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English > Diction > Flashcards

Diction Flashcards

1
Q

Accept

A

to receive

I will accept the resignation of everyone in the room except you

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2
Q

except

A

to make an exception of, to omit.

I will accept the resignation of everyone in the room except you.

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3
Q

Advice

A

a noun meaning opinion or counsel.

We advise you to follow John’s advice to complete all your homework

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4
Q

Advise

A

verb that means to offer advice to; to counsel.

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5
Q

Administer or Administrate?

A

Administer

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6
Q

Adverse

A

unfavorable.

The meteorologist forecast adverse weather conditions for the yacht race.

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7
Q

Averse

A

against

Mother was averse to our plans for ice skating at midnight.

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8
Q

affect

A

verb meaning to influence, to have an effect upon.
Staying up late every night will affect your performance in school. OR/AND to pretend.
She affects helplessness whenever there is work to be done.

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9
Q

effect

A

verb and noun
verb: to produce or bring about
To effect changes in the attendance policy, the administration must have approval from the school board.
noun:to result or consequence.
your attendance will have an effect on your school performance

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10
Q

all ready

A

all ready simply means that all are ready.

The players were all ready and waiting for the game to begin.

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11
Q

already

A

previously or before

I already met with my counselor to discuss my schedule for next year.

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12
Q

all together

A

all together means all of a number taken or considered together
She invited them all together to the party after work.

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13
Q

Altogether

A

entirely or completely.

he was altogether frustrated when he couldn’t complete the assignment

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14
Q

allusion

A

an allusion is a casual or indirect reference to something, usually without naming what it is.
The quotation in her speech was an allusion to Macbeth’s dagger scene.

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15
Q

illusion

A

false or unreal impression of reality

you may give the illusion that you are studying hard, but your grades prove otherwise

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16
Q

how often do you use alright

A

never

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17
Q

alumnus

A

male graduate of a school or institution

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18
Q

alumni

A

plural form for masculine and feminine graduates of a school or institution

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19
Q

Alumna

A

female graduate

Kristin is an alumna of UC Berkeley

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20
Q

alumnae

A

plural female graduates

Kristin is an alumna of UC Berkeley and joined the alumni club after she graduated

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21
Q

between

A

use between to designate two persons or objects.

He was between a rock and a hard place when he had to choose among the many outstanding performers

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22
Q

among

A

designating more than two objects or persons
He was between a rock and a hard place when he had to choose among the many outstanding performances
exception: distances.
The plane traveled between New York, Chicago, and Miami

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23
Q

Amount

A

amount refers to total mass or body, considered as one enmity.
The amount of time I spent on this project is considerable

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24
Q

number

A

refers to a group of thins made up of individual parts that can be separated and counted
can you believe the number of students who attended today’s Key Club meeting?

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25
Q

anxious

A

implies worry or fear.

After failing my first driver’s test, I was anxious when I showed up for the second one.

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26
Q

eager

A

favorable connotation that conveys desire for something.

He was eager to purchase the new video game that just came out.

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27
Q

Anyone

A

anyone and anybody is an indefinite pronoun and Is considered singular.
Anyone is entitled to change his (NOT THEIR) mind occasionally.

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28
Q

Any one

A

simply means any single person or any single thing.

Any one of your friends will be glad to help you.

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29
Q

awhile

A

adverb that modifies other adverbs, verbs, or adjectives.

They stayed awhile at their friend’s house

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30
Q

a while

A

used after the preposition for.

I thought for a while before I decided to admit what I had done.

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31
Q

bad

A

an adjective

His bad performance in the play led to the critics to pan his acting career.

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32
Q

badly

A

adverb.

she is badly mistaken if she thinks I am going to pay for lunch today.

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33
Q

When you are saying ill or feeling sorry, say I feel bad. not I feel badly.

A

n/a

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34
Q

Beside

A

preposition meaning by the side of.

He sat beside Kate at the movies because he hoped she would notice his new hair cut.

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35
Q

besides

A

preposition meaning except or an adverb meaning in addition or moreover.
Everyone besides Matthew has invited to her party. Besides the medal he won, he also earned a fifty-dollar gift certificate

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36
Q

Bring

A

to convey to this place here

please bring me my scissors from the den.

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37
Q

take

A

denotes taking something away from the place.

mary is going to take a heavy coat on the camping trip.

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38
Q

burst

A

The principal parts of the verb burst, which is to break open or fly apart by force, are burst , burst, and burst.
The balloon burst when he tried to stuff it into his backpack.

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39
Q

Bust

A

either a sculpture or a part of the human body.

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40
Q

how often do you use bursted?

A

never

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41
Q

cannot

A

always one word.

I cannot give you permission to use his keys to enter the building.

