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310 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
abscond
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depart secretly and hide
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adversity
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hardship
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aggravate
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to worsen or intensify
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arduous
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strenuous, taxing
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belie
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to give a false impression of'
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bombast
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self-important or pompous writing or speech
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cacophony
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harsh, jarring, discordant sound
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castigation
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severe criticism or punishment
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censure
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to criticize severely to officially rebuke
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chicanery
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trickery or subterfuge
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coercive
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serving or intended to compel by force or authority
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condemn
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to blame or denounce
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conspire
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to secretly work together with the intent to commit a wrong or illegal act
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covert
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hidden, clandestine
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cower
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shrink in fear, cringe
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craven
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contemptibly fainthearted, lacking any courage
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denigrate
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to blacken; to belittle; to sully defame disparage
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denounce
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to publicly condemn or criticize
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derision
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scorn; ridicule; contemptuous treatment
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diatribe
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a harsh denunciation
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discomfit
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to defeat; to put down
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disingenuous
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insincere; lacking in honesty
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dissemble
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to disguise or conceal
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exacerbate
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to make worse or more severe
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fraud
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deliberate deceit with the goal of gaining an unlawful advantage
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furtive
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marked by stealth, covert, surreptitious
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garrulous
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pointlessly talkative; talking too much
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harangue
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to deliver a pompous speech or tirade
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impudent
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saucy; impertinent
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inopportune
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ill-timed; unsuitable; inappropriate
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irascible
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easily angered
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malevolent
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having or showing often viscious ill-will ,spite, hatred
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martial
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associated with war and the armed forces
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misanthrope
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one who hates all other humans
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morose
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sad, sullen
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obdurate
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unyielding; hardhearted
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obsequious
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exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
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obstinate
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stubborn; hardheaded
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onerous
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troubling burdensome
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opprobrium
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disgrace; contempt; scorn
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pedantic
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the parading of learning; excessive attention to minutiae and formal rules
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perjury
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the purposeful giving of false or misleading testimony while under oath
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provoke
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to incite anger, resentment or exasperation
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recalcitrant
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obstinately defiant of authority; difficult to manage
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secrete
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to ensconce, conceal, or stow
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specious
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seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive
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spurious
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lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
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squander
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to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
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tirade
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a long and extremely critical speech; a harsh denunciation
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vexation
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annoyance or irritation
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amalgamate
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to combine several elements into a whole
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assuage
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to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
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bolster
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to provide support or reinforcement
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burgeon
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to grow rapidly or flourish
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buttress
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a support or prop, often an external prop used to bolster a wall
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capricious
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inclined to change one's mind impulsively; erratic; unpredictable
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catalyst
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a person or thing that causes change
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caustic
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burning or stinging; causing corrosion
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centrifuge
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a machine that spins very swiftly about a central axis, and, using centrifugal force, separates disparate substances
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converge
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to tend toward the same spot or outcome; inclining to join at an intersecting point
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conversion
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the act or process of transforming to another form, state or product
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corrosion
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act or process of causing deterioration; a wearing away esp of metals
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decibel
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unit used in measuring the intensity of a sound
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desiccate
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to dry out or dehydrate to make dry or dull
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distill
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to purify or concentrate through a process of vaporization
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divest
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to remove or strip esp clothing
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enervate
