Section 1
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vindicate
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Last updated
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Date created
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Cards (422)
Section 1
(50 cards)
vindicate
to clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof
undermine
Weaken, cause to collapse by diffing away at the foundation (of a building or an argument); injure or attack in a secretive or underhanded way
ambivalent
Uncertain; unable to decide, or wanting to do two contradictory things at once
castigate
Criticize severely; punish in order to correct
anomalous
not normal
frugal
Economical, thrifty, not wasteful with money; inexpensive
parochial
narrowly restricted in scope or outlook
amalgam
a mixture of multiple things
calumny
Malicious lie intended to hurt someone's reputation; the act of telling such lies
commensurate
The same in size, extent, etc. equivalent; proportional
chastise
to reprimand harshly
demur
Show reluctance or object, especially for moral reasons
equivocal
confusing or ambiguous
intimate
to suggest something subtly
galvanize
to excite or inspire (someone) to action
laconic
Using few words, concise
involved
complicated, and difficult to comprehend
auspicious
favorable, the opposite of sinister
belie
Contradict or misrepresent
maintain
to assert
iconoclast
Attacker of cherished beliefs or institutions
disinterested
Unbiased, impartial; not interested
venerate
Revere, regard with deep respect and awe
amorphous
shapeless
upbraid
Find fault with, criticize or scold severely
ambiguous
Not clear, hard to understand, open to having several meanings or interpretations
egregious
Extraordinary or conspicuously bad; glaring
innocuous
Harmless, inoffensive
aberration
a deviation from what is normal or expected
amenable
easily persuaded
mercurial
Quickly and unpredictably changing moods; fickle, flighty
ingenuous
Genuine, sincere, not holding back; naive
qualify
(adj) to be legally competent or capable; (noun) to make less severe; to limit (a statement)
extant
the opposite of extinct
wanting
lacking
prevaricate
Stray from the truth, mislead, lie
veracious
truthful
profligate
Completely and shamelessly immoral, or extremely wasteful
artful
exhibiting artistic skill; clever in a cunning way
enervate
Weaken, tire
impertinent
being disrespectful; improperly forward or bold
acrimony
bitterness and ill will
prodigal
Wasteful, extravagant; giving abundantly, lavish
parsimonious
extremely frugal; miserly
restive
Impatient or uneasy under the control of another; resisting being controlled
betray
to reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally
gregarious
Sociable, pertaining to a flock or crowd
harangue
Long, intense verbal attack, esp. when delivered publicly
censure
Strong disapproval or official reprimand (noun), to issue such disapproval or reprimand (verb)
venality
the condition of being susceptible to bribes or corruption
Section 2
(50 cards)
officious
adjective: intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner The professor had trouble concentrating on her new theorem, because her officious secretary would barge in frequently reminding her of some trivial detail involving departmental paperwork.
diminutive
noun: to indicate smallness He prefers to be called a diminutive of his name: "Bill" instead of "John William." adjective: very small When he put on his father's suit and shoes, his appearance was that of a diminutive youth.
oblique
adjective: not straightforward; indirect Herbert never explicitly revealed anything negative about Tom's past, but at times he would obliquely suggest that Tom was not as innocent as he seemed.
misattribute
verb: To erroneously attribute; to falsely ascribe; used especially of authorship. I made a mistake; I misattributed "Crime and Punishment" to Leo Tolstoy when it was actually written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
flag
verb: droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness; become less intense After the three crushing defeats in the last three games, the team's enthusiasm began to flag.
veritable
adjective: truthfully, without a doubt Frank is a veritable life-saver -- last year, on two different occasions, he revived people using CPR.
adjudicate
verb: to serve as a judge in a competition; to arrive at a judgment or conclusion Only those with the most refined palates were able to adjudicate during the barbeque competition.
verisimilitude
noun: the appearance of truth All bad novels are bad for numerous reasons; all good novels are good for their verisimilitude of reality, placing the readers in a world that resembles the one they know.
loath
adjective: unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom (usually followed by 'to') I was loath to leave the concert before my favorite band finished playing.
estimable
adjective: deserving of esteem and respect After serving thirty years, in which he selflessly served the community, Judge Harper was one of the more estimable people in town.
raillery
noun: light teasing The new recruit was not bothered by the raillery, finding most of it light-hearted and good-natured.
capitulate
noun: to surrender (usually under agreed conditions) Paul, losing 19-0 in a ping-pong match against his nimble friend, basically capitulated when he played the last two points with his eyes closed.
demonstrative
adjective: given to or marked by the open expression of emotion When Sally told James that she wanted to break up with him, she expected he would react demonstratively, but he quietly nodded his head and left without saying a word.
bereft
adjective: unhappy in love; suffering from unrequited love After 64 years of marriage, William was bereft after the death of his wife. adjective: sorrowful through loss or deprivation "You are not bereft if you haven't played on your Xbox in the past week," his mother said.
panacea
noun: hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; a universal solution While the company credit card has made most large purchases easier, it is no panacea: some smaller basic transactions still must be conducted in cash.
halcyon
adjective: idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting happy tranquillity; marked by peace and prosperity The first decade after WWI was a halcyon period in America with new-found wealth and rapidly improving technology.
graft
noun: corruption, usually through bribery In countries with rampant graft, getting a driver's license can require no more than paying an official.
simulacrum
noun: a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture) The Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center showcases a simulacrum of all the present and approved buildings in the city of Shanghai. noun: a bad imitation The early days of computer graphics made real people into a simalacrum that now seems comical.
splenetic
adjective: very irritable Ever since the car accident, Frank has been unable to walk without a cane, and so he has become splenetic and unpleasant to be around.
pillory
verb: ridicule or expose to public scorn After the candidate confessed, the press of the opposing party took the opportunity to pillory him, printing editorials with the most blatantly exaggerated accusations.
canard
noun: a deliberately misleading fabrication The public will always be fooled by the media's canards.
surfeit
noun: an excessive amount of something There was no such thing as a surfeit of shopping for Nancy--she could stay at the outlet stores from opening to closing time.
promulgate
verb: state or announce The President wanted to promulgate the success of the treaty negotiations, but he had to wait until Congress formally approved the agreement.
dissipate
verb: squander or spend money frivolously The recent graduates dissipated their earnings on trips to Las Vegas and cruises in Mexico. verb: to disperse or scatter Kathleen's perfume was overwhelming in the cramped apartment, but once we stepped outside the smell dissipated and we could breathe once again.
ebullient
adjective: joyously unrestrained Can you blame him for his ebullient mood? He just graduated from medical school.
enamor
verb: attraction or feeling of love She is completely enamored with Justin Bieber, and goes to all his concerts on the East coast.
dissemble
verb: conceal one's true motives, usually through deceit To get close to the senator, the assassin dissembled his intentions, convincing many people that he was a reporter for a well-known newspaper.
concomitant
adjective: describing an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another Concomitant with his desire for nature was a desire for the culture and energy of a big city.
obtain
adjective: be valid, applicable, or true The custom of waiting your turn in line does not obtain in some countries, in which many people try to rush to front of the line at the same time.
hoodwink
verb: to deceive or trick someone Someone tried to hoodwink Marty with an email telling him that his uncle had just passed away, and to collect the inheritance he should send his credit card information.
lachrymose
adjective: showing sorrow Lachrymose and depressed, Alexei Alexandrovich walked two miles home in the rain after learning that his wife was having an affair.
row
noun: an angry dispute The Prime Minister looked very foolish after his row with the foreign dignitary was caught on video and posted on youtube.
chauvinism
noun: fanatical patriotism; belief that one's group/cause is superior to all other groups/causes Vegetarians argue that man is chauvinistic in his belief that animals do not consciously feel the pain we humans do.
countermand
verb: a contrary command cancelling or reversing a previous command By the time the colonel countermanded his soldiers not to land in enemy territory, a few helicopters had already touched down amid heavy gunfire.
modicum
noun: a small or moderate or token amount If my sister had even a modicum of sense, she wouldn't be engaged to that barbarian.
dissolution
noun: a living full of debauchery and indulgence in sensual pleasure Many Roman emporers were known for their dissolution, indulging in unspeakable desires of the flesh.
cataclysm
noun: an event resulting in great loss and misfortune The introduction of smallpox was a cataclysm for Native Americans, killing off more than half of their population.
extrapolate
verb: draw from specific cases for more general cases By extrapolating from the data on the past three months, we can predict a 5% increase in traffic to our website.
abrogate
verb: revoke formally As part of the agreement between the labor union and the company, the workers abrogated their right to strike for four years in exchange for better health insurance.
exiguity
noun: the quality of being meager After two months at sea, the exiguity of the ship's supplies forced them to search for fresh water and food.
trenchant
adjective: characterized by or full of force and vigor; having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought, expression, or intellect Jill presented a rather superficial treatment of sales in Asia, but her trenchant analysis of sales in Europe inspired a number of insights into how to proceed in that market.
exorbitant
adjective: greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation Shelley made one exorbitant purchase after another, buying new clothes and taking vacations even though she earned a limited salary.
eponym
noun: the name derived from a person (real or imaginary); the person for whom something is named Alexandria, Egypt is an eponym because it is named after Alexander the Great.
bastardization
noun: an act that debases or corrupts The movie World War Z is a complete bastardization of the book with little more in common than zombies and a title.
despot
noun: a cruel and oppressive dictator The Emperor Claudius was regarded as a fair-minded leader; his successor, Nero, was an absolute despot.
sardonic
adjective: disdainfully or ironically humorous; scornful and mocking A stand-up comedian walks a fine line when making jokes about members of the audience; such fun and joking can quickly become sardonic and cutting.
evanescent
adjective: tending to vanish like vapor The storm flashed into existence above us and lasted only a short time—an evanescent turbulence of wind and cloud.
palaver
verb: speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly During the rain delay, many who had come to see the game palavered, probably hoping that idle chatter would make the time go by faster.
infelicitous
adjective: inappropriate During the executive meeting, the marketing director continued to make infelicitous comments about the CEO's gambling habit.
ineluctable
adjective: impossible to avoid or evade: For those who smoke cigarettes for years, a major health crisis brought on by smoking is ineluctable.
Section 3
(50 cards)
complaisant
adjective: showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others On her first day at the job, Annie was complaisant, fulfilling every request of her new employee and anticipating future requests.
inviolable
adjective: never to be broken, infringed, or dishonored Too many the grass at Wimbledon is inviolable and only greater tennis players are able to enjoy a game there.
doughty
adjective: brave; bold; courageous I enjoy films in which a doughty group comes together to battle a force of evil.
conflate
verb: mix together different elements or concepts In her recent book, the author conflates several genres--the detective story, the teen thriller, and the vampire romance--to create a memorable read.
stultify
verb: cause one, through routine, to lose energy and enthusiasm As an undergraduate Mark felt stultified by classes outside his area of study; only in grad school, in which he could focus solely on literary analysis, did he regain his scholarly edge.
autocratic
adjective: characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty The last true autocratic country is certainly North Korea; nowhere does a leader exercise the absolute control over all aspects of a people the way that Kim Jong-un does. adjective: offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power The manager was finally fired for his autocratic leadership, which often bordered on rude and offensive.
impugn
verb: attack as false or wrong Though many initially tried to impugn Darwin's theory, in scientific circles today, the is idea taken as truth.
enormity
noun: an act of extreme wickedness The enormity of Pol Pot's regime is hard to capture in words--within months hundreds of thousands of Cambodians lost their lives.
obtuse
adjective: slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity; lacking in insight or discernment Jackson was the most obtuse member of the team: the manager's subtle ironies were always lost on him.
solicitous
adjective: showing hovering attentiveness Our neighbors are constantly knocking on our door to make sure we are ok, and I don't know how to ask them to stop being so solicitous about our health.
fecund
adjective: intellectually productive The artist had entered a fecund period, producing three masterpieces in the span of two months.
assiduously
adverb: with care and persistence The top college football program recruits new talent assiduously, only choosing those who were the top in their county.
ethereal
adjective: characterized by lightness and insubstantiality Because she dances with an ethereal style, ballet critics have called her Madame Butterfly.
turgid
adjective: (of language) pompous and tedious The amount of GRE vocabulary he used increased with his years--by the time he was 60, his novels were so turgid that even his diehard fans refused to read them.
afford
verb: provide with an opportunity The summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro affords a panoramic view that encompasses both Tanzania and Kenya.
panegyric
noun: a formal expression of praise Dave asked Andrew to do just a simple toast, but Andrew launched into a full panegyric, enumerating a complete list of Dave's achievements and admirable qualities.
elegiac
adjective: expressing sorrow Few can listen to the elegiac opening bars of the Moonlight sonata without feeling the urge to cry.
tyro
noun: someone new to a field or activity All great writers, athletes, and artists were tyros at one time—unknown, clumsy, and unskilled with much to learn.
proscribe
verb: command against My doctor proscribes that I not eat donuts with chocolate sauce and hamburger patties for breakfast.
abjure
verb: formally reject or give up (as a belief) While the church believed that Galileo abjured the heliocentric theory under threat of torture, he later wrote a book clearly supporting the theory.
conflagration
noun: a very intense and uncontrolled fire In the summer months, conflagrations are not uncommon in the southwest, do to the heat and lack of rain.
vaunted
adjective: highly or widely praised or boasted about For years, they had heard of New York City's vaunted skyline, and when they finally saw it, the spectacular cityscape did not disappoint them in the least.
bridle
verb: the act of restraining power or action or limiting excess New curfew laws have bridled people's tendency to go out at night. verb: anger or take offense The hostess bridled at the tactless dinner guests who insisted on eating before everybody had gotten their food.
facile
adjective: arrived at without due care or effort; lacking depth Many news shows provide facile explanations to complex politics, so I prefer to read the in-depth reporting of The New York Times.
discursive
adjective: (of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point Many readers find it tough to read Moby Dick since the author is discursive, often cutting the action short to spend 20 pages on the history of a whale.
bromide
noun: a trite or obvious remark Instead of sharing his umbrella, the cheeky stranger offered Martha the following bromide: "Looks like it's raining."
mendicant
noun: a pauper who lives by begging Tolstoy was an aristocrat, but he strove to understand the Christianity of the Russian peasants by wandering among them as a mendicant.
desiccated
adjective: uninteresting, lacking vitality Few novelists over 80 are able to produce anything more than desiccated works--boring shadows of former books.
appropriate
verb: to give or take something by force The government appropriated land that was occupied by squatters, sending them scurrying for another place to live. verb: to allocate The committe appropriated the funds to its various members.
unassailable
adjective: immune to attack; without flaws Professor Williams is so self-assured as to seem arrogant, presenting each and every opinion as an unassailable fact.
self-effacing
adjective: reluctant to draw attention to yourself The most admirable teachers and respected leaders are those who are self-effacing, directing attention and praise to their students and workers.
impervious
adjective: not admitting of passage or capable of being affected I am not impervious to your insults; they cause me great pain.
pellucid
adjective: transparently clear; easily understandable The professor had a remarkable ability make even the most difficult concepts seem pellucid.
