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42 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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arcadian
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bucolic and ideal
(usually associated with the countryside) |
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cynical
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contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives
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draconian
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extreme; severe
(usually used in reference to punishment or laws) |
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halcyon
(hal-see-an) |
perfect; idealized
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herculean
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requiring great strength or energy
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laconic
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brief, concise, using few words
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lethargic
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lacking energy
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lethal
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deadly
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marathon
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very long
(in time, not size) |
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procrustean
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forcing conformity; allowing no deviation
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protean
(pro-tee-an) |
able to change shapes or forms
(not necessarily literally) |
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spartan
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simple and plain, without adornment
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stentorian
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very loud and commanding
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stoic
(stow-ick) |
showing no emotion
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stygian
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dark and gloomy
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titanic
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huge
(usually in relation to physical size) |
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achilles' heel
(a-kill-ees heel) |
weak point
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aegis
(ee-gis) |
sponsorship
(often used after the preposition "under") |
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chimera
(ki-meer-a) |
an impossible or foolish fancy
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elysium
(el-ee-sium) |
a state of perfect happiness or delight
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hydra
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an evil that can't be eradicated
(often used in the phrase "hydra-headed") |
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labyrinth
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a confusing maze of passages
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nemesis
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someone/thing that causes your downfall
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odyssey
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a long and difficult journey
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paean
(pee-an) |
a song of praise or a speech praising something
(usually followed by "to ___") |
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philippic
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a vicious personal attack
(verbal, not physical) |
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pyrrhic victory
(pier-ic victory) |
a victory won at great loss
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solecism
(sole-es-sism) |
a grammatical mistake (in speaking) or embarrassing slip of tongue
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sword of Damocles
(sword of dam-ock-lees) |
a constant threat
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adonis
(uh-don-is) |
a gorgeous man whom women adore
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amazon
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a burly, masculine woman
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cassandra
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someone who foretells evil to come but is not believed
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croesus
(cree-sus) |
a very rich person
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epicurean
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having to do with good food and drink
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meander
(me-ander) |
to wander
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mentor
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teacher, tutor, or guide
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Midas touch
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the ability to make money in any circumstance
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narcissistic
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completely self-absorbed and self-centered
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ostracize
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to exlude from a group
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siren
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a tempting, alluring woman
(in a negative connotation; most often used in the phrase "siren song," meaning something alluring but dangerous |
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sybaritic
(sib-a-rit-ick) |
indulging in an extravagant, sensual life
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tantalize
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to tease or tempt with something that is, usually, unattainable
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