Term
|
Definition
adj.
deviating from normal or correct. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to leave secretly and hide, often to avoid the law. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v., n.
to speak, plead, or argue for a cause, or in another’s behalf. (n) -- one who advocates. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to make greater, to increase, thus, to exaggerate. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to unite or mix. (n) -- amalgamation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
vague; subject to more than one interpretation |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
extremely pleasing to the senses, divine (as related to the gods) or delicious (n: ambrosia) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
a person or artifact appearing after its own time or out of chronological order (adj: anachronistic) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
peculiar; unique, contrary to the norm (n: anomaly) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
ancient; outmoded; (literally,before the flood) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
hostility toward, objection, or aversion to |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to settle a dispute by impulse (n: arbitration) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to make less severe; to appease or satisfy |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
weaken (adj: attenuated) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
extremely bold; fearless, especially said of human behavior (n: audacity) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
commonplace or trite (n: banality) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
unconcealed, shameless, or brazen |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
speech or action intended to coax someone into doing something |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
pompous speech (adj: bombastic) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n., v.
a lapse, gap or break, as in a fortress wall. To break or break through.ex: Unfortunately, the club members never forgot his breach of ettiquette. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v., n.
to grow or flourish; a bud or new growth (adj: burgeoning ) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v., n.
to support. a support |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to get something by taking advantage of someone |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
impulse (adj: capricious) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to chastise or criticize severely |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
an agent of change (adj: catalytic; v. catalyze) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
capable of dissolving by chemical action; highly critical: "His caustic remarks spoiled the mood of the party." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
willingly compliant or accepting of the status quo (n: complaisance) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
of or having to do with material, as opposed to spiritual; tangible. (In older writings, coeporeal could be a synonym for corporal. This usage is no longer common) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
of the body: "corporal punishment." a non-commissioned officer ranked between a sergeant and a private. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to strengthen or support: "The witness corroborted his story." (n: corroboration) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj., n.
cowardly; a coward |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
deserving of blame (n: culpability) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
lack, scarcity: "The prosecutor complained about the dearth of concrete evidence against the suspect." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
submission or courteous yielding: "He held his tongue in deference to his father." (n: deferential. v. defer) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to show, create a picture of. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
belittlement. (v. deprecate) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
the act of preying upon or plundering: "The depredations of the invaders demoralized the population." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to dry out thoroughly (adj: desiccated) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
a bitter abusive denunciation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
lacking self-confidence, modest (n: diffidence) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
to free a person from falsehood or error: "We had to disabuse her of the notion that she was invited." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
belittling (n: disparagement. v. disparage |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
calm; objective; unbiased |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to conceal one's real motive, to feign |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
stubborn or determined: "Her dogged pursuit of the degree eventually paid off." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
relying upon doctrine or dogma, as opposed to evidence |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
selecting or employing individual elements from a variety of sources: "Many modern decorators prefer an eclectic style." (n: eclecticism) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
effectiveness; capability to produce a desired effect |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj., n
the quality of flowing out. something that flows out, such as a stream from a river (n: effluence) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj., n.
softening; something that softens |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to strive to equal or excel (n: emulation) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
a formal eulogy or speech of praise |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
prevalent in or native to a certain region, locality, or people: "The disease was endemic to the region." Don't confuse this word with epidemic. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of: "The heatenervated everyone." (adj: enervating) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to give rise to, to propagate, to cause: "His slip of the toungue engendered much laughter." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
puzzle; mystery: "Math is an enigma to me." (adj: enigmatic) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
lasting for only a brief time, fleeting (n: ephemera) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
ambiguous; unclear; subject to more than one interpretation -- often intentionally so |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
scholarly; displaying deep intensive learning. (n: erudition) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
intended for or understood by only a few: "The esoteric discussion confused some people." (n: esoterica) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
a spoken or written tribute to the deceased (v. eulogize) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to increase the bitterness or violence of; to aggravate: "The decision to fortify the border exacerbated tensions." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to demonstrate or prove to be blameless: "The evidence tended to exculpate the defendant."(adj: exculpatory) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
exceeding customary or normal limits, esp. in quantity or price: "The cab fare was exorbitant." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
fully and clearly expressed |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
in existence, still existing: The only extant representative of that species." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n., v.