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42
Q

capital

A

a city or an adjective meaning chief or first and foremost.
His capital concerns were that the individuals charged with the crime were prosecuted fairly. Also refers to money or funds.

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43
Q

capitol

A

building.
We were at the Capitol in Sacramento, which is the capital of California, where we discussed how to raise the needed to capital to build new schools.

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44
Q

Censor

A

means to remove or suppress material considered objectionable.
The library’s new media policy of censoring controversial books has been censured by the teachers.

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45
Q

Censure

A

criticize severely

The library’s new media policy of censoring controversial books has been censured by the teachers.

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46
Q

childish

A

implies to the lack of maturity or attitudes characteristic of childhood.
She behaved childishly during the meeting and refused to speak

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47
Q

childlike

A

connotation of innocence, faith, or trust.

He has a childlike faith in the power of love and forgiveness

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48
Q

cite

A

to quote or to common officially to appear in court.

he cited Einstein in his paper several times; George was cited by the police for failing to stop at the intersection.

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49
Q

Site

A

the position or location of something.

We located the sit where the new school is to be built.

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50
Q

Complement

A

usually refers to something that completes or brings to perfection
Her red shoes really did complement her nautical-themed attire

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51
Q

compliment

A

an expression of courtesy or praise.

I would like to compliment the chef on her excellent preparation of the food.

52
Q

conscience

A

conscience is a noun meaning moral principals.

Let your conscience be your guide when deciding what to do.

53
Q

Conscious

A

an adjective that means aware or alert

Were you conscious of his love for you?

54
Q

Connotate

A

there’s no such word. The verb is CONNOTE, and it means the implied or suggested meaning of a word.
The word “rat” connotes someone who is devious and sneaky in some way.

55
Q

Could care less or couldn’t care less?

A

couldn’t care less.

He couldn’t care less about his psychology final exam because he had over a hundred percent in the class

56
Q

council

A

a deliberative body

The councilors met to draft the council’s position paper

57
Q

counsel

A

usually means advice and can also mean lawyer; a The pastor offered wise cousel to the troubled teenager

58
Q

credible

A

believable

his evidence was not credible.

59
Q

creditable

A

deserving esteem or admiration

The actor playing Romeo gave a creditable performance

60
Q

what’s the plural of cupful?

A

cuposful

61
Q

different than?

A

No, different from.

My style of writing is very different from yours

62
Q

disburse

A

to pay out; spend

The company will disburse its profits at the end of the year

63
Q

disperfse

A

to scatter

the crowd dispersed after the police showed up

64
Q

disinterested

A

Unbiased, impartial

We needa disinterested judge to decide whether this case should proceed.

65
Q

uninterested

A

lacking interest in

if you are uninterested in this topic, you may choose another to study

66
Q

Drapes isn’t a noun to mean curtain, its a VERB

A

the skirt drapes beautifully.
Draperies would be the correct noun form,
Close the draperies (or curtains) to keep the afternoon sun out.

67
Q

elicit

A

a verb meaning to bring out or evoke

The Reporter was unable to elicit any information from the police about illicit drug trafficking in the city

68
Q

illicit

A

an adjective meaning unlawful.

The reporter was unable to elicit any information from the police about illicit drug trafficking in the city

69
Q

Eminent

A

means outstanding or distinguished

We met an eminent professor at Greek history

70
Q

Imminent

A

about to happen

the announcement of his resignation was imminent

71
Q

everyday

A

expression of an adjective

Mother’s everyday china will be used for the party

72
Q

Every day

A

When used as an adverb to indicate how often something happens, it is written as two words.
Every day i go to the gym to lift weights and run on the treadmill

73
Q

farther

A

at or to a more distant point, a measurable distance

i walked farther than you did on the trail

74
Q

further

A

to a greater extent or in addition

we will discuss the matter further after i return from my trip

75
Q

fewer

A

use fewer to refer to a number

Where there are fewer cars, there is usually less noise

76
Q

less

A

refers to an amount

where there are fewer cars, there is usually less noise.

77
Q

flaunt

A

exhibit ostentatiously or to show off

she flaunted her new mink coat to her friends

78
Q

flout

A

show or contempt or disregard for something

Students wil often flout the hat policy and wear baseball caps at school

79
Q

Forego

A

precede or to go before

The foregoing reports were gathered several years ago.

80
Q

forgo

A

to give up or relinquish

i am afraid I must forgo the pleasure of meeting your friends today because i have too much work to do.

