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30 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Abase
Verb (uh *bays*) |
to humble; disgrace
My intention was not to abase the comedian. Synonyms: demean,humiliate |
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Abate
Verb (uh -bayt-) |
to reduce in amount, degree,or severity
As the hurricane's force abated, the winds dropped and the sea bacame calm. Synonyms: ebb;lapse; let up; moderate;relent;slacken;subside;wane |
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Abdicate
Verb [-aab- duh kayt] |
to give up, right, or power
With the angry mob clamoring outside the palace, the king abdicated his throne and fled. Synonyms: cede;relinquish; resign;quit;yield |
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Aberrant
adj [uh -ber- unt] |
deviating from the normal or expected
Since he had been a steady, cheerful worker for many years, his fellow postal workers did not expect his aberrant burst of range. |
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Abeyance
Noun [uh -bay- uhns] |
temporary suppression or suspension
The baseball game was held in abeyance while it continued to rain. Synonyms: deferral; delay; dormancy; postponement; remission |
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Abjure
Verb [aab -jur-] |
to reject; abandon formally
The spy abjurred his allegiance to the united states when he defected to Russia. Synoyms: forswear; recall; recant; retract; take back |
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Abscond
Verb [aab -skahnd-] |
to leave secretly
The patron absconded from the restraunt without paying his bill. Synonyms: Decamp; escape; flee |
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Abstain
verb [uhb -stayn-] |
to chose not to do something
Before the medical procedure, you must abstain from eating. Synonyms: forbear; refrain; withhold |
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Abstemious
adj [aab -stee- me uhs] |
moderate in appetite
Because Alyce is a vegetarian, she was only able to eat an abstemious meal at the Texas Steakhous. Synonyms: abstinent; continent; self-restraining; sober; temperate |
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Abyss
noun [uh -bihs-] |
an extremely deep hole
The submarine dove into the abyss to chart the previously unseen depths. Synonyms: chasm; void |
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Accretion
noun [uh -kree- shuhn] |
a growth in size; an increase in amount
The committee's strong fund-raising efforts resulted in an accretion in scholarship money. Synonyms: accumulation; buildup |
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Acidulous
adj [uh -si- juh luhs] |
sour in taste or manner
The acidulous taste of the spoiled milk made the young boy's lips pucker. Synonyms: acerbic; acetose; biting; piquant; pungent; tart |
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Acme
Noun [-aak- me] |
Highest point; summit; the highest level or degree attainable
Just when he reached the acme of his power, the dictator was overthrown. Synonyms: apex; peak; summit |
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Adulterate
Verb [uh -duhl- tuhr ayt] |
to make impure
The restaurant made his ketchup last longer by adulterating it with water. Synonyms: debase; doctor; load |
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Advocate
verb [-aad- vuh kayt] |
to speak in favor of
The vegetarian advocated a diet containing no meat. Synonyms: back; champion; support |
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Aerie
noun [-ayr- ee] [-eer- ee] |
A nest built high in the air; an elevated, often secluded dwelling
Perched high among the trees, the eagle's aerie was filled with eggs. Synonyms: perch; stronghold |
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Aesthetic
adj [ehs -theh- tihk] |
concerning the appreciation of beauty
The aesthetic movement regarded the pursuit of beauty to be the only true purpose of art. Synonyms: artistic; tasteful |
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affected
adj [uh -fehk- tihd] |
phony, artificial
The affected hairdresser spouted french phrases, though she had never been to france. Synonyms: insincere; pretentious; put-on |
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Aggrandize
verb [uh -graan- diez] [-aa- gruhn diez] |
To increase in power, influence and reputation
The supervisor sought to aggrandize himeself by claiming that the achievements of his staff were actually his own Synonyms: amplify; augument; elevate |
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Alacrity
noun [uh -laak- crih tee] |
promptness, cheerful readiness
The restaurant won a reputation for fine service since the wait staff responded to their client's request with alacrity Synonyms: eagerness, swiftness |
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Alleviate
verb [uh -lee- vee ayt] |
to ease, to make more bearable
Taking aspirin helps to alleviate a headache. Synonyms: lessen; lighten; mitigate; relieve |
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Amalgamation
noun [uh -maal- guh may shun] |
a merger, a uniting of elements
The amalgamation of the two giant companies worried the small mom and pop stores. Synonyms: compound; fusing |
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Ambiguous
adj [aam -bihg- yoo uhs] |
doubtful or uncertain; can be interpreted several ways
The directions he gave were so ambiguous that we disagreed on which way to turn. Synonyms: obscure; unclear; vague |
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ameliorate
Verb [uh -meel- yuhr ayt] |
to make better; to improve
The doctor was able to ameliorate the patient's suffering using painkillers. Synonyms: pacify; upgrade; make more tolerable |
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Amortize
Verb [uh -mohr- tiez] |
To diminish by installment payments
While college students are notorious for accumulating credit card debt, they are not as well known for amortizing it. |
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Amulet
Noun [-aam- yoo liht] |
ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
Though she claimed it was not because of superstition, vivian always wore an amulet around her neck. Synonyms; fetish; talisman |
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Anachronism
Noun [uh -naak- ruh nih suhm] |
Something out of place in time
The aging hippie used anachronistic phrases like 'groovy' and 'far out' that had not been popular for years. Synonyms: archaism; incongruity |
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Analgesia
Noun [aah nuhl -jee- zhuh] |
A lessening of pain without loss of consciouness
After having her appendix removed, tatiana welcomed the analgesia that the painkillers provided. |
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Analogous
adj [uh -naal- uh guhs] |
similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
His mother argued that not going to college was analogous to throwing his life away. Synonyms: alike; comparable; parallel; similar |
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Anodyne
Noun [-aah- nuh dien] |
something that calms or soothes pain
The anodyne massage helped remove the knots from the lawyer's tense shoulders. Synonyms: opiate |
