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30 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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anathema
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(n.) a cursed, detested person (I never want to see that murderer. He is an anathema to me.)
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antipathy
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(n.) a strong dislike, repugnance (I know you love me, but because you are a liar and a thief, I feel nothing but antipathy for you.)
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conflagration
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(n.) great fire (The conflagration consumed the entire building.)
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contrite
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(adj.) penitent, eager to be forgiven (Blake’s contrite behavior made it impossible to stay angry at him.)
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conundrum
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(n.) puzzle, problem (Interpreting Jane’s behavior was a constant conundrum.)
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desiccated
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(adj.) dried up, dehydrated (The skin of the desiccated mummy looked like old paper.)
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diaphanous
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(adj.) light, airy, transparent (Sunlight poured in through the diaphanous curtains, brightening the room.)
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diffident
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(adj.) shy, quiet, modest (While eating dinner with the adults, the diffident youth did not speak for fear of seeming presumptuous.)
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evanescent
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(adj.) fleeting, momentary (My joy at getting promoted was evanescent because I discovered that I would have to work much longer hours in a less friendly office.)
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evince
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(v.) to show, reveal (Christopher’s hand-wringing and nail-biting evince how nervous he is about the upcoming English test.)
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exculpate
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(v.) to free from guilt or blame, exonerate (My discovery of the ring behind the dresser exculpated me from the charge of having stolen it.)
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florid
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(adj.) flowery, ornate (The writer’s florid prose belongs on a sentimental Hallmark card.)
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fractious
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(adj.) troublesome or irritable (Although the child insisted he wasn’t tired, his fractious behavior—especially his decision to crush his cheese and crackers all over the floor—convinced everyone present that it was time to put him to bed.)
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impertinent
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(adj.) rude, insolent (Most of your comments are so impertinent that I don’t wish to dignify them with an answer.)
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impervious
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(adj.) impenetrable, incapable of being affected (Because of their thick layer of fur, many seals are almost impervious to the cold.)
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impetuous
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(adj.) rash; hastily done (Hilda’s hasty slaying of the king was an impetuous, thoughtless action.)
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impinge
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1. (v.) to impact, affect, make an impression (The hail impinged the roof, leaving large dents.)
2. (v.) to encroach, infringe (I apologize for impinging upon you like this, but I really need to use your bathroom. Now.) |
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mendacious
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(adj.) having a lying, false character (The mendacious content of the tabloid magazines is at least entertaining.)
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mercurial
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(adj.) characterized by rapid change or temperamentality (Though he was widely respected for his mathematical proofs, the mercurial genius was impossible to live with.)
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officious
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(adj.) offering one’s services when they are neither wanted nor needed (Brenda resented Allan’s officious behavior when he selected colors that might best improve her artwork.)
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opulent
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(adj.) characterized by rich abundance verging on ostentation (The opulent furnishings of the dictator’s private compound contrasted harshly with the meager accommodations of her subjects.)
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ostensible
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(adj.) appearing as such, seemingly (Jack’s ostensible reason for driving was that airfare was too expensive, but in reality, he was afraid of flying.)
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repudiate
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(v.) to reject, refuse to accept (Kwame made a strong case for an extension of his curfew, but his mother repudiated it with a few biting words.)
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rescind
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(v.) to take back, repeal (The company rescinded its offer of employment after discovering that Jane’s resume was full of lies.)
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servile
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(adj.) subservient (The servile porter crept around the hotel lobby, bowing and quaking before the guests.)
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solicitous
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(adj.) concerned, attentive (Jim, laid up in bed with a nasty virus, enjoyed the solicitous attentions of his mother, who brought him soup and extra blankets.)
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tractable
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(adj.) easily controlled (The horse was so tractable, Myra didn’t even need a bridle.)
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transient
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(adj.) passing through briefly; passing into and out of existence (Because virtually everyone in Palm Beach is a tourist, the population of the town is quite transient.)
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vex
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(v.) to confuse or annoy (My little brother vexes me by poking me in the ribs for hours on end.)
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vicarious
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(adj.) experiencing through another (All of my lame friends learned to be social through vicarious involvement in my amazing experiences.)
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