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25 Cards in this Set
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Ascertain (verb) “Science can only ascertain what is, but not what should be, and outside of its domain value, elly judgments of all kinds remain necessary.” |
Definition: To make sure of any questions that you may have; to prove an answer Synonym: Confirm, double-check, divine Antonym: Overlook, Misunderstand |
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Benefaction (verb) “Let him who desires to see others happy, make haste to give while his gift can be enjoyed, and remember that every moment of delay takes away something from the value of his benefaction”Samuel Johnson quotes |
Definition: a donation or gift Synonym: Philanthropy, benevolence Antonym: malevolence, selfishness |
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Castigation (verb) “Now there is fame! Of all - hunger, misery, the incomprehension by the public - fame is by far the worst. It is the castigation of God by the artist. It is sad. It is true.” |
Definition: A verbal reprimand; a punishment Synonym: Scolding, Retribution, Discipline Antonym: Pardon, Forgiveness |
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Disheveled (adjective)
"Most people go to work being physically accoutered but mentally disheveled." -Eric Butterwoth |
Definition:to be in disorder;messy Synonym:disordered, jumbled, messed Antonym:spotless, stainless, immaculate |
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Jocular (adjective) Any discussion of the problems of being funny in America will not make sense unless we substitute the word wit for humor. Humor inspires sympathetic good-natured laughter and is favored by the ''healing-power'' gang. Wit goes for the jugular, not the jocular, and it's the opposite of football; instead of building character, it tears it down. -Florence King |
Definition:Stated in a way that is meant to be funny; jokingly Synonym:clever, humorous, facetious Antonym:serous, brainless, corny |
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Aberration (noun) “The greatest minds, as they are capable of the highest excellencies, are open likewise to the greatest aberrations”Rene Descartes |
Definition: When something is out of the normal; go in a different pattern Synonym: Oddity, quirk, peculiarity Antonym: Normality, usualness, regularity |
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Ablution (noun) Whene'er I walk the public ways, How many poor that lack ablution Do probe my heart with pensive gaze, And beg a trivial contribution. -Owen Seaman |
Definition: Washing oneself usually in a ceremony or in a humorous effect Synonym: Bath, cleansing, decontamination Antonym: Filthy, dirty, unclean |
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Venerable (adjective) Every tradition grows ever more venerable the more remote its origin, the more confused that origin is. The reverence due to it increases from generation to generation. The tradition finally becomes holy and inspires awe. -friedrich nietzsche |
Definition: A very respected person by people. Synonym: Wise, esteemed, revered Antonym: Young, immature, dishonorable |
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Covetousness (verb) As covetousness is the root of all evil, so poverty is the worst of all snares. -Daniel Defoe |
Definition: To desire something Synonym: Greedy, avaricious, cupidity Antonym: Generous, charitable, to give |
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Indolence (noun) Ours is one continued struggle against degradation sought to be inflicted upon us by the European, who desire to degrade us to the level of the raw Kaffir, whose occupation is hunting and whose sole ambition is to collect a certain number of cattle to buy a wife with, and then pass his life in indolence and nakedness. -Mahatma Gandhi |
Definition: Avoidance to exert oneself Synonym: Lazy, sloth, useless Antonym: Helpful, active, volunteer |
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Hedonist (noun) My father was a joyous, joyous spirit, he really was. He was a hedonist, that was just - he enjoyed life, thrust up to the elbows with it. He was a terrible father. I don't know that he was parented that well. -Carrie Fisher |
Definition: Someone who wishes to have pleasure in life. Synonym: Carefree, easygoing, libertine Antonym: Puritan, ascetic |
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Baneful (adjective) Now as of old the gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful and injurious and useless. These, now as of old, are not gifts of the gods: men stumble into them themselves because of their own blindness and folly. -Democritus |
Definition: A destructive person Synonym: Disastrous, calamity, deadly Antonym: Advantageous, beneficial, fortunate |
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Blight (verb) If there is any justice in the world, then eighties rock will never again serve to blight humanity as it did in that dark decade! -Vivian Campbell |
Definition: to frustrate a person; disease Synonym: Affliction, decay, infestation Antonym: Cleanliness, goodness, purification |
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Goads (noun) “Such kindness wasn't a gift but a goad, scraping against one's skin like a yoke of thorns. She would have preferred him stiff, defensive, even offensive.” |
Definition: To prick on incite for an attack Synonym: Catalyst, compulsion, desire Antonym: Block, disgust, dislike |
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Haughtily (adjective) Never be haughty to the humble or humble to the haughty. -Jefferson Davis |
Definition: A person who thinks very much of themselves Synonym: Snobbish, arrogant, egotistical Antonym: Humble, shy, meek |
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Presage (verb) If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep, My dreams presage some joyful news at hand: My bosom's lord sits lightly in his throne; And all this day an unaccustom'd spirit Lifts me above the ground with cheerful thoughts. William Shakespeare |
Definition: A premonition of the future. Synonym: Apprehension, auspice, forecast Antonym: false news |
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Respite (noun) Those who sell their liberty for security are understandable, if pitiable, creatures. Those who sell the liberty of others for wealth, power, or even a moment's respite deserve only the end of a rope. -l. neil smith |
Definition: A small time of relaxation Synonym: Breather, downtime, recess Antonym: Continuation, advance, beginning |
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Soothsayer (noun) “Someone has said that the first soothsayer, the first prophet, was the first rascal who encountered a fool”Voltaire quotes |
Definition: A person who can tell the future Synonym: Clairvoyant, diviner, oracle Antonym: False prophet |
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Insolence (noun) Wit is educated insolence. -Aristotle |
Definition: A rude or defiant person Synonym: Audacity, brass, gall Antonym: Manners, modesty, politeness |
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Supplicate (verb) Praise is the best auxiliary to prayer; and he who most bears in mind what has been done for him by God will be most emboldened to supplicate fresh gifts from above.
-Henry Melvill |
Definition: To pray humbly to something Synonym: Appeal, beg, beseech Antonym: Answer, give, refuse |
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Surfeited (verb) “Love comforteth like sunshine after rain, But lust's effect is tempest after sun; Love's gentle spring doth always fresh remain, Lust's winter comes ere summer half be done; Love surfeit's not, Lust like a glutton dies, Love is all truth, Lust full”William Shakespeare |
Definition: to satiate a certain appetite; overfill Synonym: Cram, eat, fill Antonym: Abstain, deprive, diet |
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Tarries (verb) “March on. Do not tarry. To go forward is to move toward perfection. March on, and fear not the thorns, or the sharp stones on life's path.”Kahlil Gibran |
Definition: To be late Synonym: Procrastinate, dwell, drag Antonym: Advance, carry out, continue |
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Vehement (adjective) Anger is implanted in us as sort of sting, to make us gnash with our teeth against the devil, to make us vehement against him, not to set us in array against each other. -Richard Savage |
Definition: Full of anger or rancor Synonym: Angry, enthusiastic, fierce Antonym: Calm, gentle, happy |
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Austere (adjective) I'm not shy in the spotlight. I might seem austere and even arrogant, but far from it, I'm actually shy. -Riccardo Muti |
Definition: Seemingly strict; severe in manner Synonym: Forbidding, formal, rigid Antonym: Flexible, calm, bland |
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Palliative (verb) “Friends are often chosen for similitude of manners, and therefore each palliate the other's failings because they are his own.”Samuel Johnson |
Definition: To alleviate in any way Synonym: Camouflage, excuse, justify Antonym: Agitate, blame, depress |
