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396 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abate
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to reduce in amount, degree, or severity
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abeyance
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suspension of activity
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abjure
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to formally renounce something; to deny one's self something
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abnegate
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to give up or renounce something
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abscond
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to leave secretly
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abstain
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to choose not to do something
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abstruse
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obscure; difficult to understand
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abyss
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an extremely deep hole
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acrimonious
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resentful and angry
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adulterate
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to make impure
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adumbrate
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to give a vague indication or warning of something to come
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advocate
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to speak in favor of
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aesthetic
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concerning the appreciation of beauty
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aggrandize
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to increase in power, influence, and reputation
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alacrity
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eager readiness
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alleviate
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to make more bearable
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amalgamate
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to combine; to mix together
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ambiguous
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doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways
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ameliorate
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to make better; to improve
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anachronism
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something out of place in time
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analogous
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similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
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anathema
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somebody or something that is greatly despised and therefore shunned
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animus
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hostility; animosity
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anneal
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to make something stronger, firmer, or more resolute
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anomaly
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deviation from what is normal
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antagonize
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to annoy or provoke; to anger
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antipathy
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extreme dislike
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apathy
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lack of interest or emotion
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aphorism
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a succinct comment
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apocryphal
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not true (or probably not true, though believed to be true)
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apologist
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defender of belief
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apostate
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someone who renounces a belief or alliance
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apothegm
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a terse saying, as in "haste makes waste"
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apposite
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appropriate; well suited to the circumstances
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arbitrate
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to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
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archaic
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ancient; old fashioned
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ardor
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intense and passionate feeling
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articulate
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(able to) speak clearly and expressively
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asperity
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harshness or severity of manner or tone
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assuage
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to make something unpleasant less severe
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atelier
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artist's studio
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attenuate
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to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
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audacious
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fearless and daring
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austere
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severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
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banal
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predictable, cliched, boring
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barrister
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lawyer
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bevy
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group of people
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bilious
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nauseated; nauseatingly unpleasant; disagreeable and bad tempered
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blandishment
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the use of flattery and enticements to get someone to do something
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blithe
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cheerful and carefree
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bolster
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to support; to prop up
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bombastic
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pompous in speech and manner
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bromide
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a saying that lacks originality or significance
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burgeon
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to produce new growth; to flourish
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burnish
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to polish; to make shiny (usually refers to metal)
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cacophony
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harsh, jarring noise
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callow
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young and inexperienced
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calumny
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making false statements about someone with a malicious intent; defamation
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canard
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a hoax
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candid
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impartial and honest in speech
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capacious
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big enough to contain a large quantity
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capricious
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changing one's mind quickly and often
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captious
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tending to make trivial and excessive criticisms, intended to confuse an opponent in an argument
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carom
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a rebound following a collision (usually in billiards)
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carping
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complaining
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castigate
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to punish or criticize harshly
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catalyst
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something that brings about a change in something else
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catholic
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all inclusive, all-embracing; useful to all
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caustic
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biting in wit
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cavalcade
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a procession
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cavil
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to make objections for no good reason, or on small, unimportant points
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cephalic
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relating to the head
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chaffing
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bantering; lighthearted teasing
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chaos
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great disorder or confusion
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chauvinist
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someone prejudiced in favor or a group to which (s)he belongs
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chicanery
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deception by means of craft or guile
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churlish
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unkind or grumpy; crass
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clement
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mild with regards to weather; merciful
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cogent
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convincing and well-reasoned
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cogitate
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to ponder; to think deeply
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compendious
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full of information and concise
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compendium
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a short comprehensive account; a list of items
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compunction
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feelings of shame and regret over something done wrong
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condone
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to overlook, pardon, or disregard
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contrition
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deep and genuine feelings or guilt or remorse; shame over past sins
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convoluted
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intricate and complicated
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corroborate
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to provide supporting evidence
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cosset
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to give something excessive care and protection
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coterie
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small, exclusive group
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cozen
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to deceive, fraud, or cheat somebody
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craven
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cowardly to the point of being worthy of contempt
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credulous
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too trusting; gullible
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crescendo
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steadily increasing volume or force
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cupidity
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greed
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cynosure
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center of attention or admiration
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decorum
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appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
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defalcate
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to embezzle assets
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defection
