A1: Mnemonics Flashcards
abase
(verb) to humiliate or degrade “uh base”
Think: give up a base
When you’re making out with someone, if you give up a base to quickly, then you just abase yourself
abashed
(adjective) embarrassed. “uh bashed”
Think: bashful the dwarf
When Snow White kisses him, bashful gets so abashed that he blushes
abate
(verb) to reduce “uh bate”
Think: rebate
It may be annoying to have to mail it in, but the rebate on the new cell phone will abate its costs
aberration
(noun): an exception or departure from the norm. “ah (rhymes with “nah”) burr A shun”
Think: a bare Asian
Seeing a bare Asian would be an aberration- most people in Asia wear clothes
abeyance
(noun): temporary inactivity; suspension. “uh BAY ants”
Think: “obey” ends
When our lieutenant’s command to obey ends, our work plans are held in abeyance because we are lazy
abhor
(verb): to hate. “ab WHORE”
Think: ab-whore
Daria abhors the tube-top-wearing blonde who stole her boyfriend and refers to her as an “ab-whore”
abject
(adjective):miserable; wretched. “ab-JEKT”
Think: rejects
If she rejects my marriage proposal, I’ll be abject, with nothing to live for
`abnegate
(verb): to give up something; to deny oneself something. “ab nuh Gate”
Think: abs negated
If you abnegate food, the fat covering your abs will negated
abomination
(noun): something awful. “uh BOM in A shun”
Think: bomb a nation
It is an abomination to bomb a nation: civilians get killed
aboriginal
(adjective): existing since the beinning “AB or IDGE in ul”
Think: original
In Australia, the original natives are Aborigines- they are aboriginal since they were its first inhabitants
abort
(verb): to end prematurely “uh BORT”
Think: abortion
An abortion can abort a pregnancy
abound
(verb): to be numerous. “uh BOUND”
Think: abundant
Kangaroos abound in Australia; they’re abundant, bouncing around wherever you look
abrasive
(adjective): causing irritation. “uh BRAY sive”
Think: braying donkey
Adopting a homeless donkey seemed great until I realized it would wake me up every morning with its abrasive braying
abridge
(verb): t oshorten “uh BRIJ”
Think: a bridge
A bridge would abridge my commute, which involves dirving around the canyon
abrogate
(verb): to get rid of; to abolish. “AB roh gate”
Think: a broken gate
After my 120 lb. Mastiff decided to abrogate the barrier to the kitchen and eat from the garbage, we were left with a broken gate
abscission
(noun): the shedding of leaves, flowers, or fruits. “ab SIZH un”
Think: scissors
Instead of waiting for the grapes to drop off of the vines, speed up the abscission by getting out there with a pair of scissors
absolute
(adjective) complete and total. “ab so LUTE”
Think: absolut Vodka
The reason Absolut Vodka is more expensive than most brands is its superior purity; it is literally absolute vodka
absolve
(verb); to free from guilt; to forgive. “ub SOLVE”
Think: dissolve
Catholics believe that confessing to a priest will dissolve their guilt and absolve them from sin
abstemious
sparing; moderate
“ab STEM ee us”
Think: abstinence
The health teacher knew that if he told students to be abstemious, some of them would still get pregnant, so he urged them to practice abstinence
abstruse
(adjective): hard to comprehend. “ab StrOOS”
Think: abstract and confusing
The abstract strudel directions will confuse the new cook because they are abstruse
abysmal
(adjective): awful. “uh BIZ mull”
Think: Pepto-Bismol
When I had food poisoning, my stomach felt so abysmal that I had to drink a bottle of Pepto-Bismol
accede
(verb): to express approval for; to give into. “uh SEED”
Think agreed
Since we all accede to the plan to seed the garden, it looks like we’re agreed
accolade
(noun): an expression of praise. “AK oh lade”
Think: Escalade
I received many accolades for my service, buy my favorite was the gift of a brand- new cadillac Escalade
accretion
(noun): growth via a gradual buildup. “uh CREE shun”
Think: creeps up on
Gaining weight creeps up on a lot of people since they don’t notice the slow accretion of fat
accumulate
(verb): to gradually increase. “Ah KYOOM you late”
Think: cumulus clouds
We better pack up this picnic and leave- those cumulus clouds are accumulating and I think there’s gonna be a thunderstorm soon
acerbic
(adjective): harsh; biting “uh SIR bick”
Think acidic
On American Idol, Simon Cowell’s criticism was acerbic to the point of being acidic
acidulous
(adjective): somewhat harsh. “uh sID you luss”
Think: acid-ish
I like Sour Patch Kids because their acidulous taste is acidish without being too painful
acme
(noun): the highest point of something “ACK me”
Think: acne
In high school, I was plagued by acne: the acme of my nose was often a giant zit
acquisitive
(adjective): eager to acquire and possess; greedy. “uh Quiz zit tive”
Think: a squid visited
An acquisitive squid visited my house and wrapped his arms around all of my valuable Chinese porcelain
acrimonious
(adjective): bitter. “ak rih MOAN ee us”
Think: a crime on us
Committing a crime on us makes u acrimonious
acumen
(noun): insightfulness. “AK you min”
Think: accurate men.
In business, accurate men usually have acumen
adamant
(adjective): stubborn; unyielding; “AD uh mint”
Think: adam…damn it!