coterminous
adjective: being of equal extent or scope or duration The border of the state is coterminous with geographic limits on travel; the east and north are surrounded by a nearly uncrossable river and the south by a desert.
callow
adjective: young and inexperienced Both Los Angeles and New York are known for callow out-of-towners hoping to make it big.
hauteur
noun: overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors As soon as she won the lottery, Alice begin displaying a hauteur to her friends, calling them dirty-clothed peasants behind their backs.
inequity
noun: injustice by virtue of not conforming with rules or standards After decades of racial inequity, the "separate but equal" doctrine was successfully overturned.
internecine
adjective: (of conflict) within a group or organization The guerilla group, which had become so powerful as to own the state police, was finally destroyed by an internecine conflict.
gumption
noun: resourcefulness and determination Wallace Stegner lamented the lack of gumption in the U.S. during the sixties, claiming that no young person knew the value of work.
noisome
adjective: having an extremely bad smell Each August, when the winds moved in a south easterly direction, the garbage dump would spread noisome vapors through the small town.
pontificate
verb: talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner The vice-president would often pontificate about economic theory, as if no one else in the room were qualified to speak on the topic.
desideratum
noun: something desired as a necessity The desideratum of the environmental group is that motorists should rely on carpooling.
palatable
adjective: acceptable to the taste or mind MIkey didn't partake much in his friends' conversations, but found their presence palatable.
dolorous
adjective: showing sorrow Chopin's ballades are filled with sharp changes in moods--a dolorous melody can give way to a lighthearted tempo.
bereft
adjective: unhappy in love; suffering from unrequited love After 64 years of marriage, William was bereft after the death of his wife. adjective: sorrowful through loss or deprivation "You are not bereft if you haven't played on your Xbox in the past week," his mother said.
unimpeachable
adjective: free of guilt; not subject to blame; beyond doubt or reproach After his long and unimpeachable service to the company, Sharat felt that a gold watch was a slap in the face rather than an honor.
malingerer
noun: someone shirking their duty by pretending to be sick or incapacitated At one time, our country was full of hardworking respectful people, but now it seems that everyone is a malingerer with little inclination to work.
aplomb
noun: great coolness and composure under strain Nancy acted with aplomb during dangerous situations--she once calmly climbed up an oak tree to save a cat.
complicit
adjective: Associated with or participating in an activity, especially one of a questionable nature. While the grand jury cleared the senator of all criminal charges, in the public mind he was still complicit in the corruption.
transmute
verb: change or alter in form, appearance, or nature One of the goals of alchemy was to find the substance or process that would transmute lead into gold.
Section 4
(50 cards)
appurtenant
adjective: supply added support In hiking Mt. Everest, sherpas are appurtenant, helping climbers both carry gear and navigate treacherous paths.
phlegmatic
adjective: showing little emotion Arnold is truly noble, remaining reserved until an issue of significance arises, but Walter is simply phlegmatic: he doesn't have the energy or inclination to care about anything.
chimera
noun: something desired or wished for but is only an illusion and impossible to achieve Many believe that a world free of war is a chimera—a dream that ignores humanity's violent tendancies.
debonair
adjective: having a sophisticated charm James Bond is known for his good looks, high tech gadgets, and debonair manner.
bristle
verb: react in an offended or angry manner As we discussed the painting, I noticed the artitst's wife bristling at our criticisms, ready to defend her husband's work.
embryonic
adjective: in an early stage of development The Board of Directors is hoping to launch a new product soon, but planning for the Z7 is in an embryonic stages.
meteoric
adjective: like a meteor in speed or brilliance or transience The early spectacular successes propelled the pitcher to meteoric stardom, but a terribly injury tragically cut short his career.
languish
verb: become feeble Stranded in the wilderness for four days, the hiker languished, eating protein bars and nuts.
exemplar
noun: something to be imitated Lena's homework is on the wall because it is an exemplar of clean, neat, and thoughtful work.
besotted
adjective: strongly affectionate towards Even though her father did not approve, Juliet became besotted with the young Romeo. adjective: very drunk Never before have I seen my mom so besotted, and honestly, I hope it's the last time she drinks so much.
doleful
adjective: filled with or evoking sadness No event is more doleful than the passing of my mother; she was a shining star in my life, and it brings me great sadness to think that she is now gone.
objurgate
verb: express strong disapproval of The manager spent an hour objurgating the employee in the hopes that he would not make these mistakes again.
bemoan
verb: express discontent or a stong regret While the CFO carefully explained all the reasons for the cuts in benefits, after the meeting employees bemoaned the cuts as further evidence that management was against them.
hoary
adjective: ancient Most workout gurus are young, fit people, whereas most yoga gurus are hoary men with long white beards.
ineffable
adjective: too sacred to be uttered; defying expression or description While art critics can occasionally pinpoint a work's greatness, much of why a piece captures our imaginations is completely ineffable.
brook
verb: put up with something or somebody unpleasant While she was at the chalkboard, the teacher did not brook any form of talking--even a tiny peep resulted in afternoon detention.
gambit
noun: a manuveur or risk in a game or conversation, designed to secure an advantage Randy played a gambit, telling his boss that he would leave at the end of the week if he didn't get a raise.
artifice
noun: cunning tricks used to deceive others The mayoral candidates both spent much of the campaign accusing each other of artifices designed to mislead the voting public.
effervescent
adjective: marked by high spirits or excitement After the sales result, the manager was in an effervescent mood, letting several employees leave work early that day.
antic
adjective: ludicrously odd The clown's antic act was too extreme for the youngest children, who left the room in tears.
proselytize
verb: convert to another religion, philosophy, or perspective Lisa loves her Mac but says little about it; by contrast, Jake will proselytize, interrogating anyone with an Android about why she didn't purchase an iPhone.
percipient
adjective: highly perceptive Even the most percipient editor will make an occasional error when proofreading.
anachronism
noun: something that is inappropriate for the given time period (usually something old). Dressed in 15th century clothing each day, Edward was a walking anachronism.
recrudesce
verb: to break out or happen again After years of gamblers anonymous, Tony thought he'd broken his compulsive slot machine playing, but it took only one trip to the Atlantic City for a full recrudescence--he lost $5k on the one armed bandit.
truculence
noun: defiant aggressiveness When the boss confronted Aaron about his earlier remarks, Aaron responded with utter truculence, simply throwing a glass of water in the boss' face and walking away.
reprisal
noun: a retaliatory action against an enemy in wartime The Old Testament doctrine of an eye for an eye is not the kind of retaliation practiced in war; rather, an arm, a leg, and both ears are the reprisal for the smallest scratch.
chastise
verb: to reprimand harshly Though chastised for eating the snacks for the party, Lawrence shrugged off his mother's harsh words, and continued to plow through jars of cookies and boxes of donuts.
solicitude
noun: a feeling of excessive concern I walked to his house in the rain to make sure he had enough to eat while he was sick, but he seemed not to appreciate my solicitude.
chagrin
noun: strong feelings of embarrassment Much to the the timid writer's chagrin, the audience chanted his name until he came back on the stage. verb: cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of She never cared what others said about her appearance but was chagrined by the smallest comment from her mother.
untrammeled
adjective: not confined or limited The whole notion of living untrammeled inspired the American Revolution and was enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
squelch
verb: suppress or crush completely After the dictator consolidated his power, he took steps to squelch all criticism, often arresting any journalist who said anything that could be interpreted as negative about his regime.
empiricism
noun: any method that derives knowledge from experience, used in experimental science as a way to gain insight and knowledge Empiricism does not always lead to knowledge; an experience or experiment may raise more questions than it answers.
apothegm
noun: a short, pithy instructive saying Winston Churchill is famous for many apothegms, but this might be his most famous: "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."
pith
noun: the most essential part of something When Cynthia hears a speaker presenting a complex argument, she is always able to discard the irrelevant details and extract the pith of what the speaker is trying to convey.
unstinting
adjective: very generous Helen is unstinting with her time, often spending hours at the house of a sick friend.
vitriol
noun: abusive or venomous language used to express blame or bitter deep-seated ill will His vitriol spewed forth from a deep-seated racisim that consumed his whole life.
baleful
adjective: threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments Movies often use storms or rain clouds as a baleful omen of evil events that will soon befall the main character.
inchoate
adjective: only partly in existence; imperfectly formed Inchoate ideas about the relation of humans to other animals had been discussed since the Middle Ages but the modern theory really began with Darwin.
deign
verb: do something that one considers to be below one's dignity The master of the house never deigned to answer questions from the servants.
nettlesome
adjective: causing irritation or annoyance Maria found her coworkers cell phone nettlesome, because every few minutes it would buzz to life with another text message.
disingenuous
adjective: not straightforward; giving a false appearance of frankness Many adults think that they can lie to children, but kids are smart and know when people are disingenuous.
ersatz
adjective: not real or genuine; phony The car dealer's ersatz laughter was immediately followed by a price quote, one that Shelley found highly inflated.
arrogate
verb: seize and control without authority Arriving at the small town, the outlaw arrogated the privileges of a lord, asking the frightened citizens to provide food, drink, and entertainment.
rapprochement
noun: the reestablishing of cordial relations Although Ann hoped that her mother and her aunt would have a rapprochement, each one's bitter accusations against the other made any reconciliation unlikely.
unprepossessing
adjective: creating an unfavorable or neutral first impression World leaders coming to meet Gandhi would expect a towering sage, and often would be surprised by the unprepossessing little man dressed only in a loincloth and shawl.
paragon
noun: model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal Even with the rise of Kobe Bryant, many still believe that Michael Jordon is the paragon for basketball players. noun: an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept Some say that Athens was the paragon of democracy, but these people often forget that slaves and women were still not allowed to vote.
inanity
noun: total lack of meaning or ideas Bill's poem was nothing more than a list of impressive sounding words, so there was no point in trying to take meaning from the inanity.
broadside
noun: a strong verbal attack Political broadsides are usually strongest in the weeks leading up to a national election.
browbeat
verb: be bossy towards; discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner During the interrogation, the suspect was browbeaten into signing a false confession.
epigram
noun: a witty saying My favorite epigram from Mark Twain is "A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn no other way."
Section 5
(50 cards)
magisterial
adjective: offensively self-assured or given to exercising unwarranted power Though she was only a third grade teacher, Ms. Martinet was magisterial in dealing with her class, lording over them like a queen.
firebrand
noun: someone who deliberately creates trouble Freddie is a firebrand: every time he walks into the office, he winds up at the center of heated argument.
celerity
noun: speed, rapidity We aim to respond to customers' questions with celerity and accuracy, with no longer than a 24 hour wait time.
denouement
noun: the final resolution of the many strands of a literary or dramatic work; the outcome of a complex sequence of events At the denouement of the movie, all questions were answered, and the true identity of the robber was revealed.
inure
verb: to make accustomed to something unpleasant Three years of Manhattan living has inured her to the sound of wailing sirens; she could probably sleep through the apocalypse.
puissant
adjective: powerful Over the years of service, and quite to his surprise, he became a puissant advisor to the community.
crystallize
verb: cause to take on a definite and clear shape Only after fifteen minutes of brainstorming did Samantha's ideas for the essay crystallize.
atavism
noun: a reappearance of an earlier characteristic; throwback Much of the modern art movement was an atavism to a style of art found only in small villages through Africa and South America.
invidious
adjective: likely to cause resentment At a time when many others in the office were about to be laid off, many considered Cheryl's fine clothes that day an invidious display.
impetuous
adjective: characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation Herbert is rarely impetuous, but on the spur of the moment, he spent thousands of dollars on a motorcycle today.
ribald
adjective: humorously vulgar The speaker was famous for his ribald humor, but the high school principal asked him to keep the talk G-rated when he spoke to the student body.
peripatetic
adjective: traveling by foot Jim always preferred a peripatetic approach to discovering a city: he felt that he could see so many more details while walking.
decry
verb: express strong disapproval of The entire audience erupted in shouts and curses, decrying the penalty card issued by the referee.
corollary
noun: a practical consequence that follows naturally A corollary of Hurricane Sandy, which ravaged the east coast of the U.S., is a push to build higher sea walls to protect against future hurricanes.
imperious
adjective: having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy Children are imperious with each other before they learn that earning someone's respect is better than demanding.
presentiment
noun: a feeling of evil to come On the night that Lincoln would be fatally shot, his wife had a presentiment about going to Ford's Theater, but Lincoln persuaded her that everything would be fine.
tempestuous
adjective: as if driven by turbulent or conflicting emotions; highly energetic and wildly changing or fluctuating Chuck and Kathy had always been stable and agreeable people on their own, but when they got involved, it was a tempestuous relationship.
inimitable
adjective: defying imitation; matchless Mozart's music follows a clear pattern that, anyone could imitate, but his music gives an overall sense of effortlessness that is inimitable.
stalwart
adjective: dependable; inured to fatigue or hardships Despite all the criticism directed at the President during this scandal, Lisa has remained his stalwart supporter.
unpropitious
adjective: (of a circumstance) with little chance of success With only a bottle of water and a sandwich, the hikers faced an unpropitious task: ascending a huge mountain that took most two days to climb.
cosseted
verb: treat with excessive indulgence The king and queen cosseted the young prince, giving him a prized miniature pony for his fifth birthday.
spartan
adjective: unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment; practicing great self-denial After losing everything in a fire, Tim decided to live in spartan conditions, sleeping on the floor and owning as little furniture as a possible.
machinate
verb: engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together The rebels met at night in an abandoned barn to machinate.
crestfallen
adjective: brought low in spirit I asked Maria on a date and she refused without a moment's thought; I was crestfallen.
recrimination
noun: mutual accusations The two brothers sat and cried, pointing fingers and making elaborate recriminations of the other's guilt.
hobble
verb: to hold back the progress of something Bad weather has hobbled rescue efforts, making it difficult for crews to find bodies in the wreckage.
surreptitious
adjective: stealty, taking pains not to be caught or detected Since his mom was a light sleeper, Timmy had to tiptoe surreptitiously through the entire house, careful to not make the floors creak, until he at last was able to enjoy his plunder: a box of chocolate chip cookies.
puerile
adjective: of or characteristic of a child; displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity Helen enjoyed blowing soap bubbles, but Jim regarded this as puerile, totally unworthy of a woman with a Ph.D.
obstreperous
adjective: noisily and stubbornly defiant; willfully difficult to control When the teacher asked the obstreperous student simply to bus his tray, the student threw the entire tray on the floor, shouted an epithet, and walked out.
hubris
noun: overbearing pride or presumption Bill Clinton was criticized for his hubris, since he believed he could get away with anything once in the White House.
ossify
verb: make rigid and set into a conventional pattern Even as a young man, Bob had some bias against poor people, but during his years in social services, his bad opinions ossified into unshiftable views.
philistine
adjective: smug and ignorant towards artistic and cultural values Jane considered Al completely philistine, because he talked almost exclusive about video games; she was entirely unaware of how well read he really was.
encumber
verb: hold back The costume encumbered all my movements and caused me to sweat profusely.
lacerate
verb: deeply hurt the feelings of; distress The teacher was fired for lacerating a student who wrote a poor essay.