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a flaw or imperfect feature; to reject one's homeland or abandon allegiance
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deference
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respect; courtesy
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demagogue
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a political leader who gains power by appealing to people's emotions, instincts, or prejudices in a dangerous and manipulative way
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deposition
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an ousting from office; a build-up or deposits
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deride
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to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock
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descry
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to catch sight of something
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desiccate
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to dry out thoroughly
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desultory
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jumping from one thing to another; disconnected; random
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diatribe
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an abusive, condemnatory speech
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dictum
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pronouncement
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diffident
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lacking self-confidence
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dilate
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to make larger; to expand
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dilatory
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intended to delay
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dilettante
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someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
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dirge
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a funeral hymn or mournful speech
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disabuse
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to set right; to free from error
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discern
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to perceive; to recognize
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discursive
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lengthy with digressions
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disparate
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fundamentally different; entirely unlike
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dissemble
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to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
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dissonance
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a harsh or disagreeable combination, often of sounds
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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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dictatorial in one's opinions
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dudgeon
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a state of anger and irritation
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dupe
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to deceive; a person who is easily deceived
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eclectic
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selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
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ecomium
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a formal text expressing high praise
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efficacy
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effectiveness
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elegy
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a sorrowful poem or speech
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eloquent
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persuasive and moving, especially in speech
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emulate
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to copy; to try to equal or excel
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endemic
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restricted to one place; within a defined area; characteristic of an area (usually medical)
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enervate
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to reduce in strength
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engender
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to produce, cause, or bring about
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enigma
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a puzzle; a mystery
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enumerate
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to count, list, or itemize
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ephemeral
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lasting only a short time
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epigram
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a short, witty saying
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equable
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calm and not easily disturbed (temperament)
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equivocal
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ambiguous; difficult to interpret; raising doubts
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equivocate
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to use expressions of double meaning in order to deceive
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erratic
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wandering and unpredictable
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ersatz
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artificial; presented as a substitute for something of higher quality
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erudite
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learned, scholarly, bookish
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esoteric
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known or understood only by a few
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espouse
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to adopt or support something as a belief or cause
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estimable
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admirable
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esurient
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greedy
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eulogy
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a speech in praise of someone
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euphemism
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use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
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exacerbate
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to make worse
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excoriate
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to severely criticize someone or something
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exculpate
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to clear from blame; to prove innocent
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exigent
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urgent; requiring immediate action
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exonerate
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to clear of blame
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explicit
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clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
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extemporaneous
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done unrehearsed, or prepared but said without notes
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factotum
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someone who does many jobs
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fanatical
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acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
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fatuous
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unintelligent, often combined with complacent
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fawn
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to grovel
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fealty
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allegiance or faithfulness (often to a feudal lord)
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fervid
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intensely emotional; feverish
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florid
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excessively decorated or embellished
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foment
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to arouse or incite
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frugality
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a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
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fulsome
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excessively complimentary, to the point of being offensive or embarrassing
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gainsay
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to say something is false; to contradict somebody
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garrulous
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tending to talk a lot
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gregarious
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outgoing; sociable
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grisly
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repugnant; gruesome; horrible
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guile
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deceit or trickery
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gullible
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easily deceived
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hackneyed
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ordinary and unimaginative; made commonplace by overuse
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halcyon
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tranquil
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harangue
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to address or criticize someone loudly or forcibly
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hegemony
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authority or control
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hermetic
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protected from outside influence; airtight; hard for outsiders to understand
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hibernal
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relating to winter
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hirsute
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having a large amount of hair
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histrionic
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overdramatic; relating to actors/acting
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hoary
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overused; whitened with use
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homogenous
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of a similar kind
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hortatory
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urging someone along a course of action
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hummock
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a small hill or mound
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iconoclast
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one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
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imperturbable
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not capable of being disturbed
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impervious
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impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
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impetuous
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quick to act without thinking
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impinge
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to interfere (often to affect rights)
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implacable
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unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
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imprecation
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an oath or curse; the act of cursing someone
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impugn
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to suggest that someone cannot be trusted, relied on, or respected
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inchoate
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not fully formed; disorganized
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incipient
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beginning to develop
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indelible
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impossible to remove or alter; unforgettable
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inexorable
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unstoppable; adament and pitiless
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ingenuous
