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100 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
precocious
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(adj.) advanced, developing ahead of time
Derek was so academically precocious that by the time he was 10 years old, he was already in the ninth grade. |
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effulgent
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(adj.) radiant, splendorous
The golden palace was effulgent. |
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precipice
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(n.) the face of a cliff, a steep or overhanging place
The mountain climber hung from a precipice before finding a handhold and pulling himself up. |
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propitious
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(adj.) favorable
The dark storm clouds visible on the horizon suggested that the weather would not be propitious for sailing. |
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ineffable
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(adj.) unspeakable, incapable of being expressed through words
It is said that the experience of playing with a dolphin is ineffable and can only be understood through direct encounter. |
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adumbrate
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(v.) to sketch out in a vague way
The coach adumbrated a game plan, but none of the players knew precisely what to do. |
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pervasive
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(adj.) having the tendency to spread throughout
Stepping off the plane in Havana, I recognized the pervasive odor of sugar cane fields on fire. |
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denounce
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(v.) to criticize publicly
The senator denounced her opponent as a greedy politician. |
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facile
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(adj.) easy, requiring little effort
This game is so facile that even a four-year- old can master it. (adj.) superficial, achieved with minimal thought or care, insincere The business was in such shambles that any solution seemed facile at best; nothing could really helpit in the long-run. |
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morose
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(adj.) gloomy or sullen
Jason’s morose nature made him very unpleasant to talk to. |
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scintillating
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(adj.) sparkling
The ice skater’s scintillating rhinestone costume nearly blinded the judges. |
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delineate
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(v.) to describe, outline, shed light on
She neatly delineated her reasons for canceling the project’s funding. |
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extricate
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(v.) to disentangle
Instead of trying to mediate between my brother and sister, I extricated myself from the family tension entirely and left the house for the day. |
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intrepid
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(adj.) brave in the face of danger
After scaling a live volcano prior to its eruption, the explorer was praised for his intrepid attitude. |
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temperance
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(n.) moderation in action or thought
Maintaining temperance will ensure that you are able to think rationally and objectively. |
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egregious
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(adj.) extremely bad
The student who threw sloppy joes across the cafeteria was punished for his egregious behavior. |
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inextricable
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(adj.) hopelessly tangled or entangled
Unless I look at the solution manual, I have no way of solving this inextricable problem. |
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laceration
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(n.) a cut, tear
Because he fell off his bike into a rosebush, the paperboy’s skin was covered with lacerations. |
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captivate
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(v.) to get the attention of, hold
The fireworks captivated the young boy, who had never seen such things before. |
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mutable
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(adj.) able to change
Because fashion is so mutable, what is trendy today will look outdated in five years. |
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contemporaneous
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(adj.) existing during the same time
Though her novels do not feature the themes of Romanticism, Jane Austen’s work was contemporaneous with that of Wordsworth and Byron. |
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despot
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(n.) one who has total power and rules brutally
The despot issued a death sentence for anyone who disobeyed his laws. |
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heterogeneous
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(adj.) varied, diverse in character
I hate having only one flavor so I always buy the swirled, or should I say heterogeneous, type of ice cream. |
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plausible
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(adj.) believable, reasonable
He studied all the data and then came up with a plausible theory that took all factors into account. |
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sensuous
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(adj.) involving sensory gratification
Paul found drinking Coke, with all the little bubbles bursting on his tongue, a very sensuous experience. |
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hierarchy
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(n.) a system with ranked groups, usually according to social, economic, or professional class
Women found it very difficult to break into the upper ranks of the department’s hierarchy. |
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forum
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(n.) a medium for lecture or discussion
Some radio talk-shows provide a good forum for political debate. |
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presage
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(n.) an omen
When my uncle’s old war injury ached, he interpreted it as a presage of bad weather approaching. |
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ominous
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(adj.) foreboding or foreshadowing evil
The fortuneteller’s ominous words flashed through my mind as the hooded figure approached me in the alley. |
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discern
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(v.) to perceive, detect
Though he hid his emotions, she discerned from his body language that he was angry. |
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engender
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(v.) to bring about, create, generate
During the Olympics, the victories of |
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pragmatic
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(adj.) practical
The politician argued that while increased security measures might not fit with the lofty ideals of the nation, they were a pragmatic necessity to ensure everyone’s safety. |
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ruse
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(n.) a trick
Oliver concocted an elaborate ruse for sneaking out of the house to meet his girlfriend while simultaneously giving his mother the impression that he was asleep in bed. |
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daunting
