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71 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Acerbic, adj
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having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
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Aggrandize, v
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to increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige
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Alchemy, n
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a medieval science aimed as the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into gold
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Amenable, adj
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agreeable; responsive to suggestion
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Anachronism, n
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something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
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Astringent, adj/n
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having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue
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Contiguous, adj
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sharing a border; touching; adjacent
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Convention, n
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a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
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Credulous, adj
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tending to believe too readily; gullible
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Cynicism, n
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an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness
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Decorum, n
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polite or appropriate conduct or behavior
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Derision, n
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scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
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Desiccate, v
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to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
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Dilettante, n
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one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
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Disparage, v
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to slight or belittle
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Divulge, v
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to disclose something in secret
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Fawn, v
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to flatter or praise excessively
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Flout, v
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to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention
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Garrulous, adj
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pointlessly talkative, talking too much
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Glib, adj
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marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
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Hubris, n
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overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
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Imminent, adj
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about to happen; impending
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Immutable, adj
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not capable of change
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Impetuous, adj
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hastily or rashly energetic; impulse and vehement
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Indifferent, adj
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having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
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Inimical, adj
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damaging; harmful; injurious
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Intractable, adj
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not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
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Intrepid, adj
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steadfast and courageous
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Laconic, adj
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using few words; terse
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Maverick, n
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an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
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Mercurial, adj
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characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
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Mollify, v
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to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
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Neophyte, n
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a recent convert; a beginner; novice
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Obfuscate, v
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to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
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Obstinate, adj
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stubborn; hardheaded; uncompromising
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Ostentatious, adj
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characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
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Pervade, v
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to permeate throughout
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Phlegmatic, adj
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calm; sluggish; unemotional
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Plethora, n
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an overabundance; a surplus
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Pragmatic, adj
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practical rather than idealistic
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Presumptuous, adj
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overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
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Pristine, adj
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pure; uncorrupted; clean
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Probity, n
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adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
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Proclivity, n
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a natural predisposition or inclination
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Profligate, adj
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excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
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Propensity, n
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a natural inclination or tendency, perchant
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Prosaic, adj
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dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
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Pungent, adj
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characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
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Quixotic, adj
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foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
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Quotidian, adj
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occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
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Rarefy, v
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to make or become thin, less dense; to refine
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Recondite, adj
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hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
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Refulgent, adj
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radiant; shiny; brilliant
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Renege, v
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to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
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Sedulous, adj
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diligent; persistent; hard-working
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Shard, n
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a piece of broken pottery or glass
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Soporific, adj
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causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
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Sparse, adj
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thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
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Spendthrift, n
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one who spends money wastefully
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Subtle, adj
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not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
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Tacit, adj
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implied; not explicitly stated
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Terse, adj
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brief and concise in wording
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Tout, v
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to publicly praise or promote
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Trenchant, adj
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sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
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Unfeigned, adj
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genuine; not false or hypocritical
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Vacillate, v
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to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another; waver
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Variegated, adj
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multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color
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Vexation, n
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annoyance; irritation
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Vigilant, adj
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alertly watchful
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Vituperate, v
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to use harsh, condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; berate
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Volatile, adj
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readily changing to vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive
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