paragon
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Model of excellence or perfection
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She is the paragon of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just.
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Pedant
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Someone who shows off learning
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The graduate instructor's tedious and excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a pedant.
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Perfidious
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Willing to betray one's trust
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The actress's perfidious companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to the gossip columnist.
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Perfunctory
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Done in a routine way; indifferent
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The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a perfunctory smile.
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Permeate
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To penetrate
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This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to permeate stains and dissolve them in minutes.
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Placate
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To soothe or pacify.
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The burglar tried to placate the snarling dog by saying, "Nice doggy," and offering it a treat.
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Propriety
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Correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
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The aristocracy maintained a high level of propriety, adhering to even the most minor of social rules.
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Quiescent
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Motionless
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Many animals are quiescent over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy.
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Rarefy
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To make thinner or sparser
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Since the atmosphere rarefies as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe.
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Repudiate
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To reject the validity of
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The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was repudiated when DNA tests showed she was of no relation to them.
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Reticent
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Silent, reserved
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Physically small and reticent in her speech, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting.
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Soporific
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Causing sleep or lethargy.
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The movie proved to be so soporific that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theater.
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Specious
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Deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious.
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The student's specious excuse for being late sounded legitimate, but was proved otherwise when her teacher called her home.
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Stolid
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Unemotional; lacking sensitivity
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The prisoner appeared stolid and unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence.
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Sublime
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Lofty or grand
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The music was so sublime that it transformed the rude surroundings into a special place.
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Tacit
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Done without using words
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Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that a tacit agreement had been made about which course of action to take.
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Taciturn
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Silent; not talkative
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The clerk's taciturn nature earned him the nickname "Silent Bob."
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Tirade
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Long, harsh speech or verbal attack
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Observers were shocked at the manager's tirade over such a minor mistake.
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Torpor
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Extreme mental and physical sluggishness
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After surgery, the patient experienced torpor until the anesthesia wore off.
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Transitory
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Temporary, lasting a brief time.
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The reporter lived a transitory life, staying in one place only long enough to cover the current story.
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Vacillate
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To sway physically; to be indecisive.
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The customer held up the line as he vacillated between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road ice cream.
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Venerate
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To respect deeply
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In a traditional Confucian society, the young venerate their elders, deferring to the elders' wisdom and experience.
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Veracity
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Filled with truth and accuracy
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She had a reputation for veracity, so everyone truster her description of events.
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Vex
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To annoy
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he old man who loved his peace and quiet was vexed by his neighbor's loud music.
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Waver
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To fluctuate between choices
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If you waver too long before making a decision about which testing site to register for, you may not get your first choice.
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Zeal
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Passion, excitement
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She brought her typical zeal to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members.
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Voluble
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characterized by a ready and continuous flow of words; fluent; glib; talkative
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Maladroit
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lacking in adroitness; unskillful; awkward; bungling; tactless
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Dearth
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an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack
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Surfeit
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excess; an excessive amount
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Vestige
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a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence:
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A few columns were the last vestiges of a Greek temple.
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Harbinger
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A person who goes ahead and makes known the approach of another; herald
Anything that foreshadows a future event; omen; sign |
Frost is a harbinger of winter.
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Effulgent
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Resplendent, shining brightly
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Panacea
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Cure-all medicine
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Nostrum
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false and ineffective medicine.
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Calumny
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CALUMNY is a false statement intended to damage another’s reputation
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Encomium
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Warm, glowing praise
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Raillery
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Mockery
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Pleonasm
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Redundancy of expression
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Bucolic
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Having to do with the countryside
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Proscribed
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Prohibited or banned
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