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to weaken; to reduce in vitality
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ephemeral
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brief; fleeting
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eradicate
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to remove completely; to annihilate; to pull out by the roots
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expel
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to force out; to discharge
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extend
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to lengthen or stretch out
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facilitate
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to aid by making easier
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implode
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to abruptly and violently collapse inward
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inchoate
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in an initial stage; not fully formed
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infuse
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to imbue; to pour in; to introduce; to instill
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intransigent
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refusing to compromise
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inundate
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to flood or overwhelm
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invigoration
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the quality of being energized or filled with liveliness
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lackluster
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dull; lacking vitality or luminosity
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lethargic
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lacking energy; sluggish or sleepy
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luminous
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characterized by brightness and the emission of light
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obviate
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to anticipate and make unnecessary
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pervasive
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having the tendency to permeate or spread throughout
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placate
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to appease; to calm by making concessions
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plod
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to trudge; to move slowly and heavily
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plummet
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to plunge or drop straight down
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precipitate
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acting with excessive haste or impulse
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precursor
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one that precedes and indicates or announces another
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proliferate
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to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
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propagate
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to cause to spread, multiply or reproduce
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prune
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to cut back or clip branches or other parts of a plant, esp parts that are dead
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rarefy
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to make or become thin, less dense; to refine
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rectify
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to make right or fix; correct
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retard
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to slow delay or hamper
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saturate
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to fill until there is no further capacity for absorbance; to soak
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sever
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to remove or separate by cutting off
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stimulant
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an invigorating substance that excites mental or physical activity
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synthesis
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the combination of parts to make a whole
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tentative
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not definite; uncertain; experimental
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vigor
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active bodily or mental strength or energy; force
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viscous
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thick; sticky
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vital
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essential for or relating to life; necessary
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volatile
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readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive
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waver
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to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in decision
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aberrant
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deviating from the norm
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ambiguous
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unclear; open to more than one potential meaning
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anachronistic
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belonging to another time; removed from natural chronological context
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anomalous
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abnormal; deviating from the common or general type
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anomaly
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deviation from the normal order, form, or rule
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archaic
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outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive time
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ascetic
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one who practices rigid self-denial esp in religious devotion
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banal
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lacking originality
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brilliance
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extreme brightness; possessing luminosity or genius
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camouflage
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a means of disguising people or things to make them blend in with their surroundings
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commensurate
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matching; corresponding or proportionate in degree, size, or amount
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conspicuous
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easily visible; obvious
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derivative
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unoriginal; obtained from another source
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deviance
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state or quality of differing from the accepted norm; abnormality
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deviation
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departure or wandering away from the accepted standard
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discrete
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distinct; individual
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diffuse
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dispersed or scattered; not centralized
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digress
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to stray from the point; to go off on a tangent
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discordant
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conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound
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disinterest
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lack of bias or involvement; impartiality; (ed) uninvolved; free from self-interest
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dispersed
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spread out or scattered
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distention
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the state or act of extending or being swollen out of shape
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eccentric
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departing from norms or convention
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eclectic
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culled from many sources
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emulate
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to imitate with the goal of rivaling or surpassing
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enigmatic
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mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
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esoteric
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intended for or understood by a small, specific group
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flamboyant
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ostentatious or showy; flashy