incontrovertible
adjective: necessarily or demonstrably true; impossible to deny or disprove Unless you can provide incontrovertible evidence, I will remain skeptical.
dispensation
noun: an exemption from a rule or obligation Since her father is a billionaire, she is given dispensation from many of the school's policies.
irrefutable
adjective: impossible to deny or disprove The existence of life on earth is irrefutable; the existence of intelligent life on earth is still hotly debated.
unflappable
adjective: not easily perturbed or excited or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure The house shook and the ground quaked, but my dad was unflappable and comforted the family.
immure
verb: to enclose, usually in walls The modern supermarket experience makes many feel claustrophobic, as they are immured in walls upon walls of products.
patent
adjective: glaringly obvious Since the book had been through no fewer than six proof runs, the staff was shocked to see such a patent spelling mistake remaining, right in the middle of the front cover!
rarefied
verb: make more subtle or refined Jack's vulgar jokes were not so successful in the rarefied enviroment of college professors.
inviolate
adjective: must be kept sacred While the literary critic subjected most of the classics to the harshest reviews, he regarded Cervantes as inviolate, and had nothing but praise for him.
asperity
noun: harshness of manner The editor was known for his asperity, often sending severe letters of rejection to amateur writers.
dovetail
verb: fit together tightly, as if by means of a interlocking joint Although Darwin's evolution and Mendel's genetics were developed in isolation from one another, they dovetail each other very well.
improvident
adjective: not given careful consideration Marty was improvident, never putting money aside for the future but spending it on decorating the interior of his home.
intimation
noun: an indirect suggestion At first the hostess tried intimation, praising the benefits of cutlery; when Cecil continued eating with his hands, the hostess told him to use a fork at dinner.
subterfuge
noun: something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity Finally deciding to abandon all subterfuge, Arthur revealed to Cindy everything about his secret affair over the past two years.
untenable
adjective: (of theories etc) incapable of being defended or justified With the combination of Kepler's brilliant theories and Galileo's telescopic observations, the old geocentric theory became untenable to most of the educated people in Europe.
equitable
adjective: fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience The equitable distribution of ice cream to a group of 5 year olds will ensure little to no fighting—at least until the ice cream is gone.
nonchalant
adjective: coming across as cooly uninterested The twenty-somethings at the coffee shop always irked Sheldon, especially the way in which they acted nonchalantly towards everything, not even caring when Sheldon once spilled his mocha on them.
Section 6
(50 cards)
pecuniary
adjective: relating to or involving money The defendent was found guilty and had to serve a period of community service as well as pay pecuniary damages to the client.
flippant
adjective: showing inappropriate levity Although Sam was trying to honor Mark's sense of humor, many found it quite flippant that he wore a comic nose and glasses mask to Mark's funeral.
cede
verb: relinquish possession or control over Eventually, all parents must cede control of their growing childrens' educations and allow their offspring some autonomy.
recapitulation
noun: a summary (think of recap) Every point of the professors lesson was so clear that the students felt his concluding recapitulation was not necessary.
lampoon
verb: ridicule with satire Mark Twain understood that lampooning a bad idea with humor was the most effective criticism.
prolixity
noun: boring verbosity I loved my grandfather dearly, but his prolixity would put me to sleep, regardless of the topic.
bowdlerize
verb: edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate To recieve an R rating, the entire movie was bowdlerized because it contained so much violence and grotesque subject matter.
unforthcoming
adjective: uncooperative, not willing to give up information The teacher demanded to know who broke the window while he was out of the room, but the students understandably were unforthcoming.
primacy
noun: the state of being first in importance The primacy of Apple Computers is not guaranteed, as seen in the recent lawsuits and weak growth.
umbrage
noun: a feeling of anger caused by being offended Since he was so in love with her, he took umbrage at her comments, even though she had only meant to gently tease him.
anodyne
noun: something that soothes or relieves pain Muzak, which is played in department stores, is intended to be an anodyne, but is often so cheesy and over-the-top that customers become irritated. adjective: inoffensive Wilbur enjoyed a spicy Mexican breakfast, but Jill prefered a far more anodyne meal in the mornings.
hail
verb: enthusiastically acclaim or celebrate something Many college superstar athletes are hailed as the next big thing, but then flop at the professional level.
anemic
adjective: lacking energy and vigor After three straight shows, the lead actress gave an anemic performance the fourth night, barely speaking loudly enough for those in the back rows to hear.
gaffe
noun: a socially awkward or tactless act In a famous gaffe, Vice President Quayle attempted to correct the spelling of a grade school student, only to find that the child was correct.
raconteur
noun: a person skilled in telling anecdotes Jude is entertaining, but he is no raconteur: beyond the handful of amusing stories he has memorized, he has absolutely no spontaneous story-telling ability.
importuned
verb: beg persistently and urgently After weeks of importuning the star to meet for a five-minute interview, the journalist finally got what she wanted.
unviable
adjective: not able to work, survive, or succeed (also spelled inviable). The plan was obviously unviable considering that it lead to complete environmental destruction in the river valley.
punctilious
adjective: marked by precise accordance with details The colonel was so punctilious about enforcing regulations that men fell compelled to polish even the soles of their shoes.
enjoin
verb: give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority The government agency enjoined the chemical company to clean up the hazardous dump it had created over the years.
semblance
noun: an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading While the banker maintained a semblance of respectability in public, those who knew him well were familiar with his many crimes.
perspicacious
adjective: acutely insightful and wise Many modern observers regard Eisenhower as perspicacious, particularly in his accurate prediction of the growth of the military.
charlatan
noun: a flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes You may call him a "motivational speaker," but I call him a charlatan--he doesn't have any idea what he's really talking about.
provident
adjective: careful in regard to your own interests; providing carefully for the future In a move that hardly could be described as provident, Bert spend his entire savings on a luxurious cruise, knowing that other bills would come due a couple months later.
approbatory
adjective: expressing praise or approval Although it might not be her best work, Hunter's new novel has received generally approbatory reviews.
quail
verb: draw back, as with fear or pain Craig always claimed to be a fearless outdoorsman, but when the thunderstorm engulfed the valley, he quailed at the thought of leaving the safety of his cabin.
grandiloquent
adjective: puffed up with vanity The dictator was known for his grandiloquent speeches, puffing his chest out and using big, important-sounding words.
illustrious
adjective: widely known and esteemed; having or conferring glory Einstein was possibly the most illustrious scientist in recent history.
duplicity
noun: deceitfulness, pretending to want one thing but interested in something else A life of espionage is one of duplicity: an agent must pretend to be a totally different person than who she or he actually is.
plucky
adjective: marked by courage and determination Some scouts initially doubted Pedroia because of his short stature, but he is a plucky player, surprising everyone with his boundless energy and fierce determination.
mordant
adjective: biting and caustic in thought, manner, or style While Phil frequently made mordant remarks about company policy overall, he always was considerably gentler in discussing any person in particular.
insouciance
noun: lack of concern Surprisingly, Hank had become a high-powered CEO; his high school friends remembered him as "Hanky Panky", who shrugged off each failed class with insouciance.
maunder
verb: wander aimlessly Max liked to maunder down by the seaside and pick up whatever sea shells he would stumble upon. verb: speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly After drinking two expressos each, the animated couple would maunder loudly, annoying the other patrons in the coffee shop.
portentous
adjective: ominously prophetic When the captain and more than half the officers were sick on the very first night of the voyage, many of the passengers felt this was portentous, but the rest of the voyage continued without any problems.
prognostication
noun: a statement made about the future When the Senator was asked about where the negotiations would lead, he said that any guess he could make would be an unreliable prognostication.
moribund
adjective: being on the point of death; declining rapidly losing all momentum in progress Whether you like it or not, jazz as a genre is moribund at best, possibly already dead.
probity
noun: integrity, strong moral principles The ideal politician would have the probity to lead, but reality gravely falls short of the ideal of morally upright leaders.
solecism
noun: a socially awkward or tactless act Mother Anna was always on guard against any solecism from her children and scolded them immediately if any of them talked out of place in public.
effrontery
noun: audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to The skateboarders acted with effrontery, skating through the church grounds and spray-painting signs warning trespassers.
epiphany
noun: a sudden revelation or moment of insight Gary one day had an epiphany that he was a people person; he prompty quit his factory job and began working as a salesman.
flummox
verb: be a mystery or bewildering to Mary's behavoir completely flummoxes me: I never have any idea what her motivations might be.
artlessness
noun: the quality of innocence I, personally, found the artlessness of her speech charming.
sinecure
noun: an office that involves minimal duties The position of Research Director is a sinecure: the job entails almost no responsibilities, nor does the person in that position have to answer to anyone.
impute
verb: attribute (responsibility or fault) to something He imputed his subpar performance on the test to a combination of stress and poor sleep.
enthrall
verb: hold spellbound She was so enthralled by the movie that she never heard people screaming, "Fire! Fire!" in the neighboring theater.
hagiographic
adjective: excessively flattering toward someone's life or work Most accounts of Tiger Woods life were hagiographic, until, that is, his affairs made headlines.
derelict
adjective: (of a person) not doing one's duties The teacher was derelict in her duties because she hadn't graded a single student paper in three weeks. noun: (of a building) abandoned At one time the waterfront factories were busy and productive, but now they stand derelict and will be torn down.
lugubrious
adjective: excessively mournful At the funeral, lugubrious songs filled the small church.
litany
noun: any long and tedious account of something Mr. Rogers spoke to a Senate committee and did not give a litany of reasons to keep funding the program, but instead, appealed to the basic human decency of all present.
sagacious
adjective: having good judgement and acute insight Steve Jobs is surely one of the most sagacious CEOs, making Apple the most recognizable and valuable companies in the world.
vitriolic
adjective: harsh or corrosive in tone While the teacher was more moderate in her criticism of the other student's papers, she was vitriolic toward Peter's paper, casting every flaw in the harshest light.
Section 7
(50 cards)
propitiate
verb: to placate or appease The two sons, plying their angry father with cheesy neckties for Christmas, were hardly able to propitiate him - the father already had a drawer full of ones he had never worn before or ever planned to.
redoubtable
adjective: inspiring fear or awe On television basketball players don't look that tall, but when you stand in front of a seven-foot tall NBA player, he is truly redoubtable.
factitious
adjective: artificial; not natural The defendant's story was largely factitious and did not accord with eyewitness testimonies
mulct
verb: to defraud or swindle The so-called magical diet cure simply ended up mulcting Maria out of hundreds of dollars, but did nothing for her weight.
schadenfreude
noun: joy from watching the suffering of others From his warm apartment window, Stanley reveled in schadenfreude as he laughed at the figures below, huddled together in the arctic chill.
protean
adjective: readily taking on different roles; versatile Peter Sellers was truly a protean actor—in Doctor Strangelove he played three very different roles: a jingoist general, a sedate President and a deranged scientist.
palimpsest
noun: something that has been changed numerous times but on which traces of former iterations can still be seen The downtown was a palimpsest of the city's checkered past: a new Starbucks had opened up next to an abandoned, shuttered building, and a freshly asphalted road was inches away from a pothole large enough to swallow a small dog.
imbroglio
noun: a confusing and potentially embarrassing situation The chef cook-off featured one gourmand who had the unfortunate distinction of mixing the wrong broths, creating an imbroglio that diners would not soon forget.
remonstrate
verb: to make objections while pleading The mothers of the kidnapped victims remonstrated to the rogue government to release their children, claiming that the detention violated human rights.
quixotic
adjective: wildly idealistic; impractical For every thousand startups with quixotic plans to be the next big name in e-commerce, only a handful ever become profitable.
hedge
verb: to limit or qualify a statement; to avoid making a direct statement When asked why he had decided to buy millions of shares at the very moment the tech companies stock soared, the CEO hedged, mentioning something vague about gut instinct.
arch
adjective: to be deliberately teasing The baroness was arch, making playful asides to the townspeople; yet because they couldn't pick up on her dry humor, they thought her supercilious.
pyrrhic
adjective: describing a victory that comes at such a great cost that the victory is not worthwhile George W. Bush's win in the 2000 election was in many ways a pyrrhic victory: the circumstances of his win alienated half of the U.S. population.
peremptory
adjective: bossy and domineering My sister used to peremptorily tell me to do the dishes, a chore I would either do perfunctorily or avoid doing altogether.
temerity
noun: fearless daring No child has the temerity to go in the rundown house at the end of the street and see if it is haunted.
juggernaut
noun: a force that cannot be stopped Napoleon was considered a juggernaut until he decided to invade Russia in winter; after which, his once indomitable army was decimated by cold and famine.
fell
adjective: terribly evil For fans of the Harry Potter series, the fell Lord Voldemort, who terrorized poor Harry for seven lengthy installments, has finally been vanquished by the forces of good—unless, that is, JK Rowling decides to come out of retirement.
venial
adjective: easily excused or forgiven; pardonable His traffic violations ran the gamut from the venial to the egregious—on one occasion he simply did not come to a complete stop; another time he tried to escape across state lines at speeds in excess of 140 mph.
vituperate
adjective: to criticize harshly; to berate Jason had dealt with disciplinarians before, but nothing prepared him for the first week of boot camp, as drill sergeants vituperated him for petty oversights such as forgetting to double knot the laces on his boots.
picayune
adjective: trifling or petty (a person) English teachers are notorious for being picayune; however, the English language is so nuanced and sophisticated that often such teachers are not being contrary but are only adhering to the rules.
jaundice
adjective: to be biased against due to envy or prejudice Shelly was jaundiced towards Olivia; though the two had once been best friends, Olivia had become class president, prom queen, and, to make matters worse, the girlfriend of the one boy Shelly liked.
quisling
noun: a traitor History looks unfavorably upon quislings; indeed they are accorded about the same fondness as Nero—he who watched his city burn down while playing the violin.
malapropism
noun: the confusion of a word with another word that sounds similar Whenever I looked glum, my mother would offer to share "an amusing antidote" with me—an endearing malapropism of "anecdote" that never failed to cheer me up.
expurgate
verb: to remove objectionable material The censor expurgated every reference to sex and drugs, converting the rapper's raunchy flow into a series of bleeps.
benighted
adjective: fallen into a state of ignorance Far from being a period of utter benightedness, The Medieval Ages produced some great works of theological speculation.
mettlesome
adjective: filled with courage or valor For its raid on the Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Seal Team Six has become, for many Americans, the embodiment of mettle.
sangfroid
noun: calmness or poise in difficult situations The hostage negotiator exhibited a sangfroid that oftentimes was more menacing than the sword at his throat, or the gun at his head.
excoriate
verb: to criticize very harshly Entrusted with the prototype to his company's latest smartphone, Larry, during a late night karaoke bout, let the prototype slip into the hands of a rival company—the next day Larry was excoriated, and then fired.
parvenu
noun: a person who has suddenly become wealthy, but not socially accepted as part of a higher class The theater was full of parvenus who each thought that they were surrounded by true aristocrats.
maudlin
adjective: overly emotional and sad Just as those who were alive during the 70's are mortified that they once cavorted about in bellbottoms, many who lived during the 80's are now aghast at the maudlin pop songs they used to enjoy—really, just what exactly is a total eclipse of the heart?
