GRE 4000+

menace

threat; V: threaten

embroil

throw into confusion; involve in strife, dispute, or quarrel; entangle; CF. imbroglio

toss

throw lightly; move or lift (the head) with a sudden motion; flip (a coin) to decide something

fulminate

thunder; explode; issue a severe denunciation

frustrate

thwart; defeat; prevent from accomplishing a purpose

stymie

thwart; present an obstacle; stump

titillate

tickle; excite pleasantly; Ex. not to titillate the audience but to enlighten it

yore

time long past; Ex. in the days of yore

heyday

time of greatest success or power; prime

opportune

timely; well-chosen

puny

tiny; weak; insignificant

apex

tip; summit; climax; highest point

weary

tired after long work; V.

stigma

token of disgrace; brand; V. stigmatize: mark with a stigma; characterize as disgraceful

memento

token; reminder of the past; keepsake; Ex. memento of your visit

brook

tolerate; endure; Ex. brook no interference; N: small stream

knell

tolling of a bell especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell; V.

sepulcher

tomb; V: place in a sepulcher; ADJ. sepulchral

modulate

tone down in intensity; change the intensity or tone of; regulate; change from one musical key to another; Ex. modulate from E to G

indisputable

too certain to be disputed; beyond doubt

fathomless

too deep to be measured or understood; unfathomable

far-fetched

too improbable to be believed; implausible; Ex. far-fetched story

finicky

too particular; fussy; difficult to please; too concerned with unimportant details or quality; Ex. finicky about her food

pestle

tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl or mortar

cog

tooth projecting from a wheel

crest

top (as of a hill or wave); showy feathers on the head of a bird

overthrow

topple; N.

tatter

torn piece of cloth; ADJ. tattered: (of clothes) old and torn; (of a person) dressed in old torn clothes

laceration

torn ragged wound; V. lacerate: tear (the skin as with broken glass); wound

fiasco

total failure; CF. bottle

gross

total; fragrant; clearly wrong; (of people's behavior) coarse; corpulent; Ex. gross insolence/behavior; V: earn as a total amount; N: 12 dozens

explicit

totally clear; definite; outspoken

tickle

touch (the body) lightly so as to cause laughter; please

petulant

touchy; peevish; ill-tempered

scintilla

trace; minute amount; shred; least bit; Ex. There is not a scintilla of truth; CF. spark

vestige

trace; remains; Ex. vestiges of some ancient religion

brand

trademark; mark burned on the hide of an animal; mark burned into the flesh of criminals; mark of disgrace; V: mark with a brand; give a lasting bad name; stigmatize; Ex. The press branded him a liar.

barterer

trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money

orthodox

traditional; (of someone) conservative in belief; adhering to an established doctrine

wake

trail of ship or other object through water; path of something that has gone before; Ex. hunger followed in the wake of the war

turncoat

traitor

quisling

traitor who aids invaders; CF. Vidkun Quisling

equable

tranquil; of even calm temper; (of temperature) steady; uniform

quietude

tranquillity; calmness

transmute

transform; change; convert to something different

transitory

transient; impermanent; fleeting; N. transitoriness

remit

transmit (money) in payment; free someone from a debt or punishment

pellucid

transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to understand

peddle

travel about selling (wares); CF. foot

trek

travel; journey; V: make a long difficult journey

conspiracy

treacherous plot; secret plan against the law (by two or more people)

perfidious

treacherous; disloyal; N. perfidy: treachery

exchequer

treasury; Ex. Chancellor of the exchequer

lionize

treat (a person) as a celebrity

coddle

treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mollycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs

disdain

treat with scorn or contempt

indignity

treatment or situation that causes shame or loss of dignity, respect; offensive or insulting treatment; humiliating or degrading treatment; Ex. I suffered the indignity of having to say that in front of them.

quiver

tremble; shake; N.

tremor

trembling; slight quiver (as of the earth or from nervous agitation)

tremulous

trembling; wavering

ruse

trick to deceive; stratagem

hoax

trick which makes someone take action; practical joke; Ex. hoax mail; V.

gull

trick; deceive; hoodwink; N: person who is easily tricked; dupe

chicanery

trickery; deception

dally

trifle with; toy with; treat without the necessary seriousness; procrastinate; waste time

trivia

trifles; unimportant matters

bauble

trinket; cheap jewel; trifle

stumble

trip and almost fall; proceed unsteadily; act falteringly; N.

junket

trip especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public expense

jaunt

trip; short journey

trifling

trivial; unimportant

petty

trivial; unimportant; very small; small-minded; petty-minded

typhoon

tropical hurricane or cyclone

torso

trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk

confidant(confidante)

trusted friend (to whom one tells one's secret)

veracity

truthfulness; adherence to the truth

complaisant

trying to please; obliging; willing to please others

kaleidoscope

tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, etc. produce interesting symmetrical effects; series of changing events; Ex. kaleidoscope of European history; CF. beautiful

chant

tune(melody) in which a number of words are sung on the same note; V: sing (a chant); utter (a slogan) in the manner of a chant

warren

tunnels in which rabbits live; overcrowded living area; crowded conditions in which people live

deviate

turn away from (a principle, norm); move away from an accepted standard; swerve; depart; diverge; N. deviation; Ex. deviation of the path of light by a prism

deify

turn into a god; make a god of; idolize; Ex. Kings were deified; CF. deity

vaporize

turn into vapor (steam, gas, fog, etc.)

overturn

turn over; capsize; topple

resort

turn to for help; Ex. resort to violence; N.

petrify

turn to stone; cause to become stonelike; stun or paralyze

invert

turn upside down or inside out; reverse the position or condition of

wring

twist (to extract liquid); extract by twisting; wrench painfully (necks or hands)

writhe

twist in coils; contort in pain

warp

twist out of shape; N.

distort

twist out of shape; give a false account of; misrepresent; N. distortion

wrench

twist; pull; strain; Ex. He wrenched the gun out of her hands.

torque

twisting force; force producing rotation

sinuous

twisting; winding; bending in and out; not morally honest

contortions

twistings; distortions; V. contort: twist violently out of shape; CF. contortionist

bicameral

two-chambered as a legislative body

despot

tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler; CF. despotism

speechless

unable for the moment to speak (because of strong feeling); Ex. speechless with anger

indubitable

unable to be doubted; which cannot be doubted; unquestionable

irrepressible

unable to be restrained or held back; impossible to hold back

doctrinaire

unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding; marked by inflexible attachment to a doctrine without regard to its practical difficulties

unwonted

unaccustomed; unusual; Ex. He arrived with unwonted punctuality.

irrevocable

unalterable; irreversible; impossible to revoke

inevitable

unavoidable

unseemly

unbecoming; not proper in behavior; indecent; Ex. leave with unseemly haste

infidel

unbeliever (with respect to a particular religion)

irresolute

uncertain how to act; weak; lacking in resolution; indecisive; N. irresolution

immutable

unchangeable

ambiguous

unclear or doubtful in meaning; having more than one possible interpretation

invincible

unconquerable

indomitable

unconquerable; unyielding

insensible

unconscious; unresponsive; insensitive; unaware; imperceptible; Ex. insensible of his danger/to pain; Ex. insensible change; CF. not the opposite of sensible

Bohemian

unconventional (in an artistic way)

incorrigible

uncorrectable

disengage

uncouple; separate; disconnect; stop fighting; OP. engage

underscore

underline; emphasize

ethos

underlying character of a culture, group, etc.; character or ideas peculiar to a specific person, group, or culture; Ex. the company ethos

hindsight

understanding the nature of an event after it has actually happened

litotes

understatement for emphasis; Ex. ``not bad(=pretty good)''

tacit

understood (without actually being expressed); not put into words; Ex. tacit agreement

implicit

understood but not stated; implied; unquestioning and complete; Ex. implicit trust

untoward

unexpected and adverse; unfortunate or unlucky; Ex. untoward encounter

unaccountable

unexplicable; impossible to account for; unreasonable or mysterious

inequity

unfairness; ADJ. inequitable

mishap

unfortunate accident

hapless

unfortunate; luckless

canard

unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report

hostility

unfriendliness; hatred; enmity; ADJ. hostile

unintimating

unfrightening

ingrate

ungrateful person (not expressing thanks)

unscathed

unharmed; Ex. escape the accident unscathed

consolidation

unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger; V. consolidate: merge; strengthen

fusion

union; coalition; V. fuse

lumen

unit of light energy (one candle's worth)

carat(karat)

unit of weight for precious stones; measure of the purity of gold

unison

unity of pitch (in musical performance); complete accord; Ex. The choir sang in unison.

omnipresent

universally present; ubiquitous

unwarranted

unjustified; having no justification; groundless; baseless; undeserved

implausible

unlikely (to be true); unbelievable; Ex. implausible alibi

fluke

unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune; accidental stroke of good luck; ADJ. fluky

refractory

unmanageable; disobedient and stubborn; Ex. refractory horse

indifferent

unmoved or unconcerned by; having no interest in; mediocre; neither good nor bad

contrived

unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous; Ex. The ending was rather contrived.

imperceptible

unnoticeable; impossible to perceive; undetectable

derivative

unoriginal; obtained from another source; Ex. derivative prose style; N.

screech

unpleasant high sharp sound; shriek; V.

stygian

unpleasantly dark; gloomy; hellish; deathly; CF. Styx: the chief river in the subterranean land of the dead

capricious

unpredictable; fickle

disinterested

unprejudiced; free from bias and self-interest; objective

arbitrary

unreasonable or capricious; random; tyrannical; Ex. arbitrary ruler

earthy

unrefined; coarse; of earth; Ex. earthy remarks; OP. ethereal

uninhibited

unrepressed; free in behavior and feelings

wanton

unrestrained; gratuitously cruel; willfully malicious; unchaste; sexually improper; promiscuous; Ex. wanton spending/killing; CF. having no just cause

intractable

unruly; difficult to manage; Ex. intractable problem/child

fractious

unruly; peevish; cranky; bad-tempered; Ex. fractious horse

mutinous

unruly; rebellious; Ex. mutinous teenagers; N. mutiny: open rebellion; CF. mutineer

precarious

unsafe; lacking in stability; uncertain; risky; Ex. precarious living

unassuaged

unsatisfied; not soothed

unconscionable

unscrupulous; not guided by conscience; excessive; beyond reason; Ex. unconscionable demand

altruistic

unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altiruism: unselfish concern for the welfare of others; unselfishness; OP. egoism

imperturbable

unshakably calm; placid

pristine

unspoiled; remaining in a pure state; characteristic of earlier times; primitive; Ex. an old book in pristine condition

abortive

unsuccessful; fruitless

inept

unsuited; inappropriate; lacking skill; incompetent; CF. inapt: (of statements or ideas) inappropriate

slovenly

untidy; careless in work habits; slipshod; N. sloven: one who is habitually untidy or careless

inopportune

untimely; inappropriate or ill-timed; poorly chosen

knave

untrustworthy person; rogue; scoundrel; jack; N. knavery

ineffable

unutterable; not to be uttered; taboo; that cannot be expressed in speech; indescribable; unspeakable; inexpressible; Ex. ineffable name/joy

insalubrious

unwholesome; not healthful; Ex. insalubrious place

grudging

unwilling; reluctant; stingy(giving reluctantly)

disinclination

unwillingness

ignoble

unworthy; not noble; dishonorable; Ex. ignoble deed

brim

uppermost edge of a cup; projecting rim (as on a hat); Ex. The glass was full to the brim; V: be full to the brim

probity

uprightness; honesty; incorruptibility

distraught

upset; distracted by anxiety; very anxious and troubled almost to the point of madness; Ex. distraught with grief/worry

parvenu

upstart; newly rich person

aloft

upward; high up in the air

suavity

urbanity; polish; ADJ. suave: smooth and courteous

exhort

urge (by strong argument or advice); Ex. The general exhorted his men to fight bravely; N. exhortation

goad

urge on; drive with a goad; cause (someone) to do something by continued annoyance; Ex. They goaded him into doing it by saying he was a coward; N: sharp-pointed stick for driving cattle; stimulus; CF. annoy continually

exigency

urgent situation; ADJ. exigent

husband

use sparingly; conserve; save; Ex. husband one's energy; CF. house holder

prophylactic

used to prevent disease; N: something prophylactic; condom; N. prophylaxis: prevention of disease

futile

useless; hopeless; ineffectual

satirical

using satire; mocking

generality

vague statement; general statement which is not detailed; quality of being general; greater part; most; Ex. generality of people

foppish

vain about dress and appearance; N. fop: man who takes too much interest in his clothes and appearance

conceit

vanity or self-love; too high opinion of one's own value; extravagant metaphor (in poetry)

collation

a light meal; collating

artisan

a manually skilled worker

apiary

a place where bees are kept

soluble

able to be dissolved in a liquid; able to be worked out or solved

arbitrate

act as judge (at the request of both sides)

addendum

addition; appendix to book; something that is added (as at the end of a speech or book)

viscid

adhesive; gluey

contiguous

adjacent to; touching upon

mannered

affected; not natural; Ex. mannered way of speech

desultory

aimless; haphazard; digressing at random

purported

alleged; claimed; reputed or rumored; Ex. purported Satanists

anachronism

an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic

dissection

analysis; cutting apart in order to examine

assay

analyze (to discover what materials are present); evaluate (soil or ore)

pedigree

ancestry; lineage

papyrus

ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant

bereft

deprived of (something valuable); lacking

reverend

deserving reverence; N: priest

crave

desire; want intensely

ravage

devastate; plunder; despoil; Ex. crops ravaged by storms

application

diligent attention; diligence; V. apply oneself

dishonor

disgrace; N. ADJ. dishonorable

repudiate

disown; disavow; deny

disclaim

disown; renounce claim to; deny; CF. disclaimer

bifurcated

divided into two branches; forked

drudge

do drudgery; N: person who drudges

cardiologist

doctor specializing in ailments of the heart

podiatrist

doctor who treats ailments of the feet; chiropodist; N. podiatrics

psychiatrist

doctor who treats mental diseases

maleficient

doing evil; N. maleficience

homespun

domestic; made at home; spun or woven at home; simple and ordinary; Ex. homespun philosophy

hegemony

dominance especially of one nation over others

imperious

domineering; too commanding; haughty; CF. imperial/emperor

misgivings

doubts

bedizen

dress with vulgar finery

repel

drive away; disgust; Ex. repel the attack/moisture; Ex. repelled by the dirty room; CF. repulsion

urge

drive or force forward (by causing impulses); drive to take action; impel; entreat earnestly; Ex. urge horses; N: impulse that prompts action

provender

dry food for livestock; fodder

gullible

easily deceived

reverberate

echo repeatedly; resound; Ex. The thunder reverberated across the valley.

abash

embarrass

reek

emit (an unpleasant odor or smoke); give off an unpleasant odor; give out smoke; Ex. reeking chimney; N: unpleasant odor; stench

gratis

free; without charge; ADJ.

latitude

freedom from narrow limitations

blithe(blithesome)

gay; joyous

consensus

general agreement; opinion reached by a group

dynamo

generator for producing electricity; energetic person

magnanimity

generosity; ADJ. magnanimous: generous

largess

generous gift (given to people who do not have enough)

benevolent

generous; charitable; having a wish to do good

burlesque

give an imitation that ridicules; imitate mockingly

fashion

give shape to; make; Ex. fashion the pot out of clay

forgo(forego)

give up; do without

morbid

given to unwholesome or unhealthy thought; moody; characteristic of disease; Ex. morbid curiosity; N. morbidity; CF. disease

jocose

given to(having a tendency of) joking

beatific

giving or showing bliss; blissful

sensuous

giving pleasure to the senses; pertaining to the physical senses; operating through the senses; sensuous feeling of soft velvet on the skin

wrath

anger; fury

antediluvian

antiquated; extremely ancient

archaic

antiquated; no longer used; belonging to the past; N.

solicitous

anxious; worried; concerned; eager; Ex. solicitous to do something; N. solicitude

perquisite(perk)

any gain above stipulated salary; Ex. perquisites such as free meals and a car

acclaim

applaud; praise; greet with great approval; announce with great approval; Ex. The new drung has been acclaimed as the most important discoveries for years; N: strong expression of approval and praise

lubricate

apply a lubricant to; N. lubricant: substance that reduces friction

approbation

approval

ratify

approve formally; confirm; verify

sanction

approve; ratify; N: permission; penalty intended to enforce compliance

stem_from

arise from; originate from

Advent

arrival

overweening

arrogant; presumptuous

affected

artificial; pretended

quench

assuage or satisfy (thrust); slake; douse or extinguish; put out; suppress

pose

assume a particular posture; put forward; present; affect a particular attitude (to impress others); Ex. pose a threat; N.

