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61 Cards in this Set
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Bullwark; noun
(BULL wurk) BULL WORK "BULLS WORK building a BULWARK." |
A defensive wall; something serving as a principle defense.
Quebec City is the only city in North America with a BULWARK built entirely around it. |
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Augment; verb
(awg MENT) CEMENT "How not to AUGMENT a driveway with CEMENT." |
To make or become greater.
The king attempted to AUGMENT his army by going into villages and drafting men into service. |
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Incongruous; adjective
(in KAHN grew us) IN CONGRESS "The new Alaskan senator's presence IN CONGRESS was INCONGRUOUS." |
Not appropriate, unsuited to the surroundings; not fitting in.
Ed appeared INCONGRUOUS wearing his tuxedo on an old-fashioned hayride. |
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Gossamer; noun
(GOSS uh mer) CUSTOMER "The spider's GOSSAMER captured many unhappy CUSTOMERS." |
delicate floating cobwebs; a sheer gauzy fabric; something delicate, light, flimsy
The bride wore a white silk wedding dress. A GOSSAMER of fine Italian lace gently touched her face. |
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Succinct; adjective
(sek SINGKT) SINK "Virginia was SUCCINCT when Ernie forgot to fix the SINK." |
brief and to the point; concise and terse
When Joe was called upon, he SUCCINCTLY paraphrased what the teacher had just explained. |
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Tantalize; verb
(TAN tal ize) SANTA'S LIES "SANTA'S LIES TANTALIZE." |
to excite by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach.
The TANTALIZING aroma of the bread made us all very hungry. |
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Benighted; adjective
(be NI tid) KNIGHT "A BENIGHTED KNIGHT." |
being in a state of intellectual darkness; ignorant; unenlightened
Many BENIGHTED people became enlightened during the Renaissance. |
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exalt; verb
(ig ZAWLT) SALT "Everyone EXALTED the SALT as king of the condiments." |
to raise high; glorify
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Dire; adjective
(DYE ur) FIRE "A DIRE FIRE" |
disastrous;desperate
The hurricane struck the Florida Keys with DIRE results; all the buildings were flattened. |
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Kindle; verb
(KIN dl) CANDLE "Patrick found a unique way to KINDLE CANDLES." |
to cause to burn or ignite; to arouse or inspire
Because Christine once had feelings for him, Joe thought sending flowers might again KINDLE her affections. |
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Myriad; noun
(MIR ee ud) MIRROR ADD "Many MIRRORS ADD a MYRIAD of reflections." |
an extremely large number
George was a hypochondriac, weighted down by MYRIAD concerns about his health. |
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Rhetoric; noun
(RET or ik) RENT-A-WRECK "A salesman's RENT-A-WRECK RHETORIC." |
the art or study of using language effectively or persuasively; over-elaborate language
A person's use of RHETORIC can indicate much about that person's character. |
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Latent; adjective
(LAYT nt) LAY TENT "Never LAY your TENT on a LATENT volcano." |
laying hidden or undeveloped; potential
Trent had a LATENT talent as a singer which he didn't discover until he was in his 50's. |
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Trenchant' adjective
(TREN chunt) TRENCH ANT "A TRENCHANT mouth is a characteristic of the famous Madagascar TRENCH ANT." |
cutting, incisive, having a sharp point, caustic, sarcastic
Julia had a TRENCHANT tongue and was always putting her friends down behind their backs. |
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Jaunt; noun
(jawnt) HAUNT "A JAUNT HAUNT." |
a short pleasure trip
After not taking a family vacation for two years, a JAUNT to the beach was a pleasant respite. |
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Vertigo; noun
(vur tuh GO) WHERE TO GO "When test pilot Bob developed a bad case of VERTIGO, he didn't know WHERE TO GO." |
the sensation of dizziness
Charles was acrophobic and even suffered from VERTIGO while standing on a stool, replacing the lights in the kitchen. |
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Impede; verb
(im PEED) SPEED "The job of highway patrolmen is to IMPEDE SPEEDING motorists." |
to obstruct or interfere with; to delay
He was only my uncle, but he always told me no matter what, not to let anyone IMPEDE my ambition to go to medical school. |
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Countenance; noun
(KOWNT un nanz) COUNT THE NUTS "By their facial COUNTENANCE alone it was easy to COUNT THE NUTS." |
A person's face, especially the expression
Th submarine commander's COUNTENANCE belied his true feelings of anxiety and fear. |
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Scrutinize; verb
(SKROOT uh nyze) SCREW EYES "U.S. Customs officials have SCREW EYES when they SCRUTINIZE baggage." |
to look carefully; to examine
Newspaper proof readers SCRUTINIZE an entire newspaper each day. |
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Specter; noun
(SPEK ter) SCRUTINIZE "A SPECTOR with SPECTACLES." |
a ghost or phantom
The SPECTOR of Christmas Future is the most terrifying to Ebenzer Scrooge in Dicken's A Christmas Carol. |
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Wax; verb
(waxen, waxing) |
1. to increase in extent, quantity, intensity, power, etc.