execrate
verb: to curse and hiss at Though the new sitcom did decently in the ratings, Nelson railed against the show, saying that it was nothing more than an execrable pastiche of tired cliché's and canned laughter.
gerrymander
verb: to manipulate voting districts in order to favor a particular political party Years ago, savvy politicians had gerrymandered the city center to ensure their re-election.
jejune
adjective: dull; lacking flavor Although many top chefs have secured culinary foam's popularity in haute cuisine, Waters criticizes it for being jejune and unfilling. adjective: immature; childish Her boss further cemented his reuptation for being jejune after throwing a fit when the water cooler wasn't refilled.
sartorial
adjective: related to fashion or clothes Monte was astute at navigating the world of finance; sartorially, however, he was found wanting—he typically would attempt to complement his beige tie with a gray suit and white pants.
apotheosis
noun: exaltation to divine status; the highest point of development As difficult as it is to imagine, the apotheosis of Mark Zuckerberg's career, many believe, is yet to come.
histrionic
adjective: to be overly theatrical Though she received a B- on the test, she had such a histrionic outburst that one would have thought that she'd been handed a death sentence.
disabuse
verb: to persuade somebody that his/her belief is not valid As a child, I was quickly disabused of the notion that Santa Claus was a rotund benefactor of infinite largess—one night I saw my mother diligently wrapping presents and storing them under our Christmas tree.
limpid
adjective: clarity in terms of expression Her limpid prose made even the most recondite subjects accessible to all.
tendentious
adjective: likely to lean towards a controversial view Because political mudslinging has become a staple of the 24-hour media cycle, most of us, despite protestations to the contrary, are tendentious on many of today's pressing issues.
blinkered
adjective: to have a limited outlook or understanding In gambling, the addict is easily blinkered by past successes and/or past failures, forgetting that the outcome of any one game is independent of the games that preceded it.
martinet
noun: a strict disciplinarian The job seemed perfect to Rebecca, until she found out that her boss was a total martinet; after each project the boss would come by to scrutinize—and inevitably criticize—every little detail of the work Rebecca had done.
curmudgeon
noun: a grouchy, surly person Since Uncle Mike was the family curmudgeon, each Thanksgiving he was plied with copious amounts of wine, in the hope that she would become less grouchy.
cupidity
noun: greed for money Some believe people that amassing as much wealth as possible is the meaning to life—yet they often realize that cupidity brings anything but happiness.
bilious
adjective: irritable; always angry Rex was bilious all morning, and his face would only take on a look of contentedness when he'd had his morning cup of coffee.
Pollyannaish
adjective: extremely optimistic Even in the midst of a lousy sales quarter, Debbie remained Pollyannaish, never losing her shrill voice and wide smile, even when prospective customers hung up on her.
arriviste
noun: a person who has recently reached a position of power; a social climber The city center was aflutter with arrivistes who each tried to outdo one another with their ostentatious sports cars and chic evening dress.
phantasmagorical
adjective: illusive; unreal Those suffering from malaria fall into a feverish sleep, their world a whirligig of phantasmagoria; if they recover, they are unsure of what actually took place and what was simply a product of their febrile imaginations.
sybarite
noun: a person who indulges in luxury Despite the fact that he'd maxed out fifteen credit cards, Max was still a sybarite at heart: when the police found him, he was at a $1,000 an hour spa in Manhattan, getting a facial treatment.
invective
noun: abusive or denunciatory language The Internet has unleashed the invectives in many of us; many people post stinging criticism on the comments section underneath newspaper articles or YouTube videos.
impecunious
adjective: lacking money; poor In extremely trying times, even the moderately wealthy, after a few turns of ill-fortune, can become impecunious.
Section 8
(50 cards)
churlish
adjective: lacking manners or refinement The manager was unnecessarily churlish to his subordinates, rarely deigning to say hello, but always quick with a sartorial jab if someone happened to be wearing anything even slightly mismatching.
arrant
adjective: complete and wholly (usually modifying a noun with negative connotation) An arrant fool, Lawrence surprised nobody when he lost all his money in a pyramid scheme that was every bit as transparent as it was corrupt.
choleric
adjective: prone to outbursts of temper; easily angered While a brilliant lecturer, Mr. Dawson came across as choleric and unapproachable—very rarely did students come to his office hours.
byzantine
adjective: intricate and complex Getting a driver's license is not simply a matter of taking a test; the regulations and procedures are so byzantine that many have found themselves at the mercy of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
cow
verb: to intimidate Do not be cowed by a 3,000-word vocabulary list: turn that list into a deck of flashcards!
alacrity
noun: an eager willingness to do something The first three weeks at his new job, Mark worked with such alacrity that upper management knew it would be giving him a promotion.
overweening
adjective: arrogant; presumptuous Mark was so convinced of his basketball skills that in his overweening pride he could not fathom that his name was not on the varsity list; he walked up to the basketball coach and told her she had forgotten to add his name.
mellifluous
adjective: smooth and sweet-sounding Chelsea's grandmother thought Franz Schubert's music to be the most mellifluous ever written; Chelsea demurred, and to her grandmother's chagrin, would blast Rihanna on the home stereo speakers.
defray
verb: to help pay the cost of, either in part of full In order for Sean to attend the prestigious college, his generous uncle helped defray the excessive tuition with a monthly donation.
precipitate
adjective: hasty or rash Instead of conducting a thorough investigation after the city hall break-in, the governor acted precipitately, accusing his staff of aiding and abetting the criminals. verb: to cause to happen The government's mishandling the hurricane's aftermath precipitated a widespread outbreak of looting and other criminal activity.
supercilious
adjective: haughty and disdainful; looking down on others Nelly felt the Quiz Bowl director acted superciliously towards the underclassmen; really, she fumed, must he act so preternaturally omniscient each time he intones some obscure fact—as though everybody knows that Mt. Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America.
beg
verb: to evade or dodge (a question) By assuming that Charlie was headed to college—which he was not—Maggie begged the question when she asked him to which school he was headed in the Fall.
attenuate
verb: to weaken (in terms of intensity); to taper off/become thinner. Her animosity towards Bob attenuated over the years, and she even went so far as to invite him to her party.
lascivious
adjective: lecherous; sexually perverted Lolita is a challenging novel for many, not necessarily because of the elevated prose style but because of the depravity of the main character, Humbert Humbert, who, as an old, lascivious man, falls in love with a girl.
imbibe
verb: to drink or absorb as if drinking Plato imbibed Socrates' teachings to such an extent that he was able to write volumes of work that he directly attributed, sometimes word for word, to Socrates.
factious
adjective: produced by, or characterized by internal dissension The controversial bill proved factious, as dissension even within parties resulted
perfunctory
adjective: done routinely and with little interest or care The short film examines modern perfunctory cleaning rituals such as washing dishes, doing laundry and tooth-brushing.
catholic
adjective: of broad scope; universal Jonah's friends said that Jonah's taste in music was eclectic; Jonah was quick to point out that not only was his taste eclectic but it was also catholic: he enjoyed music from countries as far-flung as Mali and Mongolia.
expansive
adjective: communicative, and prone to talking in a sociable manner After a few sips of cognac, the octogenarian shed his irascible demeanor and became expansive, speaking fondly of the "good old days".
apostate
noun: a person who has abandoned a religious faith or cause An apostate of the Republican Party, Sheldon has yet to become affiliated with any party and dubs himself an independent.
exegesis
noun: critical explanation or analysis, especially of a text The Bible is fertile ground for exegesis—over the past five centuries there have been as many interpretations as there are pages in the Old Testament.
insufferable
adjective: intolerable, difficult to endure Chester always tried to find some area in which he excelled above others; unsurprisingly, his co-workers found him insufferable and chose to exclude him from daily luncheons out.
apogee
noun: the highest point The apogee of the Viennese style of music, Mozart's music continues to mesmerize audiences well into the 21st century.
base
adjective: the lowest, class were without any moral principles She was not so base as to begrudge the beggar the unwanted crumbs from her dinner plate.
malfeasance
adjective: misconduct or wrongdoing (especially by a public official) Not even the mayor's trademark pearly-toothed grin could save him from charges of malfeasance: while in power, he'd been running an illegal gambling rink in the room behind his office.
feckless
adjective: lazy and irresponsible Two years after graduation, Charlie still lived with his parents and had no job, becoming more feckless with each passing day.
sententious
adjective: to be moralizing, usually in a pompous sense The old man, casting his nose up in the air at the group of adolescents, intoned sententiously, "Youth is wasted on the young."
artless
adjective: without cunning or deceit Despite the president's seemingly artless speeches, he was a skilled and ruthless negotiator.
sedulous
adjective: done diligently and carefully An avid numismatist, Harold sedulously amassed a collection of coins from over 100 countries—an endeavor that took over fifteen years, and to five continents.
expunge
verb: to eliminate completely When I turned 18, all of the shoplifting and jaywalking charges were expunged from my criminal record.
untoward
adjective: unfavorable; inconvenient Some professors find teaching untoward as having to prepare for lectures and conduct office hours prevents them from focusing on their research.
truculent
adjective: having a fierce, savage nature Standing in line for six hours, she became progressively truculent, yelling at DMV employees and elbowing other people waiting in line.
penurious
adjective: lacking money; poor Truly penurious, Mary had nothing more than a jar full of pennies. adjective: miserly Warren Buffett, famous multi-billionaire, still drives a cheap sedan, not because he is penurious, but because luxury cars are gaudy and impractical.
contentious
adjective: likely to argue Since old grandpa Harry became very contentious during the summer when only reruns were on T.V., the grandkids learned to hide from him at every opportunity.
kowtow
verb: to bow or act in a subservient manner Paul kowtowed to his boss so often the boss herself became nauseated by his sycophancy.
anathema
noun: a detested person; the source of somebody's hate Hundreds of years ago, Galileo was anathema to the church; today the church is anathema to some on the left side of the political spectrum.
conciliate
verb: to make peace with His opponents believed his gesture to be conciliatory, yet as soon as they put down their weapons, he unsheathed a hidden sword.
turpitude
noun: depravity; a depraved act During his reign, Caligula indulged in unspeakable sexual practices, so it not surprising that he will forever be remembered for his turpitude.
jingoist
noun: a person who thinks that their country should be at war In the days leading up to war, a nation typically breaks up into the two opposing camps: doves, who do their best to avoid war, and jingoists, who are only too eager to wave national flags from their vehicles and vehemently denounce those who do not do the same.
diatribe
noun: a strong verbal attack against a person or institution Steve's mom launched into a diatribe during the PTA meeting, contending that the school was little more than a daycare in which students stare at the wall and teachers stare at the chalkboard.
nadir
noun: the lowest point For many pop music fans, the rap and alternative-rock dominated 90s were the nadir of musical expression.
zeitgeist
noun: spirit of the times Each decade has its own zeitgeist—the 1990's was a prosperous time in which the promise of the American Dream never seemed more palpable.
fractious
adjective: irritable and is likely to cause disruption We rarely invite my fractious Uncle over for dinner; he always complains about the food, and usually launches into a tirade on some touchy subject.
ponderous
adjective: weighed-down; moving slowly Laden with 20 kilograms of college text books, the freshman moved ponderously across the campus.
equivocate
verb: to speak vaguely, usually with the intention to mislead or deceive After Sharon brought the car home an hour after her curfew, she equivocated when her parents pointedly asked her where she had been.
chary
adjective: cautious, suspiciously reluctant to do something Having received three speeding tickets in the last two months, Jack was chary of driving at all above the speed limit, even on a straight stretch of highway that looked empty for miles ahead.
vicissitude
noun: change in one's circumstances, usually for the worse Even great rulers have their vicissitudes—massive kingdoms have diminished overnight, and once beloved kings have faced the scorn of angry masses.
pariah
noun: an outcast The once eminent scientist, upon being found guilty of faking his data, has become a pariah in the research community.
hector
verb: to bully or intimidate The boss's hectoring manner put off many employees, some of whom quit as soon as they found new jobs.
prosaic
adjective: dull and lacking imagination Unlike the talented artists in his workshop, Paul had no such bent for the visual medium, so when it was time for him to make a stained glass painting, he ended up with a prosaic mosaic.
Section 9
(50 cards)
discreet
adjective: careful to protect one's speech or actions in order to avoid offense or gain an advantage The professor thought that he was discreet, subtly wiping the stain off of his shirt, but as soon as he stepped off the podium a member of the audience pointed out the large ketchup stain.
vanquish
verb: come out better in a competition, race, or conflict For years, Argentina would dominate in World Cup qualifying matches, only to be vanquished by one of the European countries during the late stages of the tournament.
clemency
noun: leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice In the final moments of the trial, during his closing speech, Phillips was nearly begging the judge for clemency.
balk
verb: refuse to comply The students were willing to clean up the broken glass, but when the teacher asked them to mop the entire floor, they balked, citing reasons why they needed to leave.
compound
verb: make more intense, stronger, or more marked Her headache was compounded by the construction crew outside, which had six jackhammers going at the same time.
indigent
adjective: poor; having very little In the so-called Third World, many are indigent and only a privileged few have the resources to enjoy material luxuries. noun: a poor or needy person The indigents, huddled under the overpass, tried to start a small bonfire in the hope of staying warm.
aphorism
noun: a short instructive saying about a general truth Nietzsche was known for using aphorisms, sometimes encapsulating a complex philosophical thought in a mere sentence.
misogynist
noun: a person who dislikes women in particular Many have accused Hemingway of being a quiet misogynist, but recently unearthed letters argue against this belief.
chivalrous
adjective: being attentive to women like an ideal knight Marco's chivalrous ways, like opening doors and pulling out chairs, was much appreciated by his date.
resignation
noun: the acceptance of something unpleasant that can't be avoided Since Jack could not think of a convincing reason why he had to miss the seminar, he attended it with a sense of resignation.
abysmal
adjective: extremely bad Coach Ramsey took his newest player off the field after watching a few painful minutes of her abysmal performance.
excruciating
adjective: extremely painful After the boulder rolled a couple of feet, pinning my friend's arm, he experienced excruciating pain.
conundrum
noun: a difficult problem Computers have helped solve some of the mathematical conundrums which have puzzled man for many centuries.
creditable
adjective: deserving of praise but not that amazing Critics agreed the movie was creditable, but few gave it more than three out of five stars.
miscreant
noun: a person who breaks the law "Come back you miscreant!" yelled the woman who just had her purse stolen.
debunk
verb: expose as false ideas and claims, especially while ridiculing Richard Dawkins tries to debunk religious belief, but his ridicule tends to push people away from his points rather than convince them.
besiege
verb: harass, as with questions or requests; cause to feel distressed or worried After discovering a priceless artifact in her backyard, Jane was besieged by phone calls, emails, and reporters all trying to buy, hold or see the rare piece of history.
evasive
adjective: avoiding or escaping from difficulty or danger or commitment His responses were clearly evasive; he obviously did not want to take on any responsibility or any new work. adjective: deliberately vague or ambiguous Every time I call the bank, I receive the same evasive answers about our mortgage and never get a clear response.
