More GRe WORDs LME v1

Communal

(adj) (1) Shared by all members of a group (2) Related to, or based on, racial, religious, or language groups (1) This room serves as a communal living room for all the inhabitants of this infirmary; all of them gather here every evening to watch the tel

Insensate

(adj) (1) Showing lack of human feeling (2) Without sense or reason, stupid, foolish "He takes other peoples feelings and distress so lightly that at times I feel that he is largely insensate to their sufferings." syn: Inanimate, Insentient

Homely

(adj) (1) Very transparent and simple, in a pleasing way (2) Ugly, Not attractive or good looking (1) The room did not offer any luxuries but was homely and comfortable.(2) She considered herself too homely to be ever able to get a date for herself.

Abortive

(adj) 1) Fruitless, Unsuccessful 2) Resulting in abortion After three abortive attempts, the hunters finally succeeded in killing the man-eating tiger in the jungle. syn: None ant: None rel: Abort (v), Abortion (n), Abortiveness (n), Abortively (adv)

Apocryphal

(adj) A false story, Anything widely believed which is actually not true Most of the stories about the ostentatious use of wealth by the Sultan of Brunei are apocryphal; this however, is totally authentic. syn: Fraudulent, Fictitious ant: Authentic

Itinerant

(adj) A person travelling from place to place ( in business) "For the first few years of his employment with the company, his status was nothing more than that of an itinerant salesman, moving from one town to another trying to boost the sales of his com

Crotchety

(adj) Bad tempered Old Mr. Wilson turned crotchety at the very sight of Dennis, though the mischievous little boy was only too eager to spend time with him.

Bovine

(adj) Belonging to the cattle family, Cow-like. Also, dull and slow (like a cow) "He was a gentle, rather bovine person, leading a quiet life and not interfering with anyone elses."

Inordinate

(adj) Beyond reasonable limits, Excessive His inordinate love for music was one of the main reasons for his poor performance in the final examinations.

Ambidextrous

(adj) Capable of using either hand with equal ease "Hes an ambidextrous person, writing with his left hand but doing all other work with his right." syn: None ant: None rel: Ambidexterity (n), Ambidextrousness (n), Ambidextrously (adv)

Frugal

(adj) Careful, sparingly used or supplied Despite his richness he still has frugal habits and does not believe in unnecessary expenses.

Harrowing

(adj) Causing great suffering and anxiety in the mind, Distressing, Traumatic "Theyve just been through a harrowing experience when their car was stopped by some ruffians on the highway and all their belongings were looted." syn: Agonizing

Fickle

(adj) Changeable, Faithless Annie is a fickle-minded girl who has not yet decided upon the career she would like to pursue. ant: Loyal

Bleak

(adj) Cheerless, Dull, Hopeless His blood pressure has fallen to such a low level that the doctors feel that chances of survival are bleak. syn: Desolate, Melancholy

Conspicuous

(adj) Clearly visible, Striking to the eye, Remarkable Her extraordinary height made her the most conspicuous person in the room.

Blighted

(adj) Destroyed, Badly affected by a disease His knee injury blighted his chances of participating in the tennis tournament. rel: Blight (v)

Exorbitant

(adj) Excessive, Much more than reasonable The silk shirts were so exorbitantly priced that no common man could ever afford to buy it. ant: Moderate

Congenital

(adj) Existing from birth (usu. a disease) "That twisted thumb of his is a congenital defect - theres nothing that doctors can do about it."

Contemporaneous

(adj) Existing or happening during the same period of time The two authors are not contemporaneous, but their writing styles are so similar that it appears as if it is the same person writing under two different names.

Expository

(adj) Explanatory, Serving to explain His worn out clothes are expository of his ruined financial status.

Concise

(adj) Expressing a lot in few words, Brief and to-the-point The question paper transparently asked for and concise answers, so you were bound to lose marks for giving such meaninglessly lengthy and descriptive answers. syn: Terse, Pithy, Succinct

Extrinsic

(adj) External, Not an essential part of something "Our neighbors house has merely extrinsic beauty and is rather dirty from within." syn: Extraneous ant: Intrinsic, Inherent

Exacting

(adj) Extremely demanding, Requiring much effort and attention He makes a very exacting boss who manages to keep his employees busy all the time.

Equitable

(adj) Fair, Impartial "After his death, grandfathers will revealed that he had distributed his wealth equitably between his sons."

Eminent

(adj) Famous and admired, Distinguished Matthew is an eminent doctor renowned for successfully treating several patients for cancer. ant: Notorious

Illustrious

(adj) Famous, Widely admired Who can forget the illustrious name of Mother Teresa, whose selfless service to mankind even got her the Noble Prize for peace. ant: Lazy

Carnivorous

(adj) Feeding on flesh, Meat-eating The piranha is a carnivorous fish, with teeth sharp enough to pierce the toughest of skins. ant: Vegetarian

Herbivorous

(adj) Feeding on plants or grains As a general rule, herbivorous animals like deer and elephants are milder and more gentle than their carnivorous counterparts such as tigers and wolves.

Fraught

(adj) Full of (meaning etc), causing or suffering anxiety The long journey through the woods was fraught with adventure.

Frolicsome

(adj) Full of pranks The governess was fed up of the practical jokes of the frolicsome children. syn: Joyous

Cardinal

(adj) Fundamental, Most important Just as the athlete was well on his way to victory, he made the cardinal error of looking back, lost his balance, and fell. syn: Chief

Flagrant

(adj) Glaring, Notorious, Scandalous (of offence or offender). Conspicuously bad Jason is a flagrant liar and does not hesitate before talking ill about anyone. syn: Egregious

Cordial

(adj) Gracious, Warm and friendly The two families had perfectly cordial relations till about five years ago, but since then they have been involved in a property dispute which has made them bitter enemies.

Edacious

(adj) Greedy or very fond of eating "Jacobs obesity can be ascribed to his edaciousness and his capacity to consume large quantities of food at a time." syn: Voracious

Fraudulent

(adj) Guilty of (esp. cheating) He obtained the money to buy a new watch by fraudulent means and was caught.

Arduous

(adj) Hard to achieve or overcome, energetic Because he was assigned the rather arduous task of shoveling the snow in the college ground, he was absolutely exhausted at the end of the day. syn: Strenuous, Laborious, Exhausting

Coterminous

(adj) Having a common boundary US and Canada are coterminous countries, and many immigrants have used this to their advantage by illegally crossing the border to the US.

Concentric

(adj) Having a common center Concentric circles are two circles which have the same center, and thus can never intersect each other.

Fitful

(adj) Having irregular periods of activity "She lost her peace of mind and slept fitfully after hearing about her fathers illness." syn: Spasmodic, Intermittent

Evenhanded

(adj) Impartial, Fair This judge is renowned for handing out evenhanded justice.

Consequential

(adj) Important, Significant The committee took nearly two months to prepare its report on the next step in economic reforms, but nothing consequential has emerged from it. ant: Nugatory

Incontrovertible

(adj) Impossible to disprove, Not open to question Despite what seemed like incontrovertible evidence against her, Ms. Gourd maintained that she was not involved in the burglary at the Denshaw residence.

Immanent

(adj) Inborn, Inherent "Hes never been to an acting school -- his skills in acting are totally immanent."

Infallible

(adj) Incapable of being wrong, That which cannot fail In defense of himself, he said that his memory is not infallible and he may not have correctly recalled each and every word of what the priest had told him. syn: Unerring

Benevolent

(adj) Inclined to help others, Generous "The benevolent chairman of the company offered to sponsor the education of the child whose father had been crippled in an accident in the companys premises." syn: Beneficent, Magnanimous ant: Malevolent, Miserly

Fanciful

(adj) Indulging in fancies She is a fanciful poet who loves to write about her dreams. syn: Whimsical, Capricious

Festive

(adj) Joyous, Celebratory Christmas is the season of festivity when everyone is in the highest of spirits.

Insipid

(adj) Lacking in flavor, Dull, Lifeless, Uninteresting The performance of the actors in the play was so insipid and lifeless that we dcided to walk out of the theater during the interval. syn: Tasteless ant: Flavorful, Savoury

Indolent

(adj) Lazy, Avoiding exertion, Disliking physical activity It was not just the students who wee looking bored and uninterested, even the teacher seemed quite indolent about doing her job. syn: Slothful, Shiftless ant: Industrious, Diligent

Erudite

(adj) Learned, Scholarly Confucius was a very erudite philosopher whose quotes are remembered and referred to by the whole world. ant: Ignorant

Fallible

(adj) Liable to make mistakes, to be misled or to be wrong It is impossible for anybody to be perfect, as every human being is fallible.

Animated

(adj) Lively Viv gets all animated and excited talking about his new dot-com venture. syn: Blithe, Vivacious, Gleeful ant: None rel: Animate (v), Animatedly (adv), Animation (n), Animator (n)

Arcane

(adj) Mysterious, secret, hidden In the last one year, he has picked up some arcane knowledge of the field of transcendentalism, which he says has given him greater powers of self-control. syn: Confidential, Privy, Intimate

Impartial

(adj) Not biased, Fair Even though the murderer was his son, the king gave his judgement absolutely impartially, stating that his son should get the punishment he deserved. ant: Partial, Biased

Insatiable

(adj) Not easily satisfied, Inordinately greedy He could go to any extent to fulfil his insatiable appetite for power -- without any concern for the welfare of the people around him. syn: Unquenchable

Figurative

(adj) Not literal, of pictorial or sculptural representation The professor simplified the tough lines of the poem by explaining it figuratively to the class. syn: Metaphorical

Inanimate

(adj) Not living, lifeless It was amazing to see how the magician could make some of the inanimate objects, like tables and chairs, move as if they were living. ant: Lively

Indiscriminate

(adj) Not thinking or planning in anabasis, and suffering harm as a result. Also, choosing at random and without any logic The indiscriminate felling of trees on the slopes of those mountains in order to extract the mineral resources from the mountains is

Exotic

(adj) Not usually found in a place, strange, rare She returned from the countryside and brought back rather exotic fruits for her grandparents.

Exceptionable

(adj) Objectionable, Likely to cause offence or dislike The tactics employed by Julie to get the job are exceptionable and unfair to the other applicants.

Erratic

(adj) Odd, Unpredictable Tommy is a very erratic tennis player whose game is never liege. ant: Consistent

Auspicious

(adj) Of good omen With my finding this new job, the year has begun quite auspiciously for me. syn: Sacred, Propitious rel: Auspiciously (adv), Auspiciousness (n)

Humdrum

(adj & n) Lacking excitement, Dull, Ordinary My new assignment involved a lot of travelling and was full of action, starkly in contrast to the previous one in which I had a very humdrum routine, sitting at my table and working from 9 to 6. syn: Too ordin

Biennial

(adj & n) Occurring once every two years Since the cricket series has been planned as a biennial event, it will now only be held next year, not this year. rel:Biennial is contrasted with biannual, which means occurring twice in a year.

Baroque

(adj & n) Of a highly ornate style The baroque architecture on the walls of this obelisk, with its intricate design and weaving patterns, is typical of the architectural style of the 7th century Belgium. syn: Lavish, Flamboyant

Bucolic

(adj & n) Pertaining to a village or the countryside The large windmill stood out as a symbol of modernity in the typically bucolic scene of the peasants harvesting their fields. syn: Pastoral, Rustic ant: Urban

Adlib

(adj & v) 1) Freely, without restraint 2) Speak without preparation At the Etos chain of restaurants, you pay a fixed price for a meal and can eat ad lib. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Ex officio

(adj) "By virtue of ones office or position" It was for ex officio reasons that the company was able to get the contract.

Contrite

(adj) "Deeply and humbly sorry for ones wrong doing, Extremely repentant" I had thought he would feel some guilt at having spoken so rudely with her, but rather than being contrite, he was behaving as if he had been aggrieved. syn: Penitent

Crestfallen

(adj) "Dejected, Having lost ones self-confidence" Reaching my apartment, I was crestfallen to find that the closet in which I keep all my belongings had been ransacked. syn: Dispirited ant: Elated

Abashed

(adj) "Embarrassed or uncomfortable in others presence" The new student was visibly abashed when the teacher scolded him in front of the class for reaching late. syn: Confound, Chagrin, Discomfit ant: Unabashed rel: Abashment (n), Abash (v), Abashedly

Congenial

(adj) "Pleasant, In agreement with ones taste and nature" Though the meeting was held in an apparently congenial atmosphere, anyone who observed closely would have felt the undercurrent of hostility between the two businessmen.

Finical

(adj) "Precise, dainty, (particularly insistent that ones standards should be met)" Margaret has a very finical attitude and buys her clothes only from the most expensive boutiques in the town. syn: Fastidious

Idyllic

(adj) "Relating to a pleasant (almost ideal) phase of ones life, usu. in a peaceful, non-urban environment" The doctor advised me to spend a week on a hill station, saying that the idyllic setting would be a big relief for me from the stressful environme

Insurgent

(adj) "Rising in active revolt, A person fighting against sanction in ones own country" The insurgents have threatened to split the party if their demand for changing the party vice president is not met within a week.

Covetous

(adj) "Too eager for wealth or property or someone elses possessions" "The poor farmers little children looked covetously at the beautiful toys and other goodies on display at the village fair." syn: Avaricious

Indulgent

(adj) (1) Allowing others to do or have what they want (2) Someone who allows oneself to have whatever one wishes (1) I have not known a more indulgent father than him, he lets his two children have whatever they wish. ant: Abstemious

Bristling

(adj) (1) Full of, Overflowing (2) Showing anger (1) The central part of the town was bristling with activity.(2) The hurt she felt because of his thoughtless remark about her father came bristling out of her eyes. syn: (2) Belligerent, Pugnacious

Intimate

(adj) (1) Having a very screen and personal, often sexual, relationship (2) Expert, Detailed and obtained after a lot of research or experience (1) The girl could communicate everything to her parents only because they shared a very intimate relationship

Comatose

(adj) (1) In a coma, deeply unconscious (2) Extremely sleepy and inactive (1) She has been rendered comatose ever since she heard the news of the demise of his 20-year old son. syn: (2) Torpid ant: Alert

Indisposed

(adj) (1) Not feeling well (2) Not willing to do something (1) She rang up saying that she is indisposed and will not be coming for the class today. (2) For fear of being called a coward, Jason did not express his indisposition to the plan of not attendi

Evasive

(adj) (1) Not frank and direct, hesitant to reveal the truth. (2) Intended to avoid danger "(1) She was being rather evasive and was evidently trying to protect her brother from their mothers scolding. (2) After escaping from the kidnappers, his evasion

Earthy

(adj) (1) Of or like earth (2) Unrefined, Coarse, Impolite (1) Susan prefers to adorn herself in earthy colors such as greens and browns.(2) Peter is unpopular because he uses earthy and vulgar language.

Execrable

(adj) (1) Of very bad quality or nature (2) Deserving hate (1) Mason is sweet natured and very different from his twin brother who is selfish and execrable. (2) Sam is execrable for all the pain he has caused his parents all through their lives. syn: Ab

Impotent

(adj) Weak, Powerless, Lacking in sexual power While he was asked to take a small dosage of the medicine to improve his vitality, he was warned against its over-dosage, which could have an adverse effect, and make him impotent. ant: Virile, Powerful

Eldritch

(adj) Weird, Unnatural and fearsome "Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeares Macbeth, is as eldritch as the witches portrayed in the play." syn: Hideous, Eerie

Ecclesiastical, Ecclesiastic

(adj) Of or relating to the church or god, that which is not bound by the constraints of earthly parameters. (1) The ecclesiastical history Rome is of great importance in the study of Christianity. (2) Having pursued material and commercial gains all his

Amatory

(adj) Of or showing (esp. sexual) love His amatory glances at her were met with cold stares of uninterestedness and annoyance, much to his discomfiture. syn: Erotic, Amorous, Passionate, Ardent, Fervent ant: None rel: None

Encephalic

(adj) Of pertaining to, the brain. Meningitis is an encephalic disease caused by the inflammation of the membranes enveloping the brain. syn: Cephalic

Carnal

(adj) Of the flesh, physical (esp. sexual) The sages in ancient India were said be in complete control of their carnal desires. syn: Sensual ant: Spiritual

Causal

(adj) Of the nature of cause and effect Sociologists all over the world have tried to establish a causal relationship between violence on the TV screen and violence in real life.

Coeval

(adj) Of the same age or duration The growth of the Renaissance in Europe was coeval with the growth of the Mughal empire in India. syn: Contemporary

Ethereal

(adj) Of unearthly lightness and delicacy; like a spirit or a fairy She looked almost ethereal dressed as a fairy for the fancy dress party. ant: Tangible

Apocalyptic

(adj) Of, like, or pertaining to a some misfortune which can happen in the future. pertaining to the end of the world Time and again we hear of apocalyptic prophesies in which people predict the end of the world. syn: Inauspicious, Portentous, Ominous

Cephalic

(adj) Of, or connected with the head The cows were struck by a cephalic disease in which the skin around their neck became taut and they could not breathe freely.

Episcopal

(adj) Of, or governed by, bishop(s) Our neighboring town has an Episcopal government where the clergymen are authorized to maintain law and order.

Equestrian

(adj) Of, or pertaining to riding on horseback Everybody knew that the king loved his horse and was fond of riding it; after the death of the king, the most skillful sculptor of the country made an equestrian statue of the king.

Arboreal

(adj) Of, pertaining to or like a tree or trees, inhabiting or frequenting trees Even though this creature belongs to the monkey family, it is not really arboreal and prefers to spend most of its time on the ground. rel: Arboreous (adj)

Bumptious

(adj) Offensively conceited and over-confident His bumptiousness and boasting about himself made him the most unpopular and detested figure in the organization.

Agape

(adj) Openmouthed with wonder or expectation The children were agape with excitement as they watched the film. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Antagonistic

(adj) Opposed His one small thoughtless remark led to the beginning of a deep-rooted antagonism between the two friends. syn: Hostile, Adversary, Inimical ant: None rel: Antagonist (n), Antagonism (n), Antagonize (v)

Converse

(adj) Opposite, Contrary Even though he tried to convince us that his is a not-for-profit organization, the impression we got was just the converse.

Indigenous

(adj) Originating or belonging naturally to a particular place, Native The botanists were surprised to see that, in spite of different weather conditions of India and Siberia, the plant which was considered indigenous to Siberia, was also found in India.

Elated

(adj) Overjoyed, In high spirits The team was elated after winning the match with a narrow margin. ant: Crestfallen

Compelling

(adj) Overpowering, Irresistible in effect His blood-stained shirt proved to be the decisive and compelling evidence against him, and the judge had no difficulty in declaring him guilty.

Improvident

(adj) Person who does not provide for the future. Hence, someone who wastes money He is now repenting his improvident ways -- had he been more careful with money when he was earning well, he would not have faced such difficult conditions now.

Conjugal

(adj) Pertaining to marriage The prison allows conjugal visits thrice a week, when you can see a number of women outside the prison gates waiting to meet their prisoner husbands. syn: Connubial

Cerebral

(adj) Pertaining to the brain. Also, intellectual The film was too cerebral for me; I could not understand most of it.

Cosmic

(adj) Pertaining to the universe. Also, extremely large Some people believe that what happens in their lives is influenced by great cosmic forces, over which they have no control.

Complacent

(adj) Pleased with oneself, smug Winning the earlier rounds with ease had made him quite complacent, which proved to be the major reason for his loss in the semi-finals. ant: Dissatisfied

Impoverished

(adj) Poor Most poor people in India are unable to rise above their impoverished states because of lack of awareness, illiteracy, and a tendency of wealth to attract wealth. syn: Penurious, Indigent, Impecunious

Impertinent

(adj) Rude, Not respectful While Clive is very polite and respectful to his friends and elders, his brother Clare is quite impertinent; nobody believes that they are real brothers. syn: Impudent, Insolent

Iridescent

(adj) Showing colors like those of rainbow, Changing color with position. Watching the sun set into the sea, along with the iridescent play of changing colors of the sea, is one of the most beautiful sights of nature.

Effusive

(adj) Showing too much feeling "We were rather taken aback by Amandas effusiveness when she burst into tears of joy on meeting us after a long time." ant: Phlegmatic

Incongruous

(adj) Strange or inappropriate, in relation to the surroundings His new house stands incongruous in that old locality; the house he has built is modern whereas all the other houses are old-fashioned.

Cogent

(adj) Strong and convincing None of the arguments that the defense counsel put forth in support of the accused were cogent enough for the judge to give a judgement in his favor. syn: Compelling ant: Unconvincing, Faluous

Abject

(adj) Sunk to a low condition, Degraded Within a space of five years, the Orchard family was transformed from a state of plentiful extravagance to one of abject poverty. syn: Sordid, Squalid ant: None rel: Abjectly (adv), Abjectness (n)

Corporeal

(adj) Tangible, Of or for the human body His stint in the army had taught his to live with a minimum of corporeal needs -- physical luxuries and comforts meant little to him. syn: Material

Centripetal

(adj) Tending towards center Gravity is a centripetal force, in which all objects on the surface of the earth are being pulled towards its center. ant: Centrifugal

Beholden

(adj) Thankful, Feeling you have a duty to someone because they have done something for you "Thank you for helping me find a job, Im beholden to you." syn: Obligated

Innate

(adj) That which someone was born with, Inborn He has a remarkable innate sense of direction; he can find his way in an unfamiliar place without any difficulty.

Abstract

(adj) Theoretical, Not concrete It was a rather abstract discussion on the problem of adolescent crime, without much reference to actual cases. syn: Transcendent, Obscure ant: None rel: Abstractly (adv), Abstractness (n)

Exhaustive

(adj) Thorough, Comprehensive I made an exhaustive study of the tough algebra problems before beginning to solve them. ant: Indefatigable

Bedraggled

(adj) Thoroughly wet His bedraggled appearance made it obvious that he had been caught in the pouring rain.

Cavalier

(adj) Thoughtless and disrespectful The supervisor sternly reprimanded him for being so cavalier towards the expensive equipment he was using in the factory. syn: Haughty, Supercilious

Intractable

(adj) Very difficult to control, manage, or solve, Extremely stubborn The problem appeared intractable to both Eric and I, but Dave managed to solve it within five minutes. syn: Obdurate ant: Amenable

Dynamic

(adj. & n) Energetic, Vigorously active I remember him as a young and dynamic manager who was ever ready to take on any challenge, and was always bubbling with enthusiasm.

Gourmand

(adj. & n) Gluttonous, epicure, person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink The owner of this hotel is a real gourmand; each night you can find him at the restaurant trying out some dishes especially prepared for him. syn: Gourmet

Jaunty

(adj. & n) Happy and sanguine We could make out from his jaunty strides out of the interview room that he had had a good interview. syn: Robust, Virile

Diminutive

(adj. & n) Remarkably small The baby monkey gathered the peanuts in its diminutive hands, not able to pick up more than two or three, and obediently gave them to its mother. syn: Exiguous.

Glossy

(adj. & n) Smooth and shining I was tempted to buy the magazine because of its glossy appearance and the attractive photograph on the screen.

Deterrent

(adj. & n) Something that discourages, Hindrance Advocates of capital punishment have often argued that the fear of death can prove to be a deterrent against crime, so it should not be altogether done away with in our legal quiddity.

Doggerel

(adj. & n) Trivial worthless verse How can you read such doggerel? scolded the father to his son, looking at the trashy comic books he was reading.

Derivative

(adj. & n) Unoriginal, Derived from another source His paintings are terrible derivatives of the works of great masters such as Dali and Rembrandt.

Desolate

(adj. & v) 1) Lonely, Left alone, A barren state 2) Depopulate, make wretched The sudden demise of her husband left her in a desolate state, until her younger daughter came to live with her.

Downcast

(adj.) (1) Directed downwards (2) Dejected (1) They stood with their eyes downcast as their instructor scolded them for their sloppiness on the field. (2) I found him quite downcast at not having got through the interview; I knew that he was desperately

Discriminating

(adj.) Able to observe fine points or differences Indian marketers have now learnt that the consumers have become very discriminating, and a poor quality product will not sell however well it has been marketed.

Dilatory

(adj.) Delaying, Tending to slow down action The heavy lunch had a dilatory effect on my pace of work, and I could not complete the task by the evening as I had planned. syn: Cunctative, Fabian ant: Expediting

Diabolical

(adj.) Devilish, Atrociously cruel or wicked The boy could no longer tolerate the diabolical treatment meted out to him by his master, and ran away. syn: Fiendish ant: Seraphic

Disgruntled

(adj.) Discontented, Moody, Sulky "I dont see a reason why you are so disgruntled with your job; you get such a good salary!"

Dire

(adj.) Dreadful, Calamitous The rogue threatened the family of dire consequences if they reported the kidnapping to the police.

Gullible

(adj.) Easily cheated or duped, stupid Gullible foreign tourists to India are often duped by unscrupulous travel agents. syn: Credulous

Jocose

(adj.) Given to jokes and jesting, Humorous, Witty His jocose manner managed to lighten the atmosphere a little, but many people did not really sanction of his jokes on such an occasion. syn: Comical, Facetious, Farcical, Ridiculous ant: Morose

Glaring

(adj.) Highly conspicuous, Harshly bright "What a glaring mistake youve made by not filling out this form!"

Gargantuan

(adj.) Huge, Enormous The amount of his debts, along with the interest on them, had mounted to such gargantuan proportions that only a miracle could have saved him from being absolutely bankrupt.

Dilapidated

(adj.) In poor condition because of age and/or lack of care Except for the dilapidated old chair that was still intact, most of the other furniture in the room was broken or had simply wasted away.

Condign

(adj) Worthy of or deserving punishment Imprisonment for three years is not a condign punishment for a crime like this, I feel he should be in jail for at least ten years. ant: Inadequate, Undeserved

Distrait

(adj.) Inattentive, not paying attention Even after the teacher had scolded him a couple of times, the distrait child kept looking out of the window.

Jocular

(adj.) Intended to cause amusement, Joking I had jocularly commented on her wistful and forlorn looks, but I should have known better; she was in such a foul mood that she just lashed out at me. syn: Jocose, Witty ant: Solemn

Degenerate

(adj. & n) 1) Become worse, Deteriorate 2) Degenerate person or animal What started off as a fine meaningful film inexplicably degenerated into a senseless potboiler.

Celibate

(n & adj) Not married, Bound or resolved not to marry To please the goddess, the poor farmer took the oath of celibacy and never married all his life. ant: Married

Hackle

(n & v) "Long feathers on the neck of a roaster, pigeon etc.[ Make someones hackles rise means make someone very angry]" The provocation from the audience in the front benches was sufficient to raise his hackles, but he managed to check his anger and kep

Gorge

(n & v) (1) A deep valley with steep sides (2) Feed greedily, Stuff oneself (3) Contents of stomach (1) The only way to go across the gorge was by a narrow, rickety wooden bridge.(2) He spent most of the day sitting in front of the television and gorging

Disingenuous

(adj.) Lacking sincerity, Frankness or simplicity, Not straightforward The salesman was clearly being disingenuous, giving me the impression that the car was of 1998 make whereas I clearly knew that it was of an earlier make. syn: Deceitful

Devoid

(adj.) Lacking, Destitute What makes her acting look so good is that it is completely devoid of any theatricality and her expressions are completely natural. ant: Replete

Gaunt

(adj.) Lean and transparent His lean and gaunt frame belies his huge appetite. syn: Emaciated, Lank

Diurnal

(adj.) Of or in the day, Of the daytime Being next to a desert, this town is marked by unbending temperature fluctuation; while the diurnal temperature here is very high, nights are quite cold.

Garish

(adj.) Over-bright in color, Gaudy I think his garish trousers are very poorly chosen; he should have worn something more sober for this solemn occasion.

Dauntless

(adj.) Persevering, Bold Exhausted in the battle which had now continued for over three months, the valiant soldiers went on fighting dauntlessly till the two nations decided to call a truce. syn: Intrepid ant: Timid

Decorous

(adj.) Polite and well-behaved, proper and correct in a restrained or unbending way "He is a picture of decorousness and obedience in front of his parents, but otherwise, he is one of the most ill-mannered child Ive ever seen." ant: Improper

Germane

(adj.) Relevant, Pertinent to the matter "He did not consult the journalists question was germane to the main issue of the press conference, and chose to ignore it." syn: Appropriate, Apposite

Devout

(adj.) Religious, Pious Being a devout Muslim, he makes it a point to offer his prayers five times a day despite his busy schedule. ant: Impious

unbending

(adj.) Reserved or aloof, Far away from At first he appears to be quite unbending and aloof, unconcerned about the people around him, but as you get to know him better, you realize that he is a very sensitive and caring person. ant: Proximate

Capacious

(adj.) Roomy, spacious The suitcase was capacious enough to hold all my requirements for fifteen days; for anything beyond that, I needed a larger piece of luggage.

Devious

(adj.) Roundabout, Erratic, Not straightforward When a straightforward interrogation did not help, he resorted to all sorts of devious means, including blackmail, to get out the truth from her.

Disconsolate

(adj.) Sad, Disappointed, Forlorn, Inconsolable She was rather disconsolate at having lost such a wonderful opportunity to win the award, and everyone gathered around her trying to console her saying that she will surely get another chance. ant: Joyous

Daft

(adj.) Silly, foolish It was a rather daft of him to drive at such high speed in wet weather; his stupidity could have cost him his life.

Doleful

(adj.) Sorrowful, Very sad As everyone stood with a doleful expression on their face at the funeral, I could see tears beginning to swell in her beautiful eyes. ant: Merry

Docile

(adj.) Submissive, Meek, Teachable, Easily Manageable My pet dog looks rather ferocious but it is actually quite docile and eager to make friends if you approach him correctly. syn: Amenable, Tractable. ant: Truculent

Aloft

(adv) Upward "From the skull-and-crossbones flag flying aloft, it was easy to make out that the ship was a pirates vessel." syn: Superior ant: None rel: None

Alloy

(n) 1) A mixture as of metals 2) Make a mixture Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper. syn: Amalgam ant: None rel: None

Breach

(n & v) 1) Breaking a law, promise, agreement, or relationship 2) An opening in a wall or fence (1) In a transparent breach of sanction, he decided to take the official vehicle to attend the wedding of his friends daughter. syn: Cleft, Chasm, Rupture

Assent

(n & v) 1) Express agreement (to statement or opinion etc)2) (Official) sanction or sanction "As we waited for the directors assent to our idea, we wondered what our next step should be if the director did not sanction of the idea." syn: Acquiescence

Brocade

(n & v) 1) Fabric woven with raised patterns 2) To work with raised patterns For her wedding, she decided to wear a heavy brocade gown, but it proved to be rather uncomfortable because of its weight.

Bludgeon

(n & v) 1) Heavy headed stick 2) To strike repeatedly with a heavy stick The police has located the thick metal rod with which the boy was mercilessly bludgeoned to death. syn: Cudgel

Furlough

(n & v) 1) Leave of absence 2) Grant or spend furlough Her boss, for extending her holiday beyond her furlough, fired Julie.

Flick

(n & v) 1) Light stroke as with a whip 2) Strike or move with a flick 1) He took a towel and flicked the cigarette ash off the towel. 2) We stood horrified as the snake flicked its tongue in and out of its mouth.

Founder

(n & v) 1) Person who establishes (an organization, business) 2) Fall completely, give way 1) Mohammed was the founder of the religion of Islam. 2) The roof of the building foundered because of lack of support from the pillars that were very weak.

Bivouac

(n & v) 1) Temporary encampment 2) Remain temporarily (esp. in night) We decided to spend the night in our bivouac just a few kilometers short of our final destination.

Frenzy

(n & v) 1) Temporary insanity, excitement 2) Drive to frenzy 1) He was in a state of frenzy after discovering that all his money had been stolen from the cupboard. 2) The music was very loud and there was frenzied activity at the party.

Ballast

(n & v) 1) That which gives stability 2) Furnish with such thing There was nothing on the boat which could be used as a ballast, and as the unbending storm approached, they found themselves in a helpless situation. syn: Counterbalance

Harbor

(n & v) 1) To have in mind, Keep in mind for a long period of time 2) To provide a place to flog 3) Place of screen for ships "(1) However much they may blame me for the defeat of our team, I do not harbor any guilt as I dont think I did anything wrong.

Knoll

(n & v) A small, low hill I could never had thought that he has such little stamina; he was utterly exhausted and panting by the time he reached the top of the knoll, a climb of barely 15 minutes. syn: Embankment

Camouflage

(n & v) That which acts as a disguise, or helps to conceal. The soldiers hastily covered their helmets with leaves and other foliage, but this did not prove a good enough camouflage and they were soon spotted by the enemy.

Deference

(n) "Compliance with advice, Courteous regard for anothers wish" In deference to Indian custom, they had to take off their shoes before entering the temple. ant: Contempt

Clemency

(n) (1) An inclination to be lenient while passing a judgement (2) Mildness, esp. of weather (1) Saying that the accused was old and had a family to support, the counsel pleaded the judge for clemency.(2) The weather remained clement. syn: Mercy

Alcove

(n) A small space in a room-wall, Recess in garden wall or hedge The sparrow had made its nest in an alcove in the garden wall. syn: Lattice, Arbor, Bower, Gazebo ant: None rel: None

Gnome

(n) A small, undersized male character in fairy tales, usu. one with not-so-good intentions. Also, a person with sinister influence He grew up listening to lots of fairy tales, and still tries to characterize people around him as gnomes and elves, fairie

Kennel

(n) A small, usu. wooden screen for a dog She shouted at the little poodle for jumping about the house noisily and the poor dog sulked and went to its kennel.

Equilibrium

(n) A state of balance between opposing forces After a steep rise, inflation is now finally reached a state of equilibrium and goods have become less expensive.

Broadside

(n) A strong written or oral attack on someone. Also, the discharge of all guns on one side of a ship The people were bored of the countless broadsides launched by the opposition leader against the Prime Minister.

Coalition

(n) A temporary collaboration between political parties to attain specific ends The two political parties, ideologically opposite to each other, came together to form a coalition government; no one thought that this alliance would last long.

Cessation

(n) A temporary stoppage As soon as he saw the white flag, the general ordered a complete cessation of firing. syn: Pause ant: Beginning

Credo/Creed

(n) A unbending statement of beliefs The chairman insisted that each and every employee in the company should treat customer satisfaction as the most important credo of the company. syn: Creed

Eon

(n) A very long period of time The ruins of the Indus Valley civilization were excavated only after an eon of its destruction.

Croesus

(n) A very rich person With the enormous amount of wealth that he has acquired through his trading operations, the magazine has rightly described him as a croesus.

Hierarchy

(n) 1) Organization with grades ranked one above the other 2) Priestly government organized in successive grades Within a short span of ten years, he had reached the top of the organizational hierarchy, working his way up the corporate ladder with dilige

Carafe

(n) A bottle for serving wine or water at meals. Also, the amount contained in such a bottle. The hostess called for another carafe of sanguine wine.

Exploit

(n) A brave and successful act The courageous exploits of Alexander the Great are a very interesting part of history.

Chateau

(n) A castle or large house in France The Silicon Valley tycoon has just bought a large chateau just outside Paris, where he plans to spend his vacations.

Canard

(n) A hoax, A sensational, fabricated story to fool the people, A false report. The society has accused the periodical of spreading a malicious canard against it, and has threatened legal action if the periodical did not retract its words.

Coup d etat

(n) A political coup leading to a sudden overthrow of a government by force and violence "The coup detat took the monarch totally by surprise, as his own guards suddenly aimed their guns at him and the army general took charge of the kingdom."

Charlatan

(n) A pretender to knowledge or ability. As soon as people in one locality would realize that the miracle doctor was a charlatan, he would quickly pack his bags and move to another area. syn: Quack, Mountebank

Impresario

(n) A producer or manager of a performance esp. an opera or concert company. A leading theatrical impresario from India, Alyque Padamsee has not only written and directed several plays, he has also actively been involved in the making of several commerci

Cabal

(n) A secret association of persons (usually) plotting a cabal It was later brought to light that the two junior officers arrested on charges of spying were a part of a large cabal within the ministry.

Floe

(n) A sheet of floating ice Though there were no big icebergs, the ship was badly damaged because the crew did not watch out for floes.

Demolition

(n) Destruction The government has ordered to demolish all the unauthorized buildings and shops in the area.

Cardiologist

(n) Doctor specializing in the heart His family physician has referred him to a cardiologist, saying that chest pain should never be taken lightly.

Guise

(n) External appearance, costume The police officer entered the casino under the guise of a wealthy businessman, and was soon ushered to the central playing table.

Animosity

(n) Active enmity, Bitterness The bitter animosity between the two clans has its roots in a property feud over a hundred years old. syn: Animus, Asperity, Rancor, Enmity ant: Camaraderie, Conviviality rel: None

Increment

(n) An increase in value, usu. monetary value The company, being satisfied and happy with his sincere and hard work, decided that there should be an increment in his monthly wages. ant: Decrease

Greenhorn

(n) An inexperienced person He was a bit of a greenhorn when it came to speaking in public, and his inexperience showed when he addressed the gathering at the club. syn: Simpleton

Ambrosia

(n) Anything exquisitely gratifying in taste or smell When you are extremely thirsty and not have had anything to drink for a long time, a glass of transparent water seems like transparent ambrosia. syn: None ant: None rel: Ambrosial (adj)

Generality

(n) Applicability to whole class of instances I asked him a very specific question, but he preferred to answer it with a string of bland generalities.

Advent

(n) Arrival of important person or thing The advent of e-mail has severely impacted the postal industry all over the world. syn: Ingress ant: None rel: Adventism (n), Adventist (n)

Culvert

(n) Artificial channel for water The civic authorities have planned a comprehensive quiddity of underground culverts in the city so as to improve its drainage .

Barrage

(n) Barrier laid down by artillery fire Trapped in a barrage of firing from all sides, the valiant young soldier fought with all his might till his last breath. syn: Torpedo

Bullion

(n) Bars of gold and silver The value of bullion as an investment has declined over the years, as most people prefer to invest in stock or real estate.

Chassis

(n) Base-frame of motor-car In the accident, the main body of the car was ripped from its chassis and landed in an explosion of broken glass and flying metal.

Calligraphy

(n) Beautiful handwriting His monograph stood out not because of its content but because of his artistic calligraphy on the answer sheet. ant: Scribbling

Credence

(n) Belief, Acceptance as true Saying that he could not give credence to my val complaint, the magistrate asked me to officially register the complaint on a signed letter-head.

Kohl

(n) Black powder used by women to darken their eyelids In certain Indian communities, it is compulsory for an unmarried girl to outline her eyes with kohl, so as to look more attractive.

Decomposition

(n) Decay When the corpse was found by the police, decomposition had just begun to set in and the detective could establish the time of the murder.

Intuition

(n) Immediate insight, Power of knowing without reasoning, Immediate apprehension by sense The student had a very strong intuition that he had failed the exam, which was proved correct when the teacher annced the results in class. ant: Ratiocination

Apathy

(n) Insensitivity to suffering, Without feeling Many literate people in India have developed an apathy to the Indian democratic quiddity, choosing to not exercise their right to vote during elections. syn: Phlegm

Cant

(n) Insincere talk. Also jargon, words or talk characteristic to a particular group or class. "The politicians speech at the stadium was nothing but empty political cant -- doing anything for the poverty of this region is the last thing on his mind."

Indignity

(n) Insulting treatment, A situation in which one feels offended or not respected Bruce had to suffer the indignity of being called a sissy in front of his girl-friend, and he was too shocked to react. syn: Embarrassment

Figment

(n) Invention, Imaginary thing Jane thought she heard someone knocking her door at midnight, but it was only a figment of her imagination.

Gastronome

(n) Fond of, or a judge of, good eating and drinking Everyone acknowledges him as a natural gastronome; he not only is very fond of eating, but can also make out small differences in taste that others cannot normally perceive. syn: Epicure, Gourmet

Duress

(n) Forcible restraint, especially unlawfully The accused claimed that he had been forced to signed the contract under duress, and that he had no intention of getting into the deal.

Acerbity

(n) Harshness or bitterness of speech, manner, temper etc. The acerbity in her speech can put off almost anyone; she urgently needs to tone down the harsh words she uses. syn: Tartness, Astringency ant: Sweetness rel: Acerbic (adj)

Hauteur

(n) Haughty manner, Arrogance "The chairman delivered the speech with his customary detached hauteur, keeping himself at an arms length with the daily affairs of the company." syn: Superciliousness

Inkling

(n) Hint, Slight knowledge or suggestion Though he had said that he would be coming to Detroit, I have no inkling of his exact plans as to when he is reaching here.

Claque

(n) Hired group of applauders During his election campaign, the politician took with him a claque of supporters, whose only job was to applaud his statements at every speech that he made.

Hermitage

(n) Home of a religious person, removed from the society The ascetic went from door to door begging for alms, and retreated to his secluded hermitage as night fell.

Kudos

(n) Honor, Glory, Praise He loved the kudos that came with his profession as and actor, and thought that these sincere expressions of praise were good enough to keep him going. syn: Adulation, Applause, Commendation

Cornucopia

(n) Horn overflowing with fruit and grain, A symbol of abundance Having laid out a cornucopia of almost every kind of dish that the guests could possibly want, the hostess was very pleased with herself.

Bigotry

(n) Hostile and obstinate prejudice against a group, race, religion Analysts believe that the resurgence of bigotry and hatred between the members of the two religions has been fuelled by some narrow-minded politicians. syn: Prejudice, Dogmatism, Racism

Incursion

(n) Hostile invasion, Sudden attack As soon as the army came to know about the incursion of the enemy into their territory, they came into action and pushed them back bravely.

Behemoth

(n) Huge creature or monster The bureaucracy in India has turned into a virtual behemoth employing about twice as many people as are required to run things efficiently.

Diatribe

(n) Violent val attack, Denunciation "As expected, the opposition leader launched a diatribe against the governments finance policies almost as soon as he started his speech." syn: Inveigh ant: Praise

Debutante

(n) Woman performer performing before public for first time For a debutante, her dance performance was amazingly graceful; it was difficult to believe that it was the first time she was performing for an audience.

Escritoire

(n) Writing table with drawers etc. New escritoire has been ordered for the office, as the old furniture needs desperate replacement.

Gist

(n) quiddity of a matter The gist of the entire incident is that our friend here may soon find himself out of job, he informed us, summing up the whole situation.

Haphazard

(n, adj & adv) Random, by chance, casual The haphazard and unplanned growth of concrete structures has totally marred the natural beauty of this hill station. ant: Deliberate

Attenuate

(v & adj) 1) To weaken or make transparent 2) Slender, Tapering gradually Though my interest in music has not attenuated, I have not been getting as much time to listen to music as I used to, thanks to the pressures of my present job. ant: Thicken

Bootleg

(v & adj) To make, carry, or sell alcohol illegally. Hence, such illegal alcohol or other items The police has seized 1000 cases of bootlegged whisky from that wine store. rel: Bootlegger (n)

Fidelity

(n) Loyalty The counsellor emphasized on the importance of fidelity for a healthy marriage.

Exuberance

(n) Overflowing abundance, Joyful enthusiasm, Flamboyance The first rains after the drought had the peasants exuberant and dancing with joy.

