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SAT Vocab Words
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By: Jessica Loo
Created: 2011-06-13
Size: 986 flashcards
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Created: 2011-06-13
Size: 986 flashcards
Views: 481
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Abridge
1 shorten (a book, movie, speech, or other text) without losing the sense : the cassettes have been abridged from the original stories | [as adj. ] ( abridged) an abridged text of his speech.
2 Law curtail (rights or privileges) : even the right to free speech can be abridged.
2 Law curtail (rights or privileges) : even the right to free speech can be abridged.
Abstract
Not concrete
Abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure : an abstruse philosophical inquiry
Accessible
1) able to be reached or entered
2) easily understood
3) easily obtained or used (object)
4) friendly or easy to talk to/approachable (person)
2) easily understood
3) easily obtained or used (object)
4) friendly or easy to talk to/approachable (person)
Acclaim/Acclaimation
enthusiastic and public praise
the conference was acclaimed as a considerable success | [ trans. ] he was acclaimed a great painter.
the conference was acclaimed as a considerable success | [ trans. ] he was acclaimed a great painter.
Adulation
excessive admiration or praise
he found it difficult to cope with the adulation of the fans.
he found it difficult to cope with the adulation of the fans.
obsequious
obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree : they were served by obsequious waiters.
adversary
one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute : Davis beat his old adversary in the quarterfinals.
adversity
difficulties; misfortune : resilience in the face of adversity | she overcame many adversities.
resilience
able to recoil or spring back into shape after bending, stretching, or being compressed.
• (of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions : the fish are resilient to most infections.
• (of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions : the fish are resilient to most infections.
advocate
a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy : he was an untiring advocate of economic reform.
• a person who pleads on someone else's behalf : care managers can become advocates for their clients.
• a pleader in a court of law; a lawyer : Marshall was a skilled advocate but a mediocre judge.
• a person who pleads on someone else's behalf : care managers can become advocates for their clients.
• a pleader in a court of law; a lawyer : Marshall was a skilled advocate but a mediocre judge.
aesthetic
concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty : the pictures give great aesthetic pleasure.
• giving or designed to give pleasure through beauty; of pleasing appearance.
• giving or designed to give pleasure through beauty; of pleasing appearance.
affable
friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to : an affable and agreeable companion.
affirmation
the action or process of affirming or being affirmed : an affirmation of basic human values | he nodded in affirmation.
• Law a formal declaration by a person who declines to take an oath for reasons of conscience.
• Law a formal declaration by a person who declines to take an oath for reasons of conscience.
affirm
1) state as a fact/assert strongly and publicly
2)declare one's support for; uphold/defend
3) law that accepts the validity of something
2)declare one's support for; uphold/defend
3) law that accepts the validity of something
alleviate
make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe : he couldn't prevent her pain, only alleviate it | measures to alleviate unemployment.
aloof
not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant : they were courteous but faintly aloof | an aloof and somewhat austere figure.
• conspicuously uninvolved and uninterested, typically through distaste : he stayed aloof from the bickering.
• conspicuously uninvolved and uninterested, typically through distaste : he stayed aloof from the bickering.
altruistic
selfless concern for the well-being of others : some may choose to work with vulnerable elderly people out of altruism.
ambiguous
open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning : the question is rather ambiguous | ambiguous phrases. See note at doubtful .
• unclear or inexact because a choice between alternatives has not been made : this whole society is morally ambiguous | the election result was ambiguous.
• unclear or inexact because a choice between alternatives has not been made : this whole society is morally ambiguous | the election result was ambiguous.
ambivalence
having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone : some loved her, some hated her, few were ambivalent about her | an ambivalent attitude to terrorism.
analogous
comparable in certain respects, typically in a way that makes clearer the nature of the things compared : they saw the relationship between a ruler and his subjects as analogous to that of father and children.
anarchist
a person who believes in or tries to bring about anarchy.
anarchy
a state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority : he must ensure public order in a country threatened with anarchy.
• absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal.
• absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal.
anecdote
a short recount/story
animosity
strong hostility
antagonism
active hostility/opposition
antidote
a medicine taken or given to counteract a particular poison.
• something that counteracts or neutralizes an unpleasant feeling or situation : laughter is a good antidote to stress.
• something that counteracts or neutralizes an unpleasant feeling or situation : laughter is a good antidote to stress.
apprehension
1 anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen : he felt sick with apprehension | she had some apprehensions about the filming.
2 understanding; grasp : the pure apprehension of the work of art.
3 the action of arresting someone : they acted with intent to prevent lawful apprehension.
2 understanding; grasp : the pure apprehension of the work of art.
3 the action of arresting someone : they acted with intent to prevent lawful apprehension.
arbitrary
1) based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system : his mealtimes were entirely arbitrary.
2) unrestricted authority
2) unrestricted authority
aspire
direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something : we never thought that we might aspire to those heights | [with infinitive ] other people will aspire to be like you | [as adj. ] ( aspiring) an aspiring artist.
astute
having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one’s advantage : an astute businessman.
attribute
1) regard something as being caused by (someone or something)
2) Ascribe a work or remark to (the building was attributed to Frank Llyod Wright)
3) Regard a quality or feature as characteristic of or possessed by (someone or something)
2) Ascribe a work or remark to (the building was attributed to Frank Llyod Wright)
3) Regard a quality or feature as characteristic of or possessed by (someone or something)
Augment
Make something greater by adding to it; increase: he augmented his summer income by painting houses
Authoritarian
Favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority
Showing a lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others
Showing a lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others
Autonomous
1) Having self government
2) Acting independently or having the freedom to do so
2) Acting independently or having the freedom to do so
Aversion
A firm dislike
he had a deep-seated aversion to most forms of exercise.
he had a deep-seated aversion to most forms of exercise.
Disinclination
a reluctance or lack of enthusiasm : Lucy felt a strong disinclination to talk about her engagement.
Belie
1 (of an appearance) fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict : his lively alert manner belied his years.
2 fail to fulfill or justify (a claim or expectation); betray : the notebooks belie Darwin's later recollection.
2 fail to fulfill or justify (a claim or expectation); betray : the notebooks belie Darwin's later recollection.
Benevolent
well meaning and kindly : a benevolent smile.
• (of an organization) serving a charitable rather than a profit-making purpose : a benevolent fund.
• (of an organization) serving a charitable rather than a profit-making purpose : a benevolent fund.
Braggart
a person who boasts about achievements or possessions : [as adj. ] braggart men.
Brevity
1) concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.
2) shortness of time : the brevity of human life.
2) shortness of time : the brevity of human life.
Cajole
verb [ trans. ] (often cajole someone into doing something)
persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery : he hoped to cajole her into selling the house | [ intrans. ] she pleaded and cajoled as she tried to win his support.
persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery : he hoped to cajole her into selling the house | [ intrans. ] she pleaded and cajoled as she tried to win his support.
Coax
1) Persuade someone gradually or by flattery : the trainees were coaxed into doing hard, boring work
2) Use persuasion to obtain something from : we coaxed money out of my father
3) manipulate carefully into a particular shape or position : her hair had been coaxed into ringlets
2) Use persuasion to obtain something from : we coaxed money out of my father
3) manipulate carefully into a particular shape or position : her hair had been coaxed into ringlets
Candor
open and honest, frankness
Censorious
severely critical of others : modest, charitable in his judgments, never censorious, Jim carried tolerance almost too far.
Capricious
given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior : a capricious and often brutal administration | a capricious climate.
Censure
express severe disapproval of (someone or something), typically in a formal statement : a judge was censured in 1983 for a variety of types of injudicious conduct.
Coercion
persuade (an unwilling person) to do something by using force or threats : they were coerced into silence.
• obtain (something) by such means : their confessions were allegedly coerced by torture.
• obtain (something) by such means : their confessions were allegedly coerced by torture.
Commemorate
recall and show respect for (someone or something) in a ceremony : a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the war dead.
• serve as a memorial to : a stone commemorating a boy who died at sea.
• mark (a significant event) : the City of Boston commemorated the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America.
• serve as a memorial to : a stone commemorating a boy who died at sea.
• mark (a significant event) : the City of Boston commemorated the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America.
Compile
1) produce something by assembling
2) collect information in ordert o produce something
3) accumulate
Complacency
a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements
the figures are better, but there are no grounds for complacency.
Compliance
1) The action or fact of complying with a wish or command : they must secure each other's cooperation or compliance
Composure
the state or feeling of being calm and i control of oneself
Comprehensive
1 complete; including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something :a comprehensive list of sources.• of large content or scope; wide-ranging : a comprehensive collection of photographs.
Concede
1) admit something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it : I had to concede that i'd overreacted; the principle now seems to have been conceded
2) surrender or yield something that one possesses : to concede all the territory he'd won
3) fail to prevent the scoring of a goal or point by an opponent
Conciliatory
Intended or likely to placate or pacify: a conciliatory approach
Placate
make (someone) less angry or hostile : they attempted to placate the students with promises
Pacify
quell the anger, agitation, or excitement of : he had to pacify angry spectators.• bring peace to (a country or warring factions), esp. by the use or threatened use of military force : the general pacified northern Italy.
Quell
put an end to
Concise
giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive : a concise account of the country's history
Concur
1) be of the same opinion/to agree: the authors concurred with the majority
2) to happen/occur at the same time
in tests, cytogenetic determination has been found to concur with enzymatic determination.
Condone
accept and allow (behavior that is considered morally wrong oroffensive) to continue : the college cannot condone any behavior that involves illicit drugs.• approve or sanction (something), esp. with reluctance : the practice is not officially condoned by any airline.
Ponderous
1) Slow and clumsy because of great weight : her footsteps were heavy and ponderous
2) dull, laborious, or excessively solemn : Liz could hardly restrain herself from finishing all his ponderous sentences
Laborious
1) requiring considerable effort and time: years of laborious training | the work is very slow and laborious.
2) (esp. of speech or writing style) showing obvious signs of effort and lacking in fluency : his slow, laborious style.
Unwieldy
difficult to carry or move because of its size, shape, or weight : the first mechanical clocks were large and unwieldy.
• (of a system or bureaucracy) too big or badly organized to function efficiently.
Impassive
not feeling or showing emotion : impassive passersby ignore the performers.
Disputatious
1) Fond of having heated arguments : a congenial hangout for disputatious academics
2) motivated by or causing strong opinions : disputatious council meetings
Abstemious
not self-indulgent, esp. when eating and drinking : “We only had a bottle.” “Very abstemious of you.”
conflagration
An extensive fire that destroys a great deal of land or property
Confound
1) Cause surprise or confusion by acting against their expectations : the inflation figure confounded economic analysts
2) Prove (a theory, expectation, or prediction) wrong : the rise in prices confounded expectations
3) Defeat (a plan, aim or hope) : we will confound these tactics by the pressure groups
4) (often be confounded with) mix up (Something with something else)
Consensus
A general agreement : a consensus of opinion among judges
Constraint
a limitation or restriction : the availability of water is the main constraint on food production | time constraints make it impossible to do everything.• stiffness of manner and inhibition in relations between people : they would be able to talk without constraint.
Contend
1) Contend with/against - struggle to surmount a difficulty or danger : she had to contend with his uncertain temper
2) Contend for - engage in a competition or campaign in order to win or achieve something : the local team should contend for a division championship
3) assert something as a position in an argument: he contends that the judge was wrong
Contentious
causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial : a contentious issue.• involving heated argument : the socioeconomic plan had been the subject of contentious debate.
Contract
1) decrease in size, number, or range : glass contracts as it cools.
2) enter into a formal and legally binding agreement : the local authority will contract with a wide range of agencies to provide services.
Conviction
1) a formal declaration that someone is guilty of a criminal offense: she had a previous conviction for a similar offense.
2) a firmly held belief or opinion : his conviction that the death was no accident| she takes pride in stating her political convictions.
Cordial
warm and friendly : the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed.
• strongly felt : I earned his cordial loathing.
Corroborate
confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding) : the witness had corroborated the boy's account of the attack.
Credulity
a tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true.
Criterion
a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided :the launch came too close to violating safety criteria.
Cursory
hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed : a cursory glance at thefigures.
Curtail
reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on : civil liberties were further curtailed.
Decorum
Behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety : you exhibit remarkable modesty and decorum
-etiquette
Propriety
The state or quality of conforming to conventionally accepted standards of behaviors or morals : he always behaved with the utmost propriety
-the condition of being right, appropriate, or fitting
they questioned the propriety of certain investments made by the council.
he always behaved with the utmost propriety.
Deference
Humble submission and respect : he addressed her with the deference due to age
Degradation
The condition or process of degrading or being degraded : a trail of human misery and degradation
Degrade
1) Treat or regard someone with contempt or disrespect
2) lower the character or quality of something
3) break down or deteriorate chemically
Delineate
1) describe or portray (something) precisely : the law should delineate and prohibit behavior that is socially abhorrent.
2) Indicate the exact position of (a border or boundary)
Abhorrent
inspiring disgust and loathing: repugnant : racial discrimination was abhorrent to us all
Denounce
Publicly declare to be wrong or evil : the Assembly denounced the use of violence
Deplore
feel or express strong disapproval of (something) : we deplore this act of violence.
Depravity
Wicked or morally corrupt
Deprecate
1) Express disapproval of : he sniffed in a deprecating way
2) Another term for depreciate : he deprecates the value of children's television
Depreciate
1) Diminishing in value over a period of time
2) disparage or belittle something
Disparage
Regard or represent as being of little worth : he never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors ; disparaging remarks
Deride
express contempt for; ridicule : critics derided the proposals as clumsy attempts to find a solution.
Despondent
in low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
detached
separate/disconnected
deterrent
a thing that discourages or is intended to discourage someone from doing something.
detrimental
tending to cause harm : releasing the documents would be detrimental tonational security | moving her could have a detrimental effect on her health.
devious
1 showing a skillful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals : he's as devious as a politician needs to be | they have devious ways of making money 2) (of a route or journey) longer and less direct than the most straightforward way : they arrived at the town by a devious route
diffuse
spread or cause to spread over a wide area or among a large number of people
digression
leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing : I have digressed a little from my original plan.
diligence
careful and persistent work or effort
Diminution
a reduction in the size, extent, or importance of something : a permanentdiminution in value | the disease shows no signs of diminution.
discerning
having or showing good judgment : the restaurant attracts discerning customers.
discordant
1) disagreeing or incongruous : the principle of meritocracy is discordant with claims of inherited worth
2) characterized by quarreling and conflict : a study of children in discordant homes
3) harsh and jarring/lack of harmony: bombs, guns, and engines mingled in discordant sound
incongruous
not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something : the duffel coat looked incongruous with the black dress she wore underneath.
discriminating
(of a person) having or showing refined taste or good judgment : he became a discriminating collector and patron of the arts.
discrepancy
a lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts : there's a discrepancy between your account and his.
disdain
the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect; contempt : her upper lip curled in disdain | an aristocratic disdain for manual labor.
disparity
a great difference : economic disparities between different regions of the country | the great disparity of weight between the sun and the planets.
