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Flashcards in deck_824558 Deck (383)
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2
Q

Abase

A

To humble or disgrace

3
Q

Abate

A

To reduce in amount, degree or severity

4
Q

Abdicate

A

To give up a position, right or power

5
Q

Aberrant

A

Deviating from normal

6
Q

Abeyance

A

Temporary suppression or suspension

7
Q

Abjure

A

To reject or formally abandon

8
Q

Abscond

A

To leave secretly

9
Q

Abstemious

A

Moderate in appetite

10
Q

Accretion

A

A gradual growth in size

11
Q

Acidulous

A

Sour in taste or manner

12
Q

Acme

A

Highest point or level

13
Q

Aerie

A

A nest build high; elevated, secluded dwelling

14
Q

Affected

A

phony, artificial

15
Q

Aggrandize

A

To increase in power, influence

16
Q

Alacrity

A

Speed, quickness

17
Q

Ameliorate

A

To make better, improve

18
Q

Amortize

A

To diminish by installment payments

19
Q

Anodyne

A

Something that clams or soothes pain

20
Q

Apocryphal

A

Of questionable authority/authenticity

21
Q

Apostate

A

One who renounces religious faith

22
Q

Approbation

A

Approval, praise

23
Q

Ardor

A

Intense and passionate feeling

24
Q

Arrogate

A

To claim without justification

25
Q

Attenuate

A

To reduce in force, to weaken

26
Q

Audacious

A

Bold

27
Q

Augury

A

A prophecy or prediction

28
Q

August

A

Dignified, grandiose

29
Q

Axiom

A

Premise, postulate, self-evident truth

30
Q

Belfry

A

A bell tower

31
Q

Bevy

A

A group

32
Q

Bifurcate

A

To divide into 2 parts

33
Q

Bilk

A

To cheat or defraud

34
Q

Blight

A

To afflict or destroy

35
Q

Blithe

A

Joyful, cheerful, without appropriate thought

36
Q

Bombastic

A

Pompous in speech and manner

37
Q

Bonhomie

A

Good-natured geniality

38
Q

Boor

A

Crude person

39
Q

Burnish

A

To polish

40
Q

Cabal

A

A secret group seeking to overturn something

41
Q

Calumny

A

A false/malicious accusation

42
Q

Canard

A

A lie

43
Q

Cartography

A

The science/art of making maps

44
Q

Catholic

A

Universal; broad and comprehensive

45
Q

Caustic

A

witty, cutting

46
Q

Chauvinist

A

Someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs

47
Q

Chicanery

A

Deception by means of craft or guile

48
Q

Cloying

A

Sickly sweet, excessive

49
Q

Coalesce

A

To grow together to form a single whole

50
Q

Coffer

A

A large chest for money

51
Q

Collusion

A

A collaboration, perhaps secretive or illegal

52
Q

Condone

A

To overlook, pardon or disregard

53
Q

Contrite

A

Deep sorrowful and repentant for a wrong

54
Q

Contumacious

A

Rebellious

55
Q

Cosset

A

To pamper, treat with great care

56
Q

Coterie

A

An intimate group of people with a similar purpose

57
Q

Craven

A

Lacking courage

58
Q

Credulous

A

too trusting, gullible

59
Q

Crescendo

A

steady increase in volume/force

60
Q

Cupidity

A

Greed; strong desire

61
Q

Declivity

A

A downward slope

62
Q

Decorous

A

Proper, tasteful, socially corect

63
Q

Decorum

A

Appropriateness of behavior

64
Q

Deleterious

A

Subtly or unexpectedly harmful

65
Q

Demagogue

A

A leader who appeals using emotion/prejudice

