Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
180 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
consternation
|
dismay or worry; concern
|
|
|
conundrum
|
a puzzle or dilemma; a problem
|
|
|
coterie
|
a small group of people who share interests and associate frequently; a clique
|
|
|
emollient
|
something softening; soothing to the skin
|
|
|
expiate
|
to atone, to make amends for
|
|
|
extricate
|
to release, disentangle
|
|
|
flippancy
|
disrespect
|
|
|
foist
|
to pass off as worthy or real
|
|
|
incongruous
|
incompatible; not harmonious to the situation or surroundings
|
|
|
innocuous
|
harmless
|
|
|
inveterate
|
habitual, continuing
|
|
|
plethora
|
abundance; excess
|
|
|
preamble
|
a preliminary statement
|
|
|
soluble
|
easily dissolved
|
|
|
vitriolic
|
bitterly spiteful; caustic
|
|
|
acme
|
the highest point
|
|
|
apocryphal
|
of doubtful origin; fictitious
|
|
|
catharsis
|
an extremely emotional experience
|
|
|
desiccate
|
to dry up completely
|
|
|
dissipate
|
to waste; exhaust
|
|
|
efficacious
|
effective; producing the desired outcome
|
|
|
ineffable
|
inexpressible; beyond description
|
|
|
intrinsic
|
of or relating to the basic nature of a thing; inherent
|
|
|
inundate
|
to cover with; to be overwhelmed with
|
|
|
kudos
|
praise, fame, glory
|
|
|
maxim
|
fundamental principle; rule; familiar statement
|
|
|
putrid
|
partially decayed or decomposed; having a foul smell
|
|
|
revere
|
to regard with respect, awe, and adoration
|
|
|
servile
|
submissive, slavish
|
|
|
superfluous
|
unneccessary; excessive
|
|
|
abstemious
|
eating and drinking moderately
|
|
|
archaic
|
no longer current or applicable; antiquated
|
|
|
dulcet
|
melodious, pleasant to hear
|
|
|
expurgate
|
to remove objectionable words from
|
|
|
idyllic
|
carefree, simple; nearly perfect
|
|
|
iniquity
|
sin; a wicked or evil act
|
|
|
lithe
|
supple; graceful in motion
|
|
|
patronizing
|
to treat in a condescending manner, talk down to
|
|
|
pellucid
|
transparent; clear
|
|
|
perspicacious
|
keen, mentally sharp
|
|
|
relegate
|
to assign
|
|
|
scapegoat
|
one who bears the blame for an offense
|
|
|
talisman
|
magical charm for protection
|
|
|
usurp
|
to take over; to seize power
|
|
|
vacillate
|
waver; to sway indecisively
|
|
|
anomaly
|
deviation from the norm; odd or peculiar occurrence
|
|
|
equanimity
|
stability, calmness
|
|
|
consomme
|
a clear soup
|
|
|
contemptuous
|
scornful, haughty
|
|
|
cosmopolitan
|
worldly, sophisticated
|
|
|
discerning
|
distinguishing differences, detecting
|
|
|
interminable
|
tiresome and long
|
|
|
lugubrious
|
mournful, gloomy
|
|
|
nondescript
|
having no individuality
|
|
|
propitious
|
favorable, auspicious
|
|
|
serendipity
|
a fortunate discovery made by accident
|
|
|
stentorian
|
extremely loud
|
|
|
vestige
|
trace, evidence
|
|
|
abjure
|
to renounce
|
|
|
ubiquitous
|
occurring everywhere, omnipresent
|
|
|
vernacular
|
everyday language
|
|
|
zealous
|
fervent, fanatical
|
|
|
rife
|
abundant, prevalent
|
|
|
truncate
|
to shorten
|
|
|
donnybrook
|
fight, uproar
|
|
|
incantation
|
charm; recited magical spell
|
|
|
estrange
|
to alienate
|
|
|
flay
|
to whip, to remove skin
|
|
|
florid
|
rosy-colored, reddish
|
|
|
interlocutor
|
questioner, an on-stage speaker
|
|
|
metamorphosis
|
transformation or dramatic change
|
|
|
nomenclature
|
naming system in an art or science
|
|
|
arable
|
fit for cultivation (land)
|
|
|
brigand
|
robber, bandit
|
|
|
carte blanche
|
authority with no bounds
|
|
|
camaraderie
|
rapport between friends; comradeship
|
|
|
haughty
|
proud, arrogant
|
|
|
hubris
|
arrogance resulting from excessive pride
|
|
|
imbroglio
|
difficult situation
|
|
|
impetuous
|
impulsive; rash
|
|
|
malinger
|
to pretend to be ill or injured to avoid work
|
|
|
peregrination
|
traveling on foot; walking
|
|
|
platitude
|
cliche
|
|
|
sanctimonious
|
false piety or righteousness
|
|
|
scullion
|
a kitchen servant
|
|
|
sectarian
|
narrowly confined to a particular group
|
|
|
stringent
