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96 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
accretion, buildup, accumulation, accrual |
growth in size or increase in amount |
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acme, apex, crown, peak, pinnacle, zenith, crest |
highest point, summit |
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acrimony, choler, spleen, rancor, asperity, antipathy, gall |
bitterness, animosity |
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acumen, sagacity, discernment, shrewdness |
sharpness of insight |
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alacrity, celerity, promptness, dispatch, enthusiasm, swiftness, velocity, rapidity |
cheerful readiness, promptness in response |
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allusion, intimation, suggestion,implication, insinuation |
indirect reference |
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anathema, execration, horror, abomination, imprecation, malediction |
a ban, a curse; something shunned or disliked |
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antipathy, enmity, malice, antagonism |
dislike, hostility, extreme opposition or aversion |
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aphorism, adage, apothegm, maxim, proverb, epigram |
old saying or short, pithy statement |
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apostate, renegade, turncoat, deserter |
one who renounces a religious faith |
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assonance, repetition, similarity, echo |
resemblance in sound, especially in vowel sounds; partial rhyme |
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asylum, haven, shelter |
refuge, sanctuary |
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augury, omen, auspices, portent, presage, harbinger, herald, token, prodigy |
prophecy, prediction of events |
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autocrat, tyrant, authoritarian, despot, totalitarian, potentate |
dictator |
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avarice, cupidity, rapacity, covetousness |
greed |
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axiom, adage, apothegm, aphorism, maxim, rule |
premise, postulate, self-evident truth |
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bane, curse, scourge, poison |
something causing death, destruction, or ruin |
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bevy, band, gang, bunch, pack, troop, coterie, clique |
group |
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boor, lout, clod, oaf, vulgarian, yahoo |
crude person, one lacking manners or taste |
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cache, hoard, reserve, store |
hiding place, stockpile |
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cacophony, din, clatter, racket |
jarring, unpleasant noise |
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calumny, libel, aspersion, defamation |
false and malicious accusation, misrepresentation, slander |
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catalyst, stimulus, instigation, provocation |
something causing change without being changed |
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catharsis, purgation, release |
purification, cleansing |
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chagrin, mortification, discomfiture |
shame, embarrassment, humiliation |
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charlatan, imposter, fraud, humbug |
quack, fake (person) |
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chicanery, deceit, duplicity, dishonesty, perfidy, guile, infidelity, disloyalty, treachery |
trickery, fraud, deception (act) |
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collusion, intrigue, machination, connivance |
collaboration, complicity, conspiracy |
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corpulence, stoutness, rotundity, portliness, plumpness |
obesity, fatness, bulkiness |
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cudgel, baton, billy cub, bludgeon, club, mace, nightstick, shillelagh, truncheon, knobkerrie |
a short, heavy club; shattered spear or lance |
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dearth, absence, shortage, paucity |
lack, scarcity, insufficiency |
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demagogue, agitator, inciter, instigator, fomenter, firebrand |
leader, rabble-rouser, usually using appeals to emotion or prejudice |
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diatribe, tirade, jeremiad, fulmination, harangue, philippic, vituperation, denunciation, revilement, invective, refutation, polemic |
bitter verbal attack or abuse |
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dichotomy, split, distinction, bifurcation, opposition |
division into two parts |
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dictum, decree, edict |
authoritative statement |
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diffidence, timidity, reticence |
shyness, lack of confidence |
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dirge, elegy, threnody, lament |
funeral hymn or mournful poem |
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disparity, discrepancy, contradiction, divergence, incongruity, incompatibilty |
contrast, dissimilarity |
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disrepute, ignominy, infamy |
disgrace, dishonor |
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effrontery, presumption, brashness, temerity, nerve, gall |
impudent boldness, audacity |
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encomium, eulogy, panegyric, tribute, laudation, homage |
enthusiastic praise |
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ennui, tedium, listlessness, world-weariness |
boredom, lack of interest and energy |
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epicure, gourmet, gourmand, connoisseur, gastronome |
person with refined taste in food and wine |
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epitome, paragon, exemplar, prototype, quintessence, abstract |
representative of an entire group; summary |
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facade, surface; facade, pretense, cloak, guise, semblance |
face, front; mask, superficial appearance |
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filigree, ornament, embellishment, decoration, latticework |
ornamental openwork of delicate or intricate design on metal |
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foible, fault, failing, frailty, vice, blemish |