Disseminate
to spread or disperse (something, esp. information) widely : health authorities should foster good practice by disseminating information
Dissent
hold or express opinions that are at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially expressed
Divergent
Tending to be different or develop in different directions : divergent interpretations
Doctrine
a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other group : the doctrine of predestination.• a stated principle of government policy, mainly in foreign or military affairs : the Monroe Doctrine.
Document
To record
Dogmatic
inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true: he gives his opinion without trying to be dogmatic.
incontrovertibly
not able to be denied or disputed : incontrovertible proof
dubious
1 hesitating or doubting : Alex looked dubious, but complied.
2 not to be relied upon; suspect : extremely dubious assumptions.
Duplicity
deceitful, double dealing
Deceitful
(of a person) deceiving or misleading others, typically on a habitual basis.• intended to deceive or mislead : such an act would have been deceitful and irresponsible.
Eclectic
deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources : her musical tastes are eclectic.
Egotism
the practice of talking and thinking about oneself excessively because of an undue sense of self-importance : in his arrogance and egotism, he underestimated Jill.
Elated
make (someone) ecstatically happy : I felt elated at beating Dennis.
Eloquence
fluent or persuasive speaking or writing : a preacher of great power and eloquence.
elusive
difficult to find, catch, or achieve : success will become ever more elusive.• difficult to remember or recall : the elusive thought he had had moments before.
embellish
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features : blue silk embellished with golden embroidery.
make (a statement or story) more interesting or entertaining by adding extra details, esp. ones that are not true : she had real difficulty telling the truth because she liked to embellish things.
Emulate
match or surpass (a person or achievement), typicallyby imitation : lesser men trying to emulate his greatness.• imitate : hers is not a hairstyle I wish to emulate.
Endorse
declare one's public approval or support of : the report was endorsed by the college.
Enhance
intensify, increase, or further improve the quality, value, or extent of : his refusal does nothing to enhance his reputation | computer techniques that enhance images.
Enigma
a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.• a riddle or paradox.
Enmity
the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something : enmity between Protestants and Catholics | family feuds and enmities.
Ephemeral
lasting for a very short time : fashions are ephemeral
Equivocal
open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous : the equivocal nature of her remarks.• uncertain or questionable in nature : the results of the investigation were equivocal.
erroneous
wrong; incorrect : employers sometimes make erroneous assumptions.
Erudite
having or showing great knowledge or learning.
Esoteric
intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest : esoteric philosophical debates.
Eulogy
a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly, typically someone who has just died : his good friend delivered a brief eulogy.
Euphemism
a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt whenreferring to something unpleasant or embarrassing
Dysphemism
a derogatory or unpleasant term used instead of a pleasant or neutral one, such as “loony bin” for “mental hospital.”
Exacerbate
make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse : the forest fire was exacerbated by the lack of rain.
Exhaustive
examining, including, or considering all elements or aspects; fully comprehensive : she has undergone exhaustive tests since becoming ill.
Exhilarating
make someone feel very happy, animated or elated
the children were exhilarated by a sense of purpose
Exonerate
absolve someone from blame for a fault or wrongdoing
the court-martial exonerated me
they should exonerate these men from this crime
absolve
set or declare someone free from blame, guilt or responsibility
the pardon absolved them of any crimes
expedient
convenient and practical, although possibly improper or immoral
either side could break the agreement if it were expedient to do so.
• (of an action) suitable or appropriate : holding a public inquiry into the scheme was not
Expedite
make (an action or process) happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly : he promised to expedite economic reforms
Explicit
stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt : the speaker's intentions were notmade explicit.
• (of a person) stating something in such a way : let me be explicit.
Exploit
make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource) : 500 companies sprang up to exploit this new technology.
• use (a situation or person) in an unfair or selfishway : the company was exploiting a legal loophole |accusations that he exploited a wealthy patient.
• benefit unfairly from the work of (someone), typically by overworking or underpaying them :making money does not always mean exploiting others.
Extol
praise enthusiastically : he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples.
Extraneous
irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with: one is obliged to wade through many pages of extraneous material.
Extricate
free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty : he was trying to extricate himself from official duties.
Exuberance
filled with or characterized by a lively energy and excitement : giddily exuberant crowds | flamboyant and exuberant architectural invention.
Faciliate
make (an action or process) easy or easier : schools were located on the same campus to facilitate the sharing of resources.
Fallacious / Fallacy
a mistaken belief, esp. one based on unsound argument: the notion that the camera never lies is a fallacy.
• faulty reasoning; misleading or unsound argument: the potential for fallacy which lies behind the notion of self-esteem.
Fastidious
very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail : he chooses his words with fastidious care.
• very concerned about matters of cleanliness : the child seemed fastidious about getting her fingers sticky or dirty.
Feasible
possible to do easily or conveniently : it is not feasible to put most finds from excavations on public display.
• informal likely; probable : the most feasible explanation.
Fervor
intense and passionate feeling : he talked with all the fervor of a new convert.
Flagrant
(of something considered wrong or immoral) conspicuously or obviously offensive : his flagrant bad taste | a flagrant violation of the law.
Frivolous
not having any serious purpose or value : rules to stop frivolous lawsuits.
• (of a person) carefree and not serious.
Frugality
sparing or economical with regard to money or food :he led a remarkably frugal existence
Furtive
attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive : they spent a furtive day together | he stole a furtive glance at her.
Garrulous
excessively talkative, esp. on trivial matters : Polonius is portrayed as a foolish, garrulous old man.
Glutton
1 an excessively greedy eater.
• a person who is excessively fond of or always eager for something : a glutton for adventure.
Gratify
give (someone) pleasure or satisfaction : I was gratified to see the coverage in May's issue
• indulge or satisfy (a desire) : not all the sexual impulses can be gratified.
Gratuitous
1 uncalled for; lacking good reason; unwarranted :gratuitous violence.
2 given or done free of charge : solicitors provide a form of gratuitous legal advice.
Gravity
2 extreme or alarming importance; seriousness : crimes of the utmost gravity.
• seriousness or solemnity of manner : has the poet ever spoken with greater eloquence or gravity?
Gregarious
(of a person) fond of company; sociable : he was a popular and gregarious man.
Guile
sly or cunning intelligence : he used all his guile and guts to free himself from the muddle he was in.
Hamper
a large basket with a lid used for laundry : a laundry hamper.
• a basket with a carrying handle and a hinged lid, used for food, cutlery, and plates on a picnic : a picnic hamper.
Hardy
robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions.
Haughtiness
arrogantly superior and disdainful : a look of haughty disdain | a haughty aristocrat.
Hedonist
the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence.
Heresy
belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious
• opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted
hypocritical
a person who indulges in hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy
the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense.
Pretense
1 an attempt to make something that is not the case appear true : his anger is masked by a pretense that all is well
2 ( pretense to) a claim, esp. a false or ambitious one :he was quick to disclaim any pretense to superiority.
Hypothetical
of, based on, or serving as a hypothesis : that option is merely hypothetical at this juncture.
Idiosyncrasy
a mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual : one of his little idiosyncrasies was always preferring to be in the car first.
• a distinctive or peculiar feature or characteristic ofa place or thing : the idiosyncrasies of the prison system.
illusory
based on illusion; not real : she knew the safety of her room was illusory
immutable
unchanging over time or unable to be changed : an immutable fact.
impair
weaken or damage (esp. a human faculty or function) :drug use that impairs job performance.
impeccable
(of behavior, performance, or appearance) in accordance with the highest standards of propriety; faultless : a man of impeccable character.
impede
delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing them; hinder : the sap causes swelling that can impede breathing.
implausible
(of an argument or statement) not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince : this is a blatantly implausible claim.
implement
put (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect : the regulations implement a 1954 treaty.
impudence
not showing due respect for another person
impertinent
1 not showing proper respect; rude : an impertinent question.
2 formal not pertinent to a particular matter; irrelevant: talk of “rhetoric” and “strategy” is impertinent to this process.
inadvertent
not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning : many French leaders cannot accept at all that American dominance is inadvertent
.• (of a mistake) made through lack of care.
inane
silly; stupid : don't constantly badger people with inane questions.
incisive
(of a person or mental process) intelligently analytical and clear-thinking : she was an incisive critic.
• (of an account) accurate and sharply focused : the songs offer incisive pictures of American ways.
incite
encourage or stir up (violent or unlawful behavior) : the offense of inciting racial hatred.
• urge or persuade (someone) to act in a violent orunlawful way : he incited loyal subjects to rebellion.
inclusive
including or covering all the services, facilities, or items normally expected or required : the price is inclusive, with few incidentals.
inconsequential
not important or significant : they talked about inconsequential things.
incorrigible
(of a person or their tendencies) not able to be corrected, improved, or reformed : she's an incorrigible flirt.
indict
formally accuse or charge (someone) with a serious crime : his former manager was indicted for fraud.
indifferent
1 having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned : they all seemed indifferent rather than angry| most workers were indifferent to foreign affairs.
2 neither good nor bad; mediocre : attempts to distinguishbetween good, bad, and indifferent work.
• not especially good; fairly bad : a pair of indifferent watercolors.
indiscriminate
done at random or without careful judgment : terrorist gunmen engaged in indiscriminate killing.
• (of a person) not using or exercising discrimination: she was indiscriminate with her affections.
induce
1 succeed in persuading or influencing (someone) to do something : the pickets induced many workers to stay away.
2 bring about or give rise to : none of these measures induced a change of policy.
inert
lacking the ability or strength to move : she lay inert in her bed.
• lacking vigor : an inert political system.
ingenious
clever, original, and inventive : he was ingenious enough to overcome the limited budget.
inherent
existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute : any form of mountaineering has its inherent danger
innate
inborn; natural : her innate capacity for organization
innocuous
not harmful or offensive : it was an innocuous question.
innovation
the action or process of innovating.• a new method, idea, product, etc. : technological innovations designed to save energy.
insipid
lacking flavor : mugs of insipid coffee.
• lacking vigor or interest : many artists continued to churn out insipid, shallow works.
instigate
bring about or initiate (an action or event) : they instigated a reign of terror | instigating legal proceedings.
intrepid
fearless; adventurous (often used for rhetorical or humorous effect) : our intrepid reporter
inundate
flood : the islands may be the first to be inundated as sea levels rise.
• figurative overwhelm (someone) with things or people to be dealt with : we've been inundated withcomplaints from listeners.
lament
a passionate expression of grief or sorrow : his mother's night-long laments for his father | a song full of lament and sorrow.
• an expression of regret or disappointment; a complaint : there were constant laments about the conditions of employment.
laud
praise (a person or their achievements) highly, esp. in a public context : the obituary lauded him as a greatstatesman and soldier
lethargic
affected by lethargy; sluggish and apathetic : I felt tired and a little lethargic.
lethargy
a lack of energy and enthusiasm : periods of weakness and lethargy
levity
humor or frivolity, esp. the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect : as an attempt to introduce a note of levity, the words were a disastrous flop.
lofty
1 of imposing height : the elegant square was shaded by lofty palms.
• of a noble or exalted nature : an extraordinary mixture of harsh reality and lofty ideals.
• proud, aloof, or self-important : lofty intellectual disdain.
listless
(of a person or their manner) lacking energy or enthusiasm : bouts of listless depression.
malicious
characterized by malice; intending or intended to do harm : malicious destruction of property.
marred
impair the appearance of; disfigure : no wrinkles marred her face.
• impair the quality of; spoil : violence marred a number of New Year celebrations.
malice
the intention or desire to do evil; ill will : I bear no malice toward anybody.
Materialism
1) Tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values
2) Doctrine that nothing exists except matter and its movements and modifications.
Methodical
Done according to a systematic or established form of procedure : a methodical approach to the evaluation of computer systems.
Meticulous
showing great attention to detail; very careful andprecise : he had always been so meticulous about his appearance.
Miserly
of, relating to, or characteristic of a miser : his miserly great-uncle proved to be worth nearly $1 million.
• (of a quantity) pitiably small or inadequate : last year's miserly growth in sales.
Miser
A person who hoards wealth and spends as little money as possible.
Mitigate
Make less severe, serious, or painful : he wanted to mitigate misery in the world.
Morose
sullen and ill tempered
Mundane
1) lacking interest or excitement; dull : seeking a way out of his mundane, humdrum existence
2) of this earthly world rather than a heavenly or spiritual one: according to the Shinto doctrine, spirits of the dead can act upon the mundane world.
Negate
1 nullify; make ineffective : alcohol negates the effects of the drug.
2 deny the existence of (something) : negating the political nature of education.
Nullify
make legally null and void; invalidate : judges were unwilling to nullify government decisions.
• make of no use or value; cancel out : insulin can block the release of the hormone and thereby nullify the effects of training.
Void
1 not valid or legally binding : the contract was void.
2 (of speech or action) ineffectual; useless : all the stratagems you've worked out are rendered void.
3 completely empty : void spaces surround the tanks.; ( void of) free from; lacking : what were once the masterpieces of literature are now void of meaning.
Nonchalance
(of a person or manner) feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm : she gave a nonchalant shrug.
Notoriety
famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed : Los Angeles is notorious for its smog | he was a notorious drinker and womanizer.
Novelty
1 the quality of being new, original, or unusual : the novelty of being a married woman wore off.
• a new or unfamiliar thing or experience : in 1914 air travel was still a novelty.
• [as adj. ] denoting something intended to be amusing as a result of its new or unusual quality : a novelty teapot.
2 a small and inexpensive toy or ornament : he bought chocolate novelties to decorate the Christmas tree.
Nurture
care for and encourage the growth or development of :figurative my father nurtured my love of art.
