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285 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
inscrutable
incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically
insular
relating to, characteristic of, or situation on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience
irrevocable
incapable ot being changed or called back
propensity
a natural inclination or predilection toward
querulous
peevish, complaining, fretful
remonstrate
to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to
repudiate
to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
resilient
able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly
reverberate
to re-echo, resound
scurrilous
coarsely abusive, vular or low (esp in language), foul mouthed
sedulous
persistent, showing industry and determination
sleazy
thin or flimsy in texture, cheap or inferior in quality or character
amnesty
a general pardon for an offense against a government, any act of forgiveneness or absolution
axiomatic
self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule
blazon
to adorn or emebllish, to display conspiculously, to publish, to prolaim widely
caveat
a warning or caution to prevent misunderstading or discourage behavior
equitable
fair, just, embodying principles of justice
extricate
to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort
filch
to steal (esp in a sneaky way in petty amounts)
flout
to mock, treat with contempt
fractious
tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, unpredictable
precept
a rule of conduct or action
salutary
beneficial, helpful; healthy, wholesome
scathing
bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
scourge
to whip, punish severely; a cause of affliction or suffering
sepulchral
funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal
soporific
tending to cause sleep, relating to sleapiness or lethargy; (n) something that induces sleep
straitlaced
extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical
transient
lasting only a short time, fleeting; (n) one who stays only a short time
unwieldy
not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity
vapid
dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness
anomalous
abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual
aspersion
a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming
bizarre
extremely strange, unsual, atypical
brusque
abrupt, blunt, with no formalities
cajole
to coax, persuade through flattery or atifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises
castigate
to punish severely; to criticize severely
contrive
to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan
demagogue
a leader who exploits popular prejudices and flase claims and promises in order to gain power
disabuse
to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking
ennui
weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom
fetter
a chain or shackle placed on the feet; to chain or shackle, to render helpless or impotent
heinous
very wicked, offensive, hateful
immutable
not subject to change, constant
insurgent
one who rebels or rises against authority;(adj) rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority
megalomania
a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent
sinecure
a position requiring little or no work; an easy job
surreptitious
stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation;
transgress
to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law
transmute
to change from one nature, substance, or form to another
vicarious
performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another
austere
severe or stern in manner; without adornment or luxury
beneficent
performing acts of kindness or charity; doing good
cadaverous
pale, gaunt, resembling a corpse
concoct
to prepare by combining ingredients; to devise, invent, fabricate
crass
coarse, unfeeling, stupid
debase
to lower in character, quality, or value, to degrade
desecrate
to commit sacrilege upon, treat irreverently, to contaminate, to pollute
disconcert
to confuse, to disturb the compusure of
grandiose
grand in an impressive or stately way, marked by pompous affectation or grandeur, absurdly exaggerated
inconsequential
trifling, unimportant
infraction
a breaking or a low or obligation
mitigate
to make milder or softer; to moderate in force or intensity
pillage
to rob of goods by open force, plunder; (n) the act of looting, booty
prate
to talk a great deal in a foolish or aimles fashion
punctilious
very careful and exact, attentive to fine points of etiquette or propriety
redoubtable
inspiring fear or awe; illustrious, eminent
reprove
to find fault with, scold, rebuke
restitution
the act of restoring someone or something to the rightful owner or to a former state or psotion; making good on a loss or damage
stalwart
strong and sturdy; brave (n) a brave, song person, a strong supporter
vulnerable
open to attack, unprotected
acrimonious
stinging, bitter in temper or tone
bovine
resembling a cow or ox; sluggish, unresponsive
consternation