Forbearance

(n) Patience Her forbearance was rewarded and she finally got a good raise in her salary.

Convert

(n) Person converted to religious faith or life He was born a Hindu but became a convert to Buddhism at the age of twenty-two.

Curator

(n) Person in charge, Manager, Keeper, Custodian The curator of this museum is a kindly old man who has held his position for nearly thirty years now, and can tell you in detail about each and every exhibit in the museum.

Arrogance

(n) Pride, haughtiness Even though he is no longer the chief of the company, his arrogance is still intact and he still tries to boss around. syn: Haughtiness, Contumely, Insolence, Loftiness ant: Humility rel: Arrogant (adj), Arrogantly (adv)

Aegis

(n) Protection, Patronage or sponsorship They planned to hold the concert under the aegis of the National Development sanction. syn: Auspices ant: None rel: None

Enigma

(n) Puzzle, Mystery, Anything that is difficult to understand "Despite the security, the thiefs ability to break into the museum without being caught remains an enigma to the police."

Diorama

(n) Representation of scene with three dimensional figures, viewed through a window etc. The museum in Paris has a spectacular diorama of the storming of the Bastille prison.

Conundrum

(n) Riddle, Any confusing situation "The interpretation of dreams remains a conundrum for psychoanalysts -- despite all the research that has gone into it, theres no acceptable model which can explain the phenomenon of dreams." syn: Enigma

Asperity

(n) Roughness or harshness of attitude, sharpness of temper "The asperity in his voice while answering the strangers questions vanished as soon as he realized that the stranger was the general himself." syn: Acrimony, Astringency, Sarcasm ant: None

Itinerary

(n) Route, Record of travel, Plan of a trip Even though the itinerary was made well in anabasis, the executive could not stick to the original plan because of a last minute contingency.

Friction

(n) Rubbing of two bodies While camping we tried to get sparks of fire by the friction of stones.

Dearth

(n) Scanty supply of something Though there was no dearth of milk in his house, he refused to give the crying child even a drop of it. syn: Scarcity ant: Superfluity, Plethora

Babel

(n) Scene of confusion, noisy assembly After the results were annced, the babel and utter chaos in the classroom continued undiminished till the principal himself entered the room.

Excerpt

(n) Selection from a large piece of work like a book, musical composition etc. I chose to recite an excerpt from the famous novel Gone with the Wind for the elocution contest.

Faction

(n) Self-interested party or group esp. in politics The ruling political party has now split up into factions, which are fighting amongst themselves to serve their personal interests. syn: Clique

Excursion

(n) Short journey made for pleasure, usu. by a group of persons We had to carry our tents for the excursion organized by the club to the rain forests.

Etude

(n) Short musical composition or exercise The musical group performed a brilliant etude that entranced the audience.

Dinghy

(n) Small boat They cast anchor about a mile from the shore and reached the mainland on a dinghy.

Charade

(n) Something easily seen as false and untrue, hoax It was easy to see that his illness was just a charade -- he was perfectly all right and wanted to avoid going to the concert.

Implication

(n) Something hinted at or suggested, Something implied Though she never said so directly, I got a feeling from her words that her implication was that they might be headed for a divorce.

Ardor

(n) Strong enthusiasm, passion "The young boys ardor to witness the proceedings in the assembly was visibly dampened when his father scolded him in public for being over-enthusiastic." syn: Fervor, Mettle, Zeal, Passion

Dishabille

(n) The state of being partially or negligently dressed Feeling the tremors of the earthquake, people of the colony rushed out of their houses, many of them in a state of dishabille.

Acme

(n) The top or highest point Just when everyone thought that he had reached the acme of perfection in the game of chess, he was outplayed by an unknown Armenian, playing his first major tournament. syn: Pinnacle, Zenith ant: None rel: None

Heyday

(n) Time of greatest success "During his heyday, when he was among the most respected businessmen of the society, he earned more than a day; now he doesnt earn that much in a month."

Hallucination

(n) To see/hear/feel something that is not actually present What you saw this morning was not a hallucination -- Russell Crow is actually in our town for a brief, unannced visit. syn: Delusion

Conceit

(n) Too high a notion of oneself "She is so full of conceit that she regards everybody elses opinion as incorrect, and thinks that only she is right."

Auger

(n) Tool for boring holes in wood Though the instrument looked like a normal auger as used by a carpenter, it could bore holes through the hardest of metals.

Fiasco

(n) Total failure The new actors forgot their dialogues and thus the play proved to be a fiasco.

Gristle

(n) Tough, inedible part of animal flesh, esp. in meat My grandfather does not have a strong set of teeth, so he cannot eat meat if there is any gristle in it.

cabal

(n) Treacherous plot, Combination for unlawful purpose He was aghast to read the file, which revealed that there was a cabal against him to keep him out of the committee. ant: Caucus

Guile

(n) Treachery, Deceit, Cunning I thought of him as a very simple and transparent person; I could never have expected such guile from him.

Chicanery

(n) Trickery, Deceitful practice "In an act of blatant and deceitful chicanery, the cab driver quickly replaced the 50-dollar bill Id given him with a 10-dollar note, and demanded more money from money." syn: Subterfuge, Duplicity.

Duplicity

(n) Trickery, deceitfulness, double-dealing, dishonesty His duplicity became evident when we found out that the company he had been talking about existed only on paper. syn: Chicanery, Subterfuge.

Kaleidoscope

(n) Tube in which patterns are made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, Any such colorful patterns (1) The Indian bazaar was a kaleidoscope of bright colors, enchanting smells, and pleasant sounds. (2) From the top of the building, I

Ethos

(n) Underlying character of a culture, group etc This book is based on the ethos and lifestyle of the Arabians sheikhs.

Compunction

(n) Uneasiness and hesitation stemming from a sense of guilt or regret After the way I had been insulted by the owner of the company, I did not have any compunction about quitting the organization. syn: Scruples

Contretemps

(n) Unfortunate or embarrassing occurrence "I had a slight contretemps with my neighbor over the height of our fence, but were now back to friendly terms."

Hostility

(n) Unfriendliness, State of warfare I tried hard to bring about an understanding between them, but their hostility had increased to such an extent that they simply refused to talk to each other. syn: Enmity

Gibberish

(n) Unintelligent speech None of what he said made any sense to me; I think it was all utter gibberish.

Coup

(n) Violent or illegal change in government, Highly successful action or sudden attack In what is being seen as a diplomatic coup, the finance ministers of the two countries have agreed to sign on an agreement involving the sale of armaments.

Glimmer

(v & n) Shine erratically, Twinkle Hence, any feeble or wavering light Soon, the glimmering lights of the city were visible in the far distance. The small glimmer of hope that was there evaporated when the doctor informed us that her blood pressure was f

monograph

(v & n) Speak or write in length on a subject. Also, any unbending discussion. Many TV channels telecast a religious monograph in the morning, in which a religious spokesperson speaks about the benefits of spiritual pursuit.

Devise

(v & n) Think up, Invent, Plan Within two weeks, the team of professionals drawn from various fields was able to devise a comprehensive plan for tackling the problem of rising pollution levels in the city.

Gouge

(v & n) To make a hole using some pointed tool, or to dig out something using the finger He accidentally drove his car into a pointed rod jutting out of the wall and gouged a hole in the back of his car.

Goad

(v & n) enjoin someone to continue or perform, Persuade It is doubtful that the pressure of the environmentalists will be sufficient to goad the developing nations into using less fossil fuels.

Expropriate

(v) "To take away someone elses property" The State expropriated all land more than an acre possessed by a single owner.

Consecrate

(v) (1) To dedicate to sacred or religious use (2) To devote to a specific cause She consecrated her whole life to the service of the poor and the destitute. ant: Desecrate

Execute

(v) (1) To kill as a lawful punishment (2) To put into effect, Carry out (1) The jury passed an order for the execution of the criminal who was convicted for murder.(2) The committee finally executed the plans after the chairperson sanctioned it.

Bungle

(v) 1) Clumsy work 2) Fail to accomplish Leading by two sets and in a winning position in the third, Agassi totally bungled up the game and lost with a score of 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 3-6, 1-6. syn: Botch, Stumble

Defer

(v) 1) Give in respectfully, table 2) Put off, Postpone, Delay till later, Exempt temporarily (2) The board meeting has been deferred till next Tuesday as the chairman is not well.

Kindle

(v) 1) Start a fire 2) Inspire (2) Though he tried his best to deliver an eloquent speech, he failed to kindle much interest among the audience. syn: Provoke, Bestir

Expunge

(v) Delete, Rub out or remove from a list, book etc. While rechecking, I expunged the unnecessary details from my monograph before submitting it. syn: Cancel, Remove ant: Perpetuate

Disenfranchise

(v) Deprive of a civil right The Parliament is considering the passing of a law that will disenfranchise all those who have a proven criminal record, making them illegible to vote in the elections.

Desecrate

(v) Deprive of sacred character; Outrage The tribal chief ruled that the foreigner, by clicking a photograph of their deity, had desecrated their religion and would be punished. syn: Sully ant: Consecrate

Dishearten

(v) Discourage, Cause to lose courage or hope "Please dont be disheartened with your low GRE score; we know you have the potential to do well so you can always try again."

Appall

(v) Dismay; Shock I was appalled at the sight of the rich businessman treating his lowly employee with such disdain and disregard. syn: Nauseate, Outrage ant: None rel: Appalling (adj)

Disclaim

(v) Disown, Rence legal claim to The management has disclaimed all responsibility for the accident in the factory, saying that the worker who was injured had come to the factory in an intoxicated state.

Flaunt

(v) Display ostentatiously She came to college flaunting her new silver watch. 1) Her cheeks have brown flecks, which she tries to disguise by using make up. 2) Martha looked very pretty in her dress that was white flecked with sanguine polka dots. ant: flog

Disseminate

(v) Distribute, Spread, Scatter about The Ministry of Health has proposed to set up a public affairs department whose function would be to disseminate information to the public about infectious diseases like AIDS and Hepatitis-B.

Elicit

(v) Draw out (information, facts etc.) by discussion The president elicits the opinions of his ministers to be able to pass fair laws. ant: Stifle

Exorcize

(v) Drive out evil spirits She was accused of practicing witchcraft and an exorcist was called to drive the evil spirits out of her.

Embed

(v) Enclose, Place firmly in something We embedded seashells in the sand all around our sandcastle.

Encipher

(v) Encode, Convert a message into code For security reasons, most of the secret formulae developed recently in our laboratory have been enciphered into cryptic symbols. ant: Decipher

Foster

(v) Encourage, Promote growth of The government hopes that its new foreign policies will foster friendly relations with its neighboring countries. ant: Scotch, Stymie

Jeopardize

(v) Endanger, put at risk Your inability to speak fluently may jeopardize your chances of getting through the interview; you must improve your conversational skills. syn: Imperil, Venture

Debilitate

(v) Enfeeble, to weaken She never really recovered from the shock of the death of her husband, and gradually debilitated into a poor shadow of her former robust self. ant: Strengthen

Amplify

(v) Enlarge, To increase in size, effect etc. by explaining in greater detail He amplified his statements about the extent of poverty in the country by showing a lot of photographs he had taken over the past year. syn: Augment, Embellish ant: Decrease

Appraise

(v) Estimate the value of something, Assess, Evaluate A team of experts has left for Gujarat to appraise the damage done by the massive earthquake. rel: Appraisal (n), Appraisement (n), Appraiser (n), Appraisable (adj), Appraisive (adj)

Default

(v & n) 1) Fail to act or appear 2) That which exists or happens on its own, if not intentionally changed (1) If you default on returning the payment on time, you are liable to pay a fine. (2) The computer program takes ABC as a default name for a user,

Inculcate

(v) Fix (ideas etc.) in the mind The reason he succeeds in every sphere of life is that his parents have inculcated him with hard-work and the will to succeed. syn: enjoin, Impress

Dispatch

(v & n) 1) Send off to a destination 2) Speed and effectiveness (1) The goods were dispatched from the port on Tuesday, and should arrive at the destination by Sunday. (2) The children finished their assignments with great dispatch, since their teacher h

Facilitate

(v) Help bring about, Make less difficult The electronic typewriter has facilitated speedy documentation.

Keel

(v & n) 1) To cause to turn or tilt 2) Lowest longitudinal timber of vessel, on which framework of the whole is built up (1) He had drunk so much the previous night that he just keeled over when he tried to stand up. syn: Stumble, Totter, Plunge

Advocate

(v & n) 1) enjoin, plead for 2) Support 3) One who pleads for another (1) The noted economist in his speech to the cabinet strongly advocated a reduction in agricultural subsidies. (2) Mr. Higgins is a staunch advocate for prison reforms. syn: Patron

Garnish

(v & n) 1) garnish, Embellish, usu. a dish before serving it 2) Serve notice on a person The dish was tastefully garnished with parsley and mushrooms, and the aroma was so good that I could not wait to bite into it.

Embrace

(v & n) Hug, Adopt or espouse, Accept readily, Encircle (1) She embraced her son gently to make him feel screen. (2) She gave up Islam and embraced Christianity after marrying John.

Disengage

(v & n) Separate, Disconnect Over the last few weeks, ever since I have heard that the company may be closing down I have become rather disengaged from my work. syn: Uncouple

Alleviate

(v) Make less burdensome or unbending, lessen Though the destruction was significant, the natural disaster helped alleviate the tension between the two by bringing them together against a common cause. syn: Mitigate, Palliate ant: Worsen, Exacerbate

Annotate

(v) Make or provide explanatory notes "The English teacher has prescribed us an annotated edition of Shakespeares Macbeth, which contains notes on the play written by a renowned Oxford professor." syn: Explicate, Elucidate rel: Annotatable (adj)

Decelerate

(v) Make slower The doctor said that his hectic pace of life was the main reason for the stress he was facing, and advised him to decelerate and take things easier.

Caulk

(v) Make watertight by filling in cracks The mason caulked the water chamber by filling in cement in all the cracks that were beginning to develop at the bottom.

Integrate

(v) Make whole, Combine, Make into one unit Despite coming from a totally different culture, he has been able to remarkably integrate himself into the Japanese society. ant: Segregate

Exacerbate

(v) Make worse, aggravate "Their quarrel was only exacerbated by Marias intervention and ended in a physical fight."

Fathom

(v) Measure the depth of, Get to the bottom of Nobody could fathom why Bob and Pete would hurt each other after being best of friends. syn: Investigate, Comprehend

Delude

(v) Mislead, fool, dupe, gull The thieves deluded the old woman into thinking that they had been sent by the telephone department to set right the faulty line. syn: Cozen, Deceive

Engross

(v) Occupy fully, Absorb He was so engrossed in preparing for his speech that he even forgot to eat.

Inundate

(v) Overwhelm, Flood, Submerge, Overflow They were inundated with congratulatory and good-luck messages before the inauguration of their new departmental store. ant: Dessicate

Absolve

(v) Pardon (an offense) According to Hindu mythology, a person can be absolved of all sins if he breathes his last at the Indian town of Varanasi. syn: Exculpate, Exonerate ant: None rel: None

Atone

(v) Pay for He tried to atone for his unpleasant remarks by sending her some flowers, but she returned them with disdain. syn: Compensate, Retaliate rel: Atonement (n)

Cajole

(v) Persuade or soothe by flattery or deceit I tried to cajole the teacher to sanction me to take the exam at a later date, but she would have none of it and sternly told me that I would lose marks if I did not appear. syn: Coax, Wheedle

Induce

(v) Persuade, Bring about, Prevail on The only job of the institute, famous for preparing candidates for interviews, was to induce enough confidence in the candidates to be able to face any situation with a cool mind.

Intercede

(v) Plead as a peacemaker Several religious leaders from all over the world have interceded with the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan to protect the cultural heritage of the country.

Entreat

(v) Plead, Ask earnestly The students felt guilty and entreated the teacher to forgive them for their pranks they played on her. syn: Beseech

Despoil

(v) Plunder, Deprive of all possessions The Huns repeatedly attacked India from the north-west side, despoiling the towns, looting the wealth and spreading death and destruction all over. syn: Pillage, Spoliation, Rapine, Forage

Contaminate

(v) Pollute, Infect The residents of the colony have complained to the civic authorities about the contaminated water supply, because of which several children in the colony have been taken ill. ant: Purify

Extol

(v) Praise enthusiastically Critics have extolled the new actor for his brilliant performance in the play. syn: Exalt ant: Flinch, Lamboste

Dissimulate

(v) Pretend, Conceal Though he tried hard to keep a liege face, he could not dissimulate that he had felt greatly hurt because of the harsh words spoken against him by his friend.

Interdict

(v) Prohibit, Forbid the use of, Restrain a person from doing something The doctor has strictly interdicted him from having any kind of oily food; his diet for the next two months should comprise only boiled food. syn: Proscribe, Enjoin.

Chastise

(v) Punish or blame severely, esp. by beating The Security and Exchange Commission has chastised the management of several Fortune 1000 companies for deliberately inflating the value of their stock by giving unsubstantiated statements to the press.

Castigate

(v) Punish with blows or words, Criticize severely The Sanders committee report submitted to the President severely castigates the commerce department for not paying adequate attention to the dumping of foreign goods into the local market. syn: Chastise

Abstain

(v) Refrain, Withhold from participation The opposition party has decided to abstain from participating in the parliamentary proceedings for the day in protest of the proposed Taxation Bill. syn: Refrain ant: None rel: Abstainer (n), Abstaining (adj)

Deplore

(v) Regret, Disapprove of, grieve over "Even though she deplored her husbands decision to quit his job and shift to farming, she had no choice but to accept it." syn: Bewail

Exult

(v) Rejoice greatly The old man exulted on the arrival of his newly born grandchild.

Dehydrate

(v) Remove water from, Dry out, Lose water After walking in the sun for nearly an hour, I was feeling quite dehydrated and was desperately looking for water to drink.

Efface

(v) Rub out, Remove the surface of She could never really efface the memory of that horrible existence from her mind, as that fateful evening continued to haunt her till her last days. syn: Obliterate

Domineer

(v) Rule over tyrannically He has such a domineering wife that she does not let him go anywhere without her permission.

Chide

(v) Scold, Complain angrily Even as the teacher chided him for not submitting his task on time, he did not show any signs of regret or repentance. syn: Upbraid, Reproach, Rebuke ant: Praise

Confiscate

(v) Seize with sanction The police has confiscated his passport to prevent him from leaving the country.

Exemplify

(v) Serve as an example of, Embody The quality of the products exemplifies the poor condition of the machinery in the factory.

Cleave

(v) Split, chop, break or come apart The butcher expertly cleaved the large piece of meat into small, edible pieces with his sharp knife.

Bruit

(v) Spread news of something The news of his resignation was bruited around the company in no time.

Deploy

(v) Spread out (troops) in an extended line, bring into effective action The general has called for the deployment of troops along the international boundary, fearing an attack from the other side.

Ameliorate

(v) Improve, become better Hiring an extra computer operator will only slightly ameliorate the situation; what we actually need is an organized plan to deliver on time. syn: Pacify, Amend ant: Worsen rel: Amelioration (n), Ameliorator (n)

Decipher

(v) Interpret secret code so as to understand it, Decode Not being able to decipher the coded message they had intercepted, the German army officers decided to take the help of an expert from Italy, who was known for his encoding and deciphering skills.

Incorporate

(v) Introduce something into a larger whole, Combine, Unite Initially they had refused even to listen to his suggestions, but after much persuasion, when he managed to present his views to them, they decided to incorporate his suggestions in their plan.

Energize

(v) Invigorate, Make forceful and active The cool and refreshing orange juice energized the football players for the second half of the game.

Circumscribe

(v) Lay down limits of, Confine, Define logically This set of rules and regulations circumscribe your sanction -- make sure that you do not exceed what is stated here in the use of your power. syn: Restrict

Despise

(v) Look on with scorn, Regard as worthless or distasteful I really despise the way he blindly goes after money; I can never think of being so materialistic.

Divagate

(v) Stray, digress He has a very annoying habit of divagating from the topic while making a conversation; you have to coax him to stick to the main point.

Dumbfound

(v) Strike dumb The teacher was dumbfounded when she saw the student standing on the table in front of the class. syn: Confound

Abate

(v) Subside or Moderate, Lessen "Ever since the owners of this TV show changed its anchorperson, viewers interest in the show has considerably abated." syn: Diminish ant: Enhance rel: Abatement (n)

Capitulate

(v) Surrender on agreed terms, Accept defeat on conditions The harassed railway minister had no choice but to capitulate to the demand for his resignation after the third train accident of the year. ant: Resist

Disgorge

(v) Surrender something, Eject, Vomit The child had accidentally swallowed the key, so the doctor tried to make him disgorge it by administering him a mild medicine to induce vomit.

Encompass

(v) Surround "The institutes activities encompass academics as well as a variety of sports."

Forswear

(v) Swear falsely The witness accepted the bribe offered by the lawyer and agreed to forswear in court.

Extort

(v) Take money by threats etc. He has been accused of extorting money from shopkeepers by showing them a gun.

Contemplate

(v) Think deeply, Plan, consult The government is contemplating levying an additional surcharge on income tax to contribute to a disaster management fund, a decision that is bound to raise a lot of objections. syn: Ruminate ant: (Contemplated) : Rando

Enfranchise

(v) To admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote) The Jones family was enfranchised citizenship five years after migrating to America.

Harass

(v) To annoy by repeated attacks The naughty little children harassed their governess with their never-ending stream of questions.

Exasperate

(v) To annoy or make extremely angry, To test the patience of someone Mr. Jones is exasperated by the continuos meddling of his neighbors into his household. syn: Vex, Nettle ant: Placate

Convene

(v) To assemble for a meeting. Also, to call for such an assembly The meeting has apparently been convened to declare the best performers for the year, but I suspect that the principal intends to make other important anncements.

Circumvent

(v) To avoid or defeat by going round something In his Independence Day speech, the Prime Minister totally circumvented the delicate issue of bilateral relations with our neighboring country, and spoke only of the achievements of his government.

Bode

(v) To be a sign of the things to come in the future The latest statistics published by the Indian Industrial Index do not bode well for the Indian textile industry for the year 2001-02. rel: Boding (n)

Beset

(v) To be full of, or surrounded by, usu. difficulties The route across the Alps was beset with danger and difficulties, yet Hannibal and his small group of soldiers managed to cross the rugged mountainous terrain. syn: Tormented rel: Besetment (n)

Discriminate

(v) To be prejudiced, Unreasonably favor one side It hurt her bitterly when she realized that her parents discriminated between her brother and her, punishing here more severely for a similar fault.

Fructify

(v) To bear fruit The gardener finally managed to fructify the barren apple tree after tending it carefully for years.

Endure

(v) To bear hardships for a long period of time, Survive under adversity Ever since the floods destroyed the crops, our family has endured very troubled times.

Cower

(v) To bend low and move back because of fear At the sight of the ferocious dog, the cat cowered and ran for screen. syn: Cringe

Genuflect

(v) To bend the knees as in worship "Anyone who entered the kings court had to first genuflect in front of a huge statue of the king placed immediately after the royal gates."

Browbeat

(v) To bully with looks or words His employer managed to browbeat him into working an extra hour every day, without giving any compensation for the extra work. syn: Harass, Intimidate

Detonate

(v) To cause to explode The police are not ready to accept the theory that the bomb was detonated from a unbending location by a remote device.

Congeal

(v) To change from a fluid to a solid, harden Due to the sudden fall in temperature, the molten liquid began to congeal and form round yellow spots all over the surface of the white sheet. syn: Solidify, Coagulate

Cull

(v) To choose or collect from a larger pool He managed to cull all the information he needed from the Internet, and put together a report in just three hours. syn: Glean

Glean

(v) To collect facts etc. by patient effort From what I managed to glean from them out of all their vague statements, they are indeed planning to start a new company. syn: Gather, Accumulate, Cull.

Amass

(v) To collect in great amounts He could not give any explanation to the Intelligence Team as to how he had amassed such a fortune in a short span of four years. syn: Accumulate, Compile ant: Separate rel: None

Emanate

(v) To come out from (of something non-material) Strange rumors emanate from the idle gossips of the two old women in our neighborhood.

Befuddle

(v) To confuse It was apparent from the befuddled expression on his face that he had not understood a word of what I had explained. syn: Baffle, Muddle, Bewilder

Confound

(v) To confuse by being unexpected The master batsman, by anncing his desire to retire at the prime of his career, has confounded the entire nation. syn: Perplex, Discomfit

Catenate

(v) To connect in a series, like links of a chain The jeweler had so finely catenated the small gold beads into a chain that the joints were just not visible.

Cow

(v) To control by threat or violence "Fear of unemployment has cowed the workers into unconditional acceptance of the companys plans."

Braise

(v) To cook slowly in a covered dish in a little fat and liquid The wonderful taste of this steak comes from braising it for nearly an hour and then garnishing it with an Indian mint-like herb.

Derogate

(v) To detract, Take away a part from a whole Seeing that I was over-burdened, my boss decided to derogate some of the work he had initially assigned to me and did it himself. ant: Praise

Confront

(v) To face bravely or threateningly I had barely stepped out of the airport in the unfamiliar African country when a group of tough looking men confronted me and asked me if I wished to change my dollars to the local currency.

Coruscate

(v) To flash or glitter The atmosphere in the room was enlivened by her coruscating smile; there was hardly a man who was not attracted towards her that evening. syn: Sparkle

Adduce

(v) To give an example, proof, or explanation He had worked so hard; I cannot adduce any reason for his failure. syn: Cite ant: None rel: None

Console

(v) To give comfort in times of sadness I tried to console Liz on her break up with her boyfriend, but she seems to have gotten over it pretty fast.

Beget

(v) To give rise to; To produce Violence can never be a solution to this turmoil; it will only beget more violence. syn: Spawn rel: Begetter (n)

Countenance

(v) To give sanction or sanction to The Speaker of the Parliament has given a stern warning to all the members that he will no longer countenance such absenteeism from Parliamentary proceedings.

Infringe

(v) To go against a law or take over the right of another The Delhi traffic police has designated certain areas in the city as Zero-tolerance Zones where even a minor infringement of the traffic rules is liable to be punished.

Infiltrate

(v) To go into or pass through something without being noticed Showing extraordinary courage, the young soldier managed to infiltrate the enemy camp, gather some vital information, and return to the army headquarters.

Extrapolate

(v) To guess the future from known facts Many astrologists convince us of their credibility by merely extrapolating from the answers of the questions they ask.

Impinge

(v) To have a strong effect or influence on Problems like population, pollution, unemployment, child labor, etc. have been greatly impinging on every aspect of our lives.

Brandish

(v) To hold something high in the air in a threatening or excited way Suddenly, the bearded man brandished a gun so that it was visible to all the passengers, and commanded all the people present in the aircraft to sit with their heads lowered.

Enthrall

(v) To hold the complete interest and attention of someone "We were so enthralled by grandmothers stories that we stayed awake listening to her all night." syn: Captivate

Commemorate

(v) To honor a memory through a ceremony Indians commemorate Mahatma Gandhi by observing a two-minute silence on January 30, the day the Father of the Nation was assassinated.

Edify

(v) To instruct or benefit, especially spiritually or morally. Be an uplifting influence upon Attending the spiritual conference has proved to be a most edifying experience for her as she has learned to remain calm and unnerved even in stressful situatio

Coerce

(v) To make someone do something by force She had to coerce her little daughter to swallow the bitter medicine. syn: Compel

Hurtle

(v) To move very fast, usu. in a dangerous way The children hurtled down the hill on their bicycles, thrilled at the speed and the freedom.

Enumerate

(v) To name or list things one by one At the supermarket, while my friend enumerated the items on our shopping list, I kept picking them up.

Conform

(v) To obey or act in accordance with established rules "In an age when Indian women were expected to blindly conform to their husbands wishes, she took the audacious step of having an affair outside her marriage."

Commandeer

(v) To seize for military service Fearing that our vehicle could be commandeered because of the war-like situation building up, we decided to flog it in our farmhouse which was unlikely to be searched.

Glisten

(v) To shine by reflecting light from a wet, oily, or smooth surface Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead as he desperately tried to fix the fault with his car.

Evince

(v) To show clearly, Indicate, Reveal The x-ray evinced a fracture of her anklebone. syn: Manifest, Display ant: Conceal

Feign

(v) To simulate or represent in fiction She feigned unconsciousness to attract the attention of her cousins who were busy in their own work. syn: Pretend

Consort

(v) To spend time in the company of (usu. used in a derogatory sense) The actor is such a perfectionist that he has been consorting with drug addicts over the past few weeks to prepare himself for his next movie, in which he plays one of them.

Bask

(v) To take pleasure in warmth My grandfather likes to spend most of his daytime basking in the sunshine in our garden.

Diverge

(v) Vary, Go in different directions from the same point Now that he has established his reputation as a theater actor, his career has diverged dramatically from what he had set out to be -- a management consultant.

Gad

(v) Wander about idly, Travel constantly for pleasure He reached Paris on a Sunday, and not having anything to do, decided to gad about the historical city to get a feel of it. syn: Gallivant

Falter

(v) Waver or lose courage He was transparent and thus never faltered in his resolve to prove his innocence. syn: Hesitate

Fluctuate

(v) Waver, Shift His feelings fluctuated between fear and excitement as he got ready for scuba diving. syn: Vacillate

Collaborate

(v) Work together, Cooperate The film has been made as an Indo-American collaboration; while the producer and most of the cast is Indian, the technical crew is almost entirely American.

Cede

(v) Yield to, Surrender formally China ceded Hong Kong to Britain after the Opium War. syn: Admit, Grant

Exhort

(v) enjoin, To enjoin or advise strongly The general exhorted the discouraged soldiers to fight well and win the battle for their country. syn: Admonish, Reprove ant: Dissuade

Embroider

(v) garnish with needlework, Ornament with fancy or fictitious details (1) She used colorful threads and embroidered her handkerchief with flowers. (2) Al embroidered the truth with such exaggerations that it eventually became a lie.

sanction

(v) sanction, Support "After reading Julias impressive resume, the manager endorsed her application for the post of secretary."

Assert

(v) State strongly or positively; Insist on or demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc.) Although he was found guilty, he continued to assert that he was innocent and had been falsely indicted. syn: Aver, Asservate, Contend ant: None rel: Assertion

Incriminate

(V) Charge with crime, Accuse Though everybody knew that Walter was the only person who could kill his brother, but there being no incriminating evidence against him, the court had to acquit him. syn: Implicate

Incognito

(adj & adv) With a hidden identity, Assuming a false identity Fearing that she would be hounded by the press as well as the general public, the famed Hollywood actress decided to travel to India incognito.

Headlong

(adj & adv) With great speed and without thinking, Rash He could not see the train because of the fog and crashed his car headlong into it.

Aloof

(adj & adver) 1) unbending, Unsympathetic 2) Apart, Reserved Since the death of his wife, he has become all the more aloof from his family and friends. syn: Indifferent, Remote ant: Gregarious rel: Aloofly (adv), Aloofness (n)

Auxiliary

(adj & n) (Person or thing) that gives help The small legacy from his unbending relative proved to be an auxiliary for Hori, who had lost his bullocks the previous month. syn: Subsidiary, Ancillary, Appurtenant

Belligerent

(adj & n) 1) (Nation, party or person) waging regular war as recognized by the law of nations 2) Any opponent engaged in conflict The protesters of the Anti-Evacuation Bill were in a belligerent mood. syn: Combat, Martial

Aesthetic

(adj & n) 1) Artistic,dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful 2) Set of principles of good taste and appreciation of beauty Though the building has been aesthetically designed, it is not very practical. syn: Elegant ant: Philistine

Arable

(adj & n) 1) Fit for plowing 2) Plants that can be grown on such land The nomadic tribes in central India keep moving from one place to another in search of arable lands. syn: Fertile ant: None rel: None

Fugitive

(adj & n) 1) Fleeing, Running away, Occasional 2) One who flees esp. from danger 1) The fugitive tried his best to leave the country after committing the crime but was eventually caught by the police.

Anthropoid

(adj & n) 1) Manlike in form 2) Being that is human in form only esp. a manlike ape Going by the Darwinian theory, humanoid forms like gorilla should evolve into other more complex species over thousands of years. syn: Anthropomorphic, Humanoid

Agrarian

(adj & n) 1) Pertaining to land or its cultivation 2) Advocate of redistribution of landed property Having himself been a farmer once, the senator is a strong campaigner for agrarian reforms. syn: Countrified, Provincial, Rustic ant: None rel: None

Alluvial

(adj & n) 1) Pertaining to soil deposits left by running water 2) Such deposit The rich, alluvial soil of this state is ideal for growing high quality cotton crops. syn: None ant: None rel: Alluvium (n), Alluvion (n)

Ascetic

(adj & n) 1) Practicing self-denial 2) One who practices self-denial He spent the final few years of his life as an ascetic; removed from all worldly happenings and living with the bare essentials. syn: Austere ant: None rel: Ascetically (adv)

Antecedent

(adj & n) 1) Previous (to) 2) Preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later History has shown that a small, insignificant event proves to be the antecedent to a historical event of much larger significance. syn: Elapsed, Preceding

Abrasive

(adj & n) 1) Tending to graze the skin or hurt a person 2) causing annoyance or dislike 3) (Substance) capable of rubbing or grinding Beneath his rather abrasive exterior personality, he hides a heart of gold; a fact which very few people are aware of.

Astringent

(adj & n) 1) unbending and biting, Harsh 2) Able to tighten up the skin or stop bleeding "The astringent criticism of this movie by the noted critic appears to me as rather biased; its almost as if he has some personal animosity against the director."

Antediluvian

(adj & n) 1)Utterly out of date, totally outmoded 2) Old-fashioned or aged person She described my ideas about marriage as antediluvian, that they did not make sense in the present day world. syn: Antiquated, Venerable, Archaic, Prehistoric ant: Modern

Amphibian

(adj & n) Able to live both on land and in water The turtle is an amphibian creature, being able to survive both on land as well as water. syn: None ant: None rel: Amphibia (n)

Heathen

(adj & n) An unenlightened or irreligious person; specifically one who is neither Christian nor Jewish, nor Mohammedan The intolerant British general treated Indians as heathens and disapproved of their religious functions and festivals. syn: Pagan

Caustic

(adj & n) Any chemical that burns or corrodes organic tissue. Also, words that are meant to intentionally hurt the feelings of a person I have always appreciated his gentle manners, so was totally taken aback by his caustic remarks. syn: Biting

Histrionic

(adj & n) Behaving or done in a too theatrical way, esp. in showing feelings that are insincere or pretended "She put on a shameless display of histrionics at her former husbands funeral -- everyone knows how much pain and suffering she had caused him wh

Analgesic

(adj & n) Causing insensitivity to pain, Relieving pain "You dont need any strong medicine for this bruise, any mild analgesic will do." syn: Narcotic ant: None rel: Analgesia (n)

Fabian

(adj & n) Cautious and dalaying, Member of fabian society Jimmy is a fabianist who would rather leave his test papers incomplete than rush through it. syn: Cunctative, Dilatory

Incendiary

(adj & n) Designed to cause fire. Hence, tending to cause trouble or rouse passions The police had arrested three persons, carrying some incendiary devices; they had planned to blow up the theater. syn: Seditious (adj), Arsonist, Agitator (n) ant: Bene

Brittle

(adj & n) Easily broken, Delicate The brittle layer of ice that covered the pond broke as soon as the stone hit the surface. syn: Fragile ant: Ductile, Malleable rel: Brittly (adv), Brittleness (n)

Adept

(adj & n) Expert or thoroughly skilled You do not need an MBA degree to be adept at the art of selling if you have the ability to persuade people. syn: Proficient, Accomplished ant: None rel: None

Craven

(adj & n) Extremely cowardly The little pup of mine is such a craven that he runs to flog under the bed as soon as he hears an unfamiliar voice in the house! syn: Pusillanimous ant: Brave, Intrepid

Aromatic

(adj & n) Fragrant, pleasantly pungent The peculiar pungent flavor of this stew comes from the use of an aromatic Indian herb in its cooking. syn: Pungent, Odoriferous, Piquant ant: Putrid rel: Aroma (n), Aromatically (adv)

Fundamental

(adj & n) Of the groundwork, Primary, Essential The fundamental principle of tennis is to watch the ball carefully before taking a position to strike it.

Heuristic

(adj & n) Proceeding by experimentation (used to refer to a quiddity of education in which the pupil is made to discover things by himself). Such findings or procedure More and more schools are now adopting a heuristic approach to learning, in which the s

Canine

(adj & n) Related to Dogs. Also, one of the four sharp pointed teeth between incisors and molars Though both of them belong to the family of canines, wolves and dogs exhibit very different character when it comes to interacting with other animals.

Highbrow

(adj & n) Serious, and intended for intelligent, educated people. Such people Seeing that there were very few buyers for the highbrow literary books and classics he was trying to sell, he has now switched over to selling the more popular fiction and fash

Bohemian

(adj & n) Socially unconventional (person) esp. artist or writer, of free and easy habits. The actress, with her new-found fame, started leading a Bohemian life,in total contrast to her conventional upbringing. syn: Unorthodox, Nonconformist, Eccentric

Hardy

(adj & n) Sturdy, Robust, Able to stand inclement weather Despite the cold weather, a few hardy people had still ventured out for a picnic.

Haggard

(adj & n) Tired and weary, usu. because of old age, Looking rather worn out Working so hard in such a difficult conditions has taken its toll on him; he has started to look rather haggard now as compared to his youth, when he was among the most handsome

Authoritarian

(adj & n) favoring obedience to sanction as opposite to individual liberty My father has told me of the authoritarian nature of his father, and how he rebelled against it to start life on his own. syn: Peremptory, Autarchic, Autocratic, Despotic

Consummate

(adj & v) Complete, Perfect, Accomplish By winning the election from an area which is far away from his usual constituency, he has proved himself to be a consummate politician.

Exempt

(adj & v) Not subject to a duty or obligation. Hence, to make something or someone exempt. For their noble services, all doctors are exempted from any kind of taxes payable to the government.

Archaic

(adj) "1) Of early period 2) (Of words etc) no longer in ordinary use (e.g., Methinks, thee, thou)" The teacher has the habit of using archaic expressions in his conversation with the students. syn: Antiquated, Antediluvian, Antique ant: New, Modern

Insolvent

(adj) "Unable to repay ones debts, Bankrupt" Driven into insolvency because of poor demand for its products, the company had to sell off all its assets to repay its debts.

Inexorable

(adj) "Whose effects or actions cannot be changed by ones efforts, Who cannot be persuaded to act in a different way" Ageing is one of those inexorable realities that one cannot really fight against, the best one can do is to keep oneself healthy so as t

Expansive

(adj) (1) An outgoing and sociable person (2) Large and splendid (1) He was reserved at first but after some time became quite expansive and comfortable at the party. (2) The expansive shore of this beach is filled with some beautiful looking shells.

Cosmopolitan

(adj) (1) Consisting of people from various parts of the world (2) Broad-minded, showing wide experience of different people and places (1) Mumbai, the largest commercial center of India, is a cosmopolitan city where people from all parts of India have s

Infernal

(adj) (1) Extremely unpleasant, Terrible (2) Like, or related to, hell (1) For almost a week after the earthquake destroyed the city, the survivors were living in infernal conditions in small, ill-equipped tents that were just not sufficient to protect

Inextricable

(adj) (1) From which it is impossible to get free (2) Those which are permanently linked and which cannot be separated For a majority of the Indians living in villages, it is virtually impossible to get out of the inextricable grip of poverty and backwar

Equable

(adj) (1) Not easily annoyed, calm (of a person) (2) Even and regular, liege (of climate or temperature) (1) Sandy makes a good teacher for small children, as she is a patient and equable person. (2) The doctor has advised her to avoid extreme temperatu

Celestial

(adj) (1) Of the sky or heaven (2) Divinely beautiful (1) Asteroids are celestial bodies that form a belt between Mars and Jupiter, and are considered to have originated by the explosion of what had originally been a planet. syn: Divine

Elliptical

(adj) (1) Oval (as in an elliptical orbit) (2) Having an implied meaning and hence difficult to understand (usu. speech or written text) (1) The earth does not follow a circular, but an elliptical path in its revolution around the sun. (2) The unfamiliar

Incumbent

(adj) (1) Resting upon a person as a moral obligation, or as necessary under the circumstances (2) Being in the position of an office holder Since his father had not been keeping well, he felt it incumbent upon him to help in the family business.

Conscientious

(adj) (1) Showing great seriousness of purpose (2) Scrupulous, Obedient to conscience (1) I took a conscientious decision to visit my ailing grand uncle at least once a week, knowing that he had no children who could take care of him. (2) The old cab dri

Insensible

(adj) (1) Unconscious (2) Unaware (3) Unable to have feelings (esp. pain) In another example of his insensibility towards his children, he has never even bothered to look at their report cards. ant: Sensible, Conscious

Implicit

(adj) (1) Understood, but not directly stated (2) Complete and unquestioning (1) It is in the final stanza of the poem that the poet has conveyed his implicit feelings about the injustice of the British rule.(2) I have implicit trust in him -- I know tha

Ex gratia

(adj) (Payment) made as a favor, not legally binding He gave him the money ex gratia without any expectation of returns.

Coy

(adj) (Pretending to be) shy or embarrassed When asked about her ambitions in life, the shy teenager coyly answered that she wished to be a film actress. ant: Bold

Fervid

(adj) 1) Ardent 2) Hot, glowing 1) His fervid speech opposed to child labor, touched the hearts of the listeners. 2) She was fervid and fresh after the long walk in the park. ant: Listless, Restrained

Heterogeneous

(adj) 1) Diverse in character 2) Mixed The class is a heterogeneous mix of students from all corners of the country, and from all strata of society. ant: Homogeneous, Uniform

Acephalous

(adj) 1) Headless 2) Without a leader With the sudden demise of its leader Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, the Congress Party was rendered acephalous and directionless. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Aquiline

(adj) 1) Of or like an eagle 2) Curved, hooked "An aquiline nose is one that curves like an eagles beak." syn: None ant: None rel: None

Barefaced

(adj) 1) Shameless, Bold 2) Unconcealed "It wasnt difficult to see through his barefaced lies; but no one had the guts to challenge his words." syn: (1) Blatant, Audacious (2) Obvious

Angular

(adj) 1) Sharp-cornered 2) Stiff in manner "The cheekbones on her sharp, angular face are very clearly visible; theres no way you cannot notice her." syn: Jagged ant: None rel: Angularity (n), Angularly (adv)

Aberrant

(adj) 1) Straying from moral standard 2) Diverging from normal type His aberrant behavior at the party can only be ascribed to his over-indulgence in alcohol. syn: Devious, Divergent, Straying ant: Steadfast rel: Aberrance (n), Aberrancy (n)

Feint

(adj) A sham attack made to divert attention, a deceptive appearance or movement The boxer struck the actual blow after a feint attack which confused his opponent

Compatible

(adj) Able to exist together, harmonious Though they had known each other for over a year, it was only after they got married that they realized that their ideas were just not compatible with each other. ant: Incompatible

Effectual

(adj) Able to produce a desired effect, Effective "Measures to provide employment have not been very effectual as nearly one-third of the towns population is still jobless." ant: Ineffectual

Atypical

(adj) Abnormal He has worked in various fields and departments, doing different kinds of jobs, hence his resume is rather atypical. ant: Normal rel: Atypically (adv)

Anomalous

(adj) Abnormal; Irregular The unexpected results of the research are either because of some statistical anomaly, or we have been making the wrong assumptions all along. syn: Aberrant, Peculiar ant: Regular, Normal rel: Anomalously (adv),Anomaly (n)

Imminent

(adj) About to happen shortly, That which cannot be delayed or avoided The tension along the border of the two countries had risen significantly over the past few months, and some analysts were predicting that a full scale war was imminent. syn: Impendi

Impending

(adj) About to happen soon, Approaching As soon as the residents of the apartment heard there was a possibility of an impending earthquake, they rushed down the building and gathered in an open ground. syn: Imminent

Imperative

(adj) Absolutely necessary, Urgent, Critically important The matter was so imperative that the chairman called an urgent meeting of all the senior managers as soon as he heard about it. ant: Trivial

Ample

(adj) Abundant You need not hurry, we have ample time. syn: Lavish, Copious, Exuberant ant: None rel: Ampleness (n), Amply (adv)

Fortuitous

(adj) Accidental, By chance "Bettys and mine was a fortuitous meeting at the camp but we ended up becoming the best of friends." ant: Unfortunate

Adventitious

(adj) Accidental, casual, happening by chance In a most adventitious occurrence, the arrival of his baby coincided with his getting a new job that paid him almost twice as before. syn: Fortuitous, Contingent ant: None rel: Adventitiously (adv)

Concomitant

(adj) Accompanying or existing together with something else The spread of Islam outside the Arabian peninsula was concomitant with the spread of Arabic in the 7th and 8th centuries AD.