66
Q

Demur

A

To express doubts, objections

67
Q

Desiccate

A

To dry out

68
Q

Desultory

A

Jumping from one thing to another

69
Q

Diaphanous

A

Allowing light to show through, delicate

70
Q

Diatribe

A

Abusive, condemnatory speech

71
Q

Dictum

A

Authoritative statement

72
Q

Diffident

A

Lacking self-confidence

73
Q

Dilatory

A

Intended to delay

74
Q

Dilettante

A

Superficial interest in a topic

75
Q

Dirge

A

A mournful speech

76
Q

Disabuse

A

To correct, make right

77
Q

Disparate

A

Fundamentally different

78
Q

Dissemble

A

To present a false appearance, to disguise one’s character/intentions

79
Q

Distaff

A

The female branch of a family

80
Q

Distend

A

To swell, inflate, or bloat

81
Q

Dither

A

acting confused/without purpose

82
Q

Diurnal

A

Active/occurring during the day

83
Q

Divine

A

To foretell or know by inspiration

84
Q

Doctrinaire

A

Rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic

85
Q

Dogma

A

Firmly held opinion, particularly religious belief

86
Q

Dogmatic

A

Dictatorial in one’s opinions

87
Q

Droll

A

Amusing in a wry, subtle way

88
Q

Dyspeptic

A

Indigestion, gloomy and irritable

89
Q

Ebullient

A

Enthusiasm and high spirits

90
Q

Eclectic

A

Made from a variety of sources

91
Q

Edify

A

To instruct morally, spiritually

92
Q

Effigy

A

Stuffed doll or likeness of a person

93
Q

Effrontery

A

Audacity, nerve

94
Q

Elegy

A

sorrowful poem or speech

95
Q

Encomium

A

Warm praise

96
Q

Endemic

A

Belonging/inherent to a particular area

97
Q

Enervate

A

To reduce in strength

98
Q

Engender

A

To produce, cause or bring about

99
Q

Enumerate

A

Count, list or itemize

100
Q

Epicure

A

Refined taste in food or wine

101
Q

Equivocate

A

To use expressions of double meaning to mislead

102
Q

Ersatz

A

fake

103
Q

Erudite

A

scholarly

104
Q

Eschew

A

To shun or avoid

105
Q

Esoteric

A

Known or understood by few

106
Q

Estimable

A

Admirable

107
Q

Ethos

A

The beliefs or character of a group

108
Q

Eulogy

A

A speech in praise of someone

109
Q

Euphemism

A

Substituting an inoffensive word for a bad one

110
Q

Euphony

A

Pleasant sound

111
Q

Exculpate

A

To clear from blame

112
Q

Exigent

A

Urgent

113
Q

Exponent

A

One who champions or advocates

114
Q

Expurgate

A

To censor

115
Q

Fallow

A

Dormant, unused

116
Q

Fatuous

A

Stupid, foolishly self-satisfied

117
Q

Fecund

A

Fertile, productive, fruitful

118
Q

Fervid

A

Intensely emotional, feverish

119
Q

Fetid

A

Foul-smelling, putrid

120
Q

Flag

A

To decline in vigor, strength, interest

121
Q

Florid

A

Excessively decorated or embellished

122
Q

Foment

A

To arouse or incite

123
Q

Ford

A

To cross a body of water by wading

124
Q

Forestall

A

To prevent, delay, anticipate

125
Q

Fortuitous

A

Happening by chance, fortunate

126
Q

Fractious

A

Unruly, rebellious

127
Q

Frenetic

A

Frantic, frenzied

128
Q

Furtive

A

Secret, stealthy

129
Q

Gambol

A

To dance or skip playfully

130
Q

Garner

A

To gather/store

131
Q

Garrulous

A

Talkative

132
Q

Glib

A

Insincere, offhand, casual