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(adj.) intimidating, causing one to lose courage
He kept delaying the daunting act of asking for a promotion. |
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noxious
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(adj.) harmful, unwholesome
Environmentalists showed that the noxious weeds were destroying the insects’ natural habitats. |
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libertarian
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(adj.) advocating principles of liberty and free will
The dissatisfied subjects overthrew the monarch and replaced him with a libertarian ruler who respected their democratic principles. |
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avenge
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(v.) to seek revenge
The victims will take justice into their own hands and strive to avenge themselves against the men who robbed them. |
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empathy
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(n.) sensitivity to another’s feelings as if they were one’s own
I feel such empathy for my sister when she’s in pain that I cry too. |
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disdain
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(v.) to scorn, hold in low esteem
Insecure about their jobs, the older employees disdained the recently hired ones, who were young and capable. (n.) scorn, low esteem After learning of his immoral actions, Justine held Lawrence in disdain. |
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confluence
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(n.) a gathering together
A confluence of different factors made tonight the perfect night. |
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perfunctory
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(adj.) showing little interest or enthusiasm
The radio broadcaster announced the news of the massacre in a surprisingly perfunctory manner. |
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hardy
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(adj.) robust, capable of surviving through adverse conditions
I too would have expected the plants to be dead by mid-November, but apparently they’re very hardy. |
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semaphore
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(n.) a visual signal
Anne and Diana communicated with a semaphore involving candles and window shades. |
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injunction
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(n.) an order of official warning
After his house was toilet-papered for the fifth time, the mayor issued an injunction against anyone younger than 21 buying toilet paper. |
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contusion
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(n.) bruise, injury
The contusions on his face suggested he’d been in a fight. |
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cerebral
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(adj.) related to the intellect
The books we read in this class are too cerebral— they don’t engage my emotions at all. |
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infamy
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(n.) notoriety, extreme ill repute
The infamy of his crime will not lessen as the decades pass. |
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potable
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(adj.) suitable for drinking
During sea voyages it is essential that ships carry a supply of potable water because salty ocean water makes anyone who drinks it sick. |
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culmination
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(n.) the climax toward which something progresses
The culmination of the couple’s argument was the decision to divorce. |
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odious
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(adj.) instilling hatred or intense displeasure
Mark was assigned the odious task of cleaning the cat’s litter box. |
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ascertain
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(v.) to perceive, learn
With a bit of research, the student ascertained that some plants can live for weeks without water. |
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ambivalent
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(adj.) having opposing feelings
My feelings about Calvin are ambivalent because on one hand he is a loyal friend, but on the other, he is a cruel and vicious thief. |
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dissipate
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(v.) to disappear, cause to disappear
The sun finally came out and dissipated the haze. (v.) to waste She dissipated her fortune on a series of bad investments. |
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judicious
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(adj.) having or exercising sound judgment
When the judicious king decided to compromise rather than send his army to its certain death, he was applauded. |
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abide
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(v.) to put up with
Though he did not agree with the decision, Chuck decided to abide by it. (v.) to remain Despite the beating they’ve taken from the weather throughout the millennia, the mountains abide. |
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dissent
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(v.) to disagree
The principal argued that the child should repeat the fourth grade, but the unhappy parents dissented. (n.) the act of disagreeing Unconvinced that the defendant was guilty, the last juror voiced his dissent with the rest of the jury. |
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modulate
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(v.) to pass from one state to another, especially in music
The composer wrote a piece that modulated between minor and major keys. |
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licentious
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(adj.) displaying a lack of moral or legal restraints
Marilee has always been fascinated by the licentious private lives of politicians. |
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accommodating
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(adj.) helpful, obliging, polite
Though the apartment was not big enough for three people, Arnold, Mark, and Zebulon were all friends and were accommodating to each other. |
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aerial
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(adj.) somehow related to the air
We watched as the fighter planes conducted aerial maneuvers. |
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artifact
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(n.) a remaining piece from an extinct culture or place
The scientists spent all day searching the cave for artifacts from the ancient Mayan civilization. |
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ostracism
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(n.) exclusion from a group
Beth risked ostracism if her roommates discovered her flatulence. |
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plaudits
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(n.) enthusiastic approval, applause
The controversial new film received plaudits from even the harshest critics. |
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perspicacity
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(adj.) shrewdness, perceptiveness
The detective was too humble to acknowledge that his perspicacity was the reason for his professional success. |
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benevolent
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(adj.) marked by goodness or doing good
Police officers should be commended for their benevolent service to the community. |
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nebulous
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(adj.) vaguely defined, cloudy