carping
adjective: persistently petty and unjustified criticism What seemed like incessant nagging and carping about my behavior from my mother turned out to be wise and useful advice that has served me well.
stymie
verb: hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of The engineers found their plans stymied at every turn and were ultimately able to make amlost no progress on the project.
staid
adjective: characterized by dignity and propriety Frank came from a staid environment, so he was shocked that his college roommate sold narcotics.
inarticulate
adjective: without or deprived of the use of speech or words Although a brilliant economist, Professor Black was completely inarticulate, a terrible lecturer.
cosmopolitan
adjective: comprising many cultures; global in reach and outlook There are few cities in the world as diverse and cosmopolitan as New York.
snub
verb: refuse to acknowledge; reject outright and bluntly Wheeler was completely qualified for the committee, but the board snubbed him, choosing an obviously lesser qualified candidate instead.
behooves
verb: to be one's duty or obligation The teacher looked down at the student and said, "It would behoove you to be in class on time and complete your homework, so that you don't repeat freshman English for a third straight year."
sordid
adjective: involving ignoble actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt; foul and run-down and repulsive The nightly news simply announced that the senator had had an affair, but the tabloid published all the sordid details of the interaction.
dilapidated
adjective: in terrible condition The main house has been restored but the gazebo is still dilapidated and unuseable.
cumbersome
adjective: difficult to handle or use especially because of size or weight Only ten years ago, being an avid reader and a traveler meant carrying a cumbersome backpack stuffed with books--these days we need only an e-reader.
enumerate
verb: determine the number or amount of The survey enumerates the number of happy workers and the number of unhappy workers. verb: specify individually, one by one I sat and listened as she enumerated all of the things she did not like about the past three months.
inkling
noun: a slight suggestion or vague understanding Lynne speaks four Romance languages, but she doesn't have an inkling about how East Asian languages are structured.
forthright
adjective: characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion I did not expect the insurance agent to give us any straight answers, but I was pleasent surprised by how forthright he was.
belittle
verb: lessen the importance, dignity, or reputation of A good teacher will never belittle his students, but will instead empower them.
complementary
adjective: enhancing each other's qualities (for two things or more). The head waiter was careful to tell the amateur diners that red wine was complementary with beef, each bringing out subtle taste notes in the other.
dispatch
noun: dispose of rapidly and without delay and efficiently She finished her thesis with dispatch, amazing her advisors who couldn't believe she hadn't written 60 scholarly pages so quickly. verb: the property of being prompt and efficient As soon as the angry peasants stormed the castle, they caught the king and swiftly dispatched him.
relegate
verb: assign to a lower position When Dexter was unable to fulfill his basic duties, instead of firing him, the boss relegated him to kitchen cleanup.
decimation
noun: destroying or killing a large part of the population The decimation after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is incomprehensible.
saturnine
adjective: morose or gloomy Deprived of sunlight, humans become saturnine; that's why in very northerly territories people are encouraged to sit under an extremely powerful lamp, lest they become morose.
obliging
adjective: showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others Even after all his success, I found him to be accommodating and obliging, sharing with me his "secret tips" on how to gain wealth and make friends.
perquisite
noun: a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right) Even as the dishwasher at the French restaurant, Josh quickly learned that he had the perquisite of being able to eat terrific food for half the price diners would pay.
qualm
noun: uneasiness about the fitness of an action While he could articulate no clear reason why Harkner's plan would fail, he neverless felt qualms about committing any resources to it.
convivial
adjective: describing a lively atmosphere The wedding reception was convivial; friends who hadn't seen each other for ages drank and ate together before heading to the dance floor.
colossal
adjective: so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe Few appreciate the colossal scale of the sun: if hollow, it could contain a million Earths.
vie
verb: compete for something While the other teams in the division actively vie for the championship, this team seems content simply to go through the motions of playing.
champion
verb: to fight for a cause Martin Luther King Jr. championed civil rights fiercely throughout his short life.
constraint
noun: something that limits or restricts He found pop music a constraint on his ability to learn and preferred to listen to classical musical while studying.
malodorous
adjective: having an unpleasant smell Some thermally active fountains spew sulfur fumes--the air around them is sometimes so malodorous that many have to plug their noses.
differentiate
verb: be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait (sometimes in positive sense) Mozart's long melodic lines differentiate his compositions from other works of late 18th century music. verb: evolve so as to lead to a new species or develop in a way most suited to the environment Animals on Madagascar differentiated from other similar animal species due to many years of isolation on the island.
boorish
adjective: ill-mannered and coarse or contemptible in behavior or appearance Bukowski was known for being a boorish drunk and alienating close friends and family.
deliberate
verb: think about carefully; weigh the pros and cons of an issue Emergency situations such as this call for immediate action and leave no room to deliberate over options.
antiquated
adjective: old-fashioned; belonging to an earlier period in time Aunt Betty had antiquated notions about marriage, believing that a man should court a woman for at least a year before receiving a kiss.
Section 10
(50 cards)
rakish
adjective: marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness As soon as he arrived in the city, the rakish young man bought some drugs and headed straight for the seedy parts of town.
emulate
verb: strive to equal or match, especially by imitating; compete with successfully To really become fluent in a new language, emulate the speech patterns and intonation of people who speak the language.
avert
verb: turn away Afraid to see the aftermath of the car crash, I averted my eyes as we drove by. verb: ward off or prevent The struggling videogame company put all of its finances into one final, desperate project to avert bankrupcy.
uncanny
adjective: suggesting the operation of supernatural influences; surpassing the ordinary or normal Reggie has an uncanny ability to connect with animals: feral cats will readily approach him, and sometimes even wild birds will land on his finger.
presumptuous
adjective: excessively forward Many felt that Barney was presumptuous in moving into the large office before the management even made any official announcement of his promotion.
finagle
verb: achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods Steven was able to finagle one of the last seats on the train by convincing the conductor that his torn stub was actually a valid ticket.
wanton
adjective: without check or limitation; showing no moral restraints to one's anger, desire, or appetites Due to wanton behavior and crude language, the drunk man was thrown out of the bar and asked to never return.
tact
noun: consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offense In a tremendous display of tact, Shelly was able to maintain a strong friendship with Marcia, even though Marcia's husband, Frank, confessed to finding Shelley more attractive than Marcia.
insipid
adjective: dull and uninteresting The movie director was known for hiring beautiful actors in order to deflect attention away from the insipid scripts he would typically use.
buttress
verb: make stronger or defensible China's economy has been buttressed by a global demand for the electronic parts the country manufactures.
cavalier
adjective: given to haughty disregard of others Percy dismissed the issue with a cavalier wave of his hand.
quip
noun: a witty saying or remark In one of the most famous quips about classical music, Mark Twain said: "Wagner's music is better than it sounds."
coalesce
verb: fuse or cause to grow together Over time, the various tribes coalesced into a single common culture with one universal language.
enmity
noun: a state of deep-seated ill-will Charles rude remark toward Sarah yesterday was due to his illness, not due to any real enmity toward Sarah.
eccentric
adjective: highly unconventional or usual (usually describes a person) Mozart was well-known for his eccentricities, often speaking words backward to confuse those around him.
deride
verb: treat or speak of with contempt The nun derided the students for trying to sneak insects and worms into the classroom.
humdrum
adjective: dull and lacking excitement Having grown up in a humdrum suburb, Jacob relished life in New York City after moving.
lethargic
adjective: lacking energy Nothing can make a person more lethargic than a big turkey dinner.
consecrate
verb: to make holy or set apart for a high purpose At the church of Notre Dame in France, the new High Altar was consecrated in 1182.
antedate
verb: precede in time Harry was so unknowledgable that he was unaware the Egyptian pharaohs antedated the American Revolution.
glean
verb: collect information bit by bit Herb has given us no formal statement about his background, but from various hints, I have gleaned that he grew up in difficult circumstances.
precarious
adjective: fraught with danger People smoke to relax and forget their cares, but ironically, in terms of health risks, smoking is far more precarious than either mountain-climbing or skydiving.
industrious
adjective: characterized by hard work and perseverance Pete was an industrious student, completing every assignment thoroughly and on time.
tribulation
noun: something, especially an event, that causes difficulty and suffering As of 2013, nearly 1.5 million Syrians have fled their country hoping to escape the tribulations of a civil war tearing their country to pieces.
profusion
noun: the property of being extremely abundant When Maria reported that she had been visited by Jesus Christ and had proof, a profusion of reporters and journalists descended on the town.
prevail
verb: be widespread in a particular area at a particular time; be current: During the labor negotiations, an air of hostility prevailed in the office. verb: prove superior Before the cricket match, Australia was heavily favored, but India prevailed.
pastoral
adjective: relating to the countryside in a pleasant sense Those who imagine America's countryside as a pastoral region are often disappointed to learn that much of rural U.S. is filled with cornfields extending as far as the eye can see.
incumbent
adjective: necessary (for someone) as a duty or responsibility Middle managers at times make important decisions, but real responsibility for the financial well-being of the corporation is ultimately incumbent on the CEO.
cohesive
adjective: well integrated, forming a united whole A well-written, cohesive essay will keep on topic at all times, never losing sight of the main argument.
foolhardy
adjective: marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences The police regularly face dangerous situations, so for a police officer not to wear his bullet-proof vest is foolhardy.
ascribe
verb: attribute or credit to History ascribes The Odyssey and The Illiad to Homer, but scholars now debate whether he was a historical figure or a fictitious name.
rile
verb: cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations Dan is usually calm and balanced, but it takes only one intense glare from Sabrina to rile him.
redress
noun: an act of making something right Barry forgot his wife's birthday two years in a row, and was only able to redress his oversight by surprising his wife with a trip to Tahiti.
incense
verb: make furious When Herb bought football tickets for a game on the day of their wedding anniversary, Jill was incensed.
impending
adjective: close in time; about to occur The impending doom of our world has been a discussed and debated for 2000 years—maybe even longer.
conniving
verb: taking part in immoral and unethical plots The queen was so conniving that, with the help of the prince, she tried to overthrow the king.
elude
verb: escape understanding Even a basic understanding of physics can elude most high schools students.
cerebral
adjective: involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct A cerebral analysis of most pop music finds it to be simple and childish, but that ignores the point--the music's effect on the listener.
piquant
adjective: having an agreeably pungent taste The chef, with a mere flick of the salt shaker, turned the bland tomato soup into a piquant meal.
begrudge
verb: to envy someone for possessing or enjoying something Sitting all alone in his room, Harvey begrudged the happiness of the other children playing outside his window. verb: to give reluctantly We never begrudge money spent on ourselves.
irascible
adjective: quickly aroused to anger If Arthur's dog is not fed adequately, he becames highly irascible, even growling at his own shadow.
implicate
verb: convey a meaning; imply By saying that some of the guests were uncomfortable, the manager implicated to the hotel staff that it needed to be more dilligent. verb: to indicate in wrongdoing, usually a crime The crime boss was implicated for a long list of crimes, ranging from murder to disturbing the peace.
docile
adjective: easily handled or managed; willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed Barnyard animals are considerably more docile than the wild animals.
besmirch
verb: damage the good name and reputation of someone The prince's distasteful choice of words besmirched not only his own name, but the reputation of the entire royal family.
placid
adjective: not easily irritated Doug is normally placid, so we were all shocked to see him yelling at the television when the Mets lost the game.
delegate
verb: give an assignment to (a person) Since the senior manager had to go on many international business trips, she was forced to delegate many of her responsibilities to two lower-level managers.
evenhanded
adjective: without partiality Teachers often have trouble being evenhanded to all of their varied students.
fawn
verb: try to gain favor by extreme flattery The media fawned over the handsome new CEO, praising his impeccable sense of style instead of asking more pointed questions.
preempt
verb: take the place of or have precedence over A governmental warning about an imminent terrorist attack would preempt ordinary network programming on television.
veneer
noun: covering consisting of a thin superficial layer that hides the underlying substance Mark Twain referred to the Victorian Period in America as the "Gilded Age", implying the ample moral corruption that lay beneath a mere veneer of respectability.
Section 11
(50 cards)
tarnish
verb: make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically Pete Rose was one of the best baseball players of his generation, but his involvement with gambling on baseball games has tarnished his image in the eyes of many.
surly
adjective: inclined to anger or bad feelings with overtones of menace Every morning, Bhavin was a surly unhappy person, but once he ate breakfast, he became loving, laughing, and a joy to be around.
reservation
noun: an unstated doubt that prevents you from accepting something wholeheartedly I was initially excited by the idea of a trip to Washington, D.C. but now that I have read about the high crime statistics there, I have some reservations.
destitute
adjective: poor enough to need help from others Jean Valjean, is at first destitute, but through the grace of a priest, he makes something of his life. adjective: completely wanting or lacking (usually "destitute of") Now that the mine is closed, the town is destitute of any economic activity.
complacent
adjective: contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions After the water polo team won their sixth championship, they became complacent and didn't even make it to the playoffs the next year. He had become complacent after years of success.
exemplify
verb: be characteristic of Lincoln exemplified the best of not only America, but also the potential greatness that exists within each person. verb: clarify by giving an example of Please present some case studies that exemplify the results that you claim in your paper.
eke
verb: To live off meager resources, to scrape by Stranded in a cabin over the winter, Terry was able to eke out an existence on canned food.
brusquely
adverb: in a blunt, direct manner Not one for social pleasantries, the Chief of Staff would brusquely ask his subordinates anything he wanted, even coffee.
serene
adjective: calm and peaceful I'd never seen him so serene; usually, he was a knot of stress and anxiety from hours of trading on the stock exchange.
retract
verb: pull inward or towards a center; formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure Email is wonderfully efficient, but once something awkward or damaging has been sent, there is no way to retract it.
ploy
noun: a clever plan to turn a situation to one's advantage Dennis arranged an elaborate ploy, involving 14 different people lying for him in different situations, so that it could appear that he was meeting Mary completely by chance at the wedding reception.
steadfast
adjective: marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable A good captain needs to be steadfast, continuing to hold the wheel and stay the course even during the most violent storm.
maxim
noun: a short saying expressing a general truth Johnson initially suggests that the secret to business can be summarized in a single maxim but then requires a 300-page book to explain exactly what he means.
convoluted
adjective: highly complex or intricate Instead of solving the math problem in three simple steps, Kumar used a convoluted solution requiring fifteen steps.
embellish
verb: make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.; make more beautiful McCartney would write relatively straightforward lyrics, and Lennon would embellish them with puns and poetic images.
derogative
adjective: expressed as worthless or in negative terms Never before have we seen a debate between two political candidates that was so derogative and filthy.
sentimental
adjective: effusively or insincerely emotional, especially in art, music, and literature I don't like romanticism for the same reason I don't like melodramatic acting and soap operas—overly sentimental.
presumption
noun: an assumption that is taken for granted When Mr. Baker found out the family car was gone, he acted under the presumption that his rebellious son had taken the car, calling his son's phone and yelling at him; only later did Mr. Baker realize that Mrs. Baker had simply gone out to get her nails done. noun: audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to The new neighbor quickly gained a reptuation for her presumption; she had invited herself to several of the neighbors homes, often stopping over at inopportune times and asking for a drink.