• cherish (a hope, belief, or ambition) : for a long time she had nurtured the dream of buying a shop.
Commodity
a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee.
• a useful or valuable thing, such as water or time.
Voracious
wanting or devouring great quantities of food : he had a voracious appetite.
• having a very eager approach to an activity : his voracious reading of literature.
Prodigious
1 remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree : the stove consumed a prodigious amount of fuel.
2 archaic unnatural or abnormal : rumors of prodigious happenings, such as monstrous births.
Obliterate
destroy utterly; wipe out : figurative the memory was so painful that he obliterated it from his mind.
• cause to become invisible or indistinct; blot out :clouds were darkening, obliterating the sun.
Oblivion
1 the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening : they drank themselves into oblivion.
• the state of being forgotten, esp. by the public : his name will fade into oblivion
.• figurative extinction : only our armed forces stood between us and oblivion.
Obscure
keep from being seen; conceal : gray clouds obscure the sun.
Obstinate
stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.
(of an unwelcome phenomenon or situation) very difficult to change or overcome : the obstinate problem of unemployment.
Ominous
giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious : there were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead.
Auspicious
1) conducive to success; favorable : it was not the most auspicious moment to hold an election.
• archaic characterized by success; prosperous : he was respectful to his auspicious customers.
Opaque
not able to be seen through; not transparent : the windows were opaque with steam.
• figurative (esp. of language) hard or impossible to understand; unfathomable : technical jargon that was opaque to her.
Fathom
[usu. with negative ] understand (a difficult problem or an enigmatic person) after much thought : he could scarcely fathom the idea that people actually lived in Las Vegas | [with clause ] he couldn't fathom why she was being so anxious.
2 measure the depth of (water) : an attempt to fathom the ocean.
Opportunist
a person who exploits circumstances to gain immediate advantage rather than being guided by consistent principles or plans : most burglaries are committed by casual opportunists.
Jargon
special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand : legal jargon
Debased
reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade : the love episodes debase the dignity of the drama | [as adj. ] (debased) the debased traditions of sportsmanship.
• lower the moral character of (someone) : war debases people.
Barbarous
1 savagely cruel; exceedingly brutal : many early child-rearing practices were barbarous by modern standards.
2 primitive; uncivilized : a remote and barbarous country.• (esp. of language) coarse and unrefined.
Optimist
hopefulness and confidence about the future or thesuccessful outcome of something : the talks had been amicable, and there were grounds for optimism.
Amicable
(of relations between people) having a spirit of friendliness; without serious disagreement or rancor :there will be an amicable settlement of the dispute.
Opulence
ostentatiously rich and luxurious or lavish : the opulent comfort of a limousine.
Ostentatious
characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice : books that people buy and display ostentatiously but never actually finish.
Orator
a public speaker, esp. one who is eloquent or skilled.
Partisan
a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person.
Peripheral
of, relating to, or situated on the edge or periphery of something : the peripheral areas of Europe.
• of secondary or minor importance; marginal : she will see their problems as peripheral to her own.
Perpetuate
make (something, typically an undesirable situation or an unfounded belief) continue indefinitely : the law perpetuated the interests of the ruling class.
• preserve (something valued) from oblivion or extinction : how did these first humans survive to perpetuate the species?
Pervasive
(esp. of an unwelcome influence or physical effect)spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people : ageism is pervasive and entrenched in our society.
Pessimism
a tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen; a lack of hope or confidence in the future : the dispute cast an air of deep pessimism over the future of the peace talks.
Phenomenon
1 a fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, esp. one whose cause or explanation is in question :glaciers are unique and interesting natural phenomena.• a remarkable person, thing, or event.
2 Philosophy the object of a person's perception; what the senses or the mind notice.
Philanthropist
a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, esp. by the generous donation of money to good causes.
Piety
the quality of being religious or reverent : acts of piety and charity.
• the quality of being dutiful : filial piety.
• a belief or point of view that is accepted with unthinking conventional reverence : the accepted pieties of our time.
Pragmatic
dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations : a pragmatic approach to politics.
Preclude
prevent from happening; make impossible : the secret nature of his work precluded official recognition.
• ( preclude someone from) (of a situation or condition) prevent someone from doing something :his difficulties preclude him from leading a normal life.
Precocious
(of a child) having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual : he was a precocious, solitary boy
.• (of behavior or ability) indicative of such development : a precocious talent for computing.
• (of a plant) flowering or fruiting earlier than usual.
Solitary
done or existing alone : I live a pretty solitary life | tigers are essentially solitary.
• (of a place) secluded or isolated : solitary farmsteads.• [ attrib. ] [often with negative ] single; only : we have not a solitary shred of evidence to go on.
Predator
an animal that naturally preys on others : wolves are major predators of rodents
• figurative a rapacious, exploitative person or group :her wealth made her vulnerable to predators.
• figurative a company that tries to take over another.
Rapacious
aggressively greedy or grasping : rapacious landlords
Predecessor
a person who held a job or office before the current holder : the new president's foreign policy is very similar to that of his predecessor.
• a thing that has been followed or replaced by another : the chapel was built in 1864 on the site of its predecessor.
Presumptuous
(of a person or their behavior) failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate : I hope I won't be considered presumptuous if I offer some advice.
Pretentious
attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed : a pretentious literary device.
Prevalent
widespread in a particular area at a particular time :the social ills prevalent in society today.
Prodigal
1 spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant : prodigal habits die hard.
2 having or giving something on a lavish scale : the dessert was crunchy with brown sugar and prodigal with whipped cream.
Profuse
(esp. of something offered or discharged) exuberantly plentiful; abundant : I offered my profuse apologies.
• archaic (of a person) lavish; extravagant : they are profuse in hospitality.
Profane
1 relating or devoted to that which is not sacred or biblical; secular rather than religious : a talk that tackled topics both sacred and profane.
• (of a person) not initiated into religious rites or any esoteric knowledge : he was an agnostic, a profane man.
2 (of a person or their behavior) not respectful oforthodox religious practice; irreverent : desecration of the temple by profane adolescents.
Desecration
treat (a sacred place or thing) with violent disrespect; violate : more than 300 graves were desecrated.
Blasphemous
sacrilegious against God or sacred things; profane :blasphemous and heretical talk.
Sacrilegious
violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred :putting ecclesiastical vestments to secular use was considered sacrilege.
Profound
1) very great or intense :profound social changes | profound feelings of disquiet.
• (of a disease or disability) very severe; deep-seated :a case of profound liver failure.
2)having or showing great knowledge or insight : a profound philosopher.
• (of a subject or thought) demanding deep study or thought : expressing profound truths in simple language.3) at, from, or extending to a great depth; very deep : he opened the door with a profound bow.
Profusion
an abundance or large quantity of something : a rich profusion of wildflowers | the foxgloves growing in profusion among the ferns.
Proliferation
rapid increase in numbers : a continuing threat of nuclear proliferation.• rapid reproduction of a cell, part, or organism : we attempted to measure cell proliferation.
Prolific
1 (of a plant, animal, or person) producing much fruit or foliage or many offspring : in captivity, tigers are prolific breeders.
• (of an artist, author, or composer) producing manyworks : he was a prolific composer of operas.• (of a sports player) high-scoring : a prolific home-run hitter.
2 present in large numbers or quantities; plentiful :mahogany was once prolific in the tropical forests.
Foliage
plant leaves, collectively : healthy green foliage.
Provincial
• unsophisticated or narrow-minded, esp. when considered as typical of such regions.
1 of or concerning a province of a country or empire :provincial elections.
Proximity
nearness in space, time, or relationship : do not operate microphones in close proximity to television sets.
Prudent
acting with or showing care and thought for the future: no prudent money manager would authorize a loan without first knowing its purpose.
Qualified
1) be entitled to a particular benefit or privilege by fulfilling a necessary condition : they do not qualify for compensation payments.
Quandary
a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation : Kate is in a quandary.
• a difficult situation; a practical dilemma : a legal quandary.
Ramble
1 walk for pleasure, typically without a definite route.
2 talk or write at length in a confused or inconsequential way : he rambled on about his acting career.
Rancor
bitterness or resentfulness, esp. when long-standing : he spoke without rancor.
Ratify
sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid.
Rebuttal
a refutation or contradiction.
Recluse
a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people.
Recount
tell someone about something; give an account of an event or experience : [ trans. ] I recounted the tale to Steve | [with clause ] he recounts how they often talked of politics.
Rectify
1 put (something) right; correct : mistakes made now cannot be rectified later | efforts to rectify the situation.
Redundant
no longer needed or useful; superfluous : an appropriate use for a redundant church | many of the old skills had become redundant.
Refute
prove (a statement or theory) to be wrong or false; disprove : these claims have not been convincingly refuted
.• prove that (someone) is wrong.
• deny or contradict (a statement or accusation) : a spokesman totally refuted the allegation of bias.
Relegate
consign or dismiss to an inferior rank or position : they aim to prevent women from being relegated to a secondary role.
Consign
deliver (something) to a person's custody, typically in order for it to be sold : he consigned three paintings to Sotheby's.
• ( consign someone/something to) assign; commit decisively or permanently : she consigned the letter to the wastebasket.
Remorse
deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed : they were filled with remorse and shame.
Renounce
formally declare one's abandonment of (a claim, right, or possession) : Isabella offered to renounce her son's claim to the French crown.
• refuse to recognize or abide by any longer : these agreements were renounced after the fall of the czarist regime.
Repel
1 drive or force (an attack or attacker) back or away :government units sought to repel the rebels.
2 be repulsive or distasteful to : she was repelled by the permanent smell of drink on his breath.
3 formal refuse to accept (something, esp. an argument or theory) : the alleged right of lien led by the bankrupt's attorney was repelled.
Reprehensible
deserving censure or condemnation : his complacency and reprehensible laxity.
Lax/Laxity
1 not sufficiently strict or severe : lax security arrangements at the airport | he'd been a bit lax about discipline in school lately.
2 (of the limbs or muscles) relaxed.
Reprimand
a rebuke, esp. an official one.
Reprove
reprimand or censure someone : he was reproved for obscenity
Repudiate
refuse to accept or be associated with : she has repudiated policies associated with previous party leaders.
• deny the truth or validity of : the minister repudiated allegations of human rights abuses.
Reserve
1 (often reserves) a supply of a commodity not needed for immediate use but available if required : Australia has major coal, gas, and uranium reserves.
Resolution
1 a firm decision to do or not to do something : she kept her resolution not to see Anne any more | a New Year's resolution.
Resolve
firm determination to do something : she received information that strengthened her resolve | she intended to stick to her initial resolve.• a formal resolution by a legislative body or public meeting.
Reticence
not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily : she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs.
Retract
draw or pull (something) back or back in : she retracted her hand as if she'd been burned.
Rhetorical
of, relating to, or concerned with the art of rhetoric :repetition is a common rhetorical device.
• expressed in terms intended to persuade or impress: the rhetorical commitment of the government to give priority to primary education.
• (of a question) asked in order to produce an effect or to make a statement rather than to elicit information.
Elicit
evoke or draw out (a response, answer, or fact) from someone in reaction to one's own actions orquestions : they invariably elicit exclamations of approval from guests.
Rigor
1 the quality of being extremely thorough, exhaustive, or accurate : his analysis is lacking in rigor.
• severity or strictness : the full rigor of the law.
Robust
strong and healthy
Sage
a profoundly wise man, esp. one who features in ancient history or legend.
Sanction
1 a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule : a range of sanctions aimed at deterring insider abuse.
2 official permission or approval for an action : he appealed to the bishop for his sanction.
3 (often be sanctioned) give official permission or approval for (an action) : only two treatments have beensanctioned by the Food and Drug Administration. See note at approve .
Servile
having or showing an excessive willingness to serveor please others : bowing his head in a servile manner.
Skeptic
a person inclined to question or doubt all accepted opinions.
Sluggish
slow-moving or inactive : a sluggish stream.
• lacking energy or alertness : Alex woke late feelingtired and sluggish.
• slow to respond or make progress : the car had been sluggish all morning.
Somber
dark or dull in color or tone; gloomy : the night skies were somber and starless.• oppressively solemn or sober in mood; grave : he looked at her with a somber expression.
Sporadic
occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated : sporadic fighting broke out.
Squander
waste (something, esp. money or time) in a reckless and foolish manner : entrepreneurs squander their profits on expensive cars.
• allow (an opportunity) to pass or be lost : the team squandered several good scoring chances.
Stagnant
• figurative showing no activity; dull and sluggish : a stagnant economy.
Static
1 lacking in movement, action, or change, esp. in a way viewed as undesirable or uninteresting : demand has grown in what was a fairly static market | the whole ballet appeared too static.
Subordinate
lower in rank or position : his subordinate officers.• of less or secondary importance : in adventure stories, character must be subordinate to action.
Substantiate
provide evidence to support or prove the truth of : they had found nothing to substantiate the allegations.
Succinct
briefly and clearly expressed : use short, succinct sentences
Superficial
existing or occurring at or on the surface : the buildingsuffered only superficial damage.
• appearing to be true or real only until examinedmore closely : the resemblance between the breeds is superficial.
Surpass
exceed; be greater than : prewar levels of production were surpassed in 1929.
• be better than : he continued to surpass me at all games.
Surreptitious
kept secret, esp. because it would not be approved of :they carried on a surreptitious affair
Susceptible
1 likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing : patients with liver disease may besusceptible to infection.
Sustain
1 strengthen or support physically or mentally : thisthought had sustained him throughout the years
Sycophant
a person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer.
Taciturn
(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.
Temper
2 (often be tempered with) serve as a neutralizing or counterbalancing force to (something) : their idealism is tempered with realism
Tentative
not certain or fixed; provisional : a tentative conclusion.• done without confidence; hesitant : he eventuallytried a few tentative steps round his hospital room.
Provisional
1 arranged or existing for the present, possibly to bechanged later : a provisional government | a provisional construction permit.
Terse
sparing in the use of words; abrupt : a terse statement.
Thrive
grow or develop well orvigorously : the new baby thrived.• prosper; flourish : education groups thrive on organization
Tranquility
free from disturbance; calm : her tranquil gaze | the sea was tranquil.
Transient
lasting only for a short time; impermanent : a transient cold spell
Trite
(of a remark, opinion, or idea) overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness : this point may now seem obvious and trite.
Turbulence
violent or unsteady movement of air or water, or of some other fluid : the plane shuddered as it entered some turbulence.
