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60 Cards in this Set
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- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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Adulterate
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V. to corrupt, make worse by the addition of something of lesser value
Syn:contaminate, pollute, sully Ant: purify, purge, expurgate |
Hospitals take strict precautions to assure that nothing adulterates the blood supply.
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Ambidextrous
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Adj. able to use both hands equally well; very skillful; deceitful; hypocritical
Syn: versatile, facile Ant: clumsy, all thumbs, maladroit |
Occasionally a teacher will come across a child who displays ambidextrous abilities when taught to write.
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Augment
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V. to make larger, increase
Syn: enlarge, supplement, amplify Ant: decrease, diminish |
Many couples have to augment their income in order to pay the mortgage on a new home.
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Bereft
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Adj., Part. deprived of; made unhappy through a loss
Synonym: bereaved Ant: replete, well provided |
Individuals who live to be very old may eventually find themselves completely bereft of friends and family.
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Deploy
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V. to position or arrange; to utilize; to form up
Syn: station, organize |
A bugle call is a signal used to deploy troops for inspection, parade, or battle.
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Dour
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Adj stern, unyielding, gloomy, ill-humored
Syn: harsh, bleak, forbidding, saturnine Ant: cheery, inviting, genial |
Dickens's Mr. Gradgind in the novel Hard Times is an example of a character with a dour and sullen disposition.
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Fortitude
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N. Courage in facing difficulties
Syn: resolve, steadfastness, mettle Ant: fearfulness, timidity, faintheartedness |
The residents of the Mississippi delta showed remarkable fortitude during and after the flood that destroyed their homes and businesses.
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Gape
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V. to stare with open mouth; to open the mouth wide; to open wide
Syn: gawk, ogle |
First-time visitors to Niagara Falls can be expected to gape at the spectacular sights nature has provided for them.
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Gibe
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V. to utter taunting words
N. an expression of scorn Syn: V ridicule, mock, deride, jeer Ant: n. compliment, priase |
The recruits rushed into battle so that no one could gibe at the fro cowardice.
Voters may reject a candidate who resorts to personal gibing instead of discussion the issues. |
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Guise
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N. an external appearance, cover, mask
Syn: costume, semblance, pretense |
The thieves gained entry to the home by presenting themselves in the guise of police officers.
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Insidious
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Adj. intended to deceive or entrap; sly, treacherous
Syn: cunning, underhanded, perfidious Ant: frank, ingenuous, aboveboard |
The investigators uncovered an insidious scheme to rob people of their life savings.
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Intimation
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N. a hint, indirect suggestion
Syn: clue, indication, inkling |
They were too proud to give any intimation of their financial difficulties.
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Opulent
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Adj. wealthy, luxurious; ample;grandiose
Syn: rich, lavish, plentiful, abundant Ant: poverty-stricken, wretched, destitute |
The tour guide shows us the opulent living quarters of the royal family.
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Pliable
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Adj. easily bent, flexible; easily influenced
Syn: supple, addaptable, resilient Ant: rigid, inflexible, recalcitrant |
Spools of pliable copper wire are standard equipment for many kinds of maintenance workers, including electricians.
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Reiterate
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V. to say again, repeat
Syn: restate, rehash, recapitulate |
Effective speakers often reiterate an important statement for emphasis.
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Stolid
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Adj. not easily moved mentally or emotionally; dull, unresponsive
Syn: impassive, phlegmatic Ant: emotional, oversensitive, high-strung |
Stolid people can generally be expected to take most things in stride.
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Tentative
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Adj. Experimental in nature; uncertain, hesitant
Syn: provisional, inconclusive Ant: definite, conclusive, confirmed, permanent |
Negotiationrs have come up with a tentative agreement that will keep both sides a the bargaining table past the strike deadline.
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Unkempt
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Adj. not combed; untide; not properly maintained; unpolished, rude
Syn: sloppy, disheveled, disordered, rough Ant: well-groomed, tidy, neat, natty |
According to my parents, the latest fashions make me and my friends look unkempt.
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Verbatim
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Adj., Adv. word for word; exactly as written or spoken
Syn: Adj. exact; Adv. precisely Ant: Adj. paraphrased |
Newspapers often publish the verbativ text of an important political speech.
At the searing-in ceremony, the chief Justice reads each line of the Oath of Office and the new President repeats it verbatim. |
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Warily
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Adv. cautiously, with great
Syn: carefully, prudently, gingerly Ant: recklessly, heedlessly, incautiously |
The hikers made their way warily up the steep and rocky trail.
