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58 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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reprieve
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temporary suspension
The actor was given a reprieve when Mr. Fred said he would extend the deadline for learning her lines until Friday. |
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reproach
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v.to charge with blame
n. reproof v. reprove Jeffrey Slater was reproached for starting the fight. |
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abstemious
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eating and drinking sparingly
Alexandra was abstemious because she was a ballet dancer who was auditioning for a part. |
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ameliorate
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to help, improve, make better
Ben ameliorated his chances of learning many new words by studying them more than once a day. |
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coerce
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to compel by force, authority or fear
The bully coerced the little boy into giving him his lunch money. |
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dissident
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differing in opinion, rebelling
The dissident student was tasered when he would not stop yelling at the John Kerry event. |
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gregarious
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enjoying or seeking the company of others, sociable.
(like St. Gregory the shepherd) Ben's mom is not gregarious so she has never had a large party of adults at their home. |
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inveterate
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confirmed in a habit or practice, firmly established.
Ben Scimia is an inveterate bocci player. |
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levity
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gaiety, frivolity, lack of seriousness.
After all the grueling rehearsals, Louisa hoped the levity of her costume party was welcome relief. |
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rancor
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bitter resentment
Bridget's rancor was obvious when Sara Hadi did not agree to change her song for Kinesthesia |
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surreptitious
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sneaky, accomplihed by secret or improper means.
Hannah slipped out of her house surreptitiously through the window so that her mom would not know she was out after her bedtime. |
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tyro
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(n) beginner, novice
Ben is a tyro when it comes to choreography. |
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upbraid
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to scold, put down
Mr. Fred upbraided the actors who did not know their lines. |
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adulation
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excessive praise, servile flattery.
Thousands of whorshippers showed their adulation for the Dalai Lama when he came to NY. |
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assuage
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v. to ease or lessen pain, heat, grief, passion or thirst.
They gave water to the marathon runners in Chicago to assuage their thirst, but it was so hot the race had to be cancelled. |
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august
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inspiring awe, admiration impressive.
Lincoln was an august president who commanded everyone's attention when he walked into the room. |
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banal
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unoriginal, meaningless from overuse.
The comedian told banal jokes that everyone had already heard. |
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diurnal
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daily, more active during the day than night.
Squirrels are diurnal unlike skunks. |
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efface
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to erase, canel written words or obliterate a memory.
Pres. Nixon was accused of effacing some tapes. |
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elucidate
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to make clear, explain
Now that you have stated your theory, please elucidate some of the concepts so we will understand what it means. |
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malign
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to defame, to utter evil, often untrue remarks which are intended to injure one's reputation.
The journalist maligned the professor by implying that she had placed a noose on her colleagues door when in fact there was no evidence to that effect. |
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prodigious
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extraordinary in size or quantity, enormous
One hears many prodigious roars from the 747s when they are about to take off. |
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satiate surfeit
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to fill or satisfy the appetite or desires beyond what is needed or desired.
Ater a plentiful Thanksgiving dinner, Mark felt satiated or surfeited. |
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staid
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characterized by extreme composure and proper behavior; overly reserved
The staid marine accompanied the casket from the hearse to the church |
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vociferous
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loud unrestrained outcry.
Femi can be very vociferous when watching his team play. |
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zenith
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highest point
The zenith of Britney Spears life occured when she was only a teenager. She has been in decline every since. |
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nadir
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(n) the lowest point
When Britney Spears shaved her head,was arrested for hit and run and lost custody of her sons, it was the nadir of her life. |
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obstreperous
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(adj.) unruly, noisy especially in resistance to control.
The Harbor Heights kids become obstreperous on the bus ride home, making it difficult for the driver to complete the route safely. |
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perfunctory
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(adj.) done or performed mechanically and merely for the sake of getting through it.
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phlegmatic
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(adj.) sluggish, indifferent, not easily excited.
After sitting in the hot room, Ben felt phlegmatic. |
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ravenous
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(adj.) extreme hunger.