133
Q

Glower

A

To glare angrily

134
Q

Gradation

A

A degree or state of the process, variation in color

135
Q

Guile

A

Deceit, trickery

136
Q

Hapless

A

Unfortunate, bad luck

137
Q

Hegemony

A

The domination of one state over its allies

138
Q

Hermetic

A

Tightly sealed

139
Q

Heterogeneous

A

Diverse

140
Q

Hoary

A

Very old, whitish or gray from age

141
Q

Husband

A

To manage economically, to use sparingly

142
Q

Hyperbole

A

Purposeful exaggeration for effect

143
Q

Iconoclast

A

One who opposed established beliefs, customs and institutions

144
Q

Idiosyncracy

A

Quirk

145
Q

Ignoble

A

Not noble in character

146
Q

Imbue

A

Infuse, dye, wet or moisten

147
Q

Impasse

A

Deadlock

148
Q

Impecunious

A

Poor, no money

149
Q

Impervious

A

Incapable of being affected

150
Q

Impetuous

A

To act without thinking

151
Q

Impious

A

Not devout in religion, immoral

152
Q

Imprecation

A

A curse

153
Q

Impugn

A

To challenge or dispute

154
Q

Incarnadine

A

Blood red in color

155
Q

Inchoate

A

Disorganized

156
Q

Inculcate

A

To teach, preach

157
Q

Indolent

A

Habitually lazy or idle

158
Q

Inexorable

A

Inflexible, unyielding

159
Q

Ingenuous

A

Innocence, childlike simplicity

160
Q

Ingrate

A

Ungrateful person, cad

161
Q

Ingratiate

A

To gain favor by deliberate effort

162
Q

Inimical

A

Hostile, unfriendly

163
Q

Iniquity

A

A sin, evil act

164
Q

Inquest

A

Investigation

165
Q

Insipid

A

Boring, bland

166
Q

Insurrection

A

Rebellion

167
Q

Inter

A

To bury

168
Q

Interregnum

A

A period between reigns

169
Q

Intractable

A

Stubborn, unruly; not easily managed

170
Q

Intransigent

A

Uncompromising

171
Q

Intrepid

A

Brave

172
Q

Inure

A

To harden; accustom

173
Q

Invective

A

Abusive language

174
Q

Investiture

A

Ceremony conferring authority

175
Q

Invidious

A

obnoxious, or offensive

176
Q

Irascible

A

Easily made angry, ornery

177
Q

Itinerant

A

Nomadic

178
Q

Jargon

A

Nonsensical talk or specialized language

179
Q

jettison

A

To discard

180
Q

Jingoism

A

Belligerent support of one’s country

181
Q

Judicious

A

Sensible, good judgment

182
Q

Juncture

A

A point of time where two things are joined

183
Q

Keen

A

Intellectually sharp, perceptive

184
Q

Kindle

A

To set fire, excite or inspire

185
Q

Kinetic

A

Relating to motion, characterized by movement

186
Q

Knell

A

Sound of a funeral bell, omen of death or failure

187
Q

Lachrymose

A

Tearful

188
Q

Laconic

A

Using few words

189
Q

Lampoon

A

Ridicule with satire

190
Q

Languid

A

Lacking energy, indifferent, slow

191
Q

Lapidary

A

relating to precious stones or the art of cutting them

192
Q

Larceny

A

Theft of property

193
Q

Largess

A

Generous giving of money to those who seem inferior

194
Q

Lassitude

A

A state of diminished energy

195
Q

Latent

A

Potentially available but not readily apparent

196
Q

Leery

A

Suspicious

197
Q

Legerdemain

A

Trickery

198
Q

Levity

A

Inappropriate lack of seriousness, overly casual

199
Q

Libertine

A

A free thinker, one without moral restraint (disparagingly)