taxing
adjective: use to the limit; exhaust The hike to the summit of Mt. Whitney was so taxing that I could barely speak or stand up.
credulity
noun: tendency to believe readily Virginia's wide-eyed credulity as a five-year old was replaced by suspicion after she learned that Santa Claus didn't really exist.
collusion
noun: agreement on a secret plot Many have argued that Lee Harvey Oswald, JFK's assassin, was in collusion with other criminals; others maintain that Oswald was a lone gunman.
pertinent
adjective: having precise or logical relevance to the matter at hand While the salaries of the players might draw attention in the media, such monetary figures are not pertinent to the question of who plays the best on the field.
peevish
adjective: easily irritated or annoyed Our office manager is peevish, so the rest of us tip-toe around him, hoping not to set off another one of his fits.
unseemly
adjective: not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society He acted in an unseemly manner, insulting the hostess and then speaking ill of her deceased husband.
goad
verb: urge on with unpleasant comments Doug did not want to enter the race, but Jim, through a steady stream of taunts, goaded him into signing up for it.
foible
noun: a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual When their new roommate sat staring at an oak tree for an hour, Marcia thought it indicated a mental problem, but Jeff assured her it was a harmless foible.
exasperate
verb: to irritate intensely As a child, I exasperated my mother with strings of never-ending questions.
travail
noun: use of physical or mental energy; hard work; agony or anguish While they experienced nothing but travails in refinishing the kitchen, they completed the master bedroom in less than a weekend.
discord
noun: lack of agreement or harmony Despite all their talented players, the team was filled with discord--some players refused to talk to others--and lost most of their games.
derisive
adjective: abusing vocally; expressing contempt or ridicule I was surprised by her derisive tone; usually, she is sweet, soft spoken, and congenial.
empathetic
adjective: showing understanding and ready comprehension of other peoples' states and emotions Most discrimination and hatred is based on a lack of empathetic awareness of people that have the same aspirations and fears.
diligent
adjective: characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks Michael was a diligent gardener, never leaving a leaf on the ground and regularly watering each plant.
devolve
verb: pass on or delegate to another The company was full of managers known for devolving tasks to lower management, but never doing much work themselves. verb: grow worse (usually "devolve into") The dialogue between the two academics devolved into a downright bitter argument.
malevolent
adjective: wishing or appearing to wish evil to others; arising from intense ill will or hatred Villians are known for their malevolent nature, oftentimes inflicting cruetly on others just for enjoyment.
candidness
noun: the quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech Although I was unhappy that the relationship ended, I appreciated her candidness about why she was ready to move on from the relationship.
whimsical
adjective: determined by impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason Adults look to kids and envy their whimsical nature at times, wishing that they could act without reason and play without limitation.
leery
adjective: openly distrustful and unwilling to confide Without checking his references and talking to previous employers, I am leery of hiring the candidate.
impregnable
adjective: immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with As a child, Amy would build pillow castles and pretend they were impregnable fotresses.
smug
adjective: marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction When Phil was dating the model, he had a smug attitude that annoyed his buddies.
smattering
noun: a slight or superficial understanding of a subject; a small amount of something I know only a smattering of German, but Helen is able to read German newspapers and converse with natives.
perturb
verb: disturb in mind or cause to be worried or alarmed Now that Henry is recovering from a major illnesses, he no longer lets the little trivialities, such as late mail, perturb him.
spurn
verb: reject with contempt She spurned all his flattery and proposals, and so he walked off embarrassed and sad.
squander
verb: spend thoughtlessly; waste time, money, or an opportunity Fearing his money would be squandered by his family, he gave all of it to charity when he died.
obstinate
adjective: resistant to guidance or discipline; stubbornly persistent The coach suggested improvements Sarah might make on the balance beam, but she remained obstinate, unwilling to modify any of the habits that made her successful in the past.
rash
adjective: marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences; imprudently incurring risk Although Bruce was able to make the delivery in time with a nightime motorcycle ride in the rain, Susan criticized his actions as rash.
tout
verb: advertize in strongly positive terms; show off At the conference, the CEO touted the extraordinary success of his company's Research & Development division.
unprecedented
adjective: having never been done or known before; novel When America first created its national parks, the idea of setting aside the most beautiful land in a country was unprecedented in the history of mankind.
aphoristic
adjective: something that is a concise and instructive of a general truth or principle Sometimes I can't stand Nathan because he tries to impress everyone by being aphoristic, but he just states the obvious.
savvy
noun: a perceptive understanding Although a great CEO, he did not have the political savvy to win the election. verb: get the meaning of something The student savvies the meaning of astrophysics with little effort. adjective: well-informed or perceptive With his savvy business partner, the company was able to turn a profit within a year.
irk
verb: irritate or vex My little sister has a way of irking and annoying me like no other person.
Section 12
(50 cards)
genteel
adjective: marked by refinement in taste and manners A live string quartet would provide a more genteel air to the wedding than would a folk singer.
urbane
adjective: showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience Because of his service as an intelligence officer and his refined tastes, W. Somerset Maugham became the inspiration for the urbane and sophistcate spy James Bond.
endemic
adjective: native; originating where it is found Irish cuisine makes great use of potatoes, but ironically, the potato is not endemic to Ireland.
egotist
noun: a conceited and self-centered person An egotist, Natasha had few friends because of her inability to talk about anything except her dream of becoming the next American Idol.
perennial
adjective: lasting an indefinitely long time; eternal; everlasting Even at the old-timers games, Stan Musial would get the loudest cheer: he was a perennial favorite of the fans there.
lucid
adjective: (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable Though Walters writes about physics and time travel, his writing is always lucid, so readers with little scientific training can understand difficult concepts.
irresolute
adjective: uncertain how to act or proceed He stood irresolute at the split in the trail, not sure which route would lead back to the camp.
assuage
verb: make something intense less severe Her fear that the new college would be filled with unknown faces was assuaged when she recognized her childhood friend standing in line.
uncompromising
adjective: not making concessions The relationship between Bart and Hilda ultimately failed because they were both so uncompromising, never wanting to change their opinions.
elaborate
adjective: marked by complexity and richness of detail Thomas, on returning from Morocco, replaced his dirty gray carpet with an elaborate one he'd brought back with him. verb: explain in more detail Most high school physics teachers find themselves elaborating the same point over and over again, since many concepts confuse students.
illicit
adjective: contrary to or forbidden by law Though Al Capone was engaged in many illicit activities, he was finally arrested for income tax evasion, a relatively minor offense.
perpetuate
verb: cause to continue If you do not let him do things for himself, you are merely perpetuating bad habits that will be even harder to break in the future.
conducive
adjective: making a situation or outcome more likely to happen Studying in a quiet room is conducive to learning; studying in a noisy environment makes learning more difficult.
rankle
verb: gnaw into; make resentful or angry His constant whistling would rankle her, sometimes causing her to leave in a huff.
respite
noun: a pause from doing something (as work) Every afternoon, the small company has a respite in which workers play foosball or board games.
precedent
noun: an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time The principal explained that even though one student had done modelling work outside of school, the outfits that student wore in those photographs in no way established a precedent for what could be worn at school dances.
obdurate
adjective: stubbornly persistent in changing an opinion or action No number of pleas and bribes would get him to change his obdurate attitude.
buck
verb: resist The profits at our firm bucked the general downturn that affected the real estate industry.
cornucopia
noun: an abundant supply of something good The International Food Expo was a cornucopia of culinary delights: gourmet foods from every continent were under one roof.
muted
adjective: softened, subdued Helen preferred muted earth colors, such as green and brown, to the bright pinks and red her sister liked.
credence
noun: belief in something He placed no credence in psychics, claiming that they offered no special powers beyond the ability to make people part with their money.
altruism
noun: the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others Albert Schweitzer spent most of his life doing missionary work as a doctor in Africa, seeking no reward, apparently motivated only by altruism.
tawdry
adjective: tastelessly showy; cheap and shoddy Carol expected to find New York City magical, the way so many movies had portrayed it, but she was surprised how often tawdry displays took the place of genuine elegance.
inadvertent
adjective: happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally Although Prohibition was rooted in noble ideals, the inadvertent and costly consequences of making alcohol illegal in the U.S. led its the repeal.
entice
verb: get someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises Harold enticed his wife, Maude, to go on a vacation to Hawaii, with promises of luaus on the beach and all-you-can-eat seafood buffets.
pristine
adjective: Unspoiled, untouched (usu. of nature) The glacial lake was pristine and we filled our canteens to drink deeply. adjective: Immaculately clean and unused Drill sergeants are known for demanding pristine cabinets, uniforms, and beds, and often make new recruits clean and clean and clean until they meet the expected high standards.
detrimental
adjective: (sometimes followed by "to") causing harm or injury Many know that smoking is detrimental to your health, but processed sugar in large quantities is equally bad.
facetious
adjective: cleverly amusing in tone Facetious behavior will not be tolerated during sex eduation class; it's time for all of you to treat these matters like mature adults.
disenfranchise
verb: deprive of voting rights The U.S. Constitution disenfranchised women until 1920 when they were given the right to vote.
morose
adjective: ill-tempered and not inclined to talk; gloomy After Stanley found out he was no longer able to go on vacation with his friends, he sat in his room morosely.
euphoria
noun: a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation The euphoria of winning her first gold medal in the 100 meter dash overwhelmed Shelly-Ann Fraser and she wept tears of immense joy.
banish
verb: expel from a community, residence, or location; drive away The most difficult part of the fast was banishing thoughts of food.
jargon
noun: a characteristic language of a particular group To those with little training in medicine, the jargon of doctors can be very difficult to understand.
genial
adjective: agreeable, conducive to comfort Betty is a genial young woman: everyone she meets is put at ease by her elegance and grace.
hamstrung
verb: made ineffective or powerless The FBI has made so many restriction on the local police that they are absolutely hamstrung, unable to accomplish anything.
contemptuous
adjective: scornful, looking down at others with a sneering attitude Always on the forefront of fashion, Vanessa looked contemptuously at anyone wearing dated clothing.
grovel
verb: show submission or fear Every time Susan comes to the office, Frank grovels as if she were about to fire.
tumult
noun: a state of chaos, noise and confusion Riots broke out just in front of our apartment building, and the tumult continued late into the night.
flounder
verb: behave awkwardly; have difficulties Sylvia has excelled at advanced calculus, but ironically, when she has deal with taxes, she flounders.
fickle
adjective: liable to sudden unpredictable change, esp. in affections or attachments She was so fickle in her politics, it was hard to pinpoint her beliefs; one week she would embrace a side, and the next week she would denounce it.
augment
verb: enlarge or increase; improve Ideally, the restaurant's augmented menu will expand its clientele and increase its profits.
unruly
adjective: (of persons) noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline; unwilling to submit to authority Walk in to any preschool and I am sure that you will find an unruly and chaotic scene—unless it's nap time.
assail
verb: attack in speech or writing In the weekly paper, the editor assailed the governor for wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars in public projects that quickly failed.
martial
adjective: suggesting war or military life Americans tend to remember Abraham Lincoln as kindly and wise, not at all martial, despite the fact that he was involved in the fiercest war America has even fought.
vacuous
adjective: devoid of intelligence, matter, or significance To the journalist's pointed question, the senator gave a vacuous response, mixing a few of his overall campaign slogans with platitudes and completely avoiding the controversial subject of the question.
impeccable
adjective: without fault or error He was impeccably dressed in the latest fashion without a single crease or stain.
commendable
adjective: worthy of high praise The efforts of the firefighters running into the burning building were commendable.
benign
adjective: kind I remember my grandfather's face was wrinkled, benign, and calm. adjective: (medicine) not dangerous to health; not recurrent or progressive The tumor located in your ear lobe seems to be benign and should not cause you any trouble.
glib
adjective: (of a person) speaking with ease but without sincerity I have found that the more glib the salesman, the worse the product.
debase
verb: reduce the quality or value of something The third-rate script so debased the film that not even the flawless acting could save it from being a flop.
Section 13
(50 cards)
impede
verb: be a hindrance or obstacle to Since the police sergeant had to train the pair of new hires, progress in his own case was impeded.
ascendancy
noun: the state that exists when one person or group has power over another The ascendancy of the Carlsbad water polo team is clear—they have a decade of championships behind them.
exhort
verb: to strongly urge on; encourage Nelson's parents exhorted him to study medicine, urging him to choose a respectable profession; intransigent, Nelson left home to become a graffiti artist.
vicarious
adjective: felt or undergone as if one were taking part in the experience or feelings of another The advent of twitter is a celebrity stalker's dream, as he or she can—through hundreds of intimate "tweets"—vicariously live the life of a famous person.
robust
adjective: sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction Chris preferred bland and mild beers, but Bhavin preferred a beer with more robust flavor.
malady
noun: a disease or sickness The town was struck by a malady throughout the winter that left most people sick in bed for two weeks.
ingenuity
noun: the power of creative imagination Daedalus was famous for his ingenuity; he was able to fashion his son Icarus with a pair of wings, using wax to hold them together.
jocular
adjective: characterized by jokes and good humor My uncle was always in a jocular mood at family gatherings, messing up people's hair and telling knock-knock jokes to anyone who would listen.
apex
noun: the highest point The Ivy League is considered the apex of the secondary education system.
beatific
adjective: blissfully happy Often we imagine all monks to wear the beatific smile of the Buddha, but, like any of us, a monk can have a bad day and not look very happy.
melee
noun: a wild, confusing fight or struggle After enduring daily taunts about my name, I became enraged and pummeled the schoolyard bully and his sycophantic friends in a brutal melee.
deter
verb: turn away from by persuasion His mother tried to deter him from joing the army, but he was too intoxicated with the idea of war to listen. verb: try to prevent; show opposition to The government's primary job should invlove deterring paths to war, not finding ways to start them.
boon
noun: a desirable state Modern technology has been a boon to the travel industry. adjective: very close and convivial He was a boon companion to many, and will be sadly missed.
hodgepodge
noun: a confusing mixture or jumble Those in attendance represented a hodgepodge of the city's denizens: chimney sweepers could be seen sitting elbow to elbow with stockbrokers.
thwart
verb: hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of I wanted to spend a week in New York this autumn, but the high costs of travel and lodging thwarted my plans.
appreciable
adjective: large enough to be noticed (usu. refers to an amount) There is an appreciable difference between those who say they can get the job done and those who actually get the job done.
inclement
adjective: (of weather) unpleasant, stormy After a week of inclement weather, we finally are able to go outside and enjoy the sun. adjective: used of persons or behavior; showing no mercy Marcus Aurelius, though a fair man, was inclement to Christians during his reign, persecuting them violently.
stolid
adjective: having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited Elephants may appear stolid to casual observers, but they actually have passionate emotional lives.
replete
adjective: completely stocked or furnished with something Only weeks after the hurricane made landfall, the local supermarket shelves were replete with goods, so quick was the disaster relief response.