posture

assume an affected pose; act artificially; N: pose; attitude

surly

bad-tempered; rude; cross

chaffing

bantering; joking

benediction

blessing

clientele

body of customers

maritime

bordering on(adjacent to) the sea; nautical; of the ships or the sea; Ex. Maritime Provinces

abysmal

bottomless

obeisance

bow (to show respect and obedience)

hive

box for bees; V: cause to go in a hive

atrocity

brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious

bugaboo

bugbear; object of baseless terror

takeoff

burlesque; act of leaving the ground

sear

burn the surface of; char or burn; brand; parch; cause (a plant) to wither

flicker

burn unsteadily or fitfully; move waveringly; N: flickering movement or light; brief sensation; Ex. flicker of excitement

pith

core or marrow; spongelike substance in the center of stems; essence; substance

cadaver

corpse; dead human body

diadem

crown

shack

crude cabin

hut

crude dwelling; shack

mash

crush into mash; convert into mash; N: mixture of ground grain and nutrients fed to livestock and fowl

pulverize

crush or grind into very small particles

quash

crush; suppress; squash; subdue; annul; Ex. quash a rebellion/the decision of the low court

elixir

cure-all; panacea; something invigorating

panacea

cure-all; remedy for all diseases

malediction

curse

imprecation

curse; swearword

aquiline

curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose

convex

curving outward

pare

cut away the outer covering or skin of (with a knife); trim; Ex. pare apples/expenses

excise

cut away; cut out; N: government tax on good produced and used inside a country; N. excision

prune

cut away; trim

adorn

decorate

embroider

decorate with needlework; ornament (a story) with fancy or fictitious details; embellish

garnish

decorate; add a garnish to; decorate (food or drink) with small items such as lemon slices; N.

fringe

decorative edge of hanging threads; edge

wane

decrease in size or strength (after being full); grow gradually to an end; Ex. The moon waxes and wanes every month; N.

edict

decree (especially one issued by a sovereign); official command

ordain

decree or command; grant holy orders; predestine; install as a minister, priest, or rabbi; N. ordainment; CF. ordination

ordinance

decree; authoritative order

profound

deep; not superficial; complete; Ex. profound thinker/remark/silence/deafness; N. profundity

ingrained

deeply established; firmly rooted; Ex. ingrained dirt/prejudice

slander

defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements; V. ADJ. slanderous

libel

defamatory written statement; act of writing something that smears a person's character; V. ADJ. libelous

discredit

defame; disgrace; destroy confidence in; disbelieve; N. CF. discreditable: causing discredit; shameful

rampart

defensive mound of earth

dainty

delicate; delicately beautiful; fastidious; not easy to please; Ex. dainty movement/dress

choice

delicate; of very fine quality

exquisite

delicate; very finely made; extremely beautiful; Ex. exquisite piece of jewelry

laborious

demanding much work or care; tedious

exodus

departure (of a large number of people)

cerebration

thought; working of the brain

millennium

thousand-year period (as in the New Testament); hoped-for period of happiness and prosperity

camaraderie

good-fellowship; CF. comrade

jovial

good-natured; merry; cheerful

virtue

goodness; moral excellence; good quality; advantage; Ex. by virtue of; Ex. make a virtue of necessity

oligarchy

government by a privileged few

gerontocracy

government ruled by old people

jaded

tired or uninterested by surfeit; fatigued; surfeited; worn out; wearied; Ex. jaded appetite

caption

title; chapter heading; text under illustration

lechery

gross lewdness; lustfulness; ADJ. lecherous; N. lecher: lecherous man

killjoy

grouch; spoilsport; one who intentionally spoils the pleasure of others

herd

group of animals; crowd; one who looks after a herd; Ex. shepherd/goatherd; Ex. herd instinct; Ex. herdsman; V: come together in a herd; look after a herd; Ex. herd cattle

avantgarde

group of artists whose work is based on the newest ideas and methods; CF. vanguard

entourage

group of attendants; retinue; CF. surround

cohorts

group of people who share some common quality; armed band; a group of between 300 and 600 soldiers under one commander (in the ancient Rome)

choir

group of people who sing together (esp. during religious services); place for choir

proliferate

grow rapidly (in numbers); spread; multiply; N. proliferation

cumulative

growing by addition; accumulative

factotum

handyman; person who does all kinds of work; CF. do everything

hover

hang about; (of birds or aircraft) stay in the air in one place; (of people) wait nearby; stay around one place; waver; be in an uncertain state

pendulous

hanging; suspended

incubate

hatch; warm (eggs) with the body to promote hatching; maintain at optimal environment conditions for development; be holding in one's body an infection which is going to develop into a disease; N. incubation; CF. incubation:disease

supercilious

haughty; arrogant; condescending; patronizing; CF. eyebrow, cilium

tend

have a tendency; take care of; minister; serve at; apply one's attention; attend

apolitical

having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs

odorous

having an odor

desperate

having lost all hope; despairing; reckless and violent because of loss of hope or despair; undertaken as a last resort

effete

having lost one's original power; barren; worn out; exhausted

multiform

having many forms

multilingual

having many languages; fluent in several languages

unprecedented

having no previous example; novel; unparalleled

monochromatic

having only one color

musky

having the odor of musk; N. musk: odorous substance secreted by an Asian deer

rancid

having the odor of stale or decomposing fat; rank

authoritative

having the weight of authority; regarded as providing knowledge that can be trusted; reliable; peremptory and dictatorial; Ex. authoritative dictionary/manner; CF. definitive

civil

having to do with citizens; not military or religious; courteous and polite; Ex. married in a civil ceremony; Ex. civil strife/disorder/law; N. civility; CF. civic

cognitive

having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing

effeminate

having womanly traits

salubrious

healthful; conducive to health or well-being; socially desirable; Ex. salubrious area; CF. health

impediment

hindrance; stumbling-block; speech defect preventing clear articulation; Ex. speech impediment

insinuate

hint; imply; suggest indirectly; creep in; introduce or insert (oneself) by artful means; Ex. insinuate himself into the boss's favor; CF. ingratiate

hermitage

home of a hermit

nostalgia

homesickness; longing for the past; Ex. nostalgia for the clothes of 1920s; ADJ. nostalgic

fete(f\^ete)

honor at a festival; celebrate or honor with a feast; N. (outdoor) festival or feast; CF. feast

commemorate

honor the memory of; serve as a memorial to; Ex. commemorate the 100th anniversary/those who died in the war

pudding

hot sweet dish

utopia

ideal place, state, or society; ADJ. utopian

oblivious

inattentive or unmindful; unaware; wholly absorbed; forgetful(having the habit of forgetting)

jaundice

medical condition in which the skin, the white part of the eyes, etc. turn yellow; V: affect with jaundice; affect with prejudice, envy, or hostility; bias

geriatrics

medical treatment and care of old age

alchemy

medieval chemistry

propensity

natural inclination

sextant

navigation tool used to determine a ship's latitude and longitude (by measuring the altitudes of stars)

impending

nearing; approaching; about to happen

propinquity

nearness (in space or relationship); proximity; kinship

proximity

nearness; ADJ. proximate

myopic

nearsighted; lacking foresight; N. myopia

dapper

neat and trim (in appearance); (of small men) neat in appearance and quick in movements; neat; spry

noncommittal

neutral; refusing commitment to a particular opinion; unpledged; undecided

altercation

noisy quarrel

evasive

not frank; trying to hide the truth; eluding; evading; V. evade: avoid (a duty or responsibility) or escape from by deceit

exempt

not subject to a duty or obligation; free from a duty; V.

feline

of a member of the cat family; N.

septic

of or causing sepsis; putrid; producing putrefaction; N. sepsis: poisoning of part of the body (producing pus)

lateral

of or coming from the side

slavish

of or like a slave; servile; showing no originality; copied very closely; Ex. slavish devotion/copy of the original

avuncular

of or like an uncle

arboreal

of or living in trees

demotic

of or pertaining to the people

palatial

of or suitable for a palace; magnificent

psychic

of psyche; mental; of or possessing extraordinary mental powers

religious

of religion; (of a person) pious; having reverence for a deity

sonic

of sound or its speed in air; CF. subsonic, supersonic

earthly

of this earth; terrestrial; worldly; not divine; possible; Ex. no earthly reason

temporal

of time; not lasting forever; limited by time; temporary; secular; worldly

rank

offensive in odor or flavor

obnoxious

offensive; disagreeable; Ex. obnoxious smell

stereotype

one regarded as embodying a set image or type; fixed and unvarying representation; standardized mental picture often reflecting prejudice; Ex. stereotype of the happy slave; V: make a stereotype of; represent by a stereotype; Ex. It is wrong to ster

sleeper

one that achieves unexpected success; something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable

outcast

one that has been excluded from a society; ADJ.

tenant

one that pays rent to use property owned by another

apostate

one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs; N. apostasy

hedonist

one who believes that pleasure is the sole aim in life; CF. hedonism: practice of living one's life purely for pleasure

saboteur

one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property; N. sabotage: destruction of property (usually carried out secretly)

supplicant

one who supplicates; ADJ.

controvert

oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict; ADJ. controversial; N. controversy

inverse

opposite

conventional

ordinary; typical; not nuclear; Ex. conventional weapons

upshot

outcome; final result

terminal

part that forms the end; railroad or bus station; ADJ. forming an end; ending in death; fatal; Ex. terminal cancer

penumbra

partial shadow (in an eclipse); CF. almost shadow

complicity

participation; involvement (in a questionable act or a crime)

filing

particle removed by a file

genre

particular variety of art or literature

translucent

partly transparent

forbearance

patience; forgiveness; V. forbear: refrain from (in a generous and forgiving way); be patient; Ex. forbear to send him to prison

disburse

pay out (as from a fund); N. disbursement; CF. purse

dignitary

person of high rank or position

nonentity

person of no importance; nonexistence

magnate

person of prominence or influence; powerful or influential person (in business or industry); Ex. oil magnate

supernumerary

person or thing excess of what is necessary; extra; ADJ: additional to the usual or necessary number

prot\'eg\'e

person receiving protection and support from a patron

hypochondriac

person unduly worried about his health; worrier without cause about illness; ADJ. CF. hypochondria: neurosis that one is or is becoming ill; CF. abdomen

demagogue

person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader of people; CF. demagoguery

trickster

person who cheats people

numismatist

person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals

hothead

person who does things too quickly without thinking; ADJ. hotheaded

masochist

person who enjoys his own pain; CF. masochism

conjugal

pertaining to marriage

marital

pertaining to marriage

connubial

pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state

mnemonic

pertaining to memory; assisting the memory; N: device, such as as formula or rhyme, used as a mnemonic aid

psychopathic

pertaining to mental dearrangement; N. psychopath: person with an antisocial personality disorder

monetary

pertaining to money

Elysium

place or condition of bliss

superimpose

place over something else

juxtapose

place side by side; CF. next

submerge

place under water; dip; go under water; cover completely (as with water); Ex. submerged in work

ford

place where a river can be crossed on foot; V.

arboretum

place where different trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited

unequivocal

plain; clear; obvious

braid

plait; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; N: braided segment (as of hair)

premeditate

plan in advance; Ex. premeditated murder

itinerary

plan of a trip; record of a trip

congenial

pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one's tastes and nature; Ex. congenial weather

luscious

pleasing to taste or smell; delicious

troth

pledge of good faith especially in betrothal; betrothal; Ex. by my troth

copious

plentiful

scenario

plot outline; screenplay(script for a movie); opera libretto; outline of possible future events

eulogistic

praising; full of eulogy

escapade

prank; flighty conduct; reckless adventure that disobeys rules

frolicsome

prankish; gay; playful; merry; frisky

invocation

prayer for help (used in invoking); calling upon as a reference or support; act of invoking

antecede

precede

precedent

preceding (in time, rank, etc.)

predilection

preference; partiality

regimen

prescribed course of diet or exercise; prescribed diet and habits; Ex. daily regimen of a dancer

connivance

pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend; V. connive: feign ignorance (of a wrong); cooperate secretly in an illegal action; conspire

pretension

pretentiousness; claim (without foundation); Ex. I make no pretensions to skill as an artist.

preempt

prevent in advance; head off(forestall); forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself before others; supplant; take the place of; displace; Ex. preempt any attempts; ADJ. preemptive

avert

prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought); Ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; Ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight.

haughtiness

pride; arrogance; ADJ. haughty

sensitization

process of being made sensitive or acutely responsive to an external agent or substance; V. sensitize: make or become sensitive

cavalcade

procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages; parade; CF. cavalry

emboss

produce a design in raised relief; decorate with a raised design

squelch

produce a splashing sound (when stepping through mud); crush; squash;

breed

produce young; rear; bring up; produce (an undesirable condition); N: kind or sort of animal or plant

interdict

prohibit; forbid; N.

circumspect

prudent; cautious; acting after careful thought

coroner

public official who investigates any death thought to be of other than natural causes

archives

public records; place where public records are kept

catharsis

purging or cleansing of any passage of the body; purging and weakening of strong emotions as a result of experiencing a dramatic work of art

imperil

put in danger

don

put on; OP. doff

belligerent

quarrelsome

receptive

quick or willing to receive (ideas, suggestions, etc.); Ex. receptive to the proposal

insurrection

rebellion; uprising

insurgent

rebellious; N.

recumbent

reclining; lying down completely or in part

acknowledge

recognize; admit

reminiscence

recollection; V. reminisce: recollect the past

conciliatory

reconciling; soothing; V. conciliate: reconcile; soothe; win the friendly feelings (by removing anger)

recast

reconstruct (a sentence, story, statue, etc.); fashion again

ruddy

reddish; (of the face) reddish and healthy-looking

anneal

reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass)

deplete

reduce; exhaust

advert

refer

allude

refer indirectly; N. allusion: indirect reference

ascribe

refer; attribute; assign

distill

refine (a liquid by evaporating and subsequent condensation); concentrate; separate the most important parts from; Ex. distill fresh water from sea water; CF. brew

meditation

reflection; thought; V. meditate

rebuff

reject bluntly; snub; beat back; Ex. She rebuffed his invitation; N.

exult

rejoice

astral

relating to the stars

abstinence

restraint from pleasant things, esp. eating or drinking; CF. abstention: act of abstaining from vote

constraint

restraint; compulsion; repression of feelings; reticence; V. constrain: hold back; restrain; compel; oblige; confine forcibly; imprison

compulsive

resulting from compulsion

reprisal

retaliation

superannuated

retired or disqualified because of age; outmoded; obsolete

comeback

retort; quick clever reply; return to former status

funereal

sad; solemn; suitable for a funeral

wistful

sadly thoughtful (because of desires or memories); sadly pensive; vaguely longing

jocular

said or done in jest or playfully; marked by joking

clipper

sailing vessel built for great speed

emolument

salary; payment for an office; compensation

saline

salty

monotony

sameness leading to boredom; monotonousness; ADJ. monotonous; CF. monotone

uniformity

sameness; monotony; ADJ. uniform: the same all over

surfeit

satiate; feed or supply to excess; stuff; indulge to excess in anything; N: surfeiting; excessive amount; Ex. surfeit of food

slake

satisfy (thirst); quench; sate

satiate

satisfy fully (physical needs such as hunger); sate; N. satiety: condition of being satiated

paucity

scarcity; dearth

dregs

sediment in a liquid; lees; worthless residue

seine

seine net; net for catching fish

usurp

seize another's power or rank (without legal authority); supplant; appropriate; N. usurpation; CF. take for one's own use

confiscate

seize; take possession of (private property) by official order (usu. as a punishment); commandeer

excerpt

selected passage (written or musical) taken from a longer work; V.