2. (of the moon) to increase in the extent of its illuminated portion before the full moon. 3. to grow or become |
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Wane; verb
(wain) RAIN "Snowman WANE in the RAIN." |
to decrease gradually
A WANING interest by theater-goers prompted the theater to shut down. |
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Archetype; noun
(AHR-ki-tahyp) |
the original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype.
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Copious; adjective
(KOH pee uhs) COPS "COPIOUS COPS devour donuts, waiting for some excitement. |
1. large in number or quantity; abundant; plentiful
2. having or yielding an abundant supply 3. exhibiting abundance or fullness, as of thoughts or words. As you read Cold Mountain, you must make copious annotations. |
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Perspicacious; adjective
PERSPIRATION "Annotating the novel, Perry's PERSPIRATION increased while concentration on PERSPICACIOUS reading." |
having or showing penetrating mental discernment; clear sighted
Sherlock Holmes is touted for his PERSPICACITY while solving difficult mysteries. |
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Marauders; noun
(muh RAWD er) MA RAIDER "The fiercest MARAUDERS are MA RAIDERS." |
raider; intruder
During the civil war, MARAUDING bands of Confederate guerrillas raided Union supply lines in the Midwest. |
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Cower; verb
(KOW ur) COW "Bessie, the COWERING COW, never could stand the sight of her own milk." |
cringe from fear; to shrink away
When Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok entered the Last Chance Saloon, the villains cowered in fear. |
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Aloof; adjective
(uh LOOF) ROOF "Snowball, the cat, was so ALOOF when guests came when she hid in the ROOF." |
distant, reserved in manner; uninvolved
Most everyone thought Theodore ALOOF when actually he was only very shy. |
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Forbearance; noun
(for BAYR ans) FOUR PARENTS FOUR PARENTS exhibiting FORBEARANCE." |
patience
Teachers must FORBEAR when they deal with unruly students. |
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Lament; verb
(la MINT) CEMENT "We LAMENT that Joe got buried in CEMENT." |
to express sorrow or regret; to mourn
The song, "Cowboys LAMENT," is a ballad about the lonely life of those who drove cattle for a living. |
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Cacophony; noun
(kuh KAHF uh nee) COUGH "A CACOPHONY of COUGHING." |
harsh sounds
A CACOPHONY isn't noise alone, it is disturbing noise such as when people shout all at once. |
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quietude; noun
(kwi i TUDE) QUIET DUDE "Dad was a QUIET DUDE who sought QUIETUDE." |
calm; tranquil; peaceful
Gene and Chris chose their property for the air of QUIETUDE and peace that pervaded the area. |
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Connisseur; noun
(kahn uh SER) KING OF SEWER "The KING OF the SEWER is a CONNOISSEUR of garbage." |
an expert, particularly in matters of art and taste.
My uncle is a CONNOISSEUR of fine wine. |
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Evoke
(EE voke) COKE "Sometimes a song, a picture, even a COKE, can EVOKE the most poignant of youthful memories." |
to summon forth, call to mind, awaken, produce, suggest
A clap of thunder and a flash of lightning over the old castle EVOKED dark spirits for the villagers who remember the night of the headless ghosts. |
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Cupidity
(kyoo PID ih tee) CUPID "CUPID with CUPIDITY." |
excessive greed, especially for money
The thief's CUPIDITY was exceeded only by his ignorance. |
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Ubiquitous
(yoo BIK woh tus) BIG AS US "When you're as BIG AS US you feel UBIQUITOUS." |
the quality of being everywhere (or seeming to) at the same time. Being seemingly everywhere at once.
