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WF: Units 81-90
pcat prep
99
English
Undergraduate 2
08/20/2008

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Cards

Term
odious
Definition
hateful; contemptible
Term
oeuvre
Definition
the sum of the lifework of an artist
Term
omniscient
Definition
having infinite knowledge
Term
opprobrium
Definition
disgrace; contempt
Term
opulence
Definition
wealth
Term
oracular
Definition
prophetic; uttered as if with divine authority; mysterious or ambiguous
Term
ornate
Definition
elaborately ornamented
Term
oscillate
Definition
move back and forth
Term
ossify
Definition
turn to bone; become rigid; make rigidly conventional
Term
ostracism
Definition
exclusion; temporary banishment
Term
oxymoron
Definition
combination of incongruous or contradictory terms
Term
palatable
Definition
pleasant to the taste or mind
Term
palaver
Definition
idle talk
Term
palliate
Definition
to make less serious; ease
Term
palpable
Definition
obvious; real; tangible
Term
panache
Definition
flamboyance; verve
Term
panopoly
Definition
impressive array
Term
pantheist
Definition
person who believes that manifestations of the universe are God
Term
pantheon
Definition
all the gods of a people; a group of highly regarded persons
Term
pariah
Definition
outcast
Term
parlance
Definition
particular manner of speaking
Term
parochial
Definition
narrow in outlook; provincial
Term
paroxysm
Definition
sudden outburst of action or emotion
Term
parsimony
Definition
stinginess
Term
parvenu
Definition
newly rich person who is regarded as an ustart
Term
passe
Definition
old-fashioned
Term
pastiche
Definition
piece of literature or music imitating other works
Term
paternalistic
Definition
providing for the needs of people without giving them rights and responsibilities
Term
pathos
Definition
that which arouses feeling of pity, compassion, sorrow, or tenderness; the feeling so aroused
Term
paccadillo
Definition
minor sin or offense
Term
pedagogy
Definition
art or profession of teaching
Term
pedestrian
Definition
commonplace
Term
penchant
Definition
inclination
Term
pensive
Definition
thoughtful
Term
penury
Definition
extreme poverty
Term
perdition
Definition
complete and utter loss; damnation
Term
perfidious
Definition
faithless; disloyal; untrustworthy
Term
perfunctory
Definition
superficial; not thorough; performed really as a duty
Term
peripatetic
Definition
moving from place to place
Term
pernicious
Definition
very harmful
Term
perspicacious
Definition
shrewd; astute; keen-witted
Term
pertinacious
Definition
persistent; stubborn
Term
perverse
Definition
stubborn; intractable; contradicting without good reason
Term
philistine
Definition
narrow-minded person; someone lacking appreciation for art or culture
Term
pique
Definition
fleeting feeling of hurt pride
Term
pithy
Definition
profound; substantial; concise; succinct; to the point
Term
placebo
Definition
substance with no medication given to a patient
Term
platitude
Definition
stale, overused expressioin
Term
plaudit
Definition
enthusiastic praise or approval
Term
pluralistic
Definition
including a variety of groups
Term
polemical
Definition
relating to controversy, argument, or verbal attack
Term
politic
Definition
discreet; tactful
Term
pontificate
Definition
to speak in a pretentious manner
Term
portentous
Definition
foreboding; exciting wonder and awe
Term
precarious
Definition
uncertain
Term
precocious
Definition
unusually advanced at an early age
Term
predilection
Definition
preference; liking
Term
preeminence
Definition
condition of being notable above all others
Term
prerogative
Definition
special right or privilege
Term
prevaricate
Definition
to quibble; evade the truth
Term
pristine
Definition
untouched; uncorrupted
Term
proclivity
Definition
tendency; inclination
Term
prodigy
Definition
highly gifted child; marvel
Term
profligate
Definition
corrupt; degenerate; wildly extravagant
Term
progeny
Definition
offspring; children
Term
proletariat
Definition
the class of industrial wage earners who must sell their labor to survive; the poorest class of working people
Term
prolific
Definition
abundantly fruitful
Term
prolix
Definition
tending to speak or write at excessive length; wordy
Term
promulgate
Definition
to make known publicly
Term
propinquity
Definition
nearness
Term
propitious
Definition
favorable; advantageous
Term
propriety
Definition
correct conduct; fitness
Term
proselytize
Definition
to convert someone to a particular belief or religion
Term
protean
Definition
readily assuming different forms or characters; versatile
Term
protege
Definition
person receiving guidance, support, or protection from a more influential or experienced person
Term
prowess
Definition
skill; bravery
Term
prurient
Definition
lustful; exhibiting lewd desires
Term
puerile
Definition
childish; immature; silly
Term
pugnacious
Definition
quarrelsome; eager to fight
Term
pulchritude
Definition
physical beauty
Term
pundit
Definition
critic; learned person
Term
putative
Definition
generally regarded as such; supposed
Term
qualification
Definition
limitation; restriction
Term
quell
Definition
to crush or subdue
Term
querulous
Definition
inclined to complain; irritable
Term
quiescent
Definition
inactive; still
Term
quintessential
Definition
most typical
Term
quixotic
Definition
overly idealistic; impractical
Term
quotidian
Definition
occurring daily; commonplace
Term
ramification
Definition
implication, outgrowth, or consequence
Term
rancor
Definition
bitter hatred
Term
rapacious
Definition
taking by force; greedy
Term
rarefy
Definition
to make thinner, purer, or more refined
Term
ratiocination
Definition
methodical, logical reasoning
Term
raucous
Definition
harsh sounding; boisterous
Term
reactionary
Definition
marked by extreme conservatism
Term
rebuff
Definition
to snub; reject
Term
recalcitrant
Definition
resisting authority or control
Term
recant
Definition
to retract a statement or opinion
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