snide
adjective: expressive of contempt; derogatory or mocking in an indirect way The chairman interpreted Taylor's question about promotions as a snide remark, but in all innocence Taylor was trying to figure out the company's process.
transitory
adjective: lasting a very short time If we lived forever and life was not transitory, do you think we would appreciate life less or more?
elusive
adjective: difficult to capture or difficult to remember Many first time skydivers say that describing the act of falling from the sky is elusive.
amuck
adverb: in a frenzied or uncontrolled state Wherever the bowl haircut teen-idol went, his legions of screaming fans ran through the streets amuck, hoping for a glance at his boyish face.
degrade
verb: reduce in worth or character, usually verbally Jesse had mockingly pointed out all of Nancy's faults in front of their friends, publicly degrading the poor girl.
corroborate
verb: to confirm or lend support to (usually an idea or claim) Her claim that frog populations were falling precipitously in Central America was corroborated by locals, who reported that many species of frogs had seemingly vanished overnight.
moot
adjective: open to argument or debate; undecidable in a meaningless or irrelevant way Since the Board just terminated Steve as the CEO, what the finance committe might have thought of his proposed marketing plan for next year is now a moot point.
resolve
verb: reach a conclusion after a discussion or deliberation After much thought, Ted resolved not to travel abroad this summer because he didn't have much money in his bank account.
aboveboard
adjective: open and honest The mayor, despite his avuncular face plastered about the city, was hardly aboveboard - some concluded that it was his ingratiating smile that allowed him to engage in corrupt behavior and get away with it.
patronize
verb: treat condescendingly She says she genuinely wanted to help me, but instead she patronized me, constantly pointing out how I was inferior to her.
check
verb: to limit (usually modifying the growth of something) Deserted for six months, the property began to look more like a jungle and less like a residence—weeds grew unchecked in the front yard noun: the condition of being held back or limited When government abuses are not kept in check, that government is likely to become autocratic.
proponent
noun: a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea Ironically, the leading proponent of Flat-Earth Theory flies all over the world in an effort to win more adherents.
fete
verb: to celebrate a person After World War II, war heroes were feted at first but quickly forgotten.
apprehension
noun: fearful expectation Test day can be one of pure apprehension, as many students worry about their test scores.
consummate
adjective: having or revealing supreme mastery or skill Tyler was the consummate musician: he was able to play the guitar, harmonica, and the drum at the same time. verb: to make perfect and complete in every respect The restoration of the ancient church was only consummated after a twenty years of labor.
contrite
adjective: to be remorseful Though he stole his little sister's licorice stick with malevolent glee, Chucky soon became contrite when his sister wouldn't stop crying.
fledgling
adjective: young and inexperienced; describing any new participant in some activity Murray has years of experience in family practice, but he is just a fledgling in surgery.
quandary
noun: state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options Steve certainly is in a quandary: if he doesn't call Elaine, she will blame him for everything, but if he does call her, the evidence of where he currently is could cost him his job.
renege
verb: fail to fulfill a promise or obligation We will no longer work with that vendor since it has reneged on nearly every agreement.
ornate
adjective: marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details The ornate Victorian and Edwardian homes spread throughout San Francisco are my favorite part of the city.
pithy
adjective: concise and full of meaning I enjoy reading the Daodejing for its pithy and insightful prose; it always gives me something to think about.
animosity
noun: intense hostility The governor's animosity toward his rival was only inflamed when the latter spread false lies regarding the governor's first term.
desecrate
verb: to willfully violate or destroy a sacred place After desecrating the pharaoh's tomb, the archaeologist soon fell victim to a horrible illness.
unconscionable
adjective: unreasonable; unscrupulous; excessive The lawyer's demands were so unconscionable that rather than pay an exorbitant sum or submit himself to any other inconveniences, the defendant decided to find a new lawyer.
plodding
adjective: (of movement) slow and laborious Charlie may seem to run at a plodding pace, but he is an ultramarathoner, meaning he runs distances of up to 100 miles, and can run for ten hours at a stretch.
incessant
adjective: uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing I don't mind small children in brief doses, but I think the incessant exposure that their parents have to them would quickly wear me down.
raffish
adjective: marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness The men found him raffish, but the women adored his smart clothes and casual attitude.
guffaw
verb: laugh boisterously Whenever the jester fell to the ground in mock pain, the king guffawed, exposing his yellow, fang-like teeth.
archaic
adjective: so old as to appear to belong to a different period Hoping to sound intelligent, Mary spoke in archaic English that was right out of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice--needless to say, she didn't have many friends.
meander
verb: to wander aimlessly A casual observer might have thought that Peter was meandering through the city, but that day he was actually seeking out those places where he and his long lost love had once visited.
malleable
adjective: capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out The clay became malleable and easy to work with after a little water was added. adjective: easily influenced My little brother is so malleable that I can convince him to sneak cookies from the cupboard for me.
Section 14
(50 cards)
slapdash
adjective: carelessly and hastily put together The office building had been constructed in a slapdash manner, so it did not surprise officials when, during a small earthquake, a large crack emerged on the façade of the building.
peruse
verb: to read very carefully Instead of perusing important documents, people all too often rush to the bottom of the page and plaster their signatures at the bottom.
heyday
noun: the pinnacle or top of a time period or career During the heyday of Prohibition, bootlegging had become such a lucrative business that many who had been opposed to the 18th Amendment began to fear it would be repealed.
pittance
noun: a small amount (of money) Vinny's uncle beamed smugly about how he'd offered his nephew fifty dollars for his Harvard tuition; even twice the amount would have been a mere pittance.
ferret
verb: to search for something persistently Ever the resourceful lexicographer, Fenton was able to ferret out the word origin of highly obscure words.
indigenous
adjective: originating in a certain area The plants and animals indigenous to Australia are notably different from those indigenous to the U.S—one look at a duckbill platypus and you know you're not dealing with an opossum.
imponderable
adjective: impossible to estimate or figure out According to many lawmakers, the huge variety of factors affecting society make devising an efficient healthcare system an imponderable task.
preemptive
adjective: done before someone else can do it Just as Martha was about to take the only cookie left on the table, Noah preemptively swiped it.
junta
noun: an aggressive takeover by a group (usually military) As dangerous of a threat as North Korea is, some analysts believe that were a junta suddenly to gain power, it could be even more unpredictable and bellicose than the current leadership
indignant
adjective: feeling anger over a perceived injustice When the cyclist swerved into traffic, it forced the driver to brake and elicited an indignant shout of "Hey, punk, watch where you're going!"
errant
adjective: to be wandering; not sticking to a circumscribed path Unlike his peers, who spent their hours studying in the library, Matthew preferred errant walks through the university campus.
cadaverous
adjective: emaciated; gaunt Some actors take challenging roles in which they have to lose so much weight that they appear cadaverous.
stem
verb: to hold back or limit the flow or growth of something To stem the tide of applications, the prestigious Ivy requires that each applicant score at least 330 on the Revised GRE.
screed
noun: an abusive rant (often tedious) Joey had difficulty hanging out with his former best friend Perry, who, during his entire cup of coffee, enumerated all of the government's deficiencies--only to break ranks and launch into some screed against big business.
sanguine
adjective: cheerful; optimistic With the prospect of having to learn 3,000 words during the course of the summer, Paul was anything but sanguine.
badger
verb: to pester Badgered by his parents to find a job, the 30-year-old loafer instead joined a gang of itinerant musicians.
wax
verb: to gradually increase in size or intensity Her enthusiasm for the diva's new album only waxed with each song; by the end of the album, it was her favorite CD yet.
reprobate
noun: a person who is disapproved of Those old reprobates drinking all day down by the river-they are not going to amount to much.
extenuating
adjective: making less guilty or more forgivable The jury was hardly moved by the man's plea that his loneliness was an extenuating factor in his crime of dognapping a prized pooch.
moment
noun: significant and important value Despite the initial hullabaloo, the play was of no great moment in Hampton's writing career, and within a few years the public quickly forgot his foray into theater arts.
becoming
adjective: appropriate, and matches nicely Her dress was becoming and made her look even more beautiful.
cogent
adjective: clear and persuasive A cogent argument will change the minds of even the most skeptical audience.
embroiled
adjective: involved in argument or contention These days we are never short of a D.C. politician embroiled in scandal—a welcome phenomenon for those who, having barely finished feasting on the sordid details of one imbroglio, can sink their teeth into a fresh one.
bellicose
adjective: warlike; inclined to quarrel Known for their bellicose ways, the Spartans were once the most feared people from Peloponnesus to Persia.
powwow
noun: an informal meeting or discussion Before the team takes the field, the coach always calls for a powwow so that he can make sure all the players are mentally in the right place.
avarice
noun: greed (one of the seven deadly sins) The Spanish conquistadors were known for their avarice, plundering Incan land and stealing Incan gold.
inundate
verb: to flood or overwhelm The newsroom was inundated with false reports that only made it more difficult for the newscasters to provide an objective account of the bank robbery.
err
verb: to make an error He erred in thinking that "indigent" and "indignant" were synonyms.
disparate
adjective: two things are fundamentally different With the advent of machines capable of looking inside the brain, fields as disparate as religion and biology have been brought together by scientists trying to understand what happens in the brain when people have a religious experience.
cardinal
adjective: of primary importance; fundamental Most cultures consider gambling a cardinal sin and thus have outlawed its practice.
scintillating
adjective: describes someone who is brilliant and lively Richard Feynman was renowned for his scintillating lectures—the arcana of quantum physics was made lucid as he wrote animatedly on the chalkboard.
pugnacious
adjective: eager to fight or argue; verbally combative The comedian told one flat joke after another, and when the audience started booing, he pugnaciously spat back at them, "Hey, you think this is easy - why don't you buffoons give it a shot?"
thoroughgoing
adjective: very thorough; complete As a thoroughgoing bibliophile, one who had turned his house into a veritable library, he shocked his friends when he bought a Kindle.
fleece
verb: to deceive Many people have been fleeced by Internet scams and never received their money back.
underwrite
verb: to support financially The latest symphony broadcast was made possible with underwriting from the Carnegie Endowment.
erratic
adjective: unpredictable; strange and unconventional It came as no surprise to pundits that the President's attempt at re-election floundered; even during his term, support for his policies was erratic, with an approval rating jumping anywhere from 30 to 60 percent.
chauvinist
noun: a person who believes in the superiority of their group The chauvinist lives on both sides of the political spectrum, outright shunning anybody whose ideas are not consistent with his own.
start
verb: to suddenly move in a particular direction All alone in the mansion, Henrietta started when she heard a sound.
misanthrope
noun: a hater of mankind Hamilton had been deceived so many times in his life that he hid behind the gruff exterior of a misanthrope, lambasting perfect strangers for no apparent reason.
sanctimonious
adjective: making a show of being pious; holier-than-thou Even during the quiet sanctity of evening prayer, she held her chin high, a sanctimonious sneer forming on her face as she eyed those who were attending church for the first time.
affluent
adjective: wealthy The center of the city had sadly become a pit of penury, while, only five miles away, multi-million dollar homes spoke of affluence.
raft
noun: a large number of something Despite a raft of city ordinances passed by an overzealous council, noise pollution continued unabated in the megalopolis.
virago
noun: an ill-tempered or violent woman Poor Billy was the victim of the virago's invective—she railed at him for a good 30-minutes about how he is the scum of the earth for speaking loudly on his cellphone in public.
checkered
adjective: one that is marked by disreputable happenings One by one, the presidential candidates dropped out of the race, their respective checkered pasts— from embezzlement to infidelity—sabotaging their campaigns.
unnerve
verb: to make nervous or upset At one time unnerved by math problems, she began avidly "Magoosh-ing", and soon became adept at even combinations and permutations questions.
hound
verb: to pursue relentlessly An implacable foe of corruption, Eliot Ness hounded out graft in all forms—he even helped nab Al Capone.
inflammable
adjective: extremely controversial, incendiary It only takes one person to leave an inflammable comment on an Internet thread for that thread to blow up into pages upon pages of reader indignation.
flush
adjective: to be in abundance The exam's passage is flush with difficult words, words that you may have learned only yesterday.
amiable
adjective: friendly Amy's name was very apt: she was so amiable that she was twice voted class president.
affable
adjective: likeable; easy to talk to For all his surface affability, Marco was remarkably glum when he wasn't around other people.
Section 15
(50 cards)
antithetical
Directly opposed, opposite; involving antithesis (the rhetorical act of placing two phrases opposite one another for contrast, as in love me or hate me)
censor
verb: to examine and remove objectionable material Every fall, high school English teachers are inundated by requests to censor their curriculum by removing The Catcher in the Rye and Scarlet Letter from their reading lists.
pine
verb: to yearn for Standing forlornly by the window, she pined for her lost love.
lionize
Treat like a celebrity
telling
adjective: significant and revealing of another factor Her unbecoming dress was very telling when it came to her sense of fashion.
propitious
Favorable, giving good signs for the future, likely to work out; kind or forgiving
dupe
verb: to trick or swindle Once again a get-rich-fast Internt scheme had duped Harold into submitting a $5,000 check to a sham operation. noun: a person who is easily tricked or swindled The charlatan mistook the crowd for a bunch of dupes, but the crowd was quickly on to him and decried his bald-faced attempt to bilk them.
macabre
adjective: suggesting the horror of death and decay; gruesome Edgar Allen Poe was considered the master of the macabre; his stories vividly describe the moment leading up to—and often those moments after—a grisly death.
thrifty
adjective: spending money wisely He was economical, spending his money thriftily and on items considered essential.
insolvent
adjective: unable to pay one's bills; bankrupt With credit card bills skyrocketing, a shockingly large number of Americans are truly insolvent.
zenith
noun: the highest point; culmination At the zenith of his artistic career, Elvis was outselling any other artist on the charts.
variance
noun: the quality of being different The cynic quipped, "There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to lie".
tender
verb: offer up something formally The government was loath to tender more money in the fear that it might set off inflation.
inveterate
habitual
acme
noun: the highest point of achievement The new Cessna airplanes will be the acme of comfort, offering reclining seats and ample legroom.
retiring
adjective: to be shy, and to be inclined to retract from company Nelson was always the first to leave soirees—rather than mill about with "fashionable" folk, he was retiring, and preferred the solitude of his garret.
bleak
adjective: having a depressing or gloomy outlook Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and lugubrious music — compare England's band Radiohead to any band from Southern California.
profuse
adjective: plentiful; pouring out in abundance During mile 20 of the Hawaii Marathon, Dwayne was sweating so profusely that he stopped to take off his shirt, and ran the remaining six miles wearing nothing more than skimpy shorts.
reverent
Feeling or expressing very deep respect and awe
voracious
adjective: very hungry; approaching an activity with gusto Steven was a voracious reader, sometimes finishing two novels in the same day.
brazen
unrestrained by convention or propriety
demean
verb: to insult; to cause someone to lose dignity or respect At first the soccer players bantered back and forth, but as soon as one of the players became demeaning, calling the other's mother a water buffalo, the ref whipped out a red card.
tirade
noun: an angry speech In terms of political change, a tirade oftentimes does little more than make the person speaking red in the face.
