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76 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
abase
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(v.) to humiliate, degrade
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abate
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(v.) to reduce, lessen
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abdicate
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(v.) to give up a position, usually one of leadership
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balk
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(v.) to stop, block abruptly
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ballad
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(n.) a love song
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banal
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(adj.) dull, commonplace
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cacophony
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(n.) tremendous noise, disharmonious sound
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cadence
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(n.) a rhythm, progression of sound
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cajole
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(v.) to urge, coax
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daunting
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(adj.) intimidating, causing one to lose courage
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dearth
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(n.) a lack, scarcity
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debacle
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(n.) a disastrous failure, disruption
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debase
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(v.) to lower the quality or esteem of something
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ebullient
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(adj.) extremely lively, enthusiastic
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eclectic
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(adj.) consisting of a diverse variety of elements
(That bar attracts an eclectic crowd: lawyers, artists, circus clowns, and investment bankers.) |
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ecstatic
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(adj.) intensely and overpoweringly happy
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edict
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(n.) an order, decree
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fallacious
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(adj.) incorrect, misleading
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fastidious
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(adj.) meticulous, demanding, having high and often unattainable standards
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garish
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(adj.) 1. excessively or disturbingly vivid (garish)
2. offensively or distressingly bright |
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garrulous
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(adj.) talkative, wordy
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genial
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(adj.) friendly, affable
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fabricate
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(v.) to make up, invent
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façade
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1. (n.) the wall of a building
2. (n.) a deceptive appearance or attitude (Despite my smiling façade, I am feeling melancholy.) |
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facile
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1. (adj.) easy, requiring little effort
2. (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 help it in the long-run.) |
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hackneyed
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(adj.) unoriginal, trite
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hallowed
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(adj.) sanctified; regarded as holy; respected
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hapless
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(adj.) unlucky
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iconoclast
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(n.) one who attacks common beliefs or institutions
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idiosyncratic
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(adj.) peculiar to one person; highly individualized
(I know you had trouble with the last test, but because your mistakes were highly idiosyncratic, I’m going to deny your request that the class be given a new test.) |
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idolatrous
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(adj.) excessively worshipping one object or person
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judicious
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(adj.) having or exercising sound judgment
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knell
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n.) the solemn sound of a bell, often indicating a death
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laconic
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(adj.) terse in speech or writing
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languid
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(adj.) sluggish from fatigue or weakness
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larceny
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(n.) obtaining another’s property by theft or trickery
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maelstrom
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(n.) a destructive whirlpool which rapidly sucks in objects
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magnanimous
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(adj.) noble, generous
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malediction
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(n.) a curse
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nadir
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(n.) the lowest point of something
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nascent
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(adj.) in the process of being born or coming into existence
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nebulous
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(adj.) vaguely defined, cloudy
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obdurate
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(adj.) unyielding to persuasion or moral influences
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obfuscate
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(v.) to render incomprehensible
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oblique
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(adj.) diverging from a straight line or course, not straightforward
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pacific
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(adj.) soothing
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palatable
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(adj.) agreeable to the taste or sensibilities
(Despite the unpleasant smell, the exotic cheese was quite palatable.) |
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palette
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(adj.) a range of colors or qualities
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palliate
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(v.) to reduce the severity of
(The doctor trusted that the new medication would palliate her patient’s discomfort.) |
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quagmire
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(n.) a difficult situation
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quaint
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(adj.) charmingly old-fashioned
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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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rail
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(v.) to scold, protest
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rancid
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(adj.) having a terrible taste or smell
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rancor
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(n.) deep, bitter resentment
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rapport
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(n.) mutual understanding and harmony
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saccharine
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(adj.) sickeningly sweet
(Tom’s saccharine manner, although intended to make him popular, actually repelled his classmates.) |
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sacrosanct
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(adj.) holy, something that should not be criticized
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sagacity
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(n.) shrewdness, soundness of perspective
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tacit
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(adj.) expressed without words
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taciturn
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(adj.) not inclined to talk
(Though Jane never seems to stop talking, her brother is quite taciturn.) |
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tangential
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(adj.) incidental, peripheral, divergent
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ubiquitous
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(adj.) existing everywhere, widespread
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umbrage
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(n.) resentment, offense
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uncanny
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(adj.) of supernatural character or origin
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vacillate
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(v.) to fluctuate, hesitate
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vacuous
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(adj.) lack of content or ideas, stupid
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vapid
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(adj.) lacking liveliness, dull
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wallow
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(v.) to roll oneself indolently; to become or remain helpless
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wane
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(v.) to decrease in size, dwindle
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wanton
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(adj.) undisciplined, lewd, lustful
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whimsical
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(adj.) fanciful, full of sudden or capricious ideas/fancies
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yoke
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(v.) to join, link
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zealous
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(adj.) fervent, filled with eagerness in pursuit of something
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zenith
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(n.) the highest point, culminating point
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zephyr
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(n.) a gentle breeze
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