Vocab Flashcards

1
Q

Abate(v)

A

To become less active, less intense, or less in amount

As I began my speech , my feelings of nervousness quickly abated.

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2
Q

Abstract(adj)

A

existing purely in the mind; not representing actual reality

Julie had trouble understanding the appeal of the abstract painting.

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3
Q

Abysmal(adj)

A

adj. extremely bad

I got an abysmal grade on my research paper!

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4
Q

Accordingly(adv)

A

in accordance with
Suitable for situation
All students must behave accordingly.

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5
Q

Acquisition(n)

A

the act of gaining a skill or possession of something

Language acquisition is easier for kids than it is for adults.

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6
Q

Adapt(v)

A

to make suit a new purpose
v. to accommodate oneself to a new condition, setting, or situation
The US has adapted many foreign foods to better suit the tastes of Americans.
Dogs are known for their ability to quickly adapt to their environments.

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7
Q

Adept(v)

A

having knowledge or skill (usu. in a particular area)

Beth loves playing the piano, but she’s especially adept at the violin.

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8
Q

Adequate(adj)

A

adj. having sufficient qualifications to meet a specific task or purpose
Though his resume was adequate, the company doubted whether he’d be a good fit.

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9
Q

Advent(n)

A

the arrival or creation of something (usu. historic)

The world has never been the same since the advent of the light bulb.

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10
Q

Adversarial(adj)

A

adj. relating to hostile opposition

An adversarial attitude will make you many enemies in life.

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11
Q

Advocate(V)

A

n. someone who promotes or defends something
v. to defend or promote something (usu. a belief, theory, opinion, etc.)
I am an advocate for free higher education.
Environmental protesters often advocate for cleaner energy practices.

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12
Q

Aesthetic(adj)

A

relating to beauty or refined taste

The aesthetic decorations at the wedding reception made you feel as if you were a character in a fairy tale.

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13
Q

Afford(V)

A

v. to be able to buy
v. to be able to spare

He’s saving money so he can afford to buy a new car.
I can’t afford to lose any more pencils!

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14
Q

Agitate(v)

A

v. to promote something (usu. a cause)

They’re agitating for better health care.

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15
Q

Allow(V)

A

to permit or consent to

US law allows citizens to speak freely.

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16
Q

Allude(v)

A

to make a secretive mention of something

She alluded to the problem at hand but didn’t say anything more about it.

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17
Q

Altercation(n)

A

a noisy argument or confrontation

Greg got into an altercation with a stranger at the bar.

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18
Q

Ambiguous(adj)

A

adj. unclear or vague in meaning

Her ambiguous statement made me question whether she could be trusted.

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19
Q

Ambitious(adj)

A

adj. having a powerful desire for success or achievement

Penny is so ambitious, she wants to be president someday.

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20
Q

Ambivalence(N)

A

the state of being uncertain or stuck between two or more options
His ambivalence prevented him from immediately signing the contract.

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21
Q

Analogous(adj)

A

similar but not identical

Green onions are considered analogous to spring onions.

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22
Q

Annihilate(v)

A

to destroy or cause devastating destruction

The dictator sent orders to annihilate the group of rebels.

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23
Q

Anomaly(n)

A

n. something different from the norm

This result is an anomaly and very rarely happens.

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24
Q

Anticipate(v)

A

v. assume to be likely to happen

The party was just as fun as I had anticipated it would be.

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25
Q

Antipathy(n)

A

n. a strong feeling of dislike

Her antipathy toward the professor was obvious: she rolled her eyes whenever he entered the classroom.

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26
Q

Apex(n)

A

. the highest point of something

The spring play was the apex of our school year.

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27
Q

Apprehension(N)

A

fearful expectation of something

Her apprehension to leave her house resulted in her missing the train.

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28
Q

Articulate(v)

A

to clearly express in words

She articulated her opinion on the price of the house.

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29
Q

Artificial(adj)

A

something made; not occurring naturally

Many candies use artificial flavors to make them taste fruity.

30
Q

Assertion(n)

A

. a strong declaration

His assertion that sharks are mammals made everyone laugh.

31
Q

Austere(adj)

A

adj. extremely plain
adj. stern and forbidding
adj. relating to self-denial
He lived in a small, austere cabin in the middle of the woods.
My boss had an austere expression on her face.
An austere lifestyle, like that of monks, isn’t for everybody.

32
Q

Authenticity(n)

A

the quality of being real and true instead of fake and contrived

The police officer doubted the authenticity of the suspect’s story.

33
Q

Avenue(N)

A

an intangible path or approach to something

The company has decided to pursue other avenues.

34
Q

Avid(adj)

A

adj. actively interested in or enthusiastic about something

Gerald is an avid soccer fan.

35
Q

Basic(adj)

A

adj. relating to the foundation or basis of something

You have to start with basic Russian before you can move on to the advanced level.