eclectic

selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources; selecting individual elements from a variety of sources; N. eclecticism

primogeniture

seniority by birth; state of being the first-born child; right of the eldest child (to inherit the entire property of one or both parents)

sentinel

sentry; lookout

gravity

seriousness; ADJ. grave

solemnity

seriousness; gravity

homily

sermon; tedious moralizing lecture; serious warning; ADJ. homiletic

minion

servile dependent; obsequious follower

sycophant

servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man; ADJ. sycophantic

toady

servile flatterer; yes man; sycophant; V: be a toady to; fawn

exemplary

serving as a model; outstanding; Ex. exemplary punishment/behavior; N. exemplar: typical example; model

ancillary

serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N.

subsidiary

serving to assist; subordinate; secondary; of a subsidy; N.

complementary

serving to complete something

premonitory

serving to warn

earmark

set aside (money or time) for a particular purpose

diaphanous

sheer; transparent

dwindle

shrink; reduce gradually

canter

slow gallop; V. CF. trot

sloth

slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness; ADJ. slothful: lazy; indolent

slacken

slow up; loosen; make or become slack

cabal

small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests

exiguous

small in amount; minute

skiff

small light sailboat or rowboat

miniature

small model; small painting; ADJ: small

figurine

small ornamental statuette(very small statue)

speck

small piece or mark; Ex. speck of dust in the eye

facet

small plane surface (of a gem(precious stone)); a side

asteroid

small planet

pallet

small poor bed; Ex. straw pallet

mote

small speck (esp. of dust)

simper

smirk; smile in a silly way; smile affectedly

fluency

smoothness of speech; ADJ. fluent

smolder

smoulder; burn slowly without flame; be liable to break out at any moment; exist in a suppressed state; Ex. smoldering anger

fatuous

smugly and unconsciously foolish; inane; silly; N. fatuity, fatuousness

gaffe

social blunder

poultice

soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body

bland

soothing or mild (food); agreeable; causing no trouble or offence

emollient

soothing or softening remedy (for the skin); ADJ.

wizardry

sorcery; magic

seamy

sordid; base; filthy; unwholesome; Ex. seamy side of city life

ulcer

sore place appearing on the skin inside or outside the body; Ex. stomach ulcer; ADJ. ulcerous; V. ulcerate

dolorous

sorrowful; N. dolor

psyche

soul; mind

judicious

sound on judgment; wise

stammer

speak with involuntarily pauses or repetitions

stock

standard; kept regularly in stock or supply; typical; routine; common; Ex. stock sizes of paper; Ex. stock excuse/character; N: goods for sale in a shop; OP. unique

parallelism

state of being parallel; similarity; analogy

galvanize

stimulate or shock by an electric current; stimulate by shock; shock into action; stir up; coat with rust-resistant zinc by using electricity

parsimony

stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious

robust

strong; vigorous

alimentary

supplying nourishment

turgid

swollen; distended (as from liquid)

tantalize

tease; excite by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach; torture with disappointment; CF. Tantalus: Greek mythological figure

badinage

teasing conversation; banter; joking talk

prolixity

tedious wordiness; verbosity; ADJ. prolix: wordy; verbose; diffuse

unction

the act of anointing with oil; Ex. extreme unction

coincidence

the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events; V. coincide: happen at the same time; be in agreement; CF. coincident; CF. coincidental

sodden

thoroughly soaked; dull or stupid as if from drink

feint

trick; shift; sham blow; feigned attack to draw away defensive action; V.

fuss:

trouble or worry over trifles; make nervous; pay too much attention to; N: needless concern or worry (about a trivial thing); anxious nervous condition; display of attention; Ex. make a fuss over the baby

deflect

turn aside; turn away from a straight course

gnarled

twisted

unprepossessing

unattractive

indeterminate

uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite

hazard

venture; put in danger; risk; Ex. hazard a guess; N: possible source of danger

deserts

what someone deserves

gusty

windy

astute

wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to one's advantage

malevolent

wishing evil; exhibiting ill will; N. malevolence

askance

with a sideways or indirect look (with disapproval or distruct); Ex. look askance at

witticism

witty saying; wisecrack(clever joking remark)

onomatopoeia

words formed in imitation of natural sounds

idolatry

worship of idols; excessive admiration or devotion; ADJ. idolatrous

nugatory

worthless; futile

misnomer

wrong or improper name; incorrect designation

taciturn

habitually silent; talking little

trite

hackneyed; commonplace

banal

hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich\'ed

crone

hag; ugly old woman

coiffure

hairstyle

clot

half-solid lump formed from a liquid (or blood); V.

snicker

half-stifled(suppressed) laugh; V.

snub

ignore or behave coldly toward; Ex. I made a suggestion but she snubbed me; N.

cantankerous

ill-humored; irritable

illicit

illegal

maul

handle roughly; batter; injure by beating; Ex. mauled by his overexcited fans; N: heavy long-handled hammer

tiller

handle used to move boat's rudder (to steer)

bastard

illegitimate child

loiter

hang about/around; stand idly about; linger

paramour

illicit lover

malady

illness

illusory

illusive; deceptive; not real

fictitious

imaginary; non-existent; purposely invented to deceive; untrue; Ex. fictitious name/boyfriend; CF. fictional

eventual

happening at last as a result; Ex. eventual victory

concurrent

happening at the same time; in agreement

fancy

imagination (of a whimsical or fantastic nature); capricious liking; V: imagine; be fond of; ADJ. decorative; elaborate

fancied

imagined; unreal

casual

happening by chance; irregular; occasional; informal; showing or feeling little interest; Ex. casual reader/labor/remark

forthcoming

happening in the near future; ready; willing to help; Ex. No answer was forthcoming.

felicity

happiness; appropriateness (of a remark, choice, etc.); quality of being felicitous

ape

imitate or mimic (a person's behavior or manner)

emulate

imitate; rival; try to equal or excel (through imitation)

mimicry

imitation

dummy

imitation of a real object used as a substitute; effigy

pastiche

imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing; work of art openly imitating the works of other artists

sophomoric

immature; half-baked; like a sophomore

unfledged

immature; not having the feathers necessary to fly; CF. fledgling

evenhanded

impartial; fair

restive

impatiently restless (induced by external coercion or restriction); restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control; Ex. restive horses because of wolves; CF. not a general synonym for `restless'

imminent

impending; near at hand

beset

harass or trouble from all directions; hem in

impervious

impenetrable; incapable of being damaged or distressed; incapable of being affected (in one's opinions); Ex. impervious to water/criticism

harry

harass, annoy, torment (by repeated attacks); raid

bait

harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals

brittle

hard but easily broken; difficult; unstable; Ex. brittle situation

crust

hard outer covering (as of earth or snow)

impudence

impertinence; insolence

impermeable

impervious; not permitting passage through its substance; impossible to permeate

esoteric

hard to understand; known only to the chosen few, esp. initiates; N. esoterica

drudgery

hard unpleasant work; menial work

adamant

hard; inflexible

arduous

hard; strenuous; Ex. arduous work

metaphor

implied comparison; CF. simile

causal

implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality

historic

important in history; Ex. historic battle

callous

hardened; unfeeling; without sympathy for the sufferings of others; unkind

defame

harm someone's reputation; malign; speak evil of; slander; N. defamation; ADJ. defamatory

deleterious

harmful

noxious

harmful; CF. obnoxious

injurious

harmful; causing injury

irreconcilable

impossible to reconcile; incompatible; not able to be resolved

irretrievable

impossible to recover or regain; CF. retrieve

susceptible

impressionable; easily influenced; sensitive; having little resistance as to a disease; likely to suffer; receptive to; capable of accepting; Ex. susceptible to persuasion/colds; Ex. The agreement is not susceptible of alteration; N. susceptibility

august

impressive; majestic

grandeur

impressiveness; stateliness; majesty

incarcerate

imprison

immure

imprison; shut up in confinement; CF. wall

impropriety

improperness; unsuitableness

ameliorate

improve

nirvana

in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude

comatose

in a coma; extremely sleepy

gamely

in a spirited manner; with courage; Ex. fight gamely against a superior boxer; ADJ. game

amok(amuck)

in a state of rage; Ex. run amok

congruent

in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly; CF. congruous

pell-mell

in confusion; disorderly; Ex. dash pell-mell

virtual

in essence; existing in essence though not in actual form; for practical purposes; Ex. virtual ruler/space

vassal

in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord; subordinate or dependent

sound

in good condition; showing good judgment or good sense; thorough; complete; Ex. sound mind/investment/training

enamored

in love; Ex. enamored of his own beauty; V. enamor: inspire with love

nominal

in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint

chaotic

in utter disorder

malapropos

inappropriate; ADV.

placebo

harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill

consonant

harmonious; in agreement; N.

compatible

harmonious; in harmony with; able to exist together

concord

harmony; accord

consonance

harmony; agreement

conformity

harmony; agreement with established rules or customs; similarity; Ex. behave in conformity with; V. conform: be similar; act in agreement; comply; Ex. conform to the rule; CF. conformance

bridle

harness fitted about a horse's head (used to restrain); curb; check; V: put a bridle on; control or restrain; show anger

severity

harshness; intensity; sternness; austerity; ADJ. severe: harsh; strict; extremely violent or intense

expedite

hasten; make go faster

slapdash

hasty and careless; haphazard; sloppy(carelessly done)

headlong

hasty; rash; headfirst; ADV.

malicious

hateful; spiteful; expressing malice; N. malice: desire to harm others; spite

misogynist

hater of woman; CF. misogyny

misogamy

hatred of marriage

concentric

having a common center

anthropomorphic

having human form or characteristics

versatile

having many talents; capable of working in many fields; having many uses or functions; N. versatility

ciliated

having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash

peerless

having no equal; incomparable

static

having no motion; unchanging; lacking development; N. stasis: stable state

prurient

having or causing lustful desires and thoughts; arousing immoderate sexual desire

verisimilar

having the appearance of truth or reality; probable or likely to be true; plausible

fluted

having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar); V. flute: make long parallel inward curves in; N. flute: long rounded groove incised on the shaft of a column

promontory

headland

innate

inborn

denizen

(animal, person, or plant) inhabitant or resident of a particular place; regular visitor

incisive

(appreciatively) cutting; sharp; Ex. incisive remarks; V. incise: make a cut into

enlist

(cause to) join the armed forces; obtain (help, sympathy, or support)

variegated

(esp. of a flower or leaf) many-colored

pert

(esp. of a girl or young woman) impertinent; forward; trim; jaunty; Ex. pert young miss/hat

wry

(esp. of an expression of the face) twisted; with a humorous twist (expressing displeasure)

spry

(esp. of older people) vigorously active; nimble

censor

(in ancient Rome) overseer of morals (also taking the census); person who eliminates inappropriate matter; V.

proselytize

(induce someone to) convert to a religion or belief; N. proselyte: new convert to a doctrine or religion

flutter

(of a bird with large wings) wave (the wings) lightly, rapidly, and irregularly; vibrate rapidly or erratically; fly by waving quickly; flitter; N.

warble

(of a bird) sing; babble; N.

capsize

(of a boat) turn over

navigable

(of a body of water) wide and deep enough to allow ships to pass through; (of a ship or aircraft) able to be steered

discursive

(of a person or writing) digressing; rambling (without any clear plan)

run-down

(of a place) dilapidated; in a bad condition; (of a person) weak or exhausted

lush

(of a plant or grass) growing very well

wither

(of a plant) dry up from loss of moisture; lose freshness; shrivel; decay

apocryphal

(of a story) widely believed but untrue

representational

(of a style of art) showing things as they actually appear in real life

ooze

(of a thick liquid) pass or flow slowly; N: mud or thick liquid as at the bottom of a river

demure

(of a woman or child) grave; quiet and serious; coy; pretending to be demure

felicitous

(of a word or remark) apt; suitably expressed; well chosen

feral

(of an animal) not domestic; wild

traumatic

(of an experience) deeply shocking; pertaining to an injury caused by violence; N. trauma: serious wound; emotional shock that causes lasting psychological damage

seemly

(of behavior) proper; appropriate

heterodox

(of beliefs) against accepted opinion; unorthodox; unconventional

debonair

(of men) friendly, charming, and fashionably dressed; aiming to please; CF. of good disposition

legato

(of music) played smoothly

hardy

(of people or animals) sturdy; robust; (of plants) able to stand inclement(stormy) weather

dutiful(duteous)

(of people or their behavior) respectful; obedient (filled with a sense of duty)

plenary

(of power) complete; full; fully attended by all qualified members; Ex. plenary power

stringent

(of rules) binding; rigid; marked by scarcity of money; Ex. stringent economic conditions

unmitigated

(of something bad) not moderated; unrelieved or immoderate; without qualification; absolute; Ex. unmitigated disaster

rife

(of something bad) widespread; abundant; current

extant

(of something written or painted) still in existence

sallow

(of the skin) yellowish and unhealthy-looking; sickly in color; Ex. sallow complexion due to jaundice

ebb

(of the tide) recede; lessen; diminish; N. OP. flow: rise of tide

stentorian

(of the voice) extremely loud; CF. Stentor: a loud herald in the Iliad

dingy

(of things and place) dirty and dull; Ex. dingy street/curtain

torrid

(of weather) hot or scorching; passionate; Ex. torrid love affairs

muggy

(of weather) warm and damp

mellifluous

(of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious; having a pleasant tune

equivocal

(of words or statements) ambiguous; intentionally misleading; (of behavior) questionable; OP. unequivocal

cursive

(of writing) flowing; running; having the successive letters joined

wont

(the stated person's) habit or custom; habitual procedure; ADJ. wonted: customary

bloated

(unpleasantly) swollen or puffed as with water or air

invulnerable

incapable of injury; impossible to damage or injure

sterile

incapable of producing young; free from microorganism; V. sterilize

cremate

incinerate (a corpse); N. crematory, crematorium

nascent

incipient; coming into being or existence; Ex. nascent ability in music

proclivity

inclination; natural tendency (esp. towards something bad)

sadistic

inclined to cruelty; N. sadism: delight in cruelty

factious

inclined to form factions; causing dissension

reticent

inclined to silence; uncommunicative; reserved; Ex. He was reticent about the reasons; N. reticence

prone

inclined to; likely to (suffer); prostrate; lying with the front downward; Ex. prone to disease/make mistakes; Ex. accident-prone

sonnet

14-line poetic verse form with a fixed rhyme pattern

subsume

include (as a member of a group); encompass

comprise

include; consist of

comprehend

include; understand

hale

healthy

partial

incomplete; favoring one side over another; having a liking for something

unobtrusive

inconspicuous; not blatant

skittish

inconstant; capricious; frivolous; not serious; Ex. charming but skittish young woman; CF. skit

increment

increase

wax

increase gradually (as the moon); grow

propagate

increase in number by producing young; multiply; spread; Ex. Most plants propagate by seed; Ex. newspaper propagating their ideas

amplify

increase in size or effect; expand; broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make stronger; Ex. amplify one's remarks with a graph

crescendo

increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; CF. crescent

augment

increase; add to

enhance

increase; make greater (as in value, reputation, or usefulness); improve

implicate

incriminate; involve incriminatingly; show to be involved (in a crime); Ex. implicate someone in the crime

irremediable

incurable; uncorrectable; impossible to remedy

bawdy

indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd

bank

heap; piled-up mass; embankment; lateral tilting (as of an aircraft in turning); V: pile up; protect with a bank; tilt in turning

calorific

heat-producing; N. calorie

nonchalance

indifference; lack of concern; composure; ADJ. nonchalant: unconcerned; cool; indifferent; Ex. nonchalant attitude to his debts

ardor

heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent

celestial

heavenly

lopsided

heavier or larger on one side than the other; Ex. lopsided way of walking

resentment

indignation; bitterness; displeasure; V. resent: feel anger about

cumbersome

heavy and awkward to carry or wear; burdensome; Ex. cumbersome parcel/uniform

ballast

heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast

communal

held in common; public; of a group of people; of a commune

facilitate

help bring about; make less difficult

conducive

helpful; contributive; V. conduce; Ex. conduce to/towards

mealymouthed

indirect in speech (when something unpleasant must be said); hypocritical; evasive

beneficial

helpful; useful; advantageous

circumlocution

indirect or roundabout expression (by using an uncecessarily large number of words esp. when trying to avoid answering a difficult question directly)

innuendo

indirect or subtle (derogatory) hint; insinuation; Ex. sexual innuendo

oblique

indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line); Ex. oblique reference

incontrovertible

indisputable; impossible to dispute; not open to question; unquestionable

irrefutable

indisputable; incontrovertible; undeniable

idiosyncrasy

individual trait usually odd in nature; behavioral peculiarity; eccentricity; attitude, behavior, or opinion peculiar to a person; anything highly individual or eccentric; ADJ. idiosyncratic

opportunist

individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances; N. opportunism

hypnosis

induced sleeping state; ADJ. hypnotic; V. hypnotize

humor

indulge; comply with the wishes of; N. quality that makes something amusing; state of mind; mood; Ex. in a bad humor; Ex. out of humor

fledgling(fledgeling)

inexperienced; N: young bird that has acquired wing feathers and is learning to fly; inexperienced person

inerrancy

infallibility

unerringly

infallibly; ADJ. unerring: making no mistakes

opprobrium

infamy; disgrace arising from shameful conduct; vilification(slander); scorn; contempt; Ex. opprobrium hurled against him; ADJ. opprobrious: expressing contempt; shameful or infamous

contagion

infection (by contact); ADJ. contagious; CF. infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air

overblown

inflated; exaggerated

wreak

inflict; Ex. wreak one's vengeance on

subjective

influenced by personal feelings; occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal; Ex. subjective sensation of the ghostly presence

apprise

inform

colloquy

informal discussion; conversation

impinge

infringe; encroach; influence; touch; collide with; Ex. The effects are impinging on every aspect of our lives.

