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56 Cards in this Set
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Bulwark
(BULL wurk) Link: BULL WORK |
a defensive wall; something serving as a principle defense
"BULLS WORK building a BULWARK" Quebec City is the only city in North America with a BULWARK built entirely around it. |
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Augment
(awg MENT) Link: CEMENT |
to make or become greater
"How not to AUGMENT a driveway with CEMENT" The king attempted to AUGMENT his army by going into villages and drafting men into service. |
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Incongruous
(in KAHN grew us) Link: IN CONGRESS |
not appropriate, unsuited to the surroundings; not fitting in
"The new alaskan senator's presence IN CONGRESS was INCONGRUOUS" Ed appeared INCONGRUOUS wearing his tuxedo on an old fashioned hayride. |
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Gossamer
(GOSS uh mer) Link: CUSTOMER |
delicate floating cobwebs; a sheer gauzy fabric; something delicate, light, flimsy
"The spider's GOSSAMER captured many unhappy CUSTOMERS." The bride wore a white silk wedding dress, a GOSSAMER of fine Italian lace gently touchered her face. |
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Succinct
(sel SINGKT) Link: SINK |
brief and to the point; concise and terse
"Virginia was SUCCINCT when Ernie forgot to fix the SINK" When Joe was called upon, he SUCCINCTLY paraphrased what the teacher had just explained. |
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Tantalize
(TAN tal ize) Link: SANTA'S LIES |
to excite by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach
"SANTA"S LIES TANTALIZE" The TANTALIZING aroma of the bread made us all very hungry. |
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Languid
(LANG gwid) Link: SQUID |
lacking energy; weak; showing little intrest in anything
"A LANGUID SQUID" After his bout with the flu, Joe was LANGUID and unable to workout for a week. |
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Benighted
(be NI tid) Link: KNIGHT |
being in a state of intellectual darkness; ignorant; unenlightened
"A BENIGHTED KNIGHT" Many BENIGHTED people became enlightened curing the Renaissance. |
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Exalt
(ig ZAWLT) Link: SALT |
to raise high; glorify
"Everyone EXALTED the SALT as king of the condiments" The fireman was EXALTED by the press for saving the child from a burning building. |
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Dire
(DYE ur) Link: FIRE |
disastrous; desperate
"A DIRE FIRE" The hurricane struck the Florida Keys with DIRE results; all the buildings were flattened. |
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Kindle
(KIN dl) Link: CANDLE |
to cause to burn or ignite; to arouse or inspire
"Patrick found a unique way to KINDLE CANDLES" Because Christine once had feelings for him, Joe thought sending flowers might again KINDLE her affections. |
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Myriad
(MIR ee ud) Link: MIRROR ADD |
an extremely large number
"Many MIRRORS ADD a MYRIAD of reflections" George was a hypochondriac, weighted down by MYRIAD concerns about his health. |
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Rhetoric
(RET or ik) Link: RENT-A-WRECK |
the art or study of using language effectively and persuasively; over-elaborate language
"A salesman's RENT-A-WRECK RHETORIC" A person's use of RHETORIC can indicate much about that person's character. |
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Latent
(LAYT nt) Link: LAY TENT |
laying hidden or undeveloped; potential
"Never LAY your TENT on a LATENT volcano" Trent had a LATENT talent as a singer which he didn't discovered until he was in his 50's |
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Trenchant
(TREN chunt) Link: TRENCH ANT |
*INCISIVE*, *CAUSTIC*, cutting, having a sharp point, sarcastic
"A TRENCHANT mouth is characteristic of the famous Madagascar TRENCH ANT" Julia had a TRENCHANT tongue and was always putting her friends down behind their backs. |
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Jaunt
(jawnt) Link: HAUNT |
a short pleasure trip
"A JUANT HAUNT" After not taking a family vacation for two years, a JAUNT to the beach was a pleasant respite. |
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Vertigo
(vur tuh GO) Link: WHERE TO GO |
the sensation of dizziness
"When test pilot Bob developed a bad case of VERTIGO, he didn't know WHERE TO GO" Charles was acrophobic and even suffered from VERTIGO while standing in a stool, replacing the lights in the kitchen. |
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Impede
(im PEED) Link: SPEED |
to obstruct or interfere with; to delay
"The job of highway patrolmen is to IMPEDE SPEEDING motorists" My uncle says to not let anyone IMPEDE my dreams of going to medical school. |