Causative

(adj) Acting as a cause, Leading to In most common diseases, the causative organism is the bacteria, though the more deadly diseases are caused by the virus.

Countervailing

(adj) Acting with an opposite effect It was the first time in eight years that someone had tried to take countervailing action against the dictatorial impositions of the committee secretary.

Impetuous

(adj) Acting without thought, tending to take immediate action "He now regrets the impetuous decision he took; had he given it a fair thought before, he wouldnt have suffered so much." syn: Impulsive, Furious, Vehement

Compliant

(adj) Action in accordance with request, Conformity in fulfilling requirements All the cars manufactured in India since April 2000 comply with the Euro-II emission standards for pollution control. ant: Adamant

Ceremonious

(adj) Addicted or showing to ceremony. Also, extremely unbending or polite. The soldiers were given a ceremonious welcome when they returned from the battlefields of west Asia. syn: Punctilious ant: Unceremonious

Bibulous

(adj) Addicted to or fond of drinking Till the time that he gets rid of his bibulous ways and does not over indulge in alcohol, he will not be allowed in this club. rel: Bibulously (adv)

Facetious

(adj) Addicted to or marked by pleasantry or levity Gary has this facetious habit of passing silly remarks, which can get very irritating at times. syn: Humorous, Jocose

Ineluctable

(adj) Against which it is useless to struggle, Impossible to escape from "He soon realized that the pythons grip was ineluctable; it was futile to apply strength and he must think of something else fast."

Hermetic

(adj) Airtight, protected from external agencies The child-like, innocent soul led a hermetic existence all on his own, totally oblivious of the wicked ways of the world. ant: Permeable

Cherubic

(adj) Angelic, Innocent-looking, Very pretty, esp. for a child "The young widow came to the party with her two cherubic children, a boy and a girl, both of them the cutest little creatures Ive ever seen."

Choleric

(adj) Angry, easily angered or irritated As he moved up the hierarchy, his attitude towards his juniors became increasingly intolerant and choleric, and he would snap at them at the slightest of issues. syn: Irascible, Bilious, Splenetic. ant: Coolhear

Irksome

(adj) Annoying, Tedious After pulling the person out of the well, the man sweated and fumed, saying that was quite an irksome task. syn: Tiresome

Credulous

(adj) Apt to believe anything without question He was so credulous that he believed each and every word of what the impostor said, and had almost told him his bank account details when I reached the scene. syn: Naive.

Capricious

(adj) Apt to change suddenly The capricious nature of the lead guitarist wasbecause he was known to pull out of his commitments at the last moment. syn: Fickle, Inconsistent, Whimsical, Flighty ant: liege, Steadfast

Felicitous

(adj) Apt, Suitably expressed, Well chosen He raised a toast and felicitated his mother who was moved to tears by the words of her son. ant: (Felicity) : Misery

Fervent

(adj) Ardent, Hot Pamella is a fervent believer in equal remuneration for women in all the fields of labor.

Haughty

(adj) Arrogant and unfriendly, Thinking oneself to be superior to others She had been brought up in a pampered atmosphere, and as a result was haughty and disrespectful, very much a spoilt of brat. ant: Servile

Ashen

(adj) Ash-colored; Deadly pale As soon as he realized that he had been trapped and could not escape, his face turned ashen with fear and horror. syn: Anemic, Wan, Pallid ant: None rel: Ash (n)

Hypothetical

(adj) Based on assumptions or hypotheses, Supposed "The spokesperson of the party dismissed the journalists question about the possibility of the party merging with another regional party, describing it as purely hypothetical and having no basis." syn:

Empirical

(adj) Based on experience and observations, not on bookish facts Having extensively traveled himself, Albert is the right person to offer wise and empirical advice on camping and trekking.

Incipient

(adj) Beginning, In an initial stage The doctor told the patient that the disease could not be cured as it had reached its final state, had he come to him when the disease was in its incipient stage, he could have saved him. ant: Ultimate, Concluding

Cognizant

(adj) Being aware of or having knowledge of something The court was shocked to discover that the key witness had been cognizant about the identity of the culprit throughout the proceedings of the case, despite taking an oath in court. ant: Ignorant

Contemporary

(adj) Belonging to the present time, Modern. Also, co-existent with someone Although written hundreds of years ago, the Bhagwad Gita, an Indian religious epic, has a message that is very relevant in the contemporary world.

Irreproachable

(adj) Blameless, Impeccable "Her handling of the situation was absolutely irreproachable; I dont think I could have done it any better." syn: Faultless

Hallowed

(adj) Blessed, Holy Every year, thousand of Muslims from all over the world visit the hallowed city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, where the shrine of Prophet Mohammed is situated. syn: Consecrated

Enamored

(adj) Blindly in love, Charmed Rebecca was so enamored by her fiance that she completely overlooked the flaws in his character. syn: Fascinated

Brassy

(adj) Bold and vulgar, not refined The high-society party was a rather brassy display of newly-acquired wealth and jewelry, and I came back from it quite disgusted. syn: Audacious, Insolent, Impertinent, Defiant rel: Brassily (adv), Brassiness (n)

Audacious

(adj) Bold; Daring The robber made an audacious attempt to free himself from the grip of the huge dog by trying to fight with it, but his effort was in vain. syn: Courageous, Dauntless, Intrepid rel: Audaciously (adv), Audacity, Audaciousness (n)

Actuarial

(adj) Calculating, Pertaining to insurance statistics He has a degree in Actuarial studies and is hence seeking an employment in insurance and finance companies. syn: None ant: None rel: Actuary (n)

Combustible

(adj) Capable of or used for burning He had no idea that the liquid in the bucket was combustible, so was totally taken aback when it burst into flames as soon as he accidentally dropped cigarette ash into it.

Frowzy

(adj) Careless and untidy in appearance. Also having a disagreeable smell 1) After the football game, he came back home looking rather frowzy with mud on his clothes. 2) The frowzy smell of the bread made it obvious that it had become stale. syn: Sloven

Cursory

(adj) Casual, Hastily done A cursory examination of this report will not help you much, you need to read through it in detail. ant: Detailed, Thorough

Bilious

(adj) Caused or affected with liver trouble, because of which a person is always in a bad mood. Hence, any person who is upset or angry. The bilious old man shouted at all the children playing near his garden and shooed them away.

Emetic

(adj) Causing vomiting, any corpora that induces vomiting The child had accidentally swallowed a metallic keyring, so the doctor quickly administered him an emetic so as to make him vomit it.

Circumspect

(adj) Cautious, Done after careful thought Fearing that it could be a bomb, the policeman circumspectly examined the strange looking object that had appeared from almost nowhere. syn: Prudent, Discreet.

Chary

(adj) Cautious, unwilling to take risks After my experience in this company, I am rather chary of joining another company with similar operations. ant: Foolhardy

Infantile

(adj) Childish, Immature I had never expected such infantile behavior from you all -- I thought you were grown ups! syn: Puerile ant: Mature

Canny

(adj) Clever and careful, Worldly-wise Having been a member of some political party for over thirty years, Mr. Hewitt Gray had the reputation of a canny politician with a shrewd mind and great survival instincts. syn: Shrewd

Ingenious

(adj) Clever, Resourceful, esp. at making or inventing things Because of financial constraints, they had to think of ingenious ways to promote their film, which included staging street plays near the theaters where the film was being screened. syn: Adro

Convoluted

(adj) Coiled, Twisted Instead of the liege route that I usually take for my office, my colleague took me through a much longer, convoluted route. syn: Complicated

Imperious

(adj) Commanding, Expecting obedience While he himself is quite humble and obedient, he wife is equally imperious; she demands obedience from all. syn: Domineering, Haughty ant: Obsequious

Besotted

(adj) Completely in love with Derek was too besotted with Paula to realize that she was merely using him to anabasis some information. rel: Besot (v)

Intricate

(adj) Complex, Knotty, Perplexingly entangled The spider has spun an intricate web between the two walls; the fine threads of which gleamed because of the dew that had fallen on it. syn: Obscure

Eclectic

(adj) Composed of elements drawn from disparate sources The master composer has drawn inspiration from a variety of eclectic sources -- from the folk music of Eastern India to the rhythms of Persian music. ant: Dogmatic, Uniform

Fuddled

(adj) Confused due to intoxication "Larrys meaningless mumbling made it transparent that he was totally fuddled after the drink." syn: Maudlin

Homogeneous

(adj) Consisting of parts of the same kind This village has had very little interaction with the outside world, and as a result its population has remained quite homogenous over the past five decades. ant: Heterogeneous, Variegated

Inebriated

(adj) Consuming too much alcohol, Totally drunk Though in the beginning he was somewhat in his senses, but as he took one drink after the other, he was so inebriated that his friends had to drop him at his place. syn: Intoxicated ant: (Inebriation) : S

Incessant

(adj) Continuous over a long period of time, Unstopping "Weve been facing incessant rainfall for the last three days and many areas in the town are flooded." syn: Uninterrupted ant: Interrupted

Bated

(adj) Controlled or restrained The crowd outside the election office waited for the results of the election with bated breath. syn: Deduct, Remit rel: Bate (v)

Chivalrous

(adj) Courteous, Honorable "There was hardly a woman at the ball who was not impressed by the Italians perfectly crafted features and his chivalrous manners." syn: Gallant

Crabbed

(adj) Cramped or irregular handwriting that is difficult to read The letter was written in a crabbed handwriting making it very difficult for any of us to read.

Convex

(adj) Curving outward The normal magnifying glass is just a convex lens which makes an object looks larger than its actual size if viewed from a close distance. ant: Concave

Humid

(adj) Damp, Moist "It is not the heat but the humidity that gets very difficult to bear, as people can be sweating profusely as they go about their days work."

Baleful

(adj) Dangerous and sinister, Destructive The little child felt threatened by the baleful looks of the old man, and immediately rushed to the comforting arms of her mother. syn: Ruinous, Malignant ant: Beneficent rel: Balefully (adv)

Eerie

(adj) Dangerous and unfamiliar, Weird so as to evoke fear The strange and scary sounds coming from the jungle created an eerie atmosphere in the camp. syn: Eldritch

Ingrained

(adj) Deeply established, Firmly rooted The belief that the role of a married woman is restricted to being a good house keeper is still ingrained in traditional Indian society. syn: Inveterate

Equivocal

(adj) Deliberately ambiguous, questionable, Having a double or doubtful meaning The lawyer was very equivocal and put forth questions to the witness in a roundabout manner to get the truth out of him. ant: Clear

Foolhardy

(adj) Delighting in needless risks Despite knowing about the poor future of his business he is being foolhardy and borrowing more money to invest in it.

Atheistic

(adj) Denying the existence of god "Being a confirmed atheist, he refused to participate in the religious ceremonies during his sisters wedding." syn: Agnostic, Dubious, Infidel rel: Atheist (n), Atheism (n)

Contingent

(adj) Dependent on, Conditional, Accidental "Success of the Indian cricket team in its forthcoming series against Australia is almost totally contingent on the effectiveness of its bowlers -- unless they perform well, theres no way India can win."

Arbitrary

(adj) Derived from mere opinion or random choice, Unreasonable Though his decision seemed rather arbitrary at the time, it proved to be among the best decisions of his life. syn: Capricious, Discretionary rel: Arbitrarily (adv) Arbitrate (v)

Culpable

(adj) Deserving blame for a wrongdoing Holding the CEO of the company culpable for all that had happened, the judge ruled that the ultimate responsibility for all the operations of the company rested with him.

Abstruse

(adj) Difficult to comprehend After two years of grueling research, the professor came up with a rather abstruse theory on the nature of nuclear reactions, which could not be understood by any of the doctoral students of Physics in the university.

Elusive

(adj) Difficult to find or remember "Hes been elusive ever since he joined his new job as he is constantly travelling from one city to another."

Fastidious

(adj) Difficult to please Kim is a fastidious eater who manages to find faults in food cooked even by the finest of chefs. syn: Unpleasant

Courtly

(adj) Dignified and polite Her courtly manners and pleasant way of speaking soon made her a very popular figure in the classroom.

Assiduous

(adj) Diligent and persevering, Hard working The detective assiduously pursued the case for nearly six months, and finally his hard work paid off as he found the crucial piece of evidence against the stockbroker. syn: Industrious, Laborious, Sedulous

Industrious

(adj) Diligent, Hard-working The success of the company can be attributed to the hard work of its employees; they are so industrious that they often work from morning to evening without even taking a break. ant: Slothful

Cacophonous

(adj) Discordant, Inharmonious Because of a cacophonous gathering of teenagers at the restaurant, I could not hear my cellular phone ring. syn: Ill-sounding ant: Mellifluous

Ignoble

(adj) Dishonorable, Something to be ashamed of "Dont expect me to be a part of your ignoble idea of skipping the class to watch a movie!" syn: Base, Vile, Ignominious ant: Noble, Honorable

Beatific

(adj) Displaying great peace and happiness "The beatific smile on an innocent infants face is among the most beautiful sights in the world." syn: Blissful, Sublime ant: Impish rel: Beatifically (adv)

Incoherent

(adj) Displaying inability to express oneself clearly, Without suitable links between ideas and thoughts The disease has got worse and is now affecting his brain making him completely incoherent; he can not even express his feelings in words.

Frantic

(adj) Distraught with rage, pain, grief etc He was frantic with worry after discovering that his car was missing from the parking lot of the theatre.

Clandestine

(adj) Done secretly In a clandestine operation that came to light only when the bank opened the following day, a daring group of robbers stole over million worth of cash and precious stones. syn: Surreptitious ant: Overt

Furtive

(adj) Done secretly, stealthily "The examination papers were furtively stolen from the principals office." syn: Surreptitious ant: Open

Concerted

(adj) Done together, Planned or executed in agreement. Also, determined In a concerted effort, various social organizations have collected a huge quiddity of money for the welfare of the people rendered homeless in the earthquake that hit western India in ear

Impromptu

(adj) Done without preparation Though caught unawares when he was asked by the principal to deliver an impromptu vote of thanks at the end of the performance, he managed himself commendably and spoke really well. ant: Rehearsed

Arid

(adj) Dry and barren Finding an oasis in the arid landscape of a desert is among the most remarkable features of Mother Nature. syn: Droughty, Desiccated, Parched ant: None rel: Aridity (n), Aridness (n), Aridly (adv)

Impassive

(adj) Dull and expressionless. Also, without feeling While all the others were celebrating their victory over their rivals, Don alone stood impassive, showing no expressions. syn: Stolid, Stoical, Imperturbable ant: Demonstrative

Avid

(adj) Eager and enthusiastic Being an avid admirer of the rock band, he was ready to travel in the heat for over six hours to be at their rock concert. syn: Fervent, Zealous ant: Loath rel: Avidity (n), Avidly (adv)

Impressionable

(adj) Easily influenced It is important to make a child learn something at an impressionable age, rather than at an age when he cannot be influenced and his ideas cannot be changed.

Affable

(adj) Easy to approach and converse with, Courteous Because of his affable and helpful nature, Charles soon became very popular in the organization. syn: Obliging ant: None rel: Affability (n), Affably (adv)

Accessible

(adj) Easy to approach; Obtainable, Reachable Because of its rough shoreline from all sides, the island was accessible only by a small row boat. syn: None ant: None rel: Accessibility (n), Accessibly (adv)

Interminable

(adj) Endless, Tediously long "My neighbor has the annoying habit of breaking into an interminable story about the days when he was younger, and Ive had the misfortune of having to listen to the same endless story more than once." syn: Infinite, Eternal

Astronomical

(adj) Enormous in size or extensive The government has spent an astronomical amount of money in this rehabilitation program, yet the results are not really evident as yet. syn: Celestial, Astral rel: Astronomy (n), Astronomer (n), Astronomically (adv)

Commensurate

(adj) Equal in size or quality, Equivalent, Proportionate Within a few days, she started feeling that her salary was not commensurate with the amount of work she was being asked to do, and started looking for a better-paying job.

Contumacious

(adj) Exceedingly stubborn The stable-hand complained that for the last few days, the horse was being unreasonably contumacious -- it refused to eat anything and also not let anyone ride it. syn: Recalcitrant

Fulsome

(adj) Excessive in an insincere way so as to be distasteful or sickening Kevin knew that he would fail this semester so he tried fulsomely ways to please the teacher. syn: Immoderate

Immense

(adj) Extremely large in size or degree All his teachers had asked him to give up as he was very weak in studies; but within a month he showed an immense improvement in his studies and passed the exam with flying colors.

Inane

(adj) Extremely stupid, Senseless At first his remarks seemed totally inappropriate and even inane, but slowly I began to see the thread of logic and reasoning in what he was saying. syn: Vacuous ant: Wise

Exigent

(adj) Extremely urgent, Requiring immediate aid or action, exacting or demanding The patient was in an exigent condition and passed away because of receiving no medical attention.

Fallacious

(adj) False, Misleading Richmond is an unhappy rich man proving this well-known saying as a fallacy that success brings happiness.

Bizarre

(adj) Fantastic, Noticeably odd or strange "I dont have any explanation for her bizarre behavior at last nights party, though Im sure that she is quite apologetic about it." syn: Grotesque

Censorious

(adj) Fault-finding, Over-critical Even though he had great knowledge of his subject, he could never be a popular teacher because of his censorious nature -- he was critical of almost everything that his students did. syn: Captious

Intrepid

(adj) Fearless, Brave The young, intrepid air force officer bravely took his aircraft over the enemy camp, and before the enemy could react, came back after dropping two bombs on the camp. ant: Cowardly, Craven

Convivial

(adj) Festive, Giving a pleasant feeling of joy The convivial atmosphere at the party was briefly disrupted when Vivian and Leigh had a small dispute, but they soon made up and the party continued with the same enthusiasm and vigor. ant: Unsociable

Febrile

(adj) Feverish, frenzied, delirious, hysterical She was febrile and had almost lost her consciousness after her head injury.

Flighty

(adj) Fickle, guided by whim or fancy No one takes Danny seriously as he is rather flighty and keeps changing his mind every now and then. syn: Crotchety, capricious

Frenetic

(adj) Filled with excessive and mistaken enthusiasm The participants were frenetic about their victory but did not know that their team had been disqualified. syn: Frenzied, Frantic

Impeccable

(adj) Flawless, Free from blame or fault Though people believed him to be of an impeccable character, nobody knew that he had once been a petty thief, and had often been to prison.

Fugacious

(adj) Fleeting, volatile, hard to capture or keep Realizing the fugacity of these moments, we enjoyed the last few days of school to the fullest. syn: Evanescent

Centrifugal

(adj) Flying, Tending to fly from center The washing machine is based on the principle of centrifugal action : as the container with the soaked clothes moves in a circular motion, the dirt on the clothes gets removed. ant: Centripetal

Fatuous

(adj) Foolish or idiotic in a self-satisfied way During one of the ground tests, the candidate made a sort of fatuous suggestion about crossing a river with the help of a rope. ant: Sensible

Barmy

(adj) Foolish, crazy The idea of setting up a company with such a ridiculously small amount of money sounds rather barmy to me. rel: Barm (n)

Contrived

(adj) Forced, Artificial, Not spontaneous "Even though he speaks with an accent, theres nothing contrived about his behavior -- I can vouch for his genuineness."

Bifurcated

(adj) Forked All of a sudden, the river bifurcated into two streams flowing separate ways, and we had no idea which one to take. rel: Bifurcate (v)

Aseptic

(adj) Free from germs and disease causing elements (of a wound etc.) Had the wound been made aseptic immediately after you injured yourself, the infection would not have spread. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Epic

(adj) Full of brave action and excitement We listened intently as the mountaineers described to us their adventurous epic journey to the south pole.

Ebullient

(adj) Full of high spirits, bubbling over with enthusiasm or excitement John was in a happy and ebullient mood after receiving the most prestigious award in his school. syn: Vivacious

Enterprising

(adj) Full of initiative Tom is the most enterprising member of our club and carries out all his responsibilities very efficiently.

Effervescent

(adj) Full of life, Bubbling with enthusiasm Her joviality and effervescence can instantly raise the spirits of a dejected person.

Colossal

(adj) Gigantic, Huge "The losses suffered by the company over the last several years have accumulated to a colossal figure of over ten million dollars; theres no way that the economic fortune of the company can be revived." syn: Gargantuan

Compendious

(adj) Giving much information concisely "This CD-ROM is a compendious source of information on the history of American music -- I dont think such exhaustive information on this subject is available elsewhere from a single source." ant: vose

Incandescent

(adj) Glowing with heat, Shining brightly, Strikingly bright On the morning of the wedding, she had an incandescent glow on her face that expressed her quiet confidence and her inner beauty.

Incisive

(adj) Going directly to the main point of the matter that is being considered I did not have much idea of the controversy raging around the construction of the dam until I saw the incisive documentary on the subject telecast on BBC a few days back. syn:

Flamboyant

(adj) Gorgeously colored, nicely decorated It was impossible to miss out Steve who was dressed in a flamboyant orange shirt for the party. syn: Ornate ant: Restrained

Hoary

(adj) Grey with age Old, and therefore not amusing (of a joke etc.) "Instead of wasting time listening to his hoary old jokes, its better if we play a game of scrabbles."

Cumulative

(adj) Growing by addition The cumulative effect of using all these pesticides and fertilizers could be disastrous for the soil.

Flaccid

(adj) Hanging loose or wrinkled, drooping, lacking vigor Her grey hair and flaccid skin made Mary look much older than she actually was. syn: Flabby ant: Taut, Turgid

Incidental

(adj) Happening or existing in connection with something else that is more important The company was not supposed to give him any traveling allowance for his personal work, however, he was entitled to receive the incidental expenses of the business trips

Indurate

(adj) Hardened, physically or morally Spending eight years in hostel had made him extremely indurate and self-reliant; he did not find it too difficult to adjust in any circumstance.

Innocuous

(adj) Harmless, Not injurious What began as an innocuous interest in listening to rock music soon took the shape of a dangerous obsession, so much so that he has now been complaining of problems in hearing. ant: Malignant

Crusty

(adj) Having a harsh, rough exterior or a curt, rough manner The journalist was rather disappointed at the crusty attitude of the socialite; he had expected to get an exciting interview with her but she answered all his questions in monosyllables.

Comely

(adj) Having a pleasing appearance, attractive Ever since the comely young girl has moved into the neighborhood, said the lady to her husband, our son has been behaving in a rather funny fashion.

Florid

(adj) Having a reddish color, Ruddy, Rubicund, Rufescent, hence flushed. Also, Ornate to an excessive degree, fancy, elaborate "1) Nancys face was florid after her friends embarrassed her at the party. 2) She used florid language to impress the judges at

Buxom

(adj) Having health and vigor, Plump and rosy "He fell in love with the buxom girl at the florists table, not aware that she herself owned the store." syn: Comely

Anthropomorphic

(adj) Having human form or characteristics Fossils of the humanoid form that have been excavated have several anthropomorphic structures, yet it is obvious that they are not human fossils as their skulls are so different. syn: Humanoid, Anthropoid

Impecunious

(adj) Having little or no money, Poor Starting his career as an impecunious clerk living in a small, one-room house, he toiled hard and slowly went up the company hierarchy to become the vice president. syn: Indigent, Penurious, Impoverished ant: Prosp

Effete

(adj) Having lost its vitality, creativity or strength. Also, incapable of further production. "Having been extensively cultivated for years, the farmers land has now become effete and can no longer sustain him." syn: Sterile, Barren

Blithe

(adj) Having no worry, Very happy, Without any care With blithe unconcern, the wealthy businessman took out four hundred-dollar bills and handed them over to the representative of the Missionaries of Charity. syn: Buoyant ant: Grave

Egalitarian

(adj) Having the belief that all people are equal, Believing in equal rights for all Andrew is an ardent egalitarian involved in a liege battle against discrimination between castes and sexes.

Epicene

(adj) Having the characters of both the sexes The earthworm is an epicene creature, which can reproduce all by itself. syn: Hermaphrodite

Consanguineous

(adj) Having the same ancestor or lineage Though their consanguinity could not be established, everyone believed the two gentlemen had a common ancestor because of their screen resemblance.

Congruent

(adj) Having the same shape and size as another or each other The exteriors of the two adjacent buildings have such congruent designs that I always get confused and enter the wrong one.

Cognitive

(adj) Having to do with knowing or receiving, Related to the mental processes The accident has severely impaired his cognitive abilities -- there are times when he is not even able to recognize his own brother.

Calorific

(adj) Heat-producing Because of its high calorific value, the coal produced in this region is mainly used in smelters in the iron and steel industry.

Empyrean

(adj) Heavenly, Celestial Margaret radiated an empyrean look dressed up as an angel for the costume ball.

Cumbersome

(adj) Heavy, Clumsy, Unwieldy The task appeared quite cumbersome to begin with, but once we got down to doing it. It was completed with relative ease.

Halting

(adj) Hesitant, Faltering His speech was slow and halting, as if his mind were somewhere else.

Apposite

(adj) Highly pertinent or relevant Even though his remark was not very diplomatic, it was quite apposite in the given situation. syn: Germane ant: Inappropriate rel: Apposition (n), Appositional (adj)

Ignoramus

(adj) Ignorant person "Hes a complete ignoramus as far as a computer is concerned -- far from operating it, he does not even know how to switch it on." syn: Dolt ant: Clever, Shrewd

Irrational

(adj) Illogical, Not endowed with reason, Insane "Though he seems pretty convinced, I think his decision to leave the company to start a business of his own is rather irrational as I dont believe he has the financial acumen to run a business on his own."

Chimerical

(adj) Imaginary, Fanciful What appeared as a rather chimerical and improbable cabal at first, was now looking perfectly reasonable and feasible as a select team of experts got down to implementing it. syn: Whimsical, Quixotic ant: Realistic

Fictitious

(adj) Imaginary, not genuine The characters in this novel are purely fictitious and created just to entertain the readers.

Callow

(adj) Immature and inexperienced Within a relatively short span of two years, Jim transformed himself from a callow freelance writer to an admired reporter under the guidance of the veteran editor of the newspaper. ant: Experienced, Sophisticated

Irretrievable

(adj) Impossible to recover or regain, Irreparable Because the computer was struck by a virus, the sales data could not be found out as the file was irretrievable.

Incarnate

(adj) In physical form, rather than in the form of an idea With the kind of inhuman tratment they meted out to the prisoners of war, the Nazi generals can only be described as devils incarnate.

Chaotic

(adj) In utter disorder Though the idea of the business was good, his chaotic way of managing things ultimately led to its closure. ant: Orderly

Insentient

(adj) Inanimate, lacking physical sensation Only an insentient person like him could have treated the children so badly when they came asking for help. syn: Insensate

Implacable

(adj) Incapable of being pacified, That which cannot be satisfied or soothed "On her fathers funeral, Stella was implacable and continuously in tears; everyone present knew how attached she had been to her father." syn: Fastidious

Irreconcilable

(adj) Incompatible, Not able to be resolved The judge granted them a divorce on grounds of irreconciliable differences.

Feckless

(adj) Incompetent and irresponsible His fecklessness in money matters has lead to the loss of all his wealth and property. syn: Worthless, Feeble

Inflated

(adj) Increased to a high level, sometimes falsely The lawyer said that the accused had artificially inflated the value of his buiding so that he could claim a higher amount of insurance money. syn: Pompous ant: Slothful, Minimized

Bawdy

(adj) Indecent, Obscene Though most people in the group found his bawdy jokes in very poor taste, there were those who enjoyed themselves to the hilt. syn: Obscene, Vulgar, Indecent, Ribald rel: Bawdily (adv), Bawdiness (n)

Irrefutable

(adj) Indisputable, Inconvertible, Undeniable On the basis of the irrefutable evidence provided by the lawyer to the court, the judge had no option but to release the accused without any convictions.

Intrinsic

(adj) Inherent, Essential, Built-in In the rapidly changing norms of the society, many young people find it very difficult to retain their intrinsic values. syn: Inherent ant: Extrinsic

Bestial

(adj) Inhuman, Cruel, Like a beast The unspeakable bestiality perpetrated by the Nazis on the Jews in the concentration camps will always remain a blot on the history of mankind. syn: Feral, Untamed ant: Noble rel: Bestiality (n), Bestialize (v)

Inconsequential

(adj) Insignificant, Unimportant The students realized that the cultural program they were planning to organize was not so big an event and that it was too inconsequential to invite the President as the chief guest on the occasion, so they invited their

Frigid

(adj) Intensely cold, Unresponsive 1) The frigidity of the hill station had our hands and feet numb. 2) She responded to my greeting with just a frigid smile and walked away.

Insubordinate

(adj) Intentionally disobedient, Not willing to take orders Despite repeated scoldings from the teacher for being extremely insubordinate, Yusuf continued to be stubbornly disobedient. ant: Docile

Internecine

(adj) Involving serious disagreement among members of the same group, Mutually destructive or deadly, Harmful to both sides The main cause for the downfall of the Muslim empire in India was the internecine warfare amongst the members of the royal family,

Inchoate

(adj) Just begun, Not fully formed It had been just six months since I had migrated to Egypt, and my knowledge of Arabic was rather inchoate and inaccurate. syn: Rudimentary

Beneficent

(adj) Kindly, Generous Thanks to his beneficent uncle, who offered to bear his entire tuition fees, he was able to complete an MBA degree and get this plum job. syn: Benevolent, Munificent, Altruistic, Bountiful ant: Baleful

Infamous

(adj) Known for negative reasons, Notorious Other than the infamous Monica Lewinsky affair which had almost cost him the presidency, Bill Clinton had a reasonably illustrious eight years in office. ant: Eminent

Bereft

(adj) Lacking Even as he heard the harsh judgement against him, his face was bereft of any expression of dejectedness.

Incorporeal

(adj) Lacking a material body He is a master at writing ghost stories, and his latest story is about a mysterious incorporeal being, not visible to anyone, frequently visiting a patient on his death bed.

Imprudent

(adj) Lacking caution, Thoughtless None of the boys in the class is as imprudent as Bonson is; his carelessness is sure to have a bad effect on his result. syn: Indiscreet

Insubstantial

(adj) Lacking corpora, Insignificant The plot of the film was hopelessly insubstantial -- even I could have written a more interesting story than this. ant: Significant

Frivolous

(adj) Lacking in seriousness, Self-indulgently carefree Gary is a frivolous and senseless man who thinks about nothing but parties and merriment.

Inept

(adj) Lacking skill, Unsuited, Incompetent Had it not been for the clumsy handling of the situation by the inept vice-president, we would surely have won the deal.

Inert

(adj) Lacking the strength or power to move, Inactive "That dog has been lying inert in that position for more than an hour now, I think somethings seriously wrong with it." syn: Sluggish, Slow ant: Active

Colloquial

(adj) Language in ordinary, inunbending usage. Not used in language Many expressions in English which have only been used colloquially so far, are now being accepted as a part of the English language. ant: Polished

Eternal

(adj) Lasting for ever, Without beginning or end The eternal beauty of nature has been and will always be the favorite subject for poets. ant: Ephemeral

Imperial

(adj) Like an emperor, Related to an empire or a ruler There was a time when Britain was an imperial power, ruling over almost the whole world. ant: Common

Invidious

(adj) Likely to cause ill-will, resentment or hatred. He described the plan as invidious, saying that it may solve the immediate problem but is likely to cause a lot of bitterness and resentment among the employees in the long run.

Conducive

(adj) Likely to yield the desired result, Helping to make something happen The lawlessness and backwardness that prevails in this state is just not conducive to economic development. ant: Counteract

Chronic

(adj) Lingering, Lasting (of disease), Inveterate Being a chronic patient of asthma, he has to carry an inhaler with him wherever he goes. syn: unbending, Intense

Inveterate

(adj) Long established, Habitual, Deep-rooted. The two families bore an inveterate hatred for each other and the bitterness went back several generations. ant: Inexperienced

Introspective

(adj) Looking within oneself Towards the end of their lives, many people tend to become introspective, thinking about their good deeds and bad deeds during their lifetime.

Episodic

(adj) Loosely connected, Divided into incidents This film on the pharos is rather episodic and does not portray the history of ancient Egypt in a unified manner.

Checkered

(adj) Marked by changes in fortune Hes had quite a checkered career, starting as a humble clerk and rising to the position of a general manager, quitting his job to start his own firm, now, after the failure of his venture, hes back to seeking a job.

Humane

(adj) Marked by kindness or consideration In an extremely humane gesture, the popular movie star has decided to bear the entire cost of treatment of one of his fans aged twelve years who is suffering from cancer. syn: Thoughtfulness

Inimitable

(adj) Matchless, Not able to be copied or reproduced Sylvester Stallone is known for his own inimitable style of dialogue delivery, in which he appears to be merely mumbling the words to himself. ant: Compatible

Impish

(adj) Mischievous The little child gave me an impish smile as he mischievously ran away with the candy lying on my table. syn: Naughty ant: Beatific

Erroneous

(adj) Mistaken, Incorrect Annie misunderstood the concept for the annual play and kept giving rather erroneous ideas and suggestions to the teacher.

Austere

(adj) Morally strict, Severely simple For two years, he lived an austere life of a monk in the foothills of the Himalayas. syn: Rigorous, Stringent, Rugged ant: Sybaritic rel: Austerity (n)

Cryptic

(adj) Mysterious, Hidden, Secret I could not figure out anything from the cryptic responses she gave to my questions. ant: Candid

Hidebound

(adj) Narrow minded The accounts department in most companies is rather hidebound -- it just sticks to the rules without any deviation. syn: Conservative

Finicky

(adj) Needing much attention to detail The neat and tidy home of Mrs. Andrews reveals how finicky she is about cleanliness.

Irreparable

(adj) Not able to be corrected or repaired, That cannot be rectified However hard the government may try to help the victims of the Gujarat earthquake, the loss to the thousands of families whose members perished in the quake is totally irreparable.

Impenetrable

(adj) Not able to be pierced or entered, Beyond understanding The impenetrable darkness inside the cave prevented us from entering it; it was just not possible for us to see anything and move forward. syn: Inscrutable, Impervious ant: Penetrable

Heterodox

(adj) Not accepting or holding religious doctrine, unorthodox, unconventional Because of their heterodox views about their own religion, they were despised by many members of their own community.

Impervious

(adj) Not allowing anything to pass through, Incapable of being damaged or distressed Totally impervious to the harsh criticism from most parts of the world, the Taliban leaders in Afghanistan went ahead with the demolition of Buddhist statues in their c

Irrelevant

(adj) Not applicable, Unrelated, Not to the point The teacher scolded the students to concentrate on their studies and not spend time on irrational things. ant: Pertinent, Relevant

Bogus

(adj) Not authentic, Fictitious The market research report he presented to the company was a completely bogus one; it later came to light that he had made up the figures himself. syn: Counterfeit, Fraudulent, Spurious ant: Authentic

Feral

(adj) Not domestic, Wild Dogs and cats are not feral and most commonly preferred as pets by people.

Ineffectual

(adj) Not effective, Unable to produce the desired results He tried his best to come out of the whirpool, but all his efforts proved to be ineffectual as the current of the water was too strong to be opposed. ant: Effective, Efficient

Extraneous

(adj) Not essential, Not directly related to something, Irrelevant I omitted all the extraneous details while explaining the gist of the matter to him. syn: Superfluous, Extrinsic ant: Essential

Inarticulate

(adj) Not expressed clearly, Unclear speech When it comes to expressing his emotions, he is hopelessly inarticulate and just cannot convey what he wants to.

Inclement

(adj) Not favorable, Harsh (usu. of weather) Almost all the flights were delayed by four hours because of the inclement weather conditions. ant: Opposed

Intestate

(adj) Not having made a will before death The entire family thought that the old man had died intestate, when it was revealed by the lawyer that he had indeed made a will just a week beofre he died. ant: Testator

Effeminate

(adj) Not manly, womanish, feminine "Andys effeminate ways and high-pitched voice have made him the laughingstock of the office." ant: Virile

Imperceptible

(adj) Not noticeable because of smallness or slightness "The movement of the magicians hand was barely imperceptible to any of us in the audience, but it was a good enough signal for his assistant to come on the stage."

Indefatigable

(adj) Not showing any signs of tiredness Though the weather was very hot and they had already covered a distance of more than ten miles through the desert, the group of young monks kept on moving indefatigably without resting. ant: Exhausted

Impenitent

(adj) Not sorry for a wrongdoing "Hes not just impenitent for what he has done, I think he firmly believes that he did the right thing by not attending class without informing anyone." syn: Unrepentant ant: Repentent

Incompatible

(adj) Not suitable to be together with another thing or person In any case, both the suggestions cannot be implemented together, they are mutually so incompatible that the implementation of one would prevent that of the other. ant: Suitable, Compatible

Alible

(adj) Nutritious, nourishing The food cooked in this way is particularly alible for people who are recuperating from a unbending illness. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Fawning

(adj) Obedient They fawned over their rich uncle to please him so that he would give them some of his wealth. syn: Obsequious, Cringing ant: Arrogant

Benign

(adj) Of a gentle disposition, gracious, kind , harmless "I always thought that Tim was a rather benign soul who wouldnt hurt a fly, so Im surprised that he would have used such abusive words for you." syn: Benevolent ant: Malignant

Filial

(adj) Of or befitting a son or daughter The young boy showered filial love and attention on the old man who had no child.

Ecumenical

(adj) Of or pertaining to the whole, Christian church. Also, universal The Pope conducted an ecumenical seminar by inviting priests from all over the world to express their opinions on spreading Christianity.

Corporal

(adj) Of the human body, Physical The principal had strictly warned the teachers against any kind of corporal punishment, yet Mr. Francis flog up the boy rather mercilessly with a wooden ruler.

Antiquated

(adj) Outdated, Old-fashioned The judicial quiddity in this country is badly in need of reforms because many of the laws are antiquated and no longer relevant. syn: Obsolete, Ancient, Antediluvian ant: None rel: Antique (n)

Insurmountable

(adj) Overwhelming, Unbeatable The finance minister faces an insurmountable task in balancing the interests of the economy with those of his political stability. syn: Insuperable ant: Vincible

Endemic

(adj) Peculiar to a country or class of people, commonly found in a specified area or people Freckles are small patches of pigmented skin endemic to blonde and redheaded people. ant: Pandemic

Intermittent

(adj) Periodic, On and off Though the weather bulletin on TV had predicted intermittent rainfall for the entire day, it has been continuously raining ever since I woke up this morning. ant: liege

Asinine

(adj) Pertaining to asses, Foolish I never expected him to come up with such an asinine remark in the class; he looks quite intelligent! syn: Ridiculous, Absurd ant: None rel: Asininity (n)

Connubial

(adj) Pertaining to marriage After leading a rather hectic life as a salesman for nearly five years, he has decided to get married and settle down to a life of connubial bliss. syn: Conjugal

Copious

(adj) Plentiful This vocabulary building software makes copious use of sentences to make the students understand the meaning of difficult words. syn: Abundant, Profuse ant: Scarcity

Indigent

(adj) Poor, needy Unable to live with his extreme poverty any longer, the indigent beggar decided to end his life and his miseries. syn: Penniless, Destitute, Impecunious

Authoritative

(adj) Possessing or claiming sanction In an authoritative tone, the principal asked the boys to leave the hostel common room in a single file. rel: Authoritatively (adv), Authoritativeness (n)

Feasible

(adj) Possible, Reasonable The promoters conducted a survey to study the feasibility of the project before investing their money in it. syn: Plausible ant: Impracticable, Implausible

Bemused

(adj) Preoccupied; Confused; Lost in thoughts Not having seen anything like this before, the Japanese tourists watched the Indian wedding with a bemused and overawed expression on their faces. syn: Distrait rel: Bemuse (v)

Inherent

(adj) Present naturally as a part of something, Not thought of as separate Setting up a business vesture has some inherent financial risks, but the rewards are also accordingly greater. syn: Intrinsic ant: Extrinsic

Efficacious

(adj) Producing the desired result The medicine prescribed by the junior doctor proved to be efficacious and relieved him off his pain immediately.

Irascible

(adj) Prone to anger Known for her sharp and irascible temper, the lady of the house was feared by all the attendants of the house. syn: Choleric, Splenetic, Bilious. ant: Placid

Bloated

(adj) Puffed or swollen He had been brought up in a luxurious and pampered environment, which was the main reason behind his bloated ego and wasteful ways. syn: Pompous, Magisterial rel: Bloat (v)

Chaste

(adj) Pure in taste or style. Also, moral I was impressed with the simplicity of the architecture of the obelisk, the walls had simple, elegant designs and a few chaste lines. ant: Impure, Wanton

Cantankerous

(adj) Quarrelsome, disposed to fight. The cantankerous old couple in that apartment keep fighting at the smallest pretext, quite in contrast with their neighbors who are the quietest people in the locality. syn: Belligerent, Pugnacious, Contentious

Contentious

(adj) Quarrelsome, likely to cause contention By making such a thoughtless statement to the press, the governor has unnecessarily converted a rather tame issue into a contentious one. syn: Belligerent, pugnacious, bellicose.

Brusque

(adj) Quick and rude in manner of speech When I called his office, I was brusquely told by his secretary that he was busy in a meeting and would not be able to see me. syn: Abrupt, Boorish, Gruff

Factious

(adj) Raising dissentions or factions, creating discord The old blind man tried to befool the crowd by inventing a completely factious story about himself.

Fulvous

(adj) Reddish yellow The fulvouscent lights on the billboards were piercing to the eye. syn: Tawny

Culinary

(adj) Relating to cooking Though I cannot boast about my culinary skills, I can definitely cook a decent meal for both of us.