a measure of length (six feet) used in nautical settings. to penetrate to the depths of something in order to understand it: "I couldn't fathom her reasoning on that issue." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to seek favor or attention; to act subserviantly (n, adj: fawning) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to give false appearance or impression: "He feigned illness to avoid going to school." (adj: feigned) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
highly emotional; hot: "The partisans displayed a fervent patriotism." (n: fervor) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n., adj.
a baby bird; an inexperienced person; inexperienced. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
flushed with a rosy color, as in complexion; very ornate and flowery: "florid prose." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
struggling: "We tried to save the floundering business." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
verbose; talkative; rambling: "We tried to avoid our garrulous neighbor." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n., adj.
fine cobweb on foliage; fine gauzy fabric; very fine: "She wore a gossamer robe." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
skillful deceit: "He was well known for his guile." (v. bequile; adj: beguiling. Note, however, that these two words have an additional meaning: to charm (v.) or charming (adj:), while the word guile does not generally have any such positive connotations) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
honest; straightforward (n: guilelessness) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj., adv.
headfirst; impulsive; hasty. impulsively; hastily; without forethought. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
similar in nature or kind; uniform: "a homogeneous society." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
one who attacks traditional ideas or institutions or one who destroys sacred images (adj: iconoclastic) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
insinuation or connotation (v. implicate) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to suggest indirectly; to entail: "She implied she didn't believe his story." (n: implication) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
an absence of foresight; a failure to provide for future needs or events: "Their improvidence resulted in the loss of their home." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
in an initial or early stage; incomplete; disorganized: "The act of writing forces one to clarify incohate thoughts." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
not capable of being corrected: "The school board finally decided the James was incorrigible and expelled him from school." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
permanent; unerasable; strong: "The Queen made an indelible impression on her subjects." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
undescribable; inexpressible in words; unspeakable |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to deduce: "New genetic evidence led some zoologists to infer that the red wolf is actually a hybrid of the coyote and the gray wolf." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
clever: "She developed an ingenious method for testing her hypothesis."(n: ingenuity) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
unsophisticated; artless; straightforward; candid: "Wilson's ingenuous response to the controversial calmed the suspicious listeners." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to hold back, prohibit, forbid, or restrain (n: inhibition, adj: inhibited) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
harmless; having no adverse affect; not likely to provoke strong emotion |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
numb; unconscious: "Wayne was rendered insensible by a blow to the head." unfeeling; insensitive: "They were insensibile to the suffering of others. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
lacking zest or excitement; dull |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
of or pertaining to an island, thus, excessively exclusive: "Newcomers found it difficult to make friends in the insular community." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
stubborn; immovable; unwilling to change: "She was so intransigent we finally gave up trying to convince her." (n: intransigence) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
prone to outbursts of temper, easily angered |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
using few words; terse: "a laconic reply." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
present or potential but not evident or active (n: latency) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
praiseworthy; commendable (v. laud) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
giant whale, therefore, something very large |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
clear; translucent: "He made a lucid argument to support his theory." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
weighty, mournful, or gloomy, especially to an excessive degree: "Jake's lugubrious monologues depressed his friends." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
generosity and nobility. (adj: magnanimous) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
malicious; evil; having or showing ill will: "Some early American colonists saw the wilderness as malevolent and sought to control it." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
one who hates people: "He was a true misanthrope and hated even himself." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
incorrect name or word for something |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to make less forceful; to become more moderate; to make less harsh or undesirable: "He was trying to mitigate the damage he had done." (n: mitigation) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
wicked, evil: "a nefarious plot." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
harmful, offensive, destructive: "The noisome odor of the dump carried for miles." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
hardened against influence or feeling; intractable. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to prevent by anticipatory measures; to make unnecessary |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to close or shut off; to obstruct (n: occlusion) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
not transparent or transluscent; dense; difficult to comprehend, as inopaque reasoning |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
turned to bone; hardened like bone; Inflexible: "The ossified culture failed to adapt to new economic conditions and died out." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
a writing or speech in praise of a person or thing |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
showing a narrow concern for rules or formal book learning; making an excessive display of one's own learning: "We quickly tired of his pedantic conversation." (n: pedant, pedantry). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
deliberately treacherous; dishonest (n: perfidy) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
easily or frequently annoyed, especially over trivial matters; childishly irritable |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
tendency or action for the benefit of others, as in donating money or property to a charitible organization |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
not easily excited; cool; sluggish |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to calm or reduce anger by making concessions: "The professor tried to placate his students by postponing the exam." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
related to being shaped or molded; capable of being molded. (n: plasticity n: plastic) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
excessively large quantity; overabundance: "We received a p lethora of applications for the position." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
heavy; massive; awkward; dull: "A ponderous book is better than a sleeping pill." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
concerned with facts; practical, as opposed to highly principled or traditional: "His pragmatic approach often offended idealists." (n: pragmatism) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
cliff with a vertical or nearly vertical face; a dangerous place from which one is likely to fall; metaphorically, a very risky circumstance |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v., n.
