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Merriam Webster Vocabulary Builder > Mythology&History > Flashcards

Mythology&History Flashcards

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Vocab Builder flashcards
1
Q

cicerone

A

A guide, especially one who takes tourists to museums, monuments, or architectural sites and explains what is being seen.

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2
Q

hector

A

To bully or harass by bluster or personal pressure.

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3
Q

hedonism

A

An attitude or way of life based on the idea that pleasure or happiness should be the chief goal.

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4
Q

nestor

A

A senior figure or leader in one’s field.

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5
Q

spartan

A

Marked by simplicity, avoidance of luxury, and often strict self-discipline or self-denial.

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6
Q

stentorian

A

Extremely loud, often with especially deep richness of sound.

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7
Q

stoic

A

Seemingly indifferent to pleasure or pain.

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8
Q

sybaritic

A

Marked by a luxurious or sensual way of life.

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9
Q

Augean stable

A

A condition or place marked by great accumulation of filth or corruption.

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10
Q

Croesus

A

A very rich person.

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11
Q

dragon’s teeth

A

Seeds of conflict.

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12
Q

Hades

A

The underground home of the dead in Greek mythology.

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13
Q

lethargic

A

(1) Lazily sluggish. (2) Indifferent or apathetic.

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14
Q

Midas touch

A

The talent for making money in every venture.

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15
Q

Pyrrhic victory

A

A victory won at excessive cost.

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16
Q

stygian

A

Extremely dark, dank, gloomy, and forbidding.

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17
Q

Achilles’ heel

A

A vulnerable point.

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18
Q

arcadia

A

A region or setting of rural pleasure and peacefulness.

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19
Q

Cassandra

A

A person who predicts misfortune or disaster.

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20
Q

cyclopean

A

Huge or massive.

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21
Q

draconian

A

Extremely severe or cruel.

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22
Q

myrmidon

A

A loyal follower, especially one who executes orders unquestioningly.

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23
Q

nemesis

A

A powerful, frightening opponent or rival who is usually victorious.

24
Q

Trojan horse

A

Someone or something that works from within to weaken or defeat.

25
Q

aeolian harp

A

A box-shaped instrument with strings that produce musical sounds when the wind blows on them.

26
Q

cynosure

A

(1) A guide. (2) A center of attention.

27
Q

laconic

A

Using extremely few words.

28
Q

mnemonic

A

Having to do with the memory; assisting the memory.

29
Q

platonic

A

(1) Relating to the philosopher Plato or his teachings. (2) Involving a close relationship from which romance and sex are absent.

30
Q

sapphic

A

(1) Lesbian. (2) Relating to a poetic verse pattern associated with Sappho.

31
Q

Socratic

A

Having to do with the philosopher Socrates or with his teaching method, in which he systematically questioned the student in conversation in order to draw forth truths.

32
Q

solecism

A

(1) A grammatical mistake in speaking or writing. (2) A blunder in etiquette or proper behavior.

33
Q

muse

A

A source of inspiration; a guiding spirit.

34
Q

iridescent

A

Having a glowing, rainbowlike play of color that seems to change as the light shifts.

35
Q

mausoleum

A

(1) A large tomb, especially one built aboveground with shelves for the dead. (2) A large, gloomy building or room.

36
Q

mentor

A

A trusted counselor, guide, tutor, or coach.

37
Q

narcissism

A

(1) Extreme self-centeredness or fascination with oneself. (2) Love or desire for one’s own body.

38
Q

tantalize

A

To tease or torment by offering something desirable but keeping it out of reach.

39
Q

thespian

A

An actor.

40
Q

zephyr

A

(1) A breeze from the west. (2) A gentle breeze.

41
Q

Adonis

A

A very handsome young man.

42
Q

amazon

A

A tall, strong, often masculine woman.

43
Q

chimera

A

An often grotesque creature of the imagination.

44
Q

cornucopia

A

(1) A container shaped like a hollow horn full of fruits, vegetables, and ears of grain. (2) An abundance of something desirable.

45
Q

Elysium

A

A place or condition of ideal happiness; paradise.

46
Q

epicure

A

A person with cultivated taste, especially for food and drink; a gourmet.

47
Q

exodus

A

A situation in which many people leave a place at the same time.

48
Q

gorgon

A

An ugly, repulsive, or terrifying woman.

49
Q

halcyon

A

(1) Calm and peaceful. (2) Happy and successful.

50
Q

meander

A

(1) To follow a winding course. (2) To wander slowly without a specific purpose or direction.

51
Q

oedipal

A

Relating to an intense emotional relationship with one’s mother and conflict with one’s father.

52
Q

ostracize

A

To exclude someone from a group by common consent.

53
Q

paean

A

(1) A song of joy, praise, tribute, or triumph. (2) A work that praises or honors its subject.

54
Q

philippic

A

A speech full of bitter condemnation; a tirade.

55
Q

satyr

A

A man with a strong desire for many women.

56
Q

zealot

A

A fanatical supporter.

Merriam Webster Vocabulary Builder (35 decks)

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