ingenue

ing\'enue; young innocent girl

infest

inhabit in numbers large enough to be harmful; Ex. Mice infested the house; Ex. shark-infested waters

incompatible

inharmonious; N. incompatibility

bruise

injure without breaking the skin; N.

impair

injure; hurt; damage

mayhem

injury to body; crime of willfully maiming or crippling a person; violent disorder; Ex. mayhem in the zoo; CF. maim

effervescence

inner excitement or exuberance; showing high spirits; emitting bubbles forming inside; bubbling from fermentation or carbonation; ADJ. effervescent; V. effervesce

query

inquiry; question; V.

demented

insane

deranged

insane

interpolate

insert between

foist

insert improperly; impose upon another by coercion; palm off; pass off as genuine or worthy; CF. fist

perceptive

insightful; showing a good ability at perceiving and understanding; aware; wise; of perception

paltry

insignificant; petty; trifling; contemptible; Ex. paltry sum; CF. trash

inconsequential

insignificant; unimportant

cant

insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people

impertinent

insolent; rude; not pertinent; N. impertinence

brazen

insolent; without shame; bold; Ex. brazen lie; V: face with bold self-assurance or with unshamed confidence

institution

instituting; (building for the) organization; established custom, practice, or relationship in a society; mental hospital; Ex. institution of marriage

edify

instruct; correct morally

slight

insult to one's dignity; snub; V: treat as if of small importance; insult; snub; ADJ. small in size; of small importance

affront

insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect; V: insult or hurt the feelings of intentionally

insuperable

insurmountable; unbeatable; Ex. insuperable difficulties

lust

intense sexual desire; intense eagerness; V.

purport

intention; purpose; meaning; V: claim; profess; Ex. order which purports to be signed by the general

ulterior

intentionally hidden; beyond what is evident; situated beyond; unstated and often questionable; Ex. ulterior motive

symbiosis

interdependent relationship (between groups, species) often mutually beneficial; ADJ. symbiotic; CF. together + life

meddlesome

interfering; V. meddle: interfere

asunder

into parts; apart; V. sunder

knotty

intricate; difficult; tangled; CF. knot

broach

introduce as a subject; moot; open up

prefatory

introductory; of a preface

withdrawn

introverted; retiring; remote remote/distant in manner; aloof

interloper

intruder; one who interferes

contrive

invent or fabricate in a clever way (by improvisation); manage; Ex. contrive to attract his attention

figment

invention; something invented; imaginary thing; Ex. figment of your imagination

energize

invigorate; give energy to; make forceful and active

exhilarating

invigorating and refreshing; cheering; V. exhilarate: make cheerful and excited; Ex. exhilarated by the ride in the sports car

sacrosanct

invioably sacred; most sacred; inviolable

mass

Christian religious ceremony; CF. Mass: ceremony of the Eucharist

anomaly

irregularity

juggernaut

irresistible crushing force; overwhelming advancing force that crushes everything in its path

ineluctable

irresistible; not to be escaped; unavoidable

cleft

N: split

indecision

irresolution; inability to make up one's mind

impiety

irreverence; lack of respect for God or piety

blasphemy

irreverence; sacrilege; cursing; bad language about God or holy things; V. blasphem; ADJ. blasphemous; CF. sacrilege

impious

irreverent

irascible

irritable; easily angered

testy

irritable; impatient and bad-tempered; short-tempered; N. testiness

nettle

irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome

rankle

irritate; fester; annoy

rile

irritate; vex; muddy

pique

irritation; resentment from wounded pride (eg. loss in a contest); V: provoke; arouse; annoy; cause to feel resentment; Ex. pique her curiosity

voyeur

Peeping Tom; person who derives sexual gratification from observing the sexual acts of others

pharisee

Pharisee: member of an ancient Jewish group that emphasized strict observance of the Mosaic law (considering themselves very holy); hypocritical self-righteous person

centurion

Roman army officer (commanding a company of about 100 soldiers)

toga

Roman outer robe

saga

Scandinavian myth; any legend; long heroic narrative

aristocracy

hereditary nobility; privileged class; government by nobility; N. aristocrat

recluse

hermit; loner; ADJ. reclusive

notch

V-shaped cut in a surface; V.

falter

hesitate; weaken in purpose or action; walk or move unsteadily through weakness; N.

carillon

a set of bells (often in a tower) capable of being played

cache

hiding place; V.

intellect

higher mental powers; person of great intellectual ability

ventral

abdominal

wangle

achieve by cleverness or trick; wiggle out; fake; Ex. She tried to wangle an invitation to the party.

exonerate

acquit; exculpate; free from blame or guilt

agog

highly excited; intensely curious

prodigy

highly gifted child; person with exceptional talents; marvel; wonder

baroque

highly ornate

anguish

acute pain; extreme suffering

proverb

adage; someone or something well known for notoriety; ADJ. proverbial: of a proverb; widely known; ADV. proverbially

elaboration

addition of details; intricacy

ventilate

admit fresh air into to replace stale air

omniscient

all-knowing

omnipotent

all-powerful; having unlimited power

waylay

ambush; lie in wait for and attack

odious

arousing strong dislike; hateful(causing hatred); vile

ashen

ash-colored; deadly pale

assail

assault

high-flown

highly pretentious or inflated

virtuoso

highly skilled artist (esp. in music); Ex. piano virtuoso

accolade

award of merit; strong praise and approval

unwieldy

awkward (to carry or move); cumbersome; unmanageable

hinterlands

back country; inner part of a country; OP. foreland

grouch

bad-tempered complaint; person who keeps complaining; V: complain; grumble

barrage

barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion; large number of questions or statements; Ex. a barrage of criticism

stump

base of a tree trunk left after the rest has been cut down; V: walk in a heavy manner; baffle; puzzle

inkling

hint; slight indication

novice

beginner

subservient

behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious; subordinate; N. subservience

irreproachable

beyond reproach; blameless; impeccable; Ex. irreproachable conduct

preternatural

beyond what is normal in nature; supernatural; Ex. preternatural strength/forces

indenture

bind as servant or apprentice to master; bind by indenture; N: contract binding one party into the service of another for a specified time (as between an apprentice and his master)

covenant

binding agreement between two groups or people; compact; V: enter into a covenant; promise

astringent

binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism

censure

blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N: severe criticism; strong disapproval

blanch

bleach; whiten; make white or pale

hallowed

blessed; consecrated; Ex. hallowed ground; V. hallow: set apart as holy

beatitude

blessedness; state of great happiness

intimate

hint; suggest; imply; ADJ: marked by close relationship; familiar; private; personal; Ex. intimate knowledge/thoughts in the diary; N: close friend or confidant; CF. intimacy

bump

hit or knock against with force; N.

slap

hit quickly with the flat part of the hand; N. CF. smack

ennui

boredom; listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; CF. annoy

tedium

boredom; weariness; ADJ. tedious

breach

breaking of contract or duty; fissure or gap; opening; V.

exhale

breathe out; OP. inhale

respiration

breathing; exhalation; ADJ. respiratory

swipe

hit with a sweeping motion; N.

resplendent

brilliant; splendid in appearance; dazzling; glorious

incur

bring upon oneself

farce

broad comedy; mockery; humorous play full of silly things happening; ADJ. farcical

spatula

broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing

comprehensive

broad; including a lot or everything; thorough; inclusive

guy

cable or chain attached to something that needs to be braced or steadied; CF. guide

repress

hold back (the natural expression of); restrain; crush; oppress; Ex. repressed child; Ex. repress a laugh/rebellion

fanfare

call by bugles or trumpets; showy display; spectacular public display

evoke

call forth (memory or feeling); Ex. That old film evoked memories of my childhood; N. evocation

negate

cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny; N. negation

abolish

cancel; put an end to

expunge

cancel; remove a word or name (from a book or list); erase

revoke

cancel; retract; CF. irrevocable

countermand

cancel; revoke (an order)

cavalier

casual and offhand; arrogant; N: knight

offhand

casual; done without prior thought or preparation

cursory

casual; hastily done with little attention to detail

vitriolic

causing sharp pain to the mind; caustic; corrosive; sarcastic; of vitriol; N. vitriol: sulphuric acid (which burns flesh deeply); bitterly abusive expression; caustic expression; CF. glass

prudent

cautious; careful; prudential

veer

change in direction; swerve

engaging

charming; attractive

tenacious

holding fast (as to a belief); persistent

perspicuity

clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity

chaplain

clergyman attached to a chapel

resourceful

clever and imaginative (in dealing with difficult situations); N. resource, resourcefulness

sly

clever in deceiving; secretive; not telling one's intentions

convene

come together; assemble; call to meet; Ex. convene the council

solace

comfort in sorrow or trouble; consolation; V: comfort or console in time of sorrow or trouble

consummate

complete; V.

absolute

complete; totally unlimited; having complete power; certain; not relative; Ex. absolute honesty/ruler; CF. absolutism

imbroglio

complicated situation (as in a play); painful or complex misunderstanding (as in a play); entanglement; confused mass (as of papers); V. embroil

finale

conclusion; concluding part

damn

condemn; criticize severely; condemn to everlasting punishment; doom; bring to ruin; N. damnation

deign

condescend; stoop

healthful

conducive to good health; Ex. healthful mountain air

wholesome

conducive to mental or physical health; healthful

corroborate

confirm; support; strengthen

discord

conflict; lack of harmony; dissonance (when musical notes are played)

compliance

conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield; disposition to yield to others; V. comply

notable

conspicuous; worthy of note; remarkable; important; distinguished; noted

dominate

control; rule; enjoy a commanding position in; overlook from a height; ????¦?????„????

ascendancy

controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant

transcribe

copy; write a copy of; N. transcription

lace

cord used to draw and tie together two opposite edges (as of a shoe); delicate fabric made of fine threads; V: draw together by tying a lace

mentor

counselor; teacher

reckon

count; calculate; regard as; think; suppose

recrimination

countercharges; V. recriminate

bogus

counterfeit; not authentic; intentionally false; Ex. bogus interview

forge

counterfeit; reproduce fraudulently; form by heating in a forge and hammering into shape; move with a sudden increase of speed or power; Ex. forged ahead in the last two years; N: furnace where metals are heated

mettle

courage (to continue bravely in spite of difficulties); spirit; ADJ. mettlesome

pluck

courage; V: pull off or out; pull out the hair or feathers of; ADJ. plucky: courageous; brave

retentive

holding; able to retain things (esp. facts in the mind); having a good memory

concave

hollow; curved inwards; OP. convex

glaze

cover with a thin and shiny surface; apply a glaze to; N: thin, smooth, shiny coating (as for pottery); Ex. unglazed pottery

gild

cover with a thin layer of gold

squash

crush; quash; suppress

oatmeal

crushed oats used for making porridge

exclaim

cry out suddenly; N. exclamation; ADJ. exclamatory

limpid

crystal clear

therapeutic

curative; N. therapy

amputate

cut off part of body; prune (a limb)

clip

cut off with shears; fasten; N: something clipped off (as a short extract from film); clasp or fastener

fell

cut or knock down (a tree or a person); bring down (with a missile)

truncate

cut the top off; shorten

domicile

home; V. ADJ. domiciled: having one's domicile; Ex. He is domiciled in Britain.

debut

d\'ebut; first public appearance; formal presentation of a young woman to society

chore

daily domestic task (such as cleaning, cooking, and shopping); unpleasant task

quotidian

daily; commonplace; customary; Ex. quotidian routine

diurnal

daily; occurring during the daytime

marred

damaged; disfigured; V. mar: spoil; disfigure

perdition

damnation; complete ruin; hell

waif

homeless child or animal; Ex. waifs and strays

vagrant

homeless wanderer

somber

dark; gloomy; melancholy; depressing; CF. shadow

opaque

dark; not transparent; N. opacity

eclipse

darken; extinguish; outshine; surpass; cause an eclipse

lethal

deadly

demise

death

obituary

death notice (esp. in a newspaper); ADJ.

disembark

debark; go ashore (from a ship); unload cargo from a ship; CF. embark

libertine

debauched person; dissolute or licentious person; rou\'e; CF. free

guile

deceit; duplicity; wiliness; cunning; Ex. persuade her by guile

delude

deceive

wheedle

deceive, persuade, or obtain by flattery; cajole; coax; Ex. wheedle a promise out of her

hoodwink

deceive; delude

inveigle

deceive; lead astray by deception; wheedle(cajole); Ex. inveigle her into joining the club; CF. interest dishonestly

beguile

deceive; mislead or delude; cheat; pass time pleasantly; charm or attract; Ex. beguiling smile

illusive

deceiving; based on illusion; causing illusion; deceptive

artifice

deception; trickery

stratagem

deceptive scheme; clever trick

delusive

deceptive; likely to delude; misleading; raising vain hopes; Ex. delusive promises

resolve

decide; settle; solve; separate; make a determined decision; N. resolution

integrity

honesty; uprightness; wholeness; state of being whole and undivided; completeness

conclusive

decisive; ending all debate

infer

deduce; conclude; N. inference

contingent

dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional; happening by chance; accidental; N: a group of soldiers, ships to a larger force; CF. contingency: future event that may or may not occur; possibility; Ex. prepare for every contingency

bearing

deportment; connection

posterity

descendants; future generations; Ex. go down to posterity; CF. posterior, anterior

lineage

descent; ancestry

defoliate

destroy leaves; deprive of leaves (by the use of chemicals); N. defoliant

corrode

destroy or wear away gradually by chemical action (over a long period)

swerve

deviate; turn aside sharply from a straight course; Ex. swerve from the principle; Ex. The car swerved to the right.

industrious

diligent; hard-working; N. industry

reduce

diminish; bring to a weaker or more difficult condition; demote; lower in rank; separate into components by analysis; Ex. reduced to the ranks; Ex. reduce the house to rubble; N. reduction

distinction

honor; excellence; difference; contrast; discrimination; Ex. graduated with distinction; Ex. a writer of real distinction

kudos

honor; glory; acclaim or praise for exceptional achievement

homage

honor; tribute; great respect; Ex. pay/do homage to

chasten

discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. castigate

recant

disclaim or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error; Ex. recant one's faith/a statement

discombobulated

discomposed; confused

faze

disconcert; dismay; embarrass

disjointed

disconnected; lacking coherence; V. disjoint: disconnect; disjoin

disconsolate

hopelessly sad (at the loss of something)

repugnance

disgust; strong dislike; loathing; ADJ. repugnant: arousing disgust; repulsive

appall

dismay; shock deeply

cornucopia

horn (or horn-shaped container) overflowing with fruit and grain; symbol of abundance; horn of plenty

ghastly

horrible; terrifying; resembling ghosts; CF. aghast

animus

hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition

impugn

dispute or contradict (often in an insulting way); attack as false or questionable; challenge; gainsay; CF. fight

contest

dispute; argue about the rightness of; compete for; try to win; Ex. contest the election results; Ex. contest a seat in Parliament; N.