• figurative conflict; confusion : a time of political turbulence.
Turmoil
a state of great disturbance, confusion, or uncertainty :the country was in turmoil | he endured years of inner turmoil.
Undermine
erode the base or foundation of (a rock formation).• dig or excavate beneath (a building orfortification) so as to make it collapse.
• figurative damage or weaken (someone or something), esp. gradually or insidiously : this could undermine years of hard work.
Excavate
1 make (a hole or channel) by digging : the cheapest way of doing this was to excavate a long trench.
Insidiously
proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects : sexually transmitted diseases can be insidious and sometimes without symptoms.
• treacherous; crafty : tangible proof of an insidious alliance.
Unwarranted
not justified or authorized : I am sure your fears are unwarranted.
Usurp
take (a position of power or importance) illegally or by force : Richard usurped the throne.
• take the place of (someone in a position of power) illegally: supplant : the Hanoverian dynasty had usurped the Stuarts.
Vacilliate
alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive : I had for a time vacillated between teaching and journalism.
Venerate
regard with great respect; revere : Mother Teresa is venerated as a saint.
Verbose
using or expressed in more words than are needed :much academic language is obscure and verbose.
Vigor
physical strength and good health.• effort, energy, and enthusiasm : they set about the new task with vigor.• strong, healthy growth of a plant.
Vilify
speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner : he has been vilified in the press
Vindicate
clear (someone) of blame or suspicion : hospital staff were vindicated by the inquest verdict
Sober
• serious, sensible, and solemn : a sober view of life | his expression became sober.
Virtuoso
a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit : a celebrated clarinet virtuoso | [as adj. ] virtuoso guitar playing.• a person with a special knowledge of or interest in works of art or curios.
Volatile
2 liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, esp. for the worse : the political situation was becoming more volatile.
Whimsical
1 playfully quaint or fanciful, esp. in an appealing and amusing way : a whimsical sense of humor.
2 acting or behaving in a capricious manner : the whimsical arbitrariness of autocracy.
Zealot
a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.
Benefactors
a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.
Bequests
a legacy : her $135,000 was the largest bequest the library ever has received.• the action of bequeathing something : a painting acquired by bequest.
Bequeathing
leave (a personal estate or one's body) to a person or other beneficiary by a will : an identical sum was bequeathed by Margaret | he bequeathed his art collection to the town.
• pass (something) on or leave (something) to someone else : he is ditching the unpopular policies bequeathed to him.
Industrious
diligent and hard-working
Unparalleled
having no parallel or equal; exceptional : the sudden risein unemployment is unparalleled in the postwar period.
Vexed
1 [ attrib. ] (of a problem or issue) difficult and much debated; problematic : the vexed question of exactly how much money the government is going to spend.2 annoyed, frustrated, or worried : I'm very vexed with you!
Apportion
divide and allocate : voting power will be apportioned according to contribution.
• assign : they did not apportion blame or liability to any one individual.
Expropriation
(esp. of the state) take away (property) from its owner :government plans to expropriate farmland.
• dispossess (someone) of property : the land reform expropriated the Irish landlords.
Reparation
1 the making of amends for a wrong one has done, by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged : the courts required a convictedoffender to make financial reparation to his victim
2 archaic the action of repairing something : the old hallwas pulled down to avoid the cost of reparation.
Circumscribed
1 restrict (something) within limits : their movements were strictly monitored and circumscribed.
Insinuated
1 suggest or hint (something bad or reprehensible) in an indirect and unpleasant way : [with clause ] hewas insinuating that she had slept her way to the top.
2 ( insinuate oneself into) maneuver oneself into (a position of favor or office) by subtle manipulation :she seemed to be taking over, insinuating herself into the family.
Inept
having or showing no skill; clumsy : the inept handling of the threat.
Vain
1 having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth : their flattery made him vain.
2 [ attrib. ] producing no result; useless : a vain attempt to tidy up the room | the vain hope of finding work.• having no meaning or likelihood of fulfillment : a vain boast.
Onerous
(of a task, duty, or responsibility) involving an amount of effort and difficulty that is oppressively burdensome : he found his duties increasingly onerous.• Law involving heavy obligations : an onerous lease
Strenuous
requiring or using great exertion : Beijing's strenuous efforts to join the World Trade Organization.
Exertion
1 physical or mental effort : she was panting with the exertion | a well-earned rest after their mental exertions.
2 the application of a force, influence, or quality : the exertion of authority.
Debilitate
make (someone) weak and infirm : a debilitating disease |[as adj. ] ( debilitated) a woman who had felt chronically debilitated and unwell for years.
• hinder, delay, or weaken : the debilitating effects of underinvestment.
Unstinting
given or giving without restraint; unsparing : he was unstinting in his praise.
Eminent
(of a person) famous and respected within a particular sphere or profession : one of the world's most eminent statisticians.
• [ attrib. ] used to emphasize the presence of a positive quality : the guitar's eminent suitability for recording studio work.
Entrusted
assign the responsibility for doing something to (someone) : I've been entrusted with the task of getting him safely back.
• put (something) into someone's care or protection :you persuade people to entrust their savings to you.
Detractor
a person who disparages someone or something.
Benign
1 gentle; kindly : her face was calm and benign | his benign but firm manner.• (of a climate or environment) mild and favorable• not harmful to the environment : [in combination] an ozone-benign refrigerant.
2 Medicine (of a disease) not harmful in effect: in particular, (of a tumor) not malignant.
Malignant
1 (of a disease) very virulent or infectious.• (of a tumor) tending to invade normal tissue or to recur after removal; cancerous.
Defunct
no longer existing or functioning : the now defunct communist common market.
Penchant
a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something : he has a penchant for adopting stray dogs.
Bent
3 ( bent on) determined to do or have something : a missionary bent on saving souls | a mob bent on violence.
Petulance
(of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered : he was moody and petulant | a petulant shake of the head.
Atypical
not representative of a type, group, or class : a sample of people who are rather atypical of the target audience | there were somewhat atypical results in May and November.
Romanticize
deal with or describe in an idealized or unrealistic fashion; make (something) seem better or more appealing than it really is : the tendency to romanticize nonindustrial societies | [ intrans. ] she was romanticizing about the past.
Ingenue
an innocent or unsophisticated young woman.• a part of this type in a play.• an actress who plays such a part.
Connoisseur
an expert judge in matters of taste : a connoisseur ofmusic.
Quiescent
in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy : strikeswere headed by groups of workers who had previously been quiescent
Imperceptible
impossible to perceive : his head moved in an almostimperceptible nod.
Surreptitious
kept secret, esp. because it would not be approved of :they carried on a surreptitious affair
Callous
showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others : his callous comments about the murder made me shiver.
Jocular
fond of or characterized by joking; humorous or playful: she sounded in a jocular mood | his voice was jocular.
Mendacious
not telling the truth; lying : mendacious propaganda.
Cosmopolitan
• having an exciting and glamorous characterassociated with travel and a mixture of cultures : their designs became a by word for cosmopolitan chic.
familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures
Abase
lower; humiliate. Defeated
ie) Queen Zenobia was forced to abase herself before the conquering Romans, who made her march in chains before the emperor in the procession celebrating his triumph.
I watched my colleagues abasing themselves before the board of trustees.
Abash
embarrass.
He was not at all abashed by her open admiration.
she was not abashed at being caught.
Abate
subside; decrease, lessen.
Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate.
Nothing abated his crusading zeal.
Abbreviate
shorten.
Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech.
Abdicate
renounce; give up. When Edward VII abdicated the British throne to marry the woman he loved, he surprised the entire world.
Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor.
Ferdinand abdicated the throne in favor of the emperor's brother.
Abduction
Kidnapping.
The movie Ransom describes the attempts to rescue a multimillionaire's son after the child's abduction by kidnappers.
Aberrant
Abnormal or deviant.
Given the aberrant nature of the data, we doubted the validity of the entire experiment.
Abet
aid, usually in doing something wrong; encourage.
She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.
he was not guilty of murder but was guilty of aiding and abetting others.
Abeyance
Suspended action.
The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.
Matters were held in abeyance pending further inquiries.
Abhor
Detest; hate.
She abhorred all forms of bigotry. abhorrence
Professional tax preparers abhor a flat tax because it would dry up their business.
Abject
wretched; lacking pride. On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind.
• (of an unhappy state of mind) experienced to the maximum degree : his letter plunged her into abject misery.
Abjure
Renounce upon oath.
He abjured his allegiance to the king.
His refusal to abjure the catholic faith.
abjuration
Ablution
washing. His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath".
Abnegation
1) repudiation (act of renouncing or rejecting something)
2) self-sacrifice
Abnegation of political law-making power.
Though Rudolph and Duchess Flavia loved one another, their love was doomed, for she had to marry the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom.
Abolish
formally put an end to (a system, practice, or institution) : the tax was abolished in 1977.
Abominable
1) detestable
2) extremely unpleasant
3) very bad
Mary liked John until she learned he was dating Susan; then she called him an abominable young man, with abominable taste in woman.
Aboriginal
(of human races, animals, and plants) inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times or from before the arrival of colonists; indigenous
Abortive
1) failing to produce the intended result; fruitless
She made two abortive attempts at suicide.
Abrade
Wear away by friction; scrape; erode.
Because the sharp rocks had abraded the skin on her legs, she dabbed iodine on the scrapes and abrasions.
Abrasive
(of a substance or material) capable of polishing or cleaning a hard surface by rubbing or grinding.• tending to rub or graze the skin : the trees were abrasive to the touch.
• figurative (of sounds or music) rough to the ear; harsh : fast abrasive rhythms.
• figurative (of a person or manner) showing little concern for the feelings of others; harsh : her abrasive and arrogant personal style won her few friends.
Abrogate
repeal or do away with (a law, right, or formal agreement); abolish
A proposal to abrogate temporarily the right to strike.
He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor.
Abscond
depart secretly and hide.
The teller who absconded with the bonds went uncaptured until someone recognized him from his photograph on "America's Most Wanted."
Absolute
not qualified or diminished in any way; total : absolute secrecy | absolute silence | the attention he gave you was absolute.
Abstinence
the fact or practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something, typically alcohol : I started drinking again after six years of abstinence.
Absorb
assimilate or incorporate; suck or drink up; wholly engage.
ie) During the 19th century, America absorbed hordes of immigrants, turning them into productive citizens.
Can Huggies diapers absorb more liquid than Pampers can?
This question does no absorb me; instead, it bores me.
Abut
border upon; adjoin.
Where our estates abut, we must build a fence.
Abysmal
1) extremely bad; appalling
The quality of her work is abysmal.
2) bottomless- off great extent
His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance.
Abyss
1) Enormous chasm; bottomless pit
A rope led down into the dark abyss
2) wide profound difference between people
The abyss between the two nations.
3) anything profound, unfathomable (not penetrating) /infinite
the abyss of time
Accede
Agree
If i acceded to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that i will be the victim of future demands.
Accelerate
Move faster.
In our science class, we learn how falling bodies accelerate.
Accentuate
Emphasize; stress
If you accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, you may wind up with an overoptimistic view of the world.
Acclaim
Applaud; announce with great approval.
The NBC sportscasters acclaimed every American victory in the Olympics and decried every American defeat.
Decried
Denounce
Acclimate
adjust to climate.
One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of travelers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments.
Acclivity
sharp upslope of a hill/cliff
The car wold not go up the acclivity in high gear.
Accolade
Award of merit.
In Hollywood, an "Oscar" is the highest accolade.
Accomodate
Oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony; adapt.
Accord
Agreement.
She was in complete accord with the verdict.
Accost
approach and address (someone) boldly or aggressively: reporters accosted him in the street.
• approach (someone) with hostility or harmful intent : he was accosted by a thief, demanding his money or his life.
• approach and address (someone) with sexual intent : a man tried to accost the girl on her way to school.
Accoutre
Equip
The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply.
Accrue
Come about by addition.
You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum.
Acerbity
Bitterness of speech and temper
The meeting of the United Nations was marked with such acerbity that informed sources held out little hope of reaching any useful settlement of the problem.
Acetic
Vinegary
The salad had an exceedingly acetic flavor.
Acidulous
Slightly sour; sharp, caustic.
James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.
Acme
Top, pinnacle.
His success in this role marked the acme of his career as an actor.
Acquiesce
Assent; accept something reluctantly but without protest
Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer's suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about the changes he wanted made.
Sara acquiesced in his decision.
Acquittal
a judgment that a person is not guilty of the crime with which the person has been charged : the trial resulted in an acquittal | the women felt their chances of acquittal were poor.
Acrid
having an irritatingly strong and unpleasant taste or smell : acrid fumes.
• angry and bitter : an acrid farewell.
Acrimonious
(typically of speech or a debate) angry and bitter : an acrimonious dispute about wages.
Acrophobia
extreme or irrational fear of heights.
Actuarial
a person who compiles and analyzes statistics and uses them to calculate insurance risks and premiums.
Actuate
Motivate
I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily.
Acuity
Sharpness
In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and he needed glasses.
Acumen
Mental keenness
His business acumen helped him to succeed where others had failed.
Acute
Quickly perceptive; keen; brief and severe.
The acute young doctor realized immediately that the gradual deterioration of her patient's once acute hearing was due to a chronic illness, but not an acute one.
Adage
Wise saying; proverb
There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money.
Adamant
Hard, inflexible.
Bronson played the part of a revenge-driven man, adamant in his determination to punish criminals who destroyed his family.
Addendum
An addition or supplement.
As an addendum to the minutes, let me point out that Susan moved to appoint Kathy and Arthur to the finance committee.
Addle
Muddle; drive crazy; become rotten
This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone.
Adept
Expert at
She was adept at the fine art of irritating people.
Adhere
Stick fast. I wil adhere to this opinion until proof that i am wrong is presented.
Adherent
Supporter; follower.
In the wake of the scandal, the senator's one-time adherents quickly deserted him.
Adjacent
Adjoining; neighboring; close by.
Phillip's best friend Jason lived only four houses down the block, close but not immediately adjacent.
Adjunct
Something added on or attached (generally nonessential or inferior). Although I don't absolutely need a second computer, I plan to buy a laptop to serve as an adjunct to my desktop model.
Admonish
Warn, reprove.
He admonished to his listeners to change their wicked ways. admonition
Admonition
Warning.
