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243 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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castigate
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to punish or criticize harshly
ex: The city CASTIGATES offenders... |
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ardor
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intense or passionate feeling
ex: Joe's ARDOR for running showed... |
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bombastic
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pompous in speech and manner
ex: The athlete was BOMBASTIC after winning the title. |
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banal
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predicatable; cliched; boring
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cogent
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convincing or well reasoned
ex: The lawyer had a very COGENT argument... |
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audacious
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daring and fearless
ex: His AUDACIOUS nature allowed him to stand up to the bully. |
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capricious
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constantly changing one's mind quickly and often
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attenuate
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to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
ex: The man ATTENUATED his grip on the bat. |
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bolster
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to prop up; to support
ex: The presence of her boyfriend BOLSTERED her argument. |
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assuage
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to make something unpleasant less severe
ex: I use Advil to ASSUAGE my horrible headaches. |
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arbitrate
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to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
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credulous
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too trusting; gullible
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sedulity
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diligence
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abate
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to reduce in amount, degree or severity
ex: Her anger ABATED after she went for a walk. |
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deride
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to mock
ex: John was DERIDED by his peers all his life. |
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plucky
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brave
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craven
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cowardly
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abscond
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to leave secretly
ex: The man ABSCONDED from the fight before he got hurt. |
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fracticious
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apt to scold; irritable
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discern
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to recognize or perceive
ex: I can DISCERN between butter and margerine. |
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corroborate
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to provide supporting evidence
ex: The letter CORROBORATED the victim's reason for suicide. |
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disseminate
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to disperse
ex: The kids DISSEMINATED when they saw the cops arrive. |
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insular
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separated; isolated
ex: Jimmy was very INSULAR from the rest of the students. |
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ameliorate
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to make better; to improve
ex: I was able to AMELIORATE my headache by taking Advil. |
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cosmopolitan
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to be worldwide; large scope
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austere
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very stern or severe in appearance; undecorated
ex: The Zen temple is AUSTERE to the untrained eye. |
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deference
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respect and courtesy
ex: I taught my son to have the utmost DEFERENCE for his elders. |
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antagonize
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to provoke or annoy to anger
ex: Stop ANTAGONIZING your brother! |
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partisan
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one who is the member of a party
ex: Greg is a PARTISAN of the Liberal group. |
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dilettante
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someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
ex: My friends are such DILETTANTES since they continuously change their jobs and hobbies. |
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aggrandize
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to increase in power, influence, and reputation
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disparate
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fundamentally different; entirely unalike
ex: My brothers and I have DISPARATE personalities. |
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chicanery
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deception by means of craft or guile
ex: Dishonest used car salesmen often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up cars. |
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elegy
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a sorrowful poem or speech
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disabuse
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to set right; to free from error
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emulate
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to copy; to try to equal or excel
ex: Jessica tries to EMULATE her mother's good nature. |
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condone
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to overlook, pardon, or disregard
ex: By not punishing your children, you are CONDONING bad behaviour. |
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dissonance
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a harsh and disagreeable combination; often of sounds
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eloquent
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persuasive and moving, esp. in speech
ex: David had very ELOQUENT words to say about his wife. |
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caustic
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biting in wit
ex: Betty used CAUSTIC wit with her friends. |
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dissemble
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to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
ex: The villain DISSEMBLED his character in front of the police |
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enervate
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to reduce strength
ex: Bill began to ENERVATE his hold on the ball. |
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fervid
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intensely emotional; feverish
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dogma
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a firmly held opinion often a religious belief
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dogmatic
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dictaorial in one's opinions
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foment
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to arouse or incite
ex: The girl tried to FOMENT feeling in her boyfriend after his father's death. |
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dupe
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to deceive; a person who is easily deceived
ex: Bugs Bunny was able to DUPE Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit. |
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garrulous
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tending to talk a lot
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engender
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to produce, cause, or bring about
ex: His fear for dogs was ENGENDERED when he was attack. |
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imperturbable
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not capable of being disturbed
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alleviate
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to make more bearable
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dilatory
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intended to delay
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esoteric
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understood only by a select few
ex: Only few people are aware of the ESOTERIC world of particle physics. |
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frugality
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a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
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inundate
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to overwhelm; to cover with water
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enigma
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a puzzle; a mystery
ex: Your odd personality has labelled you a ENIGMA in society. |
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laconic
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using few words
ex: The patient was LACONIC today in the meeting. |
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enumerate
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to count, list, or itemize
ex: The names of of the guys on the soccer team were ENUMERATED. |
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irascible
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easily made angry
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florid
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excessively decorated or embellished
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comely
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pleasing or agreeable to the sight
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unencumbered
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without burden, free
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berserk
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in a state of frantic rage; in frenzy
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insolent
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rude and lacking in respect; bold
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fawn
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to grovel
ex: I FAWNED over my boss to get the day off. |
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gregarious
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outgoing, sociable
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lavish
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to give unsparingly (v); extremely generous or extravagant (adj.)
