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Details Title: Vocabulary words Description: vocab words Total Flash Cards: 784 Created: 11/14/2004 19:11:35	To study from this set of flash cards, or to create your own your own study flash cards, register HERE. If you are already a registered user, CLICK HERE.
Cards Term abashed Definition disconcerted & embarrassed (if you talk shit & they hear) Term abate Definition "reduce in amt, degree or severity"; As the hurricane's force ABATED, the winds dropped and the sea became calm. (ebb, moderate, subside, lapse, relent, wane, let up, slacken) Term abdicate Definition formally give up power/office Term abhor Definition to despise Term abhorrent Definition hateful Term abject Definition hopeless; low; pitiful Term abridge Definition edit/shorten Term abscond Definition to leave secretly Term absolve Definition forgive/free from blame Term abstain Definition choose not to do something Term abstemious Definition not indulgent; esp. w/food & drink Term abstruse Definition difficult to comprehend Term abysmal Definition great extent; immeasurable Term abyss Definition an extremely deep hole Term acclaim Definition positive response Term acerbic Definition "bitter, sharp in taste" Term acquiesce Definition to agree/give in Term acrid Definition harsh; bitter Term acrimonious Definition caustic/bitter in nature Term addendum Definition "an addition, usually to a book" Term adduce Definition to offer as proof in an argument Term adjourn Definition to formally end a session Term admonish Definition "rebuke; to reprove gently, instinct/direct, reprimand" Term adulation Definition high praise; hero worship Term adulterate Definition to corrupt/make impure Term adverse Definition "unfavorable, unlucky, harmful" Term advocate Definition to speak in favor of Term aesthete Definition one w/artistic sensibilities Term aesthetic Definition concerning the appreciation of beauty Term affectation Definition "pretense/show, false display" Term affluence Definition wealth Term aggrandize Definition "to increase in power, influence, & reputation" Term aggregate Definition total Term agnostic Definition one who doubts the existence of god Term allay Definition to put to rest; relieve Term allayed Definition minimized Term alleviate Definition to make more bearable Term allusiveness Definition quality of making many indirect references Term altercation Definition a quarrel Term altruistic Definition "charitable, unselfish concern for others' welfare" Term amalgam Definition "a mixture, especially of two metals" Term amalgamate Definition "to combine, to mix together" Term ambiguous Definition doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways Term ambivalent Definition having mixed feelings Term ameliorate Definition to make better; to improve Term amend Definition to fix Term amiable Definition "agreeable, kind" Term amphibian Definition creature equally at home in water or on land Term amulet Definition ornament worn as a charm to ward off evil spirits Term anachronism Definition something our of place in time Term anachronistic Definition "out of place, time-wise" Term analogous Definition similar or alike in some ways; equivalent to Term anathematize Definition curse someone Term angular Definition characterized by sharp angles; lean & gaunt Term animosity Definition "hostility, hatred" Term anomaly Definition deviation from normal Term antagonize Definition to annoy; provoke to anger Term antipathy Definition "hatred, hostility; extreme dislike" Term antithetical Definition contrasting; opposing Term apathy Definition lack of interest/emotion Term apposite Definition fitting; characterized by relevance Term appraised Definition judged; rated Term approbation Definition praise Term arable Definition suitable for cultivation Term arbitrate Definition to judge a dispute between 2 opposing parties Term archaic Definition "ancient, old-fashioned" Term archetype Definition prototype; a perfect experience Term ardor Definition intense & passionate feeling Term arid Definition very dry; very boring Term arson Definition illegal act of burning Term articulate Definition "speaks readily, easily, quickly, clear, coherent" Term articulateness Definition ability to speak well Term artlessness Definition openness; naturalness (not acting) Term ascetic Definition depriving oneself of luxury; austere Term ascribed Definition to attribute/assign Term askew Definition "off center, crooked" Term assess Definition to sum up/estimate Term assuage Definition to make something unpleasant less severe; to relieve; ease Term astute Definition having good judgment Term attenuate Definition to reduce in force or degree; to weaken Term audacious Definition fearless & daring; having gall (guts) Term augury Definition omen Term auspicious Definition happening at an advantageous time; promising Term austere Definition severe/stern in appearance; undecorated Term avaricious Definition greedy Term aviary Definition large enclosure housing birds Term balk Definition to hesitate Term banal Definition "predictable, cliched, boring" Term barrage Definition a bombardment Term barren Definition incapable of producing offspring Term base Definition "lowly, not classy, commonplace, morally low" Term bay Definition "to bark, esp. in a deep prolonged way" Term beam Definition to smile broadly Term befriend Definition make a friend of Term beget Definition create/To cause to exist or occur Term beguile Definition "to mislead, trick" Term behemoth Definition huge creature Term belied Definition to falsify or misrepresent Term bellicose Definition "belligerent, hostile" Term belligerent Definition "hostile, tending to fight" Term berate Definition to scold harshly Term beseech Definition to request with great favor Term bespoke Definition custom-tailored Term bias Definition "a prejudice, a diagonal" Term bibliophile Definition one who loves books Term blanch Definition to bleach Term blandish Definition to flatter & coax Term bluestocking Definition a learned woman (esp. in literary circles) Term bolster Definition to support; to prop up Term bombastic Definition pompous in speech & manner Term