81
Q

Formally

A

formally means done in a formal manner

He was formally introduced to the committee after the luncheoln

82
Q

Formerly

A

former or previous time

he was formerly the head of the company before moving on to establish his own firm

83
Q

hanged

A

correct past tense or past participle of hang when capital punishment is meant
The cattle rushers were hanged at daybreak

84
Q

imply

A

to suggest, to express indirectly

i didn’t mean to imply that you looked like you had gained wegith

85
Q

infer

A

to conclude something on teh basis of a suggestion or implication
the boy inferrred from his father’s frown that he was not pleased with his drawing on the wall.

86
Q

ingenious

A

clever

Sarah’s suggestion to the problem was ingenious

87
Q

ingenuous

A

naive or wihout sophistication or frank and candid

His ingenuous response made several people in the room feel uncomfortable

88
Q

its

A

possessive form

each school has its own mascot and colors

89
Q

it’s

A

it is

i cannot believe that it’s going to rain today

90
Q

it’s me

A

it is i

91
Q

lay

A

set or place

please lay the plates on the table when you are through

92
Q

lie

A

to be at rest

tell the dog to lie down on the rug by the door

93
Q

liable

A

means obligated or responsible, especially financially.

he is liable for the bill if you do not pay on time

94
Q

likely

A

you’re likely to rip if you don’t tie those shoe laces

95
Q

may be

A

verb,

96
Q

maybe

A

perhaps

97
Q

nauseated

A

feel a sickness in the stomach, a sensation of impending vomiting
i felt nauseated after i ate twenty hot dogs at the fair

98
Q

nauseous

A

sickening, disgusting, loathsome.

i smelled a nauseous odor coming from the basement where the bodies were buried

99
Q

noted

A

favorbale connotation and means distinguished, renowned or eminent
he was a noted surgeoun and had successfully completed many heart transplants

100
Q

notorious

A

refers to someone known for unfavorable or unethical reasons

he was notorious for cheating his renters out of their deposti

101
Q

orient not orientate

A

n/a

102
Q

over with

A

nope just over

103
Q

passed

A

past tense and the past participle of the verb to pass

we passed eachother in the hall this morning; we must have passed the house we were looking for

104
Q

past

A

adjective
during the past few years, he has worked in a factory
noun
in the past, it was common for people to walk ten miles to school each day.
adverb,
she waved as she drove past the crowd
prepposition
ours is the first house past the drusgstore

105
Q

pedal

A

verb meaning to operate a lvel with the foot

sam pedaled hard up the steep hill on his bike

106
Q

peddle

A

means to travel about selling goods

the old man peddled his cooking supplies from door to door

107
Q

persecute

A

to harass persistently

the boys were persecuted daily for shaving their heads and wearing baggy clothing

108
Q

prosecute

A

to institute leagal proceedings against someone

the man was indicted for the robbery, and his case will be prosecuted in February.

109
Q

pore

A

means to meditate or to study intently and is used with the preposition “over””
she wanted to pore over her notes before the exam.

110
Q

pour

A

to seta a liquid flowing or falling

they poured the tea inot the small cups

111
Q

precede

A

to come before

as we proceeded up the mountain path, we noticed fresh tracks in the mud evidene that a group of hikers had preceded us.

112
Q

proceed

A

go forward

as we proceeded up the mountain path, we noticed fresh tacks in the mud evidence that a group of hikers had preceded us.

113
Q

principal

A

adjective and noun it means chief or primary
The principal parts o f the recipe are highlighted for you convenience. The head of a school
the principal held me etings with the students to dsicuss the new dancepolicy
primary money ona loan
you must pay both the Principal and the interest on teh loan

114
Q

principle

A

noun only, meaning scruples or beliefs

you must follow your principles and choose the correct path in life

115
Q

quote

A

verb

i am going to quote several passages from the novel so that i have a quotation from each character

116
Q

rein

A

narrow strap of leather used by a rider to control a horse; frequently used figuratively to indicate control.
he took up the reins of government after the dicator was ousted

117
Q

reign

A

royal power

queen vicotira’s reign lasted sixty-four years

118
Q

respectfully

A

with all respect or reverence.

We acted respectfully toward the elders in the group..

119
Q

respectively

A

order designated

the men and women took their eats on the right and left respectively

120
Q

stationary

A

fixed in place, unmoving

we held on the stationary pillars when the hurricane began to gather force around us

121
Q

stationery

A

the paper used for writing correspondence.

i wanted to use white stationery for the wedding invitations

122
Q

suppose

A

believe

123
Q

trustee

A

person elected or appointed ot direct funds or policy for a person or an institution
the school board trustees will decide what budget cuts will occur for th he nxt year

124
Q

trusty

A

prisoner grated special privileges because he is believed to be trustworthy.
although he was a trusty, Harris escaped from prison early today.

125
Q

undoubtably vs. undoubtedly

A

undoubetdly, without a dobt.

he will undoubtedly attend the funeral for his bestfriend.

English (6 decks)

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