cache

The thieves stashed the cash in the cache.

cacophonous

As Dracula arose from his coffin, the werewolves let out a cacophonous wail.

cadaver

The medical students named their cadaver Ernie so that they could be "working in dead Ernest."

cajole

"Yes, you can, Joel," they cajoled him. "You can become a professional thumb whistler if you set your mind to it."

callous

Brian complained of the callus on his big toe, but Meg remained callous. If you don't like that sentence, don't call us, we're callous.

to slander

Note: This is one of a bunch of SAT words with this meaning.

calumny

It was calumny when I wrote a column in The New York Times that you enjoy poisoning Arctic wombats. I hated you, so I calumniated you.

candor

"Speaking with complete candor, Hansel," said the wicked witch, "I have chopped Gretel up and canned her."

cantankerous

'Bloody screaming sea dogs, I can't anchor us!" the cantankerous captain cried.

capacious

I wonder why they put such         capacious         space around this word.

capitulate

Jackie Chan never capitulates.

to surrender

(see RECAPITULATE, which does not mean resurrender)

capricious

The album charts were capricious; one week 50 Cent was on top - but as soon as we had catalogued all the swear words, Alicia Keys took over.

captious

"What?! You're only in the Cs? And your room's still messy, and you haven't cooked us dinner," said the captious review book authors.

carrion

The lion tore a hefty chunk of flesh out of the zebra's neck. Later the jackals came by and pulled more entrails out of the carrion. After the jackals left, the vultures remained to carry on with devouring it.

castigate

Castration is a severe form of castigation.

cathartic

Manek's method of preparing for the SAT is cathartic.

caustic

When she saw the ugly necklace that her boyfriend had bought her, she said to him caustically, "How much did that cost? Ick!"

burning; characterized by a bitter wit

Note: Being sarcastic and being caustic often go hand-in-hand, so relate them in your memory via nonword sarcaustic.

cauterize

When the bleeding caught her eyes, the doctor knew that she would have to cauterize the patient's skin.

cavil

When I told the vet that I feed my cow Diet Coke, he caviled about how it would make my calf ill.

celerity

When the light turned green, the chauffer floored the gas pedal with celerity and we suddenly accelerated. I nearly spilled my celery tea.

celibate

If the prostitute does not sell a bit, she will have to celibate tonight.

censor

Fabio sensed her longing and with his rough hands caressed her voluptuous, heaving CENSORED.

(v.) to remove inappropriate stuff

(n.) someone who censors things

censure

When someone starts to criticize you, you can sense you're being censured.

cerebration

The guests at Einstein's birthday celebration were all deep in cerebration.

chagrin

She grinned and blushed with chagrin.

chaos

"We don't want to cause chaos," we told the customs official. "So just okay us for passage!"

charlatan

Charlotte in Charlotte's Web was not a charlatan; she really could spell.

chaste

The virgin chased away the men so that she could remain chaste.

chicanery

When I found the sneezing powder in my Chicken McNuggets, I knew you were up to some chicanery.

chimerical

His dreams were so chimerical that it would take a miracle for them to come true.

choleric

The choleric pit bull did not enjoy it when his owner made him wear the electrified collar.

churlish

Someone who is girlish is probably not churlish.

ciliated

"Oh Juliet, I love your deep blue eyes."
"Oh Romeo, I love the ciliated lining of your nostrils."

circumspect

"Search 'em, inspector," ordered the circumspect detective.

prudent; cautious

 Note: This is one of those easily decodable words.

clemency

Because Roger Clemens was accused of using steroids, it now remains to be seen if he'll be shown clemency and be voted into the Hall of Fame anyway.

cogent

The two men (co-gents) on the debate team gave a cogent argument.

cogitate

A good time to cogitate about dairy products is while eating cottage cheese.

to think about deeply and carefully

(see RUMINATE)

cognizant

When the factory repairman becomes cognizant that the cog isn't working, he will fix the gear.

comely

The more frequently you comb your hair, the more comely you become. Or maybe not.

comestible

Banana flambé is a combustible comestible.

commensurate

You don't think that this pile of gold is commensurate with that one? Well, come measure it.

commiserate

He commiserated with his friends at Yukon University who also got 200s.

to sympathize; be miserable together

Note: Decode.

comport

Comport yourself in a comfortable way.

compunction

I felt compunction about puncturing your tires with Japanese throwing stars, but I went ahead and did it anyway.

strong uneasiness caused by guilt

(see REMORSE, CONTRITION)

concurrent

John Adams's and Thomas Jefferspm's deaths were almost concurrent; they both died on Independence Day, 1826.

at the same time

Note: This is another decodable.

conjecture

"Can Jack surely reach that conclusion?" I asked. "Or is it only a conjecture?"

conjuglar

Unless you can juggle both your careers, you will not have conjugal happiness.

contort

We recommend that you contact your local contortionist in order to learn the skills necessary for sitting in an SAT chair.

contrition

When Trish broke the priceless gorilla sculpture, she was overcome with contrition.

controversial

Distributing contraceptives in high school is a controversial issue.

convoke

The mayor convokes a town meeting so that the citizens can vocalize their grievances.

to call together; to cause to assemble

Note: Decode.

corporal

Corporal Thomas gave me corporal punishment because I saluted him with my foot instead of my hand.

corpulent

The corpulent corporal gave up eating for Lent.

corroborate

Do you have any witnesses who can corroborate that this is the restaurant where Bonnie and Clyde (co-robbers) ate?

countermand

"Work in the stockroom today," the shopkeeper ordered. "No, wait!" he countermanded, 'Keep the front counter manned."

covert

When the press finds out about the CIA's covert operations, the CIA tries to cover it up.

concealed; secret

(see OVERT)

cower

The coward cowered.

crass

It is crass to scratch your ass.

credulity

His credulity led him to think the preposterous alibi was credible. I found it too incredible to believe.

crestfallen

"I'm sorry I dropped the toothpaste," he said, crestfallen.

crux

"The crux of our work is to crucify crooks," explained the Roman policemen.

main point; central issue; heart of the matter

Note: Crux is the Latin word for "cross," as you can tell from the word crucifix, and a cross is always made when two lines meet in the center.

cull

College admissions officers cull the best applications from the pile.

cupidity

Dan is possessed with stupidity as well as cupidity; he stole a lot of money, but then he burned it to get rid of the evidence.

greed; avarice

Note: Although Cupid is usually associated with love, he's actually the god of desire, including desire for money.

congenital

Unless you've had a sex change, your genitals are congenital.

existing at birth

Note: This is decodable too.