dismay, confusion
corpulent
fat, having a large, bulky body
disavow
to deny responsibility for or connection with
dispassionate
impartial, calm, free from emotion
dissension
disagreement, sharp differences of opinion
dissipate
to cause to disappear; to scatter, dispel, to spend foolishly; to be extravagant in pursuit of pleasure
expurgate
to remove objectionable passages or words from a written text; to cleanse, purify
gauntlet
a challenge, an ordeal
hypothetical
based on an assumption or guess; used as a provisional or tentative idea to guide or direct investigation
ignoble
mean, low, base
impugn
to attack as false, to call into question
intemperate
immoderate, lackign in self-control, inclement
odium
hatred, contempt, disgrace or infamy resulting from hateful conduct
perfidy
faithlessness, treachery
relegate
to place in a lower position, to assign, refer, turn over; to banish
squeamish
inclined to nausea, easily shocked or upset
subservient
subordinate in capacity or role; submissively obedient
susceptible
open to; easily influenced; lacking in resistance
abate
to make less in amount, degree, etc., to subside, become less, to nullify; to deduct, to omit
adulation
praise or flattery that is excessive
anathema
an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denuciation
astute
shrewd, craft, showing practical wisdom
avarice
a greedy desire, particularly for wealth
culpable
deserving blame, worthy of condemnation
dilatory
tending to delay or procastinate; not prompt; intended to delay or postpone
egregious
conspicious, standing out from the mass (unfavorably)
equivocate
to speak or act in way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous
evanescent
vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy
irresolute
unable to make up one's mind, hesitating
nebulous
cloudlike, resembling a cloud; cloudy in color, not transparent; vague,confused, indistinct
novice
one who is just a beginner at some activity requring skil and experience
penury
extreme poverty, barrenness, insufficiency
pretentious
done for show, striving to make a big impression; ambitious
recapitulate
to review a series of facts; to sum up
resuscitate
to revive, bring back to consciousness or existence
slovenly
untidy, dirty, careless
supposition
something that is assumed or taken for granted withotu conclusive evidence
torpid
inactive, sluggish, dull
accrue
to grow or accumulate over time; to happen as a natural result
annotation
a critical or explanatory note or comment, especially for a literary work
bedlam
a state or scene of uproar and confusion
covert
hidden, disguised, purposefully kept secret; sheltered, secluded (n) a sheltered place, a hiding place
debonair
pleasant, courteous, lighthearted; smooth and polished n manner and appearance
dun
to demand insistently, especially in payment of a debt, (n) a creditor, (adj) dull, dark, dingy
efficacious
effective, producing results
equanimity
calmness, compuse, refusal to panic
fortuitous
accidental, occurring by a happy chance
gist
the essential part, main point, or essence
gratuitous
freely given, not called for by circumstances
imperious
overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate; pressing, compelling
invective
a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language; (adj) abusive
motley
showing great variety, composed of different elements or many colors; (n) a jester's costume, a jester
munificent
extremely generous
procastinate
to delay, put off until later
recondite
exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding
reprobate
a depraved, vicious, or unprincipled person, scoundrel, (adj) wicked corrupt, or unprincipled; (v) to disapprove of, condemn
sedentary
characterized by or calling for continued sitting; remaining in one place
absolve
to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt
caricature
a representation in which the subject's characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated
clangor
a loud, ringing sound; to make a loud ringing noise
contiguous
side by side; touching, near
cupidity
an eager desire for something, greed
deleterious
harmful, injurious
enhance
to raise to a higer degree; to increase the vaule or desirability of
enthrall
to captivate, charm, hold spellbound, to enslae, to improve
extenuate
to lessen the seriousness or magnitude or an offense by making partial excuses
implicit
implied or understood though unexpressed
incisive
sharp, keen, penetrating
ostentatious
marked by pretentious display, showy
paragon
a model of excellence or perfection
paraphrase
to restate in other words, (n) a statement that presents a given idea in new language
politic
prudent, artful, expedient
prosaic
dull, lacking in distinction and originality
redundant
extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetivie, profuse, lush
sanctimonious
making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious
scintillating
sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant
winsome
charming, attractive, pleasing
abet
to encourage, to assist, to aid, to support