discount

disregard; regard (a story or news) as unimportant; deduct from a cost

notoriety

disrepute; ill fame

inroad

hostile invasion; advance that lessens the quantity or difficulty of something; Ex. The long illness made serious inroads on his savings; CF. raid

antagonism

hostility; active opposition; V. antagonize: cause to become an enemy; N. antagonist: person who is opposed to another; opponent; adversary; principal character in oppostion to the protagonist

mannerism

distinctive behavioral trait; affected style in art (according to a set of styles)

reciprocate

do or give something in return; repay in kind; give or take mutually; interchange; move

tractable

docile; easily managed; (of something) easily changed or molded; N. tractability

quay

dock; wharf; pier; landing place (for boats)

tenet

doctrine; dogma

perfunctory

done routinely and with little care; superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; Ex. perfunctory kiss

surreptitious

done secretly; secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden

underhand(underhanded)

done slyly and secretly (being dishonest)

expeditious

done with speed; quick; N. expedition

quiescent

dormant; temporarily inactive; at rest; N. quiescence

pensive

dreamily or deeply thoughtful; sadly thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness; contemplative; CF. think over

exorcise

drive out evil spirits

choleric

hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera

erode

eat away; wear away gradually by abrasion; Ex. The sea erodes the rocks.

gobble

eat very quickly

corrosive

eating away by chemicals or disease; (of language) fierce

component

element; ingredient

embrace

hug; clasp with the arms; adopt or espouse; accept readily; encircle; include; Ex. embrace the cause/socialism; Ex. all-embracing; CF. brace; CF. bracelet

aviary

enclosure for birds; large cage

encipher

encode; convert a message into code; put into cipher

hortatory

encouraging; exhortive; marked by exhortation; CF. exhort

colossal

huge

behemoth

huge creature; something of monstrous size or power

mire

entangle; stick in swampy ground; stick or sink in mire; N: bog; deep mud; Ex. sucked deeper into the mire

penetrate

enter into; pierce; permeate; see through; grasp the inner significance of; understand

regale

entertain

ovation

enthusiastic applause

allure

entice; attract; tempt

gamut

entire range

unexceptionable

entirely acceptable; not offering any basis for criticism

entree(entr\'ee)

entrance; a way in; right to enter; main dish of a meal; Ex. entree into the exclusive circle

solicit

entreat; request earnestly; seek to obtain; Ex. solicit votes; CF. solicitor: one who solicits; chief law officer

suppliant

entreating; beseeching; N.

ambience

environment; atmosphere; Ex. restraurant with a pleasant ambience; ADJ. ambient: completely surrounding; Ex. ambient temperature

begrudge

envy; give or allow unwillingly; grudge; Ex. We shouldn't begrudge him his success.

gourmand

epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink

commensurate

equal in extent; of the same size

gargantuan

huge; enormous; gigantic; CF. the hero of Gargantua and Pantagruel

enormity

hugeness (in a bad sense); excessive wickedness; Ex. enormity of the crime; ADJ. enormous

credential

evidence concerning one's authority; written proof of a person's position; Ex. The new ambassador presented his credentials to the court.

apparent

evident; easily seen or understood; appearing as such; Ex. apparent improvement

manifest

evident; visible; obvious; V: show plainly

machinations

evil schemes or plots; schemes or plots to achieve an evil end; V. machinate

meticulous

excessively careful (with great attention to detail); painstaking; scrupulous

obese

excessively fat; N. obesity

brawn

human muscle; muscular strength; sturdiness

humility

humbleness of spirit

uxorious

excessively submissive or devoted to one's wife; CF. uxor: wife

interjection

exclamation; Ex. ``Ouch''

pretext

excuse

expatriate

exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land; V: exile; banish; leave one's country

subsistence

existence; means of subsisting; means of support; livelihood; V. subsist: exist; maintain life (at a meager level)

congenital

existing at birth

primordial

existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary

egress

exit; opening for going out; act of going out; OP. ingress

dilate

expand; dilate on/upon: speak or write at length on (a subject)

distend

expand; swell out

oust

expel; drive out; force out; N. ouster: ousting

seasoned

experienced

mortify

humiliate by embarassing excessively; shame; punish the flesh; discipline (one's body) by self-denial; Ex. mortified by her blunder; Ex. mortify the flesh; CF. cause to die

queasy

experiencing nausea; nauseated; easily nauseated; squeamish; Ex. feel a little queasy

adept

expert at; very skilled

expound

explain

gloss_over

explain away with the intention of deceiving or hiding faults

explicate

explain in detail; interpret; clarify; CF. explicable

degradation

humiliation; debasement; degeneration; V. degrade: debase; disgrace; degenerate; reduce (something) in worth; demote (someone); reduce in rank

indulgent

humoring; yielding; lenient; showing indulgence

expository

explanatory; serving to explain; N. exposition: explaining; exhibition

detonation

explosion

debunk

expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule

traduce

expose to slander

condole

express condolences; N. condolence: sympathy for someone who has experienced great sorrow

deprecate

express disapproval of; deplore; protest against; belittle; ADJ. deprecatory

parody

humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty; V.

decry

express strong disapproval of; condemn openly (something dangerous to the public); disparage; Ex. decry the violence of modern films

ironic

expressing irony; occurring in an unexpected and contrary manner

plaintive

expressing sorrow; mournful; Ex. plaintive song

eloquence

expressiveness; persuasive speech; ADJ. eloquent: movingly expressive; expressing ideas well so that the hearers can be influeneced

bowdlerize

expurgate; CF. Thomas Bowdler

waggish

humorous; mischievous; tricky

astigmatism

eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism

vision

eyesight; foresight; mental image produced by the imagination; experience of seeing the supernatural

aerie(aery

eyrie,eyry),nest of a large bird of prey

physiognomy

face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features

brave

face courageously; Ex. brave the storm

visage

face; appearance

default

failure to act; failure to perform a task or be present; V.

plummet

fall sharply; fall straight down; Ex. Stock prices plummeted.

patriarch

father and ruler of a family or tribe

simulate

feign; imitate

hull

husk; dry outer covering of a seed; frame or body of a ship

gaudy

flashy; showy

mesmerize

hypnotize; N. mesmerism; CF. Franz Mesmer

glib

fluent (with insincerity or superficiality); facile; slick

voluble

fluent; talkative; glib; N. volubility

harbinger

forerunner (which foreshadows what is to come)

precursor

forerunner; predecessor

vanguard

forerunners; foremost position of an army; advance forces; foremost position in a trend or movement; CF. rearguard

bode

foreshadow; portend

premonition

forewarning; presentiment; foreboding

noisome

foul smelling; very unpleasant; unwholesome

predispose

give an inclination toward (in advance); make susceptible to; Ex. predispose people to certain cancer; N. predisposition

foreshadow

give an indication beforehand; be a sign of (what is coming); portend; prefigure

defer

give in respectfully; submit; delay till later; exempt temporarily; N. deferment; CF. show respect, comply with, courteous

odoriferous

giving off an odor

carafe

glass water bottle; decanter

prosperity

good fortune and financial success; physical well-being

poise

good judgment with composure; balance; V: place in a carefully balanced position

conflagration

great fire

lament

grieve; express sorrow; N. lamentation

sequester

isolate; segregate; seclude; retire from public life

judiciary

judicial branch of government

litigation

lawsuit; N. litigant: one party in a lawsuit; V. litigate

rightful

legally correct; Ex. rightful owner

legislature

legislating branch of government; CF. legislate: make laws

usury

lending money at illegal high rates of interest

duration

length of time something lasts

prolong

lengthen; extend; draw out

subdue

less intense; quieter; Ex. subdued lighting; Ex. subdue: conquer; make less intense; quiet; Ex. subdue one's anger

vulpine

like a fox; crafty

roster

list (of names)

repertoire

list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to present; CF. repertory

animated

lively; spirited

harangue

long, passionate, and vehement speech; V.

galley

low ship with sails (rowed along by slaves)

centrifuge

machine that separates substances by whirling them

attenuate

make thin; weaken

stun

make unconscious or numb as by a blow; amaze; astound

calumny

malicious misrepresentation; slander

disfigure

mar the appearance of; spoil

deface

mar; disfigure

blemish

mar; spoil the beauty or perfection of; N: flaw or defect (that spoils perfection); Ex. blemishes in the crystal; CF. unblemished

uproarious

marked by commotion or uproar; very noisy (esp. with laughter); hilarious; causing loud laughter; extremely funny

ceremonious

marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy

niggardly

meanly stingy; parsimonious; N. *****rd: stingy person

dint

means; effort; Ex. by dint of hard work

interim

meantime; Ex. in the interim; ADJ. taking place during an interim; Ex. interim paper

mete

measure; distribute; administer; Ex. mete out justice/punishment

venison

meat of a deer; CF. cow: beef; CF. pig: pork, ham, bacon; CF. calf: veal; CF. sheep: mutton; CF. lamb: lamb

automaton

mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself

officious

meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services; overly eager in offering unwanted services or advices; Ex. officious bellboy

acumen

mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen

faculty

mental or bodily powers; teaching staff

capacity

mental or physical ability; role; position or duty; ability to accommodate; Ex. in my capacity as president

discerning

mentally quick and observant; having insight; perceptive; able to make good judgments; V. discern: perceive

quicksilver

mercury

euthanasia

mercy killing

mirth

merriment; laughter

jocund

merry

quorum

minimal number of members necessary to conduct a meeting

misdemeanor

minor crime; misdeed; wrongdoing

skirmish

minor fight; minor battle in war; V.

quibble

minor objection or complaint; V: raise minor objections; carp; cavil

squabble

minor quarrel; bickering; V: engage in a minor quarrel; Ex. squabbling children

punctilious

minutely attentive (perhaps too much so) to fine points; stressing niceties of conduct or form; N. punctilio, punctiliousness: careful attention payed to every small exact detail

lull

moment of calm; period of reduced activity; Ex. a lull in the rain; V: cause to become less active; cause to sleep or rest; Ex. lull the opponents into a false sense of security; CF. lullaby

potentate

monarch; sovereign

cloister

monastery or convent

alms

money or goods given to the poor

dowry

money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage

lucre

money; profit; Ex. filthy lucre

hybrid

mongrel; mixed breed; V. hybridize

simian

monkeylike; N: ape or monkey

mausoleum

monumental tomb; large stately tomb; CF. Mausolos

low

moo; make the sound of a cow

rectitude

moral correctness; moral uprightness; moral virtue; correctness of judgment

reprobate

morally disapproved person; person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency; CF. disapproved by God ?

chaste

morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere

righteous

morally upright; just

phobia

morbid fear

saturnine

morose; gloomy; Ex. Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance.

tessellated

mosaic; inlaid; Ex. tessellated pattern

optimum

most favorable; optimal; N: most favorable condition

definitive

most reliable; authorative and complete; that cannot be improved; conclusive; decisive; definite; Ex. definitive decision by the supreme court

maternal

motherly; N. maternity: motherhood

gesticulation

motion; gesture; V. gesticulate: make gestures (while speaking)

actuate

motivate; activate; cause to act

mercenary

motivated solely by money or gain; N.

lugubrious

mournful; sorrowful

orifice

mouthlike opening; small opening (esp. to a cavern or passage of the body); CF. mouth

mobile

movable; not fixed; N. mobility

shunt

move (a railway train) from one track to another; turn aside; divert; sidetrack; Ex. shunt traffic around an accident; N.

scurry

move hastily; hurry; move briskly

motley

multi-colored (as of a garment worn by a jester); mixed; heterogeneous; CF. jester: one who jests (as a paid fool at medieval courts)

indigenous

native; Ex. plant indigenous to the New World

requisite

necessary requirement; something required; ADJ: required; necessary

tautological

needlessly repetitious; Ex. ``It was visible to the eye''; N. tautology: needless repetition of the same sense; statement that is always true

dereliction

neglect of duty; abandonment

negligence

neglect; failure to take reasonable care; ADJ. negligent: neglectful; lax; not taking enough care

derelict

negligent; (of someone) neglectful of duty; (of something) deserted by an owner; abandoned; N: abandoned property; homeless or vagrant person

remiss

negligent; careless about a duty

whinny

neigh like a horse; CF. neigh: make the sound which horses make

titter

nervous giggle; nervous laugh; V.

overwrought

nervous or excited; extremely agitated; hysterical; wrought-up; CF. wrought: made or done

shoot

new growth from a plant

intangible

not able to be perceived by touch; vague

impenetrable

not able to be pierced or entered; beyond understanding; impossible to understand; Ex. impenetrable mystery

impassable

not able to be traveled or crossed

passive

not active; acted upon; receiving an action without acting in return; accepting without resistance

irrelevant

not applicable; unrelated

impersonal

not being a person; not showing personal feelings; Ex. impersonal force/manner/organization

impartial

not biased; fair; N. impartiality

optional

not compulsory; left to one's choice; N. option: act of choosing; choice; freedom or power to choose; something available as a choice; Ex. have no option; Ex. two options

unceremonious

not done politely without due formalities

sparse

not thick; thinly scattered; scanty

recurrent

occurring again and again

terrestrial

on or relating to the earth

malingerer

one who feigns illness to escape duty; V. malinger: feign illness to avoid work

commonplace

ordinary; N: something ordinary or common; trite remark

rave

overwhelmingly favorable review; V: talk wildly as if mad; Ex. raving lunatic

appease

pacify or soothe; Ex. appease a crying baby; N. appeasement

placate

pacify; bring peace to; conciliate; appease

spoof

parody

heed

pay attention to; N: close attention

stipend

pay for services

minutiae

petty or trivial details; CF. minutia

blight

plant disease; V: infect with blight; ruin; destroy

mongrel

plant or animal (esp. a dog) of mixed breed; ADJ.

douse

plunge into water or liquid; dip; immerse; drench; wet throughly; extinguish; throw water over; dowse

elegy

poem or song expressing lamentation (for the dead); ADJ. elegiacal, elegiac

mode

prevailing style; current fashion; manner; way of doing something; Ex. in the latest mode; Ex. simple mode of life

forestall

prevent by taking action in advance

aseptic

preventing infection; having a cleansing effect

caucus

private meeting of a group of people in a political party to select officers or determine policy; CF. the Caucus club of Boston

conclave

private secret meeting

prerogative

privilege; unquestionable right; CF. ask before

nutrition

process of nourishing or being nourished; CF. malnutrition

decorum

propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners; appropriateness of behavior or conduct

thrive

prosper; flourish

synoptic

providing a general overview; summary; N. synopsis

provident

providing for future needs; displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies; OP. improvident

nutritious

providing nourishment

discretion

prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances; freedom of action or judgment; ADJ. discreet; CF. discretionary

politic

prudent; judicious; well judged; expedient; well devised

prize

pry; move with a lever; value highly; esteem; Ex. his most prized possession; N: something captured during war-time (esp. an enemy ship)

libido

psychic and emotional energy or urges behind human activity; sexual desire

paranoia

psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution; N: ADJ: paranoid, paranoiac

manifesto

public declaration of principles; statement of policy

obtrude

push (oneself or one's ideas) forward or intrude; impose (oneself or one's ideas) on others; butt in; stick out or extrude; thrust out; Ex. obtrude A on B; ADJ. obtrusive; N. obtrusion; CF. unobtrusive

shove

push forward; push roughly; Ex. pushing and shoving to get on the bus; N.

suppress

put an end to forcibly; subdue; stifle; overwhelm; inhibit the expression of; check; prevent from being published or made public; Ex. suppress a smile; Ex. suppress the magazine/truth

nonplus

put at a loss; bring to a halt by confusion; perplex; CF. no more

propound

put forth for consideration or analysis; set forth; Ex. propound a problem/theory

charlatan

quack; pretender to knowledge (esp. in medicine)

timbre

quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument (which distinguishes it from others of the same pitch)

poignancy

quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion; ADJ. poignant: touching; deeply moving; (of sorrow, grief, etc.) painful; keenly distressing to the mind; Ex. poignant memory/anxiety; CF. prick

antiquity

quality of being very old; ancient times;

brisk

quick and active; marked by liveliness and vigor

genealogy

record of descent; lineage; ancestry; study of ancestry

annals

records arranged in yearly parts; history

abstain

refrain; withhold from participation; intentionally not use one's vote;

defiance

refusal to yield; resistance; V. defy; ADJ. defiant

academic

related to a school; not practical or directly useful

canine

related to dogs; doglike

nuptial

related to marriage or the wedding ceremony; N. nuptials: wedding ceremony

monastic

related to monks or monasteries; removed from worldly concerns

demographic

related to population balance; N. demography: statistical study of human population

seminal

related to seed or semen; germinal; creative; providing a basis for further development; influencing future developments; Ex. seminal research in a new field

narrative

related to telling a story; N: narrated account; story; V. narrate: tell (a story); CF. narration

kindred

related; belonging to the same group; similar in nature or character; Ex. kindred languages; N: relative; kin; kinship

remnant

remainder

residue

remainder; balance

residual

remaining; left over; of a residue; N: residue

recite

repeat aloud (something learned); describe; Ex. recite his complaints; N. recitation

penitent

repentant; N.

