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180 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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to reduce in amount, degree, or severity
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abate
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As the hurricane's force abated, the winds dropped and the sea became calm.
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to leave secretly
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abscond
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The patron absconded from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door.
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to choose not to do something
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abstain
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She abstained from choosing a mouthwatering dessert from the tray.
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an extremely deep hole
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abyss
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The submarine dove into the abyss to chart the previously unseen depths.
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to make impure
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adulterate
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The restaurateur made his ketchup last longer by adulterating it with water.
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to speak in favor of
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advocate
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The vegetarian advocated a diet containing no meat.
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concerning the appreciation of beauty
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aesthetic
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Followers of the aesthetic movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art.
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to increase in power, influence, and reputation
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aggrandize
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The supervisor sought to aggrandize himself by claiming that the achievements of his staff were actually his own.
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to make more bearable
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alleviate
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Taking aspirin helps to alleviate a headache.
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to combine; to mix together
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amalgamate
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Giant Industries amalgamated with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Incorporated.
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doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways
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ambiguous
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The directions she gave were so ambiguous that we disagreed on which way to turn.
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to make better; to improve
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ameliorate
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The doctor was able to ameliorate the patient's suffering using painkillers.
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something out of place in time
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anachronism
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The aged hippie used anachronistic phrases like groovy and far out that had not been popular for years.
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similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
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analogous
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In a famous argument for the existence of God, the universe is analogous to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent clockmaker.
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deviation from what is normal
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anomaly
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Albino animals may display too great an anomaly in their coloring to attract normally colored mates.
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to annoy or provoke to anger
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antagonize
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The child discovered that he could antagonize the cat by pulling its tail.
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extreme dislike
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antipathy
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The antipathy between the French and the English regularly erupted into open warfare.
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lack of interest or emotion
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apathy
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The apathy of voters is so great that less than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so.
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to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
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arbitrate
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Since the couple could not come to agreement, a judge was forced to arbitrate their divorce proceedings.
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ancient, old-fashioned
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archaic
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Her archaic Commodore computer could not run the latest software.
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intense and passionate feeling
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ardor
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Bishop's ardor for landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley.
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able to speak clearly and expressively
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articulate
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She is such an articulate defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters.
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to make something unpleasant less severe
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assuage
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Serena used aspirin to assuage her pounding headache.
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to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
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attenuate
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the bill of rights attenuated the traditional power of government to change laws at will.
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fearless and daring
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audacious
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Her audacious nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving.
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severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
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austere
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The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seem austere to the untrained eye.
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predictable, chiched, boring
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banal
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He used banal phrases like "have a nice day" or "another day, another dollar"
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to support; to prop up
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bolster
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The presence of giant footprints bolstered the argument that Sasquatch was in the area.
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pompous in speech and manner
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bombastic
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The dictator's speeches were mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact.
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harsh, jarring noise
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cacophony
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The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable cacophony as they tried to tune their instruments.
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impartial and honest in speech
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candid
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The observations of a child can be charming since they are candid and unpretentious.
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changing one's mind quickly and often
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capricious
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Queen Elizabeth was quite capricious; her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy.
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to punish or criticize harshly
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castigate
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Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore castigate perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the US.
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something that brings about a change in something else
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catalyst
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The impostition of harsh taxes was the catalyst that finally brought on the revolution.
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biting in wit
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caustic
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Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for caustic wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults.
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great disorder or confusion
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chaos
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In most religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from chaos.
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someone prejudiced in favor of group to which he or she belongs
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chauvinist
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The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male chauvinists.
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deception by means of craft or guile
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chicanery
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Dishonest used car salesmen often use chicanery to sell their beat-up old cars.
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convincing and well reasoned
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cogent
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Swayed by the cogent argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.
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to overlook, pardon, or disregard
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condone
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Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as condoning an air of lawlessness.
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intricate and complicated
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convoluted
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Although many people bought "a brief history of time", few could follow its convoluted ideas and theories.
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to provide supporting evidence
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corroborate
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Fingerprints corroborated the witness's testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim's apartment.
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too trusting; gullible
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credulous
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Although some 4-year-olds believe in the Easter Bunny, only the most credulous 9-year-olds also believe in him.
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steadily increasing volume or force
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crescendo
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The crescendo of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses.
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appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
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decorum
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The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the decorum appropriate for a visit to the palace.
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respect, courtesy
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deference
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The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost deference.
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to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock
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deride
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The awkward child was often derided by his "cooler" peers.
