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65 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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obliging |
eager to help |
Even after all his success, I found him to be accommodating and _____, sharing with me his secret tips on how to gain wealth and make friends. |
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forthright |
honest in speaking |
I did not expect the insurance agent to give us any straight answers, but I was pleasantly surprised by how _____ he was. |
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attenuate |
taper off/weaken |
Her animosity towards Bob _____ over the years, and she even went so far as to invite him to her party. |
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preempt |
take the place of |
A governmental warning about an imminent terrorist attack would _____ preempt ordinary network programming on television. |
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tirade |
angry speech |
In terms of political change, a _____ oftentimes does little more than make the person speaking red in the face. |
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improvident |
not careful |
Marty was _____, never putting money aside for the future but spending it on decorating the interior of his home. |
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unforthcoming |
not cooperative |
The teacher demanded to know who broke the window while he was out of the room, but the students understandable were _____. |
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compound |
make more intense |
Her headache was _____ by the construction crews outside, which had six jackhammers going at the same time. |
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scrupulous |
using extreme care |
Because of his _____ nature, Mary put him in charge of numbering and cataloging the entire collection of rare stamps. |
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fickle |
changing unpredictably |
She was so _____ in her politics, it was hard to pinpoint her beliefs; one week she would embrace a side, and the next week she would denounce it. |
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profusion |
abundance |
When Maria reported that she had been visited by Jesus Christ and had proof, a _____ of reporters and journalist descended on the town. |
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juggernaut |
unstoppable force |
Once considered a _____, Napoleon's army was finally stopped by Russians. |
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cornucopia |
abundant supply |
The International Food Expo was a _____ of culinary delights: gourmet foods from every continent were under one roof. |
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preemptive |
done first |
Just as Martha was about to take the only cookie left on the table, Noah _____ swiped it. |
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savvy |
well-informed |
Although a great CEO, he did not have the political _____ to win the election. |
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arduous |
requiring great effort |
In order to deal with the _____ cross-country journey, truck drivers often survive on a string of caffeinated drinks, staying awake for up to 30 hours at a time. |
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inimitable |
without equal |
Mozart's music follows a clear pattern that, anyone could imitate, but his music gives an overall sense of effortlessness that is _____. |
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panacea |
cure-all |
While the company credit card has made most large purchases easier, it is no _____: some smaller basic transactions still must be conducted in cash. |
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elude |
fail to be grasped |
Even a basic understanding of physics can _____ most high schools students. |
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provisional |
not final |
Until the corporate office hands down a definitive decision on use of the extra offices, we will share their use in a _____ arrangement. |
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immaterial |
irrelevant |
The judge found defendant's comments _____ to the trial, and summarily dismissed him from the witness stand. |
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flippant |
not showing respect |
Although Sam was trying to honor Mark's sense of humor, many found it quite _____ that he wore a comic nose and glasses mask to Mark's funeral. |
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assiduously |
with great care |
The top college football program recruits new talent _____, only choosing those who were the top of their country. |
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vitriol |
abusive language |
His _____ spewed forth from a deep-seated racism that consumed his whole life. |
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reconcile |
make compatible |
Peggy was unable to _____ her kind friend Jane with the cruel and merciless character Jane played on television. |
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discrete |
separate |
What was once known as Czechoslovakia has since split into two _____, independent nations. |
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bemoan |
lament |
While the CFO carefully explained all the reasons for the cuts in benefits, after the meeting the employees _____ the cuts as further evidence that management was against them. |
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refute |
disprove |
No one could _____ his theories or propositions, and that is why he was esteemed by all his colleagues in the philosophy department. |
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cataclysm |
violent upheaval |
The introduction of smallpox was a _____ for Native Americans, killing off more than half of their population. |
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effervescent |
bubbly; bubbling |
Bryan, a trained geologist, used 5% hydrochloric acid on rock samples to determine if his samples would lead to an _____ of carbonate gases. |
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misanthrope |
hater of people |
Kevin is such a _____ that he refused to attend the Christmas party, claiming that everyone's happiness was fake and annoying. |
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hound |
pursue relentlessly |
An implacable foe of corruption, Eliot Ness _____ out graft in all forms--he even helped nab Al Capone. |
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morph |