upbraid

reprimand; severely scold

replicate

reproduce; duplicate

reprimand

reprove severely; rebuke; N.

paraphrase

restate a passage in one's own words while retaining thought of author; N: restatement of a text in other words

reinstate

restore to a previous condition or position

backslide

revert (to bad habits); N. reverter

resurrect

revive

resuscitate

revive; bring back to life or consciousness; Ex. resuscitate the drowned child

repeal

revoke; annul

wallow

roll in mud; indulge in; (of a ship) roll in a rough sea; become helpless; Ex. wallow in the mud/luxury

career

rush wildly; go at full speed

dearth

scarcity

scorch

sear; N.

sere

sear; parched; dry

ransack

search thoroughly; pillage (going through a place); Ex. Enemy soldiers ransacked the town.

condiments

seasonings; spices

reserve

self-control; self-restraint; formal but distant manner; reticence; Ex. without reserve: freely and openly; ADJ. reserved: shy and uncommunicative

trigger

set off; start

rectify

set right; correct; CF. rect-: right

barb

sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark

snip

short quick cut with scissors; V: cut with scissors

import

significance; importance; meaning

bulk

size or volume (esp. when very large); main part; Ex. The bulk of the work has already been done; ADJ. bulky: having great size

cynical

skeptical or distrustful of human motives; N. cynicism; CF. cynic: person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness

adroit

skillful (in using mind or hand)

hide

skin of an animal

azure

sky blue

obloquy

slander; disgrace; infamy

vilify

slander; speak evil of; N. vilification

detraction

slandering; aspersion; detracting; CF. detractor

servitude

slavery; compulsory labor imposed as a punishment

servile

slavish; cringing; N. servility

doze

sleep lightly; nap

hummock

small hill; hillock

forfeit

something surrendered as punishment for a crime or breach of contract; V: lose as a forfeit; N. forfeiture

assumption

something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of; Ex. her assumption of power; V. assume

precipitant

something that causes a substance in a chemical solution to separate out in solid form; OP. solvent

nonsense

speech or writing with no meaning; foolish behavior or language; Ex. make (a) nonsense of: spoil; cause to fail

velocity

speed

deploy

spread out (troops) in an extended though shallow battle line; distribute (persons or forces) systematically or strategically

strew

spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter; Ex. flower girl strewing rose petals

suffuse

spread through or over (with a color or liquid); charge; Ex. A blush suffused her cheeks.

criteria

standards used in judging; CF. criterion

deadlock

standstill resulting from the opposition of two unrelenting forces; stalemate

nova

star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns to its original brightness

gawk

stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe

kindle

start a fire; ignite; inspire; arouse

inception

start; beginning

instigate

start; urge; provoke; incite; Ex. instigate a search/quarrel

allege

state without proof

incandescent

strikingly bright; shining with intense heat; emitting visible light when heated; Ex. incandescent light bulb; CF. candle

sturdy

strong and firm (in the body)

penology

study of prison management and criminal rehabilitation

recapitulate

summarize

conjecture

surmise; guess; V.

extradition

surrender of prisoner by one state to another; Ex. extradition treaty; V. extradite

pedagogy

teaching; art of education

rent

tear made by rending; rip; split

centripetal

tending toward the center

provisional

tentative; temporary

nomenclature

terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things

Occident

the West

molecule

the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance

ambivalence

the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions

histrionic

theatrical; excessively dramatic or emotional; affected; of actors or acting; N. histrionics: histrionic behavior

larceny

theft; Ex. petit larceny

motif

theme; recurrent thematic element in a musical or literary work; single or repeated pattern; figure

abstract

theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational

cogitate

think over; ponder

ominous

threatening; of an evil omen

trident

three-pronged spear

frugality

thrift; economy; ADJ. frugal: practicing economy; costing little; inexpensive

improvident

thriftless; not providing for the future

palpitate

throb; beat rapidly; flutter; tremble; Ex. Her heart began to palpitate.

pulsate

throb; beat regularly; vibrate regularly

hurl

throw forcefully; shout out violently

jettison

throw overboard (from a ship or plane)

tether

tie (an animal) with a rope or tether; N: rope or chain to which an animal is tied; limit of one's endurance; Ex. the end of one's tether

taut

tight; strained; tense; ready; OP. slack

list

tilt (as of a ship); lean over (to one side)

respite

time for rest; interval of relief; delay in punishment; reprieve

indefatigable

tireless; untiring; showing no sign of getting tired

harping

tiresome dwelling on a subject; V. harp: dwell on(think or speak a lot about) tediously

rubric

title or heading (in red print); directions for religious ceremony; protocol

insidious

treacherous; stealthy; sly; working or spreading harmfully in a stealthy manner; Ex. insidious spreading of dry rot

platitude

trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous

unsightly

ugly; unpleasant to look at

mortician

undertaker; CF. death

torpedo

underwater explosive apparatus; V.

embryonic

undeveloped; rudimentary; N. embryo: organism in the early stage of development

nondescript

undistinctive; ordinary; ordinary-looking; Ex. nondescript fellow in a crowd

disquietude

uneasiness; anxiety; V. disquiet: make anxious

malaise

uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health (without any particular pain or appearance of disease)

qualms

uneasy feelings; misgivings; uneasy fears especially about matters of conscience; Ex. I have no qualms about giving this assignment to Helen.

infallible

unerring; never making mistakes

incoherent

unintelligible; muddled; unable to express one's thoughts in an orderly manner; illogical; lacking cohesion; not coherent

inadvertently

unintentionally; by oversight; carelessly

incessant

uninterrupted; unceasing

mirage

unreal reflection; optical illusion

unsullied

untarnished; CF. sully

dowdy

untidy (of a woman or clothes); slovenly; dressed in an unattractive way; shabby; CF. unattractive woman

disheveled

untidy (of hair or clothing); V. dishevel

importunate

urging; always demanding; troublesomely urgent or persistent

dowse

use a divining rod to search for underground water or minerals

equivocate

use equivocal language to deceive people; lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth; N. equivocation

coercion

use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce

colander

utensil with perforated bottom used for straining

mutter

utter (complaining words) indistinctly in low tones

grunt

utter a deep guttural sound (as a pig does); N.

blurt

utter impulsively from nervousness or excitement

implore

v. ask or beg earnestly; beseech

nebulous

vague; hazy; cloudy; of a nebula; Ex. nebulous proposal

multifarious

varied; greatly diversified; Ex. multifarious activities

diverge

vary; go in different directions from the same point; ADJ. divergent: differing; deviating

isotope

varying from of an element

conveyance

vehicle; transfer; act of conveying; Ex. public conveyance

tarantula

venomous spider

acetic

vinegary

infringe

violate (a law); encroach (the right of another person)

profane

violate; desecrate (something holy); treat unworthily; be profane for; ADJ: secular; nonreligious; irreverent for holy things

infraction

violation (of a rule or regulation); breach

transgression

violation of a law; sin; V. transgress: go beyond (a limit); violate; do wrong

throes

violent anguish

ruffian

violent scoundrel; bully

unbridled

violent; uncontrolled; Ex. unbridled rage/greed

rapacious

voracious; ravenous; taking everything one can; excessively grasping; plundering; subsisting on live prey; Ex. rapacious birds

blackball

vote against (an applicant); ostracize; N: negative vote

constituency

voters represented by an elected official; district so represented; group of supporters (or constituents)

swear

vow; promise; use profane oaths; use offensive words

insomnia

wakefulness; inability to sleep

limp

walk lamely; ADJ: lacking firmness; weak

swagger

walk or behave with an over-confident manner

wade

walk through a substance, such as water, that impedes movement

amble

walking at an easy unhurried pace; V: walk slowly and aimlessly

parry

ward off a blow; deflect; Ex. He parried the unwelcome question very skillfully; N.

bellicose

warlike

martial

warlike; of war; Ex. martial art/law

chafe

warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N.

profligate

wasteful (of money); dissipated; wildly immoral; dissolute; N: profligate person; N. profligacy

prodigal

wasteful; reckless with money; profuse; Ex. a mind prodigal of ideas; N. prodigality

wastrel

waster; profligate

atrophy

wasting away; V: weaken and lose flesh and muscle (through lack of blood or lack of use)

oversee

watch over and direct; supervise; N. oversight: unintentional failure to notice or do something; supervision

vigilant

watchful; on the alert; watchfully awake; alert to spot danger; N. vigilance

enervate

weaken; take away energy from

caprice

whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause

hibernal

wintry; wintery; of or like winter

incorporeal

without a material body; insubstantial

stockade

wooden enclosure or pen; fixed line of posts used as defensive barrier

collage

work of art put together from fragments

grapple

wrestle; come to grips with; take hold of and struggle with; Ex. grapple with the burglar

upright

(sitting or standing) straight up; honest; moral

renounce

abandon; give up (by formal announcement); disown; repudiate; Ex. renounce one's claim to the property/one's religion; N. renunciation

plasticity

ability to be molded; ADJ. plastic: capable of being shaped or molded; Ex. plastic material such as clay

mutablility

ability to change in form; fickleness; ADJ. mutable: able to change; fickle; CF. mutate; CF. mutant

foresight

ability to foresee future happenings; prudence in providing for the future

prescience

ability to foretell the future; knowledge of actions before they occur; ADJ. prescient

empathy

ability to identify with another's feelings, ideas, etc.; identification with and understanding of another's feelings; V. empathize; CF. sympathy

motility

ability to move spontaneously; ADJ. motile: moving spontaneously

caliber

ability; quality; diameter of the inside of a round cylinder; Ex. work of very high caliber

tangible

able to be touched; real; concrete; palpable; possible to realize or understand; Ex. tangible proof

buoyant

able to float; cheerful and optimistic; N. buoyancy; Ex. buoyancy of wood/water/American market

amphibian

able to live both on land and in water; N.

effectual

able to produce a desired effect; valid

discriminating

able to see differences; discerning; prejudiced; N. discrimination

elastic

able to spring back into shape; quick to recover (as from disappointment); able to adapt to change; Ex. elastic plans; N: elastic material

protean

able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will

ambulatory

able to walk

aberrant

abnormal or deviant

dys-

abnormal; impaired

anomalous

abnormal; irregular

abrogate

abolish

consistency

absence of contradictions; uniformity; degree of thickness or firmness; Ex. consistency of thick cream; CF. viscous

anarchy

absence of governing body; state of disorder

distrait

absentminded; distracted

imperative

absolutely necessary; that must be done; critically important; expressing command; Ex. It is imperative that; N: something that must be done

assimilate

absorb; take (food) into the body and digest it; understand (knowledge) completely and be able to use properly; cause to become homogeneous (the people of a country or race in the wasy of behaving or thinking)

refrain

abstain from; resist; forbear; N: chorus

celibate

abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy

pr\'ecis

abstract; concise summing up of main points; concise summary of a text

recondite

abstruse; not easily understood; profound; secret

preposterous

absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous

plenitude

abundance; plenty; great amount; completeness; fullness; CF. plenary, plenty

affluence

abundance; wealth

luxuriant

abundant; growing healthily and in large amounts; excessively ornate; rich and splendid; fertile; Ex. luxuriant forests/prose; CF. luxurious, luxuriate

invective

abuse

scurrilous

abusive; obscene; indecent; Ex. scurrilous remark

vituperative

abusive; scolding; V. vituperate: berate; scold; rail against abusively

chasm

abyss; very deep crack

spoonerism

accidental transposition of sounds in successive words; Ex. ``Let me sew you to your sheet'' for ``Let me show you to your seat''; CF. William Spooner

fortuitous

accidental; by chance; N. fortuity

adventitious

accidental; casual; happening by chance

incriminate

accuse of or implicate in a crime; serve as evidence against; cause to seem or make guilty of a crime; Ex. incriminating evidence

wean

accustom a baby not to nurse; accustom (the young of a mammal) to take nourishment other than by suckling; give up a cherished activity; cause to gradually leave (an interest or habit); Ex. wean oneself from cigarettes

habituate

accustom or familiarize; addict

inured

accustomed; hardened; Ex. inured to the Alaskan cold; V. inure: make used to something undesirable; harden; CF. unfeeling

appropriate

acquire; take possession of for one's own use without permission; set aside for a particular purpose; allocate; CF. misappropriate

incarnation

act of assuming a human body and human nature; one who personifies something; personification; Ex. previous incarnation/reincarnation

vivisection

act of dissecting living animals

outrage

act of extreme violence or viciousness; resentful anger; V: commit an outrage on; produce anger in; ADJ. outrageous: offensive

orientation

act of finding oneself in society; orienting

summation

act of finding the total; summing-up; summary (esp. one given by the judge at the end of a trial)

lookout

act of keeping watch; high place commanding a wide view; person who keeps watch

ambush

act of lying in wait to attack by surprise; sudden attack made from a concealed position; Ex. lie in ambush; V.

provision

act of providing; something provided; preparatory measure; provisions: necessary supplies (esp. food); stipulation; condition in an agreement; Ex. According to the provisions of the agreement

recital

act of reciting publicly; detailed account; performance of music or dance (by a solo performer)

diversion

act of turning aside; pastime; V. divert: turn aside from a course; distract; amuse

volition

act of using one's will; act of making a conscious choice; Ex. She selected this dress of her own volition.

usage

act or manner of using; accepted practice; way in which words are actually used

disjunction

act or state of separation; disunity; CF. disjunctive: expressing a choice between two ideas; CF. conjunction; CF. conjunctive

clown

act stupidly; play the fool; N.

pantomime

acting without dialogue; V.

stealth

action of moving secretly or unseen; slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness; ADJ. stealthy

animosity

active enmity

vigor

active strength; energy; enthusiasm; ADJ. vigorous

leaven

add leaven to; cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven; N: agent, such as yeast, that causes dough to rise (by fermentation); element that lightens or enlivens

accessory

additional object; useful but not essential thing

condign

adequate; (of punishment) severe and well deserved

adjacent

adjoining; neighboring; close by

compromise

adjust or settle by making mutual concessions; endanger the interests or reputation of; put into danger, disrepute, or a dishonorable position; Ex. compromise one's principle; N.