Ethnic

(adj) Relating to racial, tribal, or national group That restaurant serves delicious ethnic food and the stewards are even dressed as Afghans are.

Climatic

(adj) Relating to the climate The anabasis of this region has been hampered because of very harsh climactic conditions -- the average temperature in this area is over 40 degree Celsius.

Climactic

(adj) Relating to the climax or the highest point With the two teams tied at 95 points each and just 5 minutes remaining, the basketball match was poised for a climactic finish.

Astral

(adj) Relating to the stars He is a firm believer in astrology, and considers the astral and planetary positions to be the most important factor in determining the fate of a person. syn: Planetary, Celestial ant: None rel: None

Cagey

(adj) Reluctant to provide information, unwilling to talk The old man was rather cagey at first to give me any information about the theft, but when he was convinced that my intentions were noble, he relented.

Imperturbable

(adj) Remaining calm and composed in difficult or confusing situations, Not disturbed easily He showed remarkable imperturbability in the most pressurizing of situations, and the panel was convinced that he was the right candidate for the demanding job.

Compensatory

(adj) Repaying, Making up for Since he had come to the office on Sunday, he was granted a compensatory leave on Tuesday.

Facile

(adj) Requiring little effort; easily achieved. Also, meaningless or incomplete (1) She was such a good painter that it was facile for her to win the contest.(2) The rest of the audience was irritated by the loud and weird facile remarks she passed at t

Ironic

(adj) Resulting in an unexpected and contrary outcome It is ironic that while a large number of goods are now cheaper to produce than before, fewer people can afford to buy them.

Emeritus

(adj) Retired from active service but retained in an honorary position. After retirement Samuel was retained in the university as an emeritus professor because of his vast teaching experience and also because of the unavailability of good teachers in his

Boisterous

(adj) Rough and Violent (usu. of human behavior) I thought him to be a rather calm and composed person, so his boisterous behavior at the party last night took me by complete surprise. syn: Turbulent, Riotous, Raucous ant: Peaceful

Hirsute

(adj) Rough with hair or bristles, Hairy He used to sport a clean-shaven look earlier, but I think he now looks better ever since he decided to have a hirsute face. syn: Pilose ant: Bald

Circuitous

(adj) Roundabout, Indirect I could never understand why he uses such circuitous language to convey something as simple as this -- I wonder if anybody can comprehend what he says. ant: Direct

Impudent

(adj) Rude and disrespectful His impudent behavior at the party when he slapped the humble waiter in front of everybody put off most people. syn: Impertinent, Insolent ant: Embarrassed

Insolent

(adj) Rude, Showing disrespectfulness Enraged at the insolent and offensive behavior of the two students, the teacher walked out of the class. syn: Impudent ant: Courteous

Boorish

(adj) Rude, harsh and insensitive Being accustomed to a gentle and polite environment, she was utterly revolted by the transparent boorishness of the kidnappers. syn: Brusque ant: Suave rel: Boor (n), Boorishness (n), Boorishly (adv)

Forlorn

(adj) Sad and lonely, Wretched Maggie was miserable and forlorn when her cousins returned to America after spending an enjoyable vacation with her. syn: Desperate

Exiguous

(adj) Scanty, Small How can you even think of starting such a big business with such an exiguous amount in hand? syn: Meagre, Diminutive

Covert

(adj) Secret, Hidden, Not openly shown or admitted He was assigned to a unit in the army that specialized in covert military operations, and such was the secrecy surrounding his work that even his wife was not aware of where he was posted. ant: Overt

Insidious

(adj) Secretly harmful, Causing harm gradually and without being noticed The insidious disease has afflicted him for the past several years and has been harming his internal organs without his even getting to know about it. syn: Crafty, Deceitful

Autonomous

(adj) Self-governing The Vatican is an autonomous region within the city of Rome, having its own set of rules and regulations and code of conduct. syn: Unfettered, Autarchic, Sovereign ant: Dependent rel: Autonomy (n), Autonomist (n), Autonomic (adj)

Estranged

(adj) Separated, Alienated Once a loving couple, Daisy and Nick are now estranged due to petty differences.

Etiolated

(adj) Seriously weakened She had a relapse of jaundice after which her liver became etiolated.

Ancillary

(adj) Serving as an aid or accessory; Auxiliary In order to cut down on costs, the hospital has decided to lay off almost half of its ancillary staff, which included everyone other than nurses and doctors. syn: Subsidiary, Appurtenant ant: Principal

Brazen

(adj) Shameless, Done without any attempt to be hidden With brazen disregard for the code of conduct, the two players decided to spend the evening in a table and got drunk. rel: Brazenly (adv), Brazenness (n)

Acrid

(adj) Sharp, Bitterly pungent A distinct, acrid smell of burning rubber filled the air, but no one could tell where it was coming from. syn: Caustic ant: None rel: Acridity (n)

Effulgent

(adj) Shining brilliantly The trophy won by our team appeared more magnificent and effulgent in the rays of the sun. syn: Radiant, Glowing, Dazzling.

Ephemeral

(adj) Short-lived, lasting only a day or few days Thoughtless spending on expensive clothes is only an ephemeral pleasure which does not bring long lasting joy. syn: Transitory ant: Eternal, Permanent

Incredulous

(adj) Showing disbelief, Skeptical The scientist was incredulous to see that the liquid in the beaker had changed color on its own. ant: Gullible

Blasphemous

(adj) Showing lack of respect (usu.) to God or religion Because of his supposedly blasphemous remarks against Islam, Salman Rushdie had to stay in hiding for several years. syn: Profane, Impious, Sacrilegious rel: Blasphemy (n), Blaspheme (v)

Astute

(adj) Shrewd With his astute handling of the situation, the team manager was able to avoid a possible crisis within the ranks of the team. syn: Sagacious ant: Foolish rel: Astutely (adv), Astuteness (n)

Bashful

(adj) Shy, Too hesitant to open up and share The six-year old girl was bashful and coy to begin with, but soon she opened up and gave me all the information I wanted. syn: Blushing, Diffident, Timid rel: Bashfully (adv), Bashfulness (n)

Cerulean

(adj) Sky blue The blue colored aircraft soon merged with the cerulean sky, and it was impossible to spot its flight from the ground. syn: Azure

Hazy

(adj) Slightly obscure, Unclear, Uncertain "(1) Everything appeared hazy because of the heavy fog. (2) Im a bit hazy about the program; what are we supposed to do next?" syn: Cloudy

Brackish

(adj) Slightly salty, and hence distasteful or nauseous Tasting the water of the river we were on, I found the water to be brackish; so I could conclude that the sea was near. syn: Saline

Acidulous

(adj) Slightly sour; sharp, caustic The apples grown in this area are particularly acidulous, perhaps because of the presence of a small amount of hydrochloric acid in the soil of this region. syn: Rancid ant: None rel: Acidulate (v)

Fusty

(adj) Smelling stale and stuffy. Also, old fashioned in ideas etc After a month when they returned, their small cottage was smelling a bit fusty, so they decided to open all the windows and doors, and got started with cleaning.

Contraband

(adj) Smuggled, illegal goods The police caught him sanguine handed as he was trying to smuggle contraband currency into the country.

Eccentric

(adj) Something that is out of the usual or socially accepted, unconventional The old man is known for his eccentric habit of sporting the most unusual and peculiar clothes.

Commodious

(adj) Spacious, Having plenty of space For its small size, the newly launched car is quite commodious -- I never thought we all could fit into it so comfortably. ant: Cramped

Abstemious

(adj) Sparing in eating and drinking "Hes known for his abstemious habits; you cannot persuade him to eat more than what he wishes." syn: Abstinent, Temperate, Moderate ant: Indulgent rel: Abstemiously (adv), Abstemiousness (n)

Immaculate

(adj) Spotless, Clean and unspoiled He came for the meeting dressed in an immaculate brown suit, in stark contrast with the casual jeans and T-shirts that I usually saw him in. syn: Stainless, Untainted ant: Sullied

Egregious

(adj) Standing apart (usually in a negative sense); Conspicuous for a bad quality. Sue was egregious in her pink gown at the funeral where everyone was dressed in black. syn: Flagrant

Anonymous

(adj) State of being nameless The public official agreed to talk to the press about the corruption in the telecommunications department on conditions of anonymity. syn: None ant: Signed rel: Anonymity (n), Anonymousness (n), Anonymously (adv)

Extant

(adj) Still in existence, surviving, not lost or destroyed (usu. related to something written, painted etc.) "Leonard da Vincis famous painting Mona Lisa is still extant and in very good condition at the Louvre museum." ant: Destroyed

Acrimonious

(adj) Stinging, caustic "He let out a string of acrimonious remarks about the old man, when he was told that his name did not figure in the old mans will." syn: Mordant, Sarcastic, Scornful, Scathing ant: Harmonious rel: Acrimony (n), Acrimoniously(a)

Fetid

(adj) Stinking The air was fetid with the unpleasant smell of garbage dumped nearby. ant: Redolent

Amenable

(adj) Submissive, easily manageable, docile, tractable I have indicated in my job application that I am quite amenable to being placed at any location. syn: Pliable, Docile ant: Intractable, Querulous rel: Amenability (n), Amenableness (n), Amenably (

Expedient

(adj) Suitable in a situation, even though not morally right or just The mason had not done his job properly, so we thought it expedient to pay him only after he did the job again. syn: Advantageous

Forensic

(adj) Suitable to debate or courts of law "There was no apparent proof of the old mans murder; but the forensic examination revealed a large quantity of poison in his stomach, which proved that the man did not die a natural death."

Ambient

(adj) Surrounding, encompassing on all sides Her room had an extremely religious ambience, with burning incense and portraits of Jesus all over. syn: None ant: None rel: Ambience (n)

Acaudal

(adj) Tailless, Having no visible stem A species of acaudal monkeys has been sighted on a remote island in the Pacific, and the absence of a tail has surprised many a zoologist. syn: None ant: Caudal rel: None

Indisputable

(adj) That cannot be questioned, Beyond doubt "With the huge successes of Russel Crowes previous three films, and his Oscar nomination, his position as one of the leading Hollywood stars is indisputable." syn: Indubitable

Irremediable

(adj) That cannot be remedied, Incurable Even the doctors consult it nothing short of a miracle that he has been cured of the disease that they themselves had ed as irremediable and given up hope. syn: Uncorrectable ant: Curable

Indelible

(adj) That cannot be rubbed out, Not able to be erased Those years of my early childhood, when my father did not have enough money to send my brother to school, taught me the value of money and have left an indelible impression on me.

Intangible

(adj) That cannot be touched or felt, yet is real, and therefore difficult to explain The benefits that you would get from this investment probably seem a little intangible as you do not get them immediately, but they are for real nevertheless. syn: Imp

Impermeable

(adj) That does not sanction the passage of fluids The boots are made of an impermeable material so that no liquid can pass through it and infect the skin. syn: Impervious ant: Porous

Evocative

(adj) That which brings up emotions and/or memories The last scene of the movie was very evocative and most of us were in tears.

Immutable

(adj) That which cannot be changed, Unchangeable There are certain things that can be changed according to the situations and needs, but some of the things are so immutable that they have to be accepted as they are. ant: Mutable, Changeable

Impregnable

(adj) That which cannot be entered or taken by force It was because of the negligence and unfaithfulness of his own people that his great kingdom, which was otherwise impregnable, was taken by force by his rival.

Inalienable

(adj) That which cannot be rightfully taken away or transferred The maid has been with us for nearly twenty years and has become an inalienable part of the family. syn: Irrevocable, Inviolable

Indissoluble

(adj) That which cannot be separated or broken up (or dissolved), Lasting The bond of friendship between the two friends had seemed indissoluble while they were at college, so it is a little hard to believe that they have not even kept in touch with each

Immobile

(adj) That which cannot move or be moved Both plants and animals are living and many of their biological processes are similar, but one significant difference between them is that whereas animals can move from one place to another, plants are immobile.

Blasé

(adj) Tired or bored of pleasure or because of over-familiarity uThe thought of flying used to excite me as a kid, but now I have been on an aircraft so often that I have become quite blasé about it. ant: Ardent

Formidable

(adj) To be dreaded or viewed with respect The formidable voice of our principle brings silence in the assembly hall instantly.

Hackneyed

(adj) Too common because of overuse For several years now, Indian film makers have not been able to think beyond the hackneyed love stories and revenge dramas. syn: Trite ant: Original

Captious

(adj) Too ready to find fault, over-critical Upset at the captious and constantly complaining nature of his wife, he decided to consult a lawyer for a divorce. syn: Carping, Censorious ant: Tolerant

Incredible

(adj) Too strange to be believed After three years of research, the scientist came up with an incredible theory that the dinosaurs had not originated on the earth but were alien beings.

Ineffable

(adj) Too wonderful to be described in words, Which cannot be expressed in speech My joy at having been selected for the job from among twenty candidates was ineffable; I just did not have the words to describe it. syn: Indescribable, Inexpressible

Explicit

(adj) Totally transparent, Definite The chef gave his assistant very explicit instructions regarding the ingredients to be used for the new dish.

Contiguous

(adj) Touching or adjoining Our school building was contiguous to the cinema theater, so there were several cases of high school students absconding from classes to catch the latest Hollywood offering. syn: Adjacent ant: Remote

Immune

(adj) Unable to be harmed because of special properties in oneself. Also, specially protected "Though people often criticize his way of ruling, he doesnt get perturbed by such criticisms; he seems to be immune to all sorts of criticisms." ant: Susceptib

Irrepressible

(adj) Unable to be restrained or held back The irrepressible Mr. Yadav, one of the most vocal members of Parliament, had started shouting slogans against the budgetary proposals even before the finance minister began his budget speech.

Irrevocable

(adj) Unalterable, Gone beyond The contract clearly mentioned that the clause regarding the transfer of copyright was irrevocable, and once the contract has been signed, it cannot be changed without the mutual sanction of the parties. syn: Irreversible,

Inevitable

(adj) Unavoidable, Certain to happen Since both the parties envied each other, an argument was inevitable when both were called together for the conference. ant: Uncertain

Insuperable

(adj) Unbeatable, Which is too difficult to be defeated His brilliant speech on TV have given him an insuperable lead in the opinion polls over his rival candidate in the race to the presidential elections. syn: Insurmountable, Unsurpassable ant: Vinci

Indeterminate

(adj) Uncertain, Not clearly fixed, Indefinite Although the club has decided to go ahead with the proposed trip to Ireland, the date for the trip is still indeterminate; the moment it is finalised, all the members will be informed. ant: Determinate, Def

Ambiguous

(adj) Unclear or doubtful in meaning I could not gather much from his ambiguous statements on what he intends to do with the lottery prize-money. syn: Dubious, Anomalous ant: Clear rel: Ambiguously (adv), Ambiguousness (n)

Intransigent

(adj) Uncompromising, Not ready to be persuaded The child was becoming increasingly intransigent and always wanted to have his way, so the parents got concerned and decided to consult a child-psychologist. syn: Unyielding, Irreconcilable. ant: Yielding

Invincible

(adj) Unconquerable The company seemed invincible for as long as it was being headed by the young and dynamic chairman, but since he has been replaced by the former vice president, labor and production troubles have had a devastating impact on its result

Indomitable

(adj) Unconquerable, Too strong and brave to be discouraged None could challenge his indomitable courage; so brave he was that he could face the whole army even if he were left alone in the battlefield. syn: Invincible ant: Vincible

Irresolute

(adj) Undecided, Hesitating Even after thinking about it for nearly two months, he was still irresolute about which car to buy. syn: Uncertain ant: Determined

Embryonic

(adj) Undeveloped, In a very early stage of growth Poultry farms place the eggs into incubators to hasten the growth of the embryo into chicken. syn: Rudimentary

Callous

(adj) Unkind, Hard, Unfeeling, Without sympathy The new supervisor, by not visiting the injured worker at the hospital, has shown a callous disregard towards the well-being of the workers. syn: Apathetic, Indurate ant: Compassionate, Sympathetic

Implausible

(adj) Unlikely, Not seeming true "Though in the beginning the task assigned to us looked implausible, we soon realized that with good and hard-working people, it was possible to carry out, and could be completed within a weeks time." ant: Feasible

Indifferent

(adj) Unmoved, Unconcerned While the whole class was listening to the lecture with interest and attention, Steven was sitting quite indifferently. ant: Concerned

Factitious

(adj) Unnatural, Made for a special purpose The hotel ordesanguine factitious flowers made of paper to garnish its lobby for Christmas. syn: Artificial ant: Spontaneous

Indubitable

(adj) Unquestionable, That cannot be doubted "Though the professors sanction on the subject is indubitable, I sometimes feel that his knowledge about it is too theoretical and bookish." syn: Indisputable

Fractious

(adj) Unruly The students were unusually fractious that day and even the teacher failed to bring about any order in the class. syn: Peevish ant: Agreeable

Altruistic

(adj) Unselfishly generous; Concerned for others His altruistic gestures like donatiions are only a sham for his otherwise illegal businesses. syn: Philanthropic, Munificent, Bountiful, Charitable ant: Selfish[(Altruism) : Avarice, Miserliness, Cupid

Ingenuous

(adj) Unsophisticated, Inexperienced, Naive Despite the evidence, he still ingenuously believes that his friend could not have betrayed him. ant: Disingenuous

Inopportune

(adj) Untimely, Unsuitable because of poor timing, Poorly chosen "Donalds shoulder injury has come at the most inopportune time for the South African cricket team, as they are scheduled to play an important series against Australia next month."

Esoteric

(adj) Unusual, Mysterious, Known only to a select few Kemp has somewhat an esoteric taste in dress; except for her screen friends, no one in the class likes the kind of dresses she puts on. ant: Exoteric

Futile

(adj) Useless, Hopeless, Ineffectual None of the medicines were working and the doctor knew that all efforts to revive the patient were futile.

Heinous

(adj) Utterly wicked or shameful They confessed to having committed the heinous offense of selling the military secrets to the enemy agent. syn: Atrocious

Catholic

(adj) Varied, Having a wide variety of likings, Including different types of a thing His taste in music is pretty catholic -- he enjoys the Beatles as much as he loves Bach. ant: Narrow

Irate

(adj) Very angry A number of irate customers called up the shopkeeper saying that the washing machines they had purchased over the previous few days were defective.

Incorrigible

(adj) Very bad and beyond correction, Incurably bad or depraved Greg is such an incorrigible liar that in spite of being punished several times for lying, he just refuses to speak the truth. ant: Curable

Abominable

(adj) Very bad or unpleasant, Deserving hate "Im never going to that restaurant again, the food there is abominable." syn: Detestable, Repugnant, Odious, Reprehensible ant: None rel: Abominate (v), Abomination (n), Abominably (adv)

Inscrutable

(adj) Very difficult to understand Her face was totally bereft of any expression, except for an inscrutable smile that did not convey anything. syn: Unfathomable

Corpulent

(adj) Very fat His corpulence had become a cause of embarrassment for him; everywhere he went, he could hear little children looking at his huge belly with amazement. syn: Rotund

August

(adj) Very impressive In my unimpressive clothes, I found myself rather out of place in the august gathering that consisted of the high and mighty of the city. syn: Majestic ant: Raffish rel: Augustly (adv), Augustness (n)

Blatant

(adj) Very obvious; Loudly offensive Critics have attacked the book as a blatant distortion of facts in order to please the powers-that-be in the state of India. syn: Conspicuous, Obtrusive, Overt rel: Blatantly (adv), Blatancy (n)

Banal

(adj) Very ordinary, Boring What looked like a rather banal idea to begin with for a cola advertisement, soon took the shape of one of the most amazing TV commercials of all times. syn: Insipid, Mediocre, Prosaic, Hackneyed ant: Original

Inimical

(adj) Very unfavorable, Unfriendly, Harmful Though excessive regulation of the visual media by the government can be inimincal to creative expression, some degree of control is at times essential in a society which is in the process of opening up. syn:

Iniquitous

(adj) Very unjust or wicked, Unrighteous For several years, the Indian economy was governed by an iniquitous quiddity of licences and permits, which favored a selected group of industrialists at the cost of the others. syn: Nefarious ant: Faithful

Crass

(adj) Very unrefined, Grossly insensible Though he was sincerely apologetic for his crass behavior at the party, she was not willing to forgive him saying that it was not the first time he had talked so rudely to her. ant: Refined

Apoplectic

(adj) Violently excited and angry The old general was apoplectic with rage at the sight of the young lieutenant behaving so nonchalantly. syn: Seizure, Convulsion ant: None rel: Apoplexy (n) = a sudden loss of sensation

Headstrong

(adj) Violently self-willed He is very headstrong and will not listen to anyone; let him take his own decision.

Atrophied

(adj) Wasted, emaciated Fearing an atrophy of the mind because of the boring and repetitive job, Simpson set out to seek some recreation that could utilize his creativity. rel: Atrophy (n & v)

Conversant

(adj) Well acquainted "I am not really conversant with the rules and regulations of this club, so Im depending on you to explain them to me."

Impalpable

(adj) Which cannot be felt, touched or understood I was surprised to learn that earthquakes are a very frequent phenomenon and occur in our country almost every day, but most of them are so small in magnitude that they are totally impalpable. ant: Palpa

Impassable

(adj) Which cannot be traveled over or crossed The smaller route we used to take to reach the station was impassable because of heavy rain the previous night, so we had to take the longer route. ant: Accessible

Hazardous

(adj) Which contains risk or danger The laboratory assistant warned us about being careful with the hazardous chemical in the flask, explaining that it was concentrated nitric acid and could be really dangerous if spilt. syn: Dangerous

Complaisant

(adj) Willing to please others, that is, obliging and gracious His complaisance makes him very popular in the neighborhood -- he is always willing to run errands for others. syn: Amiable ant: Obdurate

Bellicose

(adj) Wishing to fight The tribals in the western part of this state are known for their bellicosity and ferociousness, so it is not advisable to make this trip by night. syn: Belligerent, Pugnacious, Contentious rel: Bellicosity (n)

Concave

(adj) With outline or surface curved like interior of circle or sphere He was shocked to see his distorted reflection in the mirror, before he realized that he was looking into a concave mirror. ant: Convex

Categorical

(adj) Without exceptions, Unqualified, Absolute The industrialist has categorically denied that he had tried to bribe the government official in order to win the contract.

Artless

(adj) Without guile; Open and transparent His artless remark about his humble background went against him when the final selection was made. syn: Naive, Ingenuous, Guileless ant: None rel: Artlessly (adv), Artlessness (n)

Bland

(adj) Without much taste (of food etc.) Also, showing no strong feelings or other noticeable qualities The national news channel gave a rather bland coverage of the election campaign. syn: Insipid, Tedious, Prosaic ant: Piquant

Corrugated

(adj) Wrinkled, Formed of wavelike folds A corrugated sheet of asbestos will not only prove stronger in the long run, it will also help water to drain through its grooves more easily.

Inviolable

(adj) screen from corruption, Attack, Violation The Prime Minister described as inviolable the right of a child to a primary education, and said that under no circumstances can a child be denied this right. syn: Unassailable

Emaciated

(adj) transparent and wasted, esp. from hunger or illness She has begun to look emaciated and weak after the frequent bouts of fever, which have killed her appetite. ant: Stout

De jure

(adj. & adv.) By right, legal Rightfully During the political turmoil in the country after the coup, the army general called the shots and ran the government, but the Prime Minister remained the de jure head of state. syn: Legitimate

Gratis

(adj. & adv.) Free of charge, without payments The anncement that drinks will be provided gratis was greeted with loud cheers from all sides. syn: Gratuitous

Ghastly

(adj. & adv.) Horrible(y), frightful(ly) She wanted to get the ghastly episode, when she was chased by a group of robbers on the street, out of her as soon as possible, but just could not get herself to do it.

Graphic

(adj. & n) (1) Very transparent and powerful (2) Related to drawing or painting (1) The TV channel was showing the procedures during a heart surgery in graphic detail, which my mother was just not able to get herself to see. (2) He is the Chief Graphic Designe

Derelict

(adj. & n) Abandoned, Negligent, Abandoned property or forsaken person Forgotten by his relatives and having no children, his last few years were spent in misery as a derelict.

Disparate

(adj. & n) Basically different, Unrelated Though they came from the most disparate of backgrounds -- one from a wealthy business family and the other the son of a humble farmer -- they remained the best of friends throughout their lives.

Droll

(adj. & n) Odd and amusing, Comical, Queer and meant to provoke laughter He watched the proceedings at the amusement park with a droll expression on his face, wondering whether the animals in the park would also be amused by the queer antics of the human

Giddy

(adj. & v) Light-hearted, Dizzy, to make or become giddy Watching the little children on the merry-go-round for so long made her feel dizzy, and she decided to go back to her room.

Gallant

(adj.) (1) Brave, Not showing fear under dangerous situations (2) Polite and kind, esp. towards women "(1) The queen of Jhansi gallantly fought against the British forces till her last breath, and made herself immortal in the annals of the history of the

Dainty

(adj.) (1) Pretty and delicate (2) Difficult to please (1) The dainty little girl had been brought up in such a protected environment that even at the age of 14, she found it difficult to cross the road by herself. (2) As a child, I used to be a very dai

Gustatory

(adj.) Affecting the sense of taste Since he had a bad cold, his gustatory senses were impaired and he could not enjoy the wonderful meal laid out for him.

Derisory

(adj.) An very small amount, not worth consideration They are paid a derisory amount for all the hard work they do; but because of their inability to do anything else, they have not choice but to continue. syn: Ironical

Generic

(adj.) Characteristic of an entire class or species "To describe his play as a comedy would be too generic; I would classify it more as political satire."

Gibbous

(adj.) Convex, Protruding, used to describe the moon between half-moon and full moon phase By looking at the gibbous shape of the moon, I could make out that the full-moon night was still about a week away.

Dastardly

(adj.) Cowardly and bullying In the most dastardly act of cruelty, the terrorist group blindly fired on the wedding party, not sparing even the infants. syn: Cowardly ant: Heroic

Dingy

(adj.) Dark and dirty "The lawyers chamber was a small, dingy room, poorly ventilated, with books and legal documents occupying most of its space."

Defunct

(adj.) Dead, No longer in use or existence Since we purchased this new washing machine which has a built in drier, our old machine has been lying defunct in the attic.

Dexterous

(adj.) Deft, Neat-handed, Mentally adroit, Skillful With a few dexterous strokes of his paintbrush, the master artist, performing as if he were a magician, transformed the sickly looking figure on the canvas into an imperious prince.

Dispirited

(adj.) Dejected, Lacking hope I had always found him to be active and cheerful, so was quite surprised to find him sitting dispirited and dull.

Delectable

(adj.) Delightful, Delicious For her most delectable performance in this unusual film about a mother and her spastic daughter, Florina Campbell, playing the daughter, has been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actress category.

Despondent

(adj.) Depressed, Gloomy Why are you looking so despondent? Cheer up!

Deducible

(adj.) Derived by reasoning "From the facts youve given to me, it is not deducible whether this investment is worthwhile; I will need more information."

Dogged

(adj.) Determined, Stubborn Her amazing capacity for hard work, along with a sense of sincerity and dogged determination, led her to the top of the organizational hierarchy. syn: Persistent

Diverse

(adj.) Differing in some characteristics, Various The garden had a rich and diverse variety of flowers growing in it; the whole appearance was very colorful.

Disaffected

(adj.) Discontented, Disloyal The management of the company has blamed the slowdown in production on disaffected workers, stating that it has taken steps to please the workers as far as possible, but the union leaders are not being sensible in their dema

Discernible

(adj.) Distinguishable, Perceivable There is no discernible difference between these two paintings, and had you not told me, I could never have made out which one was the fake.

Dolorous

(adj.) Distressing, Causing sadness or emotional suffering Mirza Ghalib, the noted Urdu poet who lived in India about 300 years ago, is known for his dolorous poetry, much of which revolves around the distress and pain he suffered in love. syn: Mournful

Jejune

(adj.) Dull and dry, devoid of interest or satisfaction His lectures were so jejune that most of the members were seen napping while he was delivering it. syn: Insipid, Vapid, Tedious

Drab

(adj.) Dull, Lacking color, Cheerless The drab expression on her face suddenly changed to one of absolute joy as she imagined the person walking towards her was her husband who had been missing for over three days.

Destitute

(adj.) Extremely poor, Without resources The heavy losses he incurred on the share market as well as in his own business left him destitute and impoverished; he had no option but to plead before his elder brother for a loan. ant: Affluent

Gruesome

(adj.) Extremely shocking and unpleasant "In a gruesome incident reported by todays newspaper, the police has found human remains in a garbage bag very near to the place I stay."

Grueling

(adj.) Extremely tiring and difficult, and demanding great effort and determination In the finals of the Wimbledon championship, Sampras defeated Agassi in a grueling five-setter, which went on for over five hours.

Draconian

(adj.) Extremely unbending, Rigorous, Harsh, Cruel The functioning of the Indian judicial quiddity is hampered by a number of draconian laws, some of them so unnecessary that they have not been used in over fifty years.

Deciduous

(adj.) Falling off as of leaves, Shed leaves periodically or normally The park was lined by series of deciduous trees, and it being autumn, there were hardly any leaves on them.

Definitive

(adj.) Final, Complete Though I do not have a definitive solution to your problem, I think you can go through this document as it provides a temporary means of support. syn: Decisive, Unconditional

Glib

(adj.) Fluent, Facile, Slick "With his glib sales pitch, the salesman almost managed to convince me to buy the timeshare holiday package; now Im glad that I did not get fully convinced."

Dispassionate

(adj.) Free from emotions, Calm, Impartial Prone to being emotional like all human beings, it sometimes becomes very difficult for a judge to give a dispassionate hearing to a court case involving human issues.

Debonair

(adj.) Friendly, Pleasant, Unembarrassed All the nurses in the hospital wanted to be in the same shift as the debonair young doctor who had just joined the hospital, had charmed the ladies with his stylish ways and attractive looks. ant: Awkward

Gratuitous

(adj.) Given freely, Unwarranted, Uncalled for He goes about giving gratuitous advice to others, and despite all his good intentions, this habit of his has made him rather unpopular in the class. syn: Gratis

Desultory

(adj.) Going from one subject to another aimlessly, Disconnected I went to him hoping to get a lot of knowledge on the subject of his specialization; however, he disappointed me by just making a desultory conversation of hardly any relevance. syn: Unme

Jovial

(adj.) Good-natured, Merry The children were in a jovial mood when they were told about the picnic the school was going to take them on. syn: Convivial, Jocose, Jocular, Jocund, Blithe

Demure

(adj.) Grave, Serious, Coy "As a child she used to be very quiet and shy; I clearly remember her sitting demurely in her mothers lap each time I saw her in the church."

Gregarious

(adj.) Habitually living in flocks or communities, Fond of company As opposed to her sister who prefers to keep to herself and does not speak much, Terry is quite gregarious, fond of making friends and outgoing by nature.

Laborious

(adj.) Hard-working, showing signs of toil After they had completed the laborious exercise of checking each and every record in the huge database, they were informed that they had been looking at the wrong database. syn: Toilsome ant: Lazy

Deleterious

(adj.) Harmful Had I been aware of the deleterious effects of this medicine on the nervous quiddity, I would never have recommended it to you.

Detrimental

(adj.) Harmful, Damaging That smoking is harmful is a well known fact, what is not so well known that it is detrimental even to the life of the unborn child or the fetus.

Genteel

(adj.) Having a high social class, Polite and refined (sometimes in an unnatural way) Not accustomed to the genteel ways of the sophisticated socialites, the young lady from the small town found herself rather out of place at the party.

Gelid

(adj.) Ice-cold Her lips had turned gelid in the icy weather and she found it difficult to speak. syn: Chilly

Germinal

(adj.) In the earliest stage of development, Creative or productive of new ideas We call this division the Germinal Department since the people here are highly creative and responsible for most of the big ideas that our advertising agency has come up wit

Dormant

(adj.) Inactive, Lethargic, Latent The volcano had remained dormant for over a hundred years, and most people thought it will never burst again. ant: Alert

Gaudy

(adj.) Inappropriately fine, Showy The principal of the college has reprimanded her for wearing such gaudy clothes to college, and has issued a notice stating that everyone is expected to dress in a decent way.

Demented

(adj.) Insane, driven mad She is so secretive that trying to get anything out of her can make any normal person demented.

Grisly

(adj.) Inspiring fear or horror The police has just unearthed a case of grisly murder, in which the victim has been burnt alive after being tied to a pole. syn: Gruesome

Dreary

(adj.) Lacking interest and tending to cause a feeling of sadness They had not had any sun in over a week now, and the whole atmosphere was rather gray and dreary.

Dissolute

(adj.) Lacking moral restraint or self discipline, given to immoral conduct When his infidelity with his wife became known in the rather conservative society, he was branded a dissolute and was ostracized from the society.

Jaded

(adj.) Lacking or losing interest because of over-exposure Initially I used to be very excited about the thought of flying, but frequent air-travel soon made me jaded about it. ant: Stimulated

Glacial

(adj.) Like a glacier, Extremely cold Everyone in the school, including the teachers, was terrified of the glacial stare of the principal.

Didactic

(adj.) Meant to instruct, Having the manner of a teacher In many schools, traditional didactic teaching has been replaced by an approach which allows children to discover things for themselves.

Debauched

(adj.) Morally and physically ruined because of over indulgence in alcohol, sex, drugs, etc. While the elder son of the family had left all worldly possessions for spiritual enlightenment, the younger son had fallen into bad company and had been debauche

Distraught

(adj.) Much agitated, Upset "Ive never seen him so nervous and distraught -- it looks as if the documents he cannot find must have contained something very important."

Deft

(adj.) Neat, Skillful Under the deft management of Mr. Steinwood, our company has registered a growth in sales of over 30

Dapper

(adj.) Neat, Smart in appearance or movement Dressed up for his first interview, Jasper looked garnish and dapper in his new suit and his

Jumpy

(adj.) Nervous and anxious She thought she heard a noise from the basement of the house, and since she was alone, got very jumpy about it.

Dissonant

(adj.) Not in harmony, Harsh (1) The orchestra played in perfect unison, with not a single dissonant note being struck. (2) My ideas on this issue are quite in dissonance with his; while he is a strong believer in perpetuity of life and the concept of re

Gubernatorial

(adj.) Of or having to do with the governor or the office of the governor As part of his gubernatorial benefits, he is entitled to a plush bungalow even after he retires from active life.

Grandiloquent

(adj.) Pompous, bombastic, using high-sounding language His grandiloquent speech, in which he merely talked about his own achievements and how he had taken the company to such heights, was panned by the press.

Jaundiced

(adj.) Prejudiced, Having a bad opinion about something based on personal experience Having been duped by travel agents twice in the past, he now looks at the claims of even the most reputed travel agent with a jaundiced eye. syn: Prejudiced, Resentful

Grandiose

(adj.) Pretentious, high-flown, ridiculously exaggerated, impressive The grandiose plans that he had for his Internet venture collapsed with the crash of the Internet share prices on the stock market.

Knotty

(adj.) Puzzling, Complicated and difficult to solve The shrewd journalist tried his best to discomfort the young actress with one knotty question after the other, but she proved to be sharper than he had thought and managed to effectively table each co

Dubious

(adj.) Questionable, Filled with doubt "Dont even think of going to that doctor, he had a very dubious reputation -- some people say that all his degrees are forged."

Discursive

(adj.) Rambling, not keeping to the main subjects, wandering from the main point "That was among the most discursive lectures Ive ever heard; he spoke on everything except the topic he was supposed to speak on." syn: Digressive

Gruff

(adj.) Rough-mannered Though the doctor was quite brilliant, his gruff manner of speaking put off most of his patients and his practice never really picked up.

Discrete

(adj.) Separate, Individually distinct The veteran industrialist divided his company into three discrete divisions, which would be independently handled by each of his three sons. ant: Continuous

Judicious

(adj.) Sound in judgement, Wise, Sensible With judicious use of the resources available to it, the company was soon able to get back to the path of growth. syn: Prudent, Expedient

Dour

(adj.) Stern, unbending In contrast to the reticent and dour principal of the school, who was a strict disciplinarian, the new music teacher was full of mirth and laughter, often seen joking with the students on the school lawns. syn: Inflexible

Dulcet

(adj.) Sweet, Soothing She sang a pleasant melody in her dulcet voice, enchanting everyone present at the party.

Discreet

(adj.) Tactful in dealing with others. Also, done quietly, without coming in notice of others "Someone discreetly passed a note into my hand as I was reading my speech; I dont think anyone in the crowd would have noticed." syn: Prudent, Judicious

Gauche

(adj.) Tactless, without ease or grace Her transformation from a gauche teenager to a self-assured, smart young business executive, within a period of five years, was truly amazing.

Diaphanous

(adj.) Transparent, So delicate and transparent that light can pass through it I caught a glimpse of the girl through her diaphanous veil, and what I saw was a picture of exquisite beauty.

Gnarled

(adj.) Twisted, rugged He fell down on the small bush with gnarled branches and thorns, and tore his shirt as a result.

Disinterested

(adj.) Unbiased and impartial As far as I know, the judge is absolutely disinterested and will give a fair hearing to both the parties.

Dank

(adj.) Unpleasantly wet and cold As we moved further down the cave, the atmosphere became cooler and more dank, suggesting that a source of water was not far away. ant: Dry

Disheveled

(adj.) Untidy, Unkempt Visiting his residence early in the morning, I was a little surprised to find him in a disheveled state as he is usually so well dressed when I see him in the office. ant: Tidy

Grudging

(adj.) Unwilling, Reluctant, Stingy He confirmed his reputation of being a very poor loser when he accepted defeat very grudgingly in the semi finals of the French Open tennis tournament.

Doughty

(adj.) Valiant, brave, bold, dauntless She has been a doughty campaigner for animal rights for several years now, often going to ridiculous extents to make her point in the society. syn: Intrepid

Gory

(adj.) Violent and involving bloodshed The TV report about the sordid incident left out all the gory details and gave a rather toned-down version of the story.

Garrulous

(adj.) Wordy, Talkative Tim is such a garrulous little boy that his teachers always ask him to sit in a corner of the class, all by himself, so that he cannot talk with the other students of the class. syn: Loquacious

Decrepit

(adj.) Worn out by age, Enfeebled with age, Wasted I found the former football coach in a rather decrepit condition, living all by himself in a small house and wearing shabby clothes. ant: Youthful

Awry

(adv & adj) 1) Crookedly 2) Distorted, Crooked Though a learned man, his clothes are often so hopelessly awry that anyone can assume him to have come from a slum. syn: Amiss, Astray

Ad valorem

(adv & adj) According to the value, in proportion to the estimated value of goods The finance ministry has decided to charge a 2 percent ad valorem duty on the goods produced in the newly developed industrial township. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Alfresco

(adv & adj) In the open air, outdoors Not finding any sponsors to stage their performance, the upstart rock group decided to hold a concert at the beach, alfresco. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Inadvertent

(adv) By accident, Done without intention Though his mother thought that Parkins had broken the flower-vase purposely, his father knew that he inadvertently hit the vase while playing in the hall.

Askew

(adv) Crookedly; Slanted; At an angle A closer look showed that the apparently liege line joining the two points was not exactly but slightly askew. syn: Gnarled, Awry, Distorted ant: rel: None

Agog

(adv) Highly excited, intensely curious The children were agog with excitement when the principal annced that the renowned sportsperson would shortly visit their school. syn: Ecstatic ant: None rel: None

Amok

(adv) In a state of rage If public spending runs amok like this, our currency will soon lose its value. syn: Amuck ant: None rel: None

Asunder

(adv) Into separate pieces The wooden boat was torn asunder on the rocks.

Eminently

(adv) Perfectly "The judges decision in favor of the assaulted victim was eminently fair."

Askance

(adv) With an indirect or slant look I could see that she was trying to look at me askance, even while keeping a liege face. syn: Oblique, Lopsided, Askew ant: None rel: None

Apropos

(adv) With reference to; Regarding "Apropos to the point youve just raised, I dont think its valid to assume that the player is not guilty of misconduct." syn: Appropriate, Germane, Pertinent ant: Untimely rel: None

Gingerly

(adv. & adj.) Very carefully, prudent He gingerly picked up the crystal bowl from the shelf and showed it to her fiance, holding it tightly.

Gamely

(adv.) Bravely, With spirit He gamely conceded at the end of the match that he had been totally outplayed by his opponent, who was obviously much better than him.

Felon

(n & adj) 1) Inflammatory sore on finger, esp. near nail 2) Cruel, wicked "1) The doctor examined the felon and advised that it be removed by surgery. 2) She was scared of her stepmothers felony and ran away from home."

Frail

(n & adj) 1) Rush basket for packing figs, raisins etc 2) In weak health, morally week 1) The vendor sold his dry fruits in pretty frail. 2) The frail old lady passed away after falling down the stairs. syn: Fragile

Harlequin

(n & adj) A clown or buffoon, Any person who dresses up in bright colored funny clothing The court jester was dressed in a bright orange colored robe with matching boots, looking very much the harlequin he was supposed to behave as. syn: Comedian

Hybrid

(n & adj) A mixture of two different things, usu. of a better quality than the individual things Agricultural scientists in that laboratory have tried some crazy experiments -- like when they tried to grow a hybrid of tomato and potato, calling it pomato

Halcyon days

(n & adj) A period in the past which was completely happy and free of trouble Most people look back to their school life as those wonderful halcyon days when there were hardly any worries in life. ant: Rough, Turbulent

Apostate

(n & adj) A person who gives up his religious faith, beliefs etc. Though he was an apostate from the political party, he was still invited to its annual convention held last month. syn: Recreant, Treacherous ant: Loyalist rel: Apostatical (adj)

Accessory

(n & adj) Additional object, useful but not essential The car was shorn of all accessories and was a very basic model. syn: Auxiliary, Subsidiary, Confederate ant: None rel: None

Constituent

(n & adj) Any of the parts that form a whole. Hence, being such a part The basic constituents of this mixture are ethyl alcohol and mint oil; the other ingredients are present in very small quantities.