The transition between governments meant that who was actually in charge was a nebulous matter. |
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cavort
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(v.) to leap about, behave boisterously
The adults ate their dinners on the patio, while the children cavorted around the pool. |
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mundane
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(adj.) concerned with the world rather than with heaven, commonplace
He is more concerned with the mundane issues of day-to-day life than with spiritual topics. |
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anachronistic
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(adj.) being out of correct chronological order
In this book you’re writing, you say that the Pyramids were built after the Titanic sank, which is anachronistic. |
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effrontery
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(n.) impudence, nerve, insolence
When I told my aunt that she was boring, my mother scolded me for my effrontery. |
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pithy
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(adj.) concisely meaningful
My father’s long-winded explanation was a stark contrast to his usually pithy statements. |
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appropriate
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(v.) to take, make use of
The government appropriated the farmer’s land without justification. |
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capitulate
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(v.) to surrender
The army finally capitulated after fighting a long costly battle. |
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insipid
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(adj.) dull, boring
The play was so insipid, I fell asleep halfway through. |
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abnegation
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(n.) denial of comfort to oneself
The holy man slept on the floor, took only cold showers, and generally followed other practices of abnegation. |
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oscillate
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(v.) to sway from one side to the other
My uncle oscillated between buying a station wagon to transport his family and buying a sports car to satisfy his boyhood fantasies. |
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submissive
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(adj.) easily yielding to authority
In some cultures, wives are supposed to be submissive and support their husbands in all matters. |
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trite
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(adj.) not original, overused
Keith thought of himself as being very learned, but everyone else thought he was trite because his observations about the world were always the same as David Letterman’s. |
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blemish
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(n.) an imperfection, flaw
The dealer agreed to lower the price because of the many blemishes on the surface of the wooden furniture. |
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disavow
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(v.) to deny knowledge of or responsibility for
Not wanting others to criticize her, she disavowed any involvement in the company’s hiring scandal. |
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obstreperous
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(adj.) noisy, unruly
Billy’s obstreperous behavior prompted the librarian to ask him to leave the reading room. |
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florid
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(adj.) flowery, ornate
The writer’s florid prose belongs on a sentimental Hallmark card. |
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frugal
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(adj.) thrifty, economical
Richard is so frugal that his diet consists almost exclusively of catfish and chicken liver—the two most inexpensive foods in the store. |
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chaos
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(n.) absolute disorder
Mr. Thornton’s sudden departure for the lavatory plunged his classroom into chaos. |
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amiable
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(adj.) friendly
An amiable fellow, Harry got along with just about everyone. |
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fabricate
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(v.) to make up, invent
When I arrived an hour late to class, I fabricated some excuse about my car breaking down on the way to school. |
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cosmopolitan
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(adj.) sophisticated, worldly
Lloyd’s education and upbringing were cosmopolitan, so he felt right at home among the powerful and learned. |
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dynamic
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(adj.) actively changing
The parents found it hard to keep up with the dynamic music scene with which their children had become very familiar. |
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propagate
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(v.) to multiply, spread out
Rumors of Paul McCartney’s demise propagated like wildfire throughout the world. |
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vilify
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(v.) to lower in importance, defame
After the Watergate scandal, almost any story written about President Nixon sought to vilify him and criticize his behavior. |
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zealous
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(adj.) fervent, filled with eagerness in pursuit of something
If he were any more zealous about getting his promotion, he’d practically live at the office. |
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pliable
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(adj.) flexible
Aircraft wings are designed to be somewhat pliable so they do not break in heavy turbulence. |
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sinuous
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(adj.) lithe, serpentine
With the sinuous movements of her arms, the dancer mimicked the motion of a snake. |
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quandary
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(n.) a perplexed, unresolvable state
Carlos found himself in a quandary: should he choose mint chocolate chip or cookie dough? |
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wizened
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(adj.) dry, shrunken, wrinkled
Agatha’s grandmother, Stephanie, had the most wizened countenance, full of leathery wrinkles. |
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vestige
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(n.) a mark or trace of something lost or vanished
Do you know if the Mexican tortilla is a vestige of some form of Aztec corn-based flat bread? |
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swarthy
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(adj.) of dark color or complexion
When he got drunk, Robinson’s white skin became rather swarthy. |
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copious
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(adj.) profuse, abundant
Copious amounts of Snapple were imbibed in the cafeteria. |
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exculpate
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(v.) to free from guilt or blame, exonerate
My discovery of the ring behind the dresser exculpated me from the charge of having stolen it. |
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palette
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(adj.) a range of colors or qualities
The palette of colors utilized in the painting was equaled only by the range of intense emotions the piece evoked. |