boor Definition "a crude person, one lacking manners or taste" Term bovine Definition "cow-like, relating to cows" Term brash Definition having no regard for consequences; tactless Term brevity Definition brief; concise expression Term brink Definition edge Term buffoon Definition clown/fool Term bungling Definition unskilled Term bustling Definition brimming with activity Term buttress Definition to support; to reinforce Term cacophonous Definition jarring; unpleasantly noisy Term cacophony Definition "harsh, jarring noise" Term cadging Definition begging or scrounging Term callous Definition "insensitive, thick-skinned" Term callow Definition "immature, lacking sophistication" Term candescent Definition giving off light Term candid Definition impartial & honest in speech Term cantankerous Definition grumpy Term capacious Definition "large, roomy, extensive" Term capricious Definition changing one's mind quickly & often Term cardiac Definition relating to the heart Term carp Definition "to find fault with, complain constantly" Term castigate Definition to condemn; to punish or criticize harshly Term casual Definition "incidental, occurring by chance; informal, relaxed" Term cataclysm Definition disaster Term catalyst Definition something that brings about a change in something else Term caustic Definition biting in wit; sarcastic; corrosive Term cede Definition to surrender possession of something Term censure Definition to find fault with & condemn as wrong; blame Term cessation Definition a stop Term chaos Definition great disorder or confusion Term chary Definition someone who's very wary/shy; displays caution Term chauvinist Definition someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he/she belongs Term chicanery Definition deception by trickery; trickery in matters of law Term chide Definition to scold mildly Term chimerical Definition unreal Term chronicle Definition to record historical events Term churl Definition "a rude, boorish person" Term circumlocution Definition "roundabout, lengthy way of saying something" Term circumspect Definition "cautious, wary" Term clairvoyant Definition having ESP; psychic Term clamor Definition noisy outcry Term cloying Definition unpleasant because of excess; sickeningly sweet or sentimental Term codify Definition to systematize; to put in the form of a code Term cogent Definition convincing and well-seasoned Term cohabit Definition to live somewhere together Term cohesive Definition sticking together Term colloquial Definition characteristic of informal speech Term commensurate Definition proportional Term composure Definition "level-headed, poise" Term concede Definition to surrender or forfeit something Term concession Definition "a sacrifice, an admittance, something yielded" Term conciliatory Definition overcoming distrust or hostility Term condign Definition deserved or appropriate Term condone Definition "to overlook, pardon, or disregard; to endorse" Term conflates Definition combines Term congenial Definition friendly/agreeable Term conglomerate Definition collected group of various things Term consecrate Definition to make holy Term contention Definition an argument; a striving to win in competition Term contentious Definition "quarrelsome, argumentative" Term contrition Definition a sense of remorse Term convoluted Definition intricate & complicated Term corroborate Definition to provide supporting evidence Term cosmopolitan Definition worldwide scope Term countenance Definition to approve Term countermand Definition "to annul, cancel, or make a contrary order" Term covert Definition "hidden, secret" Term covet Definition to desire Term cow Definition "to intimidate, to browbeat" Term craven Definition cowardly Term credulous Definition too trusting; gullible Term crescendo Definition steadily increasing volume or force Term crotchety Definition "complaining, grouchy, irritable" Term cryptic Definition puzzling Term curmudgeon Definition "a cranky, cynical person" Term cursory Definition not thorough Term curt Definition "blunt, abrupt" Term cygnet Definition young swan Term cynic Definition someone who has a distrust of people's motives Term dank Definition unpleasantly humid Term daunt Definition to dismay; lessen someone's courage; frighten; alarm Term daunted Definition intimidated Term dauntless Definition "bold, courageous" Term dearth Definition "a shortage, a lack" Term debacle Definition "sudden collapse, rout" Term decorum Definition appropriateness of behavior/conduct; propriety Term decry Definition "to belittle, openly condemn" Term deem Definition to pronounce judgment Term defame Definition "to slander, to speak evil of, to libel" Term defer Definition to save for later Term deference Definition "respect, courtesy" Term deficit Definition "a lack of something, a gap" Term defile Definition "to dirty, to spoil, to disgrace or dishonor" Term delectation Definition enjoyment Term delicacy Definition a rare food Term deluge Definition a flood Term demean Definition "to degrade, humiliate, humble" Term denigrate Definition to slur or blacken someone's reputation Term denounce Definition "to accuse, to blame" Term deposition Definition dethroning/attestation of truth; legal statement Term deprecate Definition "to disparage, to belittle (express disapproval of)" Term depreciate Definition "lessen in value, belittle, disparage" Term derelict Definition (adj) negligent; (n) a bum Term deride Definition to speak of/treat with contempt; to mock Term derision Definition insult; disrespect; making fun of something to express hatred Term derisive Definition in a mocking manner Term derivative Definition copied/adapted; not original Term derogate Definition to denounce or be critical of Term derogatory Definition impair the value of Term descendant Definition one who is directly related to someone of an older generation Term desecrate Definition to violate something sacred Term desiccate Definition to dry out thoroughly Term desirous Definition motivated by desire Term despot Definition an absolute monarch; a tyrant Term destitute Definition poor Term desultory Definition jumping from one thing to another; disconnected; random Term