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21 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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maelstrom
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a destructive whirlpool which rapidly sucks in objects
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Little did the explorers know that as they turned the next bend of the calm river a vicious maelstrom would catch their boat.
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magnanimous
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noble, generous
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Although I had already broken most of her dishes, Jacqueline was magnanimous enough to continue letting me use them.
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malevolent
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wanting harm to befall others
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The malevolent old man sat in the park all day, tripping unsuspecting passerby with his cane.
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manifold
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diverse, varied
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The popularity of Dante's Inferno is partly due to the fact that the work allows for manifold interpretations.
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maudlin
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weakly sentimental
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Although many people enjoy romantic comedies, I usually find them maudlin and shallow.
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mawkish
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characterized by sick sentimentality
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Although some nineteenth-century critics viewed Dicken's writing as mawkish, contemporary readers have found great emotional depth in his works.
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mendacious
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having a lying, false character
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The mendacious content of the tabloid magazines is at least entertaining.
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mercurial
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characterized by rapid change or temperamentality
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Though he was widely respected for his mathematical proofs, the mercurial genius was impossible to live with.
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modicum
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a small amount of something
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Refusing to display even a modicum of sensitivity, Henrietta announced her boss's affair in front of the entire office.
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multifarious
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having great diversity or variety
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This Swiss Army knife has multifarious functions and capacities. Among other things, it can act as a knif, a saw, a toothpick, and a slingshot.
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myriad
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consisting of a very great number
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It was difficult to decide what to do Friday night because the city presented us with myriad possibilities for fun.
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nadir
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the lowest point of something
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My day was boring, but the nadir came when I accidentally spilled a bowl of spaghetti on my head.
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nascent
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in the proces of being born or coming into existence
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Unfortunately, my brilliant paper was only in its nascent form on the morning it was due.
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neophyte
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someone who is young or inexperienced
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As a neophyte in the literary world, Malik had trouble finding a publisher for his first novel.
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obfuscate
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to render incomprehensible
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The detective did not want to answer the newspaperman's questions, so he obfuscated the truth.
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oblique
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diverging from a straight line or course, not straightforward
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Martin's oblique language confused those who listened to him.
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obsequious
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excessively compliant or submissive
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Mark acted like Janet's servant, obeying her every request in an obsequious manner.
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obtuse
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lacking quickness of sensibility or intellect
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Political opponents warned that the prime minister's obtuse approach to foreign policy would embroil the nation in mindless war.
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odious
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instilling hatred or intense displeasure
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Mark was assigned the odious task of cleaning the cat's little box.
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officious
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offering one's services when they are neither wanted nor needed
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Brenda resented Allan's officious behaviour when he selected colours that might best improve her artwork.
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ostensible
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appearing as such, seemingly
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Jack's ostensible reason for driving was that airfare was too expensive, but in reality, he was afraid of flying.
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