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Adroit
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aAdj. Skillful, expert in the use of the hands or mind
Syn: clever, deft, dexterous, slick Ant: clumsy, inept, all thumbs |
Many rodeo performers are adroit at twirling a rope while on horseback.
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Amicable
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Adj. peaceable, friendly
Syn: congenial, neighborly, cordial Ant: hostile, antagonistic |
Sometimes mediation by a neutral individual can lead to an amicable settlement of a dispute.
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Averse
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Adj. having a deep-seated distaste; opposed, unwilling
Syn: disinclined, loath Ant: favorably disposed, eager, keen |
You are not likely to become a marathon runner if you are averse to strenuous exercise.
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Belligerent
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Adj. given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive
N. one at war, one engaged in war Syn: adj. assertive, truculent, pugnacious Ant: adj. peaceful, conciliatory, placid |
I did not expect such a belligerent answer to my request for directions.
After each belligerent signed the peace treaty, the war was officially over. |
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Benevolent
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Adj. kindly, charitable
Syn: benign, well-eaning Ant: malicious, piteful, malevolent |
The newcomers had nothing but benevolent feelings toward all their neighbors.
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Cursory
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Adj. hasty, not thorough
Syn: quick, superficial, perfunctory Ant: thorough, painstaking, careful |
The mayor gave a final cursory glance at the text of her speech before mounting the podium.
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Duplicity
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N. treachery, deceitfulness
Syn: fraud, double-dealing, chicanery |
We found it difficult to believe that our good friend could be capable of such duplicity.
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Extol
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V. to praise extravagantly
Syn: glorify, applaud, acclaim, hail Ant: criticize, belittle, disparage |
Many inspiring stories and plays have been written that extol the heroic deeds of Joan of Arc.
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Feasible
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Adj. possible, able to be done
Syn:workable, practicable, vialbe Ant: unworkable, impractical |
Our city needs to develop a feasible plan of action for dealing with sotrms andother emergencies.
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Grimace
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N. A wry face, facial distortion
V. to make a wry face Syn: n. pained expression, facial contortion Ant: n. smile, grin v. beam |
The grimace of the refugee in the photo reveals the pain of homelessness.
Most people grimace at the mere sound of the dentist's drill. |
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Holocaust
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N. a large-scale destruction, especially be fire; a vast slaughter; a burnt offering
Syn: conflagration, devastation, annihilation Ant: deluge, inundation |
Journalists at the time were eager to interview survivors of the Chicago holocaust.
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Impervious
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Adj. not affected or hurt by; admitting of no passage or entrance
Syn: impenetrable, resistant, proof against Ant: porous, permeable, vulnerable |
It is best to store flour in a container with a plastic cover that is impervious to moisture.
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Impetus
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N. a moving force, impulse, stimulu
Syn: impulse, incentive, spur Ant: curb, hindrance, impediment, constraint |
The coming of winter gave a new impetus to the appeals for food and clothing for needy families.
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Jeaopardy
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N. danger
Syn: risk, hazard, peril Ant: safety, security |
Experienced mountaineers know that a single mistake can put an entire expedition in serious jeopardy.
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Meticulous
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Adj. extremely careful; particular about details
Syn: fastidious, painstaking, fussy Ant: careless, negligent, sloppy |
If you have a full-time job outside the home, you may find it exceedingly difficult to be a meticulous housekeeper.
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Nostalgia
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N. a longing for something past; homesickness
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Looking at old scrapbook can bring on a sense of nostalgia for days gone by and friends no longer near.
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Quintessence
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N. the purest essence or form of something; the most typical example
Syn: paragon, exemplar |
Risking one's own life to save the lives of others is considered the quintessence of selfless valor.
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Retrogress
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v. to move backward; to return to an earlier condition
Syn: revert, degenerate, decline Ant: advance, evolve, progress |
In the novel, the survivors of a nuclear explosion retrogress into a state of barbarism.
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Scrutinize
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v. to examine closely
Syn: inspect, pore over Ant: skim, scan, glance at, cursory |
Lawyers are paid to scrutinize legal papers and explain the fine print to heir clients.
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Tepid
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Adj. lukewarm; unenthusiastic, marked by an absence of interest
Syn: Insipid, halfhearted, wishy-washy Ant: heated, excited, enthusiastic |
A cup of tepid tea will not warm you on a chilly morning.