Computers were once rare, but today are more UBIQUITOUS." |
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Adroit/Deft
(ah DROIT) (DEhft) DETROIT "The auto workers of DETROIT are ADROIT at manufacturing automobiles." |
skillfull
Many forth graders are more ADROIT on the computer than their parents. |
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Fetter
(FET ur) FEATHER "A FETTERED FEATHER." |
to restrain; to hamper
The prisoners were FETTERED by shackles around their ankles. |
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Exonerate
(ig ZON er ate) HIS HONOR WAS LATE "HIS HONER WAS too LATE to EXONERATE the innocent prisoner." |
to free from accusation or blame; to free from a responsibility or task
When he was released from jail, he finally felt EXONERATED for his crime. |
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Mores
(MAWR ayz) MORE A'S "Our educational MORES have it that the MORE A's a student makes, the better their education. |
customary cultural standards; moral attitudes, manners, habits
According to Chinese MORES, it is considered polite to belch at the table as a gesture of appreciation. |
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Doldrums
(DOHL drums) DOLL DRUMS "All covered in dust, the DOLL DRUMS were in the DOLDRUMS." |
a period or condition of depression or inactivity
Ever since Jackie's dog died, the little fellow had not touched his toys, moping around day after day in the DOLDRUMS. |
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Throng
(throng) SONG "The THRONG broke into SONG." |
a large group of people gathered closely together
When the Pope visited the United States, an admiring THRONG gathered at every major city. |
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Emulate
(IM u late) IMITATE "Jimmy EMULATES his dad by IMITATING him." |
to attempt to equal or surpass; esp through imitation
Most people EMULATE those they admire. |
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Incite
(en SIGHT) FIGHT "The pitcher's bean ball INCITED the batter to FIGHT." |
to arouse to action
Waving a stick at Jerry's dog only INCITES him and increases the chance he will bite you. |
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Palpable; adj
(PAL pah bul) PAL THE BULL "Our PAL, THE BULL, is PALPABLE." |
capable of being touched or felt
The PALPABLE imagery helps make the poem more realistic. |
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Austere; adj
(aw STEER) STEER An AUSTERE STEER is no fun at a party. |
stern, as in manner; without excess, unadorned, severely simple and plain
The AUSTERITY of life in the village was understandable. Many were jobless and poverty was everywhere. |
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Pious; adj
(PI us) PIE "A PIOUS PIE." |
devout or virtuous; holy
Elizabeth PIOUSLY said her prayers every night before bed. |
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Gregarious
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sociable
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Philanthropy
(fi LAN thruh pee) PHIL ANTHROPY "PHIL ANTHROPY was a PHILANTHROPIST." |
love of mankind, esp through charitable gifts and deeds
In the movie, Good Sam, Gary Cooper's was PHILANTHROPIC, giving to anyone in need of keeping little for his own family. |
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Etheral; adjective
(i THEER ee ul) CEREAL "ETHEREAL CEREAL." |
very light; airy; delicate; heavenly
An ETHEREAL mist covered the hill in the morning. |
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Espouse;verb
(eh SPOWZ) SPOUSE "Harold's SPOUSE ESPOUSED a large family." |
to support in a very committed; (to adopt)
I ESPOUSE the idea that we eat desert before dinner. |
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Misanthropy; noun
(MIS an thruh pee) MISS ANTHROPY "MISS ANTHROPY was a MISANTHROPIC person." |
hatred of mankind
A more MISANTHROPIC person you never did see. He hates everyone. |
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Culpable; adjective
(KUHL puh bull) CULPRIT "The CULPRIT is CULPABLE for the crime." |
from culpa "crime, fault, blame."
Orleanna, in The Poisonwood Bible, must deal with her feelings of guilt, facing how she is partly CULPABLE for what befalls her family. |
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Intrepid; adjective
(in TREP id) TRIP ED "Everyone considered David INTREPID after he TRIPPED ED, the bully, in the cafeteria." |
fearless; bold
The bullfighter was INTREPID as he stood in the arena before the fierce bull. |
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Catharsis
(kuh THAR sis) CATS AND HORSES "CAT AND HORSE CATHARSIS." |
an emotional or psychological cleansing that brings relief or renewal
After Jeremy returned to the French World War II battelfield he had known fifty years before, he said he found the experience CATHARTIC. |
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Portend; verb
(por TEND) POOR END "His teacher PORTENDED that Billy would come to a POOR END." |
to warn of as an omen; forecast
In ancient times a comet in the sky was considered a PORTENTOUS event. |
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Fraught; adjective
(FRAWT) CAUGHT "Eric CAUGHT a boatload in a lake FRAUGHT with fish." |
teeming* with; laden; full; involving; accompanied by
The freighter was FRAUGHT with cargo. |
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Surreptitious; adjective
(sur ep TISH us) SUSPICIOUS "To escape from the circus, an elephant has to be SURREPTITIOUS without being SUSPICIOUS." |
done or acting in a secret, sly manner
Helen SURREPTITIOUSLY crept around the car, hoping to get the cat out from under it. |
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Bevy; noun
(bev EE) HEAVY "A BEVY of HEAVIES." |
a group of animals; an assembly
Bud's hunting dog's scared out a BEVY of quail. |
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Enmity; noun
(EN mi tee) IN MY TEA "Sir Howard, I have great ENMITY for your dog's tongue IN MY TEA." |
hostility' deep-seated hatred
The ENMITY between the teams was apparent to the spectators. |
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Arduous; adjective
(AHR joo us) HARD ON US "The ARDUOUS snow-covered trail is HARD ON US." |
hard, difficult, tiresome
The assignment given the recruits was ARDUOUS, twenty miles with full packs in the hot sun. |