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loquacious
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talkative
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monotony
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lack of variation
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mollify
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to calm or make less severe
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mitigate
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to soften; to lessen
ex: The judge felt that the criminal commited the crime out of need so he MITIGATED the charges. |
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fanatical
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acting excessively enthusiatic filled with extreme unquestioned devotion
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estimable
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admirable
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iconoclast
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one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
ex: The man lacked traditional beliefs, labelling him an ICONOCLAST. |
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ephemeral
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lasting a short time
ex: The excitement from the trip seemed EPHEMERAL to us. |
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lement
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to express sorrow; to grieve
ex: After Benny died, I was LEMENT for weeks. |
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obdurate
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hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
ex: The president was OBDURATE on the issue, and did not plan on changing his mind. |
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erudite
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learned, scolarly, bookish
ex: The room was filled with the most ERUDITE professors in the field. |
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laud
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to give praise; to glorify
ex: After winning the finals, the players were LAUD for their success. |
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impervious
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impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
ex: The shark's skin was IMPERVIOUS. |
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erratic
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wandering and unpredictable
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guile
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deceit or trickery
ex: Bugs Bunny resorts to GUILE to catch his enemy. |
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impetuous
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quick to act without thinking
ex: Greg was too IMPETUOUS when purchasing his red beat up Civic. |
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equivocate
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to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead
ex: The teacher EQUIVOCATED, allowing the students to agree with eachother. |
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lucid
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clear and easily understood
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misanthrope
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a person who dislikes others
ex: Scrooge is a MISANTHROPE, even towards children. |
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obsequious
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overly submissive and eager to please
ex: The OBSEQUIOUS student was always complimenting the teacher. |
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inchoate
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not fully formed; disorganized
ex: The car was INCHOATE after the first garage visit. |
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perfidious
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willing to betray one's trust
ex: The PERFIDIOUS son was willing to stay out late even after his parents told him not to. |
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exculpate/exonerate
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to clear from blame; prove innocent
ex: The criminal could not be EXCULPATED from the charges. |
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inimical
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hostile, unfriendly
ex: The two brothers were INIMICAL with one another all their lives. |
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perfunctory
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done in a routine way; indifferent
ex: The actress flashed a PERFUNCTORY smile at the fans. |
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obstinate
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stubborn, unyielding
ex: The OBSTINATE child would not eat his veggies. |
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ingenuous
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showing innocence or childlike simplicity
ex: The patient was so INGENUOUS when she came into the room. |
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exigent
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urgent; requiring immediate action
ex: It was EXIGENT to get the lady to the hospital. |
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obviate
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to prevent; to make unnecessary
ex: The dog was well trained, which OBVIATED the need for a leash. |
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implacable
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unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
ex: The girl was IMPLACABLE after seeing her father die. |
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innocuous
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harmless
ex: The big black man was INNOCUOUS. |
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occlude
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to stop up; to prevent the passage of
ex: The drain was OCCLUDED with hair. |
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pedant
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someone who shows off learning
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quiescent
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motionless
ex: The fish was QUIESCENT while the shark swam by. |
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insipid
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lacking interest or flavor
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reticent
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silent; reserved
ex: The new intern was very RETICENT. |
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paragon
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model of excellence or perfection
ex: Amelie is the PARAGON of what a good baby should be; cute, happy, and quiet. |
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onerous
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troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
ex: The GRE studying seems very ONEROUS to students. |
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intransigent
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uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled
ex: My parents were INTRANSIGENT on my punishment. |
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satiate
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to satisfy fully or overindulge
ex: Eating three plates was finally able to SATIATE his hunger. |
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paradox
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a contradiction or dilemma
ex: The relationship between me and you is a PARADOX. |
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opprobrium
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public disgrace
ex: After stealing money from charity, the accountant resigned in utter OPPROBRIUM. |
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rarefy
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to make thinner or sparser
ex: Water RAREFIES cake mix when added. |
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stolid
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unemotional; lacking sensitivity
ex: The girl appeared STOLID after being sentenced to life in prison. |
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ostentation
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excessive showiness
ex: The OSTENTATION of the actor's home was evident in the lavish decorations. |
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aberrant
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n. deviating from the norm
Her personality is aberrant from most of her peers. |
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alacrity
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n. eager and enthusiastic willingness
The new student had so much alacrity. |
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approbation
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n. an expression of praise or approval
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arduous
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adj. strenuous, taxing, requiring significant effort
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axiomatic
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adj. taken as given; pssessing self-evident truth
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canonical
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adj. following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
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censure