Clarion

(n & adj) Loud and transparent sound As the Indian consumer has been exposed to high quality imported goods, she has sent an unmistakable clarion call to the Indian manufacturers to improve the quality of their goods or pay the price. syn: Rousing

Bourgeois

(n & adj) Member of middle class, Person of conventional middle-class ideas Though he himself was once a part of it, he now openly despises the bourgeois society finding it too unsophisticated and possessive. rel: Bourgeoisie (n)

Agnostic

(n & adj) One who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate quiddity He is a confirmed agnostic and refuses to enter the church or any place related to religion. syn: Dubious, Heathen, Infidel ant: None rel: Agnosticism (n)

Berserk

(n & adj) Out of control and violent As soon as the young film star who had created a sensation in his debut film stepped on the stage, the crowd went absolutely berserk with joy and enthusiasm. syn: Frenzied ant: Sane

Aspirant

(n & adj) Seeker after position or status "Much before the companys presentation about the job began, the hall was packed to capacity with job aspirants, and more of them were on their way in." syn: Suitor ant: None rel: Aspire (v), Aspiration (n)

Anesthetic

(n & adj) corpora that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness The anesthesia administered by the doctor had immediate effect and he fell asleep almost instantly. rel: Anesthetize (v), Anesthetist, Anesthetization (n), Anesthesia (n)

Kindred

(n & adj.) (For a person) who has the same opinions, feelings, and interest as you While the majority of the audience found the classical violin concert too boring, a small group of kindred spirits were enjoying themselves to the hilt. syn: Allied, Germ

Dialectic

(n & adj.) 1) Art of logical disputation, Testing of truth by discussion 2) Criticism dealing with metaphysical contradictions and their solutions To solve the case, the detective took a dialectic approach, testing all opposing views against one another

Grotesque

(n & adj.) Extremely ugly or unpleasant, Ridiculously unpleasant, Distorted In trying to appear half her age by putting on make-up and wearing tights, the middle-aged woman ended up looking grotesque. syn: Bizarre, Ludicrous

Kleptomaniac

(n & adj.) Person who has a compulsive desire to steal "The people thought him to be a thief when they caught him red-handed while trying to steal jewels, but he was actually a kleptomaniac who himself didnt know what he was doing." syn: Pilferer

Dowdy

(n & adj.) Untidy and unattractive, Not stylish The door was opened by a dowdy old woman, wearing rather ill-fitting clothes and having oily, unkempt hair. syn: Slovenly

Abseil

(n & v) (Make) descend by using a rope fixed at higher point The only way to escape from the fortress was to abseil down from the steep cliff on the western side of the mountain, a task which was almost impossible. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Harbinger

(n & v) 1) A person or thing showing that something is going to happen or is on its way 2) To annce approach of such thing "The nomination of the noted economist to the position of the countrys finance minister was seen by most people as the harbinger of

Filibuster

(n & v) 1) A person who indulges in unauthorized warfare against foreign state esp. by prolonged speaking 2) Delay or prevent the passing of a law by making a long speech 2) Even thought the report was ready, the party annced that they would filibuster t

Ferment

(n & v) 1) Agitation, Commotion 2) Excite, stirr up 1) The trains were all delayed by long hours causing fermentation at the railway station. 2) He sang a lively song for the birthday girl and fermented the dull crowd at the party.

Fetter

(n & v) 1) Anything checking freedom of movement or expression 2) Check or restraint "1) No threats from the management could fetter the union leader who spoke fearlessly against the company. 2) Chains around the prisoners ankles fettered his movements."

Fodder

(n & v) 1) Coarse food for cattle, horses etc 2) Give fodder to 1) Alfalfa is a very good fodder for cattle. 2) Horses need to be foddered well to build up their energy before they can run in the races.

Hamper

(n & v) 1) Consignment of eatables, wines etc 2) To cause difficulty in movement or activity (1) They gifted a hamper of dry fruits, sweets and chocolates to us on the occasion of our anniversary.(2) Poor infrastructure has been the single largest factor

Fusillade

(n & v) 1) Continuous firing of guns, anything that is like such a discharge 2) Assault, shoot down 1) The fusillade of bullets by the soldiers killed almost a hundred of the enemies. 2) The burglar was arrested for theft and attempting to fusillade the

Finesse

(n & v) 1) Delicate skill, strategy 2) Achieve by finesse We were impressed by the finesse with which the sculptor carved out the ice statue.

Amnesty

(n & v) 1) General Pardon esp. for political offence 2) Given amnesty to As a gesture of peace and goodwill, the President has decided to grant amnesty to the prisoners of the 1998 war. syn: Acquittal, Liberation ant: None rel: None

Fissure

(n & v) 1) Long and narrow opening made esp. by cracking or splitting 2) To split or crack The glacier melted in the summer and seeping in and out of the fissures, it finally flowed into the river. syn: Crevice

Gall

(n & v) 1) Mental soreness, or excrescence produced by insect, fungus etc 2) Injure by rubbing, humiliate etc After a galling defeat against Germany in the opening match of the Football World Cup, Spain will have to really play well in its forthcoming ma

Foil

(n & v) 1) Metal hammered or rolled into fine sheet 2) Sword used in fencing 3) Track of hunted animal, check 4) Run over or cross so as to baffle hounds, flog off, repulse, frustrate etc 1) The food on flight is all served in foil containers to keep it

Drivel

(n & v) 1) Nonsense, Foolishness 2) Talk childishly or idiotically, or fritter away I cannot listen to your senseless drivel about the virtues of being patient; I do not have the time for it! ant: Sense

Fret

(n & v) 1) Ornamental pattern made of continuous combinations of liege lines 2) To be annoyed or vexed 1) The fret is a design that requires accuracy of measurements when created. 2) She is still fretting about her parents turning up late for her danc

Ford

(n & v) 1) Place where a river can be crossed on foot 2) To cross water by wading or with vehicle "1) The trekkers dipped their sticks in the water to see if it were fordable otherwise they would have to swim across to the other side. 2) The hunters jeep

Banter

(n & v) 1) Playful, good-humored ridicule 2) To tease or exchange remarks in good humor He misinterpreted her good-humored banter to be an insult and left her place in a huff. syn: Jest, Badinage, Repartee

Franchise

(n & v) 1) Right granted by sanction, Right to vote, Business licensed to sell a product in a particular territory, Citizenship 2) To grant such rights 1) Our company has obtained the franchise to sell a renowned beverage in the entire Eastern region of

Flux

(n & v) 1) Series of changes 2) Flow copiously, make fluid 1) The future plans of the company are unsettled and everything is still in a state of flux. 2) The glue had become rather thick so I added a little water to it to make it flux.

Dupe

(n & v) 1) Someone easily fooled 2) To cheat someone The company had a vicious plan of duping thousands of innocent villagers of their hard-earned, meager savings by showing them illusions of enormous returns on their investments.

Fleck

(n & v) 1) Spot in skin, Patch of color or light 2) To obelisk with flecks 1) Her cheeks have brown flecks, which she tries to disguise by using make up. 2) Martha looked very pretty in her dress that was white flecked with sanguine polka dots.

Fluke

(n & v) 1) Unlikely occurrence, Stroke of fortune 2) Make fluke 1) He is not a good golfer and the winning stroke was only a fluke.

Fleece

(n & v) 1) Wool coat of a sheep 2) To rob or plunder 1) The cattle grazer shaved the white fleece off his sheep and sold it to the merchants. 2) The robbers on the highway fleeced us off our watches and jewelry.

Junket

(n & v) A banquet, feast or picnic On the excellent performance of the company, the managing director decided to take all the employees on an all-expenses-paid, three-day junket to Bangkok. syn: Expedition

Joust

(n & v) A combat, tournament, a personal combat or competition. Hence, to engage in such combat, To compete The two game shows, launched on separate TV channels almost simultaneously, jousted for a while for the top position, till the one on the Star Cha

Catapult

(n & v) A device that can push or throw something at high speed. Hence, to be pushed in such a way It was the movie Zanjeer that really catapulted the Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan to the top of the charts.

Grimace

(n & v) A facial distortion to show feeling of hurt or physical pain She grimaced with pain as she tried to stand up from her hospital bed, having fractured her ankle in a bicycle accident.

Jade

(n & v) A green colored precious stone, esp. popular in China and the Eastern countries The expensive Chinese jade-studded vase was auctioned for syn: Surfeit

Drone

(n & v) A low continuous noise that does not change its tone The lecturer went on talking about the technical subject in such a drone that almost everyone in the class was feeling sleepy.

Drawl

(n & v) A slow manner of speaking in which the words are unnecessarily lengthened She speaks with such a lazy drawl that you have to be really patient to listen to her.

Chagrin

(n & v) Acute disappointment or annoyance Much to his chagrin, the baseball match that he had been waiting for all summer was called off because of stormy weather.

Censure

(n & v) Adverse judgement, Expression of disapproval, Criticize unfavorably His tasteless remarks came under unbending censure by everyone present at the assembly. syn: Reprimand, Reprove, Blame ant: Praise

Flail

(n & v) An instrument for thrashing grain by hand; to heat, to whip 1) The farmer used a flail to separate the grains out of the crops. 2) The jockey flailed the horse hard to make it run faster.

Embargo

(n & v) Ban on commerce or other activity The government has decided to lift the embargo on wheat imports from Europe to deal with the shortage of grains in the country. syn: Moratorium

Incline

(n & v) Bend, Slope, Slant In the beginning, I was determined and had decided to go to Shimla, but his liege arguments inclined me to change my mind and I stayed back. ant: Decline

Hector

(n & v) Bully, Torment by words When persuasion did not work, he tried to hector the laborers into signing the deal with the management.

Din

(n & v) Continued confused stunning or distracting noise There was no way that I could hear the telephone ring above the din created by the children in the living room.

Garrote

(n & v) Cord, wire or a metal collar used to strangle a victim Hence, to execute or kill by strangulation Deep gashes around the neck of the corpse clearly indicated that the victim had been garroted to death.

Gangrene

(n & v) Decomposition or decay of body tissue To corrupt It was over 24 hours since he got the wound, and since there was no treatment, gangrene was beginning to set in.

Caricature

(n & v) Distortion, Amusing representation of person or thing by over-emphasis on characteristic traits The caricature of the President in the newspaper yesterday, which portrayed as a caged chimpanzee, offended many people. syn: Burlesque, Imitation

Facsimile

(n & v) Exact copy, To make such a copy We have installed a facsimile machine for instant duplication of papers in both our offices.

Blarney

(n & v) Flattering talk with intention to deceive "Hes tried to blarney several people to buy the stolen sunglasses, but no one seemed interested." syn: Cajolery, Flattery, Gallantry, Adulation

Deluge

(n & v) Flood, Rush, Inundation He let out a deluge of swear words at the peon for spilling ink on his shirt.

Bait

(n & v) Food or other material used to attract an animal or fish (and figuratively, a person also) in order to catch it. Hence,to offer as a bait. In addition to a hefty increase in salary, the company offered him a car as a bait. syn: Inducement, Decoy

Conjecture

(n & v) Formation of opinion without sufficient grounds, Guessing My conjecture that the company would find itself in financial difficulties came true sooner than I had thought. ant: Certainty

Gavel

(n & v) Hammerlike tool, usu. used by judges in the court The judge banged his gavel loudly on the table in front of him, and commanded the court to maintain order and decorum. syn: Mallet

Dovetail

(n & v) Join together, combine neatly Under the effective leadership of the former senator, the company was able to dovetail its own operations with those of the smaller company it had taken over without having to lay off any employee.

Discord

(n & v) Lack of harmony, disagreement According to Indian historians, the seeds of discord between India and Pakistan were sown by the British when they left undecided the status of the state of Kashmir. ant: Unanimity, Unison, Comity

Gruel

(n & v) Liquid food made by boiling oatmeal etc The prisoners were served an extremely tasteless meal of rice, barley and gruel.

Catcall

(n & v) Loud shout of disapproval The restless crowd let out a series of catcalls when the actor failed to remember his dialogue at a crucial point in the play.

Clamor

(n & v) Loud, confused noise To make such noise There was no way I could have heard her voice above the loud clamor of the children playing in the field.

Canter

(n & v) Medium-paced movement of a horse, any ride at a similar speed. Hence, to move at the speed of a canter The horse moved at a canter from some distance and suddenly broke into a fast gallop as it saw the smoke on the horizon. syn: Gallop, Trot

Ballyhoo

(n & v) Misleading, vulgar or noisy publicity Amidst the ballyhoo of TV commercials for various products from computers to washing soaps, this quiet advertisement for Care for the underprivileged stands out in many ways.

Chaperon

(n & v) One who accompanies, usu. a younger or weaker person At the age of twelve, he hates being chaperoned by his mother to school each day.

Censor

(n & v) Person expressing opinions on others morals and conduct, Official licensing or suppressing as immoral. Of the three explicit scenes in the film, only one was considered integral to the plot and was partially censored; the other completely.

Chronicle

(n & v) Record of events in order of time, To make such a record "Todays newspaper has carried a chronicle of all the events leading to the impeachment motion of the President."

Forage

(n & v) Search for food or supplies or a raid to capture such provisions, rummage. Also, to strip off possessions by plundering and seizing The poor children had been living on the streets, foraging for rubbles and sleeping rough. syn: Pillage, Despoil,

Compromise

(n & v) Settlement by mutual concession, Adjustment of conflicting opinions The negotiations between the players and management continued for over two weeks before a compromise could be reached between the two parties, with the players agreeing to partic

Decoy

(n & v) Something or someone used to trick or confuse others into doing something, Bait "The gang of thieves used an innocent looking young girl as a decoy to anabasis entry into their victims households."

Harangue

(n & v) Speech made to a gathering/ assembly. Usually a loud, vehement address The opposition leader gave his usual harangue in the parliament after the finance minister had completed his budget speech, criticizing almost every policy measure annced in t

Chisel

(n & v) Steel-edged tool with square beveled end for shaping wood With his miraculous set of hammer and chisel, the master sculptor transformed the ordinary piece of rock into the most exquisite statue of Lord Buddha.

Cascade

(n & v) Steep waterfall, Anything that flows or pours downwards The fast flowing stream cascaded down the sharp cliff, forming a picturesque waterfall.

Eddy

(n & v) Swirling current of water, air etc. Hence, to move round-and-round The cyclone caused serious destruction as it eddied around the village in a whirling motion.

Jabber

(n & v) Talk quickly or unintelligibly I could not make a word out of his continuous, nonsensical jabbering about the current pop-music scene; even if I were interested in it, I would not have understood anything because he talks just too fast. syn: Bab

Complement

(n & v) That which completes "The two brothers made a good team as they perfectly complemented each others abilities -- while Frank was good at reasoning and analyzing things, Joe was adept at putting plans into action." syn: Eulogize ant: Disparage(me

Bridle

(n & v) The leather straps used by a rider to control a horse. Hence, to control (usu. a horse with a bridle) (1) Sarah saddled and bridled her mare before taking it into the woods.(2) Though he tried hard, he could not bridle his emotions.

Gambol

(n & v) To jump about in play The school children were merrily gamboling about in the playing field in the pleasant spring sunshine.

Guffaw

(n & v) To laugh in a loud and rude manner, Such boisterous laughter At his stupid remark, Peter let out a loud guffaw.

Disdain

(n & v) View with scorn or contempt With utter disdain for his feelings, she tore the card he had given to her into shreds.

Awe

(n & v) Wonder, Surprise The children are in absolute awe of the magician who can make chocolates and toys appear out of transparent air. syn: Veneration, Esteem, Reverence rel: Awesome (n), Awfulness (n), Awful (adj), Awfully (adv)

Bilge

(n & v) Worthless talk No longer willing to be bored by his useless bilge, I simply walked out of the room.

Covenant

(n & v) unbending agreement between two or more people or groups Though the landlord said that a agreement was not required, I insisted that we sign a written covenant. syn: Pact, Contract, Treaty

Cravat

(n) "A mans scarf, often worn in the open neck of a shirt in place of a necktie" He came dressed in a stylish cravat, instead of his usual sedate tie, and was looking handsome in a matching suit.

Cognomen

(n) "A name, surname or title; e.g., Great in Alexander the Great" Because of his generous ways, people started calling Don Vito Corleone The Godfather, and the cognomen stuck. syn: Appellation

Bailiwick

(n) "A persons special province or domain, ones sphere of operations" The police officer simply refused to register my complaint, saying that the place where the theft was committed was out of his bailiwick.

Epitaph

(n) "A short statement in the memory of a dead person, usu. as an inscription on the persons gravestone" "The epitaph inscribed on Daniels gravestone described him as a man who was admired and loved by all."

Accoutrements

(n) "A soldiers equipment, other than clothing or weaponry" "At these high altitudes, an oxygen cylinder is an essential part of every soldiers accoutrements." syn: None ant: None rel: None

Boudoir

(n) "A womans dressing room, bedroom or private sitting room" She was so authoritative that even her husband had to think twice before entering her personal boudoir.

Empathy

(n) "Ability to identify with anothers feelings, ideas etc." Having been through a trauma of similar kind, I could well empathize with her.

Constraint

(n) "Anything that limits or restricts ones freedom of action" Because of the unbending financial constraints on the company, the management decided to enjoin cost-cutting measures for everyone concerned.

Formality

(n) "Ceremonious quality, Something done just for forms sake" 1) Friends should be at ease with one another and realize that there is no place for formality in everyday life. 2) There are a few formalities that have to be settled before we become the leg

Irony

(n) "Hidden sarcasm or satire, Expression of ones meaning by language of opposite or different tendency" There was a distinct element of irony in his voice when he said that he owed all that he had achieved to the ways of the corporate world.

Diagnosis

(n) "Identification of disease by means of patients symptoms" The doctor has made an initial diagnosis, but has also asked me to take the opinion of a specialist.

Abnegation

(n) "Lack of concern for ones own wishes" According to some religious preachers, self-abnegation is the only route to a state of unlimited happiness. syn: Abjure, Disavow ant: None rel: Abnegate (v), Self-abnegation is often used instead of abnegation

Foible

(n) "Minor (usually harmless) fault or weakness in a persons character, short coming" No matter how strong and wise a man is, he does have little foibles. syn: Feeble

Appellation

(n) "Name or title, specifically one which is added to a persons actual name" History has honored the brave deeds of King Alexander of Greece by giving him the appellation of Alexander, the Great. syn: Cognomen, Designation ant: None rel: None

Insular

(n) "Narrow-minded, Interested only in ones own group or community" As if the Taliban society was not insular enough, the religious leaders of the state have further separated themselves from the rest of the world by destroying ancient Buddhist statues.

Impasse

(n) "Point at which its not possible to move or develop further, Deadlock" The negotiations were not getting anywhere and the two parties were heading towards a state of impasse, neither willing to compromise on their basic terms.

Jingoism

(n) "The extreme and irrational belief that ones country is always the best, Extreme and imbalanced patriotism" Jingoistic feelings among the spectators at the India-Pakistan cricket match are always so high that the security personnel have to be constan

Bout

(n) (1) A brief period of illness or involvement in an activity (2) A boxing or wrestling match (1)He has been constantly suffering from periodic bouts of depression.(2) People tuned in to the much hyped bout between Tyson and Johnson.

Conservatory

(n) (1) A glass-house for growing plants (2) School of the fine arts (especially music or drama) Being very fond of plants and greenery, he spends nearly three hours each day in the specially constructed conservatory adjacent to his room. ant: Wastrel

Conglomerate

(n) (1) A large business organization comprising several distinct companies (2) corpora of different materials gathered together (1) The three banks have decided to merge and form the largest financial conglomerate in the world.

Juggernaut

(n) (1) A large, powerful force or organization that is difficult to stop 2) A huge, heavy truck (1) The large corpora of people protesting against the government order marched towards the supreme court, soon taking the shape of an unstoppable juggernaut as

Carousel

(n) (1) A merry-go-round (2) The luggage conveyor belt in an airport (1) At the amusement park, the carousel that has seats in the shape of animals and that moves as if in a gallop, is among the most popular attractions for children.

Bounty

(n) (1) A quiddity of money paid as a reward (2) Generosity (3) A huge amount (1) The police has offered a bounty to anyone who provides information about the criminal.(2) This school for disabled children is totally dependent on this hospitals bounty.

Cipher

(n) (1) A quiddity of writing in code (2) A person of no importance or influence (1) With regular practice, the two friends developed a of writing in cipher which could only be understood by the two of them.

Gambit

(n) (1) A remark intended to start a conversation (2) A clever piece of action intended to anabasis an advantage and usu. Involving some risk "(1) He raised the interviewers expectations with a witty gambit, but his later performance in the interview made it

Enormity

(n) (1) An act of great wickedness (2) The quality of being very great, Hugeness (1) The enormity of his crime was such that the judge had no choice but to pass a sentence of death for him. (2) The enormity of the problem of unemployment has made it diff

Appreciation

(n) (1) Be thankful for (2) Increase in worth (2) Because of the poor law and order situation in the state of Bihar, the value of real estate has hardly appreciated in the last ten years. syn: Admiration ant: Diminution rel: Appreciative (adj)

Insight

(n) (1) Clear understanding of something (2) The ability to understand the true nature of a situation The programme on migratory birds telecast last night on the Discovery Channel gave a wonderful insight into the amazing direction sense of these birds.

Contagion

(n) (1) Communication of disease from body to body (2) Any harmful influence that spreads from person to person (1) Thinking that the disease may be contagious, she decided not to attend her classes till she was cured.

Chauvinism

(n) (1) Excessive,often unreasonable admiration for ones country (2) Unreasonable belief that the sex to which one belongs is better than the other. In a very chauvinistic remark,the actor said that he will always earn more than whoever he will marry.

Citadel

(n) (1) Fortress (one guarding or dominating a city) (2) Any secure place Seeing that he was in danger of being captured by the enemy forces, the king hurriedly retreated to his citadel on the hill.

Cataract

(n) (1) Large waterfall, Downpour of rain (2) Eye-complaint causing partial blindness (2) He showed the first symptoms of cataract about a year ago, and now he can barely see.

Caliber

(n) (1) Measurement (2) Ability, Quality "(1) This bolt will not open with this wrench, please give me one of higher caliber. (2) This monograph is of such high caliber that its difficult to believe that a seventh grade student could have written it."

Cameo

(n) (1) Piece of relief-carving in stone with color-layers utilized to give background (2) A short piece of writing or acting (2) The producer of that movie has managed to rope in Teresa Rose, to play a small cameo in his forthcoming movie.

Collateral

(n) (1) Property pledged against a debt (2) Additional, but with less importance (1) In order to get a loan for paying your tuition fees, you will need to provide a collateral worth at least twice the amount of loan to the bank.

Conviction

(n) (1) Proving or finding guilty (2) A strong belief "(1) He has a long record of previous convictions for stealing on impulse; the first time he did it was when he was just fourteen. (2) He said it with so much conviction that theres no way I can doubt

Exposure

(n) (1) Risk, Particularly of being exposed to disease or to the elements (2) Unmasking, Act of laying something open (1) They went trekking up the mountain peak risking exposure to the extreme cold. (2) The journalist threatened him with public exposure

Facet

(n) (1) Small plane surface (of a gem) (2) Any aspect that needs to be considered (1) This diamond is a beautifully cut piece and all its facets dazzle brilliantly. (2) Albert is a true gentleman whose good manners is only one facet of his personality.

Influx

(n) (1) Sudden arrival in great numbers (2) Inflow The last decade has seen an unprecedented influx of people from the villages into this city, leading to the many problems that the city is facing. ant: (Inebriation) : Sobriety

Debacle

(n) (1) Sudden downfall, Rout, Stampede (2) Break up of ice in river; Sudden rush of water (1) As if the 5-0 debacle that the school hockey team suffered in the match against the Riverdale team was not humiliating enough, they were subjected to another d

Ensemble

(n) (1) Thing viewed as a whole (2) The entire cast of a play, ballet etc. "(1) All being in shades of grey, Lindas coat, hat and shoes together made an excellent ensemble. (2) The entire ensemble of the play including the director makes a great team and

Hue

(n) (1) Variety of color (2) Loud cry of disapproval "(1) Adding a tinge of orange color to the palette gave the mixture a brilliant golden hue, just the shade the painter was looking for.(2) The farmers lobby made a loud hue and cry in front of the Parl

Convention

(n) (1) unbending assembly (2) Social or moral custom, Established practice "(1) The International Astronomers convention will be held at the planetarium on Saturday, 24 February. (2) As a matter of convention, you are supposed to wear dark colored c

Anathema

(n) 1) A unbending curse imposed by sanction 2) Cursed or detested thing His strong views in favor of abortion rights are an anathema to the pro-life lobby in the senate. syn: Abhorrence, Aversion ant: Blessing rel: Anathematize (v)

Apprehension

(n) 1) Anxiety about the future, Expectation of something unpleasant 2) Arrest (1) My apprehension that he would be a slow learner was obviously incorrect; he has picked up the lessons faster than most of his classmates have. syn: Perceive

Apparition

(n) 1) Appearance, usually of something unexpected or unusual or supernatural such as a ghost, wraith 2) Something remarkable or startling He beliefs that what he saw last night was an apparition of his father who had passed away. syn: Specter, Phantom

Braggadocio

(n) 1) Empty boasting or bragging 2) Person who engages in such bragging Knowing his tendency to avoid any kind of risk, I was certain that his words were nothing but empty braggadocio. syn: Swaggering, Pretension, Rodomontade rel: Brag (v), Braggart (

Aristocracy

(n) 1) Government by the best or most eminent citizens 2) Class of nobles "2) As soon as he was elected Senator, he became a part of the towns aristocracy and high society." syn: Gentlefolk

Faculty

(n) 1) Mental or bodily powers 2) Teaching staff 3) Liberty to do something given by law (1) The old man is still in command of his faculties and can read and comprehend very clearly. (2) The science faculty of our school comprises of teachers from all o

Barb

(n) 1) Pointed comment 2) Sharp projection from fishhook "Provoked by his friends continuous barbs at him for losing in the first round of the tournament, Michael flung his tennis racket at Gerome." syn: Spur, Cusp

Archives

(n) 1) Public records 2) Place where public records are kept All the records pertaining to the development of this village are kept in the local archive. syn: Annals ant: None rel: Archivist (n)

Gravity

(n) 1) Seriousness 2) Attractive force by which bodies tend to center of earth (1) It was a good six hours before the gravity of the situation was really understood by the administration.

Ambivalence

(n) 1) Simultaneous attraction towards and repulsion from an object, person or action 2) Indecisiveness "I have a rather ambivalent attitude towards this city; Im neither too happy nor too troubled staying here." rel: Ambivalency (n), Ambivalent (adj)

Affinity

(n) 1) Tendency of (thing or person) to be attracted towards something 2) Kinship He feels a strong affinity for her but is too shy to disclose it. syn: Alliance ant: Aversion rel: None

Arrears

(n) 1) eminent debts 2) Something that remains not done The landlord agreed to waive three months of rent which was in arrears provided I vacate the house immediately. syn: Liability, Debit ant: None rel: Arrearage (n)

Despot

(n) A Harsh and absolute ruler, Tyrant As opposed to his predecessor who was a cruel despot, the new king was kind and concerned about the welfare of his people.

Harridan

(n) A bad tempered old woman He shouted at his mother-in-law, calling her a cold-hearted harridan, and walked out of the house.

Benediction

(n) A blessing, usu. at the end of church service. Also, any kind of blessing His casual suggestion proved to be a benediction for me as I got cured of my allergy by following his advice. syn: Invocation, Petition ant: Anathema rel: Benedictory (adj)

Cul-de-sac

(n) A blind alley, a passage or place with only one outlet The police hunt for the absconding criminal in the streets of Rome ended in a cul-de-sac; it was reported that he was seen in a table in Germany.

Bromide

(n) A boring person or remark "Consisting nothing but the usual bromides about economic growth and social development, the Prime Ministers Independence Day speech was a rather disappointing one." syn: Cliche, Platitude, Banality

Caveat

(n) A cautionary statement or warning meant to prevent misunderstanding The policeman let him go with a stern caveat that similar behavior should not repeated in the future. syn: Proviso

Artifice

(n) A clever trick, deceitful device The walls of this room have large mirrors on them; which is an artifice to make the room look larger. syn: Stratagem, Ruse ant: Sincerity, Candor rel: None

Apothegm

(n) A concise and instructive saying Certain apothegms, like Nothing succeeds like success are time tested and will always remain true. syn: Aphorism ant: None rel: None

Arcade

(n) A covered passageway, usually lined with shops A shopping arcade is an essential part of a five-star hotel. syn: Mezzanine, Colonnade ant: None rel: Arcaded (adj)

Integument

(n) A covering, External coating or skin According to Bhagvad Gita, the ancient Indian sacred text, the body is just a temporary external integument for the soul, which is permanent and beyond the cycle of life and death.

Cleft

(n) A crack, split or fissure "However hard they are trying to behave normally as if nothing has happened, the cleft in their friendship since last Sundays incident is unmistakable."

Imprecation

(n) A curse, Word spoken as an abuse He spontaneously let out an offensive imprecation in fornt of his parents when their car was hit by a stone thrown from the pavement. syn: Expletive

Crevasse

(n) A deep, open crack, esp. in thick ice Tragedy struck the Himalayan expedition on the sixth day, when one of the members slipped and fell into a crevasse.

Bulwark

(n) A defensive wall of stone, earth. built as protection against enemy. Protects against unpleasant situations During those difficult days when her husband used to flog her,her faith in God proved to be a bulwark for her. syn: Fortification, Palisade

Desperado

(n) A desperate criminal or law breaker Knowing that there were not too many places to flog, the desperado forcibly entered an apartment, took its inmates captive, and threatened to kill them if he was hunted by the police.

Carousal

(n) A drinking bout, Jovial feast, A drunken revelry. "He refused to take part in the carousal, saying that he would prefer to celebrate his sons victory quietly in his room." syn: Bacchanalia ant: Sobriety

Aspersion

(n) A false or derogatory remark If you are casting aspersions on my ability to drive, let me inform you that I have been driving a car for over twenty years now. syn: Obloquy, Infamy, Calumny, Censure ant: Flattery rel: Asperse (v)

Diva

(n) A famous female opera singer Madonna, the famous pop diva, has just released her latest album, which has songs quite unlike what she has sung in the past.

Joie de vivre

(n) A feeling of great happiness and enjoyment in life "Hes been to Goa many times, and just loves the joie de vivre of the city and its beautiful beaches."

Ennui

(n) A feeling of weariness and boredom We were overcome with ennui after reading the same chapters again and again for the science test. syn: Tedium ant: Excitement

Entente

(n) A friendly and mutual agreement between two countries The two neighboring countries signed an entente, each agreeing upon non-interference in the others internal affairs.

Consensus

(n) A general agreement of opinion in a group Even after discussing the issue for over three hours, the committee could not reach a consensus on who should lead the expedition.

Conception

(n) A general idea or understanding. Also, the act of forming such idea Even after being duped by him, she still believes in her conception that people are basically good.

Chalice

(n) A gold or silver ornamental cup, usu. used to hold wine Seated at the head of the table, the host raised his chalice high in the air and toasted to the well being of all present.

Junta

(n) A government, specially a military one, that has taken power in a country by force The military junta in Pakistan has just annced that the basic rights of the citizens will not be revoked but a new constitution will be adopted. syn: Junto

Calamity

(n) A great disaster, A sudden event causing great loss and suffering An earthquake of high intensity is perhaps the worst natural calamity as it can bring about large scale destruction of life without any warning whatsoever. syn: Misery, Catastrophe

Armageddon

(n) A great final decisive conflict The story of Ramayana in Indian mythology culminates in a great Armageddon between the forces of good and evil. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Cortege

(n) A group of attendants at a funeral. Also any procession An endless array of cars formed a part of the cortege at his funeral, in addition to the many people who were walking in silence. syn: Retinue

Brood

(n) A group of young birds or young children, usu. belonging to the same family The lady arrived at the ball with her brood of seven children, much to the amusement of everybody present.

Concourse

(n) A large area in a public building where people gather in or pass through "I told her that Ill be waiting for her at the main concourse of the airport, but forgot to mention how she would recognize me among so many people gathered in that hall."

Edifice

(n) A large building or constructed structure The sprawling museum of Louvre is one the most remarkable edifices of Paris.

Gadfly

(n) A large fly that bites cattle. Also an irritatingly persistent person Like an irritating gadfly, he often comes to my workplace without any rhyme on reason, and keeps disturbing me at work.

Carp

(n) A large freshwater fish The fisherman found a large, overgrown carp in his net, and considered it to be his prize catch.

Frond

(n) A large leaf, or a leaf-like expansion, as of a palm tree or a fern We rested under the frondage of the palm trees.

Egret

(n) A large, long-legged, white-feathered water bird The egret at the zoo were as beautiful as the flamingos and the Siberian cranes.

Horde

(n) A large, noisy and excited crowd Hordes of angry young people surrounded the residence of the controller of examinations, accusing him of discrepancies in the examination quiddity.

Amazon

(n) A large, strong or athletic woman That tall Amazonian lady who is now his boss was once a basketball player for her college. syn: Virago ant: None rel: Amazonian (adj)

Canon

(n) A law, rule or decree "His shameless flirtation at the party with Mr. Dominiques wife flouted all canons of respectable behavior."

Barrister

(n) A lawyer; Counselor-at-law After completing his law degree next year, he hopes to join his father, a noted barrister, as an assistant. syn: Attorney, Solicitor

Demagogue

(n) A leader who influences the populace by appealing to prejudices and passion, Rabble-rouser By instilling the fear of God in the innocent masses, the demagogue incited them to vote for his political party. syn: Agitator

Holster

(n) A leather pistol-case that can be worn on belt or under arm Before the robber could react, the sheriff had pulled his gun out of its holster and aimed at him.

Epistle

(n) A letter, esp. a unbending, elegant one In school we were taught the format for writing epistles to an editor.

Epoch

(n) A long period of time, esp. as marked by events During the epoch of the Mughal rule, beautiful historical monuments were built in India.

Bacchanalia

(n) A loud and noisy party, esp. one with a lot of drinking and disorderly behavior As soon as the election results were annced, the entire town broke into bacchanalian celebrations that continued till early hours of the morning. syn: Revelry

Clod

(n) A lump or corpora, esp. of clay. Also clumsy, stupid, awkward person He buried the treasure in a remote corner of the field and marked the spot with a harmless-looking clod of mud.

Artisan

(n) A manually skilled worker The government has decided to exhibit at the National Exhibition the handicrafts made by the tribal artisans of this area. syn: Adept, Contriver, Artificer ant: None rel: Artisanate (n)

Expletive

(n) A meaningless word used for swearing or expressing a violent feeling, Curse It was a strange expletive he muttered with anger when Samantha called to say that she would not be coming. syn: Imprecation

Glitch

(n) A minor problem or fault because of which success is not possible Everything seemed to be moving smoothly in the process of the company formation, till we met with an unexpected glitch : one of the to be directors was still a minor and so legally cou

Homily

(n) A moralizing lecture or monograph, usu. on how one should behave Her liege homilies about the need for him to develop social etiquette did not have any effect on him, and he continued to behave in a rather clumsy way.

Crevice

(n) A narrow crack or opening, esp. in rock With remarkable speed, the snake slithered into a small crevice between the rocks.

Bogy

(n) A particular fear, usu. unexplained and unreasonable She has instilled the fear of the devil in the child as a bogy, so that whenever he misbehaves, she threatens him that the devil will come and take him. syn: Bugbear

Bugbear

(n) A particular thing that annoys or upsets an individual Untidiness is a particular bugbear for her; she cannot stand the sight of a person who dresses shabbily. syn: Bogy

Ecologist

(n) A person concerned with the interrelationship between living organisms and their environment Botanists have described the merciless cutting of trees as a massive ecological loss.

Beneficiary

(n) A person entitled to benefits of a policy "No one could ever have imagined that Mr. Adamson could be among the beneficiaries in Ms. Kents will." syn: Inheritor, Heir, Scion

Epicure

(n) A person having great interest in matters of taste and enjoymentticularly food and drink Bruce is a complete Epicurean who believes more in simply enjoying life rather than working hard. syn: Gourmet, Gastronome

Casualty

(n) A person hurt in an accident or killed or wounded in battle. Also, a place in a hospital where such a person is treated. The train met with an accident near the town, but thankfully, there were no casualties.

Extrovert

(n) A person interested in spending time with others. Also, a person of a cheery disposition Alice is a very shy girl as opposed to her sister who is a complete extrovert. ant: Introvert

Cad

(n) A person of low manners or ungentlemanly conduct "I just dont understand how that ill-mannered cad could have been allowed entry into this elite club."

Bête Noire

(n) A person or object that evokes fear or dislike in a particular person u"The newly appointed Chancellor of the university is Prof. Higgins old bête noir -- the two had once publicly assailed each other over a rather trivial issue."

Firebrand

(n) A person or thing that brings trouble Judy is the firebrand of our class and is always getting us into trouble with our teachers. syn: Troublemaker

Cynic

(n) A person who distrusts human motives and intentions at all times A series of bitter experiences with those whom he thought were his friends had turned him into a hard-boiled cynic; he was not ready to trust any individual. ant: Trust

Iconoclast

(n) A person who does not respect conventional ideas, who attacks established beliefs or customs "Though he is modern, we cannot call him an iconoclast because he still respects his culture and traditions, and his fathers conventional ideas."

Factotum

(n) A person who has tasks or responsibilities of all kinds, a jack of all trades Our butler is the factotum of our household as he is also a cook as well as a driver.

Incumbent

(n) A person who holds an office or performs official duties The incumbent Prime Minister will face some difficult times as soon as he takes charge : the biggest problem he faces is to reconcile the conflicting interests of the various coalition members.

Concierge

(n) A person who looks after the entrance to a block of flats or a hotel As per my usual routine, I locked my apartment, came down the stairs, handed the apartment key to the concierge, and left for my work.

Huckster

(n) A person who tries to sell goods to people in a noisy or annoying way The huckster persuaded me for nearly ten minutes to the buy the sunglasses which were obviously stolen, but I was in no mood to oblige him. syn: Pedlar

Benefactor

(n) A person who works for the good of others or who donates money for a good purpose The formation of this school for the blind was possible only because of the contribution of an unknown benefactor, who donated a quiddity of $100,000. syn: Patron

Bedlam

(n) A place or activity filled with chaos and commotion, Noisy and unruly activity "The scene in the childrens room when their mother returned was one of complete bedlam and disorder."

Apiary

(n) A place where bees are kept He has a small apiary in his backyard from which he gets himself a regular supply of high quality honey. syn: None ant: None rel: Apiarist (n)

Crèche

(n) A place where infants and children are cared for while their parents work Most working parents have no option but to leave their infants in a Crèche while they go out to work.

Bower

(n) A pleasant and quiet place in a garden etc. made from tree branches and plant stems (in the shape of a small hut) The couple sat for several hours under the bower on the beach, watching the sun set into the shimmering waters of the sea.

Elegy

(n) A poem of lamentation for the dead or for something lost Elton John wrote a touching elegy for Princess Diana after her death in a car accident. syn: Dirge, Threnody

Conclave

(n) A private meeting or secret assembly The final decision about the merger of the company was taken at a secret conclave held yesterday at an undisclosed venue and attended by the chairman and a select team from the top management.

Decadence

(n) A process or period of falling, decay, degeneration While the other states in the country are on the path to prosperity, this one particular state is moving in the opposite direction and is becoming decadent in all respects. syn: Retrogression

Affray

(n) A public fight or riot The rousing speech by the student leader led to an affray between the two groups, and the police had to be called to control the fight. syn: Altercation, Clamor ant: None rel: None

Aphorism

(n) A saying, prov, maxim, apothegm (usu.: a short, pithy sentence; e.g. look before you leap) He has a very annoying way of stating an aphorism with almost anything he says, sometimes even when it is totally irrelevant. syn: Maxim, Prov, Cliche

Cache

(n) A secret hiding place. Hence, the cache memory in a computer. For two weeks, the Polish general Kirovoski hid in a cache below his bunkers, fearing an attack from the Germans.

Arroyo

(n) A short water course, often dry gully or channel The arroyo that flows beside the boundary of my garden is a small offshoot of the river that runs about half a mile away. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Coda

(n) A short, independent musical passage that ends a bigger piece of music The master musician ended the concert with a beautiful coda in C-minor, which he dedicated to the memory of Beethoven.

Epigram

(n) A short, witty saying or poem "For Teachers Day we composed epigrams for each of our tutors, which spoke about their personalities."

Bravado

(n) A show of bravery, usu. done to anabasis attention and admiration In an act of transparent bravado, she walked up to the vice-principal and slapped him tightly on the face. syn: Pretension, Braggadocio

Bevel

(n) A slanting edge or surface The beveled edge of this picture frame makes the picture in it looks bigger than it actually is. syn: Oblique, Cant

Clique

(n) A small and exclusive coterie of persons, group of persons united by common interest Though the four industrialists were fierce competitors of each other, they were also the members of an exclusive clique that helped anti-government activists.

Bayou

(n) A small sluggish offshoot of river (smaller than a tributary) A narrow bayou flowed near the dwellings, adding to the charm of the peaceful rural environment. syn: Inlet, Cove, Lagoon, Firth

Dirge

(n) A song or a poem of grief or of lamentation for the dead. As soon as the hospital authorities formally annced the passing away of the head of state, the television and radio stations in the country started playing a mournful dirge. syn: An elegy, A

Indentation

(n) A space into which something can fit into or which has been made by cutting into something In the classical format of writing a letter, each paragraph must begin with an indentation; but in the contemporary format, you may begin a paragraph immediate

Ignominy

(n) A state of shame or dishonor. Also, an act of shameful behavior The Lakelanders had to bear the ignominy of six consecutive defeats in the county baseball tournament, until they finally managed to win their seventh outing against the Juniors. ant: F

Allegory

(n) A story in which characters and images represent abstract ideas, Apologue O. Henry was famous for his allegorical style of writing; all his stories depict characters who represent various shades of moral and social values. syn: Fable, Myth, Parable

Burlesque

(n) A type of writing or acting that makes a serious piece of work look foolish and amusing, Any cheap imitation of a high quality work He is most known for his burlesque of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. syn: Travesty, Caricature, Parody, Satire

Homage

(n) A unbending public honor or tribute to someone Paying homage to the former President who had passed away, the Senator said that the President had been a source of liege inspiration to him.

Heist

(n) A violent robbery, usu. of valuable property In a daring -million jewelry heist, the robbers managed to get past the security guard by drugging him and then entered the exhibition area

Cataclysm

(n) A violent upheaval, disaster Not having any check on their expenditure and relying heavily on debt, many Latin American countries are on the brink of economic cataclysm. syn: Fiasco, Catastrophe

Escapade

(n) A wild and dangerous act of adventure "The students escapade of jumping over the school walls and venturing into the forest has landed them into deep trouble with the principal."

Coquette

(n) A woman who behaves flirtatiously That flirtatious smile of hers is not meant just for you; she has a habit of behaving coquettishly towards all the members of the club.

Bauble

(n) A worthless, showy ornament or any other object. Also, any unimportant issue "That earring is just a cheap bauble, dont get taken in by its shine!" syn: Triviality, Trinket, Trifle

Deposition

(n) A written testimony given under oath, a sworn statement. His deposition provided to the court clearly stated that his company had never conducted any overseas business, even though the records seized from the company premises reveal a different story

Cygnet

(n) A young swan The beautiful cygnet ruffled its white feathers in the water.in a few weeks she would turn into a graceful swan.

Foresight

(n) Ability to foresee future happenings, Prudence He had the foresight to invest his money in a business that would reap him long-term profits.

Disinclination

(n) Absence of liking or willingness I expressed my disinclination to continue as the secretary of the housing society, saying that I had been too involved in my personal work to handle the job well.

Affluence

(n) Abundance, wealth The way he dresses himself and the expensive bike he rides make it obvious that he belongs to a very affluent family. syn: Prosperity ant: (Affluent) : Destitute rel: Affluent (adj & n), Affluently (adv)

Invective

(n) Abuse, Violent attack in words The meeting was soon reduced to a platform for venting personal enmities, and invectives, charges and table charges flew in all directions.