aver
to affirm, declare confidently
blatant
noisy in corase, offensive way; obvious or conspicuous
broach
to bring up or begin to talk about (a subject), to announce, to introduce; (n) a tool for tapping casks
buttress
to support, prop up, strengthen; (n) a supporting structure
carousal
a noisy revelery or merrymaking (alcohol)
collate
to compare critically in order to note differences, similarities; to arrange in order for some specific purpose
connoisseur
an expert; one who is well qualified to pass critical judgements, especially in one of the fine arts
disconsolate
deeply unhappy or dejected; without hope, beyond consolation
encumber
to weigh down or burden; to fill up, block up, hinder
foment
to promote trouble or rebellion, to apply warm liquids
grisly
frightful, horrible, ghastly
herculean
characterized by great strength; hard to due because it resuires unusual strength
impassive
showing no feeling or emotion; inanimate, motionless
inauspicious
unfavorable, unlucky, suggesting back luck for the futre
incontrovertible
unquestionable, beyond dispute
nonplussed
puzzled, not knowing what to do
opportune
suitable for a particular purpose, occurring at an appropriate time
prolific
abundantly productive; abundant, profuse
rejoinder
a reply to a reply, esp from the defendant in a legal suit
amenable
willing to follow adice or authority
berate
to scold sharply
carnage
a large-scale slaughter or loss of life
credulous
too ready to believe, easily deceived
criterion
a rule, test, a standard for judgement
deplete
to use up as a result of spending or consumption; to diminish greatly
expatiate
to expand on, write or talk at length or in detial; to move about freely
extraneous
coming from the outside, foreign; present but not essential, irrelevant
inception
the beginning, start, earliest stage of some process
infirmity
a weakness or ailment
jejune
lacking in nutritive value, immature, juvenile
obdurate
stubborn, unyielding
potpourri
a collection of diverse or miscellaneous items;a general mixture
precocious
showing unusually early development
sadistic
delighting in cruelty; excessively cruel
sententious
self-righteous, characterized by moralizing; saying much in few words, pithy
supplicate
to beg earnestly and humbly
surfeit
an excess or overindulgence, as in eating or drinking; to feet or supply with anythign to excess
tortuous
winding, twisted, crooked; highly involved, complex
turgid
swollen, boated, filled to excess; overdecorated or excessive in language
adamant
firm in purpose or opinion; (n) an extremely hard substance
brouhaha
a confused hodgepodge of sounds
bulwark
a strong defense or protection; (v) to provide such defense or protection
choleric
easily made angry, bad-tempered
cloy
to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence
curtail
to cut short, bring to a halt or end sooner than expected, to reduce
deference
courteous yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person; great respect makred by submission, as to a superior
definitive
conclusive, final, representing the limit of what can be done
demeanor
the way a person behaves, overally impression made by manner
enigmatic
puzzling, perplexing
impromptu
w/o preparation
mawkish
excessively and objectionably sentimental
mollify
to soften, make gentle, pacify, to calm, assuage, appease, to reduce in intensity
onus
something that is heavy or burdensome; blame
presentiment
a vague sense of approaching misfortune
profligate
given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; (n) a person given to self-induglent and wild spending
remit
to send or hand in (as money); to cancel (as a penalty or punishment), forgive, pardon; to lessen
requisite
needed, necessary, regarded as essential
sartorial
of or pertaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes and dress
thwart
to prevent, to oppose successfully, frustrate
abjure
to recant solemnly; renounce or repudiate; to renounce under oath, forswear
abrogate
to abolish, to away with, or annual,esp by authority
abstemious
eating and drinking in moderation; characterized by abstinence or moderation
acument
quickness and keenness of judgement or insight
antebeullum
belonging to the period before a war, esp the civil war
auspicious
marked by success, prosperous; attended by favorable cirumstances
belie
to give a false representation to, misrepresent; to show to be false, contradict
bellicose
warlike or hostile in manner or temperament
bowdlerize
to remove material that is considered onjectionable or offensive from; to expurgate
chicanery
deception by trickery or sophistry
churlish
having a bad disposition, surly
circumlocution
the use of unnecesarily wordy and indirect language
circumnavigate
to proceed completely around
deciduous
shedding or losing foliage at end of the growing season; not lasting
diffident
lacking or marked by a lack of self confidence, shy and timid
enervate
to weaken or destroy the strenth or vitality of
enfranchise
to endow the rights of citizenship, esp right to vote; to free, as from slavery or bondage