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v. to critize severely; to offically rebuke
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discordant
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adj. conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound
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effrontery
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n. extreme boldness; presumptuousness
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expunge
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removing all evidence
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unwavering
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confident
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expatiate
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elaborate
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raconteur
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someone skilled in relating anecdotes interestingly
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surreptitious
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to be secretive
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fatuous
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silly and insane
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zealous
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devotion
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excoriate
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to wear off the skin
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abrade
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to rub away by friction
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eschew
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to avoid
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venal
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adj. able to be bribed or bought; corruptible
ex. VENAL people do not need to be cajoled they can be won over by a simple bribe. |
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tantamount
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adj. equivalent; equal to; amounting to
ex. Being on an extremely fast rollarcoaster makes me feel TANTAMOUNT to being in outer space. |
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risible
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adj. laughable, comical, or ludicrous; given to or easily aroused to laughter
ex. The stand up comic was quite RISIBLE. |
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penchant
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n. strong liking or taste for something; tendency or inclination to favour something
ex. Mom has a PENCHANT for tidiness. |
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livid
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adj. enraged; extremely angry
ex. I was LIVID after seeing my boyfriend with another girl. |
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ineffable
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pronoun. incapable of being expressed in words of spoken; inexpressible.
ex. INEFFABLE happiness overtook me after seeing my new puppy. |
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ubiquitous
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adj. being everywhere, esp. at the same time.
ex. The volcano created a UBIQUITOUS cloud of black ash. |
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rife
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adj. abundant; prevalent; commonly occurring
ex. The party had a RIFE supply of alcohol. |
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truculent
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adj. fierce; cruel; brutal; ferocious
ex. The man's rottweiler was TRUCULENT. |
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itinerant
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adj. traveling from place to place, esp. for work
ex. An ITINERANT business man moves from place to place depending on where his customers are located. |
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diffidence
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n. lack of self confidence or faith in one's own ability; timidity or shyness
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dint
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n. force; power
ex. The DINT of the jet threw me off my feet. synonyms: puissance |
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deleterious
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adj. harmful or injurious to physical or mental health
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respite
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n. a brief rest or cessation; pause
ex. Tea breaks allow for a RESPITE from the rigors of the workplace. |
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paucity
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n. scarcity; insufficiency
synonym: dearth |
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repose
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n. rest; inner peace; tranquility; serenity
ex. Yoga allows me to achieve REPOSE. |
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sardonic
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adj. disdainful; contemptuous; scornful
ex. The mold on the garbage can was SARDONIC. |
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pristine
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adj. pertaining to the earliest times; pure or unspoiled
ex. The mountain water we swam in appeared PRISTINE. synonym: immaculate |
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presage
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n. anything that foreshadows future events; an omen or sign of what is to come
ex. The meterologist warned that the thunderstorms were a PRESAGE for a tornado. |
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espouse
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v. to advocate; support; promote or to argue for
ex. The activist began to ESPOUSE for human rights in Sudan. |
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foppish
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adj. excessively vain about one's dress manner, or general appearance; overal refined
ex. It was ironic to see one so normally FOPPISH in a pair of sweatpants. |
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lachrymose
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adj. given to shedding tears (crying); a tearful; mournful
ex. He was extremely LACHRYMOSE after his friend's funeral. |
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incumbent
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adj. pressed or emphatically urged; currently in office
ex. The INCUMBENT senator will have no trouble defeating her opponent. |
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turbid
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adj. cloudy; muddy
ex. The TURBID water made them question whether to drink the glass infront of them. |
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mendicant
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adj. living by beggin for money of food
ex. The monk led a MENDICANT lifestyle, seeking offerings from church. |
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cygnet
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a young swan
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intelligible
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easy to understand
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fulminate
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to explode with anger
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ruth
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mercy, sympathy
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lowly
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someone feels suffering
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lout
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lacking grace
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poltroon
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whimpering coward
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ineluctable
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inevitable
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assiduous
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diligent, persistant, hardworking
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levity
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humour, gaiety, frivolity
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probity
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honest, high-mindedness
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cede
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to surrender possession of something
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proscribe
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forbid or to prohibit as harmful
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gravity
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seriousness
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sonorous
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producing a full rich sound
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fracas
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noisy dispute
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impunity
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n. privilege; license; exemption
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duress
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n. compulsion or procurement by threat, coercion, or restraint
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vilify