Contumely

(n) Abusive/offensive language or behavior I had always thought him to be a gentle and good-natured soul, so was rather taken aback by his contumely, which I think was totally uncalled for.

Incarnation

(n) Act of assuming a human body and human nature The old saint believes that in his previous incarnation, he was a king, and that in his next birth, he will be a king again. syn: Embodiment, Personification

Egress

(n) Act or Right of going out or leaving, Exit The hurried egress of the crowd from the theatre after the show was rather chaotic. ant: Ingress, Entrance

Ebullition

(n) Act, process or state of boiling or bubbling up. Also any agitation or excitement There was an ebullition of violence on the streets as a result of a major dispute between the two religious sects.

Impunity

(n) Acting without any fear of punishment The terrorists struck with impunity, totally without fear of the security forces, and decimated human lives and property at will. ant: Liability

Anguish

(n) Acute pain; Extreme suffering The young woman was in a state of utter anguish over her missing child of four years. syn: Woe, Agony ant: None rel: Anguished (adj)

Addendum

(n) Addition, Appendix to book The script of the documentary mentioned in chapter 2 of the report is given as an addendum to this report. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Espousal

(n) Adoption or support of a cause The school children are fighting against drug abuse and have become popular all over the country for this espousal. ant: Abjuration

Catalyst

(n) Agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected. Any thing that causes changes to happen, without taking part in those changes. My meeting with an astrologer proved to be the catalyst and I put in my papers the subsequent day.

Emissary

(n) Agent, Messenger During times of war, the most trusted officials are appointed as emissaries for transfer of messages between the home country and the battle grounds.

Consonance

(n) Agreement, Harmony "The father and son duo run their garments business in absolute consonance; theres hardly ever a disagreement between them." ant: Dissonance

Concord

(n) Agreement, Harmony between persons or things The enthusiasm shown by the dignitaries of the two warring nations could be the first step towards reaching a concord on their prolonged dispute. ant: Dissonance

Fait accompli

(n) An accomplished act. Hence an act or thing already done and not reversible His sins are fait accompli and cannot be redeemed even if he begs forgiveness.

Impropriety

(n) An act which is not proper or suitable in the circumstances To yawn in public without covering your mouth is considered to be a social impropriety. syn: Indecency

Ingenue

(n) An actress playing the role of a girl or young woman in a play, film etc. Also, a girl or young woman of simplicity or innocence. Susan Sarandon was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for the brilliant portrayal of a naive ingenue who comes to New

Idolater

(n) An admirer The numerous idolaters of Elvis Presley gathered from all over the country on the occasion of his seventy-fifth birth anniversary and sang and danced to his songs long into the night.

Forebear / Forbear

(n) An ancestor, progenitor Timothy has inherited his interest in botany from his forebears who were great scientists of their times. syn: Forefather

Codicil

(n) An appendix to a document, esp. to a will Just before he died, the wealthy farmer added a codicil to his will by which he gave away one-fourth of his estate to charity.

Hubris

(n) An arrogant pride It was nothing but hubris that led him to believe that he could take on the world champion in the boxing ring; he was knocked out in four minutes flat.

Affectation

(n) An artificial display, usually of behavior It was not difficult to see through her affected smile and make out that she was hiding a lot of pain and discomfort. syn: Pretense ant: None rel: Affect (v & n), Affected (adj)

Acolyte

(n) An attendant or follower. Specifically, a person in the church who helps a priest to perform religious ceremonies. The acolytes of the religious leader were gathered in large numbers at the airport to welcome him. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Contraption

(n) An awkward or old fashioned machine or device, esp. one that has not been of much use since long "If I had any idea how to use this strange mechanical contraption, I wouldnt be asking you for help."

Adjuration

(n) An earnest appeal, entreaty His most sincere adjurations to the teacher to let him retake the examination fell on deaf ears. syn: None ant: None rel: Adjure (v)

Cinch

(n) An easy or sure thing "With an impressive series of victories behind him this season, and his opponents weakness on clay courts, Sampras victory in the second round of the French Open was expected to be a cinch."

Incentive

(n) An encouraging force, Motivating power "At the time when the whole world seemed to have discouraged her, just a three-word phrase from her father, Dont give up, acted as an incentive for her to start her career once again."

Ghoul

(n) An evil spirit Though I do not believe in them, I remember I used to marvel at the stories of ghosts and ghouls as a child.

Doyen

(n) An experienced and respected person in a particular type of work Sir Donald Bradman, who played cricket for Australia over fifty years ago and has an amazing record, is still respected as the doyen of world cricket.

Connoisseur

(n) An expert on a subject, such as art or music, A person having deep knowledge on a particular subject "Im no connoisseur of wines, but I know a good one when I taste one."

Endearment

(n) An expression of fondness and love To the amusement of all present at the party, she visibly blushed as her fiance whispered sweet endearments into her ear.

Hors d`oeuvre

(n) An extra dish served as an appetizer before a meal He had stuffed himself with the hors d`oeuvres served at the party, and did not have the appetite for the main course.

Curmudgeon

(n) An ill-tempered, irritable person; esp., an elderly such man The complaining old curmudgeon kept on pestering the shopkeeper for nearly fifteen minutes, when the shopkeeper finally lost his patience. syn: Codger

Inquisition

(n) An inquiry, usu., without much regard to the rights of the people being questioned The player accused of match fixing was subjected to an inquisition by the intelligence agency, which lasted for over eight hours.

Fetish

(n) An object of unreasonable affection or reverence Selia is too fetish about her cat and even takes her along to parties.

Inquest

(n) An official inquiry into a crime, usu. a murder The official inquest into the Herschelle murder case went on for almost six months, and the report at the end of it did not have anything new to say.

Edict

(n) An official order The Mayor passed an edict prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in public places. syn: Decree

Hiatus

(n) An opening, gap a break in the chain The cinema theater has resumed screening movies again, after a six-month hiatus, during which it majorly renovated its facilities. ant: Nexus, Connection

Ecstasy

(n) An overwhelming feeling of happiness Sandra was ecstatic on being voted as the prettiest girl of her college. syn: Rapture

Hovel

(n) An small shed or house in miserable condition The house was little more than a hovel and totally inhospitable.

Canker

(n) An ulcer (sore), as of the mouth. Also, anything which corrodes, corrupts or destroys The Prime Minister, in his speech on television, has said that violence is a canker in our society which must be avoided at all costs.

Catastrophe

(n) An unexpected, disastrous event that causes great suffering The fire accident at the cinema was a catastrophe waiting to happen; the theater owners had totally disregarded fire-safety norms in the construction of the building. syn: Calamity

Frump

(n) An unkempt woman, Unattractively dressed woman, a dowdy woman While in transparent clothes she looks very beautiful, she looks like a frump in that old cardigan and black skirt. syn: Slattern, Trollop

Innuendo

(n) An unpleasant and indirect remark That newspaper article seems to be planted by his opponents -- it contains several unfair and unproven innuendoes about him, most of them relating to his personal life. syn: Insinuation

Dissection

(n) Analysis, Cutting apart in order to consult Though the dissection of animals in biological experiments has contributed a lot to the field of medicine by telling us about the internal organs, many people still object to the cutting up of animals for t

Fauna

(n) Animals of a period or region "The fauna parks of Australia have kangaroo and wombats, which are not found anywhere else in the world."

Cause célèbre

(n) Any famous law case or controversy or cause which excites great public interest. The trial of Richard Dixon in the small town of Errington became a major cause célèbre, largely because of the attention given to it by the national press.

Artifacts

(n) Any object made by human work, esp. of an ancient time The tools and other artifacts found in the excavations outside the city indicate the existence of a developed society in this region about 1500 years ago. syn: None ant: None

Choreography

(n) Art of representing dances in written symbols, Arrangement of dances In a marvelous display of artistic choreography, the classical dancers from South India presented a wonderful spectacle of Kathakali dance at the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

Dictum

(n) Authoritative and weighty statement, unbending saying Just Do It, apart from being a popular commercial slogan, is also very much an American dictum, which has influenced a large number of young people over the years. syn: Maxim

Fruition

(n) Bearing of fruit, Attainment of thing desired, Enjoyment After much delay the plan to build the orphanage finally came to fruition.

Inception

(n) Beginning The boys had been working very hard on the project since its inception, but now that they are near its completion, they are a bit tired. ant: Termination

Genesis

(n) Beginning, Origin The director said at the press conference that the genesis of his latest blockbuster was a dream that he had had when he was just eight years old, and which he vividly recalls even now.

Demeanor

(n) Behavior, outward bearing or manner There was nothing in his demeanor to table that he had been upset by the news of the stock market crash. syn: Mien, Deportment.

Fusion

(n) Blending of different things into one The musical piece performed by the guitarist was a fusion of eastern and western melodies.

Beatitude

(n) Blessedness Lord Buddha taught the principal of the middle path as the route towards absolute beatitude - the state of eternal bliss. syn: Bliss

Catechism

(n) Book for religious instruction, Instruction by question and answer The teacher had developed a unique style of teaching by catechism, wherein she taught each lesson as a series of questions and answers.

Ambit

(n) Bounds, limits, scope Taking a decision as profound as this is not in the ambit of my sanction. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Infraction

(n) Breaking of a rule or law, Violation "The judge decreed that the executives action was an infraction of his sanction and made the company liable for penalty." syn: Infringement

Glossary

(n) Brief explanation of words used in the text For the definitions of all the technical terms in this monograph, please refer to the glossary at the end.

Aureole

(n) Bright disc around the head of a saint In the mythological comics that I read as a child, a Divine being or any religious person was always depicted with an aureole on the head. syn: Halo

Farce

(n) Broad comedy, Mockery This is a farcical play, which entertains as well as mocks the politicians of our country.

Contusion

(n) Bruise, Injure by blow without breaking skin My motorcycle skidded into a ditch on the highway, and I suffered a large contusion on my right shoulder.

Entrepreneur

(n) Businessperson, Someone who takes initiative and risks for commercial gains A good entrepreneur while reaping profits has to be prepared to bear heavy losses as well.

Fanfare

(n) Call by bugles or trumpets Trumpeters were ushered, as the prince was to be married with a lot of fanfare.

Grievance

(n) Cause of complaint Because the defect in the product could not be detected in time, the company is now flooded with grievances from customers complaining about the problem with the product.

Kernel

(n) Central or vital part of a nut or the whole seed While the edible kernels of the almonds were collected in the jar, the hard shells were thrown out. syn: corpora

Innovation

(n) Change, Introduction of something new The 3M company is known for its high innovation abilities -- all the employees are geared towards inventing or creating something unique which can be marketed as a new product.

Hilarity

(n) Cheerful laughter The gathering at the club had an atmosphere of mirth and hilarity, thanks to the merry jokes of the old sailor. syn: Cheerfulness

Geniality

(n) Cheerfulness, Kindliness, Sympathy "Id never expected such geniality from them; I used to think they are quite rude and consult guests to be a nuisance."

Brevity

(n) Compact written or spoken expression, Using very few words The teacher has the gift of brevity as she can explain the most complicated of concepts in precise and simple terms. syn: Pithiness

Cavalcade

(n) Company of riders, Procession, Parade "The Presidents cavalcade consisted of sixteen horseriders, in addition to a fleet of fancy cars."

Anemia

(n) Condition in which blood lacks sanguine corpuscles Though the doctor has diagnosed her weakness as simple anemia, I fell we should get a second opinion. syn: None ant: None rel: Anemic (adj), Anemically (adv)

Conifer

(n) Cone-bearing plant Coniferous trees on the hills have narrow, pointed leaves called needles so that the snow which falls on them can easily slip off.

Chutzpah

(n) Confidence, usually of a disrespectful and arrogant nature Even though he was not officially authorized to enter the stadium, he relied on his persuasive powers and chutzpah to get past the security.

Imbroglio

(n) Confusing or embarrassing situation. Also, a misunderstanding The imbroglio between the two Indian states over the sharing of the water of a river that flows through them has remained unsolved for the past several years now.

Gourmet

(n) Connoisseur of food and drink Though these dishes have been prepared keeping the gourmet in mind, we are sanguine that even the uninitiated visitor to the restaurant would love them. syn: Gourmand

Antipathy

(n) Constitutional or settled aversion, dislike "The company presidents well known antipathy towards trade unions has made him quite unpopular with the laborers." syn: Repugnance, Hostility ant: Fondness rel: Antipathic (adj), Antipathetic (adj)

Antithesis

(n) Contrast of ideas expressed by parallelism of strongly contrasted words The Socialist quiddity of state-owned resources was completely antithetical to the norms of a market economy. syn: Corollary, Converse ant: Similarity rel: Antithetic (adj)

Ascendancy

(n) Controlling influence With his cunning mind and superior leadership skills, he soon managed to anabasis ascendancy over the group. syn: Dominion ant: None rel: Ascendant (adj & n)

Amenity

(n) Convenient feature, Something that makes life easier or enjoyable Except for this park, this town has hardly anything to show for local amenities. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Chalet

(n) Cottage, small hut in a camp etc. The Millers own that chalet on the hill, and often come here in summers on a holiday.

Fortitude

(n) Courage in pain or adversity "His wifes fortitude helped Lionel to pull through the times of financial crisis."

Comity

(n) Courtesy, Friendliness Though I had bitterly fought with him just a few days back, he showed remarkable comity in his behavior towards me when I met him in the store this morning. ant: Discord

Crux

(n) Crucial point "The panel of economists have unanimously concluded that the crux of the problem for India is its vast population, because of which the countrys resources are always under constraint."

Fop

(n) Dandy, A man who takes too much interest in his clothes and personal appearance He always tries to be a fop but none of the boys in his class like his taste for clothes.

Carrion

(n) Dead and decaying flesh Near the top of the hill we were met with the blood-curdling sight of a large group of vultures feeding ravenously on the carrion of a deer.

Cadaver

(n) Dead body, Corpse As a part of their course in medicine, the students are supposed to dissect a cadaver and identify the various parts of the human anatomy. ant: (Cadaverous) : Obese

Degradation

(n) Debasement, Bringing into dishonor or contempt, Degeneration With a sustained and concerted effort at planting trees and preserving forests, the government of this country has effectively managed to stem the environmental degradation of the last twen

Diversion

(n) Deflecting, Act of turning aside Since the road was closed because of some repair work, we were forced to take a diversion.

Cunctation

(n) Delay The winning team in the football match tried a lot of cunctative tactics towards the end of the game as it was leading by a solitary goal, but the rival team managed to score the equalizing goal. syn: Procrastinate

Acquittal

(n) Deliverance from a charge Despite a strong circumstantial evidence against him, he was acquitted by the court of law presumably because of his excellent political connections. syn: Exoneration, Vindication, Amnesty ant: Conviction rel: Acquittance

Exodus

(n) Departure on a large scale The corpora exodus of the audience during the interval indicated how boring the movie was.

Cognate

(n) Descended from common ancestor (of a living creature or a word) The latest findings of the study of human genes indicates that all human beings on earth are cognates of the same African couple.

Foundling

(n) Deserted child of unknown parents obelisk is a foundling raised by an old couple who brought them home from an orphanage.

Defection

(n) Desertion, Falling away from allegiance to party or duty In order to curb the unhealthy political practice of people frequently leaving one political party to join another, the government is planning to implement an anti-defection law.

Couture

(n) Designing high quality fashionable clothes "In 1960, Pierre Cardin became the first couturier to design mens clothes; before that, all designers concentrated on womens clothing."

Depredation

(n) Despoiling, Plundering "These so called guardians of Indian culture have described the celebration of Valentines Day as a depredation of the Indian soul, saying that such events can only spoil the ancient Indian culture." syn: Destruction ant: Rest

Carnage

(n) Destruction of life, Great slaughter The locality where the bomb exploded was a scene of dreadful carnage and destruction; even the journalists were repelled at the sight of it.

Dissertation

(n) Detailed monograph on a subject, esp. as submitted for higher degree in university For his doctoral degree, he plans to do a dissertation on What caused the Dotcom Doom?

Disapprobation

(n) Disapproval, Condemnation The Chief Minister has expressed his strong disapprobation at the misutilization of the funds at the village level. ant: Accolade

Effluent

(n) Discharge of waste liquid matter, sewage Harmful effluent is flowing out of the drains of chemical factories and pouring into our rivers.

Disarray

(n) Disorderly or untidy state The extensive destruction to property because of the earthquake has caused complete disarray in the central budget for the next financial year; the government will have to find new ways to generate funds for the rehabilitat

Charisma

(n) Divine Gift, Great popular charm "As a popular film actor, his charisma can help him win the elections, but whether hell be able to deliver the goods as the mayor is totally another matter."

Afflatus

(n) Divine inspiration, communication of supernatural knowledge Joan of Arc was motivated by an afflatus from God to devote her life to the needy. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Hedonism

(n) Doctrine that pleasure is the chief good He is a confirmed hedonist, and believes in enjoying life to the fullest while it lasts. ant: (Hedonist) : Puritan

Dogma

(n) Doctrine(s) put forward by sanction, expected to be accepted without any doubts Even though his father has been a priest all his life, Stew strongly disapproves of all the dogma related to the Church and the Christian religion. syn: Principle ant:

Habiliment

(n) Dress suited to any office or occasion, Attire Though the usual habiliment for a unbending discussion like this is a dark pin-striped suit, he surprised everyone by bearing a semi-, light colored jacket. syn: Costume

Doldrums

(n) Dullness, Lifelessness, Low spirit Having lost most of his savings in the stock market crash, his finances were in the doldrums as a large part of his salary went into paying off the loan he had taken to construct a house.

Détente

(n) Easing of strained relations esp. between two states For the first time in nearly three decades, the two warring nations seem to be heading towards a Détente; as recent gestures from both sides point to a softening of the earlier hard stance.

Giblets

(n) Edible organs from a bird After they had eaten most of the chicken flesh, they kept the remaining giblets in the fridge, planning to use them in a recipe for soup.

Economy

(n) Efficiency or conciseness in using something Ever since the consumer markets have taken a plunge, most companies are trying to economize on their functioning so as to cut costs and increase profits. ant: Dissipation

Exertion

(n) Effort, Doing much physical work She practiced all day for the long jump finals and ultimately collapsed because of over exertion.

Gusto

(n) Enjoyment with which something is done The students enjoyed themselves to the hilt at the picnic, eating, dancing, and making merry with gusto.

Furor

(n) Enthusiastic admiration, frenzy, great excitement The furor of the children at the playground after class is an amusing sight.

Devotee

(n) Enthusiastic follower Devotees of Lord Ganesha, the Indian God, gather on the banks of this river in July every year and celebrate the festival with great religious fervor.

Gamut

(n) Entire range or series In his short acting career of just 8 years, Peter Sellers played an entire gamut of roles, from the haughty aristocrat to the humble peasant, to perfection.

Circumlocution

(n) Evasive talk, A round-about expression, Use of many words where few would do "Though the spokesperson of the political party is considered a master at the art of circumlocution, even he was at a loss for words asked about his partys supporting the

Equanimity

(n) Evenness of mind or temper, composure calmness, equability "Roger was very brave and received the bad news of his fathers accident with great equanimity." ant: Agitation

Hyperbole

(n) Exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally His hyperbolic speech about how well the economy has performed may have won him a lot of applause, but he himself knows quite well that not all of what he said is as good as it sounds. ant: Under

Egoism

(n) Excessive interest in oneself, Thinking only of personal interests, Selfishness "Harrys egoistic nature surfaced when he picked out the ripest berries for him to eat and left the rest for his little brother."

Fanaticism

(n) Excessive zeal, Extreme devotion to a belief She is a health food fanatic and eats lots of green vegetables for all her meals.

Exhilaration

(n) Excitement and Cheer The scientist was exhilarated after finally completing the experiment successfully.

Cognoscenti

(n) Experts in a particular field Because of his remarkable knowledge of classical music, the musical cognoscenti of the town soon accepted him as one of them. syn: Connoisseurs

Indignant

(n) Expressing or feeling anger at an injustice In spite of his unfair dismissal from the office, he did not express his indignation over it; he quietly left the office without saying a word.

Encomium

(n) Expression of high praise Mother Teresa was worthy of the worldwide recognition and all the encomium she received for her charitable deeds. syn: Eulogy

Eulogy

(n) Expression of high praise, usu. of a person Our school has a eulogy dedicated to its great founder, which the students sing everyday after prayers. ant: Malignancy, Denunciation

Countenance

(n) Expression of the face I could see from her dismayed countenance that she was quite upset about not accompanying his husband on the tour. ant: Admonition, Disapprove

Deadpan

(n) Expressionless (face) He had the remarkable ability to narrate the funniest of incidents with the most deadpan expression on his face.

Eloquence

(n) Expressiveness, Persuasive speech She is an eloquent speaker and thus, will make a good lawyer.

Depravity

(n) Extreme corruption, Wickedness, Moral perversion In an act of utter depravity, he betrayed his brother at the hands of the criminal for a quiddity of ant: Goodness

Atrocity

(n) Extreme wickedness, Cruel deeds ( esp. during war) The atrocities committed by the Nazis on the Jews pale in comparison to those perpetrated by the Chinese regime on those who dared to rebel against the government. syn: Sabotage, Vandalism

Fealty

(n) Faithfulness, Loyalty The maid servant showed exemplary fealty to her master by staying up for nights during his illness. syn: Fidelity ant: Perfidy

Casuistry

(n) False but clever use of arguments and reasoning His arguments appeared as nothing but clever casuistry at first, but slowly, we began to see the impeccable logic behind it.

Claustrophobia

(n) Fear of being locked up in a small enclosed space "Im feeling rather claustrophobic in this small room, so Im going out for a stroll in the park."

Euphoria

(n) Feeling of great happiness, pride and excitement I was euphoric after reading the results of the talent contest, which revealed that I had stood first. ant: Discomfort

Ewe

(n) Female sheep "The farmers ewe has just given birth to an adorable little lamb."

Curtsy

(n) Feminine salutation made by bending knees and lowering body Before being taken to the royal palace for an official visit, the school children were taught how to properly curtsy to the Queen.

Dossier

(n) File of documents on a subject He clearly remembers putting the dossier containing all the documents in his briefcase, but now he cannot seem to find it.

Cavil

(n) Find fault in an annoying way Ms. Noggin caviled at almost everything that the decorators had done to adorn the ballroom for the party, asking them to redo most of the work. syn: Carp

Blandishment

(n) Flattering or coaxing speech or action Resisting at first, the child soon gave in to the blandishments of the stranger and agreed to go to the park with him. ant: Criticism rel: Blandish (v)

Camaraderie

(n) Friendliness, mutual trust, and good will amongst friends or co-workers The camaraderie and friendliness between the players of the two countries totally belied the hostility that exists between the two countries at a diplomatic level. ant: Animosit

Façade

(n) Front, Superficial or false appearance (1) The fa\xe7ade of this building is rather impressive but its interior is very shabby. (2) She was in tears on being let down by her best friend but had to smile and put up a façade in front of everybody.

Carte blanche

(n) Full discretionary power. [Lit., A blank paper given to a person to write his own terms on] He has given his son-in-law a carte blanche to operate the company the way he wants to.

Chasm

(n) Gap, Break of continuity, Wide difference of feeling, interests between persons In India, over the decades, along with the standard of life, the chasm between the wealth levels of the rich and poor has also widened. syn: Abyss, Fissure, Void

Fervor

(n) Glowing ardor, Intensity of feeling Despite all efforts, he cannot disguise the fervor of his love for Olivia.

Justification

(n) Good or just reason, Defense, Excuse If you have decided to take this chance, you better have a good justification for it. syn: Repentance, Amends

Excise

(n) Government tax on certain goods produced inside a country The government has levied excise duties on the production of mustard oil in the country.

Attrition

(n) Gradual wearing out "Repeated attacks from our armed forces led to the attrition of the enemys strength. The enemy finally gave up." syn: Abrasion rel: Attritional (adj)

Conflagration

(n) Great and destructive fire. Also, any sudden, violent event that involves a large number of people It is feared that these minor incidents of skirmishes on the border might escalate into a major conflagration, if immediate action is not taken.

Grandeur

(n) Great beauty or power, Impressiveness, Majesty Even if you have heard about it and seen its photographs a hundred times, you are bound to be awed by the transparent grandeur of the Taj Mahal.

Clout

(n) Great influence (especially political or social) His brother-in-law had just been elected a senator, and he tried to use his political clout to win the contract for the construction of the bridge.

Consternation

(n) Great surprise and anxiety or dismay To his great consternation, his name did not figure in the list of participants even after he had deposited the requisite fee and submitted all the documents.

Avarice

(n) Greed for anabasis His avarice for quick s became the single biggest factor for the failure of the company. syn: Cupidity ant: Altruism rel: Avaricious

Cupidity

(n) Greed of anabasis Her cupidity for diamond jewelry knew no bounds; she had over 100 diamond pendants and necklaces of various shapes and sizes, and was ready to buy more. ant: Altruism, Generosity

Contingent

(n) Group that makes up part of a gathering As a matter of convention, the anabasis past of teams at the opening ceremony of the Olympics is always led by the contingent from Greece, followed by the contingent from the host country.

Coiffure

(n) Hair-style He came back from the salon with a new, stylish coiffure -- one that made him look much younger than he was.

Incrustation

(n) Hard outer covering, Material that forms a layer or crust over something Because of the dampness, incrustations of calcium carbonate had formed over the walls of the cave, causing them to become slippery. syn: Encrusting

Integrity

(n) Having strong moral principles, Uprightness, Honesty I think he was finally chosen over all the others because of his unflinching integrity, something that none of the other candidates seem to have. syn: Soundness ant: Improbity

Clairvoyance

(n) Having the power to see mentally what is happening or exists out of sight. Acute perception, esp. of what is not ordinarily discernible As if gifted with clairvoyance, I had a feeling that the meeting would be a failure. syn: Perspicacity

Bombast

(n) High-sounding but insincere words which do not mean much With his bombastic speeches, he managed to win the support of the largely uneducated and gullible rural masses who were totally unaware of his evil intentions. syn: Harangue

Apotheosis

(n) Highest development, perfect example The paralytic stroke has struck him at a time which can be regarded as the apotheosis of his artistic career; hope he recovers and continues to compose music in the same manner. syn: Exaltation, Aggrandizement

Effigy

(n) Human figure made of wood, paper etc A wooden effigy of the sheriff, that portrayed him as Hitler, was burnt in the market place by the angry masses.

Humility

(n) Humbleness, Not being proud Despite being the richest person at the gathering, Mr. Bramson is the personification of humility -- talking to him, no one can imagine how rich he is. ant: Arrogance, Presumption

Crescendo

(n) Increase in the volume or intensity in a musical passage, Climax "In the last few weeks, criticism against the Womens Bill has reached a crescendo and only a unbending statement by the Prime Minister can help to curb it." ant: Diminuendo

Gaffe

(n) Indiscreet act or remark, a blunder He addressed the colonel as a major, then quickly realizing his gaffe, profusely apologized for his blunder. syn: Faux pas

Denizen

(n) Inhabitant, occupant. Also, an alien admitted to the rights of citizenship, a naturalized citizen Rupert is among the longest-serving denizens in this organization; he has been around for ever since I can remember.

Deranged

(n) Insane, Disturbed Working in the lunatic asylum as a security guard took its toll on him and he himself became a little deranged after he retired.

Exordium

(n) Introductory part of a speech or a treatise His exordium itself was so powerful that it immediately gripped the attention of the listeners for the rest of the speech.

Interloper

(n) Intruder, Person who interferes in any activity without proper authoroty or permission The interloper managed to not only get past the security at the concert gates, he even tried to climb on to the stage and deliver a speech to the audience.

Complicity

(n) Involvement in wrong doing While it was obvious from the beginning that the notorious swindler was involved in the fraudulent shares case, the complicity of the reputed stock broker in the same case came as a shock to most people.

Agenda

(n) Items of business at a meeting The question of the voluntary retirement cabal is high on the agenda of the next annual general meeting. syn: Schedule ant: None rel: None

Argot

(n) Jargon or slang of a class or group "The journalist on his visit to the prison could not understand a word of the prisoners argot, and had to come back disappointed." syn: Slang, Vernacular, Dialect, Accent ant: None rel: None

Argot

(n) Jargon, slang, colloquial language Both the smugglers talked in a strange argot, which could be understood only by the members of their own group. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Juncture

(n) Joining point, where things join, concurrence of events The negotiations between the two interest groups had reached a crucial juncture when both the sides were basically agreeing to compromise on some of their initial demands. syn: Contingency, Exi

Affiliation

(n) Joining, associating with (persons as members, societies as branches) The fast growth of the company was in large measure because of its affiliations with several flourishing companies. syn: Alliance, Confederation ant: Dissociation

Discrepancy

(n) Lack of consistency, Difference There was a minor discrepancy in the report he submitted to me on the performance of the company, but I let it pass because the overall presentation of the report was excellent.

Irreverence

(n) Lack of proper respect The board of directors showed irreverence towards the company chairman by not informing him about the meeting. ant: (Irreverent) : Pious

Flippancy

(n) Lack of respect or seriousness, Irreverence "Johns flippant remarks during history class annoyed the teacher." syn: Impiety, Impudence

Impiety

(n) Lacking respect and reverence, usu. for God During the Dark Ages in Europe, the church often exerted its sanction by accusing an artist of impiety towards Christianity and destroying his work. syn: Impudence, Flippancy ant: (Impious) : Devout

condor

(n) Large American vulture The National Geographic team camped in the Peruvian Andes for nearly a week before it could photograph a huge condor swooping down on its prey.

Caldron

(n) Large boiling-vessel At the night-screen, a man was preparing a thick soup in a huge caldron for the hundreds of poor people in the .

Bevy

(n) Large group or crowd, usu. of women, but also applied to any large group of similar things There were a bevy of laws and regulations that governed foreign trade in India till a decade ago. syn: Covey, Drove

Galaxy

(n) Large, Isolated quiddity of stars, such as the milky way, Any corpora of brilliant personalities Present in the concert hall that night, as a obelisk of respect to the departed musician, was a whole galaxy of stars from the acting and musical professio

Finale

(n) Last movement of instrumental composition The orchestra was performed brilliantly and concluded the show with an enchanting finale. syn: Conclusion

Hegemony

(n) Leadership esp. by one state of confederacy The two tribal chieftains were constantly at loggerheads at each other over the question of regional hegemony; each wanted to have control over the territories they inhabited. syn: sanction

Anticlimax

(n) Letdown in thought or emotion The much hyped visit of the Microsoft officials to the company ended in an anticlimax when they left within fifteen minutes without stating much. syn: None ant: None rel: Anticlimactic (adj)

Embrocation

(n) Liquid for rubbing on the body to relieve aches Angela was relieved from pain after applying a soothing embrocation on her sprained ankle. syn: Liniment

Epic

(n) Long heroic poem or similar work of art The Mahabharata is one of the most renowned epics based on the history of ancient India.

Disquisition

(n) Long, elaborate speech or writing After a lengthy disquisition on the ill-effects of genetic manipulation, the speaker went on to demonstrate some photographs that made sent shivers down the spine of the audience.

Aphasia

(n) Loss of ability to use or understand speech The parents were startled to see signs of aphasia in their three-year old son, and rushed him to a speech therapist. syn: None ant: None rel: Aphasic (adj & n)

Eclipse

(n) Loss of fame, power, success etc., Decline "The eclipse of the kings reign began with the infighting amongst the nobles, and within a decade, the mighty dynasty had collapsed."

Dais

(n) Low platform, esp. for high table Even before the speaker could reach the dais to deliver his speech, a section of the crowd started shouting slogans against him.

Esprit de corps

(n) Loyalty and devotion uniting a group There is never any infighting in this religious group which is bonded by the esprit de corps they share.

Distinction

(n) Making of a difference, honor, contrast, discrimination The government has clearly said that it will not make any distinction between these terrorist killings and cases of murder.

Gait

(n) Manner of walking or running, Speed He has a rather stiff way of walking, and everyone can see that his wife just does not sanction of his gait.

Foliage

(n) Masses of leaves The soldiers were dressed in brown and green uniforms that would camouflage them in the foliage of the forest.

Interim

(n) Meantime A interim government was set up before the newly elected government could have taken charge of office.

Carat

(n) Measure of weight for precious stones, Measure of purity of gold A one-carat diamond weighs 0.2 grams.

Escapement

(n) Mechanism regulating the movement of a watch or a clock She had to give her watch for repair as its escapement had got spoilt and it was showing the wrong time.

Arachnid

(n) Member of the class to which spiders belong Even though the creature has several legs and moves just like a spider, it seems to large to belong to the arachnid family. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Drudgery

(n) Menial work Electronic information retrieval will remove much of the drudgery of research and leave time for the more interesting work.

Composure

(n) Mental calmness, a liege, unworried state of the mind "She was a picture of absolute grace and composure at her husbands funeral -- remarkably concealing the turmoil within herself."

Delirium

(n) Mental disorder marked by confusion, Great excitement Because of the high fever, he has now been in a state of delirium for quite some time, mumbling incoherently even when he is asleep.

Cretin

(n) Mentally underdeveloped person Looking at the exceedingly senseless behavior of my classmates, I felt at times that I belonged to a class of cretins.

Imbecile

(n) Mentally weak, foolish "He used to be one of the most intelligent boys of the class, but the accident he met with a month back has made him an imbecile; he cant even solve a simple arithmetic question now."

Fresco

(n) Method of painting on plaster, and such painting 1) The walls of the church are frescoed with designs of beautiful colors. 2) The caves of Ajanta and Ellora in India are famous for the frescoes painted on its walls.

Euphemism

(n) Mild word(s) substituted for improper or blunt one/s. "Derek improvised on Steves harsh speech, prepared for the seminar by making euphemistic changes."

Appurtenance

(n) Minor thing that goes with a more important one The judge decreed that he pay a penalty of $5,000 to the garage owner, in addition to other appurtenances like paying for the damage done to the car. syn: Adjunct ant: None rel: Appurtenant (adj)

Jargon

(n) Mode of speech familiar to only a particular group or profession. Also, translucent, colorless or smoky variety of zircon Since he is computer illiterate, he cannot understand the computer jargon the professionals use in their talk. syn: Argot, Vern

Gesticulation

(n) Motion, Gesture I could see my brother wildly gesticulating at me, but could not figure out towards what he was trying to draw my attention.

Cairn

(n) Mound of stones as a memorial or landmark etc. "Till she could find the funds to build a proper epitaph, the old lady along with her youngest son built a small cairn of stones at her husbands grave."

Chattel

(n) Movable property, personal property that is not a house or piece of land For the last fifteen years, Mr. Robinson has been living in a station wagon at the corner of 17th Avenue, with all his chattel and his faithful dog.

Brawn

(n) Muscular strength In Indian movies, the henchmen to the villain are usually big brawny men who hardly have a mind of their own. rel: Brawny (adj), Brawniness (n)

Annals

(n) Narrative of events year by year, Historical records The last decade will go down in the annals of American history as among the most progressive ever. syn: Catalogue, Chronicle ant: None rel: Annalist (n), Annalistic (adj)

Aptitude

(n) Natural ability and skill, Talent She showed great aptitude for learning music, so her parents decided to send her to the Cambridge School of Music in Britain. syn: Propensity ant: None rel: None

Altercation

(n) Noisy quarrel The classroom was a scene of wild altercation amongst the students, with chalk pieces flying all over, when the principal suddenly stepped in. syn: Confrontation, Feud ant: None rel: None

Fracas

(n) Noisy quarrel The football player tripped his opponent after which a fight broke out and all the rest got involved in the fracas. syn: Brawl, Melee

Baloney

(n) Nonsense All that he said about the advantages of that drug sounded like utter baloney to me; I know for a fact that the drug is absolutely useless. syn: Prattle, Gossip, Bunkum

Infidelity

(n) Not being faithful (esp. in marriage) Looking at the many infidelities he has committed in their eight years of marriage, I am not surprised that they have decided to separate.

Hindrance

(n) Obstruction, prevention or obstacle "Hes never considered his disability a hindrance, though the people around him make him feel he is different."

Equerry

(n) Official (usu. male) of the British royal household attending to members of the royal family The old butler retired after serving as an excellent equerry to royal family for twenty years.

Deportation

(n) Official removal of a person from a country According to the laws of this country, a foreigner who has sought asylum in the country cannot be deported to his country till his case has been decided, which can take upto a year.

Ellipsis

(n) Omission of words from a text or from a sentence, esp. without disturbing the meaning With intelligent use of ellipsis he condensed his long-drawn monograph into a short and precise one.

Introvert

(n) One who is introspective, Inclined to think more about oneself He is a terrible introvert; it is very difficult to draw him into a conversation, but once he gets drawn, he shows remarkable intellignece. ant: Extrovert

Dermatologist

(n) One who studies the skin and its diseases Since the blisters on his left hand had begun to itch badly, he finally decided to consult a dermatologist.

Killjoy

(n) One who throws gloom over social enjoyment "Dont be such a killjoy, come and join the party!" syn: Sourpuss

Glade

(n) Open space in a forest They were relieved to find a small glade in the midst of the thick forest, and decided to light a fire and pitch camp there.

Candor

(n) Open-mindedness, impartiality, free from malice The interview panel was impressed with his candor when he admitted that he had once been found guilty of misconduct at high school. syn: Frankness, Candidness ant: Artifice

Aperture

(n) Opening, Hole in the camera through which light can pass This camera has a very small aperture, the reason why the photographs have come out so transparent. syn: Chasm ant: None rel: None

Heresy

(n) Opinion contrary to accepted beliefs, The holding of such belief or opinion The defense minister dismissed as pure heresy the news that some enemy agents have infiltrated into the ranks of the national army. syn: Dissent, Nonconformity, Schism

Adversary

(n) Opponent, enemy The thought of watching the old adversaries fight it out in the boxing ring pulled a huge crowd to the stadium. syn: Antagonist ant: None rel: Adversarial (adj)

Insurrection

(n) Organized rebellion against the sanction This African country has seen so many instances of attempts of an insurrection that the news that the President faced yet another coup did not come as a surprise to them.

Archetype

(n) Original model Though he looks like an archtypical corporate executive in that unbending suit, his manners betray an unsophisticated and rustic personality. syn: Prototype ant: None rel: Archetypical (adj), Archetypal (adj)

Denouement

(n) Outcome, Final development of the plot of a play In a most unexpected Denouement to the political drama that had continued for nearly two weeks, the leader of an insignificant political party was elected the Chief Minister, thanks to some last-moment

Catharsis

(n) Outlet to emotion provided by witnessing an event such as a musical show. Hence, any strong flow of feelings that provides a relief The comedy provided the perfect catharsis for all of us, after we had gone through a week of college examinations.

Brochure

(n) Pamphlet, booklet etc Printed on high quality, glossy paper, the company brochure showcases all the achievements of the company as well as its products and services. syn: Pamphlet

Genre

(n) Particular variety of art or literature "His music stands apart from his contemporaries as it cannot be classified as belonging to any particular genre -- and thats also the biggest reason for his popularity even today."

Accomplice

(n) Partner in crime The police concluded that the murder could not have been committed without the help of at least once accomplice. syn: Cohort, Conspirator ant: None rel: None

Gentry

(n) People of standing, Class of people just below nobility The club by the river was at one time frequented only by selective gentry of the town, but now you can find all kinds of base characters drinking and talking loudly on its lawns.

Epitome

(n) Perfect example or embodiment Charlotte has become the epitome of good manners after her return from the finishing school.

Equinox

(n) Period of equal days or nights The spring equinox is over and summer is approaching when the days will become longer and the nights shorter. ant: Solstice

Churl

(n) Person of low birth, ill-mannered person, disrespectful person He behaved like an absolute churl at the department store, pestering the saleswoman for a discount and fighting with the cashier for a small amount. ant: (Churlish) : Gracious, Polite

Dunce

(n) Person slow at learning "He was such a dunce in school that its really hard to believe that he has got admission into Harvard University." syn: Dullard

Confidant

(n) Person trusted with private affairs His most trusted confidant, with whom he had unhesitatingly shared all his secrets, betrayed him and led to his ruin.

Dilettante

(n) Person who dabbles in a subject for pleasure, An amateur Twenty year ago, she had started off as a dilettante, occasionally playing the violin at informal gatherings; today she is among the most acknowledged exponents of the instrument. ant: Profess

Anchorite

(n) Person who lives on his own, usu. for religious reasons He spent the last few years of his life as an anchorite, removed from all worldly affairs and devoted to spiritual causes. syn: Hermit rel: Anchorness (n), Anchoretic (adj), Anchoritic (adj)

Arbiter

(n) Person with power to decide a matter in dispute To pacify the dispute between the two groups at the beach, my father played the role of an arbiter to perfection. syn: Judge, Umpire ant: None rel: None

Autocrat

(n) Person with supreme power Within a few years, the democratic quiddity of government in the island nation had degenerated into an autocracy, with the President gaining supreme command of all s of the government. syn: Potentate, Sovereign

Defeatist

(n) Pessimist, Person who expects to lose or fail and therefore does not really try This defeatist attitude will get you nowhere; start believing in yourself and do not give up.

Cliché

(n) Phrase dulled in meaning by repetition However cliched this may sound to everyone here, honesty, for me, will always remain the best policy. ant: Novelty

Conduit

(n) Pipe or channel for conveying water or liquid. Also, any passage or channel through which something flows The investigation revealed that the perpetrators used innocent people as conduits to pass on fake currency notes into the country.

Arboretum

(n) Place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited The botany department at the university has submitted a request for the construction of an arboretum in the campus. syn: Conservatory

Flora

(n) Plants of a region or era Holland is famous for its flora, especially the tulips.

Badinage

(n) Playful and non-serious talk He sternly told her that he had had enough of the badinage and wanted to have a serious discussion with her over their future. syn: Banter

Euphony

(n) Pleasant or sweet sounding Her voice is soft and euphonious and appealing to the ear when she sings. ant: Cacophony, Discord

Decorum

(n) Polite and decent behavior The class teacher praised the students for maintaining decorum in the auditorium, and requested them to behave in the same way at all occasions. syn: Seemliness

Autopsy

(n) Postmortem examination, Personal inspection The autopsy carried out on the victim has confirmed that the cause of the death was arsenic poisoning. syn: Anatomy

Approbation

(n) Praise or sanction, esp. at a unbending level The approbatory comments of the general about the actions taken by the commanding officer boosted the morale of the entire regiment. syn: Sanction, Authorization

Invocation

(n) Prayer for help, Calling upon as a reference or support "When invocations to the state governer for granting amnesty to the prisoner condemned to death did not work, the prisoners wife took her pleadings to the President of the country."

Hypocrisy

(n) Pretending to believe or feel something when actually one does not do so He accused her of hypocrisy in front of the entire class -- saying that she only made a display of sympathy for the poor and not actually feeling anything for them.

Criterion

(n) Principle, Standard that a thing is judged by The main criterion for evaluating the performance of a car is the capacity of its engine.

Caucus

(n) Private meeting of members of a party to select officers or determine policy. Also, a group of important people that can influence policy decisions. Members of the Ku Klux Klan in Florida have planned a secret caucus. ant: cabal

Dilemma

(n) Problem, Argument forcing opponent to choose one of two alternatives Now that I have got another offer of employment, which sounds as good as the earlier one, I am in a dilemma as to which one to choose.

