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46 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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aggrandize
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to increase in intensity, power or prestige
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alchemy
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a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into gold
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anachronism
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something or someone out of place in terms of historical context
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astringent
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haivng a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh, severe
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contiguous
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sharing a border; touching; adjacent
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convention
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a generally agreed upon practice or attitude
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cynicism
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an attitude that all people are motivated by selfishness
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decorum
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polite or appropriate conduct
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derision
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scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
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dessicate
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to dry out or dehydrate
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dilettante
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one with an superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
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disparage
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to slight or belittle
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divulge
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to disclose something secret
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immutable
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not capable of change
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inimical
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damaging; hurtful; injurious
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intractable
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not easily managed; subborn; obstinate
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neophyte
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a recent convert; a beginner; a novice
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presumptuous
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overstepping due bounds; taking liberties
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pristine
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pure; uncorrupted; clean
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probity
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adherence to highest principles; uprightness
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proclivity
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a natural predispotion or inclination
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profligate
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excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
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propensity
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a natural includination or tendency
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prosaic
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dull; unimaginative
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pungent
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characterized by a strong sharp smell or taste
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quixotic
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foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
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quotidian
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occuring daily; commonplace
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rarefy
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to make or become thin, less dense; to refine
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recondite
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hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
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refulgent
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radiant; shiny; brilliant
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renege
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to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
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shard
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piece of broken pottery or glass
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sparse
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thin; not dence, widely spaced
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spendthrift
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one who spends money wastefully
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subtle
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not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
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tacit
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implied; not explicitly statede
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terse
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brief and concise in wording
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tout
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to publicly praise or promote
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trenchant
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sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
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unfeigned
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genuine; not false or hypocritical
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untenable
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indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
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vacillate
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to waver indecisively
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variegated
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multicolored
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vexation
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annoyance; irritation
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vituperate
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to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely; to berate
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volatile
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readily changing to a vapor; changeable, fickle, explosive
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