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Adversary
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N. an enemy, opponent
Syn: anatgonist, rival, foe Ant: friend, ally, supporter, confederate |
A best friend off the tennis court can also be a fierce adversary on it.
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Alienate
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V. to turn away; to make indifferent or hostile; to transfer, convey
Syn: separate, drive apart, estrange Ant: befriend, attract, captivate, reconcile |
Gossiping and backbiting are bid habits that are bound to alienate friends.
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Artifice
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N. a skillful or ingenious device, a clever trick; a clever skill; trickery
Syn: ruse, strategsm, contrivance |
Even the most renowned art experts were completely taken in by the forger's artifice.
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Coerce
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V. to compel, force
Syn: pressure, bully, intimidate, constrain Ant: persuade, cajole |
Dictators try to coerce their subjects into obedience by threatening them or their families with punishment.
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Craven
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Adj. Cowardly
N. a coward Syn: adj. fearful, fainthearted, pusillanimous Ant: adj. brave, courageous, valiant |
Those who urged Great Britain to make peace with Hitler were criticized for their craven attitude.
It is a mistake to assume that everyone who refuses to go to war is a craven who lacks patriotism. |
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Culinary
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Adj. of or related to cooking or the kitchen
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Cooking shows on TV have helped many people to master the secrets of the culinary arts.
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Delete
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V. To erase, wipe out, cut out
Syn: remove, cancel, expunge Ant: insert, add, retain, include |
Crime labs can determine whether an attempt has been made to delete material from audiotapes.
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Demise
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N. a death, especially of a person in a lofty position.
Syn: decease, passing away Ant: birth, beginning, commencement |
Traditionally, the tolling of church bells has announced the demise of a monarch.
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Exhilarate
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V. to enliven, cheer, give spirit or liveliness to
Syn: stimulate, excite, gladden Ant: discourage, dispirit, dishearten, inhibit |
The first landing on the moon exhilarated the nation.
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Fallow
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Adj. plowed but not seeded; inactive; reddish-yellow
N. land left unseeded V.to plow but not seed Syn: adj. unproductive, inert, dorant Ant: adj. productive, fertile prolific |
After a month without a date, I decided that my social life was definitely in a fallow period.
In the drought-stricken region, there were millions of acres of fallow. Farmers often fallow a third of their fields each year to restore the chemical balance of the soil. |
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Harass
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V. to disturb, worry; to trouble by repeated attacks
Syn: annoy, pester, bedevil, beleaguer |
The judge repeatedly cautioned the prosecuting attorney not to harass the witness.
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Inclement
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Adj. stormy, harsh; severe in attitude or action
Syn: blustery, tempestuous, implacable Ant: mild, gentle, balmy, tranquil |
During an inclement New England winter, heavy snowfalls may bring highway traffic to a standstill.
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Muse
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V. to think about in a dreamy way, ponder
Syn: meditat, contemplate, daydream |
Philosophers have always mused on the meaning of life.
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Negligible
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Adj. so unimortant that it can be disregarded
Syn: trivial, inconsequential, insignificant Ant: significant, crucial, momentous |
After taxes are deducted a small raise in salary may result in a negligible increase in take-home pay.
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Perpetuate
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V. to make permanent or long last
Syn: continue, preserve, prolong indefinitely Ant: discontinue, abolish, abandon |
in most cultures, people try to perpetuate the customs of their ancestors.
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Precedent
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N. an example that may serve as a basis for imitation or later action
Syn: guide, tradition, model |
We hope that students at other schools in our city will follow our precedent in volunteer work.
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Punitive
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Adj. inflicting or aiming at punishment
syn: penalizing, retaliatory |
The general led a punitive expedition against the rebel forces.
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Redress
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v. to set right, remedy
N. relief from wrong or injury syn: v. rectify, correct, mitigate |
An apology can go a long way to reress the hurt feelings caused by an insensitive comment or a thoughtless act.
The accident victims will seek redress for the injuries the suffered in the train crash. |
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Sojourn
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N. a temporary stay
V. to stay for a time Syn: n. visit, stopover, brief stay |
No matter how short your sojourn in Paris, you must take time to go to the Louvre.
Many American graduates sojourn abroad before they begin working full-time at home. |
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Urbane
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Adj. refined in manner or style, suave
Syn: elegant Ant: crude, uncouth, boorish |
An urbane host puts guests at ease by appearing totally confident and unruffled no matter what happens.
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