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showing innocence or childlike simplicity
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inimical
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hostile, unfriendly
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innocuous
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harmless
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insipid
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lacking interest or flavor
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insolvent
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bankrupt
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insular
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limited in outlook; not close to others
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internecine
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involving conflict within a group; mutually destructive
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interregnum
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a time without government or control; interruption
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intransigent
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uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled
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inundate
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to overwhelm; to cover with water
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inure
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to harden somebody to something
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invective
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abusive language used to attack, blame, or denounce
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inveigh
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to speak out angrily in protest of something
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inveterate
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habitual; firmly established
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irascible
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easily made angry
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iterant
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repetitive
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jejune
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uninteresting and intellectually undemanding; childish
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jingoist
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a person showing belligerant nationalism; patriotism expressed in hostility to other countries
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junta
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new rulers after a coup; a secret group
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laconic
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using few words
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laity
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lay people rather than clergy; all people who are not members of a particular profession
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lament
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to express sorrow; to grieve
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laud
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to give praise; to glorify
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lavish
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to give unsparingly (verb); extremely generous or extravagant (adj)
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legerdemain
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sleight of hand; a show of skill or cleverness
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lethargic
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acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner
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ligneous
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of or like wood
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lionize
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to make a celebrity of someone
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loquacious
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talkative
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lucid
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clear and easily understood
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lugubrious
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gloomy; extremely sad
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luminous
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bright, brilliant, glowing
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mainstay
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chief support
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malinger
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to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
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malleable
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capable of being shaped
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martinet
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a rigid disciplinarian, often military
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maudlin
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overly sentimental
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mendacity
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telling of lies
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mendicant
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a begger; someone living on charity
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metaphor
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a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol
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meticulous
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extremely careful about details
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miasma
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harmful fumes or a poisonous atmosphere
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minatory
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menacing; threatening
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misanthrope
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a person who dislikes others
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mitigate
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to soften; to lessen
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mollify
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to calm or make less severe
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monastic
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reclusive or austere; relating to monks, nuns, or monastaries
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monotony
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lack of variation
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mordacious
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sharply sarcastic and intended to hurt feelings
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mordant
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sarcastic; corrosive
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munificent
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very generous; giving a lot of money
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naïve
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lacking sophistocation or experience
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noisome
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foul; offensive; dangerous
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obdurate
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hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
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objurgate
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to scold angrily
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obloquy
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statements that severely criticize or defame someone
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obsequious
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overly submissive and eager to please
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obstinate
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stubborn; unyielding
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obviate
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to prevent; to make unnecessary
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occlude
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to stop up; to prevent the passage of
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onerous
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troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
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opaque
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impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light
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opprobrium
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public disgrace
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ostentation
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excessive showiness
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overweening
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arrogant; conceited; excessive
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paean
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expression of joy or praise
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palliate
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to mitigate the intensity of something; to alleviate symptoms
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panegyric
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extravagant praise (usually through speech or writing)
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paradox
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a contradiction or dilemma
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paragon
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model of excellence or perfection
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pariah
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an outcast; someone despised and avoided
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pedant
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someone who shows off learning
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pejorative
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expressing criticism or disapproval
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pellucid
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transparent; clear in meaning
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penurious
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poor; not generous; barren
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penury
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extreme poverty
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perfidious
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willing to betray one's trust
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perfidy
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deliberate treachery
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perfunctory
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done in a routine way; indifferent
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peripatetic
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going from place to place (Aristotle walking lectures)
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permeate
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to penetrate
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perspicacious
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penetratingly discerning or perceptive
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pert
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amusingly bold and lively; jaunty
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pertinacious
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determinedly resolute
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pettish
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peevish, irritable, or sulky
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philanthropy
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charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
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philistine
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someone uncultured or indifferent to intellectual matters
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phlegmatic
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unexciteable; difficult to arouse
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pillory
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to ridicule or openly punish somebody
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pithy
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brief and to the point
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placate
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to soothe or pacify
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plastic
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able to be molded, altered, or bent
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platitude
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a banal, pointless, unoriginal statement made as though it were helpful or significant
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plethora
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excess
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polemic
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a passionate argument; a passionate critic
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pragmatic
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practical as opposed to idealistic
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precipitate
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to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
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prelate
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a high-ranked member of the clergy
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prevaricate
