Vocab #3

Front 1

ANAGRAM

Back 1

–noun 1. a word, phrase, or sentence formed from another by rearranging its letters: “Angel” is an anagram of “glean.”
2. anagrams, (used with a singular verb) a game in which the players build words by transposing and, often, adding letters.
–verb (used with object) 3. to form (the letters of a text) into a secret message by rearranging them.
4. to rearrange (the letters of a text) so as to discover a secret message.

Front 2

ASSERTION

Back 2

–noun 1. a positive statement or declaration, often without support or reason: a mere assertion; an unwarranted assertion.
2. an act of asserting.

Front 3

COHERENT

Back 3

–adjective 1. logically connected; consistent: a coherent argument.
2. cohering; sticking together: a coherent mass of sticky candies.
3. having a natural or due agreement of parts; harmonious: a coherent design.
4. Physics, Optics. of or pertaining to waves that maintain a fixed phase relationship, as in coherent light.

Front 4

FULMINATE

Back 4

–verb (used without object) 1. to explode with a loud noise; detonate.
2. to issue denunciations or the like (usually fol. by against): The minister fulminated against legalized vice.
–verb (used with object) 3. to cause to explode.
4. to issue or pronounce with vehement denunciation, condemnation, or the like.
–noun 5. one of a group of unstable, explosive compounds derived from fulminic acid, esp. the mercury salt of fulminic acid, which is a powerful detonating agent.

Front 5

GOAD

Back 5

–noun 1. a stick with a pointed or electrically charged end, for driving cattle, oxen, etc.; prod.
2. anything that pricks or wounds like such a stick.
3. something that encourages, urges, or drives; a stimulus.
–verb (used with object) 4. to prick or drive with, or as if with, a goad; prod; incite.

Front 6

INEXPLICABLE

Back 6

adjective not explicable; incapable of being accounted for or explained

Front 7

NONCOMMITAL

Back 7

adj : characterized by tolerance; "although favoring European unity he was noncommital about the form it should take" [syn: undogmatic, undogmatical]

Front 8

PROBOSCIS

Back 8

1. the trunk of an elephant.
2. any long flexible snout, as of the tapir.
3. Also called beak. the elongate, protruding mouth parts of certain insects, adapted for sucking or piercing.
4. any of various elongate feeding, defensive, or sensory organs of the oral region, as in certain leeches and worms.
5. Facetious. the human nose, esp. when unusually long or prominent.

Front 9

QUIXOTIC

Back 9

–adjective 1. (sometimes initial capital letter) resembling or befitting Don Quixote.
2. extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.
3. impulsive and often rashly unpredictable.

Front 10

SURMISE

Back 10

–verb (used with object) 1. to think or infer without certain or strong evidence; conjecture; guess.
–verb (used without object) 2. to conjecture or guess.
–noun 3. a matter of conjecture.
4. an idea or thought of something as being possible or likely.
5. a conjecture or opinion

Front 11

ANECDOTE

Back 11

–noun a short account of a particular incident or event of an interesting or amusing nature, often biographical.

Front 12

CLIMATIC

Back 12

1. of or pertaining to climate.
2. (of ecological phenomena) due to climate rather than to soil or topography.

Front 13

EPILOGUE

Back 13

–noun 1. a concluding part added to a literary work, as a novel.
2. a speech, usually in verse, delivered by one of the actors after the conclusion of a play.
3. the person speaking this.

Front 14

EXTEMPORANEOUS

Back 14

–adjective 1. done, spoken, performed, etc., without special advance preparation; impromptu: an extemporaneous speech.
2. previously planned but delivered with the help of few or no notes: extemporaneous lectures.
3. speaking or performing with little or no advance preparation: extemporaneous actors.
4. made for the occasion, as a shelter.

Front 15

FIDELITY

Back 15

–noun, plural -ties. 1. strict observance of promises, duties, etc.: a servant's fidelity.
2. loyalty: fidelity to one's country.
3. conjugal faithfulness.
4. adherence to fact or detail.
5. accuracy; exactness: The speech was transcribed with great fidelity.
6. Audio, Video. the degree of accuracy with which sound or images are recorded or reproduced.

Front 16

FORTE

Back 16

–noun 1. a strong point, as of a person; that in which one excels: I don't know what her forte is, but it's not music.
2. the stronger part of a sword blade, between the middle and the hilt (opposed to foible).

Front 17

GOURMET

Back 17

–noun 1. a connoisseur of fine food and drink; epicure.
–adjective 2. of or characteristic of a gourmet, esp. in involving or purporting to involve high-quality or exotic ingredients and skilled preparation: gourmet meals; gourmet cooking.
3. elaborately equipped for the preparation of fancy, specialized, or exotic meals: a gourmet kitchen.

Front 18

HYPOCHONDRIAC

Back 18

1. Also, hy‧po‧chon‧dri‧a‧cal /ˌhaɪpoʊkənˈdraɪəkəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hahy-poh-kuhn-drahy-uh-kuhl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation. Psychiatry. a. pertaining to or suffering from hypochondria.
b. produced by hypochondria.

2. Anatomy, Zoology. of or pertaining to the hypochondrium.
–noun 3. Psychiatry. a person suffering from or subject to hypochondria.
4. a person who worries or talks excessively about his or her health.

Front 19

PRODIGY

Back 19

1. a person, esp. a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability: a musical prodigy.
2. a marvelous example (usually fol. by of).
3. something wonderful or marvelous; a wonder.
4. something abnormal or monstrous.
5. Archaic. something extraordinary regarded as of prophetic significance.

Front 20

STIGMA

Back 20

1. a mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one's reputation.
2. Medicine/Medical. a. a mental or physical mark that is characteristic of a defect or disease: the stigmata of leprosy.
b. a place or point on the skin that bleeds during certain mental states, as in hysteria.

3. Zoology. a. a small mark, spot, or pore on an animal or organ.
b. the eyespot of a protozoan.
c. an entrance into the respiratory system of insects.

4. Botany. the part of a pistil that receives the pollen.
5. stigmata, marks resembling the wounds of the crucified body of Christ, said to be supernaturally impressed on the bodies of certain persons, esp. nuns, tertiaries, and monastics.
6. Archaic. a mark made by a branding iron on the skin of a criminal or slave.