change dramatically |
The earnestness of the daytime talk shows of the 1970's has _____ into something far more sensational and vulgar: today guests actually stand up and threaten to take swings at one another. |
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entice |
tempt |
Harold _____ his wife, Maude, to go on vacation to Hawaii, with promises of Iuaus on the beach and all-you-can-eat- seafood buffets. |
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squelch |
suppress |
After the dictator consolidated his power, he took steps to _____ all criticism, often arresting any journalist who said anything that could be interpreted as negative about his regime. |
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betray |
reveal |
With the gold medal at stake, the gymnast awaited his turn, his quivering lip _____ his intense emotions. |
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emulate |
imitate |
To really become fluent in a new language, _____ the speech patterns of people who speak the language. |
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primacy |
of greatest importance |
The _____ of Apple Computers is not guaranteed, as seen in the recent lawsuits and weak growth. |
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credulity |
tendency to believe |
Virginia's wide-eyed _____ as a five-year old was replaced by suspicion after she learned that Santa Claus didn't really exist. |
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elusive |
hard to pin down |
Many first time skydivers say that describing the act of falling from the sky is _____. |
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copious |
abundant |
In midsummer, there are _____ popiscle stands at the beach; in the winter, there are none. |
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rudimentary |
basic |
I would love to be able to present a fully polished proposal to the board, but right know, our plans for the product are still in the most _____ stages. |
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contemptuous |
scornful |
Always on the forefront of fashion, Vanessa looked _____ at anyone wearing dated clothing. |
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stringent |
strict, harsh |
Most of the students disliked the teacher because of his _____ homework policy, but many students would later thank him for demanding so much from them. |
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presumptuous |
overly forward |
Many felt that Barney was _____ in moving into the large office before the management even made any official announcement of his promotion. |
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artlessness |
innocence |
I, personally, found the _____ of her speech charming. |
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taxing |
exhausting |
The hike to the summit of Mt. Whitney was so _____ that I could barely speak or stand up. |
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elicit |
call forth |
Just smiling--even if your are depressed--can _____ feelings of pleasure and happiness. |
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coalesce |
fuse |
Over time, the various tribes _____ into a single common culture with one universal language. |
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languish |
become weak |
Stranded in the wilderness for four days, the hiker _____, eating protein bars and nuts. |
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afford |
give opportunity for |
The Summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro _____ a panoramic view that encompasses both Tanzania and Kenya. |
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heyday |
pinnicle |
During the _____ of Prohibition, bootlegging had become such a lucrative business that many who had been opposed to the 18th Amendment began to fear it would be repealed. |
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unequivocal |
having a clear meaning |
The President's first statement on the subject was vague and open to competing interpretations, so when he spoke to Congress about the same subject later, he was careful to make his position completely _____. |
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hodgepodge |
mixture |
Those in attendance represented a _____ of the city's denizens: chimney sweepers could be seen sitting elbow to elbow with stockbrokers. |
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creditable |
good but not great |
Critics agreed the movie was _____, but few gave it more than three out of five stars. |
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aberrant |
abnormal |
When the financial director started screaming and throwing food at his coworkers, the police had to come in to deal with his _____ behavior |
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reverent |
deeply respectful |
The professor could speak objectively about the other composers, but he always lectured about Brahms with a particular _____ air, unable to offer a single criticism of his compositions. |
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base |
without principles |
she was not so _____ as to begrudge the beggar the unwanted crumbs from her dinner plate. |
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aphorism |
short saying |
Nietzsche was known for using _____, sometimes encapsulating a complex philosophical thought in a mere sentence. |
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dispassionate |
objective |
A good scientist should be _____, focusing purely on what the evidence says, without personal attachment. |
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patronize |
treat condescendingly |
She says she genuinely wants to help me, but instead she _____ me, constantly pointing out how I was inferior to her. |
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cede |
give up control |
Eventually, all parents must _____ control of their growing childrens' educations and allow their offspring some autonomy. |
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cardinal |
most important |
Most cultures consider gambling a _____ sin and thus have outlawed its practice. |
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estimable |
deserving respect |
After serving thirty years, in which he selflessly served the community, Judge Harper was one of the more _____ people in town. |
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debonair |
sophisticated, charming |
James Bond is known for his good looks, high tech gadgets, and _____ manner. |
