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71 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
acerbic (adj) |
having a bitter or sour taste or character; sharp; biting |
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aggrandize (v) |
to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige |
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alchemy (n) |
a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, especially base metals, into gold |
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amenable (adj) |
agreeable; responsive to suggestion |
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anachronism (n) |
something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context |
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astringent (adj) |
having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue |
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contiguous (adj) |
sharing a border; touchjng; adjacent |
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convention (n) |
a generally agreed upon practice or attitude |
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credulous (adj) |
tending to believe too teadily; gullible |
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cynicism (n) |
an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness |
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decorum (n) |
polite or appropriate conduct or behavior |
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derision (n) |
scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment |
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desiccate (v) |
to dry out or dehydrate |
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dilettante (n ) |
one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge |
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disparage (v) |
to slight or belittle |
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divulge (v) |
to disclose something secret |
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fawn (v) |
to flatter or praise excessively |
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flout (v) |
to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention |
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garrulous (adj) |
pointlessly talkative; talking too much |
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glib (adj) |
marked be ease orninfornality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial |
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hubris (n) |
overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance |
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imminent (adj) |
about to happen; impending |
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immutable (adj) |
not capable or change |
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impetuous (adj) |
hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement |
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indifferent (adj) |
having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice |
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inimical (adj) |
damaging; harmful; injurious |
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intractable (adj) |
not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate |
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intrepid (adj) |
steadfast and courageous |
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laconic (adj) |
using few words; terse |
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maverick (n) |
an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party |
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mercurial (adj) |
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood |
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mollify (v) |
to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity |
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neophyte (n) |
a recent convert; a beginner; novice |
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obfuscate (v) |
to deliberately obscure; to make confusing |
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obstinate (adj) |
stubborn; hard-headed; uncompromising |
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ostentatious (adj) |
characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy |
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pervade (v) |
to permeate throughout |
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phlegmatic (adj) |
calm; sluggish; unemotional |
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pragmatic (adj) |
practical rather than idealistic |
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presumptuous (adj) |
overstepping due bounds (as of property or courtesy); taking liberties |
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pristine (adj) |
pure; uncorrupted; clean |
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probity (n) |
adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness |
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proclivity (n) |
a natural predisposition or inclination |
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profligate (adj) |
excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant |
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propensity (n) |
a natural inclination or tendency; penchant |
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prosaic (adj) |
dull; lacking in spirit or imagination |
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pungent (adj) |
characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste |
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quixotic (adj) |
foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals |
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quotidian (adj) |
occurring or recurring daily; commonplace |
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rarefy (v) |
to make or become thin, less dense; to refine |
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recondite (adj) |
hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure |
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refulgent (adj) |
radiant; shiny; brilliant |
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renege (v) |
to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise |
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sedulous (adj) |
diligent; persistent; hard working |
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shard (n) |
a piece of broken pottery or glass |
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soporific (adj) |
causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep |
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sparse (adj) |
thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals |
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spendthrift (n) |
one who spends money wastefully |
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subtle (adj) |
not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern |
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tacit (adj) |
implied; not explicitly stated |
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terse (adj) |
brief and concise in wording |
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tout (v) |
to publicly praise or promote |
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trenchant (adj) |
sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating |
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unfeigned (adj) |
genuine; not false or hypocritical |
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untenable (adj) |
indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable |
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vacillate (v) |
to waver in decisively between one course of action or opinion and another |
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variegated (adj) |
multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color |
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vexation (n) |
annoyance; irritation |
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vigilant (adj) |
alertly watchful |
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vituperate (v) |
to use harsh condemnation language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; to berate |
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volatile (adj) |
readily changing to a vapir; changeable; fickle; explosive |