diabolical
adjective: to be extremely wicked like the devil The conspirators, willing to dispatch anyone who stood in their way, hatched a diabolical plan to take over the city.
circumscribe
Strictly limit a role, range of activity, or area; in math, to be constructed around so as to touch as many points as possible
miser
noun: a person who doesn't like to spend money (because they are greedy) Monte was no miser, but was simply frugal, wisely spending the little that he earned.
constituent
a citizen who is represented in a government by officials for whom he or she votes; an abstract part of something
demure
adjective: to be modest and shy The portrait of her in a simple white blouse was sweet and demure.
spendthrift
noun: one who spends money extravagantly Taking weekly trips to Vegas, Megan was a spendthrift whose excesses eventually caught up to her.
repudiate
Reject, cast off, deny that something has authority
irrevocable
incapable of being retracted or revoked
subversive
in opposition to a civil authority or government
remiss
adjective: to be negligent in one's duty Remiss in his duty to keep the school functioning efficiently, the principle was relieved of his position after only three months.
sanction
Permission or approval, something that gives support or authority to something else(noun); to allow, confirm, ratify (verb); OR a legal action by one or more countries against another country to get it to comply (noun); to place sanctions or penalties on (verb)
myriad
a large indefinite number
arbitrary
Based entirely on one's discretion; capricious, unreasonable, or having no basis
pinnacle
noun: the highest point At its pinnacle, the Roman Empire extended across most of the landmass of Eurasia, a feat not paralleled to the rise of the British Empire in the 18th and 19th century.
vacillate
Waver in one's mind or opinions, be indecisive
vindictive
adjective: to have a very strong desire for revenge Though the other girl had only lightly poked fun of Vanessa's choice in attire, Vanessa was so vindictive that she waited for an entire semester to get the perfect revenge.
candid
adjective: a straightforward and honest look at something Even with a perfect stranger, Charles was always candid and would rarely hold anything back.
dog
verb: to pursue relentlessly; to hound Throughout his life, he was dogged by insecurities that inhibited personal growth.
telltale
adjective: revealing The many telltale signs of chronic smoking include yellow teeth, and a persistent, hacking cough.
summit
noun: the peak or highest point After hiking for two days, the climbers finally reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. noun: a meeting of high-level leaders Since climate change policy has been mired in congressional fighting, this summit should help set the goals for president's next term.
serendipity
noun: the instance in which an accidental, fortunate discovery is made By pure serendipity, Sarah discovered, at a flea market in Peoria, a matching earring to replace the one that fell down the storm drain back home.
pernicious
Very harmful or destructive, deadly
audacity
aggressive boldness in social situations
indict
verb: to formally charge or accuse of wrong-doing The bankrobber was indicted on several major charges, including possession of a firearm.
mesmerize
verb: to spellbind or enthrall The plot and the characters were so well developed that many viewers were mesmerized, unable to move their eyes from the screen for even a single second.
hegemony
Domination, authority; influence by one country over others socially, culturally, economically, etc.
precipitous
done with very great haste and without due deliberation
Section 16
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arcane
Known or understood by only a few; obscure, secret
unscrupulous
without scruples or principles
refute
Prove to be false
exacting
Very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention
largess
Generosity, the giving of money or gifts (esp. with the implication that the giver is a bit superior to the recipient)
gauche
tactless, lacking social grace, awkward, crude
implacable
Not able to be appeased, calmed, or satisfied
resurgent
Having a revival, renewing, rising or surging again
haphazard
marked by great carelessness; dependent upon or characterized by chance
foment
Incite, instigate, stir up, promote the growth of; apply medicated liquid to a body part
scrupulous
characterized by extreme care and great effort; having a sense of right and wrong; principled
intransigent
Refusing to compromise, inflexible, having extreme attitudes
obsequious
Servile, very compliant, fawning
insolent
rude and arrogant
temperance
Moderation, self-control, esp. regarding alcohol or other desires or pleasures; total abstinence from alcohol
prolific
intellectually productive
decorum
propriety in manners and conduct
hackneyed
So commonplace as to be stale; not fresh or original
accolade
an award or praise granted as a special honor
inimical
Hostile, adverse, harmful
admonitory
serving to warn; expressing reproof or reproach especially as a corrective
ostracize
exclude from a community or group
munificent
Generous, giving liberally
sporadic
Occasional, happening irregularly or in scattered locations
tractable
Easily controlled or managed, docile; easily shaped or molded
intrepid
Fearless, brave, enduring in the face of adversity
ostentatious
Pretentious, boastful showiness
implausible
describing a statement that is not believable
prodigious
Extraordinarily large, impressive, etc.
admonish
Mildly scorn; caution, advise, or remind to do something
pedantic
marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
exalt
praise or glorify
trite
Lacking freshness and originality, lacking effectiveness due to overuse, cliche
tempered
moderated in effect
austere
Severe in manner or appearance; very self-disciplined, ascetic; without luxury or ease; sober or serious
sycophant
a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
espouse
to adopt or support an idea or cause
inscrutable
not easily understood; unfathomable
discrete
Separate, distinct, detached, existing as individual parts
ingratiate
Make an effort to gain favor with
winsome
Charming, engaging, esp. in a sweet and innocent way
dilletante
Person who takes up an art or activity for amusement only or in a superficial way
taciturn
Not talking much, reserved; silent, holding back in conversation
denigrate
Belittle, attack the reputation of
poignant
emotionally touching
eradicate
to completely destroy
pedestrian
Ordinary, dull, commonplace
rescind
Annul, repeal make void
ravenous
extremely hungry; devouring or craving food in great quantities
garrulous
Talkative, wordy, rambling
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abstruse
difficult to understand; incomprehensible
underscore
Emphasize (or literally, to underline text)
provincial
characteristic of the a limited perspective; not fashionable or sophisticated
superfluous
serving no useful purpose; more than is needed, desired, or required
rustic
Relating to country life, unsophisticated; primitive, made of rough wood (adj); rural or uncultured person (noun)
forthcoming
available when required or as promised; at ease in talking to others
opaque
Not translucent; not allowing light, heat, etc. to pass through; dark, dull, unclear or stupid
reconcile
make (one thing) compatible with (another)
exonerate
Clear from blame or accusation; free from a responsibility
engender
Produce, give rise to, cause to exist; procreate
meticulous
Taking extreme care in regards to details; precise, fussy
apocryphal
of questionable authenticity; false
blatant
without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
exacerbate
Make worse (more violent, severe), inflame; irritate or embitter (a person)
soporific
Causing sleep, sleepy, drowsy (adj); something that causes sleep (noun)
incorrigible
impervious to correction by punishment
adamant
refusing to change one's mind
frivolous
not serious in content or attitude or behavior
idiosyncrasy
Characteristic or habit peculiar to an individual; peculiar quality, quirk
aberrant
abnormal, deviant
acerbic
Sour; harsh or severe
pedantic
marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
contingent
a gathering of persons representative of some larger group; possible but not certain to occur
culpability
a state of guilt
bumbling
lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands
banal
Lacking freshness and originality; cliché
myopic
Near-sighted; lacking long-term thinking, short-sighted
petulant
easily irritated or annoyed
conspicuous
without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
ignoble
Not noble; having mean, base, low motives; low quality
cryptic
mysterious or vague, usually intentionally
confound
Confuse, frustrate; mix up or make worse
laudable
Worthy of praise
chortle
to chuckle, laugh merrily
indifference
the trait of seeming not to care
expound
add details or explanation; clarify the meaning; state in depth
deferential
showing respect
pundit
someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
construe
Interpret or translate
gall
the trait of being rude and impertinent; feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
obscure
make unclear; known by only a few
querulous
Given to complaining, grumbling
dictatorial
expecting unquestioning obedience; characteristic of an absolute ruler
copious
plentiful, bountiful
burgeon
Grow or flourish rapidly; put forth buds or shoots (of a plant)
iconoclastic
defying tradition or convention
didactic
Intended to instruct; teaching, or teaching a moral lesson
pragmatic
Practical; dealing with actual facts and reality
tortuous
Twisting, winding, complex; devious, not straightforward
platitude
A shallow, overused statement; cliche
Section 18
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incisive
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
eschew
Shun, avoid, abstain from
decorous
Behaving with propriety and good taste; polite
gainsay
Declare false, deny; oppose
mawkish
overly sentimental to the point that it is disgusting
germane
Relevant and appropriate, on-topic
audacious
Very bold or brave, often in a rude or reckless way; extremely original
staunch
firm and dependable especially in loyalty
ascetic
Abstinent or austere in lifestyle (adj); a person who leads an austere and simple life without material pleasures, esp. someone who does this for religious reasons
predilection
Preference, tendency or favorability towards
aesthete
one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature
gossamer
characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
abstain
Hold back, refrain (especially from something bad or unhealthy) ; decline to vote
culminate
Reach the highest point or final stage
derive
come from; be connected by a relationship of blood, for example; reason by deduction; establish by deduction
eclectic
Selecting the best of everything or from many diverse sources
fortuitous
Happening by chance; lucky
reticent
Not talking much; private (of a person), retrained, reserved
impudent
improperly forward or bold
entrenched
fixed firmly or securely
incongruous
Out of place, inappropriate, not harmonious
contrive
to pull off a plan or scheme, usually through skill or trickery
fallacious
Containing a fallacy, or mistake in logic; logically unsound; deceptive
vociferous
Noisily crying out, as in protest
itinerant
Traveling from place to place, esp. as part of a job
dogmatic
highly opinionated, not accepting that your belief may not be correct
jubilant
full of high-spirited delight because of triumph or success
mitigate
Make less severe; lesson or moderate (damage, grief, pain, etc.)
lambast
criticize severely or angrily
apathy
Not caring; absence of feeling; lack of interest or concern
inexorable
Relentless, unyielding; not moved by pleading
presient
Having foreknowledge or foresight, seeing the future
frustrate
hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
glut
an excessive supply; supply with an excess of
recondite
Not easily understood, hidden, dealing with an obscure topic
spurious
plausible but false
elucidate
make clearer and easier to understand
preclude
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
torpor
Sluggishness, lethargy, or apathy; a period of inactivity
diffident
Lacking confidence, shy
magnanimous
High-minded, noble, lofty; generous in forgiving others, free of resentment
perfidious
Disloyal, treacherous, violating one's trust
belligerent
characteristic of one eager to fight
precocious
characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude)
concede
Give in, admit, yield; acknowledge reluctantly; grant or give up (such as giving up land after losing war)
bucolic
Pertaining to shepherds; suggesting a peaceful and pleasant view of rural life
aesthetic
Concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste, pertaining to the science of what is beautiful (adj); a sense of beauty and taste of a particular time and place (noun)
voluble
Easily fluent in regards to speech
haughty
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
disaffected
discontented as toward authority
Section 19
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ignominious
adjective: (used of conduct or character) deserving or bringing disgrace or shame Since the politician preached ethics and morality, his texting of revealing photographs was ignominious, bringing shame on both himself and his party.
banality
noun: a trite or obvious remark Herbert regarded the minister's remark as a mere banality until Sharon pointed out profound implications to the seemingly obvious words.
disseminate
verb: cause to become widely known Before the effects of anaethesia were disseminated, patients had to experience the full pain of a surgery.
antipathy
noun: an intense feeling of dislike or aversion Maria had an antipathy for tour groups, often bolting to the other side of the museum as soon as she saw a chaperone leading a group of wide-eyed tourists.
tenacious
stubbornly unyielding
ameliorate
Improve; make better or more bearable
eminent
Prominent, distinguished, of high rank
truncate
verb: reduce the length of something The soccer game was truncated when the monsoon rain began to fall.
refractory
Stubbornly disobedient, hard to manage
opulence
noun: wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living Russian oligarchs are famous for their opulence, living in fancy homes and dining on expensive cavier.
guileless
free of deceit
dilatory
adjective: wasting time Lawyers use dilatory tactics so that it takes years before the case is actually decided.
jingoism
Excessive, loud patriotism and aggressive, warlike foreign policy
tantamount
being essentially equal to something
delineate
Mark the outline of; sketch; describe in detail
posit
verb: assume as fact Initially, Einstein posited a repulsive force to balance Gravity, but then rejected that idea as a blunder.
rebuke
verb: criticize severely or angrily; censure The police chief rebuked the two officers whose irresponsible decisions almost led to the deaths of seven innocent by-standers.
vilify
spread negative information about
supplant
Take the place of, displace, especially through sneaky tactics
ephemeral
Lasting only a short time, fleeting
placate
verb: cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of I was able to placate the angry mob of students by promising to bring cookies on Monday.
quotidian
Daily; everyday, ordinary
dispassionate
adjective: unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice A good scientist should be dispassionate, focusing purely on what the evidence says, without personal attachment.
vehement
marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions
circumvent
cleverly find a way out of one's duties or obligations
mundane
adjective: repetitive and boring; not spiritual Nancy found doing dishes a thorougly mundane task, although Peter found a kind of Zen pleasure in the chore. adjective: relating to the ordinary world Though we think of the pope as someone always dealing in holy matters, he is also concerned with mundane events, such as deciding when to set his alarm each morning.
reproach
verb: to express criticism towards At first, Sarah was going to yell at the boy, but she didn't want to reproach him for telling the truth about the situation.
subsume
contain or include; consider (an instance of something) as part of a general rule or principle
avaricious
excessively greedy
immutable
Unchangeable
nuance
noun: a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude Because of the nuances involved in this case, I hired an outside consultant to advice us and help.
craven
adjective: pathetically cowardly Though the man could have at least alerted the police, he crouched cravenly in the corner as the old woman was mugged.
treacherous
Betraying trust, not faithful or trustworthy; not dependable; dangerous or deceptive
denote
Be a name or symbol for
juxtapose
Place side by side (either physically or in a metaphorical way, such as to make a comparison)
capricious
adjective: determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason Nearly every month our capricious CEO had a new plan to turn the company around, and none of them worked because we never gave them the time they needed to succeed.
rudimentary
Elementary, relating to the basic; undeveloped, primitive
forlorn
marked by or showing hopelessness
maverick
noun: someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action Officer Kelly was a maverick, rarely following police protocols or adopting the conventions for speech common among his fellow officers.
maladroit
adjective: clumsy As a child she was quite maladroit, but as an adult, she has become an adept dancer.
insidious
working in a subtle but destructive way
mollify
Calm or soothe (an angry person); lesson or soften
languid
Drooping from exhaustion, sluggish, slow; lacking in spirit
derivative
Derived from something else; not original
travesty
Exaggerated, debased, or grotesque imitation
panache
Flair, style, swagger; a flamboyant or grand way of acting
negligible
so small as to be meaningless; insignificant
specious
adjective: based on pretense; deceptively pleasing Almost every image on TV is specious and not to be trusted. adjective: plausible but false He made a career out of specious arguments and fictional lab results, but lost his job and reputation when his lies were exposed by an article in The New York Times.
heretic
a person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field (not merely religion)
timorous
adjective: timid by nature or revealing fear and nervousness Since this was her first time debating on stage and before an audience, Di's voice was timorous and quiet for the first 10 minutes.
Section 20
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