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to dry out thoroughly
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desiccate
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After a few weeks of lying on the desert's baking sands, the cow's carcass became completely desiccated.
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jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
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desultory
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Diane had a desultory acacemic record; she had changed majors 12 times in 3 years.
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an abusive, condemnatory speech
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diatribe
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The drucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off.
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lacking self-confidence
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diffident
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Steve's diffident manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.
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to make larger; to expand
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dilate
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When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes dilate to let in more light.
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intended to delay
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dilatory
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The congressman used dilatory measures to delay the passage of the bill.
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someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
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dilettante
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Jerry's friends were such dilettantes that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.
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a funeral hymn or mournful speech
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dirge
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Melville wrote the poem "a dirge for James McPherson" for the funeral of a union general who was killed in 1864.
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to set right; to free from error
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disabuse
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Galileo's observations disabused scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the earth.
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to perceive; to recognize
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discern
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It is easy to discern the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.
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fundamentally different; entirely unlike
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disparate
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Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are disparate.
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to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
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dissemble
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The villain could dissemble to the police no longer--he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man.
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a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds
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dissonance
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Cognitive dissonance is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence.
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a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
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dogma
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Linus's central dogma was that children who believed in the great pumpkin would be rewarded.
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dictatorial in one's opinions
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dogmatic
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The dictator was dogmatic--he, and only he, was right.
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to deceive; a person who is easily deceived
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dupe
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Bugs bunny was able to dupe Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit.
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selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
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eclectic
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Budapest's architecture is an eclectic mix of eastern and western styles.
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effectiveness
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efficacy
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The efficacy of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.
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a sorrowful poem or speech
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elegy
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Although Thomas Gray's "elegy written in a country churchyard" is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life, and to trust in sprituality.
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persuasive and moving, especially in speech
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eloquent
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The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its eloquent words.
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to copy; to try to equal or excel
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emulate
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The grad student sought to emulate his professor by copying not only how she taught, but also how she conducted herself outside of class.
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to reduce in strength
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enervate
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The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would enervate the regular army.
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to produce, cause, or bring about
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engender
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His fear and hatred of clowns was engendered when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown.
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a puzzle; a mystery
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enigma
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Speaking in riddles and dressed in old robes, the artist gained a reputation as something of an enigma.
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to count, list, or itemize
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enumerate
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Moses returned from the mountain with tablets on which the commandments were enumerated.
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lasting a short time
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ephemeral
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The lives of mayflies seem ephemeral to us, since the flies' average life span is a matter of hours.
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to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead
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equivocate
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When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician equivocated and left all parties thinking he agreed with them.
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wandering and unpredictable
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erratic
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The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of erratic turns that surprised the audience.
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learned, scholarly, bookish
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erudite
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The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most erudite, well-published individuals in the field.
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known or understood by only a few
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esoteric
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Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the esoteric world of particle physics.
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admirable
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estimable
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Most people consider it estimable that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor.
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speech in praise of someone
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eulogy
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His best friend gave the eulogy outlining his many achievements and talents.
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use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
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euphemism
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The funeral director preferred to use the euphemism "sleeping" instead of "dead".
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to make worse
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exacerbate
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It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only exacerbate the problem.
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to clear from blame; prove innocent
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exculpate
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The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to exculpate those who are innocent.
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urgent; requiring immediate action
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exigent
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The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was exigent to stop the source of the bleeding.
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to clear of blame
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exonerate
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The fugitive was exonerated when another criminal confessed to committing the crime.
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clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
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explicit
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The owners of the house left a list of explicit directions, including a schedule for watering the house plants.
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acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
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fanatical
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The stormtroopers were fanatical in their devotion to the Emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him.
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to grovel
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fawn
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The understudy fawned over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis.
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intensely emotional; feverish
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fervid
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The vans of Maria Callas were unusually fervid, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer.
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excessively decorated or embellished
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florid
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The palace had been decorated in an excessively florid style; every surface had been carved and gilded.
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to arouse or incite
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foment
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The protestors tried to foment feeling against the war through their speeches and demonstrations.
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a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
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frugality
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Scrooge McDuck's frugality was so great that he accumulated enough wealth to fill a giant storehouse with money.
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tending to talk a lot
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garrulous
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The garrulous parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking.
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outgoing, sociable
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gregarious
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She was so gregarious that when she found herself alone she felt quite sad.
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deceit or trickery
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guile
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Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to guile in an effort to trap his enemy.