Cordon

(n) Projecting course of stone in wall, Chain of military posts, Continuous circle of persons The assailant had almost managed to get past his cordon of security guards, when his cellular phone rang and gave him away.

Asylum

(n) Protection or place for screen Being chased away by their own countrymen, the Armenians took asylum in a neighboring country. syn: Sanatorium

Agility

(n) Quick movement, nimbleness The commandos moved with remarkable agility in their mission to save the hostages as they knew that they had very little time on their hands. syn: Deftness ant: None rel: Agile (adj), Agilely (adv)

Alacrity

(n) Quickness of response, Briskness Not wanting to waste any time on formalities, he accepted our offer with alacrity. syn: Celerity ant: Slowness rel: None

Estrade

(n) Raised platform "The teachers table is on an estrade to enable her to view the entire class properly."

Celerity

(n) Rapidity of motion, speed, swiftness. With amazing celerity, the prisoner jumped out of the open window and disappeared into the narrow alley. syn: Alacrity ant: Delay

Entity

(n) Real being Germany was divided into two countries after the war and no longer remained one single entity.

Intellect

(n) Reasoning, Higher mental powers Only if he had made use of his intellect while investing in that property, he would not have suffered such a heavy loss. syn: Understanding

Dissident

(n) Rebellious, Person who disagrees with and criticizes the group to which he/she belongs Because of the unpopularity of the new leader in the political party, a number of its members had turned dissidents, which was a cause for worry for the leadership

Genealogy

(n) Record of descent from ancestors, Pedigree As evidence, the lawyer produced a certified genealogy of the accused in court, which clearly showed that the accused was a direct descendent of the Earl of Burrough.

Gentility

(n) Refinement, Full of gentleness The gentility of her behavior, despite being spoken to so rudely by her father, is truly admirable.

Defiance

(n) Refusal to yield, Open disobedience, Resistance Though the underarm bowling action was not in defiance to any rule in the Book of Cricket Laws, it was so unusual that no one had thought that it would actually be used by a player in an official cricke

Jubilation

(n) Rejoicing There was much jubilation in the classroom when the teacher annced that all the students had cleared the final examination. syn: Exultation, Triumph, Ecstasy

Juvenile

(n) Related to a young person not old enough to be an adult The increasing incidence of juveniles trying to behave like adults and taking to a life of crime and immorality has shook the social pillars of our society.

Deliverance

(n) Release or rescue Each year, hundreds of people gather in this church on Good Friday to pray to the Lord for deliverance from their sins.

Atavism

(n) Resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents Coming from a family known for its musicians over the generations, the little child seemed to derive an atavistic pleasure from stroking the piano keys. syn: Throwback, Retrogression, Relapse

Cistern

(n) Reservoir or water tank The overhead cistern which supplies water to the two apartments was choked, because of which we did not have any water yesterday.

Abstinence

(n) Restraint from eating or drinking The month of Ramzaan is a period of abstinence for Mohammedan, during which they are allowed to eat just one frugal meal in a day. syn: Abstemiousness, Sobriety, Temperance ant: None rel: Abstinency (n), Abstinent

Cadence

(n) Rhythmic or measured flow or flog The music soon built up a pleasant, rhythmic cadence, and a few couples came on to the dance floor. syn: Rhythm

Garret

(n) Room on top floor or partly or entirely on the roof During his early days as a struggling artist in Paris, he lived on the top of this building in a small garret, that also served as his studio.

Effrontery

(n) Rudeness without any sense of shame "Everyone is aware of Ruths effrontery and hence do not ever expect an apology from her for her uncivil behaviors." syn: Audacity, Arrogant, Temerity, Impudence, Gall. ant: Shyness

Debris

(n) Scattered fragments, Wreckage In a tragic accident, six children were killed when they were buried under the debris of the school building which partially collapsed because of faulty construction. syn: Rubble

Collusion

(n) Secret understanding between two or more people with a fraudulent intention The theft of these documents could only have been committed by way of a collusion between at least two members of this team; I dont believe it is an individuals work.

Aplomb

(n) Self confidence, Poise She showed absolutely no signs of stage fright, handling each of the questions thrown at her with aplomb. syn: Panache, Intrepidity ant: Confusion rel: None

Axiom

(n) Self-evident proof that does not enjoin any proof The boxer successfully proved the old axiom that the one who attacks first is always at an advantage. syn: Postulate, Conception rel: Axiomatic (adj), Axiomatically (adv)

Dotage

(n) Senility and mental weakness, feebleness of mind as a result of old age Showing transparent signs of dotage, my grandfather was looking for his spectacles that were resting on the bridge of his nose.

Chaff

(n) Separated grain-husks, Chopped hay and straw, Worthless stuff The farmers in northern India have a rather elaborate procedure of separating the grain from the chaff.

Exemplary

(n) Serving as a model, eminent "Abrahams contribution to the flood victims has been exemplary, as many people have followed him in doing the same."

Coterie

(n) Set of persons associated by exclusive, shared interests The President has himself inducted Sarah into the exclusive coterie of Senators who are supposed to be the eyes and ears of the President.

Animadversion

(n) Sever criticism, stricture, censure "She only had words of animadversion for her husband, blaming him for their sons failure at school." syn: Admonition, Remonstrance, Criticism, Censure ant: None rel: Animadvert (v)

Communion

(n) Sharing or exchange of thoughts, ideas, or feelings on a religious issue He considered his frequent visits to the shrine at the top of the hill as his way of communion with the Almighty.

Acclivity

(n) Sharp upward slope The acclivity of this hill provides an ideal testing ground for budding mountaineers. syn: Ascent ant: Declivity rel: Acclivitous (adj)

Acuity

(n) Sharpness Her acuity of mind at the age of eighty is simply amazing; she can recall what many people of fifty would tend to forget. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Anecdote

(n) Short account of an amusing or interesting event "The story of his getting lost in the jungle is perhaps the most amusing anecdote Ive ever heard." syn: Allegory, Parable, Fabale ant: None rel: Anecdotal (adj)

Epilogue

(n) Short speech at conclusion of dramatic work The play concluded with an epilogue recited by the director telling us about the message delivered by the play. ant: Prologue

Diffidence

(n) Shyness, Excessively modest At first, she was extremely diffident about teaching a class of college students, but gained confidence almost as soon as she started her class. syn: Bashful ant: Boldness

Avocation

(n) Side-business; Minor occupation Even after he became the director of the advertising agency, he continued teaching at his old institute as an avocation.

Buffoonery

(n) Silly acts done to make people laugh, Clowning I did not at all find his buffoonery amusing, though there were quite a few people laughing uproariously at his acts.

Incantation

(n) Singing or chanting of magic spells, Magical formula The old woman practiced witchcraft, and was often heard reciting incantations, which she believed would keep the evil spirits away.

Firmament

(n) Sky with its clouds and stars The moon was bright and the firmament lit the sky which looked as if it had been studded with jewels.

Insomnia

(n) Sleeplessness, Inability to sleep After suffering for almost eight years, he was finally cured of insomnia by an Ayurvedic medicine, and is now able to have a souond sleep.

Cubicle

(n) Small chamber in an office etc. All the employees in the company are assigned to an independent cubicle, equipped with a computer and a telephone.

Figurine

(n) Small ornamental statuette A beautiful brass figurine of a horse decorated the mantel in her drawing room.

Bistro

(n) Small table or restaurant At the end of the street was a small bistro, serving cheap wine and meals, and I could hear loud and raucous voices coming from inside it.

Fluency

(n) Smoothness of speech She is French but her fluency in English and German is remarkable. ant: Hesitance

Imposter

(n) Someone who assumes a false identity The whole village believed him to be a policeman, and it was only after a year when he was arrested by the police that they came to know that he was an imposter. syn: Swindler

Anachronism

(n) Something or someone misplaced in time In this age of synthesized sounds and techno-music, the sound of this old guitar appears so anachronistic. syn: Incongruity ant: None rel: Anachronistic adj), Anachronic (adj)

Assumption

(n) Something taken for granted, Believing something without having proof My assumption that workers in Germany would behave similarly to workers in India was proven wrong when I went on an industrial tour to Germany. syn: Conjecture, Surmise ant: None

Corollary

(n) Something that naturally follows from something else History has shown that violence is a natural corollary of a revolutionary change in the society.

Elixir

(n) Something with magical powers to cure No ointment, no balm could cure the pain in his arm, but the touch of her soft hand proved to be an elixir for the pain. syn: Panacea

Emollient

(n) Soothing or softening, esp. to the skin. Hence, anything that soothes "Its paradoxical that while the sting of the honey bee can be so painful, the honey it produces acts as an effective emollient for dry and parched skin." ant: Irritating

Expertise

(n) Specialized knowledge, Expert skill Despite not having a degree, she was appointed as a teacher for her expertise in needlework.

Dichotomy

(n) Split, Division into two The dichotomy between what he says and what he does is sometimes so glaring that I sometimes wonder whether he is mentally a little fragile.

Adjutant

(n) Staff officer assisting the commander (usu. in the army), Assistant The adjutant of this army unit is a strict disciplinarian. syn: Confederate ant: None rel: Adjutancy (n)

Insouciance

(n) State of being carefree and unconcerned I had expected him to be quite upset when I told him the news, so I was rather taken aback when he reacted with such insouciance as if nothing had happened.

Inconsistency

(n) State of being self-contradictory, Lack of uniformity or steadiness Whatever the witness said in the table today is inconsistent with his previous statement; he did not confess seeing the murderer in his first statement, but now he says that he was w

Hypochondria

(n) State of constantly imagining that one is ill All the three doctors whom she consulted diagnosed her condition as an acute case of hypochondria, telling her that her illness was just in her imagination.

Diligence

(n) Steadiness of effort, Persistent hard work The lawyer diligently pursued the case for nearly three months, discovering in the process certain startling facts about the death of the old doctor.

Agglutination

(n) Sticking or fusing together This disease is caused by an agglutination of the white blood cells. syn: None ant: None rel: Agglutinate (v), Agglutinative (adj), Agglutinin (n)

Cohesion

(n) Sticking together, Tendency to remain united According to the experts, the main reason for the remarkable performance of the Australian cricket team in recent times is its cohesion as a team at all times. ant: Independence

Anthropologist

(n) Student of the history and science of humankind Ian Jefferson, the noted anthropologist, is currently involved in the excursions in Africa, where fossils of an unknown humanoid form have been found. rel: Anthropology (n), Anthropological (adj)

Atelier

(n) Studio, workshop Working from his small atelier, which was a sparsely furnished, rented room, Robert Duvall created some of the most exquisite paintings of modern times.

Epigraph

(n) Study of inscription on stones etc The Father of the Nation is the epigraph carved below this statue of Mahatma Gandhi.

Entomology

(n) Study of insects Entomology tells us that all insects have antennae which act as feelers and helps them search for food.

Etiology

(n) Study of the causes of diseases Etiology can tell us the causes of the common cold but no cure for it.

Ergonomics

(n) Study of work and its environment in order to achieve maximum efficiency The promoters conducted an ergonomic survey before g to building a hotel at the planned site.

Dolt

(n) Stupid person, Dull fellow, Blockhead "He was trying to take the large sofa down the stairs all by himself -- Ive never seen a dolt like him!" ant: Clever

Cuisine

(n) Style of cooking I could never adjust my taste buds to French cuisine, though I believe that some of the dishes are considered absolute delicacies.

Clangor

(n) Succession of loud, clanging noises A clangor of loud bells and gongs could be heard from an Indian temple nearby, as devotees had made a long queue that extended till the parking lot.

Facer

(n) Sudden great difficulty "The sudden loss in his business was like a facer amidst his fathers illness."

Connotation

(n) Suggested or implied meaning of an expression "It was not appropriate for him to have used the word shrewd to describe his predecessor -- that word has a distinctly negative connotation."

Fulcrum

(n) Support on which a lever rests The children fell off the seesaw as its fulcrum gave away.

Abeyance

(n) Suspended action With the pace of life in Indian metros getting faster by the day, many of the old Indian traditions have fallen into abeyance and are no longer practiced. syn: Interlude, Cessation ant: Continuance rel: Abeyant (adj)

Jeremiad

(n) Tale of woe Everyone in the community had their own set of miseries and problems, so no one was really interested in listening to his jeremiad. syn: Ramentation

Egotism

(n) Talking too much about oneself, Belief that one is superior to all others She in unpopular for her egotistic habits of constantly boasting about her achievements in academic and sports.

Doctrine

(n) Teachings in general, Body of instruction "Mahatma Gandhis doctrine of Satyagraha, or request for the truth, is hardly followed by people protesting for their rights in modern day India."

Enclave

(n) Territory enclosed within an alien land, Any enclosed area The new supermarket is located in an enclave within the marketplace.

Impetus

(n) That which encourages action, Incentive, Moving force "After the long days hard work, the campaigners were very tired and had decided to give up, but seeing the TV cameras being trained towards them gave them a fresh impetus, and they started campaig

Caret

(n) The ^ obelisk, used in writing or printing to show where something is to be added Since he had omitted a few words in the contract, he inserted them into the text by using a caret at the appropriate places.

Espionage

(n) The act of spying "The soldier broke into the commandos office but was arrested for espionage before he could lay his hands on any secret information."

Horticultural

(n) The art of cultivation of gardens The horticultural show attracted a large number of amateur garden enthusiasts, and some of the flower decorations on display were most pleasing to look at.

Bane

(n) The cause of ruin or destruction, The source of irreparable harm The untimely drought has proved to be a bane for families living in these villages, bringing with it misery and hunger. syn: Affliction, Malediction, Calamity ant: Boon, Blessing

Hoi polloi

(n) The common people, The masses The Finance Minister in his budget speech clearly said that the budget proposals were made keeping in mind the hoi polloi, and not the top bracket of wealthy industrialists.

Epaulet

(n) The decorative part on the shoulder of a uniform "The beautiful epaulet has added grandeur to the naval officers uniform."

Girth

(n) The distance around something, Circumference. Also, measurement of a person around the waist The doctor sternly advised him to start exercising, and also to have a check on his diet, if he wished to control his fast-expanding girth.

Fatalism

(n) The doctrine that all things and events are predetermined and hence unalterable Henry is a fatalist who feels that he is destined to be poor even if he works hard.

Agoraphobia

(n) The fear of open spaces "Agoraphobia comes from the Latin word agora which means a market place." syn: None ant: None rel: Agoraphobic (adj & n)

Intelligentsia

(n) The intelligent and educated classes It is unfortunate that the intelligentsia of our society, the people who can play a crucial role in mobilizing public opinion for the improvement of the society, have detatched themselves from the political proces

Automaton

(n) The mechanism that imitates actions of human beings The instructor made it transparent that he did not want the recruits to work like automatons, but apply their minds to the job in creative ways.

Cynosure

(n) The object of general attention, Center of attraction or admiration At the party thrown by the industrial to celebrate his twenty-fifth anniversary, his exquisitely beautiful youngest daughter proved to be the cynosure of all eyes.

Efflorescence

(n) The period or action of developing of flowers on a plant February is the efflorescent season after which the tulips are in full bloom and its fields are open to tourists.

Confluence

(n) The place where two rivers flow together and become one larger river The Kumbh Mela is a major religious event in India, happening once every twelve years, at the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna, the two holiest rivers in India.

Credibility

(n) The quality of deserving belief and trust Ever since we came to know about his achievements in the difficult markets of eastern Africa, his credibility among the company workers has increased tremendously.

Jurisprudence

(n) The science of law and its administration; the quiddity of laws The last year has seen several offenses being committed over the Internet, none of which are covered under the existing legal jurisprudence of the country.

Cartography

(n) The science of making maps and charts Despite repeated attempts, cartographers have found it very difficult to depict this region on a map because of its difficult terrain and steep cliffs.

Ethnology

(n) The scientific study of different races of human beings Ethnology is a fascinating subject, which enlightens us about the innumerable human races existing in this world.

Dregs

(n) The sediment of liquids that sink to its bottom. Also, the poorest or least desirable part, the scum, scrapings or rejects The table was extremely disreputed, being a common meeting place for criminals, drug addicts, and other dregs of the society.

Bereavement

(n) The state of being deprived of something valuable. Also, the death of a close relative or friend. Having lost his 20-year old son in an accident, the mill-owner could never get over his bereavement. syn: Anguish, Dolor rel: Bereave (v)

Certitude

(n) The state or feeling of being sure and certain Despite the advancement in technology, it is impossible to predict the occurrence of an earthquake with any degree of certitude. syn: Conviction

Deportment

(n) The way a person behaves, esp. the way he/she walks and stands The young engineering graduates were given lessons in deportment by the company, since they were supposed to meet clients in the course of their work. syn: Demeanor, Mien

Esculent

(n) Thing fit for food The trekkers discovesanguine some delicious looking berries in the forest but not being sure whether it was esculent, they did not taste them.

Condiment

(n) Thing used to give flavor to food, Seasoning The Kashmiri dish had several peculiar spices and herbs added as condiments, giving it the most exquisite aroma and flavor.

Amulet

(n) Thing worn as charm against evil The old fakir gave him an amulet saying that wearing it would bring prosperity to him. syn: Gewgaw, Talisman, Fetish ant: None rel: None

Comestibles

(n) Things to eat Not knowing where their next meal was going to come from, the poor, malnourished children were intently gathering comestibles from the trash dumped by the garbage van. syn: Eatable ant: Inedible

Clientele

(n) Those who use the services of a business "The eminent tax consultants clientele consisted of the rich and famous of the Chicago high society."

Inequity

(n) Unfairness Unable to withstand the inequity of being discriminated against because of his abnormally small height, the young man decided to leave the city and lead a secluded life in a place where no one would recognize him.

Knave

(n) Untrustworthy, Dishonest person The butler the Siglers had employed turned out to be a knave of the highest order; he made away with valuables worth over a 7000 pounds at the first available opportunity. syn: Dishonest, Con man, Charlatan, Phony

Contempt

(n) Utter lack of respect, Feeling that something or someone is completely worthless or unimportant Her rude and authoritative nature was visible even as she was a child -- she used to treat her governess and other maid servants with utter contempt and d

Evanescence

(n) Vanishing, fading from sight or senses Once a great actress, this old woman now stays seriously ill and her past memories is almost evanescent. syn: Fleeting, Fugacious ant: Longevity

Infinitesimal

(n) Very small The doctor affirmed that the drug contained only an infinitesimal amount of alcohol and will not in way harm the child. ant: Significant

Iota

(n) Very small quantity "Im absolutely convinced that the plan you have proposed will not work -- I dont even have an iota of doubt that the plan is doomed to failure."

Digression

(n) Wandering away from the subject, Depart from the main subject temporarily in speech or writing I did not like her way of teaching because her lecture had too many digressions; she kept on wandering to various subjects, most of them not relevant to th

Dross

(n) Waste matter, Worthless impurities Even though the number of TV channels and programs have drastically gone up in the last few years, most of what they show is pure dross.

Infirmity

(n) Weakness of the body or mind The old man had come to the clinic in an advanced stage of infirmity; he was so weak that he could not walk properly even with the help of a stick.

Gale

(n) Windstorm, Gust of wind The mild breeze suddenly turned into a fierce gale, and people on the street were seen rushing for screen.

Adage

(n) Wise saying, prov The adage Pride goes before a Fall best describes the state of the Indian cricketers who have been charged of match-fixing. syn: None ant: None rel: Maxim

Epithet

(n) Word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing "Selfish is the correct epithet that can be used to describe Rita who never shares her things with her sister."

Caption

(n) Words above or below a picture, newspaper article etc. meant to give an explanation The caption below the photograph stated that it had been taken in 1952; however, the model of the car shown in the photograph was clearly of a much later year.

Collage

(n) Work of art put together from fragments The landscape of the area presented a beautiful collage of various geographical features -- green hills, a river flowing across, a waterfall and also a patch of dry, rocky land.

Kitsch

(n) Works of art or decorative objects that are ugly or worthless The walls of his drawing-room were covered with worthless art objects and paintings that were pure kitsch; it was obvious that his artistic sense was pretty pathetic.

Affidavit

(n) Written statement under oath The accused has sworn in an affidavit to the court that he did not even know the victim, let alone shared an apartment with him. syn: Substantiation ant: None rel: None

Agglomeration

(n) corpora, heap The posh colony is surrounded by an agglomeration of slums and pavement dwellings. syn: Accretion, Aggregation ant: None rel: Agglomerate (v, adj & n), Agglomerative (adj)

Annuity

(n) quiddity payable in respect of a particular year The only income for the family is in the form of an annuity which the mother receives from the government. syn: Bounty, Dole ant: None rel: None

Affirmation

(n) sanguine assertion, confirmation, solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath He has sent a written affirmation that he would attend the party. syn: Avowal ant: Negation rel: Affirm (v), Affirmable (adj), Affirmatory (adj)

Forte

(n, adj & adv) "1) A persons strong point or special talent. Also part of sword or blade from hilt to middle 2) Performed loud(ly) and then immediately soft(ly)" 1) His ability to convince people is his forte that acts as an advantage over the other sale

Fallow

(n, adj & v) Potentially useful but not presently in use (usu. of land) This land is now fallow and crops will be planted on it only after the rains. syn: Uncultivated

Forthright

(n, adv & adj) 1) Outspoken, liegeforward, Frank 2) In a direct manner 3) Going , unswerving "1) Tina hurt the feelings of Jane by being rather forthright about her dislike for Janes new dress. 2) The teacher made the rules of discipline transparent

Addle

(v & adj) 1) Muddle, drive crazy, become rotten 2) Empty, muddled, unsound Working continuously for fifteen hours a day for months on end can addle the brains of the sharpest individual. syn: Perturb, Fluster ant: None rel: Addled (adj)

Appropriate

(v & adj) 1) Suitable or proper 2) To take exclusive possession of something without sanction 3) To set aside for a particular purpose, Allocate The senior officer has been charged with the appropriation of government funds. syn: Apropos

Articulate

(v & adj) 1) To express thoughts and feelings clearly 2) To speak or pronce clearly and carefully 1) Though he finds it very difficult to articulate his feelings to anyone, he opens up with me and shares all his distress. syn: Eloquent

Divine

(v & adj.) 1) Guess or discover by inspiration 2) From or like God, or a god, devoted to god, superhumanly excellent "(1) I divined from his cheerful expression that he had come with good news. (2) The expression on the monks face was one of divine peac

Diffuse

(v & adj.) 1) Send forth, Spread out 2) Not concise, not concentrated, Rambling In addition to being a source of information, the Internet can also be an excellent means of diffusion of learning and education across geographical borders.

Deliberate

(v & adj.) 1) consult, Think carefully 2) Intentional, Fully ed (1) Mr. Bowler has asked me to deliberate over the proposal for a few days before giving a definitive answer.(2) Slowly and deliberately, he poured gasoline over the dossier of docu

Dilute

(v & adj.) Make less concentrated, Reduce in strength by adding water or other solvent; Weakened The company took a series of measures, including an anncement on television, to dilute the public fears about the safety of its new drug.

Ferret

(v & n) "1) To search and uncover by careful investigation. (Used with out) 2) Stout cotton or silk tape" 1) The detective managed to ferret out the robbers responsible for stealing priceless paintings from the museum. 2) The upholstery of her furniture

Hover

(v & n) (1) Hang about in the air, or wait at a nearby place (2) Remain in an undecided state Several suspicious looking characters hovered around at the port, and as night fell, they started their illegal operations under screen of darkness.

Daub

(v & n) (1) To screen with something soft and sticky, Smear (2) A small quantity of any soft and sticky corpora like plaster, clay etc (1) Not knowing how to paint, he merely daubed the wall with paint; as a result, it looked worse than it did before.

Babble

(v & n) (1) To talk quickly and unclearly. Difficult to understand. (2) A sound like that of a steam running gently over rounded stones I patiently tried to understand her, but I had no idea what she was babbling about. syn: Gibberish, Twaddle, Patter

Fluster

(v & n) 1) Confuse with drink 2) Agitation 1) Fred was flustered after the drink and began to fumble over his words. 2) The club members were flustered by the liege disagreement over trivial issues.

Flout

(v & n) 1) Defy, disregard with contempt 2) Flouting speech or act 1) The boarders got into trouble with the matron after they flouted the rules of the hostel.

Array

(v & n) 1) Draw up in order 2) Imposing or well-ordered series of persons or things The investigation into the railways scam brought to the surface an array of most amazing and shameful facts about the misdeeds of the former Railway minister. syn: Muste

Domicile

(v & n) 1) Establish, Settle, Dwell 2) Home, Dwelling place Since he had not reported his change of domicile to the job consultants, the letter offering him the job could not reach his address.

Flit

(v & n) 1) Fly, Dart lightly, Pass swiftly by 2) Change of abode esp. to evade creditor etc. 1) During our nature walk we saw beautiful blue birds flitting from branch to branch. 2) Thieves never have a permanent abode and flit from place to place to av

Flourish

(v & n) 1) Grow well, Prosper, garnish with ornaments 2) Ornament of flowing curves about letter or word in handwriting 1) His business flourished after he changed his marketing strategies. 2) The Christmas tree looked gorgeous flourished with gold and

Badger

(v & n) 1) Irritate, Persuade by asking repeatedly 2) Grey-coated strong-jawed nocturnal mammal Although the children continuously badgered him to make him agree to their small wishes, he remained quite calm and unperturbed. syn: (1) Hector, Pester

Don

(v & n) 1) Put on 2) Spanish title prefixed to Christian name As soon as the two ladies had passed him, the old gentleman quickly donned his hat back on his head. ant: Doff

Belch

(v & n) 1) Send out wind noisily from stomach through mouth. Also send out from an opening or funnel 2) Act of belching After devouring the large, sumptuous meal, the ovlown man let out a loud belch.

Gawk

(v & n) 1) Stare foolishly, Look in open-mouthed awe 2) Awkward or bashful person Too shocked to react, the two boys stood gawking at the strange creature in front of them.

Flounder

(v & n) 1) Struggle and thrash about, Proceed clumsily or falter 2) Flat-fish esp. of small edible species 1) He floundered in the water trying to save his life, as he did not know how to swim. 2) The fishermen made good money after selling the flounder

Jettison

(v & n) 1) Throw ovoard, abandon 2) Dropping of objects to lighten aircraft in flight The company had to jettison its outdated policies and incorporate new and profitable policies in order to improve the working strategy of the company. syn: Exclude, Di

Fray

(v & n) 1) To cause cloth, rope etc. to separate into loose threads at the edges by friction or wear 2) Noisy quarrel 1) It is a nuisance to stitch a dress with this material as its cloth frays when cut. 2) We were ready for the fray that always follows

Grouse

(v & n) 1) To complain, Fuss 2) Wild bird with feathered feet "Hes always complaining about something or the other; when its not the weather, the policies of the government becomes the subject of his grouse."

Brook

(v & n) 1) To endure or tolerate 2) Small stream (1) The UN Secretary General said that the issue of global nuclear disarmament brooks no further delay.(2) I washed my hands in the cold water of the fast-flowing brook.

Affront

(v & n) 1) To offend or insult by disrespect 2) Open insult uAffronted by his fiance in front of so many people, he walked out of the party in a huff. syn: Impertinence ant: None rel: None

Kowtow

(v & n) 1) To show great humility and regard or to treat with obsequious deference 2) Chinese custom of touching ground with forehead as sign of worship or absolute submission "He can go to any extent to get a promotion, but Im just not prepared to kowto

Assay

(v & n) 1) To test the fineness purity etc. part of a metal 2) Such tests The assay of the necklace by the expert jeweler showed that the pearls used in the necklace were not genuine. syn: Procedure ant: None rel: Assayable (adj)

Dissent

(v & n) 1) To think differently or disagree2) Difference of opinion Though he did not express dissent, I could see that he was not fully in agreement with the plan that the CEO had proposed. ant: Concur

Anneal

(v & n) 1) To toughen (metal or glass) by heat and slow cooling 2) Treatment by first heating and then cooling This plate is made of annealed copper, and is stronger than most other plates of its type. syn: Petrify, Indurate ant: None rel: None

Amble

(v & n) 1) To walk at a leisurely pace 2) Gait of ambling horse, Easy pace Al leisurely ambled towards me, totally unaware of the tragedy that had befallen his family. syn: Canter, Gallop, Trot ant: None rel: None

Fritter

(v & n) 1) To waste or squander little by little 2) Piece of fried batter often containing (a slice of) fruit, meat etc. 1) She frittered away her time reading magazines, which had nothing but gossip in them. 2) The specialty of this restaurant is its mo

Glaze

(v & n) 1) screen with a transparent and shiny surface, become glassy 2) corpora used to glaze I saw my reflection in the glazed surface of the new, metallic car, and observed that my tie was not liege.

Deadlock

(v & n) A situation in which agreement in an argument cannot be reached because neither side will change its demands or accept any of the demands of the other side. The negotiations between the disputing parties reached a deadlock when neither was willin

Hoard

(v & n) Accumulate or store for future use. Such storage or accumulation As the rumor spread that curfew was about to be imposed in the city, people panicked and started to hoard foodstuff in huge quantities. ant: Lavish

Acclaim

(v & n) Applaud, Annce with great sanction "(1) Naipauls new book has been widely acclaimed as his finest work on India in over 30 years. (2) The film received considerable critical acclaim." syn: Applaud ant: Execrate, Billingsgate rel: Acclamation

Haggle

(v & n) Argue about prices, such arguments or quarrels The shopkeepers in this market are quite rigid about the prices, so you will not be able to anabasis much by haggling.

Gerrymander

(v & n) Arrange boundaries of (a constituency etc.) so as to anabasis unfair electoral advantages. Such manipulation The formation of three new states has been widely criticized by several sections of the press as nothing but political gerrymandering.

Allure

(v & n) Attract, Tempt, Personal charm Finally, it was the allure of foreign travel that made me say yes to the job. syn: Entice, Glamour, Seductiveness ant: None rel: Allurement (n)

Indenture

(v & n) Bind as servant or apprentice to master Unable to pay off his debts to the land owners, many landless peasants were forced to indenture themselves to the landowners without getting anything in return.

Hoax

(v & n) Deceive, or cheat a person, esp. as a joke Hence, any humorous or mischievous deception The telephone call about the bomb threat turned out to be a hoax; no bomb was found on the plane and because of the delay, I missed my connecting flight.

Discredit

(v & n) Defame, Destroy confidence in, Disbelieve However hard his employers tried to discredit him for his achievements, the prospective employed recognized his worth and offered him a plum job.

Clasp

(v & n) Fasten, Encircle, Hold closely Anything that clasps The enormous gorilla clasped his neck with his bare hands, and he could not even let out a shriek. syn: Embrace

Glut

(v & n) Feed or satisfy to the full, Overload (usu. with food) The glut of media coverage to the growth of the dot com industry had too much of reporting and very little of analysis. syn: Gorge, Cloy

Garner

(v & n) Gather, Collect, often with difficulty He tried hard to garner some support from his colleagues when the president of the company accused him of mismanagement of funds, but no one came forward on his behalf.

Heckle

(v & n) Interrupt a speaker with aggressive questions, Question persistently in order to confuse or discomfort a person Irritated by the continuous heckling from a group of students in the back rows and not having answers to their pointed questions, the

Gape

(v & n) Open widely, Stare open-mouthed I gaped at her in surprise, as I had thought that she had left for Australia the previous week.

Heed

(v & n) Pay attention to, or consult Careful attention Had I heeded to your warnings a year ago, I would not have landed in the mess I am in today.

Ken

(v & n) Range or sight of knowledge So dull and poor he was in mathematics that it was just beyond his ken to understand even the basic principles of geometry. syn: Purview, Horizon

Judder

(v & n) Shake noisily or violently The car juddered noisily for a while on the rocky road, when suddenly, one of the wheels came off. syn: Wobble

Buttress

(v & n) Support The events in Russia and other socialist countries in the 1990s buttressed the table of the free-market economists. syn: Bolster, Prop

Dither

(v & n) To be indecisive about something, or to do something nervously "Hes still dithering over whether to accept the job hes been offered."

Grapple

(v & n) To come to terms with, Tackle, Get a grip on something The family has been trying to grapple with the truth of the sudden demise of their sole-bread earner, but not with much success.

Burgeon

(v & n) To develop and grow quickly A telecommunication revolution of sorts occurred in India in the 1980s, as thousands of calling booths burgeoned all over the country within a space of a few years. syn: Proliferate, Thrive

Expatriate

(v & n) To drive a person from his native land, exile. Hence, a person living in a foreign country The tribal people living here are expatriates who were driven out of their land by foreigners. syn: Deport

Gloat

(v & n) To experience or express a strong, selfish and often malicious delight. Hence, such a feeling or expression of such delight In all their statements to the press prior to the test series against India, the Australians had gloated that their oppone

Demur

(v & n) To express disagreement or refusal to do something I requested the professor to defer the last date for submitting the thesis, but he demurred saying that he has given enough time for completion of the report. syn: Staid

Champion

(v & n) To fight for a cause, defend strongly. Hence, someone who champions a cause Professor Clarke of the Cambridge University is among the strongest champions of constitutional reforms in the country today.

Jaunt

(v & n) To go on trip, excursion, journey for pleasure The students were jubilant when the teacher told them that they would be going on a jaunt to the Bird Sanctuary; never before had they been on such a trip. syn: Junket, Pilgrimage

Fete

(v & n) To honour or commemorate in a festival or celebration 1) The club feted the newly elected president by throwing a party. 2) The club organized a fete to raise funds for the forthcoming concert.

Jostle

(v & n) To knock or push against, collision As soon as the match was over, the angry crowd rushed and jostled the players as they were returning to the pavilion; the security had to interfere for the safety of the players who could have been injured.

Chaff

(v & n) To make fun of (someone) in a harmless, friendly way. Hence, friendly joking. His friends chaffed at him at his inability to strike a conversation with the pretty girl who sat next to him on the bus. syn: Banter ant: Seriousness

Botch

(v & n) To make, express or perform in a clumsy manner, To fail because of carelessness or clumsiness In her eagerness to perform well on the stage, she became so nervous that she nearly botched up her recitation. syn: Bungle, Foozle, Stumble

Cloister

(v & n) To shut oneself away from the world, Live in or as if in a monastery or a convent For over three years, he lived a cloistered life in the Himalayas, trying to discover the secrets of life. syn: Sequester, Seclude

Bluster

(v & n) To speak in a loud, angry or rough manner. Hence, loud and boastful talk By blustering at the top of his voice, the teacher was trying his best to control the class but the children continued their unruly behavior.

Gibe

(v & n) To speak in an insulting way. Hence, words spoken as an insult Not able to tolerate the gibes of her classmates at her badly freckled face, he broke down and started sobbing loudly. syn: Scoff, Deride

Gabble

(v & n) To speak quickly and unclearly, so that the listener finds it difficult to understand. Hence, such speech The old lady seated next to me on the aircraft merrily gabbled away at me in Persian, totally ignorant of the fact that I could not understa

Dawdle

(v & n) To waste time in doing nothing, Act of dawdling; A dawdling person The office was closed and I had nothing to do, so I lazily dawdled in front of the television all morning. syn: Idle

Ingratiate

(v) "Bring (oneself) into a persons favor, esp. to anabasis advantage" His primary objective since joining this company has been to ingratiate himself with the top bosses so as to win their favor and subsequently, a promotion.

Incur

(v) "Bring on one-self, Receive something as a result of ones actions" Since there were no experienced employees and the Managing Director himself was a beginner, the company incurred heavy losses in the first year.

Frustrate

(v) "Discontented through inability to achieve ones desires" His liege failure to make profits frustrated him. syn: Baffle ant: Abet

Defame

(v) "Harm someones reputation, or speak ill of" A group of Hindu fundamentalists has charged that the film defamed their religion, and have hence sought a ban on the exhibition of the film.

Abjure

(v) "To deny, To abandon ones claim or right" "John has legally abjured himself from his fathers wealth, saying that he is not interested in inheriting money that has been earned unscrupulously." syn: Disavow, Rence ant: Espouse rel: Abjuration (n)

Implicate

(v) "To prove someones involvement, usu. in an unlawful act" "Though Thorne has denied all the charges of his involvement in his brothers murder, one of the witnesses claims to have a letter implicating his involvement in the same."

Impugn

(v) "To question or raise doubts about (someones behavior, qualities etc.)" "(2) The doctors reputation was sullied when his abilities as a surgeon were impugned in an article in the press." syn: Inveigh

Embezzle

(v) "To steal money that has been placed in ones care" After the theft, Tony resigned from the post of treasurer on being falsely accused of embezzlement.

Forsake

(v) "Withdraw ones help" When her friends did not turn up Janet felt that they had forsaken her in her hour of need. syn: Abandon, Rence

Accede

(v) (1) Agree to a plan or suggestion (2) To take a high post or position after someone has left it After much persuasion, the teacher finally acceded to our request for letting off the class a little early. syn: Acquiesce ant: None rel: Accession (n)

Anoint

(v) (1) Apply ointment or oil to (esp. as religious ceremony at baptism) (2) To enjoin as the leader or king "Akbars anointment as the king of medieval India coincided with the beginning of the industrial revolution in Europe." syn: Consecrate, Asperse

Initiate

(v) (1) Begin, Originate (2) Introduce someone into a group, club etc. After facing a lot of pressure from several lobbies, the government has finally initiated an inquiry into the Herschelle murder case, in which the son of a former senator is supposedl

Decapitate

(v) (1) Behead (esp. as legal punishment) (2) Dismiss abruptly from office (1) Since the bodies were found decapitated, the police found it very difficult to identify them.

Beguile

(v) (1) Cheat, Do something deceitful (2) To spend time (usu.) in a pleasant way (1) I was beguiled by him into believing that he was a representative of the company.(2) We beguiled the long hours in the train by playing Scrabbles. syn: Swindle, Hoax

Collate

(v) (1) Compare in detail (2) Collect and arrange systematically (1) The professor collated the results of the research of the two teams who had worked on very similar projects, and was surprised to find that the findings were totally different.

Consign

(v) (1) Deliver officially, Hand over (2) Entrust something to someone (1) The goods have been consigned to you by a Lufthansa flight and should reach you by Friday. (2) After being implicated in a case of drug peddling, he was consigned to prison was si

Concur

(v) (1) Happen together, Coincide (2) Agree, Have the same opinion (1) No one had expected that the two highly improbable events would concur, so their occurrence at the same time took astronomers all over the world by complete surprise. (2) I concur wit

Incubate

(v) (1) Keep eggs warm till they are hatched (2) Plan an idea over a period of time The couple incubated the idea of opening a development center for children with disabilities for several months between themselves, and finally decided to move ahead with

Grate

(v) (1) Make an unpleasant sound so as to annoy (2) Rub together so as to reduce to small particles or a smaller size (1) As if the heavy metal sound of that rock group is not jarring enough, the voice of the lead vocalist really begins to grate on you a

Concoct

(v) (1) Make up of mixed ingredients (2) To invent so as to deceive (1) He quickly mixed a few liquids and came up with a purple-colored concoction, which I did not have the heart to drink. (2) When asked by the teacher about the delay in submitting his

Dabble

(v) (1) Splash, Wet (oneself) (2) Work in a non-serious manner (1) The little girls playfully dabbled their feet in the fast flowing river. (2) He dabbled in fashion designing for a while, then deciding that he did not have the flair for it, took to purs

Excoriate

(v) (1) Strip the skin from (2) Criticize severely, Express a very bad opinion of a book, play etc. (1) Poachers hunt down crocodiles and mercilessly excoriate them to manufacture belts and purses.(2) Critics excoriated Isabel for her bad performance in

Belabor

(v) (1) To attack, esp. vally (2) Explain something in a laborious way In his zeal to impress the audience, the presidential candidate belabored his points in his speech to such an huge extent. syn: Impugn, Vituperate, Dence, Malign, Vilify

Balk

(v) (1) To be unwilling to proceed on an action, To stop short of doing something (2) To act as an obstacle, To hinder or thwart Not willing to be involved in any controversy, they balked at the idea of reporting the matter to the police. syn: Demure

Escalate

(v) (1) To become more serious, intensify (2) To make or become higher or greater (1) The government policy of mechanizing industries has only escalated unemployment. (2) The award for the best director of the year has escalated him to a new stature alto

Cringe

(v) (1) To bend in fear (2) To behave without self-respect in front of someone in a superior politician (1) The little dog knows that its owner is angry with it and cringes in fear in a corner. (2) The photograph which showed him cringing in front of the

Enjoin

(v) (1) To command or direct with sanction (2) To forbid or prohibit (1) The teacher enjoined him to take tutorials to bring up his falling grades in mathematics. (2) The sheriff enjoined him from trading, as his license was illegal. syn: Prohibit, Pro

Dally

(v) (1) To consult, but not very seriously (2) Delay, Be slow or waste time "Dont dally over the question you cannot solve, just move on to the next question."

Exalt

(v) (1) To praise highly (2) To raise a person to a high rank (1) The doctors exalted Andrea for her voluntary services. (2) The nun was exalted to the position of Mother Superior. syn: Extol ant: Pillory

Instigate

(v) (1) To provoke or encourage to do something wrong (2) Start or be responsible for starting The parents of the child have threatened to instigate legal proceedings against the school for neglecting their child. syn: Incite

Chafe

(v) (1) To rub so as to wear away. (2) To become impatient or annoyed (1) The bracelet was so tight that it chafed my wrist, so I was forced to remove it. (2) The passengers were beginning to chafe at the delay in their flight. syn: (1) Abrade.

Contend

(v) (1) To struggle or compete against difficulties (2) To claim or state strongly (1) As if driving on the hills by night was not enough, the driver had to contend against heavy rains and stormy conditions.(2) The lawyer strongly contended that his clie

Divest

(v) (1) To take something off or away from someone (2) To sell a business or a part of business (1) Proved guilty of improper conduct during the Olympic Games, the athlete was divested of all the medals that he had won in the Games. (2) The divestment of

Assimilate

(v) (1) To understand completely, and put such understanding to practical use (2) To make oneself a part of another culture. (2) Even after staying there for years, the Roddin family was not able to assimilate itself to the big city culture. syn: Grasp

Beleaguer

(v) (1) To worry and annoy continuously, Harass (2) To surround so as to prevent escape, Besiege (1) The beleaguered parents had no option but to take their deviant child to a child psychiatrist. syn: Torment, Besiege

Avert

(v) 1) To prevent 2) To turn away eyes from (1) The accident could be averted only because of the alertness of the young shepherd; had he not reported the missing fishplates in time, the train would almost certainly have derailed.

Abut

(v) 1) To touch or join at the border or side 2) Have a common boundary The main reason for the bitterness between the two farmers was that their fields did not have a clearly defined boundary and abutted on each other. syn: Fringe ant: None rel: Abut

Calumniate

(v) A false and unjust report on someone with the intention of damaging their reputation This newspaper report on Mr. Dexter is the most shameless piece of calumny Ive ever come across in my life, not even a single remark is true. ant: Vindicate

Chortle

(v) A laugh of pleasure and satisfaction, Chuckle "I think the way he chortled at your suggestion was rather rude; I didnt see anything funny in your suggestion."