After the student protesters repeatedly rejected the dean's admonitions, the administration issued an ultimatum: either the students would end the demonstration at once or the campus police would arrest the demonstrators.
Ultimatum
a final uncomprosing demand/ terms issued by a party to a dispute
Adroit
Skillful.
His adroit handling of the delicate situation pleased his employers.
Adulterate
Make impure by adding cheaper, inferior or tainted substances.
It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer.
When consumers learned that Beech-Nut had adulterated their apple juice by mixing it with water, they protested vigorously.
Advent
Arrival
Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age until the news of Hiroshima reached them.
The advent of the holiday season.
Adventitious
Accidental, Casual
He found this adventitious meeting with his friend extremely fortunate.
My adventures were always adventitious, always thrust on me.
Coming from outside; not native
The adventitious population.
Adverse
unfavorable; hostile
The recession had a highly adverse effect on Father's investment portfolio.
Aerie
Nest of a large bird of prey (eagle, hawk)
The mother eagle swooped down on the unwitting rabbit and bore it off to her aerie high in the Rocky mountains.
Unwitting
(of a person) not aware of the full facts : an unwitting accomplice.
• not done on purpose; unintentional : we are anxious to rectify the unwitting mistakes made in the past.
Affected
artificial; pretended; assumed in order to impress
His affected mannerisms annoyed us.
The gesture appeared both affected and stagy.
Affectation
behavior, speech, or writing that is artificial and designed to impress
the affectation of a man who measures every word for effect
she called the room herboudoir, which he thought an affectation.
a studied display of real or pretended feeling
an affectation of calm.
Affidavit
a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court.
The court refused to accept his statement unless he presented it in the form of an affidavit.
Affiliation
joining; associating with.
His affiliation with the political party was of short duration for he soon disagreed with his colleagues.
Affinity
Kinship; a natural liking/attraction to a person, thing, idea ; likeness/agreement
She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her pains.
Affix
Fasten; attach; add on
First the registrar had to affix her signature to the license; then she had to affix her official seal.
He licked the stamp and affixed it to the envelope.
Affliction
A state of distress; cause of suffering
Even in the midst of her affliction, Elizabeth tried to keep up the spirits of those around her.
Affluence
Abundance; wealth
Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the American way of life.
Affront
insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect
When Mrs. Proudie was not seated beside the Archdeacon at the head table, she took it as a personal affront and refused to speak to her hosts for a week.
aftermath
consequences; outcome
Upshot
the final or eventual outcome or conclusion of a discussion, action, or series of events : the upshot of the meeting was that he was on the next plane to New York
Agglomeration
Collection; heap
It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items she had collected on her trip.
Assort
arrange, distribute, sort
Aggrandize
Increase or intensify
The history of the past quarter century illustrates how a president may aggrandize his power to act aggressively in international affairs without considering the wishes of Congress.
Aggregate
Gather, accumulate
Before the Wall Street scandals, dealers in so-called junk bonds managed to aggregate great wealth in short periods of time.
Aggressor
Attacker
Before you punish both boys for fighting, see whether you can determine which one was the aggressor.
Aghast
Horrified
The stood aghast at the sight of the place.
He was aghast at the nerve of the speaker who had insulted his host.
Agility
Nimbleness
The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled the audience.
Nimbleness
Quick to understand
A nimble plan
Nimble feet
Agitate
Stir up; disturb
Her fiery remarks agitated the already angry mob.
Agnostic
One that is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate reality.
Agrarian
Pertaining to land or its cultivation.
Because its recent industrialization has transformed farmhands into factory workers, the country is gradually losing its agrarian traditions.
Alacrity
Cheerful promptness
Eager to get away to the mountains, Phil and Dave packed up their ski gear and climbed into the van with alacrity.
Alchemy
Medieval chemistry
The changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy.
Alcove
nook; small, recessed section of a room
Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the young couple.
Alias
assumed name/false name
Alimentary
Supplying nourishment
The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there.
alimony
payments to an ex-spouse after divorce.
Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award him $500 a month in alimony.
Allay
calm, pacify
The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing that the fire had been controlled.
Allege
Although it is alleged that she has worked for the enemy, she denies the allegation and legally, we can take no action against her without proof.
Allegiance
Loyalty
Not even a term in prison could shake Lech Walesa's allegiance to Solidarity.
Allegory
Story in which characters are used as symbols; fable.
Allocate
Assign
Even though the Red Cross had allocated a large sum for the relief of the sufferers of the disaster, many people perished.
Alloy
mix; make less pure; lessen or moderate.
Our delight at the Yankee's victory was alloyed by our concern for Dwight Gooden, who injured his pitching arm in the game.
Allude
Refer indirectly
Try not to mention divorce in Jack's presence because he will think you are alluding to his marital problems with Jill.
Allure
Entice, attract
Allured by the song of the sirens, the helmsman steered the ship toward the reef.
Entice
to lead on by exciting hope or desire
Allusion
indirect reference.
When Amanda said to the ticket scal
Aloft
upward
The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging.
To get into a loft bed, you have to climb aloft.
Noisy quarrel, heated dispute
In that hot tempered household, no meal ever came to a peaceful conclusion; the inevitable altercation might even end in blows.
Amalgamate
Combine, unite in one body.
The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body.
Amass
Collect
The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible.
Ambidextrous
capable of using either hand with equal ease.
A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous.
amble
moving in an easy pace
When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the animal to go faster than a gentle amble.
ambulatory
able to walk; not bedridden
Juan was a highly ambulatory patient; not only did he refuse to be confined to bed, but he insisted on riding his skateboard up and down the halls.
ameliorate
improve
Many social workers have attempted to ameliorate the conditions of people living in the slums.
Amenable
readily managed, willing to be led.
Although the ambassador was usually amenable to friendly suggestions, he balked when we hinted that he should waive his diplomatic immunity and pay his parking tickets.
Waive
refrain from claiming, insisting on
Balked
refuse, to stop
He balked at making the speech;
Amend
Correct, change, generally for the better.
Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United States.
Amenities
Convenient features; courtesies
In addition to the customary amenities for the business traveler- fax machines, modems, a health club-the hotel offers the services of a butler versed in the social amenities.
Heating is regarded as a basic amenity.
• the pleasantness of a place or a person : the exertion of amenity toward the boss.
Amiable
Agreeable, lovable, warmly friendly
In Little Women, Beth is the amiable daughter whose loving disposition endears her to all who know her.
Amicable
Polite, friendly, not quarrelsome
There will be an amicable settlement of the dispute.
Amiss
not quite right; inappropriate or out of place
there was something amiss about his calculations.
Seeing her frown, he wondered if anything were amiss.
Amity
a friendly relationship, friendship.
Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in International Living were established to promote international amity.
Amnesia
Loss of memory
Because she was suffering from amnesia, the police could not get the young girl to identify herself.
Amnesty
Pardon
When his first child was born, the king granted amnesty to all in prison.
Amoral
lacking a moral sense; unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something : an amoral attitude to sex.
Amorous
showing, feeling, or relating to sexual desire
She rejected his amorous advances.
Love them and leave them, was the motto of the amorous Don Juan.
Amorphous
Formless, lacking shape or definition
As soon as we have decided on our itinerary, we shall send you a copy; right now, our plans are still amorphous.
amorphous blue forms and straight black lines.
make explicit the amorphous statements.
Amphibian
Abe to live both on land and in water.
Frogs are classified as amphibian.
Amphitheater
oval building with tiers of seats
The spectators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators.
Ample
abundant
there is ample time for discussion | an ample supply of consumer goods.
• large and accommodating : he leaned back in his ample chair.• used euphemistically to convey that someone is fat: she stood with her hands on her ample hips.
Amplify
broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify
increase the volume of (sound), esp. using an amplifier :the accompanying chords have been amplified in our arrangement.
Amputate
cut off part of body; prune.
Prune
to cut away dead or overgrown branches or stems, to increase fruitfulness and growth
prune back the branches
Reduce the extent of something by removing superfluous or unwanted parts
Reduction achieved by working harder or pruning costs.
Elliot deliberately pruned away details.
Amulet
an ornament or small piece of jewelry thought to giveprotection against evil, danger, or disease.
Talisman
an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck.
Analgesic
causing insensitivity to pain
an analgesic drug
The analgesic qualities of this lotion will provide temporary relief.
Analogy
parallelism, similarity
A well known analogy compares the body's immune system with an army whose defending troops are the lymphocytes or white blood cells.
anarchist
a person who believes in or tries to bring about order
Denying she was an anarchist, Katya maintained she wished only to make changes in our government, not to destroy it entirely.
Anarchy
absence of governing body; state of disorder
The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy.
Ancestry
Family descent
David can trace his ancestry as far back as the 17th century.
Anchor
secure or fasten firmly in place
We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place.
Ancillary
serving as an aid or accessory
the development of ancillary services to support its products.
paragraph 19 was merely ancillary to paragraph 16.
employment of specialist teachers and ancillaries.
In an ancillary capacity, Doctor Watson was helpful; however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplexing case on his own.
Auxiliary
providing supplementary or additional help and support : an auxiliary nurse | auxiliary airport staff.
• (of equipment) held in reserve : the ship has anauxiliary power source.
Anemia
Condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles
The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia
Anesthetic
Substances that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness
His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was soon asleep.
Anguish
acute pain, extreme suffering
Visiting the site of the explosion, the governor wept to see the anguish of the victims and their families.
she shut her eyes in anguish | Philip gave a cry of anguish.
angular
sharp cornered, stiff in manner
Mr.Spock's features, though angular, were curiously attractive, in a Vulcan way.
Animus
1 hostility or ill feeling : the author's animus toward her. The speaker's sarcastic comments about liberal do-gooders and elitist snobs revealed his deep-seated animus against his opponent.
2 motivation to do something : the reformist animus came from within the Party.
Annals
a record of events year by year : eighth-century Northumberland annals.
• historical records : the annals of the famous European discoverers
Annex
append or add as an extra or subordinate part, esp. to a document : the first ten amendments were annexed to the Constitution in 1791.
Mexico objected to the US's attempts to annex the territory that later became the state of Texas.
Annihilate
Destroy
The enemy in its revenge tried to annihilate the entire population.
a simple bomb of this type could annihilate them all
• defeat utterly : the stronger force annihilated its opponent virtually without loss.
Annuity
a fixed sum of money paid to someone each year, typically for the rest of their life : he left her an annuity of $1,000 in his will.
yearly allowance.
The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements his social security benefits so that he can live very comfortably without working.
Annul
declare invalid (an official agreement, decision, or result) : the elections were annulled by the general amid renewed protests.
The parents of the eloped couple tried to annul the marriage.
Consecrate
make or declare (something, typically a church) sacred; dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose : the present Holy Trinity church was consecrated in 1844.
devote exclusively to a particular purpose
they'd decided to consecrate all their energies to this purposeful act.
Anomalous
abnormal, irregular
He was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures which he despised.
Anomaly
irregularity
A bird that can't fly is an anomaly.
Anonymity
State of being nameless, anonymousness
The donor of the gift asked the college not to mention him by name; the dean readily agreed to respect his anonymity.
Anonymous
Having no name.
She tried to ascertain the identity of the writer of the anonymous letter.
Antecede
Precede
The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century.
Antecedents
Preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later
She knew nothing of her birth and antecedents until she was reuinited with her family.
Anthology
book of literary selections by various authors.
This anthology of science fiction was complied by the school.
An anthology of European writers.
Anthropocentric
regarding human beings as the center of the universe.
Without considering any evidence that might challenge his anthropocentric viewpoint, Hector categorically maintained that dolphins could not be as intelligent as men.
Anthropoid
resembling a human being in form : cartoons of anthropoid frogs.
The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals.
Anthropologist
Student of the history and science of mankind
Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric man in this area.
anthropomorphic
having human form or characteristics
Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics.
Anticlimax
a disappointing end to an exciting or impressive series of events : the rest of the journey was an anticlimax by comparison | a sense of anticlimax and incipient boredom.
antipathy
a deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion : his fundamental antipathy to capitalism | a thinly disguised mutual antipathy.
Tom's extreme antipathy for disputes keeps him from getting into arguments with his temperamental wife. Noise in any form is antipathetic to him. Among his other antipathies are honking cars, boom boxes, and heavy metal rock.
Antiseptic
1) of, relating to, or denoting substances that prevent the growth of disease-causing microorganisms.
2) scrupulously clean or pure, esp. so as to be bland or characterless : the antiseptic modernity of a conference center.
Antithesis
a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else : love is the antithesis of selfishness.
• a contrast or opposition between two things : the antithesis between occult and rational mentalities.
This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for, and he fought it with all his strength.
Apathy
lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern : widespread apathy among students.
A firm believer in democratic government, she could not understand the apathy of people who never bothered to vote.
Ape
imitate the behavior or manner of (someone or something), esp. in an absurd or unthinking way :new architecture can respect the old without aping its style.
he was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal in front of the whole school.
aperture
opening; hole.
She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the insects had entered the room.
The bell ropes passed through apertures in the ceiling.
Apex
summit, climax
At the apex of his career, the star was deluged with offers of leading roles; two years later, he was reduced to acting in mouthwash ads.
Aphasia
loss of speech due to injury or illness. After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or could only mumble incoherently.
Aphorism
a pithy observation that contains a general truth, such as, “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” See note at saying .• a concise statement of a scientific principle, typically by an ancient classical author.
pithy
1 (of language or style) concise and forcefully expressive. See note at terse .
Apiary
a place where bees are kept; a collection of beehives.
Aplomb
self-confidence or assurance, esp. when in a demanding situation : Diana passed the test with aplomb.
Gwen's aplomb in handling potentially embarrassing moments was legendary around the office; when one of her clients broke a piece of her best crystal, she cooly picked up her own goblet and hurled it into the fireplace.
apocalyptic
prophetic; pertaining to revelations
The crowd jeered at the street preacher's apocalyptic predictions of doom.
apocryphal
untrue, made up
To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his adventures in the big city.
apogee
highest point
When the moon in its orbit is farthest away from the earth, it is at its apogee.
The White House is considered the apogee of American achievement.
apolitical
Having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs.
It was hard to remain apolitical during the Vietnam War; even people who generally ignored public issues felt they had to take political stands.
apologist
one who writes in defense of a cause or institution
Rather than act as an apologist for the current regime in Beijing and defend its brutal actions, the young diplomat decided to defect to the west.
An enthusiastic apologist for fascism in the 1920s.
apostate
one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs.