|
strict; rigorous
|
|
|
trite
|
hackneyed; cliched; lacking interest
|
|
|
venerate
|
to respect, worship, or revere
|
|
|
wrenching
|
violent, forceful twisting
|
|
|
anecdote
|
a short account or story
|
|
|
cerebral
|
relating to the brain; intelligent
|
|
|
churlish
|
boorish or vulgar; surly
|
|
|
cogent
|
convincing; clear reasoning
|
|
|
convoluted
|
intricate, difficult to discern; overlapping
|
|
|
entreat
|
to ask or petition for; plead
|
|
|
gibberish
|
nonsense; unintelligible speech
|
|
|
incumbent
|
obligatory; necessary
|
|
|
inimical
|
adverse; hostile
|
|
|
livid
|
angry, furious
|
|
|
lurid
|
sensational; ghastly
|
|
|
promulgate
|
to announce; to make known
|
|
|
spurious
|
false, incorrect
|
|
|
staid
|
sedate, dignified; proper
|
|
|
surfeit
|
an excessive amount
|
|
|
allay
|
to reduce the intensity of; relieve; pacify
|
|
|
ameliorate
|
to make better, improve
|
|
|
asperity
|
roughness or harshness; severity
|
|
|
exegesis
|
an analysis; interpretation of
|
|
|
extradite
|
to release an accused criminal to another jurisdiction
|
|
|
hypocrisy
|
two-faced, falseness
|
|
|
inveigh
|
to protest, oppose
|
|
|
lionize
|
to honor or celebrate
|
|
|
pander
|
to act as a go-between; to exploit weaknesses of others
|
|
|
profligate
|
wasteful; immoral
|
|
|
recalcitrant
|
stubbornly resistant
|
|
|
renunciation
|
rejection; abandonment
|
|
|
unimpeachable
|
beyond doubt; unquestionable
|
|
|
unwieldy
|
not easily held
|
|
|
vitiate
|
to reduce the value of; to corrupt or debase
|
|
|
benign
|
beneficial; favorable
|
|
|
blithe
|
carefree and lighthearted
|
|
|
bumpkin
|
an unsophisticated person
|
|
|
corroborate
|
to make more certain, add evidence to
|
|
|
culpable
|
blameable, responsible for
|
|
|
frenetic
|
frenzied
|
|
|
goad
|
to urge, to prod
|
|
|
indecorous
|
lacking good taste; improper
|
|
|
indolent
|
lazy
|
|
|
pervasive
|
permeating; present throughout
|
|
|
provocative
|
stimulating; inciting to action
|
|
|
punitive
|
punishing
|
|
|
recrimination
|
an accusation made to counter another
|
|
|
soporific
|
something that induces sleep
|
|
|
toady
|
a person who flatters; sycophant
|
|
|
circuitous
|
indirect, roundabout
|
|
|
circumlocution
|
an unnecessarily wordy or evasive form of expression
|
|
|
deleterious
|
having a harmful effect; injurious
|
|
|
extenuating
|
lessening the seriousness of
|
|
|
inchoate
|
unformed or undeveloped
|
|
|
largesse
|
generosity
|
|
|
luminous
|
bright; full of light
|
|
|
majordomo
|
follower, butler
|
|
|
perambulate
|
to walk about, stroll
|
|
|
prevaricate
|
to lie; mislead
|
|
|
propriety
|
appropriateness
|
|
|
timorous
|
timid
|
|
|
tremulous
|
timid; fearful
|
|
|
untenable
|
incapable of being defended
|
|
|
veneer
|
any thin, attractive surface layer
|
|
|
bulwark
|
a wall or embankment for defense
|
|
|
crescendo
|
a steady increase in intensity or force
|
|
|
disingenuous
|
crafty, not straightforward
|
|
|
dogged
|
unrelenting, persistent
|
|
|
etymology
|
the study of word origin and change
|
|
|
extant
|
in existence
|
|
|
impresario
|
producer of entertainment; manager
|
|
|
intransigent
|
refusing to moderate a position; uncompromising
|
|
|
lachrymose
|
inclined to shed many tears; mournful
|
|
|
malaise
|
discomfort; unease
|
|
|
pallid
|
pale, dull
|
|
|
palpable
|
able to be handled or touched; obvious
|
|
|
pundit
|
a critic
|
|
|
requisite
|
required; important
|
|
|
waive
|
not enfore a rule; set aside
|
|
|
assiduous
|
diligent, persistent
|
|
|
condescend
|
to deal with in a superior way
|
|
|
epiphany
|
a revelation; sudden knowledge
|
|
|
exhilaration
|
elation, thrill
|
|
|
panacea
|
cure-all
|
|
|
physiognomy
|
facial features
|
|
|
polyphonic
|
many sounds together
|
|
|
propensity
|
tendency
|
|
|
propinquity
|
nearness; proximity
|
|
|
rescind
|
to repeal; void
|
|
|
revel
|
to enjoy; take pleasure in
|
|
|
rhapsodize
|
to express oneself enthusiastically
|
|
|
umbrage
|
offense; resentment
|
|
|
voluble
|
talkative
|
|
|
wizened
|
shriveled or dried up; withered
|
