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70 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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astral
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adj. pertaining to the stars
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astringent
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adj. binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe
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astronomical
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adj. enormously large or extensive
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astute
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adj. wise; shrewd; keen
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asunder
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adv. into parts; apart
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asylum
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n. place of refuge or shelter; protection
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asymmetric
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adj. not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
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atavism
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n. resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback
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atheist
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n. one who denies the existence of God
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atone
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n. make ammends for; pay for
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atrocity
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n. brutal deed
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atrophy
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n. wasting away
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attentive
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adj. alert and watchful; considerate; thoughtful
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*attenuate
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v. make thinner; weaken or lessen (in density, force, degree)
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attest
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v. testify; bear witness
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attribute (n.)
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n. essential quality
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attribute (v.)
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v. ascribe; explain
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attrition
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n. gradual decrease in numbers; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment
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atypical
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adj. not normal
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*audacious
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adj. daring; bold
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audit
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n. examination of accounts
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augment
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v. increase; add to
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augury
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n. omen; prophecy
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august
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adj. impressive; majestic
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aureole
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n. sun's corona; halo
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auroral
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adj. pertaining to the aurora borealis
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auspicious
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adj. favoring success
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*austere
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adj. forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unoramented
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authenticate
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v. prove genuine
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authoritarian
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adj. subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another's will
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authoritative
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adj. having the weight of authority; peremptory and dictatorial
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autocratic
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adj. having absolute, unchecked power; dictatorial
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automaton
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n. mechanism that imitates actions of humans
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*autonomous
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adj. self-governing
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autopsy
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n. examination of a dead body; postmortem
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auxiliary
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adj. offering or providing help; additonal or subsidiary
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avalanche
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n. great mass of falling snow and ice
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avarice
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n. greediness for wealth
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avenge
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v. take vengeance for something (or on behalf of someone)
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*aver
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v. assert confidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact
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averse
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adj. reluctant; disinclined
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aversion
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n. firm dislike
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avert
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v. prevent; turn away
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aviary
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n. enclosure for birds
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avid
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adj. greedy; eager for
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avocation
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n. secondary or minor occupation
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avow
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v. declare openly
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avuncular
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adj. like an uncle
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awe
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n. solemn wonder
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awl
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n. pointed tool used for piercing
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awry
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adv. distorted; crooked
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axiom
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n. self-evident truth requiring no proof
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azure
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adj. sky blue
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babble
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v. chatter idly
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bacchanalian
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adj. drunken
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badger
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v. pester; annoy
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badinage
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n. teasing conversation
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baffle
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v. frustrate; perplex
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bait
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v. harass; tease
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baleful
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adj. threatening;menacing; sinister; foreshadowing evil
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balk (2)
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v. stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue
v. foil |
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ballast
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n. heavy substance used to add stability or weight
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balm
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n. something that relieves pain
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balmy
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adj. mild; fragrant
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*banal
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adj. hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality
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bandy
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v. discuss lightly or glibly; exchange (words) heatedly
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bane
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n. curse; cause of ruin
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baneful
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adj. destructive; causing ruin or death
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bantering
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adj. good-naturedly ridiculing
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barb
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n. sharp projection from fishhook or other object; openly cutting remark
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