Because he switched from one party to another, his former friends shunned him as an apostate.
Apostasy.
Apotheosis
the highest point in the development of something; culmination or climax :
his appearance as Hamlet was the apotheosis of his career.
The hero of the musical How to Succeed in Business...was the apotheosis of yuppieness.
elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something
The apotheosis of a Roman emperor was designed to insure his eternal greatness.
Appall
dismay; shocked
We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city's jails.
Apparatus
equipment
Firefighters use specialized apparatus to fight fires
Apparition
ghost; phantom
On the castle battlements, an apparition materialized and spoke to Hamlet, warning him of his uncle's treachery.
Appease
pacify or soothe; relieve
Tom and Jody tried to appease the crying baby by offering him one toy after another, but he would not calm down until they appeased his hunger by giving him a bottle.
Amendments have been added to appease local pressure groups.
We give to charity because it appeases our guilt.
Appellation
name, title
Macbeth was startled when the witches greeted him with an incorrect appellation. Why did they call him Thane of Cawdor, he wondered, when the holder of that title still lived?
the city fully justifies its appellation "the Pearl of the Orient."
append
attach
When you append a bibliography to a text, you have just created an appendix.
the results of the survey are appended to this chapter.
application
diligent, attention
The job takes a great deal of patience and application.Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt Polly praised him for his application to the task.
Apposite
Appropriate, fitting
He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression for every occasion.
An apposite quotation; the observations are apposite to the discussion.
Appraise
estimate the value of/assess the value or quality of
It is difficult to appraise the value of old paintings; it is easier to call them priceless.
The interviewer's job is to appraise and evaluate
They appraised the painting at $200.
She stealthily appraised him in a pocket mirror.
appraisal
Appreciate
be thankful for; increase in worth; be throughly conscious of
Little Orphan Annie truly appreciated the stocks Daddy Warbucks gave her, which appreciated in value considerably over the years.
Apprehend
1 arrest (a criminal)
The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long.
a warrant was issued but he has not been apprehended.
2 understand or perceive : great art invites us to apprehend beauty.
Apprise
inform
When he was apprised of the dangerous weather conditions, he decided to postpone his trip.
I thought it right to apprise Chris of what had happened.
Approbation
approval
She looked for some sign of approbation from her parents, hoping her good grades would please them.
The opera met with high approbation.
appropriate
acquire; take possession of for one's own use
The ranch owner's appropriated the lands that had originally been set aside for the Indian's use.
His images have been appropriated by advertisers.
Apropos
with reference to; regarding
I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and pertinent.She remarked apropos of the initiative, "It's not going to stop the abuse."
Pertinent
apposite; relevant to a particular time
she asked me a lot of very pertinent questions | the unreleased section of tape was not pertinent to the investigation.
Aptitude
fitness; talent; natural ability to do something
The counselor gave him an aptitude test before advising him about the career he should follow.
he had a remarkable aptitude for learning words.
aptitude of expression.
aquatic
pertaining to water
Paul enjoyed aquatic sports such as scuba diving and snorkeling.
aquiline
curved, hooked
Cartoonists exaggerated the senator's aquiline nose, curving it until it looked like the beak of an eagle.
arable
fit for growing crops
The first settlers wrote home glowing reports of the New World, praising its vast acres of arable land ready for the plow.
Arbiter
judge; person with power to decide a dispute
As an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers.the military acted as arbiter of conflicts between political groups.
arbitrator
judge
Because the negotiating teams had been unable to reach a contract settlement, an outside arbitrator was called upon to mediate the dispute.
arbitration: the use of an arbitrator to settle a dispute
Arboretum
place where different tree varieties are exhibited
Walking along the tree-lined paths of arboretum, Rita noted poplars, firs, and sycamores.
Arcane
understood by few; mysterious or secret : modern math and its arcane notation.
Secret brotherhoods surround themselves with arcane rituals.
Consider the arcane terminology doctor's use and the impression they try to give that what is arcane to us is obvious to them.
archeology
study of artifacts and relics of early mankind
Archetype
a very typical example of a certain person or thing : the book is a perfect archetype of the genre.
The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Ling Island and New Jersey.
Archipelago
a group of islands
Archives
public records, place where public records are kept
These documents should be part of the archives so historians can evaluate them in the future.
To get into the archives I had to fill in a request form.
ardor
enthusiasm or passion : they felt the stirrings of revolutionary ardor.
ardent
enthusiastic or passionate : an ardent baseball fan | an ardent suitor.
arduous
involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring : an arduous journey.
Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy.
aria
operatic solo
At her Metropolitan Opera audition, Marian Anderson sang an aria from Norma.
Arid
dry; barren
hot and arid conditions
The cactus had adapted to survive in an arid environment.
barren
1 (of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation
• showing no results or achievements; unproductive :much of philosophy has been barren.
2 (of a place or building) bleak and lifeless : the sports hall turned out to be a rather barren concrete building.
• empty of meaning or value : those young heads were stuffed with barren facts.
aramada
fleet of warships
arousal
awakening; provocation (of a response)
On arousal, Papa was always a grumpy bear.
The children tiptoed around the house, fearing they would arouse his anger by waking him up.
Arraign
call or bring (someone) before a court to answer a criminal charge : her sister was arraigned on attempted murder charges.
• find fault with (someone or something); censure :the soldiers bitterly arraigned the government for failing to keep its word.
indict
formally accuse or charge (someone) with a serious crime : his former manager was indicted for fraud.
array
marshal; draw up in order
His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him
marshal
guide the direction of something
guests were marshaled into position
marshaling his thoughts
Array
clothe; adorn
She liked to watch her mother array herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening.
Arrayed across the table was a buffet.
Arrears
being in debt
He was in arrears with his payments on the car.
arrest
stop or slow down; catch someone's attention
Slipping, the trapeze artist plunged from the heights until a safety net luckily arrested his fall.
This near disaster arrested the crowd's attention.
the spread of the disease can be arrested | [as adj. ] ( arrested) arrested development may occur.
his attention was arrested by a strange sound.
arroyo
gully; gutter/drain
until the heavy rains of the past spring, this arroyo had been a dry bed.
arsenal
storage place for military equipment
People are forbidden to smoke in the arsenal.
• [in sing. ] figurative an array of resources available for a certain purpose : an arsenal of computers at our disposal.
articulate
effective; distinct
Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers
An articulate account of their experiences.
artifact
1 an object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest : gold and silver artifacts.
artifice
trickery, deception
The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military might.
Artifice and outright fakery.
artisan
manually skilled worker, craftsman
A noted artisan, Arturo was known for the fine craftsmanship of his cabinets.
artless
without guile or deception : an artless, naive girl | artless sincerity.
• without effort or pretentiousness; natural and simple : an artless literary masterpiece.
• without skill or finesse : her awkward, artless prose.
finesse
intricate and refined delicacy : orchestral playing of great finesse.
ascendancy
controlling influence; domination
Leaders of religious cults maintain ascendancy over their followers by methods that can verge on brainwashing.
The ascendancy of good over evil.
They have a moral ascendancy over the rich.
ascertain
find out for certain.
Please ascertain her present address.
An attempt to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Management should ascertain whether adequate funding can be provided.
ascetic
practicing self denial, austere
The wealthy self-indulgent young man felt oddly drawn to the strict ascetic life led by members of some monastic orders.
ascribe
assign/attribute
I can ascribe no motive for her acts.
He ascribed Jane's short temper to her upset stomach.
aseptic
preventing infection; cleansing effect
Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced aseptic conditions.
ashen
ash-colored
her face was ashen with fear.
The ashen morning sky.
asinine
stupid
"What an asinine comment!" said Bob contemptuously. "I've never heard such a stupid remark."
askance
sideways or indirect look; with an attitude of suspicion or disapproval.
Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn.
The reformers looked askance at the mystical tradition.
A waiter looked askance at Charlie's jeans.
askew
crookedly, slanted, at an angle
The door was hanging askew on one twisted hinge
Her hat was slightly askew.
Judy constantly straightened the doilies on her furniture: she couldn't stand seeing them askew.
Anachronistic
having an error involving time in a story. The reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is anachronistic: clocks did not exist in Caesar's time.
anathema
A solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse
something or someone that one dislikes
racial hatred was anathema to her.
The Ayatolla Khomeinin heaped anathema upon "the Great Satan", that is the United States.
to the Ayatolla, America and the West were anathema; he loathed the democratic nations, cursing them in his dying words.
asperity
sharpness (of temper).
these remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed.
He pointed this out with some asperity.
Harsh qualities or conditions: the asperities of a harsh and divided society.
A rough edge on a surface: the asperities of the metal surfaces
Aspersion
slander; slur; derogatory remark.
Unscrupulous politicians practice character assassination as a political tool, casting aspersions on their rivals.
I don't think anyone is casting aspersions on you.
Aspirant
having ambitions to achieve something, typically to follow a particular career : an aspirant.
Although i am an aspirant for public office, i am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses.
assay
analyze; evaluate
When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered a very rich vein.
Assent
agree; accept
It gives me great pleasure to assent to your request.
Assert
declare or state with confidence; put oneself forward boldly.
Malcom asserted that if Reese quit acting like a wimp and asserted himself a bit more, he'd improve his chances of getting a date.
Assiduous
diligent
He was assiduous, working at this task for weeks before he felt satisfied with his results.
Assidui
Assimilate
1 take in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fully : Marie tried to assimilate the week's events.
• (usu. be assimilated) absorb and integrate (people, ideas, or culture) into a wider society or culture : pop trends are assimilated into the mainstream with alarming speed
2 cause (something) to resemble; liken : philosophers had assimilated thought to perception.
Assuage
make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense : the letter assuaged the fears of most members.
Ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger). Jilted by Jane, Dick tried to assuage his heartache by indulging in ice cream. One gallon later, he had assuaged his appetite but not his grief.
Assumption
something taken for granted; taking over or taking possession of.
the young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent would not object to her assumption of power.
Assurance
Promise or pledge; certainty; self confidence.
When Guthrie gave Guinness his assurance that rehearsals were going well, he spoke with such assurance that Guinness felt relieved.
Asteroid
a small planet
Most asteroids are found in the region of space located between Mars and Jupiter, commonly known as the asteroid belt.
Astigmatism
eye defect that prevents proper focus.
As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from astigmatism, they took him to the optometrist for corrective glasses.
Astral
Relating to the stars.
She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new telescope revealed.
Astringent
Binding; causing contraction
The astringent quality of the unsweetened lemon juice made swallowing difficult.
An astringent skin lotion
astronomical
extremely large
He wanted an astronomical fee.
The government seems willing to spend astronomical sums on weapons development.
Astute
wise; shrewd; keen
John Jacob Astor made astute investments in land, shrewdly purchasing valuable plots throughout New York City.
Asunder
into parts; apart
those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.
The desk burst asunder.
Shrewd
1 having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute :she was shrewd enough to guess the motive behind his gesture
Asylum
place of refuge or shelter; protection
The refugees sought asylum from religious persecution in a new land.
granting asylum to foreignerspersecuted for political reasons.
asylum for those too ill to care for themselves.
Asymmetric
not identical on both sides of a dividing central line.
Because one eyebrow was set markedly higher than the other, William's face had a particularly asymmetric appearance.
Atavism/ atavistic
reversion to something ancient or ancestral
In his love for gardening, Martin seemed an atavism to his Tuscan forebears, who lavished great care on their small plots of soil.
atlas
bound volume of maps charts or tables
atone
make amends for; pay for
He knew no way in which he could atone for his brutal crime.
he was being helpful, toatone for his past mistakes.
Atrocity
brutal deed
In time of war, many atrocities are committed by invading armies
atrophy
waste away: without exercise, the muscles will atrophy
gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor due to underuse or neglect
her artistic skills atrophied from lack of use
attain
achieve or accomplish; gain.
The scarecrow sought to attain one gaol: he wished to obtain a brain.
attenuate
make thin; weaken
By withdrawing their forces, the generals hoped to attenuate the enemy lines
her intolerance was attenuated by a rather unexpected liberalism.
Attenuated strains of rabies virus.
The trees are attenuated from being grown too close together.
Attest
testify, bear witness
Having served as a member of the Grand Jury, I can attest that our system of indicting individuals is in need of improvement.
attribute
essential quality
His outstanding attribute was his kindness.
attrition
gradual decrease in numbers; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment.
In the 1960s urban churches suffered from attrition as members moved from the cities to the suburbs.
Rather than fire staff members, church leaders followed a policy of attrition, allowing elderly workers to retire without replacing them.
atypical
not normal
The child psychiatrist reassured Mrs. Keaton that playing doctor was not atypical behavior for a child of young Alex's age.
audacious
daring; bold.
Audiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princes Leia made their audacious, death-defying leap to freedom, escaping Darth vader's troops.
Audit
examination of accounts
When the bank examiners arrived to hold their annual audit, they discovered the embezzlements of the chief cashier.
Auditory
pertaining to the sense of hearing.
Audrey suffered from auditory hallucinations: she thought elvis was speaking to her from the Great BEyond.
Augury
omen; prophecy.
He interpreted the departure of the birds as an augury of evil.
August
impressive; majestic
Visiting the palace at Versailles, she was impressed by the august surroundings in which she found herself.
Aureole
Halo
Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureoles around hteir heads.
Austere
Forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unornamented.
The headmaster's austere demeanor tended to scare off the more timid students, who never visited his study willingly.
The room reflected the man, austere and bare, like a monk's cell, with no touches of luxury to moderate its austerity.
authoritative
having the weight of authority; peremptory and dictatorial
Impressed by the young researcher's well-documented presentation, we accepted her analysis of the experiment as authoritative.
autocratic
having absolute, unchecked power; dictatorial
Someone accustomed to exercising authority may become autocratic if his or her power is unchecked.
Dictators by definition are autocrats. Bosses who dictate behavior as well as letters can be autocrats too.
automaton
robot; person performing a task mechanically.
The assembly line job called for no initiative or intelligence on Homer's part; on automatic pilot, he pushed button after button like an automaton.
autopsy
examination of a dead body; post mortem.
The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Avalanche
great mass of falling snow and ice.
Avarice
greediness for wealth
King Midas is a perfect example of avarice, for he was so greedy that he wished everything he touched would turn to gold.
avenge
take vengeance for something (or on behalf of someone)
HAmlet vowed he would avenge his father's murder and punish Claudius for his horrible crime.