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easily deceived
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gullible
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The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool gullible bank customers into giving him their account information.
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of a similar kind
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homogenous
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The class was fairly homogenous, since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors.
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one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
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iconoclast
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His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an iconoclast.
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not capable of being disturbed
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imperturbable
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The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that she seemed imperturbable, even when faced with the wildest tantrums.
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impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
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impervious
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A good raincoat will be impervious to moisture.
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quick to act without thinking
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impetuous
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It is not good for an investment broker to be impetuous, since much thought should be given to all the possible options.
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unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
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implacable
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His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained implacable for weeks.
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not fully formed; disorganized
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inchoate
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The ideas expressed in Nietzsche's mature work also appear in an inchoate form in his earliest writing.
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showing innocence or childlike simplicity
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ingenuous
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She was so ingenuous that her friends feared that her innocence and trustfulness would be exploited when she visited the big city.
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hostile, unfriendly
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inimical
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Even though the children had grown up together they were inimical to each other at school.
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harmless
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innocuous
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Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are innocuous and pose no danger to humans.
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lacking interest or flavor
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insipid
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The critic claimed that the painting was insipid, containing no interesting qualities at all.
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uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled
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intransigent
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The professor was intransigent on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time.
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to overwhelm; to cover with water
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inundate
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The tidal wave inundated Atlantis, which was lost beneath the water.
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easily made angry
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irascible
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Attila the Hun's irascible and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives.
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using few words
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laconic
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She was a laconic poet who build her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible.
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to express sorrow; to grive
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lament
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The children continued to lament the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise.
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to give praise; to glorify
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laud
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parades and fireworks were staged to laud the success of the rebels.
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to give unsparingly; extremely generous or extravagant
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lavish
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She lavished the puppy with so many treats that it son became overweight and spoiled.
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acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner
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lethargic
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The clerk was so lethargic that, even when the store was slow, he always had a long line in front of him.
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talkative
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loquacious
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She was naturally loquacious, which was a problem in situations in which listening was more important than talking.
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clear and easily understood
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lucid
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The explanations were written in a simple and lucid manner so that students were able to apply what they learned.
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bright, brilliant, glowing
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luminous
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The park was bathed in luminous sunshine which warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors.
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to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
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malinger
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A common way to avoid the draft was by malingering--pretending to be mentally/physically ill to avoid being taken by the Army.
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capable of being shaped
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malleable
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Gold is the most malleable of precious metals; it can easily be formed into almost any shape.
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a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol
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metaphor
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The metaphor "a sea of troubles" suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea.
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extremely careful about details
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meticulous
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To find all the clues at the crime scene, the investigators meticulously examined every inch of the area.
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a person who dislikes others
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misanthrope
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Scrooge is such a misanthrope that even the sight of children singing makes him angry.
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to soften; to lessen
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mitigate
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A judge may mitigate a sentence if she decides that a person committed a crime out of need.
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to calm or make less severe
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mollify
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Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would mollify them.
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lack of variation
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monotony
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The monotony of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy.
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lacking sophistication or experience
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naive
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Having never traveled before, the hillbillies were more naive than the people they met in Beverly Hills.
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hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
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obdurate
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The president was completely obdurate on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change his mind.
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overly submissive and eager to please
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obsequious
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The obsequious new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor's tie and agree with him on every issue.
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stubborn, unyielding
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obstinate
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The obstinate child could not be made to eat any food that he disliked.
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to prevent; to make unnecessary
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obviate
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The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which obviated the need for a bridge.
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to stop up; to prevent the passage of
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occlude
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A shadow is thrown across the Earth's surface during a solar eclipse, when the light from the sun is occluded by the moon.
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troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
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onerous
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The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved onerous to the team in charge of it.
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impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light
*** |
opaque
*** |
The heavy buildup of dirt and grime on the windows almost made them opaque.
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public disgrace
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opprobrium
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After the scheme to embezzle the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter opprobrium.
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excessive showiness
* |
ostentation
* |
The ostentation of the Sun King's court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace at Versailles.
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a contradiction or dilemma
* |
paradox
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It is a paradox that those most in need of medical attention are often those lease able to obtain it.
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model of excellence or perfection
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paragon
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She is the paragon of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just.
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someone who shows off learning
** |
pedant
** |
The graduate instructor's tedious and excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a pedant.
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willing to betray one's trust
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perfidious
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The actress's perfidious companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to the gossip columnist.
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done in a routine way; indifferent
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perfunctory
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The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a perfunctory smile.