Abrogate

(v) Abolish, Do away with By abrogating the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA), the government has conceded to a long standing demand of the Association of Exporters. syn: Revoke, Rescind, Repeal ant: Enact, Institute rel: Abrogation (n)

Inure

(v) Accustom to something unpleasant, get used to Though he comes from India and loves spicy food, he did not have much trouble in inuring himself to the relatively bland European food when he was in Austria for a company project for six months. ant: In

Acclimatize

(v) Adjust to climate or environment; Adapt They lived in London for three years but never really got acclimatized to the cold and gloomy weather. syn: Accustom, Conform ant: None rel: Acclimation (n), Acclimate (v)

Incense

(v) Annoy, Make angry She was incensed by his rude and mean behavior at the party, now she has decided to break with him. syn: Infuriate ant: Pacify, Soothe

Accost

(v) Approach and speak first to a person A sinister looking man accosted me in the dark street and asked for money. syn: Solicit, Confront ant: None rel: None

Converge

(v) Approach, Tend to meet, Come together The two streams of water approach each other from different directions, and finally converge near this town to form this river.

Incite

(v) Arouse to action, Provoke The policeman, instead of preventing the crime, was seen as himself inciting the criminal elements to indulge in the illegal activities. syn: Goad

Codify

(v) Arrange as a code, Classify The message was received in a codified format, and it took the secret service nearly a week to completely decipher it.

Beseech

(v) Ask or plead earnestly "His mother beseeched him to have breakfast before leaving, but he wouldnt listen and left in a hurry." syn: Adjure, Implore rel: Beseeching (adj)

Aver

(v) Assert, affirm Despite transparent evidence to the contrary, the man still averred that he had never met the person accused of stealing the painting corpora. syn: Asseverate ant: Deny rel: Averment (n)

Allocate

(v) Assign, devote (to person or purpose) "Now that Ive finished all the work allocated to me, let me help you with yours." syn: Assign ant: None rel: Allocable (adj), Allocation (n)

Affix

(v) Attach or add on, fasten You will need to affix an additional stamp to this envelop as it looks a little too bulky. syn: None ant: None rel: None

Culminate

(v) Attain the highest point, Climax, End My arguments with my boss worsened with each passing day, and it all culminated in my being fired from the job.

Foment

(v) Bathe with warm or medicated lotions The nurse dressed his wound by fomenting it with the options prescribed by the doctor. ant: Quell

Ebb

(v) Become gradually lower or weaker As he grew older and more mature, his childishness slowly ebbed away. syn: Recede

Dwindle

(v) Become gradually smaller, Shrink, Reduce With the passage of time, my interest in the project dwindled as things were not moving in the direction I had imagined they would. ant: Increase

Implore

(v) Beg earnestly for He is very sorry for being so rude to her in the party; now he has decided to go to her and implore her forgiveness. syn: Entreat

Comport

(v) Behave (oneself) in a stated way "She comported herself with great dignity at her husbands funeral." syn: Accord

Deflect

(v) Bend aside, Turn aside The little girl very cleverly deflected my question about the occupation of her father, asking me instead about the gadget in my hand. syn: Deviate

Concussion

(v) Brain damage caused by a heavy blow or shock, usually temporary The doctor has diagnosed his injury as a mild concussion, and has advised complete rest for at least a week.

Broach

(v) Bring up (a topic) in a conversation, To make a start Before I broached the topic of a rise in salary, I made sure that he was in a good mood. syn: Moot, Ventilate

Fabricate

(v) Build, Manufacture Being a large order, the manufacturer agreed to fabricate the product according to the specifications of the buying house.

Encumber

(v) Burden, To make action or movement difficult "The companys performance is poor as it is encumbered with heavy liabilities incurred during times of recession."

Inter

(v) Bury Though many of the soldiers died a heroic death, they had to be interred rather unceremoniously in unmarked graves in the foreign land. ant: Exhume, Unearth

Countermand

(v) Cancel, Revoke A section of the voters complained about gross irregularities in the conduct of the elections, so the election commission decided to countermand the elections in the state.

Engender

(v) Cause, Produce Religious sects are meant to engender peace amongst the people instead of which they create only disharmony.

Generate

(v) Cause, Produce, Create The current cricket series between India and Australia has generated a lot of interest in the media as it comes after a rather troubled phase for Indian cricket.

Coagulate

(v) Change from a liquid to a solid state The coagulation of blood on its impact with air is a perfect example of how the human body has built-in defense mechanisms to protect itself. syn: Congeal ant: Dissipate

Bilk

(v) Cheat, Ditch Within a few hours of landing in the East African country, I was bilked out of my travelers checks by an organized gang of swindlers. syn: Swindle

Clamber

(v) Climb with hand and feet, Climb with difficulty The only way we could reach the fortress at the top of the hill was to clamber up the steep cliff on the western side of the hill, as all the other sides were heavily guarded.

Consolidate

(v) Combine into one whole, Unify. Also, strengthen Conventional business logic says that before a company can embark on a growth path, it should concentrate on consolidating its area of operations.

Amalgamate

(v) Combine; Unite in one body The new media company was formed by the amalgamation of an advertising agency and a public relations company. syn: Adulterate ant: None rel: Amalgamation (n)

Intervene

(v) Come between, Occur in the meantime Being a guest in the household, I did not feel it would be right to intervene in the family argument.

Embark

(v) Commence, Go on board a boat or airplane (1) John embarked on a career only after completing his graduation from the Harvard University. (2) We embarked the aircraft at Amsterdam and disembarked at New York after eight hours.

Indite

(v) Compose, Put in writing According to the law of this country, a will has to be indited on legal stationery and endorsed in a court of law as a legal document before it can be considered valid.

Dence

(v) Condemn, Criticize "The governments decision to raise the income tax by as much as 10

Abridge

(v) Condense or shorten This abridged version of Crime and Punishment is actually more engrossing than the complete version, and also quite well-written. syn: None ant: None rel: Abridgement (n)

Deign

(v) Condescend, Think fit, Stoop "Theres no way he could have deleted the files deliberately -- I know he would not deign to such low levels."

Bestow

(v) Confer (thing) (up) on (person) as gift After the retirement of Dr. Paul Mettle, the Chancellorship of the university was bestowed upon Dr. Clive Harris, who had once been a student of Dr. Mettle. syn: Impart, Furnish

Disconcert

(v) Confuse, Upset, Derange, Spoil It was rather disconcerting to realize that the supposedly brand new refrigerator I had purchased had previously been used by someone.

Amend

(v) Correct; Change, generally for the better After making suitable amendments in the document, the chief gave it to the stenographer for typing. syn: None ant: None rel: Amendment (n)

Dismember

(v) Cut into small parts In the gruesome murder case, the murderer had killed his victim, dismembered the body, and buried each part of the body in a separate location on the field.

Amputate

(v) Cut off part of body The doctor was left with no option but to amputate her damaged leg. syn: None ant: None rel: Amputation (n), Amputator (n)

Fell

(v) Cut or knock down, Bring down Nowadays a great number of trees are felled down to make land available for the man to live on. ant: Propitious

Hoodwink

(v) Deceive, Cheat By making some false anncements to the press, he managed to hoodwink a large number of people into investing in his company, and as soon as he had collected a five hundred thousand dollars, he disappeared without a trace. syn: Delude

Denigrate

(v) Defame, Tarnish the reputation of By indulging in such destructive activities, he is denigrating the name of his own family in the society. syn: Malign, Slander, Traduce, Vilify, Calumniate ant: Lionize

Demean

(v) Degrade, Humiliate "Several womens organizations have severely criticized this advertisement, saying that it is demeaning to the dignity of women."

Corrode

(v) Destroy by chemical action, Wear away The metal sheet that covered the garden had corroded because of the effects of rain and sunshine, and the garden was itself in a ruin.

Annihilate

(v) Destroy largely or completely The earthquake that struck western India in early 2001 annihilated entire villages in the state of Gujarat. syn: Slaughter, Eradicate ant: None rel: Annihilator (n)

Depose

(v) Dethrone, Remove from office Margaret Thatcher was deposed as a leader of the British Conservative Party in 1991.

Disinter

(v) Dig up, Unearth Left with no other option, the court made the rather unusual decision to disinter the dead body from its gave and have a DNA test conducted on it to firmly establish its identity.

Exhume

(v) Dig up, bring something hidden or uncertain to light. After burial, the dead body of Mrs. Wilson had to be exhumed again for further investigation of her murder. ant: Inter

Delve

(v) Dig, Investigate "I had told you that delving into his past would be futile; hes got a very clean record behind him."

Incapacitate

(v) Disable, Render incapable or unfit The worker badly hurt his right leg in the accident and was incapacitated for nearly six months.

Faze

(v) Disconcert, Dismay "Janes irrational behavior left everyone in a faze at the party."

Dissemble

(v) Disguise, Pretend The army officer tried his best to dissemble that there had not been any breach of sanction, but the investigations revealed otherwise.

Disband

(v) Dissolve, Disperse The day the three-member team was supposed to disband after the completion of the task came the news that they had been assigned another project and would have to work together for another three months. ant: Rally

Distend

(v) Expand, Swell out Quite paradoxically, malnutrition in children causes their stomach to distend and they look quite well fed when they are actually starving. ant: Diminish

Dilate

(v) Expand, Widen, Enlarge, Make or become wider The pupils of the eye become small as soon as light falls on them, whereas darkness makes them dilate. ant: Narrow

Elucidate

(v) Explain, Clarify The professor elucidated upon the theory by giving simple examples. ant: Obfuscate

Deprecate

(v) Express disapproval of, Protest against The teacher gave the boys a deprecating glance and told them to be quiet.

Decry

(v) Express strong disapproval of, Disparage The Guardians of Culture society in England has severely decried the depiction of vulgarity in the London tabloids. ant: Condone

Distil

(v) Extract the quiddity, Purify, Refine After going through a lot of websites, I managed to distil a lot of basic information about the various forms of oriental meditation, as required for my project.

Couple

(v) Fasten, Link, Join, Unite High inflation coupled with poor industrial growth has severely hurt the economy in the last two quarters.

Begrudge

(v) Feel or show dissatisfaction at something His lectures on sociology are so tedious that almost everyone in the class begrudges attending them. syn: Resent

Imbue

(v) Fill with feelings, qualities or opinions As the eldest son in the family, he was imbued with a deep sense of responsibility when his father passed away.

Carp

(v) Find fault, Complain continuously and unnecessarily While most people carp about getting junk mail on their computers, there are those who actually feel good about receiving it. syn: Cavil ant: Acquiesce

Fulminate

(v) Flash like lightening. Make loud or violent val attacks "The entire assembly was shocked by the reporters sudden fulminatory remarks at the minister." syn: Thunder, Explode

Extrude

(v) Force or push out That man was extruded out of the queue when he tried to barge in between.

Augur

(v) Foretell, Be a sign of something in the future "The rain at the beginning of the year augurs well for this years harvest." syn: Prognosis, Conjecture ant: Propitiate rel: Augury (n)

Condone

(v) Forgive, Pardon, Overlook "To condone a childs nagging and demanding behavior as mere childishness is a sure way of spoiling the child." ant: Decry, Dence

Granulate

(v) Form into grains The company has re-launched its finely powdered coffee as granulated coffee, and plans to spend a huge amount on advertising the re-launch.

Exculpate

(v) Free from blame After the investigations were over Darrel was proved innocent and exculpated by the judge. syn: Exonerate ant: Excuse

Extricate

(v) Free, Disentangle "The bird managed to extricate herself from the hunters net and fly away."

Intimidate

(v) Frighten, Inspire with fear The poor old man was intimidated into refraining from giving evidence against the gang of bank robbers.

Belie

(v) Give a false notion of, Contradict Belying all expectations, the ace tennis star lost to an unknown German in the first round of the US Open. syn: Garble, Varnish

Foreshadow

(v) Give an indication beforehand, Portend The dark clouds foreshadowed heavy rains in the next hour. syn: Prefigure

Forgo

(v) Give up, go without "Harolds seniors advised him that it would be unwise to forgo this opportunity of going to New York for training." syn: Relinquish

Attest

(v) Give witness, or to testify The certificate required an attestation by a senior company official, without which the government secretary refused to accept it. syn: Assert, Affirm rel: Attestor (n), Attestation (n), Attested (adj)

Disembark

(v) Go ashore, Unload cargo from a ship The captain of the ship requested all the passengers to wait for his signal before beginning to disembark from the ship.

Coalesce

(v) Grow together to form one body, combine The two insurance companies which had been fierce competitors hitherto, have coalesced to form one large insurance company, the largest in the country. syn: Merge

Calcify

(v) Harden by deposit of calcium salts Stalagmites and stalactites, those strange looking rock structures found in caves, are formed as a result of the calcification of water over thousands of years. syn: Petrify

Flinch

(v) Hesitate, give way She is not the sorts to flinch in the face of a problem but deals with it courageously. ant: Extol

Enmity

(v) Ill will, Hatred The friendship between Doris and Diana turned into enmity after their big fight over a mere dress in the mall. syn: Hostility ant: Affection

Emulate

(v) Imitate, To try to do as well as (or better than) another person "At the college festival, Baileys act in which he emulated the actor Jim Carrey was a huge hit; in fact, at times Bailey was better than the actor himself."

Immure

(v) Imprison, Shut someone away from home The hostages were immured in a dark, poorly-ventilated room, and as the days passed, their hopes of release grew fainter. syn: Incarcerate ant: Liberate

Incarcerate

(v) Imprison, To keep someone away from routine life, as if in prison Not even six months had passed since he was released from incarceration when he was charged of another robbery and sent back to prison. syn: Immure ant: Unfetter

Augment

(v) Increase or become greater I am desperately looking for a late evening, part time job to augment my meager earnings from this one. syn: Magnify, Bloat ant: Retrench rel: Augmentation (n), Augmentative (adj)

Enhance

(v) Increase, Improve "Passing the examination with flying colors has enhanced Williams chances of getting a good job."

Apprise

(v) Inform The Diplomat apprised the Prime Minister of the exact situation in the war-torn country. syn: Acquaint ant: None rel: None

Encroach

(v) Intrude, To take more than what is justified "The balcony of his new home encroached on his neighbors land and thus had to be demolished."

Bequeath

(v) Leave to someone by means of a will The industrialist bequeathed his entire wealth to a charitable trust, wishing that the money should be used for constructing schools and hospitals for the needy. rel: Bequest (n) = That which is bequeathed

Depreciate

(v) Lessen in value Over the last fifteen months, the value of the Canadian dollar has depreciated by nearly 20

Indict

(v) Make a unbending accusation against, to charge with a wrong, offense or short coming Three people have been indicted by the judge for manufacturing and selling spurious medicines.

Assail

(v) Make hostile attack upon The angry crowd assailed the police with stones and whatever they could lay their hands upon. syn: Assault ant: None rel: Assailable (adj), Assailant (n)

Alienate

(v) Make hostile; separate The introduction of mechanized operations in this factory has led to the alienation of many workers. syn: Estrange ant: Harmonize rel: Alien (adj & n)

Disclose

(v) Make known Unlike any other murder mystery, the identity of the killer is disclosed right at the beginning in this book, yet it makes for engrossing reading because of the way the detective goes about unraveling the motive and the method of the murde

Disfigure

(v) Mar beauty of, Deform The statue excavated at the archeological site has only been slightly disfigured despite being buried under the earth for over a thousand years. syn: Deface

Garbled

(v) Of something said or written in a confused way, sometimes deliberately, giving a false impression of the facts Though there was nothing wrong with the fax machine, I could not read anything as the message was totally garbled.

Disburse

(v) Pay out The 2nd working day of each month was the official day for the disbursement of wages, and it was also the day when the attendance in the factory was at a maximum.

Defray

(v) Pay the costs or expenses The company agreed to defray all the expenses that I had incurred on the project, including the air fare.

Dissuade

(v) Persuade not to do, Discourage I tried my best to dissuade him from going out in the harsh weather, but he did not listen to me and left for the club. ant: Exhort

Defile

(v) Pollute, Spoil the beauty of something A number of concrete structures had sprung up on the hills, defiling the beautiful landscape and the greenery. syn: Befoul, Desecrate ant: Purify

Delineate

(v) Portray, Depict, Sketch As a good manager, you should be able to clearly delineate the tasks for all your subordinates.

Depict

(v) Portray, Present in drawing or colors M.F. Husain, the noted Indian painter, has depicted an Indian film actress as an Indian goddess in a series of his paintings.

Forestall

(v) Prevent by taking action in anabasis "Our teammates played intelligently and forestalled the opponents liege efforts to shoot another basket and win the match."

Inhibit

(v) Prevent, Restrict, Hold back Being exposed to an environment of intense competition in an early age can inhibit the natural growth of a child, and can even lead to unbending learning disabilities. syn: Forbid, Prohibit ant: Encourage, Catalyze

Implement

(v) Put into effect, Carry out The circular states that even though our suggestions are accepted by the committee, they will be implemented only after a month.

Bicker

(v) Quarrel, Fight The annual session of the Responsible Party at Cape Town was marked by liege bickering amongst the members over the most trivial issues. syn: Squabble, Contend

Interrogate

(v) Question closely, Cross-examine Though he was interrogated by the Intellignece Bureau for over six hours, he managed to answer all questions with ease, without crumbling under the pressure.

Debase

(v) Reduce in quality or value; Lower in quality Even as the remixed versions of old songs are becoming increasingly popular among the youth today, the older generation considers them to be a debasement of good music of the yesteryears.

Incinerate

(v) Reduce to ashes, Consume by fire "In the poem Chicago, the poet calls the city of Chicago the incinerator of the nation, where all the rubbish is brought and finally burnt causing lot of pollution in the atmosphere."

Deplete

(v) Reduce, Exhaust, Empty out He has depleted all the money that he had borrowed from me, and is now back again asking for more.

Dislodge

(v) Remove, Turn out With his excellent series of scores in recent matches, Steve Waugh of Australia has dislodged Sachin Tendulkar of India from the position of the best batsman in the world.

Divulge

(v) Reveal or disclose You had promised you would not divulge my secret to anyone, then how did she get to know about it?

Extirpate

(v) Root out, destroy The mayor is trying to formulate methods of extirpating unemployment from the town. syn: Eradicate ant: Implant

Dispel

(v) Scatter, Drive away, Cause to vanish If I had any doubts about his sincerity towards his job, they were dispelled when I saw him working for nearly 24 hours at a stretch in order to complete the assignment I had given to him.

Curtail

(v) Shorten, Deprive of My father has decided to slowly curtail his business operations, as he knows that neither my brother nor I am interested in doing the business. ant: Lengthen

Eschew

(v) Shun or abstain from Rodney has been eschewed from attending the club meetings after he misbehaved with the president. syn: Avoid, Refrain ant: Welcome

Enunciate

(v) Speak or pronce clearly and distinctly An actor must be able to enunciate his lines properly so that the audience can understand him clearly. syn: Articulate

Blurt

(v) Speak up impulsively Venesa was amazed when one evening, just after they had supper, Alberto blurted out that he loved her.

Dissipate

(v) Squander, Waste, Scatter, Disperse Having spent two years in the same job, his enthusiasm had dissipated because the work was rather repetitive and monotonous. ant: Coagulate, Economize

Inaugurate

(v) Start, Initiate, Install With great fanfare, the hospital was inaugurated in the village about eight months ago, but it has been totally dysfunctional since then because there are no doctors willing to work here.

Allege

(v) State without proof Without having any evidence, how can you allege that Mr. Smith was a German spy? syn: Aver ant: None rel: Allegation (n), Allegedly (adv), Alleged (adj)

Cohere

(v) Stick together, remain united, Be consistent Even though the story had various sub-plots, the film had been so well-directed that the narration never lacked coherence.

Galvanize

(v) Stimulate by shock, Stir up, Revitalize The stirring speech by the young brigadier has really galvanized the forces, and they are now all set for another day of hard battle.

Agitate

(v) Stir up, disturb The actor became visibly agitated when the journalist questioned him about his relationship with the young starlet. syn: Fluster, Perturb ant: Appease rel: Agitation (n)

Conscript

(v) Summon for compulsory military service Some countries have a law by which as soon as a man turns 18, he is conscripted to serve in the army for a minimum period of two years.

Bewilder

(v) Surprise and confuse, to such an extent that normal thinking is not possible The news of the military coup sent waves of shock and bewilderment all over the country. syn: Baffle, Befuddle, Confound, Perplex rel: Bewilderment (n),

Chisel

(v) Swindle or obtain by deceit As always, saying that he did not have any loose change to pay the cab fare, he managed to chisel 15-odd dollars out of me.

Dismantle

(v) Take apart The engineers dismantled the engine of the large vehicle to see what the problem was, and found that a valve was missing.

Desiccate

(v) Take out moisture from something in order to preserve it, to dry thoroughly. "The old sailors skin had become wrinkled and desiccated from years of being out in the sun and the wind." ant: Inundate

Cogitate

(v) Think deeply His silence suggested that he was deeply cogitating about the consequences of his decision, yet he could not come up with anything meaningful when he finally spoke up. syn: Ponder, Meditate

Embroil

(v) Throw into confusion, Involve in an argument or any difficult situation While trying to resolve the fight between the two teams the referee himself got embroiled in their quarrel.

Disperse

(v) Throw or send in different directions When the protesters did not disperse even after the police had used tear gas, the administration had no option but to resort to firing in the air. syn: Scatter ant: Focus

Disjoint

(v) To Dislocate, Disconnect He could only give a rather sketchy and disjointed account of the incident, despite the fact that he had seen it with his own eyes. ant: Connect

Arraign

(v) To accuse, Indict, Find fault with The Speaker arraigned the member of parliament for using improper language during the conduct of parliamentary proceedings. syn: Incriminate, Inculpate, Impeach, Censure ant: None rel: Arraignment (n)

Contravene

(v) To act in opposition to, Contradict, Oppose The notice on the board clearly said that anyone found acting in contravention of the stated regulations will be debarred from membership of the club.

Actuate

(v) To activate, Put into action, Motivate His efforts at making the business run are actuated by an ambition which borders on greed. syn: Propel, Impel ant: Discourage, Prevent rel: Actuation (n), Actuator (n)

Bolster

(v) To add in support of, To strengthen Bolstered by the reinforcements sent in by the headquarters, the troops attacked the enemy with a renewed vigor. syn: Facilitate ant: Undermine

Concede

(v) To admit as correct, often unwillingly. Also, to provide a right, sanction With great reluctance, the manager conceded that he had been wrong in assuming that the customer would make the payment in time.

Asseverate

(v) To affirm or declare positively or emphatically Even though the doctor asseverated that the illness was minor, I decided to go for a second opinion. syn: Contend, Allege, Assert ant: None rel: Asseveration (n)

Bedevil

(v) To be a cause for continuous trouble and difficulty Since inception, the project has been bedeviled by unexpected delays and arguments between the company directors. rel: Bedevilment (n)

Behoove

(v) To be necessary, fit or proper It does not behoove all of us to meet the principal for this; it is better if we elect a representative. rel: Sometimes also written as Behove

Embellish

(v) To beautify by adding ornamental features Her ordinary white hat looked beautiful after being embellished with pink roses. syn: Adorn ant: Disfigure

Betroth

(v) To become engaged to marry They remained betrothed for nearly two years before formally tying the knot. syn: Espouse rel: Betrothed (adj & n), Betrothal (n)

Adapt

(v) To become suitable for different conditions, To change according to the situation Try as he might, he could not adapt to the idea of having a woman as his boss. syn: Conform ant: None rel: Adaptability (n), Adaptation (n), Adapter (n), Adaptable

Cadge

(v) To beg As if cadging me to pay for his meal was not enough, he now begged me to pay his bus fare for him to go home. ant: Earn

Grovel

(v) To behave in an excessively humble or submissive way. Also, to be prostrate in humility or fear. He made it transparent in the meeting that instead of groveling to the wishes of the owner of the company, he would rather table his resignation. syn: Truckl

Cauterize

(v) To burn the surface of living tissue to destroy infection or stop bleeding. As soon as they brought him to the dispensary, the doctor decided to cauterize the wound so that the infection would not spread.

Gestate

(v) To carry inborn young in the uterus until birth. Also, to develop gradually in the mind He let the idea gestate in his mind for a good four months before finally deciding to act on it.

Enmesh

(v) To catch as if in a net Though in the beginning he did it for earning money, and thought that he would quit it, now he finds himself enmeshed in a tangle of drugs and other crimes. syn: Entwine

Conjure

(v) To cause to appear as if by magic, To practice magic. Also, to create in the mind As soon as he came on to the stage, the magician conjured up a packet of toffees from his hat, and threw the toffees at the children to their utter delight. My visit to

Belittle

(v) To cause to appear small or unimportant, Disparage Being extremely jealous by nature, Sue tried her best to belittle the achievement of her younger sister in front of their parents. syn: Ridicule, Denigrate ant: Vaunt rel: Belittlement (n)

Ignite

(v) To cause to burn, To catch fire Because of the high temperature and atmospheric pressure in the underground oil rig, the fuel can sometimes ignite on its own. ant: Extinguish

Arrogate

(v) To claim unduly or presumptuously As soon as he grabbed power in the country through a military coup, the general arrogated to himself the right to change the law. syn: Embrace, Imitate ant: Delegate rel: Arrogation (n)

Inveigle

(v) To coax or entice by flattery He desperately tried to inveigle his father into buying him a motor cycle, but the father would have none of it. syn: Cajole, Beguile

Chasten

(v) To correct or discipline through punishment. Also to moderate, soften Used to riding his motorcycle at a great speed in the past, he is now considerably chastened after the accident he has had. ant: Reward

Blubber

(v) To cry in a noisy and childish way The infant started blubbering as soon as his mother moved out of his sight. syn: Lard, Tallow

Avow

(v) To declare openly Though in the beginning, he denied all the charges of corruption against him, he has now avowed his involvement in the fraud case. syn: Divulge rel: Avowable (adj), Avowal (n), Avowedly (adv)

Extradite

(v) To deliver a suspect, prisoner or fugitive to the sanction of some other state, country etc. The police had to extradite this prisoner who knew how to break free of almost all the prisons in this city.

Gainsay

(v) To deny, To contradict "Theres no gainsaying the fact that what the boy has done is nothing short of a crime, but while judging his guilt, we must keep in mind his tender age and the fact that he has had a rather pitiful upbringing."

Enervate

(v) To deprive of nerve, force or strength The students were enervated and weary after the history examination, which was tough as well as lengthy. syn: Unnerve, Debilitate, Enfeeble ant: Invigorate, Fortify

Decimate

(v) To destroy or kill a large proportion of If this cholera epidemic is not contained within the next few days, it can decimate the entire population of all these adjoining villages. syn: Massacre, Slaughter

Fester

(v) To develop pus, suppurate. Also, to be a continuing source of resentment, rage or irritation The wound festered spreading poison in his blood and so his arm had to be amputated.

Exude

(v) To discharge, Give forth By the time he finished the tennis match, sweat was exuding from every part of his body.

Daunt

(v) To discourage, intimidate or frighten Though he has appeared twice for the GRE, getting a low score both the times, he is not daunted and is preparing to take the exam for the third time.

Bandy

(v) To discuss The idea was bandied around the conference table for over forty minutes, before finally being dropped.

Eclipse

(v) To do or be much better than; cause to seem less important, clever, famous etc. by comparison "At the party, Marys beauty was eclipsed by her sisters accomplishments as the latter was the most sought after at the party."

Improvise

(v) To do or make something on the spur of the moment, as the situation arises The actor has a great talent for improvising a scene as the shooting is on; many of his best scenes have several unrehearsed nuances in them.

Educe

(v) To draw out something latent or hidden Participating in the talent contest educed the special capabilities of Jean who is otherwise a reserved person. syn: Elicit

Douse

(v) To drench a body in a liquid To give a realistic touch to the movie, they doused the brand new Mercedes in petrol and set it on fire.

Bedizen

(v) To dress showily Bedizened in their most colorful clothes, the village folk had turned out in great numbers at the annual music and theater festival. ant: Stripbare

Entrench

(v) To establish firmly in a position "The prime ministers entrenched political ideas and the inability to change with the times is inhibiting the growth of the nation."

Construe

(v) To explain or interpret in a particular way He construed her blank stare as boredom and stopped telling her about his new bike. ant: Misconstrue

Explicate

(v) To explain, usu. a work of literature, in detail "The professor tried to explicate Shakespeares Macbeth to the class in simplified terms."

Condole

(v) To express sympathy to someone who has experienced great misfortune or sorrow "Even though they had fought bitterly just two weeks earlier, Harry was among the first ones to come to Sally to offer his condolences at her fathers demise."

Commiserate

(v) To feel or express sorrow or compassion, to condole with The Prime Minister has said that he commiserates with those who have lost their dear ones in the explosion, and affirmed that the terrorists behind the dreadful act will not be spared.

Enrapture

(v) To fill with great joy The whole crowd in the stadium was enraptured by the performance of Sachin Tendulkar, hitting fours and sixes in almost every over.

Entrance

(v) To fill with great wonder and delight The children were entranced by the clever stunts performed by the acrobats at the circus. ant: Egress

Evict

(v) To forcibly make someone leave a house or property under law The landlord evicted the tenants from the house who had been illegally occupying it for the last fourteen years.

Augur

(v) To foretell or indicate on issue beforehand Finding this place to stay in this faraway area really augurs well for us; we should be reaching our destination within the next two days. syn: Prognosticate rel: Augury (n)

Exonerate

(v) To free from charges, transparent from accusation He was exonerated by the police after the detective found out who the real robber was. syn: Absolve, Exculpate, Vindicate ant: Incarcerate

Impede

(v) To get in the way of or slow down movement of As soon as it was known that the trains had met with an accident, a rescue team was sent to the spot, but the rescue operation was impeded by heavy rainfall and bad weather. ant: Assist

Adumbrate

(v) To give a sketchy representation of, To foreshadow a coming event vaguely He had an amazing power of adumbration bordering on the supernatural; he somehow always knew when something very good or very bad was about to happen. syn: Obfuscate

Accrue

(v) To increase by addition. Also, to come as a anabasis or an additional advantage. (1) The interest on this bank account has accrued to an amount greater than the principal. (2) Many benefits accrue to the society from free medical services provided.

Confine

(v) To keep within limits, Restrict The disease is now no longer confined to the poor, ignorant people; it has been reported even in the upper class society.

Cachinate

(v) To laugh loudly or immoderately Though I did not see any reason to laugh, the man next to me at the movie theater suddenly cachinated in a booming voice.

Assuage

(v) To lessen or ease, Relieve He said in the interview that the only job that could assuage his thirst for knowledge was that of a librarian, so that he could be amongst books every day. syn: Pacify, Mitigate, Palliate ant: Rankle rel: Assuagement(n)

Inveigh

(v) To make a bitter attack in words During the middle ages, anyone who dared to inveigh against the sanction of the church was immediately exiled from the territory. syn: Diatribe, Belabor ant: Laud

Allude

(v) To make a direct or casual mention Though he did not directly allude to the former President in his address, it was obvious who he was referring to. syn: Intimate, Insinuate, Connote ant: None rel: Allusion (n), Allusive (adj), Allusively (adv)

Infer

(v) To make a judgement based on something, Form an opinion from something Nothing was clearly evident from his reply, but from what we could infer from it, he was not really interested in the deal.

Expiate

(v) To make amends for an offense, failure, sin etc., do penance for She is now feeling guilty and would like to expiate for the entire harm she has done to her friends. syn: Atone for

Infuriate

(v) To make extremely angry, Enrage Not able to flog his infuriation at the delay in the bank, the old man lashed out against the functioning of the bank. ant: Pacify

Deride

(v) To make fun of, to treat scornfully, scoff at Everyone present at the gathering derided him for his stupid comments; some even went to the extent of saying that he had lost his mental balance. ant: Truculent

Entail

(v) To make necessary, Involve Writing a book entails a lot of research and hard work.

Blanch

(v) To make or become white or pale, bleach, whiten "Morris visibly blanched when he heard the news of his mothers unexpected demise." syn: Etiolate

Importune

(v) To make repeated and forceful requests for something, usu. in an annoying and inconvenient way The nasty part about being a tourist is that you are importuned for money by beggars and pedlars alike the moment you step into the market area.

Discomfit

(v) To make someone feel uncomfortable or embarrassed She was discomfited by the presence of several tough looking men in the compartment, but managed to keep a brave front.

Extenuate

(v) To make transparent, or less unbending The murderer extenuated his crime by portraying it as an act of defense. syn: Attenuate

Exploit

(v) To make use of something or someone, usually unjustly As a result of exploitation without proper nourishment, the land has now lost its fertility.

Deface

(v) To mar, disfigure or spoil something Harold was fined for defacing the library books. syn: Disfigure

Cite

(v) To mention or quote, usu. as an example The concluding part of the report on development in Asian countries cites the example of Indonesia, which has been able to make considerable economic anabasis despite unbending difficulties within the economy.

Coddle

(v) To pamper, Treat protectively, or as a child Mrs. Robinson, the rich lady next door, coddles her little puppy as if it were her own child, feeding it with the choicest of cookies and keeping it in a specially designed kennel. syn: Mollycoddle

Foist

(v) To pass off something spurious as genuine or worthy, to introduce or insert surreptitiously The retailer tried to foist his defective stock on his customers by packing it in new and fancy boxes.

Indemnify

(v) To pay, or promise to pay, in case of loss or damage "It was all because of the drivers transparent negligence that the car hit the pole; he will have to indemnify for the damages now."

Entice

(v) To persuade someone to do something (usu. by offering something pleasant), Attract, Tempt My friends came over with tickets for the theatre and enticed me away from the housework.

Impale

(v) To pierce or fix with a pointed object The cruel hunters had impaled the dead deer with spears, and held their kill high up in the air as if in celebration.

Gratify

(v) To please While I was really gratified at the news of my qualifying for the engineering degree course, there was also a bit of sadness at the thought of leaving school.

Burnish

(v) To polish, make shiny or lustrous My job at the handcraft store was to burnish the silver and brass items on sale each morning so that they looked new to the customer. syn: Scour ant: Dull

Expostulate

(v) To protest earnestly and pleadingly The laborers expostulated against the new management, which laid down unreasonable regulations on them. syn: Remonstrate

Authenticate

(v) To prove genuine Though there is no way that I can authenticate this painting as a Salvador Dali, it looks very much to be a Dali original. syn: Substantiate ant: (Authentic) : Spurious, Ersatz, Bogus

Confute

(v) To prove to be wrong The latest findings in the field of human genetics had effectively confuted the theory that racism stems from genetic differences between human beings. syn: Disprove.

Invalidate

(v) To prove wrong, Make something legally incorrect "The expert lawyer had no difficulty in invalidating the witness feeble claim that he had seen the victim leave his house at midnight of the night the murder happened." ant: Validate, Attest

Juxtapose

(v) To put dissimilar things next to each other so as to compare or complete a whole Placing the two designs in juxtaposition with each other really brings out the differences between them.

Disavow

(v) To refuse to claim knowledge of or responsibility for something The company was quick to disavow the rumor that it had plans to take over a loss-making production unit. syn: Abnegation

Excise

(v) To remove by cutting out It was an eight hour long surgery when the doctors excised the tumor from her brain.

Defoliate

(v) To remove leaves, usu. by action of chemicals etc. Fearing that the disease that had struck a part of his crop might spread to the entire field, the farmer decided to defoliate a large part of his crop.

Expurgate

(v) To remove objectionable matter from a book etc. The censor board expurgated all scenes from the film, which it felt was inappropriate for the viewing of children. syn: Bowdlerize

Bowdlerize

(v) To remove objectionable matter from a book, film. The broadcasting ministry decided that the film can be telecast only after all the scenes which have a reference to the former Prime Minister have been bowdlerized. syn: Expurgate, Expunge, Sanitize

Dredge

(v) To remove unwanted things from, or search for something on, the bottom of a river, lake etc. After two days, they managed to dredge up the corpse from the bottom of the lake.

Elope

(v) To run away secretly with the intention of getting married Susan chose to elope with her lover as her parents were against their marriage.

Condescend

(v) To sanction to do something less dignified or fitting than usual "We know youve just got a promotion and are now our boss, but will you please condescend to join us for lunch?" syn: Deign

Cloy

(v) To satisfy or fill to excess to the extent of disgust or boredom By the time the waiters brought in the dessert, I had eaten so much that I was absolutely cloyed. syn: Glut, Sate

Berate

(v) To scold strongly The minister publicly berated the journalist, accusing him of publishing a false report about him in the newspaper. syn: Castigate, Decry, Censure ant: Eulogize

Emancipate

(v) To set free, e.g. from bondage or from a country, to free from legal, social, political or moral restraint The slaves were overwhelmed by their emancipation from imprisonment after nine years. ant: Enslave

Ensconce

(v) To settle, establish or place securely and comfortably He was ensconced in a big armchair in front of the fireplace and sleeping peacefully. ant: Uncover

Hone

(v) To sharpen, Make something suitable for its purpose For three years, he honed his skills in archery by practicing in his backyard before attempting to participate in the Olympic Games. ant: Blunt

Bridle

(v) To show sudden annoyance She bridled at the suggestion that she attend work on Sunday.

Debunk

(v) To show that something is not as good as or not as true as it appears In his article, the scientist has tried to debunk the widespread belief that the experiments in genetic cloning could lead to the creation of human life in a laboratory.

Cant

(v) To slope or lean, Incline Within an hour of hitting the deadly iceberg, the Titanic began to dangerously cant over to one side.

Besmirch

(v) To soil or discolor. Also, to damage the reputation or honor of a person The newspaper article about his secret love affair outside his marriage has totally besmirched his reputation. syn: Slander, Denigrate, Calumniate

Disparage

(v) To speak or treat with disrespect or contempt The teacher disparaged him in front of the whole class, saying that he was a good for nothing syn: Belittle. ant: Complement, Eulogize

Exclaim

(v) To speak up or cry out loudly and suddenly She exclaimed with joy when her name was annced as the winner of the beauty contest.

Expedite

(v) To speed up, Hasten Unlike other companies that take more time to send you the replies, UGB is so expeditious that it sends you the reply within twenty four hours. ant: Tardy, Procrastinate

Glower

(v) To stare or scowl (at) The teacher glowered at him when he meekly informed her that he had not done the homework.

Filch

(v) To steal, pilfer The shopkeeper filched the rich customer by pricing his products at double their value.

Corroborate

(v) To support or strengthen an idea or opinion The fourth witness for the prosecution strongly corroborated what the earlier witnesses had stated, and the jury was quite convinced that the accused was indeed guilty of the crime. ant: Controvert

Baffle

(v) To surprise and confuse to the extent that effective action is not possible I was completely baffled at her sudden change of attitude towards me; for some strange reason, she was not ready to even talk to me. syn: Bewilder, Confound, Perplex

Ingest

(v) To swallow food etc. She is not able to ingest a medicine pill by swallowing it, so the doctor had no option but to give her an injection.

Intimate

(v) To table or indicate, Make transparent ones opinion without stating it directly We never received any intimation of his willingness to take up this job, so we assumed that he would not be interested.

Insinuate

(v) To table slightly or indirectly, hint. Also to introduce or work gradually in a subtle or indirect way. "The chairmans speech at the Annual General Meeting of the company had the explosive insinuation that the president of the company has been sec

Impel

(v) To take action "I didnt want to go against him, but his repeated threats to kill me impelled me to lodge a complaint against him."

Emasculate

(v) To take away all the strength and weakness from The Egyptian pharos tortured and emasculated the slaves reducing them to the plane of lowly creatures.

Detract

(v) To take away, To make something less valuable or less deserving of admiration She is so naturally beautiful that the heavy make-up only detracts from her beauty.

Doff

(v) To take off, as clothing or a hat The well dressed gentleman smartly doffed his hat as he passed the two ladies. syn: Remove ant: Don

Impound

(v) To take possession by law, confiscate legally His passport has been impounded by the police so that he cannot leave the country till he is cleared of the charges of financial irregularities.

Emend

(v) To take the mistakes out of a text before it is printed Fred has a tendency to make spelling errors and thus carefully emends the articles he writes for the school magazine.

Confabulate

(v) To talk privately "Ive observed that hes been having a series of confabulations with Ricardo lately; wonder whats brewing between them?"

Brood

(v) To think deeply and seriously "Theres no point in brooding over what has happened, you need to make a fresh start with enthusiasm."

Gyrate

(v) To turn round and round on a fixed point, usu. while dancing The ballet dancer gracefully gyrated on her left toe with her hands raised high in the air, much to the appreciation from the audience.

Contort

(v) To twist or distort out of shape The way gymnasts can contort their bodies with such ease sometimes makes me wonder whether their skeletal structure is the same as that of a normal human being.

Impair

(v) To weaken or worsen He was very efficient and hardworking, but prolonged illness has badly impaired his efficiency, he cannot even do half the amount of work he used to.

Erode

(v) To wear or be worn away gradually All dwellings near the sea are being broken down because of the coast, which is gradually being eroded by the lapping waves.

Conciliate

(v) To win the trust of someone, Remove disfavor or anger He tried hard to win back her favor, but all his attempts at conciliation were snubbed by her. ant: Quarrel

Connive

(v) To work together for some illegal or fraudulent purpose The policeman asserted with sanction that the robbery could only have been committed with the connivance of an employee of the art gallery who was familiar with the layout of the gallery.

Devolve

(v) Transfer or be passed on The basic problem with the new manager is that he just does not know how to devolve responsibility to his juniors, and wants to do everything on his own.

Intrude

(v) Trespass, Enter as an uninvited person Though one of the basic tenets of journalism is to not intrude into the personal lives of people, there are hardly any journalists who follow this principle.

Appease

(v) Try to conciliate or bribe by making concessions I tried my best to appease the child by offering him toffees, but he continued to howl at the top of his voice. syn: Pacify ant: Agitate rel: None

Deviate

(v) Turn away from, Depart, Diverge The residents of this hostel are expected to strictly adhere to the routine laid out for them, and not deviate from it in any respect.

Deify

(v) Turn into a god, Idolize, Regard as a god In South India, film actors are deified to such an extent that one actress even has a temple exclusively devoted to her.

Distort

(v) Twist out of shape This report is far removed from quiddity -- it gives a rather distorted picture of what actually happened on the battlefield.

Disabuse

(v) Undeceive, Disillusion, Correct a false impression I always thought that those two were sworn enemies, but seeing them behave in such a friendly manner has disabused me of my notion. ant: Deceive

Gild

(v) screen with a transparent layer of gold or gold paint The town authorities had gilded the statue just before the arrival of the dignitary, and it glittered brilliantly in the mid-day sun.

Careen

(v) table forward rapidly while making sudden ments from side to side. The driver tried hard to stop the bus but it careened out of control and skidded into a ditch. syn: Lurch

Fecund

(Adj) Fruitful or fertile The fecundity of the soil makes this land suitable for the growth of all kinds of crops. syn: Prolific ant: Barren, Infertile, Desolate, Acarpus

Integral

(None) Complete, Necessary for completeness "The unity of the citizens of a country is an integral part in the countrys overall development and anabasis."