Vocabe

Front 1

to reject, renounce (To prove his honesty, the president abjured the evil policies of his wicked predecessor.)

Back 1

abjure

Front 2

to abolish (The Bill of Rights assures that the government cannot abrogate our right to a free press.)

Back 2

abrogate

Front 3

to sketch out in a vague way (The coach adumbrated a game plan, but none of the players knew precisely what to do.)

Back 3

adumbrate

Front 4

eagerness, speed (For some reason, Chuck loved to help his mother whenever he could, so when his mother asked him to set the table, he did so with alacrity.)

Back 4

alacrity

Front 5

a cursed, detested person (I never want to see that murderer. He is an anathema to me.)

Back 5

anathema

Front 6

a strong dislike (I know you love me, but because you are a liar, I feel nothing but antipathy for you.)

Back 6

antipathy

Front 7

praise (The crowd welcomed the heroes with approbation.)

Back 7

approbation

Front 8

to take without justification (The king arrogated the right to order executions to himself exclusively.)

Back 8

arrogate

Front 9

hard-working, diligent (The construction workers erected the skyscraper during two years of assiduous labor.)

Back 9

assiduous

Front 10

to coax by using flattery (Rachel’s assistant tried to blandish her into accepting the deal.)

Back 10

blandish

Front 11

a gift or blessing (The good weather has been a boon for many businesses located near the beach.)

Back 11

boon

Front 12

short, abrupt, dismissive (The captain’s brusque manner offended the passengers.)

Back 12

brusque

Front 13

to strike with force (The strong winds buffeted the ships, threatening to capsize them.)

Back 13

buffet

Front 14

to polish, shine (His mother asked him to burnish the silverware before setting the table.)

Back 14

burnish

Front 15

to support, hold up (The column buttresses the roof above the statue.)

Back 15

buttress

Front 16

tremendous noise, disharmonious sound (The elementary school orchestra created a cacophony at the recital.)

Back 16

cacophony

Front 17

an attempt to spoil someone else’s reputation by spreading lies (The local official’s calumny ended up ruining his opponent’s prospect of winning the election.)

Back 17

calumny

Front 18

to urge, coax (Fred’s buddies cajoled him into attending the bachelor party.)

Back 18

cajole

Front 19

mercy (After he forgot their anniversary, Martin could only beg Maria for clemency.)

Back 19

clemency

Front 20

intellectually convincing (Irene’s arguments in favor of abstinence were so cogent that I could not resist them.)

Back 20

cogent

Front 21

great fire (The conflagration consumed the entire building.)

Back 21

conflagration

Front 22

puzzle, problem (Interpreting Jane’s behavior was a constant conundrum.)

Back 22

conundrum

Front 23

readiness to believe (His credulity made him an easy target for con men.)

Back 23

credulity

Front 24

greed, strong desire (His cupidity made him enter the abandoned gold mine despite the obvious dangers.)

Back 24

cupidity

Front 25

to criticize openly (The kind video rental clerk decried the policy of charging customers late fees.)

Back 25

decry

Front 26

to make unclean, impure (She defiled the calm of the religious building by playing her banjo.)

Back 26

defile

Front 27

quiet, reserved (Though everyone else at the party was dancing and going crazy, she remained demure.)

Back 27

demure

Front 28

to laugh at mockingly, scorn (The bullies derided the foreign student’s accent.)

Back 28

deride

Front 29

to violate the sacredness of a thing or place (They feared that the construction of a golf course would desecrate the preserved wilderness.)

Back 29

desecrate

Front 30

dried up, dehydrated (The skin of the desiccated mummy looked like old paper.)

Back 30

desiccated