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SAT Vocabulary > Core Vocabulary II > Flashcards

Core Vocabulary II Flashcards

From Direct Hits Core Vocabulary of the SAT

1
Q

Polarize

A

(v.) to break up into two opposing groups

– polar opposites, north pole south pole

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2
Q

Trivial

A

(adj.) unimportant; insignificant

– trivia is sadly useless (but interesting!) information

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3
Q

Diminutive

A

(adj.) very small

– diminish is to make something small

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4
Q

Exhort

A

(v.) to strongly encourage

– ‘ex’ out, let out horto hortare, to encourage

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5
Q

Antipathy

A

(n.) a firmly established feeling of dislike

– ‘anti’ against, pathos, feeling

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6
Q

Animosity

A

(n.) strong hostility or unfriendliness

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7
Q

Crass

A

(adj.) gross in the state of mind; lacking sensitivity

– crass is gross

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8
Q

Tenacious

A

(adj.) tending to keep a firm hold of something

– teneo, tenere

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9
Q

Rancor

A

(n.) bitterness or resentfulness

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10
Q

Indulgent

A

(adj.) having a tendency to be overly generous or lenient with someone

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11
Q

Digress

A

(v.) to depart from the main subject in speech or writing

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12
Q

Analogy

A

(n.) a similarity

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13
Q

Nebulous

A

(adj.) vague; cloudy; lacking a fully developed form

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14
Q

Fleeting

A

(adj.) very brief; lasting for a very short time

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15
Q

Divisive

A

(adj.) tending to cause disagreement or disunity between people

– divide

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16
Q

Minutiae

A

(n.) minor everyday details

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17
Q

Penchant

A

(n.) a liking or preference

– I have a liking for this pendant

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18
Q

Ephemeral

A

(adj.) very brief; lasting for a very short time

– pharmacy, ambulances. The sounds of the ambulance that passes by our house

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19
Q

Capricious

A

(adj.) very changeable

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20
Q

Predilection

A

(n.) a liking or preference; a bias in favor of something

– direction

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21
Q

Uncouth

A

(adj.) lacking good manners or grace

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22
Q

Indignant

A

(adj.) feeling anger at what is seen as unfair

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23
Q

Innuendo

A

(n.) an indirect hint or suggestion

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24
Q

Thwart

A

(v.) to prevent (someone) from accomplishing something

– this wart prevents me from going out

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25
Q

Stymie

A

(v.) to prevent or hinder the progress of

– a starmie in the sewer blocks waterflow

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26
Q

Adroit

A

(adj.) very skilled

– apparently android phones are very skilled

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27
Q

Boorish

A

(adj.) rough and bad-mannered

– booo! at boorish people!

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28
Q

Adept

A

(adj.) very skilled

– adapted to this type of job

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29
Q

Admonish

A

(v.) to warn someone firmly

– ‘ad’ toward, moneo monere, to warn

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30
Q

Incontrovertible

A

(adj.) indisputable

– ‘in’ not, convertible, changeable

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31
Q

Voracious

A

(adj.) having a huge appetite that cannot be satisfied

32
Q

Ravenous

A

(adj.) extremely hungry

33
Q

Callous

A

(adj.) having a cruel disregard for others; insensitive

– callous is thick skin, so someone who is ‘thick’ doesn’t care of others?

34
Q

Deft

A

(adj.) very skilled

35
Q

Intrepid

A

(adj.) fearless; adventurous

36
Q

Undaunted

A

(adj.) brave

– not daunted

37
Q

Nonchalant

A

(adj.) casual indifference; cooly unconcerned

38
Q

Convoluted

A

(adj.) difficult to follow, esp. of an argument, story, or sentence)

39
Q

Itinerant

A

(n.) someone who travels from place to place

40
Q

Mercurial

A

(adj.) subject to sudden changes of mood

– the element mercury is liquid

41
Q

Poignant

A

(adj.) evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret

42
Q

Impetus

A

(n.) a stimulus or encouragement that results in increased activity

43
Q

Verve

A

(n.) vigor and spirit or enthusiasm

44
Q

Bucolic

A

(adj.) of or relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside or country life

– broccoli

45
Q

Equanimity

A

(n.) calmness esp. in a difficult situation

– equal animo (spirit)

46
Q

Rustic

A

(adj.) of or relating to the countryside; rural

47
Q

Analogous

A

(adj.) similar

48
Q

Unflappable

A

(adj.) having calmness in a crisis

49
Q

Viable

A

(adj.) capable of working successfully

50
Q

Panache

A

(n.) flamboyant confidence of style and manner

51
Q

Flamboyant

A

(adj.) tending to attract attention because of their energy, confidence, and stylishness

52
Q

Provocative

A

(adj.) stimulating discussion or controversy

53
Q

Placid

A

(adj.) calm or quiet

54
Q

Fortuitous

A

(adj.) happening by lucky chance

55
Q

Pastoral

A

(adj.) relating to the grazing of sheep or cattle

56
Q

Dispel

A

(v.) to make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear

57
Q

Feasible

A

(adj.) possible

58
Q

Anguish

A

(n.) severe mental or physical pain or suffering

59
Q

Extol

A

“since you’re such a good person (praise) you don’t have to pay a toll” (ex, out)

60
Q

Amalgam

A

(n.) a mixture or blend

61
Q

Intemperate

A

(adj.) having a lack of self-control

62
Q

Temperate

A

(adj.) exercising moderation

63
Q

Superficial

A

(adj.) shallow; lacking depth; concerned with surface appearances

64
Q

Tout

A

(v.) to attempt to sell, typically by pestering people in an aggressive or bold manner

65
Q

Laud

A

(v.) to praise

66
Q

Acclaim

A

(v.) to praise enthusiastically

– I claim that these people are amazing

67
Q

Diatribe

A

(n.) a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone

– the tribe

68
Q

Disparage

A

(v.) to regard or represent as being of little worth

– dispose of the trash into the garage

69
Q

Dismissive

A

(adj.) feeling or showing that something is unworthy of consideration

– dismiss from the situation

70
Q

Pompous

A

(adj.) filled with self-importance

– Pompi

71
Q

Cryptic

A

(adj.) having a hidden meaning; mysterious

72
Q

Subtle

A

(adj.) a gradual change that is difficult to detect immediately

73
Q

Disparity

A

(n.) a great difference; an inequality

74
Q

Curtail

A

(v.) to cut short or reduce

– cut the cat’s tail to make him shorter in length

75
Q

Tirade

A

(n.) a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation

– talking with raid

76
Q

Innocuous

A

(adj.) not harmful or offensive

– ‘in’ not, noxious

SAT Vocabulary (12 decks)

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