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76 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
abase
(v.) to humiliate, degrade
abate
(v.) to reduce, lessen
abdicate
(v.) to give up a position, usually one of leadership
balk
(v.) to stop, block abruptly
ballad
(n.) a love song
banal
(adj.) dull, commonplace
cacophony
(n.) tremendous noise, disharmonious sound
cadence
(n.) a rhythm, progression of sound
cajole
(v.) to urge, coax
daunting
(adj.) intimidating, causing one to lose courage
dearth
(n.) a lack, scarcity
debacle
(n.) a disastrous failure, disruption
debase
(v.) to lower the quality or esteem of something
ebullient
(adj.) extremely lively, enthusiastic
eclectic
(adj.) consisting of a diverse variety of elements

(That bar attracts an eclectic crowd: lawyers, artists, circus clowns, and investment bankers.)
ecstatic
(adj.) intensely and overpoweringly happy
edict
(n.) an order, decree
fallacious
(adj.) incorrect, misleading
fastidious
(adj.) meticulous, demanding, having high and often unattainable standards
garish
(adj.) 1. excessively or disturbingly vivid (garish)
2. offensively or distressingly bright
garrulous
(adj.) talkative, wordy
genial
(adj.) friendly, affable
fabricate
(v.) to make up, invent
façade
1. (n.) the wall of a building
2. (n.) a deceptive appearance or attitude
(Despite my smiling façade, I am feeling melancholy.)
facile
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.)
hackneyed
(adj.) unoriginal, trite
hallowed
(adj.) sanctified; regarded as holy; respected
hapless
(adj.) unlucky
iconoclast
(n.) one who attacks common beliefs or institutions
idiosyncratic
(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.)
idolatrous
(adj.) excessively worshipping one object or person
judicious
(adj.) having or exercising sound judgment
knell
n.) the solemn sound of a bell, often indicating a death
laconic
(adj.) terse in speech or writing
languid
(adj.) sluggish from fatigue or weakness
larceny
(n.) obtaining another’s property by theft or trickery
maelstrom
(n.) a destructive whirlpool which rapidly sucks in objects
magnanimous
(adj.) noble, generous
malediction
(n.) a curse
nadir
(n.) the lowest point of something
nascent
(adj.) in the process of being born or coming into existence
nebulous
(adj.) vaguely defined, cloudy
obdurate
(adj.) unyielding to persuasion or moral influences
obfuscate
(v.) to render incomprehensible
oblique
(adj.) diverging from a straight line or course, not straightforward
pacific
(adj.) soothing
palatable
(adj.) agreeable to the taste or sensibilities
(Despite the unpleasant smell, the
exotic cheese was quite palatable.)
palette
(adj.) a range of colors or qualities
palliate
(v.) to reduce the severity of
(The doctor trusted that the new medication would palliate her patient’s discomfort.)
quagmire
(n.) a difficult situation
quaint
(adj.) charmingly old-fashioned
quandary
(n.) a perplexed, unresolvable state
(Carlos found himself in a quandary:
should he choose mint chocolate chip or cookie dough?)
rail
(v.) to scold, protest
rancid
(adj.) having a terrible taste or smell
rancor
(n.) deep, bitter resentment
rapport
(n.) mutual understanding and harmony
saccharine
(adj.) sickeningly sweet
(Tom’s saccharine manner, although intended to
make him popular, actually repelled his classmates.)
sacrosanct
(adj.) holy, something that should not be criticized
sagacity
(n.) shrewdness, soundness of perspective
tacit
(adj.) expressed without words
taciturn
(adj.) not inclined to talk
(Though Jane never seems to stop talking, her brother is quite taciturn.)
tangential
(adj.) incidental, peripheral, divergent
ubiquitous
(adj.) existing everywhere, widespread
umbrage
(n.) resentment, offense
uncanny
(adj.) of supernatural character or origin
vacillate
(v.) to fluctuate, hesitate
vacuous
(adj.) lack of content or ideas, stupid
vapid
(adj.) lacking liveliness, dull
wallow
(v.) to roll oneself indolently; to become or remain helpless
wane
(v.) to decrease in size, dwindle
wanton
(adj.) undisciplined, lewd, lustful
whimsical
(adj.) fanciful, full of sudden or capricious ideas/fancies
yoke
(v.) to join, link
zealous
(adj.) fervent, filled with eagerness in pursuit of something
zenith
(n.) the highest point, culminating point
zephyr
(n.) a gentle breeze