minor weakness or character flaw |
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fop, coxcomb, dandy |
a man who is devoted to or vain about his appearance or dress |
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forbearance, resignation, long-suffering, tolerance |
patience, restraint, leniency |
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fracas, brawl, broil, donnybrook, fray, melee |
noisy dispute |
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grandiloquence, bombast, fustian, prolixity, verbiage |
pompous talk, fancy but meaningless speech |
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hegemony, influence, power, sway, rule |
leadership, domination, usually by a country |
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homily, lecture, admonition, oration |
sermon-like speech |
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iconoclast, rebel, dissident, nonconformist, maverick |
one who attacks traditional beliefs |
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ilk, sort, nature, character, variety, class |
type or kind |
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jingoism, chauvinism, nationalism |
belligerent support of one's country |
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lassitude, listlessness, torpor, stupor, weariness |
lethargy, sluggishness |
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libertine, hedonist, rogue, rake, voluptuary, roué, sybarite, sensualist |
one without moral restraint, person devoted to pleasure and luxury |
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machination, conspiracy, design, cabal, intrigue |
plot or scheme |
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maelstrom, eddy, vortex; pandemonium, uproar |
whirlpool; turmoil, agitated state of mind |
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magnate, potentate, tycoon, nabob, dignitary, luminary |
powerful or influential person |
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malefactor, criminal, offender, felon |
evildoer; culprit |
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martinet, tyrant, stickler, dictator |
strict disciplinarian, one who rigidly follows rules |
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mendicant, pauper, panhandler |
beggar |
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mettle, character, spirit, fortitude |
courageousness; endurance |
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missive, bulletin, dispatch, epistle, message, memorandum |
note or letter |
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nadir, bottom, depth, pit |
lowest point |
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neophyte, apprentice, tyro, greenhorn, fledgling, tenderfoot |
novice, beginner |
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niche, alcove, cranny, crevice; place, station |
recess in a wall; best position for something |
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nostrum, panacea, cure-all, catholican |
a questionable remedy or scheme |
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obeisance, bow, curtsy; homage, reverence |
a movement of the body made in token of respect or submission; deference |
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paradigm, pattern, paragon, exemplar, nonpareil |
ideal example, model of excellence or perfection |
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parsimony, frugality, economy, meanness, miserliness |
stinginess |
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patrician, noble, peer, nabob, blue-blood |
aristocrat |
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peccadillo, fault, failing, lapse, misstep |
minor sin or offense |
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penury, destitution, beggary, privation, deprivation, forfeiture |
extreme poverty, lack of necessaties |
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phalanx, body, infantry |
massed group of soldiers, people, or things |
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pique, vexation, resentment, indignation, dudgeon, umbrage, ire, rancor, asperity |
fleeting feeling of hurt pride, offense, resentment |
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platitude, cliché, bromide, commonplace, truism |
stale, overused expression |
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plebeian, rabble, course, unrefined |
crude, vulgar, low-class |
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polymath, savant, litterateur |
a person of encyclopedic learning |
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pulchritude, loveliness, prettiness, handsomeness, comeliness, gorgeousness |
beauty |
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raconteur, monologist, anecdotalist |
witty, skillful storyteller |
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regimen, control; procedure, system, course |
government rule; systematic plan |
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rhapsody, paean, impromptu, dithyramb |
emotional literary or musical work |
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sedition, intrigue, insurrection, conspiracy, mutiny, subversion |
behavior promoting rebellion |
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sinecure, inaction, title |
well-paying job or office that requires little or no work |
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sobriquet, alias, pseudonym |
nickname |
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soliloquy, solo, monologue |
literary or dramatic speech by one character, not addressed to others |
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supplicant, petitioner, appellant, applicant, suitor |
one who asks humbly and earnestly |
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sycophant, toady, lickspittle, fawner, bootlicker |
self-serving flatterer, hanger-on, yes-man |
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tryst, assignation, date, engagement |
agreement between lovers to meet, rendezvous |
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turpitude, baseness, immorality, wickedness |
inherent vileness, foulness, depravity |
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usury, loan-sharking, interest |
practice of lending money at exorbitant rates |
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wag, wit, joker, jester, humorist |
a humorous or droll person |
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zephyr, puff, draft, breath |
gentle breeze |