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Countenance
(KOWNT uh nanz) Link: COUNT THE NUTS |
a person's face, especially the expression
"By their facial COUNTENANCE alone it was easy to COUNT THE NUTS" The submarine commander's COUNTENANCE belied his true feelings of anxiety and fear. |
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Scrutinize
(SKROOT uh nyze) Link: SCREW EYES |
to look very carefully; to examine
"U.S. Customs officials have SCREW EYES when they SCRUTINIZE baggage" Newspaper proof readers SCRUTINIZE entire newspapers each day. |
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Specter
(SPEK ter) Link: SPECTACLES |
a ghost or phantom
"A SPECTER with SPECTACLES" The SPECTER in Christmas Future is the most terrifying to Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol. |
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Wax
(WAKS) Link: - |
a.)increase in quantity, intensity, power
b.)moon increases in size c.)to grow or become Discord WAXED at an alarming rate. |
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Wane
(wain) Link: RAIN |
to decrease gradually
"Snowmen WANE in the RAIN" Marilyn's intrest in a new beau began to WANE when she discovered Jack had invited three other girls as his date for the junior prom. |
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Copious
(KOH pee uhs) Link: COPS |
large in quantity or number
"COPIOUS COPS devour donuts, waiting for some excitement" As you read Cold Mountain, you must make COPIOUS annotations. |
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Perspicacious
Link: Perspiration |
having or penetrating mental discernment; clear sighted
"Annotating the novel, Perry's PERSPIRATION increased while concentrating on PERSPICACIOUS reading. If one examines political cartoons PERSPICACIOUSLY, the artist's message is quite clear. |
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Marauder
(muh RAWD er) Link: MA RAIDER |
raider, intruder
"The fiercest MARAUDERS are MA RAIDERS." During the Civil War, MARAUDING bands of Confederate guerrillas raided Union supply lines in the Midwest. |
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Forbearance
(for BAYR ans) Link: FOUR PARENTS |
patience
"FOUR PARENTS exhibiting FORBEARANCE" Teachers must FOREBEAR when they deal with unruly students. |
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Cacophony
(kuh KAFH uh nee) Link: COUGH |
harsh sounds
"A CACOPHONY of COUGHING" A CACOPHONY isn't noise alone, it is disturbing noise such as when people shout all at once. |
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Quietude
(kwi i TUDE) Link: QUIET DUDE |
calm; tranquil; peaceful
"Dad was a QUIET DUDE who sought QUIETUDE." Gene and Chris chose their property for the air of QUIETUDE and peace that pervaded the area. |
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Evoke
(EE voke) Link: COKE |
summon, call forth
"Sometimes a song, a picture, even a COKE, can EVOKE the most poignant of youthful memories." A clap of thunder and a flash of lightning, over the old castle EVOKED dark spirits for the villagers who remember the night of the headless ghosts. |
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Cupidity
(kyoo PID ih tee) Link: CUPID |
excessive greed, especially for money
"CUPID with CUPIDITY" The thief's CUPIDITY was exceeded only by his ignorance. |
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Ubiquitous
(yoo BIK woh tus) Link: BIG AS US |
seemingly everywhere at once
"When you're as BIG AS US you feel UBIQUITOUS" Computers were once rare, but today are more UBIQUITOUS than typewriter. |
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Adroit/Deft
(ah DROIT) Link: DETROIT |
skillful
"The auto workers of DETROIT are ADROIT at manufacturing automobiles" Many fourth graders are more ADROIT on the computer than their parents. |
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Fetter
(FET ur) Link: FEATHER |
to restrain; to hamper
"A FETTERED FEATHER" The prisoners were FETTERED by shackles around their ankles. |
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Mores
(MAWR ayz) Link: MORE A's |
cultural standards; moral attitudes
"Our educational MORES have it that the MORE A's a student makes, the better their educations" According to Chinese MORES, it is considered polite to belch at the table as a gesture of appreciation. |
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Emulate
(IM u late) Link: IMITATE |
to attempt to equal or surpass; especially through imitation
"Jimmy EMULATES his dad by IMITATING him" Most people EMULATE those they admire. |
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Incite
(en SIGHT) Link: FIGHT |
to arouse to action
"The pitcher's bean ball INCITED the batter to FIGHT" Waving a stick at Jerry's dog only INCITES him and increases the chance that he will bite you. |