acclimate

adjust to climate or environment; adapt

ward

administrative division of a city; division in a hospital or prison; incompetent person placed under the protection of a guardian; V: guard; ward off: avert

enfranchise

admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote); CF. franchise

concede

admit; acknowledge as being true (often reluctantly); yield; grant; Ex. concede a goal

espouse

adopt; support (an idea or aim); marry; N. espousal

embellish

adorn; ornament; enhance as a story (by adding fictitious details)

promote

advance in rank; advance; help to flourish; advocate; help actively in forming; publicize or popularize; Ex. Milk promotes health; Ex. promote a match/bill; Ex. promote a new product

precocious

advanced in development; N. precocity

benefit

advantage; anything that brings helpl, advantage, or profit; money provided by the government to the people; fund-raising public entertainment; Ex. unemployment benefit; V: receive benefits; be beneficial to; give benefits

suffragist

advocate of the extension of voting rights (for women); CF. suffrage

mincing

affectedly dainty(delicate); V. mince: cut (esp. meat) into very small pieces; walk with exaggerated primness; walk in an unnatural way, taking little short steps; Ex. The actor minced across the stage; CF. mincemeat; CF. mincer

grandiose

affectedly grand; pretentious; high-flown; ridiculously exaggerated; impressive; great in size or scope; grand; Ex. grandiose ideas

gustatory

affecting or relating to the sense of taste

posthumous

after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death); coming or occurring after one's death; Ex. posthumous fame/novel

emissary

agent (sent on a mission to represent another); messenger

catalyst

agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged; CF. catalysis

polemical(polemic)

aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious (rather than simply expressing opinions)

truculence

aggressiveness; ferocity; ADJ. truculent: aggressive; pugnacious; fierce

ferment

agitation; commotion(noisy and excited activity); unrest (of a political kind); V. produce by fermentation; undergo fermentation; cause (a state of trouble)

harrowing

agonizing; distressing; traumatic; V. harrow: break up and level (soil) with a harrow; inflict great distress on; agonize; N: farming machine to break up the earth

accede

agree

assent

agree; accept; N. assessment

jibe

agree; be in harmony with; gibe

concur

agree; coincide; happen at the same time

amiable

agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly

palatable

agreeable; pleasing to the taste

accord

agreement

bargain

agreement between two groups or people; something for sale at a price advantageous to the buyer; V: negotiate; trade; Ex. bargaining power

compact

agreement; contract; ADJ: tightly packed; firm; brief; concise; Ex. compact statement

dilettante

aimless follower of an art or a field of knowledge (not taking it seriously); amateur; dabbler; CF. delight

attentive

alert and watchful; listening carefully; paying attention; considerate; thoughtful; politely helpful; Ex. attentive audience; Ex. He was attentive to the old lady; N. attentions: act of courtesy and consideration

permissive

allowing much freedom; lenient; Ex. permissive society

rider

amendment or clause added to a legislative bill

licentious

amoral; lewd and lascivious; unrestrained

yield

amount produced; crop; income on investment; profit obtained from an investment; V: produce; give in; surrender

disport

amuse; Ex. disport oneself; CF. divert

concession

an act of yielding; conceding; something conceded; point, right, etc. given unwillingly; privilege of maintaining a business in a certain place; Ex. oil concessions in the North sea; CF. concessionaire

alias

an assumed name esp. by a criminal (usually to mislead people); ADV. alias

regent

a person who governs in place of a ruler who is ill, absent, or still a child; ADJ. Ex. the Prince regent

scad

a great quantity; Ex. scads of clothes

clairvoyant

having foresight; fortuneteller; N. clairvoyance

voluminous

having great volume (as of a garment or container); bulky; large

ponderous

having great weight; weighty; unwieldy; lacking lightness; dull; Ex. ponderous body/style of writing

relevant

having importance; pertinent; referring to the case in hand; N. relevance, relevancy

halting

hesitant; faltering; not fluent; Ex. halting steps/voice; V. halt: proceed or act with uncertainty; falter; hesitate; waver; stop

scruple

hesitate for ethical reasons; fret about; Ex. She did not scruple to read his diary; N: uneasy feeling arising from conscience; conscience

flinch

hesitate; shrink back (in fear of something unpleasant); Ex. She did not flinch in the face of danger.

potpourri

heterogeneous mixture; medley; mixture of dried flower petals a pot (to give a pleasant smell to a room)

pitfall

hidden danger; concealed trap

irony

hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that seem to mean the opposite of what they actually mean; use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning

impede

hide; retard or obstruct the progress of; block

culmination

highest point; climax; V. culminate in: reach the highest point in; end in; Ex. a series of minor clashes culminating in war

apogee

highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee

coup

highly successful action or sudden attack; coup(s) d'\'etat; CF. coup de gr\^ace: deathblow or shot which kills

inert

inactive; lacking power to move; unable to move or act; Ex. chemically inert; N. inertia: state of being inert; force which keeps a thing in the position or state

implacable

incapable of being pacified; impossible to appease; Ex. implacable enemy

overture

musical introduction to a long musical piece; first offer or proposal (to begin talks in the hope of reaching an agreement); Ex. overtures for peace

reprise

musical repetition; repeating of a piece of music; repeat performance; recurrent action; Ex. reprise in the finale; Ex. constant reprises

maim

mutilate; injure lastingly; disable; cripple; Ex. maimed for life

correlation

mutual relationship

reciprocal

mutual; given and received in return; exchangeable; interacting; Ex. reciprocal trade agreement

concerted

mutually agreed on; done together by agreement; Ex. concerted effort; CF. in concert: working together

internecine

mutually destructive

cryptic

mysterious; hidden; secret

occult

mysterious; secret; supernatural; beyond human comprehension; CF. mysterious to human ?; OP. bare

runic

mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet; N. rune: one of the letters of an alphabet used by ancient Germanic peoples (cut on stone or wood); magic charm

centaur

mythical figure, half man and half horse

gratuity

n. money given to sb who has done one a service; tip ;

ingenuous

naive and trusting; young; unsophisticated; candid

title

name (of a book, film, etc.); mark of rank; formal appellation as of rank or office (such as Lord or General); right or claim to possession; championship; Ex. title as head of the family; Ex. title to the estate

appellation

name; title

recount

narrate or tell (a story); count over again

parochial

narrow in scope or outlook; provincial; related to parishes

isthmus

narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land

rift

narrow opening in a large mass; break in a friendly relation; Ex. through a rift in the clouds; OP. reconcilation

interstice

narrow space between things

ravine

narrow valley with steep sides; gorge; CF. gully, canyon

Philistine

narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain; uncultured person who is indifferent to artistic and cultural values; member of an ancient people in Palestine; OP. aesthete

insularity

narrow-mindedness; isolation; ADJ. insular: of an island; isolated; narrow-minded; CF. peninsula

commonwealth

nation governed by the people; republic; people of a nation

corollary

natural consequence (which naturally follows from something else)

habitat

natural home of a plant or animal; CF. habitation

spruce

neat and trim in appearance; smart; Ex. Be spruce for your job interview; V.

deft

neat; skillful

natty

neatly or smartly dressed; dapper; smart; Ex. natty dresser

neologism

new or newly coined word or phrase

agility

nimbleness; ability to move quickly

outmoded

no longer in fashion or use; no longer stylish; old-fashioned

patrician

noble; aristocratic; N: person of high rank; aristocrat; CF. member of the governing classes in ancient Rome; CF. plebian

uproar

noisy confusion

bacchanal

noisy party with a lot of drinking

brawl

noisy quarrel

cipher

nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V.

amoral

nonmoral; having no understanding of right and wrong

drivel

nonsense; foolishness; V: talk nonsense

gibberish

nonsense; nonsensical or unintelligible talk or writing; babbling

solecism

nonstandard grammatical construction; construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically; violation of social etiquette

alcove

nook; recess

irreparable

not able to be corrected or repaired; impossible to repair

indelible

not able to be erased

unearthly

not earthly; supernatural; weird; ghostly

insatiable

not easily satisfied; unquenchable; Ex. insatiable appetite

ineffectual

not effective; not having a desired effect; weak

extraneous

not essential; irrelevant; superfluous; external; coming from the outside; Ex. extraneous details/noise/to the subject

incidental

not essential; minor; N: something incidental

tentative

not fully worked out or developed; provisional; experimental; uncertain; hesitant; not definite or positive; Ex. tentative agreement/reply

fake

not genuine; N: one that is not genuine; impostor; sham; V: counterfeit; Ex. fake the results of the experiment/the signature

homely

not good-looking; unattractive

discordant

not harmonious; conflicting

asymmetric

not identical on both sides of a dividing central line

objective

not influenced by emotions; fair; N: goal; aim

unwitting

not knowing; unaware; unintentional; Ex. She was their unwitting accomplice; Ex. unwitting insult; CF. wit: know

figurative

not literal but metaphorical; using a figure(impression) of speech

disingenuous

not naive; not candid; sophisticated; worldly wise; OP. ingenuous

exotic

not native; from another part of the world; strange; intriguingly unusual; Ex. exotic flower/dress

synthetic

not natural; artificial; resulting from synthesis; Ex. synthetic fiber; N.

atypical

not normal; not typical

heedless

not noticing; disregarding

unassailable

not open to attack; impregnable; not subject to question

extemporaneous

not planned; impromptu; extempore

impenitent

not repentant

unrequited

not requited; not reciprocated; Ex. unrequited love

mat

not shiny; matte; having a dull finish; N: flat piece of material used as a floor covering; V.

incommodious

not spacious; inconvenient

inalienable

not to be taken away; nontransferable; Ex. inalienable rights

intolerant

not willing to accept ways of thinking different from one's own; CF. tolerant; CF. tolerate

impolitic

not wise; not expedient; not politic

idle

not working; not employed or busy; lazy; without purpose; useless; lacking substance; baseless; not based on truth; Ex. idle worker; Ex. talk idly; V.

pending

not yet decided or settled; impending; Ex. pending decision; PREP. while awaiting; until; Ex. delay the decision pending his return

indentation

notch; deep recess; V. indent; CF. tooth

marked

noticeable; targeted for vengeance or attack; Ex. marked improvement/man

egregious

notorious; conspicuously bad or shocking

infamous

notoriously bad; notorious; well known for being bad; Ex. infamous behavior; N: infamy: infamous act; evil fame or reputation

nurture

nourish; feed; educate; rear; care for while it is growing or developing; foster; cultivate; N: something that nourishes; rearing

nutrient

nourishing substance; ADJ: providing nourishment

effluvium

noxious(harmful) smell

score

number of points; written form of a musical composition; reason; group of 20; notch or incision; Ex. full/vocal score; Ex. Don't worry on that score; V: mark with lines or notches; Ex. score the paper to make it easy to fold

amenable

obedient; compliant; readily managed; responsive; willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally; responsible; able to be tested by; Ex. amenable to sensible suggestions; Ex. He is very amenable; Ex. amenable to the usual tests

docile

obedient; easily managed; submissive

demur

object (because of doubts, scruples); raise an objection (showing qualms); hesitate; Ex. demur at the idea of working on Sunday

fetish(fetich)

object believed to have spiritual powers; object of excessive attention or reverence; CF. fetishism

artifacts

object made by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced

cynosure

object of general attention; person or thing that is a center of attention; CF. Ursa Minor

missile

object to be thrown or projected

lot

object used in making a determination at random; fate; piece of land

exceptionable

objectionable; likely to cause dislike; offensive; CF. unexceptionable: entirely acceptable

beholden

obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude

mandatory

obligatory; compulsory; of a mandate

incumbent

obligatory; imposed as an obligation; currently holding an office; N: person who holds an office

compulsory

obligatory; that must be done

accommodate

oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony; adapt; make enough space for; ADJ. accommodative; CF. accomodating: helpful and obliging

abstruse

obscure; profound; difficult to understand

oblivion

obscurity; condition of being completely forgotten; forgetfulness

phenomena

observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation; SG. phenomenon: observable fact; very unusual person, thing, or event; marvel; wonder; CF. phenomenons; ADJ. phenomenal: very unusual; extraordinary; of a phenomenon; Ex. phenomenal strength

antiquated

obsolete; old-fashioned; outdated

hamper

obstruct; prevent the free movement of;

wrest

obtain by pulling violently; pull away; take by violence; Ex. wrest victory from their grasp

procurement

obtaining; V. procure: obtain by effort; obtain (a prostitute) for another

patent

obvious; easily seen; open for the public to read; of or protected by a patent; Ex. patent to everyone; N.

engross

occupy fully; absorb

subordinate

occupying a lower rank; inferior; submissive; N. V: put in a lower rank or class

seasonable

occurring at the proper time or season; opportune; Ex. seasonable intervention in the dispute

sporadic

occurring irregularly; intermittent

quaint

odd in an old-fashioned way; odd; old-fashioned; picturesque

erratic

odd; irregular in movement or behavior; unpredictable

eccentricity

oddity; idiosyncrasy

redolent

odorous; fragrant; suggestive (of an odor); Ex. redolent of onions/mystery

marginal

of a margin; barely within a limit; Ex. marginal effect/writing ability

seasonal

of a particular season; Ex. seasonal rise in employment

peripheral

of a periphery; marginal; outer; of minor importance; not central; Ex. peripheral nerve/interest

pivotal

of a pivot; central; critical; crucial

polar

of a pole; characterized by opposite extremes; Ex. polar opposites

prophetic

of a prophet or prophecy; having to do with predicting the future; N. prophecy; V. prophesy; N. prophet

schematic

of a schema or scheme; relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols; N. schema: diagrammatic representation; outline

sectarian

of a sect; narrow-minded; parochial; N: member of a sect; narrow-minded person

thematic

of a theme; relating to a unifying motif or idea

titular

of a title; in name only; nominal; having the title of an office without the obligations; Ex. titular head of the company

airy

of air; high in the air; lofty; immaterial; unreal

oracular

of an oracle; prophetic; uttered as if with divine authority; mysterious or ambiguous; hard to understand; N. oracle: wiser person; prophecy made by an oracle

piebald

of different colors; mottled; spotted in different colors (esp. in black and white); Ex. piebald horse; CF. pie+bald

vitreous

of glass; pertaining to or resembling glass; V. vitrify: change into glass; CF. petrify

well-bred

of good upbringing; well-mannered and refined

mystic

of hidden meaning and spiritual power; Ex. mystic ceremonies; N. CF. mysticism

humble

of low rank or position; modest; having a low opinion of oneself and a high opinion of others; unassuming; not proud; V. humiliate: make humble; cause to feel ashamed or to lose the respect of others

rabid

of or suffering rabies; like a fanatic; extremely zealous; furious; CF. rabies: hydrophobia

substantial

of substance; material; solid; essential or fundamental; ample; considerable; well-to-do; wealthy

vulgar

of the common people; deficient in refinement; not refined; coarse; Ex. vulgar display of wealth; N. vulgarism: vulgarity; crudely indecent word; CF. vulgarian: vulgar person; boor; lout

psychosomatic

of the influence of the mind on the body (esp. with respect to disease)

juridical

of the law and its administration; CF. judicial: of courts of law; CF. judiciary

galvanic

of the production of electricity by the action of an acid on a metal; having the effect of an electric shock; Ex. galvanic cell; galvanic effect; CF. Luigi Galvani

homogeneous

of the same kind; uniform in composition throughout

superficial

of the surface; not deep; shallow; not thorough; trivial; Ex. superficial analysis/knowledge

tender

offer formally; extend; Ex. tender one's resignation/the exact fare; N: formal offer; money; Ex. legal tender; ADJ: young and vulnerable; sensitive to the touch; sore; soft; delicate; Ex. child of tender years; Ex. tender wound

immolate

offer or kill as a sacrifice (by fire)

auxiliary

offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; N: helper; assistant

functionary

official (who performs a particular function)

tribune

official of ancient Rome elected by the plebians to protect their rights; protector of the people

license

official or legal permission; latitude of action or speech; excessive freedom that causes harm or damage; V.

gazette

official periodical publication; newspaper

magistrate

official with power to administer the law

unctuous

oily; bland; insincerely suave

unguent

ointment

senility

old age; feeblemindedness of old age; ADJ. senile: resulting from old age; showing the weakness of body or mind from old age; Ex. senile dementia

pass\'e

old-fashioned; past the prime

chaperon

older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman

augury

omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future)

ellipsis

omission of words from a text; mark used to indicate an omission (when the meaning can be understood without them); PL. ellipses

humanitarian

one devoted to the promotion of human welfare; CF. humanism

culprit

one guilty of a crime

invalid

one incapacitated(disabled) by a chronic illness; ADJ: incapacitated by illness; not valid; null; V: allow to leave (a military force) because of ill-health

marsupial

one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch(pocket of skin or leather); CF. kangaroo, opossum, wombat

caste

one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society; social stratification; prestige

compartment

one of the parts into which an enclosed space is divided

pacifist

one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes

piecemeal

one part at a time; gradually; in stages; Ex. read a novel piecemeal

mason

one who builds or works with stone or brick; N. masonry: work of a mason; stonework or brickwork

nihilist

one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless and existence meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary terrorist; CF. nihilism: belief that nothing has meaning or value; belief that destruction of existing political or social institutio

optometrist

one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects

soothsayer

one who foretells the future

reaper

one who harvests grain; Ex. the Grim Reaper; V. reap: cut and gather (crop); harvest a crop

convert

one who has adopted a different religion or opinion; V: change into another form; (persuade to) adopt a particular religion or belief

peer

one who has equal standing with another; nobleman; V: look intently; N. peerage; CF. peeress

polygamist

one who has more than one spouse at a time; CF. bigamy; CF. polyandry

misanthrope

one who hates mankind; misanthropist

plumber

one who installs and repairs pipes and plumbing(pipes)

bully

one who is habitually cruel to weaker people; V.