to fall; to fall downward suddenly and dramatically; to bring about or hasten the occurrence of something: "Old World diseases precipitated a massive decline in the American Indian population." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
something (or someone) that precedes another: "The assasination of the Archduke was a precursor to the war." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to stray away from or evade the truth: "When we asked him what his intentions were, he prevaricated."(n: prevarication; prevaricator) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
rashly wasteful: "Americans' prodigal devotion to the automobile is unique." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to conciliate; to appease: "They made sacrifices to propitiate angry gods." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
beautiful (n: pulchritude) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
cowardly, timid, or irreselute; petty: "The pusillanimous leader soon lost the respect of his people." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
inactivity; stillness; dormancy (adj: quiescent) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to make or become thin; to purify or refine (n: rarefaction, adj: rarefied) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
the act of censuring, scolding, or rebuking. (v. reprove). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
having a sharp or powerful intellect or discernment. (n: sagacity). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
cheerful; confident: "Her sanguine attitude put everyone at ease."(Sangfroid (noun) is a related French word meaning unflappibility. Literally, it means cold blood) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to satisfy fully or to excess |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
having a gloomy or morose temperament |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
a very knowledgable person; a genious |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
diligent; persevering; persistent: "Her sedulous devotion to overcoming her background impressed many." (n: sedulity; sedulousness; adv. sedulously) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
seemingly true but really false; deceptively convincing or attractive: "Her argument, though specious, was readily accepted by many." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
only covering the surface: "A superficial treatment of the topic was all they wanted." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
unspoken: "Katie and carmella had a tacit agreement that they would not mention the dented fender to their parents." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
habitually untalkative or silent (n: taciturnity) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
exercising moderation and self-denial; calm or mild (n: temperance) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
an angry speech: "His tirade had gone on long enough." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
twisted; excessively complicated: "Despite public complaints, tax laws and forms have become increasingly tortuous." Note: Don't confuse this with torturous. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
ability to be easily managed or controlled: "Her mother wished she were more tractable." (n: tractibility) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
depravity; baseness: "Mr. Castor was fired for moral turpitude." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
beginner; person lacking experience in a specific endeavor: "They easily took advantage of the tyro." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
empty; without contents; without ideas or intelligence:: "She flashed a vacuous smile." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
great respect or reverence: "The Chinese traditionally venerated their ancestors; ancestor worship is merely a popular misnomer for this tradition." (n: veneration, adj: venerable) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
wordy: "The instructor asked her verbose student make her paper more concise." (n: verbosity) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to annoy; to bother; to perplex; to puzzle; to debate at length: "Franklin vexed his brother with his controversial writings." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
slow moving; highly resistant to flow: "Heintz commercials imply that their catsup is more viscous than others'." (n: viscosity) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
explosive; fickle (n: volatility). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
craving or devouring large quantities of food, drink, or other things. She is a voracious reader. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v.
to hesitate or to tremble |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
adj.
extremely pitiful or unfortunate (n: wretch) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n.
enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal (n: zealot; zealoutry. adj: zealous) |
|
|