epiphany
a christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi; a sudden manifestation of the essence or meanign of something; a revelation
equinox
either of the 2 times during a year when the sun crosses the celestial equator and when the lenth of day and ngiht are equal
evanescent
vanishing or likely to vanish like vapor
facetious
playfully jocular, humorous
fatuous
foolish or silly, esp in a smug or self satisfied way
feckless
lacking in purpose or vitatlity; carless and irrespsonsibly
fiduciary
of or relatining to a holding of something in trust for antoher, held in trust
filibuster
the use of obstructionist tractics, esp prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaing legislative action
gauche
lakcing grace or social polish; awkward or tactless
hegemony
the predominant influence of a state, region, or group over others
homogeneous
uniform in structure or composition; of the same or similar nature or kind
hubris
overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance
impeach
to make an accusation against; to charge with improper conduct in fofice before a proper tribunal
incognito
with one's identity disguised or concealed
inculcate
to impress upon the mind of another by frequent instruction or repition; to teach by repittion
infrastructure
the basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society; the basic system or underlying structure of an organization
interpolate
to insert or introduce between other elements or parts
kowtow
to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in expression of deep respect, worship, or submission as foremely done in China
lexicon
a dictionary; a vocabulary; a stock of terms used in a particular profession, subject, or style
loquacious
very talkative, garrulous
lugubrious
mournful, dismal, or gloomy, esp to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree
metamorphosis
a marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function
moiety
a half, a part, portion, or share; either of two kinship groups based on unilateral descent that togetehr make up a tribe or society
nanotechnology
the science and technology of building devices, such as electronic circuits, from individual atoms and molecules
nihilism
an extreme form of skepticism that denies that existence is real; the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated
nonsectarian
not limited to or associated with a particular religious denomination
notarize
to certify or attest to as a notary public (the validy of a signature on a documentf or example)
obsequious
full or of exhibiting servile compliance, fawning
oligarchy
government by a few, esp by a small faction of persons or families
omnipotent
having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; all powerful
orthography
the art or study of correct spelling according to established usage; the aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words
oxidize
to combine with oxygen
paradigm
one that serves as a pattern or model
pecuniary
of or relating to money; requiring payment of money
precipitous
resembling a precipice, extremely steep; extremely rapid or abrupt
quasar
an extremely distant, and thus old, celestial object whose power output is several thousand times that of the entire mily way galaxy
quotidian
commonplace or ordinary, as from everyday experience
recipriocal
existing, done, or experienced on both sides
reparation
the act or process of makign amends for a wrong
repiration
the act of inhaling and exhahling, breathign
sanguine
cheerfuly confident, optomistic
soliloquy
a dramatic or literary form of discourse in which a character talks to himself or herself or reveals his or her thoughts when alone or unaware of the presence of other characters
subjugate
to bring under control; conquer
suffragist
to advocate of the extension of political voting rights, especially to women
supercilious
feeling or showing haughty disdain
tautology
needless repition of the same sense in different words; redundancy; an instance of such repition
tetonic
of or relating to the forces involved in forming the geological features, such as mountains, continents, and oceans, of the earth's lithosphere
tempestuous
characterized by violent emotions or actions, tumultuous, stormy
totalitarian
of, relating to, being a form of govt in which the political authory exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life
unctuous
characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness
usurpt
to seize and hold by force and without legal authority; to take over or occupy w/o right
vacuous
lacking intelligence, stupid; devoid of matter, empty
vehement
forceful or intense in expression, emotion, or conviction; fervid
vortex
a spiral motion of fluid
winnow
to examine closely in order to separate the good from the bad; sift
wrougth
put together, created (v) past tense of work
xenophobe
a person fearly or contemptuous of that which is foreign, esp of strangers or foreign peoples
yeoman
an attendent, servant, or lesser official in a royal or noble household