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to penetrate
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permeate
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This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to permeate stains and dissolve them in minutes.
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charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
* |
philanthropy
* |
New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the philanthropy of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum.
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to soothe or pacify
*** |
placate
*** |
The burglar tried to placate the snarling dog by saying "nice doggy" and offering it a treat.
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able to be molded, altered, or bent
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plastic
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The new material was very plastic and could be formed into products of vastly different shape.
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excess
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plethora
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Assuming that more was better, the defendant offered the judge a plethora of excuses.
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practical as opposed to idealistic
** |
pragmatic
** |
While daydreaming gamblers think they can get rich by frequenting casinos, pragmatic gamblers realize that the odds are heavily stacked against them.
** |
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to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
*** |
precipitate
*** |
Upon learning that the couple married after knowing each other only two months, friends and family members expected such a precipitate marriage to end in divorce.
*** |
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to lie or deviate from the truth
* |
prevaricate
* |
Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee prevaricated and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving at work on time.
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fresh and clean; uncorrupted
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pristine
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Since concerted measures had been taken to prevent looting, the archeological site was still pristine when researchers arrived.
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lavish, wasteful
*** |
prodigal
*** |
The prodigal son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure.
*** |
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to increase in number quickly
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proliferate
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Although he only kept two guinea pigs initially, they proliferated to such an extent that he soon had dozens.
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to conciliate; to appease
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propitiate
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The management propitiated the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members.
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correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
** |
propriety
** |
The aristocracy maintained a high level of propriety, adhering to even the most minor social rules.
** |
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wisdom, caution, or restraint
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prudence
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The college student exhibited prudence by obtaining practical experience along with her studies, which greatly strengthened her resume.
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sharp and irritating to the senses
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pungent
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The smoke from the burning tires was extremely pungent.
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motionless
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quiescent
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Many animals are quiescent over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy.
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to make thinner or sparser
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rarefy
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Since the atmosphere rarefies as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe.
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to reject the validity of
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repudiate
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The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was repudiated when DNA tests showed she was of no relation to them.
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silent, reserved
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reticent
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Physically small and reticent in her speech, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting.
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effective writing or speaking
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rhetoric
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Lincoln's talent for rhetoric was evident in his beautifully expressed Gettysburg Address.
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to satisfy fully or overindulge
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satiate
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His desire for power was so great that nothing less than complete control of the country could satiate it.
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causing sleep or lethargy
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soporific
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The movie proved to be so soporific that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theater.
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deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious
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specious
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The student's specious excuse for being late sounded legitimate, but was proved otherwise when her teacher called her home.
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a mark of shame or discredit
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stigma
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In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was required to wear the letter "A" on her clothes as a public stigma for her adultery.
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unemotional; lacking sensitivity
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stolid
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The prisoner appeared stolid and unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence.
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lofty or grand
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sublime
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The music was so sublime that it transformed the rude surroundings into a special place.
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done without using words
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tacit
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Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that a tacit agreement had been made about which course of action to take.
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silent, not talkative
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taciturn
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The clerk's taciturn nature earned him the nickname "Silent Bob."
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long, harsh speech or verbal attack
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tirade
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Observers were shocked at the manager's tirade over such a minor mistake.
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extreme mental and physical sluggishness
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torpor
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After surgery, the patient experienced torpor until the anesthesia wore off.
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temporary, lasting a brief time
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transitory
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The reporter lived a transitory life, staying in one place only long enough to cover the current story.
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to sway physically; to be indecisive
** |
vacillate
** |
The customer held up the line as he vacillated between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road ice cream.
** |
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to respect deeply
* |
venerate
* |
In a traditional Confucian society, the young venerate their elders, deferring to the elders' wisdom and experience.
* |
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filled with truth and accuracy
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veracity
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She had a reputation for veracity, so everyone trusted her description of events.
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wordy
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verbose
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The professor's answer was so verbose that his student forgot what the original question had been.
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to annoy
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vex
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The old man who loved his peace and quiet was vexed by his neighbor's loud music.
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easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive
** |
volatile
** |
His volatile personality made it difficult to predict his reaction to anything.
** |
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to fluctuate between choices
* |
waver
* |
If you waver too long before making a decision, you may not get your first choice.
* |
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acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable
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whimsical
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The ballet was whimsical, delighting the children with its imaginative characters and unpredictable sets.
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passion, excitement
*** |
zeal
*** |
She brought her typical zeal to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members.
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