200
Q

Licentious

A

Immoral; unrestrained by society

201
Q

Limpid

A

Clean, transparent

202
Q

Lionize

A

To treat as a celebrity

203
Q

Lissome

A

Easily flexed, limber, agile

204
Q

Listless

A

Lacking energy, enthusiasm

205
Q

Lugubrious

A

Sorrowful, mournful, dismal

206
Q

Lumber

A

To move slowly, awkwardly

207
Q

Machination

A

Plot or scheme

208
Q

Maelstrom

A

Turmoil

209
Q

Magnate

A

Powerful or influential person

210
Q

Malediction

A

A wish of evil upon another

211
Q

Malinger

A

To evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

212
Q

Mannered

A

Artificial or stilted in character

213
Q

Martinet

A

Strict disciplinarian

214
Q

Maudlin

A

Overly sentimental

215
Q

Mendacious

A

Dishonest

216
Q

Mendicant

A

Begger

217
Q

Mercurial

A

Quick, schrewd, unpredicable

218
Q

Meretricious

A

Gaudy, falsely attractive

219
Q

Fastidious

A

Meticulous, painstaking

220
Q

Militate

A

To work against

221
Q

Mirth

A

Glee

222
Q

Missive

A

A written note or letter

223
Q

Mitigate

A

Soften, lessen

224
Q

Molt

A

To shed an outer layer

225
Q

Monastic

A

Extremely plain or secluded

226
Q

Mores

A

Fixed customs or moral attitudes

227
Q

Multifarious

A

Diverse

228
Q

Nadir

A

Lowest point

229
Q

Neologism

A

New word or expression

230
Q

Neophyte

A

New, beginner

231
Q

Nettle

A

To irritate

232
Q

Noisome

A

Stinking, putrid

233
Q

Nominal

A

existing in name only, but not putting in effort, syn: minimal, titular

234
Q

Nuance

A

subtle expression of meaning or quality

235
Q

Numismatics

A

Coin collecting

236
Q

Obdurate

A

Hardened in feeling, resistant to persuasion

237
Q

Oblique

A

Indirect, evasive, misleading, devious

238
Q

Obsequious

A

Overly submissive, eager to please

239
Q

Obviate

A

To prevent/make unnecessary

240
Q

Occlude

A

To stop up, prevent passage of

241
Q

Officious

A

Too helpful, meddlesome

242
Q

Onerous

A

Burdensome

243
Q

Opine

A

To express an opinion

244
Q

Opprobium

A

Public disgrace

245
Q

Orotund

A

Pompous

246
Q

Ostensible

A

Apparent

247
Q

Palliate

A

To make less serious, to ease

248
Q

Pallid

A

Lacking color or liveliness

249
Q

Panache

A

Flamboyance, flair

250
Q

Panegyric

A

Elaborate praise

251
Q

Panoply

A

Impressive array

252
Q

Paragon

A

Model of excellence

253
Q

Pare

A

To reduce

254
Q

Pariah

A

Outcast

255
Q

Parley

A

Discussion between two enemies

256
Q

Parry

A

To ward off or reflect, especially by a quick witted answer

257
Q

Pastiche

A

Literature or music imitating other works, spoof

258
Q

Pathogenic

A

Causing disease

259
Q

Peccadillo

A

A minor sin or offense

260
Q

Pedant

A

Someone who shows off learning

261
Q

Penury

A

Severe poverty

262
Q

Peregrinate

A

To wander from place to place, to travel on foot

263
Q

Perfidious

A

Willing to betray trust

264
Q

Perfunctory

A

Done in a routine way, indifferent

265
Q

Peripatetic

A

Wandering from place to place, especially on foot

266
Q

Perspicacious

A

Astute, keen-witted

267
Q

Pervade

A

To permeate

268
Q

Phalanx

A

A close-knit body of people, animals or things

269
Q

Philistine

A

A person guided by materialism, disdainful of intellectual or artistic values

270
Q

Phlegmatic

A

Calm, unemotional in temperament

271
Q

Pithy

A

Succinct

272
Q

Plebeian

A

Crude or coarse

273
Q

Polemic

A

Controversy, argument, verbal attack

274
Q

Politic

A

Tactful

275
Q

Polyglot

A

A speaker of many languages

276
Q

Posit

A

Suggest, to assume as real

277
Q

Potentate

A

A monarch or ruler with great power

278
Q

Pragmatic

A

Practical

279
Q

Prattle

A

Meaningless, foolish talk

280
Q

Precipitate

A

Sudden, headlong

281
Q

Precis

A

Short summary of facts

282
Q

Prescient

A

Having foresight

283
Q

Prevaricate

A

To lie or deviate from the truth

284
Q

Probity

A

Complete honesty and integrity

285
Q

Proclivity

A

A natural inclination

286
Q

Prodigal

A

Lavish, wasteful

287
Q

Profligate

A

Corrupt, degenerate

288
Q

Propitiate

A

To appease

289
Q

Propriety

A