God was adamant that Adam not return to the Garden of Eden: “I said no, damn it!”
adept
(adjective): very skilled. “uh DEPPED”
Think: adapt
Mountain lions can adapt to almost any climate and environment; they adept at survial
adequate
(adj): appropriate; good enough. “AD uh quit”
Think: had to quit
I had to quit at mile 15 of my marathon, but now that I think about it, 15 miles is plenty adequate for a solid workout
adhere
(verb): to stick to something. “ad HERE”
Think: adhesive
The adhesive on the Band-Aid made it adhere to my finger
admonished
(verb): warned to do what’s best
“ad MON isht”
Think: add Monistat
“Add Monistat to your body if you’re suffering from a vaginal yeast infection,” the add admonished
adorned
(adjective): decorated. “uh DORNED”
Think add ornaments
If you adore Christmas, then you probably enjoy adorning your home by adding ornaments to your tree
adroit
(adjective): skillful “uh DROIT” (rhymes with “Detroit”)
Think: a Droid
A Droid is an adroit cell phone wince it can do so much
adulation
(noun): excessive admiration. “ad joo LAY shun”
Think: adult adoration
The grown adult’s adoration of role-playing video games could only be called adulation
adulterate
(verb): to corrupt; to make impure. “uh DULT er ate”
Think: adultery
In the Bible, God said, “though shalt not commit adultery” because an affair will adulterate a marriage
adversary
(noun): an enemy or rival. “AD ver sare ee”
Think: adversity
Israel faces more adversity than most countries; it is nearly completely bordered with adversaries
advocate
(noun:) supporter, ally. “AD voh kit”
Think: i voted
I voted in the election, proving I’m a advocate of our democracy
aegis
(noun): protection. “EE gis”
Thin: egg us
Go ahead, try to egg us- our house has the aegis of the police, since my dad’s a cop
aesthetic
(adjective): relating to beauty
“es THE tick” (rhymes with “pathetic”)
Think: athletic body
If you’re athletic, then you’re likely to have body that is aesthetically pleasing
affable
(adjective): friendly. “AFF uh bull”
Think: laughable
Since they want tourist to feed them, zoo giraffes are so affable that its laugable
affection
(noun): an artificial way of behaving. “aff ect TAY shun”
Think: a fake fiction
Madonna’s phony English accent is an affectation; it is a fake fiction
affiliated
(adjective); related to, intertwined. “uh FILL ee ate ed”
Think: Philly I ate
When I went to Philly I ate a cheesesteak, because cheesesteaks are affiliated with Phiadelphia
affront
(noun); an insult or offense. “uh FRONT”
Think: afro in front
I have a huge afro, so if I sit in front of people at a movie they often take it as an affront
aggrandized
(verb): make greater; enhanced. “uh GRAND ized”
Think: a grand- sized
I aggrandized my social status by throwing a lavish party- it gave me a grand- sized reputation
aghast
(adjective): struck by fear or amazement “uh gassed”
Think: a ghost
I was aghast when i looked in the mirror and saw a ghost standing next to me
alacrity
(noun): cheerful promptness. “uh Lack crih tee”
Think: electricity
Electricity has alacrity, since it only takes a millisecond for the light to come on after I flip the switch
alleviate
(verb): to soothe or lessen the severity of. “uh LEAVE ee ate”
THink: aleve
Allison’s headache was so bad that she took four Aleve pills to alleviate the pain
allusion
(noun): an indirect reference. “al LEW shun”
Thik: A lewd sin
“adjusting the antenna” is one of the funnier allusions to what some might consider a lewd sin
altruistic (adjective)
(adjective) unselfish concern for others “al true IST ick”
Think: always a true stick
My wingman is altruistic: he’s always true to me and will stick by my side when I hit on chicks- even if hes not interested in any of them
amalgamate
(verb): unify; join parts into a whole. “uh MAL gum ate”
Think: gum
After breaking the vase, Malcolm used gum to amalgamate the pieces back together
ambiguity
(noun): the state of being unclear or ambigous. “am big YOU it ee”
Think: a big “u” for undecided
When it came time to indicate her political party on the ballot, Virginia checked neither a big “D” for Democrat, nor a big “R” for Republican, but instead, a big “U” for undecided due to her ambiguity
ambivalence
(noun): contradictory feelings toward something. “am BIV ull ents”
Think: valence electron
The valence electron was ambivalent about which electrons he wanted to pair off with. According to his mother, he was unsure and afraid of commitment
ameliorated
(verb): made better. “uh MEAL ee or ate id”
Think: emilio rated
Emilio rated my pasta as a 10 out of 10, which ameliorated my fear that I had ruined it
amendable
(adjective): willing; cooperative. “uh MEN uh BULL”
Think: amend-able
After she shouted “amen!”, I was able to tell that she was amendable to my plan
amicable
(adjective): friendly. “AM ick uh bull”
Think: hammock-able
When Amy reminded me that her hammock was able to hold two people, I knew that she was amicable
amortize
(verb): to gradually pay off or reduce “am MORT eyes”
Think: a mortgage
Unless you have atone of money, when you buy a house, you probably amortize the loan with a mortgage
ample
(adjective): enough or more than enough. “AM pull”
Think: apple
With about $200 billion in cash reserves (in 2015), Applle has ample resources
anachronism
(noun): something belonging to a different time period. “an NACK ron is im”
Think: inaccurate chronology
The movie has something inaccurate about its chronology: a caveman wearing a watch- a huge anachronism
analogue
(noun): something similar. “an al LOG”
Think: Analog vs Digital
My audiophile cousin swears that analog is way better than digital, but to me they sound pretty similar