After a long hike in the woods, the group felt ravenous |
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tempering
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(adj.) moderating or lessening
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torpid
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(adj.) sluggish, indifferent
(n.) torpid After wearing his Dad's wool coat under the spotlight during rehearsal, Ben felt torpid. |
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vacillate
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(v.) to hesitate, waver, fluctuate.
Nick vacillated about which Nerf gun to use because he wasn't sure which would do the best job. |
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apocryphal
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(adj.) false, not genuine.
The man's version of what happened might be apocryphal because he is hoping to be seen as a hero. |
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cant
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(n.)slang, secret jargon, insincere speech.
It is difficult for adults to understand rappers cant. |
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sequester
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(v)to place apart, to segregate.
The jury in the mob trial was sequestered in a hotel because the judge worried that mobsters would threaten them during the trial. |
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table
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(v) to lay aside for future discussion.
The village board tabled Tom Murphy's proposal to put an attorney on the village staff instead of using outside law firms until he could come up with how much it would cost. |
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acme
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(n)top, highest point of perfection, zenith.
The Road Runner cartoons often feature scenes where anvil's and other products said "Acme" meaning the company was the best. |
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alacrity
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(n)cheerful willingness and promptness.
Tom Sawyer had a frown on his face, but alacrity in his heart when Huck Finn traded him his precious things for the "right" to white wash the fence. |
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equanimity
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(n)calmness, evenness of temper.
Although his mother was very upset that he hadn't done what she asked, he kept his equanimity. |
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nadir
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(n) the lowest point
When Britney Spears shaved her head,was arrested for hit and run and lost custody of her sons, it was the nadir of her life. |
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obstreperous
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(adj.) unruly, noisy especially in resistance to control.
The Harbor Heights kids become obstreperous on the bus ride home, making it difficult for the driver to complete the route safely. |
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perfunctory
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(adj.) done or performed mechanically and merely for the sake of getting through it.
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phlegmatic
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(adj.) sluggish, indifferent, not easily excited.
After sitting in the hot room, Ben felt phlegmatic. |
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ravenous
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(adj.) extreme hunger.
After a long hike in the woods, the group felt ravenous |
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tempering
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(adj.) moderating or lessening
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torpid
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(adj.) sluggish, indifferent
(n.) torpid After wearing his Dad's wool coat under the spotlight during rehearsal, Ben felt torpid. |
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vacillate
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(v.) to hesitate, waver, fluctuate.
Nick vacillated about which Nerf gun to use because he wasn't sure which would do the best job. |
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apocryphal
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(adj.) false, not genuine.
The man's version of what happened might be apocryphal because he is hoping to be seen as a hero. |
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cant
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(n.)slang, secret jargon, insincere speech.
It is difficult for adults to understand rappers cant. |
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sequester
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(v)to place apart, to segregate.
The jury in the mob trial was sequestered in a hotel because the judge worried that mobsters would threaten them during the trial. |
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table
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(v) to lay aside for future discussion.
The village board tabled Tom Murphy's proposal to put an attorney on the village staff instead of using outside law firms until he could come up with how much it would cost. |
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acme
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(n)top, highest point of perfection, zenith.
The Road Runner cartoons often feature scenes where anvil's and other products said "Acme" meaning the company was the best. |
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alacrity
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(n)cheerful willingness and promptness.
Tom Sawyer had a frown on his face, but alacrity in his heart when Huck Finn traded him his precious things for the "right" to white wash the fence. |
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equanimity
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(n)calmness, evenness of temper.
Although his mother was very upset that he hadn't done what she asked, he kept his equanimity. |
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Hedonist
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(n) One who believes that pleasure is the most important thing in life.
The hedonist spent the daytime shopping, the late afternoon in a beauty spa and the evening drinking and dancing. |
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Ignominious
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(adj.) shameful, disgraceful.
The party she promoted on youtube that resulted in her parent's home being trashed was ignominious and she felt ashamed every time anyone mentioned it. |