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v. to belittle or speak slightingly of in the extreme; slander; defame
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nefarious
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adj. extremely wicked
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lugubrious
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adj. dismal, depressing, or mournful (usually exaggeratedly so)
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unfeigned
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Genuine, without deception, without hypocrisy.
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fleece
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To swindle; defraud; steal from through deceit
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dishevelled
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falling loosely in disarray
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clamor
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outcry; exclamation; noise; uproar
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garbled
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adj. confused; mixed up; unintelligible
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hilarity
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n. glee; cheerfulness; mirth; merriment
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vehement
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adj. acting with great force; furious; violent
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veracity
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accuracy, truthfulness
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strident
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adj. harsh-sounding; shrill; grilling
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incorrigible
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adj. unmanageable; unruly; uncontrollable; incapable of being reformed
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chimerical
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adj. imaginary; wildly fanciful; unreal; impossible
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taciturn
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adj. silent; reserved
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aegis
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n. sponsorship; protection
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provisional
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adj. temporary, providing for a temporary need
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desecrate
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v. to defile, tarnish, or blemish
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dissuade
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v. to persuade someone not to do something
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haughty
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adj. excessively proud; arrogant
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chagrin
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n. dismay; vexation
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admonition
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n. gentle or friendly warning; counseling against a fault or error
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omniscient
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all-knowing
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mutable
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adj. capable of change (or capable of being changed)
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abstemious
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sparingly used or consumed
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indigent
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A needy or destitute person
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hamlet
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a small village
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vindicate
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to clear from fault
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beneficence
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goodness, kindness, or charity
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spendthrift
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wasteful; lavish
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propitiate
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to conciliate; to appease
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acrid
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sharp and irritating
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repudiate
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to reject the validity of
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oratory
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effective writing or speaking
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soporific
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causing sleep or lethargy
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specious
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deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious
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stigma
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a mark of shame or discredit
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stolical
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lacking emotion
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sublime
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lofty or grand
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tacit
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done without using words
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tirade
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long, harsh speech or verbal attack
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torpor
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extreme mental and physical sluggishness
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transitory
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temporary, lasting a brief time
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vacillate
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to sway physically; to be indecisive
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venerate
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to respect deeply
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veracity
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filled with truth and accuracy
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verbose
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wordy
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volatile
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easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive
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zeal
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passion, excitement
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whimsical
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acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable
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piquency
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pungent in taste
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sequester
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to put in isolation
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sublimate
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to purify
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equanimity
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composure
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curmuudgeon
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grumpy person
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collusion
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is a secret agreement
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opian
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related to bees
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imperiousness
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is the quality of being overbearing and domineering
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circumscribed
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limited
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belie
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false, to misrepresent
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hieroglyphic
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type of character
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compunction
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remorse
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affability
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friendliness
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abet
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helping or assisting
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eminent
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outstanding or prominant
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appease
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to placate or pacify
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preternatural
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supernatural or abnormal
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coalesce
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to unite or gather
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peripatetic
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wandering or itinerant
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