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florid
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flowery; ruddy; ornate
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heretical
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unorthodox; iconoclastic; dissenting from established dogma
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hierarchy
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a system in which individuals or things are ranked in a particular order
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homogeneous
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made up of elements that are similar in nature or kind; uniform
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iconoclastic
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attacking cherished beliefs; heretical; heterodox
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idiosyncrasy
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a quirk particular to a group or individual
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imperturbable
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marked by extreme calm, impassivity, and steadiness
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innocuous
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harmless; causing no damage
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marginal
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relating to or at an edge or boundary; minimal
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maverick
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an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
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mitigate
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to make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
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monotonous
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dull and without variety; tedious
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mundane
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of the world; typical of or concerned w/the ordinary
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ostracism
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the act of casting out or excluding an individual from a society or group; banishment
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perennial
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recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly
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recluse
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one who avoids social contact and lives in seclusion
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scarce
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rare and insufficient
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sporadic
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occurring only occasionally, or in a scattered instances
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superfluous
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exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
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symmetry
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the quality of being evenly balanced
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tangential
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only touching briefly upon the topic at hand; irrelevant
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temper
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to moderate or soothe
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temperate
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moderate; marked by restraint and lack of extremes
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admonish
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to reprove; to express warning or disapproval
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advocate
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to champion or support; to argue in favor of
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anthology
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a collection of lierary works by various authors
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apprise
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to give notice to; to inform
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approbation
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an expression of approval or praise
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articulate
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well-spoken; coherent
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aver
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to state as a fact; to confirm or support
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brevity
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shortness or briefness, esp. in time
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candor
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honesty; frankness; sincerity
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circumspect
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discreet; prudent; careful
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cogent
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appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
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corroborate
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to confirm; to provide additional support; verify
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diffident
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reserved, shy, or unassuming; lacking in self-confidence
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disabuse
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to undeceive to set right
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discourse
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lecture or discussion; conversation
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discretion
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cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
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dissertation
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a long and formal written thesis or treatise, usually written by a doctoral candidate to meet a degree requirement
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elegy
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a mournful poem, esp one lamenting the dead
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eloquent
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well-spoken; expressive; articulate
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enumerate
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to list or count off individually
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equivocate
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to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
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eulogy
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a speech honoring the dead
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euphemism
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a mild replacement for a harsher or more offensive term
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exculpate
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exonerate; to clear of blame
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extemporaneous
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improvised; done without preparation
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fawn
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to flatter or praise excessively
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glib
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marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
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goad
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to prod or drive forward; to urge on; incite
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implicit
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implied but no directly stated; tacit
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impose
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to compel or require; to push one's views or authority upon others
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inquisitive
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questioning; curious
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laconic
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using few words; terse
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laud
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to praise highly
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loquacious
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extremely talkative
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lucid
|
clear; easily understood
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mollify
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to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intesity
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parody
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a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, esp. in literature and art
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pertinent
|
relevant; germane
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platitude
|
a superficial remark, esp. one offered as meaningful
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propitiate
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to appease; to conciliate
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rescind
|
to invalidate; to repeal to retract
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rhetoric
|
the art or study of effect use of language for communication and persuasion
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sanction
|
authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance
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shrill
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loud and high-pitched; screeching