36
Q

Bear(V)

A

v. to have as a characteristic
v. to have (a child)
v. to bring forth
v. to put up with deal with sth
She bears a strong resemblance to your mother.
Judy will bear her first child later this year.
My garden is going to bear pumpkins this year.
I can’t bear her complaining any longer!

37
Q

Benevolent(adj)

A

kind, generous

Many cultures believe in benevolent spirits.

38
Q

Bias(n)

A

a preconception that prevents objectivity

It’s important to avoid bias when investigating a crime.

39
Q

Bittersweet(adj)

A

tinged with a feeling of sadness

The ending of the romance movie was bittersweet.

40
Q

Bolster(v)

A

to support, strengthen, or fortify
If we work together, we should be able to lift and then bolster the couch.
Bolster his confidence

41
Q

Boost(n,v)

A

n. an increase or growth
v. to increase or make grow
The boost in profits was a welcome change.
In order to boost profits, you need to cater to your customers.

42
Q

Brawl(V)

A

n. an intense, loud fight
v. to fight loudly and disruptively
A brawl broke out at school today after one student accused another of cheating.
The two students brawled for an hour.

43
Q

Brevity (n)

A

n. the quality of being brief or terse

The brevity of their time together made it all the more romantic.

44
Q

Candid(adj)

A

adj. direct, blunt

Josh is candid about his desire to become an actor.

45
Q

Candor(n)

A

the trait of being honest and frank

I admire her candor, especially when nobody else bothers to speak up.

46
Q

Capitalize(v)

A

v. to use to your advantage

I’d like to capitalize on your math skills by having your work the cash register.

47
Q

Capture

A

v. to trap or take possession of
v. to successfully represent or imitate
v. to captivate, mesmerize
v. to catch or seize
The spy was captured by the enemy.
Your painting beautifully captures the ephemerality of life.
I was captured by her beauty.
The cops captured the criminal three days after the incident

48
Q

Civic

A

adj. relating to the city or citizens

Voting is a civic duty.

49
Q

Clinical

A

adj. emotionally unattached (usu. used in medical or scientific setting)
Her clinical approach to situations allows her to handle them more effectively.

50
Q

Clout

A

special advantage or power

Children of rich and famous people often believe they have a lot of clout.

51
Q

Coarse

A

Adj. indicating a rough texture
adj. lacking refinement or sophistication
The horse’s mane was coarse, as if it had never been washed.
The queen’s coarse way of speaking surprised the other members of royalty.

52
Q

Coincide

A

v. to happen at the same time

It wasn’t until after I booked my ticket that I realized the concert coincided with my finals.

53
Q

Commission

A

n. the use of payment to request something (e.g., a service or product)
This painting was commissioned by a rich merchant in 1589.

54
Q

Comparable

A

adj. able to be compared

This novel is comparable to Huckleberry Finn.

55
Q

Competent

A

adj. sufficiently qualified

We need to hire a competent web developer to create a good website for our company.

56
Q

Complacent

A

adj. satisfied, with no desire to change or improve

Though he had never won any awards or even been published, he was complacent with his life as a poet.

57
Q

Complement(v)

A

v. to make perfect or complete

This wine perfectly complements this platter of gourmet cheese.

58
Q

Concede

A

v. to be forced to agree or surrender
v. to admit to a transgression
With no chance of winning the battle, the army at last conceded.
Dan conceded to pranking his sister

59
Q

Conceive

A

v. to imagine or come up with

The plan to build the city was originally conceived in the early 1900s.

60
Q

Condone

A

v. to overlook, approve, or allow

She couldn’t condone her daughter’s rebellious behavior.

61
Q

Conducive

A

adj. able to bring about or be suitable for

The noisy students hardly made the campus library conducive to studying.

62
Q

Conduct

A

v. to control or manage
v. to behave a certain way
The group conducted their research abroad last year.
Be sure to conduct yourself accordingly.

63
Q

Confide

A

v. to share something secretive with someone

She confided all of her biggest secrets in her best friend.

64
Q

Confine

A

v. to put limits on; to restrict

We are going to confine the use of this drinking fountain.

65
Q

Consensus(n)

A

n. overall agreement

After weeks of debating, the panel finally came to a consensus.

66
Q

Constitute

A

v. to form or compose (part of) something

The desire for equality constituted the civil rights movement.

67
Q

Contemplate

A

v. to think deeply about

She contemplated telling her teacher about the cheating student.

68
Q

Contend

A

v. to maintain or assert (an opinion)

The president contends that the US government will not negotiate with terrorists.

69
Q

Contradict

A

v. to be in contrast with

The camera footage contradicts his alibi.

70
Q

Controversial

A

adj. highly debatable and causing contention

Millions of viewers watched the controversial debate take place.

71
Q

Conventional

A

adj. abiding by accepted standards, usual

She lives a conventional life in the suburbs.