Vengeance
punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.
Aver
assert confidently; affirm.
Despite overwhelming popular skepticism about his voyage, Columbus averred he would succeed in finding a direct sea route to the Far East.
“You're the most beautiful girl in the world,” he averred.
Averse
reluctant; disinclined
The reporter was averse to revealing the sources of his information
avert
prevent, turn away
She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway
aviary
enclosure for birds.
The aviary at the zoo held nearly 300 birds
Avid
greedy, eager for
Avid for pleasure, Abner partied with great avidity
an avid reader of science fiction | she took an avid interest in the project
avocation
secondary or minor occupation/ hobby
His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation and concentrated on his avocation.
avow
declare openly
Lana avowed that she never meant to steal Debbie's boyfriend, but no one believed her avowal of innocence.
he avowed that he had voted Republican in every election
he avowed his change of faith
Avuncular
1 of or relating to an uncle.• kind and friendly toward a younger or less experienced person : an avuncular manner.
Awry
crooked; wrong; amiss
Noticing that the groom's tie was slightly awry, the bride reached over to set it straight.
many youthful romances go awry.
axiom
self evident truth requiring no proof
azure
sky blue
Azure skies are indicative of good weather
bacchanalian
drunken
Emperor Nero attended the bacchanalian orgy
badger
pester; annoy
She was forced to change her telephone number because she was badgered by obscene phone calls.
badinage
teasing conversation
Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with cheerful badinage
humorous or witty conversation : cultured badinage about art and life.
baffle
frustrate; perplex
The new code baffled the enemy agents
perplex
cause someone to feel baffled
she was perplexed by her husband's moodiness | [as adj. ] ( perplexing) a perplexing problem.
bewilder
cause someone to be perplexed and confused
bait
harass; tease
the school bully baited the smaller children, terrorizing them
baleful
deadly; having a malign influence; ominous
The fortune teller made baleful predictions of terrible things to come
Bill shot a baleful glance in her direction
balk
foil or thwart; stop short; refuse to go on.
When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt.
foil
prevent something undesirable or wrong from succeeding
a brave policewoman foiled the armed robbery.
thwart
prevent (someone) from accomplishing something : he never did anything to thwart his father | he was thwarted in his desire to punish Uncle Fred.
ballast
heavy substance used to add stability or weight
The ship was listing badly to one side, it was necessary to shift the ballast in the hold to get her back on an even keel.
balm
something that relieves pain
Friendship is the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love
pang
sudden sharp pain or painful emotion
Lindsey experienced a sharp pang of guilt
balmy
mild; fragrant
A balmy breeze refreshed us after the sultry blast.
sultry
hot and humid
of a person-attractive in a passionate nature
banal
trite; commonplace; lacking originality
The hack writer's worn-out cliches made his comic sketch seem banal. He even resorted to the banality of having someone slip on a banana peel!
hackneyed
(of a phrase or idea) lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite :hackneyed old sayings.
bandy
discuss lightly or glibly; exchange (Words) heatedly
While the president was happy to bandy patriotic generalizations with anyone who would listen to him, he refused to bandy words with unfriendly reporters at the press conference.
pass on or discuss an idea or rumor in a casual way :$40,000 is the figure thats has been bandied about.• exchange; pass back and forth : they bandied words and laughs from one to another.
bane
cause of ruin; curse
Lucy's little brother was the bane of her existence: his attempts to make her life miserable worked so well that she could have poisoned him with ratsbane for having such a baneful effect.
a cause of great distress or annoyance : the bane of the decorator is the long, narrow hall | the depressions that were the the bane of her existence.
bantering
the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks :there was much singing and good-natured banter.
barb
sharp projection from fish-hook, etc; openly cutting remark
If you were a politician, which would you prefer, being caught on the barb of a fish-hook or being subjected to malicious verbal remarks?
bard
poet
the ancient bard Homer sang of the fall of Troy.
baroque
highly ornate
Accustomed to the severe lines of contemporary buildings, the architecture students found the flamboyance of baroque architecture amusing.
barrage
barrier laid down by artillery fire.
The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy cannons.
barren
desolate; fruitless and unproductive; lacking
Looking out at the trackless, barren desert, Indiana Jones feared that his search for the missing expedition would prove barren.
Barricade
Hastily put together defensive barrier; obstacle
Marius and his fellow students hurriedly improvised a rough barricade to block police access to the student's quarter. Malcom and his brothers barricaded themselves in their bedroom to keep their mother from seeing the hole in hte bedroom floor.
Bask
luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth. Basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell asleep.
Bastion
Fortress; defense
The villagers fortified the town hall, hoping this improvised bastion could protect them from the guerilla's raids.
Fortified
strengthen (a place) with defensive works so as to protect it against attack : the whole town was heavily fortified |
• strengthen or invigorate (someone) mentally or physically : I was fortified by the knowledge that I was in a sympathetic house.•
Bate
restrain; let down
Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity.
bauble
trinket; trifle
(smal decoration)
the child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag.
trifle
a thing of little value or importance; a small amount of something
thethousand yen he'd paid seemed the merest trifle.
we needn't troublethe headmaster over such trifles.
beatific
blissfully happy
a beatific smile
blissful
extremely happy, full of joy
beatitude
blessedness; state of bliss
Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of indescribable beatitude.
Bedizen
dressed up or decorated gaudily : a dress bedizened with resplendent military medals.
the witch doctors were bedizened in all their gaudiest costumes.
Gaudy
extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as to be tasteless : silver bows and gaudy ribbons.
sumptuous
splendid and expensive-looking : the banquet was a sumptuous, luxurious meal.
bedraggle
wet throughly; stain with mud
We were so bedraggled by the severe storm.
invigorate
give strength or energy to : the shower had invigorated her| [as adj. ] ( invigorating) a brisk, invigorating walk.
beeline
direct, quick route
As soon as the movie was over, Jim made a beeline for the exit.
befuddle
confuse thoroughly. His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only in befuddling her further.
beget
father; produce; give rise to
One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily beget another.
they hoped that the King might beget an heir by his new queen.2 give rise to; bring about : success begets further success.
begrudge
resent
I begrudge eery minute i have to spend attending meetings; they're a complete waste of time.
beguile
mislead or delude; pass time
With flattery and big talk of easy money, the conmen beguiled Kyle into betting his allowance on the shell game.
Broke, he beguiled himself during the long hours by playing solitaire.
Behemoth
huge creature; monstrous animal
belabor
explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; attack verbally.
The debate coach warned her student not to bore the audience by belaboring her point.
belated
delayed
He apologized for his belated note of condolence to the widow of his friend and explained that he had just learned of her husband's death.
beleaguer
besiege or attack; harassed
The babysitter was surrounded by a crowd of unmangeable brats who relentlessly beleaguered her.
bellicose
demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight : a group of bellicose patriots.
belligerent
hostile and aggressive : a bull-necked, belligerent old man.
bemoan
express discontent or sorrow over (something) : single women bemoaning the absence of men
bemused
puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone) : her bemused expression | she was accepted with bemused resignation by her parents as a hippie.
benediction
blessing
the appearance of the sun after the many rainy days was like a benediction.
beneficial
helpful; useful
Tiny Tim's cheerful good nature had a beneficial influence on Scrooge's once uncharitable disposition.
beneficiary
person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will
bequeath
leave (a personal estate or one's body) to a person or other beneficiary by a will : an identical sum wasbequeathed by Margaret | he bequeathed his art collection to the town.
berate
scold or criticize (someone) angrily : my son berated me for not giving him a Jewish upbringing
bereavement
be deprived of a loved one through a profound absence, esp. due to the loved one's death : the year after they had been bereave
His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement.
bereft
deprived of; lacking
The foolish gambler soon found himself bereft of funds.
berserk
frenzy, wild, uncontrolled excitement
beseech
beg; plead with
The workaholic executive's wife beseeched him to spend more time with their son.
beset
1 (of a problem or difficulty) trouble or threaten persistently : the social problems that beset the inner city |she was beset with self-doubt | [as adj. ] poverty is a besetting problem.
• surround and harass; assail on all sides : I was beset by clouds of flies.
hem in
Sleeping Beatuy's castle was beset on all sides by dense thickets that hid it from view.
hem
2 ( hem someone/something in) (usu. be hemmed in) surround and restrict the space or movement of :he was hemmed in by the tables.
besiege
surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender; lay siege to : the guerrillas continued to besiege other major cities to the north
harass
members of the new administration were besieged with job applications.
besmirch
damage the reputation of (someone or something) in the opinion of others : he had besmirched the good name of his family.
defile
sully, mar, or spoil : the land was defiled by a previous owner
bestow
confer or present (an honor, right, or gift) : the office wasbestowed on him by the chief of state
bestial
of or like an animal or animals : Darwin's revelations about our bestial beginnings.
betoken
be a sign of; indicate : she wondered if his cold, level gazebetokened indifference or anger.• be a warning or indication of (a future event) : the falling comet betokened the true end of Merlin's powers.
betroth
enter into a formal agreement to marry : soon I shall bebetrothed to Isabelle
bevy
a large group of people or things of a particular kind :he was surrounded by a bevy of beautiful girls.
biennial
occurring twice a year : the biannual meeting of theplanning committee.
bigotry
bigoted attitudes; intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself : the report reveals racism and right-wing bigotry.
bilious
affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting : I had eaten something that didn't agree with me and I was a little bilious.
irritable
His bilious temperament was apparent to all who heard him rant about his difficulties
bilk
swindle; cheat
the con man specialized in bilking insurance companies.
billowing
(of fabric) fill with air and swell outward : her dressbillowed out around her.
bivouac
a temporary camp without tents or cover, used esp. by soldiers or mountaineers.
while in bivou
blanch
bleach; whiten
age had blanched his hair.
bland
soothing or mild; agreeable
Jill tried a bland ointment for her sunburn. However, when Jack absentmindedly patted her on the sunburned shoulder, she couldn't maintain a bland disposition.
blandishment
a flattering or pleasing statement or action used to persuade someone gently to do something : theblandishments of the travel brochure.
blare
loud, harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light
The steady blare of a boom box.
A sudden blare of flashing bulbs.
blase
unimpressed or indifferent to something because one has experienced or seen it so often before : she was becoming quite blasé about the dangers.
blatant
(of bad behavior) done openly and unashamedly :blatant lies.• completely lacking in subtlety; very obvious : forcing herself to resist his blatant charm.
bleak
cold or cheerless, unlikely to be favorable.
The frigid, inhospitable Aleutian Isalnds are bleak military outposts.
blighted
suffering from a disease; destroyed.
The extent of the blighted areas could be seen only when viewed from the air.
blithe
gay, joyous, carefree
Without a care in the world, Beth went her blithe, lighthearted way.
bluff
pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff
bluff
rough but good-natured
Jack had a bluff and hearty manner that belied his actual sensitivity.
bludgeon
club; heavy-headed weapon
Implicit
1) implied though not plainly expressed: comments seen as implicit criticism of the policies.
2) no qualification or question; absolute
Indolent
1) Wanting to avoid activity or exertion--> lazy
2) causing little or no pain; slow to develop, progress, or heal
Intractable
hard to control or deal with: intractable economic problems-intractable pain
difficult; stubborn
<an intractable child who deliberately does the opposite of whatever he is told>
Replete
filled or well-supplied with something : sensational popular fiction, replete with adultery and sudden death.
• very full of or sated by food : I went out into the sun-drenched streets again, replete and relaxed.
Trepidation
1 a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen : the men set off in fear and trepidation.
Torpor
a state of physical or mental inactivity; lethargy : they veered between apathetic torpor and hysterical fanaticism.
Sedentary
(of a person) tending to spend much time seated; somewhat inactive.
• (of work or a way of life) characterized by much sitting and little physical exercise.
: not migratory : settled <sedentary birds> <sedentary civilizations>
a : doing or requiring much sitting <a sedentary job>
dilatory
slow to act : he had been dilatory in appointing a solicitor.
• intended to cause delay : they resorted to dilatory procedural tactics, forcing a postponement of peace talks.
recant
say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, esp. one considered heretical : heretics were burned if they would not recant | [ trans. ] Galileo was forced to recant his assertion that the earth orbited the sun.
terrestrial
of, on, or relating to the earth
sycophant
a person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer.
spurn
reject with disdain or contempt : he spoke gruffly, as if afraid that his invitation would be spurned.
circumspect
wary and unwilling to take risks; careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences; prudent : the officials were very circumspect in their statements
she has a reputation for being quiet and circumspect in investigating charges of child abuse
vigilant
keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties : the burglar was spotted by vigilant neighbors.
- When traveling through the city, tourists should be extra vigilant.
- They were vigilant about protecting their children.
- We remain vigilant against theft.
circuitous
1) having a circular or winding course (a circuitous route)
2) not being forthright or direct in language or action (a circuitous explanation)
- Their logic seems a bit circuitous.
- <we took a circuitous route to the airport so as to avoid the massive traffic jam on the highway>
laconic
: using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
his laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic.
buttress
a projecting support of stone or brick built against a wall.
• a projecting portion of a hill or mountain.
• figurative a source of defense or support : there was a demand for a new stable order as a buttress against social collapse.
something that supports or strengthens <a buttress of the cause of peace>
duplicitous/duplicity
deceitful, double dealing
treacherous
guilty of or involving betrayal or deception
• (of ground, water, conditions, etc.) hazardous because of presenting hidden or unpredictable dangers : a vacationer was swept away by treacherous currents.
equitable
exhibiting equality
an equitable settlement of the dispute
unequivocal
leaving no doubt; unambiguous
equivocate/equivocal
using ambiguous language to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself
florid
1) red or flushed complexion
2) excessively intricate or complicated: florid operatic-style music was out
3) developing fully (medicine) florid symptoms
assiduous
showing great care and perseverance : she was assiduous in pointing out every feature
jubilant
feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.
succinct
briefly and clearly expressed
surfeit
an excessive amount of something : a surfeit of food and drink.
cause (someone) to desire no more of something as a result of having consumed or done it to excess : I am surfeited with shopping.
debunk
expose the falseness or hollowness of (a myth, idea, or belief) : the magazine that debunks claims of the paranormal.
• reduce the inflated reputation of (someone), esp. by ridicule : comedy takes delight in debunking heroes.
diffidence
modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence : a diffident youth.
eulogy
a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly, typically someone who has just died : his good friend delivered a brief eulogy.
ineffable
too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words : the ineffable natural beauty of the Everglades.