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soliloquy
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a speech made to oneself; a monologue
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stanza
|
a group of two or more verses or lines that make up a division in a poem and correspond in rhyme, meter, and length
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subtle
|
not obvious; elusive, difficult to discern
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succinct
|
brief and concise
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tacit
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implied; not explicitly stated
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taciturn
|
not talkative; reserved
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tact
|
discerning and sensitive use of speech; diplomacy
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tout
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to publicly praise or promote
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validity
|
soundness or truthfulness
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veracity
|
truthfulness; honesty
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wheedle
|
to coax; persuade, often through the use of flattery or smooth talk
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anesthetic
|
a substance that causes insensibility and removes pain
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antipathy
|
aversion; dislike
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arbitrary
|
subject to chance or individual whim; without definite reason
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aversion
|
an intense feeling of dislike or disgust
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banal
|
lacking originality; commonplace
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bent
|
an inclination or tendency
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compensation
|
payment given for services rendered or for loss
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compliant
|
yielding or submissive; amenable
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condone
|
to approve tacitly by overlooking or excusing; to allow or forgive
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convention
|
a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
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correspond
|
to exist in agreement or conformity; harmonize
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defer
|
yield; submit; bow
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dogma
|
doctrine or set of religious principles
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ensure
|
to guarantee or make certain
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equivocal
|
ambiguous; doubtful or uncertain
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extraneous
|
not vital or pertinent; irrelevant
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fortuitous
|
happening by fortunate accident or chance
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frugality
|
thriftiness; economy; prudence in financial matters
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illusory
|
deceptive; based upon a false belief or impression
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indifferent
|
having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
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insipid
|
without taste or flavor; lacking in spirits; bland
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inured
|
accustomed to accepting something undesirable
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miser
|
an individual who lives poorly in order to hoard money; a person who is stingy
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nonplused
|
baffled; in a quandry; at a loss for what to say or do
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penchant
|
strong inclination; liking
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penury
|
poverty; destitution
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plethora
|
an overabundance; a surplus
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preempt
|
to replace; to supersede; to appropriate
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presumption
|
the act of making an assumption or taking something for granted
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prodigal
|
recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
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prone
|
naturally inclined; tending; likely
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propensity
|
a natural inclination or tendency; penchant
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qualms
|
misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy
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quiescence
|
stillness; motionless; quality of being at rest
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reconciliation
|
the act of reestablishing harmony or friendly interactions
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repudiate
|
to refuse to have anything to do with; to disown
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restitution
|
the act of returning something to its proper owner, or of compensating the owner for the loss of such an item; reparation
|
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savor
|
to enjoy in a thorough manner; to relish; to fully appreciate
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serenity
|
tranquility; peacefulness
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solvent
|
able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
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stint
|
to restrain; to be sparing or frugal
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subjective
|
not objective; based upon internal perceptions rather than upon unprejudiced fact
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superfluous
|
exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
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tranquil
|
peaceful; calm
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tranquility
|
calmness; serenity; peacefulness
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trivial
|
unimportant; lacking value
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veneration
|
extreme respect and reverence; worship
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audacious
|
daring and fearless; recklessly bold
|
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authoritarian
|
characterized by a preference for complete obedience to authority; domineering
|
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beneficent
|
charitable and kind in action
|
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blithe
|
carefree; merry
|
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brittle
|
apt to break or crack due to a lack of elasticity; fragile
|
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burnish
|
to polish; to rub to a shine
|
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calibrate
|
to inspect, determine, or correct the graduations of an instrument by comparing it to a standard
|
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camouflage
|
a means of disguising people or things to make them blend in with their surroundings
|
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connoisseur
|
an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
|
|
consternation
|
dismay; startling, distressing fear or shock that results in complete confusion
|
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convoluted
|
complex or complicated
|
|
cultivation
|
the act of preparing or working land in order to grow crops
|
|
cultured
|
possessing education, refinement and taste; polished
|
|
cunning
|
shrewdness and craftiness; slyness
|
|
cynicism
|
an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness
|
|
deference
|
a courteous and respectful yielding to the will of another
|
|
dogmatic
|
stubbornly opinionated
|
|
effrontery
|
boldness; impudence; arrogance
|
|
endemic
|
restricted or peculiar to a particular region; indigenous
|
|
epitome
|
embodiment; quintessence
|
|
erudite
|
very learned; scholarly
|
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extravagance
|
lavishness; an unnecessary or unrestrained spend esp. of funds
|
|
facetious
|
playful humorous
|
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fatuous
|
silly inanely foolish
|
|
fidelity
|
faithfulness; loyalty
|
|
implacable
|
not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
|
|
ingenuity
|
cleverness or inventiveness
|
|
intemperance
|
excessive indulgence of appetite or passion, esp. in regard to alcohol; lack of constraint
|
|
intrepid
|
steadfast and courageous
|
|
magnanimity
|
the quality of being generously noble in the mind and heart, esp in forgiving
|
|
membrane
|
a thin, flexible film of tissue that covers or lines an organ
|
|
meticulous
|
characterized by extreme care and precision; attentive to detail
|
|
perfunctory
|
cursory; done without care or interest
|
|
plasticity
|
pliability; malleability; flexibility
|
|
porous
|
full of tiny openings able to absorb fluid or gas; permeable
|
|
pragmatic
|
practical rather than idealistic
|
|
presumptuous
|
assuming an unauthorized right or responsibility; overly forward and arrogant
|
|
pristine
|
pure; uncorrupted; clean
|
|
probity
|
adherence to the highest principles; uprightness
|
|
prodigious
|
abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
|
|
prudent
|
wise and careful; showing good judgment
|
|
rigidity
|
the quality or state of being unyielding or stiff
|
|
slight
|
small; lacking substance in degree, amount, or size
|
|
solicitous
|
concerned and attentive; eager
|
|
somber
|
dark and depressing; mournful
|
|
superficial
|
lacking depth; existing on or near the surface
|
|
synthetic
|
man-made; artificial; relating to or involving the combination of parts to make a whole
|
|
tortuous
|
winding; twisting; excessively complicated
|
|
tractable
|
docile; obedience; easily led
|
|
treacherous
|
lacking faithfulness or loyalty; traitorous; unstable
|
|
unfeigned
|
genuine; not false or hypocritical
|
|
unfettered
|
not tied down; unrestrained
|
|
warranted
|
called for; authorized; justified
|