The quality of behaving in a proper manner

290
Q

Prudence

A

Wisdom, caution, restraint

291
Q

Puerile

A

Childish, immature, silly

292
Q

Pugilism

A

Boxing

293
Q

Pulchritude

A

Beauty

294
Q

Pungent

A

Sharp and irritating to the senses

295
Q

Pusillanimous

A

Cowardly

296
Q

Querulous

A

Whiny

297
Q

Quiescent

A

Motionless

298
Q

Quixotic

A

Overly idealistic, impractical

299
Q

Quotidian

A

Occurring daily, commonplace

300
Q

Raconteur

A

A witty, skillful storyteller

301
Q

Rarefy

A

To become thinner or sparser; attenuate

302
Q

Redress

A

Relief from wrong or injury

303
Q

Rejoinder

A

Response

304
Q

Repast

A

Meal

305
Q

Replete

A

Abounding, full

306
Q

Repose

A

Relaxation, leisure

307
Q

Repudiate

A

To deny, disclaim, renounce

308
Q

Requite

A

To return, repay, reciprocate

309
Q

Restive

A

Impatient, uneasy, restless

310
Q

Reticent

A

Silent, reserved

311
Q

Ribald

A

Vulgar humor

312
Q

Rococo

A

Ornate

313
Q

Rustic

A

Rural

314
Q

Sacrosanct

A

Sacred, beyond criticism, inviolabe

315
Q

Sagacious

A

Shrewd, wise; perspicacious

316
Q

Salient

A

Prominent, of notable significance

317
Q

Salubrious

A

Healthful

318
Q

Sanguine

A

Optimistic, rosy

319
Q

Sardonic

A

Cynical

320
Q

Scintilla

A

Trace amount

321
Q

Sedition

A

Behavior that promotes rebellion

322
Q

Sentient

A

Aware, conscious

323
Q

Seraphic

A

Angelic, sweet

324
Q

Sinecure

A

A well paying job that requires little work

325
Q

Slake

A

To calm down or moderate

326
Q

Sobriquet

A

Nickname

327
Q

Solecism

A

Grammatical mistake

328
Q

Soporific

A

Causing sleep or lethargy

329
Q

Spartan

A

Self-disciplined, austere

330
Q

Specious

A

Deceptively attractive

331
Q

Sportive

A

Frolicsome, playful

332
Q

Stasis

A

Inertia, standstill

333
Q

Stentorian

A

Extremely loud

334
Q

Stolid

A

Unemotional, lacking sensitivity

335
Q

Stratagem

A

A ruse, trick designed to deceive an enemy

336
Q

Sublime

A

Lofty or grand

337
Q

Sully

A

To tarnish or taint

338
Q

Supplant

A

To replace by force, to take place of

339
Q

Surfeit

A

Surplus

340
Q

Surly

A

Rude, bad-tempered

341
Q

Sybarite

A

Hedonist, devoted to pleasure, luxury

342
Q

Sycophant

A

A self-serving flatterer, a yes-man

343
Q

Symbiosis

A

Cooperation, mutual helpfulness

344
Q

Syncopation

A

Temporary irregularity in musical rhythm

345
Q

Tacit

A

Done without using words

346
Q

Taciturn

A

Silent, not talkative

347
Q

Talon

A

Claw

348
Q

Tangential

A

Digressing, diverting

349
Q

Tawdry

A

Gaudy, cheap, showy

350
Q

Terrestrial

A

Earthly, commonplace

351
Q

Toady

A

One who flatters in hope of gaining favors

352
Q

Tome

A

Large and academic book

353
Q

Torpor

A

Extreme sluggishness

354
Q

Trenchant

A

Acute, sharp, forceful

355
Q

Turgid

A

Bloated, swollen, distended

356
Q

Tyro

A

Beginner, novice

357
Q

Umbrage

A

Offense, resentment; pique; asperity

358
Q

Unequivocal

A

Absolute, certain

359
Q

Upbraid

A

To sharply scold

360
Q

Usury

A

Lending money at exorbitant rates

361
Q

Variegated

A

Varied, marked with different colors

362
Q

Venerable

A

Respected because of age

363
Q

Venerate

A

To respect deeply

364
Q

Veracity

A

Truthfulness

365
Q

Verdant

A

Green with vegetation, inexperienced

366
Q

Vernal

A

Fresh, related to spring

367
Q

Vestige

A

A trace or remnant

368
Q

Vicissitude

A

A fluctuation

369
Q

Vim

A

Vitality, energy

370
Q

Viscous

A

Thick and adhesive, a slow-flowing fluid

371
Q

Vituperate

A

To berate

372
Q

Voluble

A

Talkative, glib

373
Q

Wan

A

Sickly, pale

374
Q

Wanton

A

Unrestrained, reckless

375
Q

Whimsical

A

Capricious, fanciful, unpredictable

376
Q

Wily

A

Clever, deceptive

377
Q

Winsome

A

Charming, happily engaged

378
Q

Wizened

A

Shriveled, wrinkled, desiccated

379
Q

Wraith

A

Ghost

380
Q

Xenophobia

A

Fear/hatred of strangers

381
Q

Yoke

A

To join together

382
Q

Zealot

A

Passionately devoted to a cause

383
Q

Zenith

A

Point of culmination, peak, acme

384
Q

Zephyr

A

A gentle breeze, airy or unsubstantial