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to lie or deviate from the truth
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pristine
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fresh and clean; uncorrupted
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probity
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moral integrity
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proclivity
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a natural tendency to behave in a certain way
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prodigal
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lavish; wasteful
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proliferate
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to quickly increase in number
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prolix
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tiresomely wordy
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propinquity
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nearness
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propitiate
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to conciliate; to appease
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propitious
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kindly disposed or gracious; favorable
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propriety
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correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
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prosaic
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lacking imagination; straightforward
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proselyte
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a new convert to a religious belief or doctrine
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protean
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able to change form; versatile
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protraction
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the consequence of being lengthened in duration; the act of prolonging something
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provident
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carefully preparing for future needs
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prudence
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wisdom, caution or restraint
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puissant
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strong, powerful, mighty
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punctilious
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careful about correct behavior; fastidious
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pungent
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sharp and irritating to the senses
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pusillanimous
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weak-spirited, cowardly
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putative
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generally accepted ("putative father")
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quiescent
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motionless
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quisling
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a traitor, especially one who collaborates with an opposing force
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quixotic
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tending to take a romanticized view of life; impractical
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quotidian
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commonplace; done daily
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rapacious
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greedy and grasping; destructive and vicious
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rarefy
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to make thinner or sparser
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rebarbative
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repellant
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recalcitrant
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resisting authority; hard to do or handle
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recant
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to reverse a statement of belief; to reject belief
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recondite
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understood only by experts; dealing with material that is difficult to understand without special knowledge
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recreant
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disloyal
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redress
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to provide compensation or reparation for a loss that was wrongly suffered
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remonstrate
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to argue strongly
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repine
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to feel dissatisfied, and to complain about it
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repudiate
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to reject the validity of
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reticent
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silent; reserved
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rhetoric
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effective writing or speaking
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salubrious
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beneficial to or promoting health or well-being
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sanctimonious
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holier-than-thou; making an exaggerated show or moral superiority
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sanguine
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confident; ruddy; blood-red
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satiate
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to satisfy fully or overindulge
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scion
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younger member of a family
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scurrilous
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abusive or defamatory; foul-mouthed or vulgar
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sedulity
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diligence; persistant work
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seminal
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highly original and influential; capable of development
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sententious
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tending to use (or full of ) maxims and aphorisms; overly moralizing
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shyster
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an unethical person, especially a lawyer or political representative
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sidereal
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relating to stars
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skinflint
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a miser
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sophist
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someone using clever talk in order to deceive
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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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spendthrift
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extravagant spender
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stigma
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a mark of shame or discredit
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stolid
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unemotional; lacking sensitivity
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stygian
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unremittingly dark and frightening; pitch-black
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sublime
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lofty or grand
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sybarite
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someone seeking sensual gratification
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sycophant
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someone who uses fawning flattery, often for personal gain
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syllogism
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logical argument; deductive reasoning
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tacit
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done without using words
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taciturn
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silent, not talkative
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tautological
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linguistic redundancy
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tawdry
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gaudy and of poor quality; cheap
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tendentious
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trying to influence opinion
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threnody
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a lament for the dead
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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 or physical sluggishness
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touchstone
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a standard by which something is judged
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traduce
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to slander
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transitory
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temporary; lasting only a brief time
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trenchant
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direct or deliberately hurtful
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truculent
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aggressively or sullenly refusing to accept something to do what is asked
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truss
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to bind; to support with load-bearing members
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turgid
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pompous and overcomplicated; overflowing; distended or swollen
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turpitude
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extreme immorality or wickedness
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tyro
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a beginner
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umbrage
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resentment rising from an offense; giver of shade
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unctuous
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excessively ingratiating; oily, fatty, greasy
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undergird
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support from below
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untenable
|
not defendable (an untenable position)
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untoward
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inappropriate
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upbraid
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to reprimand in a harsh manner
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vacillate
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to sway physically; to be indecisive
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valedictory
|
farewell speech
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venal
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corrupt; open to bribery
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venerate
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to respect deeply
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venial
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easily forgiven or excused
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veracity
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filled with truth and accuracy
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verbose
|
wordy
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vex
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to annoy
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vim
|
exuberance
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virago
|
an offensive term used towards a woman to imply that her temperament is violent
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viscid
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thick and sticky
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vitiate
|
to destroy or make faulty; to debase
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vitreous
|
similar to glass
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volatile
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easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive
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voluble
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talking easily and at great length
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wastrel
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a wasteful person
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waver
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to fluctuate between choices
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whimsical
|
acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable
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zeal
|
passion; excitement
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