• not to be uttered : the ineffable Hebrew name that gentiles write as Jehovah.
effable
able to be described in words
Efficacy
the ability to produce a desired or intended result : there is little information on the efficacy of this treatment.
indefatigable
(of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly : an indefatigable defender of human rights.
lithe
(esp. of a person's body) thin, supple, and graceful.
supple
bending and moving easily and gracefully; flexible : her supple fingers | figurative my mind is becoming more supple. See note at flexible .
• not stiff or hard; easily manipulated : this body oil leaves your skin feeling deliciously supple.
edify
instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually.
frugal
sparing or economical with regard to money or food : he led a remarkably frugal existence. See note at economical .
• simple and plain and costing little : a frugal meal.
deleterious
causing harm or damage : divorce is assumed to have deleterious effects on children.
colloquial
(of language) used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary.
insular
ignorant of or uninterested in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience : a stubbornly insular farming people.
• lacking contact with other people : people living restricted and sometimes insular existences.
precocious
1) exceptionally early in development or occurrence
<precocious puberty>
2) exhibiting mature qualities at an unusually early age <a precocious child>
nonchalant
(of a person or manner) feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm : she gave a nonchalant shrug.
lethargic
affected by lethargy; sluggish and apathetic : I felt tired and a little lethargic.
circumlocution
1) the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea
2) evasion in speech
He was criticized for his use of circumlocution.
Im trying to avoid circumlocutions in my writing.
evade/evasions
to avoid something
tirade
a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation : a tirade of abuse.
vigor
physical strength and good health
effort energy and enthusiasm
respite
a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant : the refugee encampments will provide some respite from the suffering
clandestine
kept secret or done secretively, esp. because illicit : she deserved better than these clandestine meetings
illicit
forbidden by law, rules, or custom : illicit drugs | illicit sex.
elucidate
make (something) clear; explain : work such as theirs will help to elucidate this matter See note at clarify . : [with clause ] in what follows I shall try to elucidate what I believe the problems to be | [ intrans. ] they would not elucidate further.
erudite
having or showing great knowledge or learning.
hackneyed
(of a phrase or idea) lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite : hackneyed old sayings.
exhilarate
make (someone) feel very happy, animated, or elated : the children were exhilarated by a sense of purpose | [as adj. ] ( exhilarated) all this hustle and bustle makes me feel exhilarated | [as adj. ] ( exhilarating) riding was one of the most exhilarating experiences he knew.
evanescent
soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading or disappearing : a shimmering evanescent bubble.
gratuitous
uncalled for
free of charge
repugnant
1 extremely distasteful; unacceptable : the thought of going back into the fog was repugnant to him. See note at offensive .
2 [ predic. ] ( repugnant to) in conflict with; incompatible with : a bylaw must not be repugnant to the general law of the country.
Blunder
Noun: Error; made such a mistake; act or speak clumsily
The criminal's fatal blunder led to his capture.
I blundered on in my explanation.
Blurt
utter impulsively. Before she could stop him, he blurted out the news.
Bluster
Blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully.
Let the stormy winds bluster, we'll set sail tonight.
Jill let Jack bluster: she wasn't going anywhere, no matter what he said.
Bode
Foreshadow; portend
The gloomy skies and the sulphurous odors from the mineral springs seemed to bode evil to tose who settled in the area.
Bogus
Counterfeit; not authentic
the police quickly found the distributors of the bogus twenty dollar bills.
Bohemian
unconventional (in an artistic way)
Gertude Stein ran off to Paris to live an eccentric bohemian life with her writer friends. Oakland was not bohemian: it was too bourgeois, too middle-class.
Boisterous
violent; rough; noisy
The unruly crowd became even more boisterous when he tried to quiet them.
Bolster
support; reinforce
The debaters amassed file boxes full of evidence to bolster their arguments.
Bolt
door bar; fastening pin or screw; length of fabric
The carpenter shut the workshop door, sliding the heavy metal bolt into place.
He sorted through his toolbox for the nuts and bolts and nails he would need.
Before he cut into the bolt of canvas, he measured how much fabric he would need.
Bolt
dash or dart off; fasten (a door); gobble down.
Jack was set to bolt out the front door, but Jill bolted the door.
"Eat your breakfast," she said, dont bolt your food.
bombardment
attack with missiles
Members of the opposition party bombarded the prime minister with questions about the enemy attack.
bombastic
pompous; using inflated language
Puffed up with conceit, the orator spoke in such a bombastic manner that we longed to deflate him. bombast
booming
deep and resonant; flourishing, thriving.
boon
blessing; benefit
the rain was a boon to the community.
boorish
insensitive, rude
she ignored his boorish behavior, for she had lost hope of teaching him courtesy.
boundless
unlimited, vast
boundless energy
bountiful
abundant; graciously generous
a bountiful supply of food
bourgeois
middle class; selfishly materialistic; dully conventional
dully
extremely dull
bovine
cowlike; placid and dull
bowdlerize/ expurgate
remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a book or account) : the expurgated Arabian Nights.
boycott
withdraw from commercial or social relations with (a country, organization, or person) as a punishment or protest.
• refuse to buy or handle (goods) as a punishment or protest.
• refuse to cooperate with or participate in (a policy or event).
brandish
wave or flourish (something, esp. a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement.
bravado
a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate.
defiance
open resistance; bold disobedience : the demonstration was held in defiance of official warnings.
brawn
muscular strength; sturdiness
It takes brawn to become a champion weightlifter.
Brawny
brazen
insolent
Her brazen contempt for authority angered the officials.
insolent
showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect : she hated the insolent tone of his voice.
breach
1 an act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct : a breach of confidence | I sued for breach of contract.
• a break in relations : a sudden breach between father and son.
2 a gap in a wall, barrier, or defense, esp. one made by an attacking army.
brindled
a brownish or tawny color of animal fur, with streaks of other color.
• an animal with such a coat.
tawny
of an orange-brown or yellowish-brown color : tawny eyes.
bristling
1 (esp. of hair) close-set, stiff, and spiky : a bristling beard.
2 figurative aggressively brisk or tense; showing irritation : he fills the screen with a restless, bristling energy.
brittle
easily broken; difficult.
My employer's self control was as brittle as an egg-shell.
Her brittle personality made it difficult for me to get along with her.
broach
introduce; open up
Jack did not even try to broach the subject of religion with his in-laws. If you broach a touchy subject, it may cause a breach.
brochure
pamphlet.
this brochure on farming was issued by the Department of Agriculture
brooch
ornamental clasp.
She treasured the brooch because it was an heirloom.
browbeat
bully, intimidate
Billy resisted Ted's attempts to browbeat him into handling over his lunch money.
browse
graze; skim or glance at casually.
brunt
main impact; shock
tom Sawyer claimed credit for painting the fence, but the brunt of the work fell on others.
brusque
abrupt, blunt
Was Bruce too brusque when he brushed off Bob's request with a curt "Not now!"?
buccaneer
pirate
At Disneyland the Pirates of the Carribean sing a song about their lives as bloody buccaneers.
bucolic
rustic; pastoral
Filled with browsing cows and bleating sheep,
rustic
1 having a simplicity and charm that is considered typical of the countryside : bare plaster walls and a terra-cotta floor give a rustic feel.
• often derogatory lacking the sophistication of the city; backward and provincial : you are a rustic halfwit.
buffet
slap; batter; knock out
batter
strike repeatedly with hard blows; pound heavily and insistently : a prisoner was battered to death with a table leg | figurative their idealism has been battered.
buffoonery
clowning
bullion
gold and silver in the form of bars
bulwark
a defensive wall.
• figurative a person, institution, or principle that acts as a defense : the security forces are a bulwark against the breakdown of society.
bumptious
self-assertive or proud to an irritating degree : these bumptious young boys today.
bungle
carry out (a task) clumsily or incompetently, leading to failure or an unsatisfactory outcome : she had bungled every attempt to help | [as adj. ] ( bungled) a bungled bank raid.
• [ intrans. ] [usu. as adj. ] ( bungling) make or be prone to making many mistakes : the work of a bungling amateur.
buoyant
able or apt to stay afloat or rise to the top of a liquid or gas.
• figurative (of an economy, business, or market) involving or engaged in much activity : car sales were not buoyant.
• figurative cheerful and optimistic : the conference ended with the party in a buoyant mood.
burgeon
begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish : manufacturers are keen to cash in on the burgeoning demand.
in the spring, the plants that burgeon are a promise of the beauty that is to come.
burlesque
a parody or comically exaggerated imitation of something, esp. in a literary or dramatic work : the funniest burlesque of opera
burly
(of a person) large and strong; heavily built.
burnish
polish (something, esp. metal) by rubbing : highly burnished armor.
• figurative enhance or perfect (something such as a reputation or a skill).
bustle
move in an energetic or noisy manner : people clutching clipboards bustled about.
buxom
adjective
(of a woman) plump, esp. with large breasts.
cabal
a small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests.
cache
a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place : an arms cache | a cache of gold coins.
cacophonous/cacophony
a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds : a cacophony of deafening alarm bells | figurative a cacophony of architectural styles | songs of unrelieved cacophony.
cadaver
corpse
cadaverous
resembling a corpse in being very pale, thin, or bony : he had a cadaverous appearance.
cadence
rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat
wheedle
cajole
calamity
disaster; misery
the journey had led to calamity and ruin.
calculated
deliberately planned;likely
Lexy's choice of clothes to wear to the debate tournament was carefully calculated.
caliber
1 the quality of someone's character or the level of someone's ability : they could ill afford to lose a man of his caliber.
• the standard reached by something : educational facilities of a very high caliber.
callous
callous to the suffering
callus
a thickened and hardened part of the skin or soft tissue, esp. in an area that has been subjected to friction.
callow
(esp. of a young person) inexperienced and immature : earnest and callow undergraduate
calorific
relating to the amount of energy contained in food or fuel : she knew the calorific contents of every morsel.
• (of food or drink) containing many calories and so likely to be fattening : there is fruit salad for those who can resist the more calorific concoctions.
calumny
the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone's reputation; slander.
• a false and slanderous statement.
He could not bear the calumny that they heaped upon him.
camaraderie
noun
mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together : a genuine camaraderie on the hockey team.
cameo
a piece of jewelry, typically oval in shape, consisting of a portrait in profile carved in relief on a background of a different color.
2 a short descriptive literary sketch that neatly encapsulates someone or something : cameos of street life.
canine
of, relating to, or resembling a dog or dogs : canine distemper virus.
• Zoology of or relating to animals of the dog family.
cant
insincere expressions of piety; jargon of thieves
Shocked by news of the minister's extramarital love affairs, the worshippers dismissed his talk about the sacredness of marriage as mere cant.
cantankerous
ill humored, irritable
a cantankerous patient
cantata
story set to music, to be sung by a chorus
canter
slow gallop
careen
move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way in a specified direction : an electric golf cart careened around the corner
sway from side to side
lurch
an abrupt uncontrolled movement, esp. an unsteady tilt or roll : the boat gave a violent lurch, and he missed his footing.
caricature
a picture, description, or imitation of a person or thing in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.
grotesque
comically or repulsively ugly or distorted : grotesque facial distortions.
• incongruous or inappropriate to a shocking degree : a lifestyle of grotesque luxury.
carnage
the killing of a large number of people.
carnal
relating to physical, esp. sexual, needs and activities : carnal desire.
carnivorous
(of an animal) feeding on other animals.
• (of a plant) able to trap and digest small animals, esp. insects.
carping
complain or find fault continually, typically about trivial matters : I don't want to carp about the way you did it | he was constantly carping at me.
cartography
the science or practice of drawing maps.
cascade
1 a small waterfall, typically one of several that fall in stages down a steep rocky slope.
castigate
reprimand (someone) severely; criticize; punish : he was castigated for not setting a good example.
The teacher castigated the naughty boys.
casualty
serious or fatal accident
cataclysm
a large-scale and violent event in the natural world.
• a sudden violent upheaval, esp. in a political or social context : the cataclysm of the First World War.
catapult
slingshot
cataract
great waterfall
eye defect
catcall
a shrill whistle or shout of disapproval, typically one made at a public meeting or performance.
• a loud whistle or a comment of a sexual nature made by a man to a passing woman.
catechism
book for religious instruction
Instruction by question and answer
categorical
unambiguously explicit and direct : a categorical assurance.
catharsis
1 the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
purging or cleansing any passage of the body
catholic
liberal, broadly sympathetic
He was extremely catholic in his taste and read everything he could find.
caulk
waterproof
causal
implying a cause-effect relationship.
caustic
burning; sarcastically biting.
cavalcade
a formal procession of people walking, on horseback, or riding in vehicles.; parade
cavil
verb [ intrans. ]
make petty or unnecessary objections : they caviled at the cost.
cede
give up (power or territory) : they have had to cede control of the schools to the government. See note at relinquish .
celestial
relating to the skies
celibate
abstaining from marriage and sexual relations, typically for religious reasons : a celibate priest.
centigrade
celsius
centrifugal
moving or tending to move away from a center.
Many automatic drying machines remove excess moisture from clothing by centrifugal force.
Centripetal
tending to move toward the center
Does centripetal force or the force of gravity bring orbiting bodies to the earth's surface?
cerebral
brain/intellect
poorly equipped for cerebral pursuits.
cerebration
the working of the brain; thinking.
ceremonious
relating or appropriate to grand and formal occasions : a Great Hall where ceremonious and public appearances were made
certitude
absolute certainty or conviction that something is the case : the question may never be answered with certitude.
There was no certitude of him getting the job.
cessation
a ceasing; an end : the cessation of hostilities | a cessation of animal testing of cosmetics.
cession
the formal giving up of rights, property, or territory, esp. by a state : the cession of twenty important towns.
chafe
warm by rubbing; make sore (by rubbing)
Chilled, he chaffed his hands before the fire.
The collar of his uniform chafed his neck.
The school rules chafed his spirit.
chaff
worthless products of an endeavor.
When you separate the what from the chaff, be sure you throw out the chaff.
chaff/chaffing
lighthearted joking; banter
chagrin
distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated : Jeff, much to his chagrin, wasn't invited.
About this deck
By: Jessica Loo
Created: 2011-06-13
Size: 986 flashcards
Views: 481
Created: 2011-06-13
Size: 986 flashcards
Views: 481
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