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Throng
(throng) Link: Song |
a large group of people gathered together
"The SONG broke the THRONG" When the pope visited the United States, an admiring THRONG gathered at every city. |
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Doldrums
(DOHL drums) Link: DOLL DRUMS |
a period of depression
"All covered in dust, the DOLL DRUMS were in the DOLDRUMS" Ever since Jackie's dog died, she's been in the DOLDRUMS. |
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Palpable
(PAL pah bul) Link: PAL THE BULL |
capable of being touched or felt
"Our PAL, THE BULL, is PALPABLE" The PALPABLE imagery helps make the poem more realistic. |
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Austere
(aw STEER) Link: STEER |
stern as in manner; without excess, un adorned, severely simple, plain
"An AUSTERE STEER is no fun at a party" The AUSTERITY of life in the village was understandable, many were jobless and poverty was everywhere. |
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Pious
(PI us) Link: PIE |
devout or virtuous; holy
"A PIOUS PIE) Elizabeth PIOUSLY said her prayers every night before bed. |
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Gregarious
(gruh GAIR ee uss) Link: Greg Hilarious |
sociable
"GREGARIOUS GREG was HILARIOUS" Paige was so GREGARIOUS she hated to be alone. |
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Philanthropy
(fi LAN thruh pee) Link: PHIL ANTHROPY |
love of mankind, especially through charitable acts and deeds
"PHIL ANTHROPY was a PHILANTHROPIST" In the movie, Good Sam, Gary Cooper's character was PHILANTHROPIC, giving to anyone in need. |
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Ethereal
(i THEER ee ul) Link: CEREAL |
very light; airy; delicate; heavenly
"ETHEREAL CEREAL" An ETHEREAL mist covered the hill in the morning. |
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Espouse
(eh SPOWZ) Link: SPOUSE |
to adopt; or support intensely
"Harold's SPOUSE ESPOUSED a large family" I ESPOUSE the idea that we can eat dessert before dinner. |
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Misanthropy
(MIS an thruh pee) Link: MISS ANTHROPY |
hatred of mankind
"MISS ANTHROPY was a MISANTHROPIC person" A more MISANTHROPIC person you never did see. He hates everyone. |
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Culpable
(KUHL-puh-buhl) Link: CULPRIT |
worth of blame "culpa"-blame -fault -crime; culpability culpableness
"The CULPRIT is CULPABLE for the crime" Orleanna-in The Poisonwood Bible-must deal with her feelings of guilt, facing how she is partly CULPABLE for what befalls her family |
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Intrepid
(in TREP id) Link: TRIP ED |
fearless; bold
"Everyone considered David INTREPID after he TRIPPED ED. the bully, in the cafeteria. The bullfighter was INTREPID as he stood in the arena before the fierce bull. |
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Catharsis
(kuh THAR sis) Link: CATS AND HORSES |
an emotional or psychological cleansing that brings relief or renewal
"CAT AND HORSE CATHARSIS" After Jeremy returned to the French World War II battlefield he had known fifty years before, he said he found an experience CATHARTIC. |
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Portend
(por TEND) Link: POOR END |
to warn of as an omen; forecast
"His teacher PORTENDED that Billy would come to a POOR END" In ancient times, a comet in the sky was considered a PORTENTOUS event. |
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Abate
(ah BAIT) Link: BAIT |
to reduce
"ABATED BATE" Marta's defeat in the tennis tournament did not ABATE her zeal for the game. |
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Fraught
(fraught) Link: CAUGHT |
*teeming with; *laden; full; involving; accompanied by
"Eric CAUGHT a boatload in a lake FRAUGHT with fish" The freighter was FRAUGHT with cargo. |
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SURREPTITIOUS
(sur ep TISH us) Link: SUSPICIOUS |
done or acting in secret, sly manner
"To escape from the circus, an elephant has to be SURREPTITIOUS without being SUSPICIOUS" Ray was SURREPTITIOUS in his approach to the campground so he was able to take everyone by surprise. |
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Bolster
(BOHL ster) Link: HOLSTER |
to support, as in a group; to give a boost
"Members BOLSTERED each other by wearing HOLSTERS" The coach saw it was time to BOLSTER his team, so he gave them a pep talk. |
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Erudite
(ER yoo dyte) Link: AIRTIGHT |
deeply learned, scholarly
"Knowing that his case was AIRTIGHT, the defense attorney became confident and ERUDITE" The extent of Dr. Smith's library is an indication of his ERUDITION. |