bigot

one who is intolerant (in matters of religion or politics)

introvert

one who is introspective or inclined to think more about oneself; ADJ. introverted

agnostic

one who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate reality

zealot

one who is zealous; fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal

hireling

one who serves for hire (usually used contemptuously); one who works solely for compensation; Ex. hireling politician

spoilsport

one who spoils the pleasure of others

herpetologist

one who studies reptiles; CF. herpetology: branch of zoology that deals with reptiles and amphibians

dermatologist

one who studies the skin and its diseases

martyr

one who voluntarily suffers death for his or her religion or cause; great sufferer; Ex. martyr to his rheumatism

vigilante

one who without authority assumes law enforcement powers

apologist

one who writes in defense of a cause or institution; N. apologia

ego

one's opinion of oneself; self-esteem

unilateral

one-sided; involving or affecting only one side; Ex. unilateral declaration

partisan

one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party (with dislike of any others); N: strong supporter of a party; guerrilla

tangential

only slightly connected; not central; peripheral; digressing; showing divergence; CF. tangent

overt

open to view; public; not secret; CF. covert

gape

open widely; open the mouth wide; stare wonderingly with the mouth open; CF. agape

gambit

opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed; action made to produce a future advantage

aperture

opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light

agape

openmouthed

manipulate

operate with one's hands; control or play upon (people, forces, etc.) artfully; maneuver; Ex. how to manipulate publicity and men; ADJ. manipulative

diva

operatic singer; prima donna

aria

operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio

heresy

opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted religion; ADJ. heretical; CF. heretic

thesis

opinion put forward and supported by reasoned arguments

dogmatic

opinionated; holding stubbornly to one's opinion; arbitrary; doctrinal

adversary

opponent; enemy

converse

opposite; ADJ.

tyranny

oppression; cruel government; ADJ. tyrannical: of a tyrant or tyranny; despotic; V. tyrannize: treat tyrannically; oppress

sanguine

optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the color of blood; red

mandate

order; charge; authoritative command; power to govern another country; power to given to a government; region under administration; V: give a mandate to; place under a mandate; Ex. mandated territory

mediocre

ordinary; commonplace; neither good nor bad

pedestrian

ordinary; dull; unimaginative(lacking in imagination); going on foot; Ex. pedestrian prose; N.

institute

organization for a special purpose; V: establish

prototype

original work used as a model by others

chase

ornament a metal surface by indenting; follow rapidly to catch

emblazon

ornament richly (a shield or flag); N. emblazonment

epaulet(epaulette)

ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.)

brooch

ornamental clasp; pin

frieze

ornamental horizontal band on a wall

rococo

ornate; highly decorated; N. CF. 18th century

flamboyant

ornate; highly elaborate; richly colored; ostentatious; showy; CF. flame

pretentious

ostentatious; showy; pompous; making unjustified claims; overambitious; Ex. pretentious films that claim to be art

hue_and_cry

outcry; loud cry or clamor; strong protest; Ex. hue and cry against the new rule

perimeter

outer boundary; length of the outer boundary; circumference

zest

outer skin of an orange used for giving a special taste to food; spice; interest; flavor; spirited enjoyment; Ex. add a certain zest to the affair; Ex. zest for life

obsolete

outmoded; no longer used

outstrip

outrun; surpass; outdo

periphery

outside edge especially of a round surface; perimeter; Ex. periphery of the town

outwit

outsmart; defeat by behaving more cleverly

preeminent

outstanding; superior

guise

outward appearance; costume; Ex. in a new guise

semblance

outward appearance; guise; Ex. We called in the troops to bring a/some semblance of order to the city.

trappings

outward decorations; ornaments (as an outward sign of rank)

manifestation

outward demonstration; manifesting; indication of the presence of something; Ex. manifestation of his pronounced musical bent

token

outward sign; Ex. a token of our gratitude

circumvent

outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart; baffle; avoid; get around

amphitheater

oval building with tiers of seats; CF. arena

garish

overbright in color; unpleasantly bright; gaudy

gouge

overcharge (with high price); extort from; Ex. gouge the public; CF. usury

surmount

overcome

exuberance

overflowing abundance; joyful enthusiasm; flamboyance; lavishness; ADJ. exuberant: high-spirited and lively; growing abundantly and strongly

condone

overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse

compelling

overpowering; irresistible in effect; holding one's attention; that compels one to do something; Ex. a compelling adventure story; V. compel

bureaucracy

overregulated administrative system marked by red tape; ADJ. bureaucratic

touchy

oversensitive; easily offended; irasible; delicate; needing delicate handling; Ex. touchy situation

simplistic

oversimplified

glut

overstock; fill beyond capacity (with food); fill to excess; N: oversupply

insurmountable

overwhelming; unbeatable; insuperable

stipple

paint or draw with dots or short strokes

varnish

paint used to coat a surface with a glossy film; glossy coating produced by using this substance; Ex. nail varnish; V.

monochrome

painting in only one color; ADJ.

fresco

painting on wet plaster (usually fresh)

mauve

pale purple

pallid

pale; wan; Ex. pallid complexion

mollycoddle

pamper; coddle; baby; indulge excessively

brochure

pamphlet

mime

pantomime(act without dialogue); mimicry; mimer; V: mimic; pantomime

larder

pantry; place where food is kept

palimpsest

parchment or piece of writing material used for second time after original writing has been erased

amnesty

pardon (allowed by government to political criminals)

absolve

pardon (an offense)

whittle

pare; cut away thin bits (from wood); fashion in this way; reduce gradually; trim

vicar

parish priest; representative

proscenium

part of stage in front of curtain; front arch of a stage

accomplice

partner in crime

coalition

partnership; league; union of separate political parties

faction

party; clique (within a large group); dissension

infiltrate

pass into or through; penetrate or enter (an organization) sneakily; Ex. infiltrate the troops into enemy territory; CF. infiltrator

weather

pass safely through (a storm or difficult period); endure the effects of weather or other forces

seep

pass slowly through small openings; ooze; trickle; N. seepage

pastry

paste of flour and water (eaten when baked)

plaster

paste that hardens to a smooth solid and is used for coating walls; V.

madrigal

pastoral song; song for several singers without instruments

ecliptic

path of the sun and the planets

trajectory

path taken by a projectile; Ex. trajectory of a bullet

resignation

patiently submissiveness; statement that one is quitting a job; ADJ. resigned: acquiescent

recess

pause; temporary cessation; alcove; secret inner place; Ex. parliament in recess; V. CF. recessive

expenditure

payment or expense; expending; something expended; output; Ex. receipt for the expenditure; Ex. expenditure of all the energy

alimony

payments made regularly to an ex-spouse after divorce

placid

peaceful; calm; Ex. placid child/lake

amicable

peaceful; politely friendly; not quarrelsome; Ex. amicable settlement

pinnacle

peak; highest point; acme; Ex. pinnacle of fame

acme

peak; pinnacle; highest point

podium

pedestal; raised platform

pseudonym

pen name; fictitious name assumed by an author; ADJ. pseudonymous

contrite

penitent; repentant; N. contrition

gentry

people of standing(rank or position); people of good family or high social position; class of people just below nobility

divine

perceive intuitively (by or as if by magic); foresee the future; foretell; dowse; ADJ. N. divination

subtlety

perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy; ADJ. subtle: delicate; so slight as to be difficult to detect; able to make fine distinctions; clever; Ex. subtle mind/differences in meaning

epitome

perfect example or embodiment; brief summary; Ex. epitome of good manners; V. epitomize: make an epitome of; be an epitome of; embody

stickler

perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right

interregnum

period between two successive reigns or governments

equinox

period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn; Ex. vernal/autumnal equinox; ADJ. equinoctial

prime

period of ideal or peak condition; earliest or beginning stage; Ex. in the prime of life; Ex. prime of the year(spring); ADJ: first in importance or rank; first; V: make ready; prepare

epoch

period of time

intermittent

periodic; on and off; stopping and starting at intervals

molt(moult)

periodically shed or cast off hairs or feathers (for replacement by a new growth)

indissoluble

permanent; impossible to dissolve or disintegrate

transparent

permitting light to pass through freely; easily detected; obvious; clear; Ex. transparent lie

executioner

person administering capital punishment

sage

person celebrated for wisdom; wise person; ADJ: wise

connoisseur

person competent to act as a judge of art, etc. (whose judgments are respected); a lover of an art

ecologist

person concerned with the interrelationship between living organisms and their environment; person concerned with the detrimental effects of human civilization on the environment; CF. ecology

felon

person convicted of a grave crime; CF. felony: serious crime

executor

person designated to execute the terms of a will;

malcontent

person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs; discontented person; ADJ: discontented

beneficiary

person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will

executive

person having administrative authority; one branch of government executing laws; ADJ: relating to executing

extrovert

person interested mostly in external objects and actions

founder

person who establishes (an organization or business)

kleptomaniac

person who has a compulsive desire to steal

hostage

person who is kept as a prisoner by an enemy so that the other side will do what the enemy demands

apiarist

person who keeps bees

optimist

person who looks on the bright side; N. optimism

poseur

person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others; person who poses; CF. pose

anarchist

person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority

tanner

person who turns animal hides into leather

conformist

person who uncritically conforms to the customs of a group; OP. nonconformist: one who does not conform to accepted beliefs of norms

heckler

person who verbally harasses others; V. heckle: verbally harass as with gibes (by interrupting a speaker or speech)

pyromaniac

person with an insane desire to set things on fire

arbiter

person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge who is in a position ot make influential judgments; Ex. supreme arbiter of fashion in beachware

coax

persuade by flattery

cajole

persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle

dissuade

persuade not to do; discourage; N. dissuasion

suborn

persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury); N. subornation

induce

persuade; lead to do something; bring about; N. inducement

pontifical

pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious; CF. pontiff: pope; bishop

germinal

pertaining to a germ; creative; Ex. germinal idea

provincial

pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; narrow; unsophisticated

colloquial

pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression

rustic

pertaining to country people; unsophisticated; simple; crude; uncouth; (of furniture) rough with the bark left on; N. rural person; rustic person

horticultural

pertaining to cultivation of gardens; N. horticulture: science or art of cultivating fruits, vegetables, or ornamental plants; CF. agriculture: science or art of farming or growing crops

pathological

pertaining to disease; N. pathology: study of disease

thespian

pertaining to drama; N: actor or actress

seismic

pertaining to earthquakes

existential

pertaining to existence; pertaining to the philosophy of existentialism

valedictory

pertaining to farewell; N: farewell address (esp. at graduation exercises)

piscatorial

pertaining to fishing; CF. Pisces

thermal

pertaining to heat; producing heat; warm; Ex. thermal bath; N: rising current of warm air

infernal

pertaining to hell; devilish; N. inferno: place of fiery heat or destruction

inductive

pertaining to induction or proceeding from the specific to the general

agrarian

pertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform

linguistic

pertaining to language

pecuniary

pertaining to money

filial

pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter; Ex. filial respect

erotic

pertaining to passionate love or sexual love

nautical

pertaining to ships or navigation

alluvial

pertaining to soil deposits left by running water

metaphysical

pertaining to speculative philosophy; of metaphysics; N. metaphysics: branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality

vernal

pertaining to spring

sartorial

pertaining to tailors or tailoring; Ex. a man of great sartorial elegance; CF. sartor: tailor

pharisaical

pertaining to the Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous; hypocritical

graphic

pertaining to the art of delineating; vividly described

metallurgical

pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; N. metallurgy: science that deals with extracting metals from ores

auroral

pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis

somatic

pertaining to the body; bodily; physical

cerebral

pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; CF. cerebrum

eugenic

pertaining to the improvement of race; N. eugenics: study of hereditary improvement of the human race

pulmonary

pertaining to the lungs

lunar

pertaining to the moon

tactile

pertaining to the organs or sense of touch

physiological

pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms; N. physiology

stellar

pertaining to the stars; of a star performer; outstanding; Ex. stellar attraction of the entire performance

cosmic

pertaining to the universe; vast

sylvan

pertaining to the woods or the country

germane

pertinent; bearing upon(having connection with) the case at hand; appropriate

badger

pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal

supplicate

petition humbly; pray to grant a favor

carping

petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble

epistemologist

philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge; N. epistemology

clich\'e

phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; platitude; ADJ. clich\'ed

chorus

phrase repeated throughout a song or poem

topography

physical features of a region (such as the shape and height); CF. topo-: place

stalwart

physically strong; brawny; steadfast; strong in mind or determination; Ex. stalwart supporter; N: stalwart follower

pediatrician

physician specializing in children's diseases; N. pediatrics

obstetrician

physician specializing in delivery(assisting in giving birth) of babies; N. obstetrics; CF. midwife

oculist

physician who specializes in treatment of the eyes

cull

pick out from others (to kill the weakest members); reject; select; collect (information); N.

mosaic

picture made of small colorful inlaid tiles; ADJ.

hieroglyphic

picture writing; ADJ.

pied

piebald; variegated(many-colored); multicolored

firebrand

piece of burning wood; hothead; troublemaker; person who stirs up trouble

bust

piece of sculpture showing a person's head, shoulders, and upper chest; V: break up; arrest; Ex. crimebuster

impale

pierce (with a sharp point); Ex. impaled by the spear

lance

pierce with a lance; cut into; N: spearlike weapon

riddle

pierce with holes; permeate or spread throughout; Ex. The gunman riddled the car with bullets; Ex. The whole report is riddled with errors; N. large sieve (separating earth from stone)

perforate

pierce; put a hole through

conifer

pine tree (usu. evergreen); cone-bearing tree; ADJ. coniferous; CF. deciduous; CF. evergreen

devout

pious; deeply religious; sincere; earnest; Ex. my devout hope

buccaneer

pirate

freebooter

pirate or plunderer who makes war in order to grow rich

jug

pitcher; container for holding liquids

aphorism

pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic

apothegm(apophthegm)

pithy, compact saying

sententious

pithy; terse; concise; aphoristic

ruthless

pitiless; merciless; cruel

cemetery

place for burying the dead

induct

place formally in office; install; admit as a member; initiate; N. induction: inducting; process of deriving general principles from particular facts

sheathe

place into a case; insert into or provide with a sheath; Ex. He sheathed his dagger; N. sheath: case for a blade

provenance

place of origin; origin or source of something; Ex. Gunpowder is of Chinese provenance; CF. come

asylum

place of refuge or shelter; protection (religious or political)

sanctuary

place of refuge; shelter; shrine; holy place; Ex. The outlaw was granted sanctuary in the church.

haven

place of safety; refuge; harbor; Ex. tax haven

purgatory

place of spiritual expiation; temporary state or place in which the souls must expiate their sins

sow

plant or scatter seed

flora

plants of a region or era

bromide

platitude; chemical compound used to calm excitement

frolic

play and jump about happily; frisk; Ex. frolicking young lambs

romp

play or frolic boisterously; gambol; N.

staccato

played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound; Ex. staccato applause

jest

playful remark or act; V. act or speak playfully

sportive

playful; frolicsome; merry; CF. sport: play or frolic; CF. sportsmanlike

entreat

plead; ask earnestly

savory

pleasant in taste; tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable; Ex. savory reputation

plump

pleasantly fat; nicely rounded

convivial

pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; gay; characterized by joviality; jovial

piquant

pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating; Ex. piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help

enrapture

please intensely; fill with rapture and delight

gratify

please; satisfy; Ex. gratify a desire

pillage

plunder

despoil

plunder; sack; Ex. despoil the village

depredation

plundering; destruction

bard

poet

zenith

point directly overhead in the sky; summit; acme; highest point

perigee

point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth; CF. apogee

matrix

point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold or die; Ex. the matrix of Western civilization

outlook

point of view; view from a particular place; expectation for the future; prospect; Ex. outlook on life; Ex. pleasing outlook; Ex. weather outlook

solstice

point or time at which the sun is farthest from the equator

prong

pointed projecting part

awl

pointed tool used for piercing

aplomb

poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence

venom

poison (of an animal); hatred; Ex. remarks full of venom; ADJ. venomous

viper

poisonous snake

toxic

poisonous; N. toxicity

prod

poke (with a pointed object); stir up; urge; goad to action; N: pointed object used to prod; prodding

jab

poke abruptly with something sharp; punch with short blows

contaminate

pollute

defile