Term
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Definition
v. subside or moderate
They had to wait for the storm to abate. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. abnormal or deviant
We doubted the validity of the aberrant data. |
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Term
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Definition
n. suspended action.
The document was held in abeyance until his arrival. |
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Definition
v. depart secretly and hide
The teller absconded with the bonds. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. sparing in eating or drinking; temperate.
The vegetarian had an abstemious diet. |
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Definition
v. warn; reprove
The king admonished his courtiers for questioning his authority. |
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Definition
v. make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances.
It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer.
n. adulteration. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful.
Tiffany's appeals to my aesthetic sense.
n. aesthete. |
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Term
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Definition
v. gather; accumulate.
The dealers aggregated great wealth in short periods of time. Also ADJ.
n. aggregation. |
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Definition
n. cheerful promptness; eagerness.
They climbed onto the ski lift with alacrity. |
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Definition
v. relieve
The medicine should alleviate the pain. |
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Definition
v. combine; unite in one body
The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. unclear or doubtful in meaning.
We were misled by his ambiguous directions.
n. ambiguity |
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Term
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Definition
n. the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes.
She was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings towards her parents.
ADJ. ambivalent |
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Term
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Definition
v. improve
The social workers attempted to ameliorate the conditions of the people living in the slums. |
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Term
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Definition
n. something or someone misplaced in time.
Shakespeare's reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an anachronism.
ADJ. anachronistic |
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Definition
ADJ. comparable
She told us what had been done in an analogous situation. |
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Term
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Definition
n. absence of governing body; state of disorder
The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy. |
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Definition
ADJ. abnormal; irregular
She was placed in an anomalous position in which she felt uncomfortable. |
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Definition
n. aversion; dislike
He had an extreme antipathy for disputes. |
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Term
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Definition
n. lack of caring; indifference
I cannot understand the apathy of people who don't bother to vote.
ADJ. apathetic |
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Term
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Definition
v. pacify or soothe; relieve
We tried to appease the crying baby by giving him his bottle.
n. appeasement |
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Definition
v. inform
We were apprised of the dangerous weather conditions. |
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Definition
n. approval
She looked for some sign of approbation from her parents. |
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Term
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Definition
v. acquire; take possession of for one's own use.
The ranch owners appropriated the lands that had been set aside for the Indian's use. |
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Definition
ADJ. hard; strenuous
Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. without guile; open and honest
The child made many artless comments. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. practicing self-denial; austere.
He was drawn to the strict, ascetic life led by members of the monastic orders. Also n.
n. asceticism |
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Definition
ADJ. diligent
Rembrandt spent weeks of assiduous labor. |
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Definition
v. ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger).
Dick assuaged his heartache by indulging in ice cream.
n. assuagement |
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Definition
v. make thinner; weaken or lessen (in density, force, degree)
The long, dry spell attenuated the creek. |
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Definition
ADJ. daring; bold
n. audacity |
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Definition
ADJ. daring; bold
n. audacity |
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Definition
ADJ. forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unornamented
The headmaster's austere demeanor tended to scare off the more timid students. |
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Definition
ADJ. self-governing
Berkeley is autonomous, for it runs several programs that are not subject to outside control.
n. autonomy |
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Definition
v. assert confidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact.
The self-proclaimed psychic averred her predictions. |
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Definition
ADJ. hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality.
The comics worn-out cliches made his sketch seem banal. |
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Definition
v. contradict; give a false impression.
His coarse exterior belied his innate sensitivity. |
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Definition
ADJ. kindly; doing good.
The beneficent philanthropist gave away a substantial amount of his money. |
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Term
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Definition
v. support; reinforce.
The debaters were prepared to bolster their arguments. |
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Definition
ADJ. pompous; using inflated language.
The conceited orator spoke in a bombastic manner.
n. bombast |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. rude; insensitive.
Mr. Potts often exhibited the boorish behavior of constantly interrupting his wife. |
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Term
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Definition
v. grow forth; send out buds.
The plants that burgeon in the spring are a promise of the beauty that is to come. |
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Definition
v. make shiny by rubbing; polish.
The maid burnished the brass fixtures. |
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Definition
v. support; prop up.
Architects buttress the walls of cathedrals with flying buttresses just as debaters buttress their arguments with facts. Also n. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. discordant; inharmonious.
I don't know how they can stand that cacophonous racket.
n. cacophony |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. unpredictable; fickle
The capricious storm had changed it's course constantly. |
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Term
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Definition
n. punishment; severe criticism.
Woolf could not bear the castigation that she found in certain reviews. |
|
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Term
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Definition
n. agent that influences the pace of a chemical reaction while it remains unaffected and unchanged; person or thing that causes action.
The "provisionals" of the IRA in Ireland argued that terrorism was a necessary catalyst for unification. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. burning; sarcastically biting.
The critic's caustic remarks angered the actors. |
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Definition
n. trickery; deception.
The sneaky lawyers depended on chicanery to win the case. |
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Term
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Definition
v. thicken; congeal; clot.
The pudding will continue to coagulate as it stands.
n. coagulant |
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Definition
n. concluding section of a musical or literary composition; something that rounds out, summarizes, or concludes.
Then piece concluded with a distinctive coda. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. convincing.
David had several cogent reasons for going to Harvard, including a full-tuition scholarship. |
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Definition
ADJ. corresponding in extent, degree, amount, etc.; proportionate.
Nurses were assigned to ranks and responsibilities commensurate with their training and abilities, |
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Term
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Definition
v. brief, comprehensive summary.
The text served as a compendium of the tremendous amount of new material being developed in the field. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. trying to please; overly polite; obliging.
Someone who is complaisant kneels to others because he has an excessive need to please. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ, yielding; conforming to requirements.
Joel's mother worried that he might be too compliant because he always went along with whatever his friends desired. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. reconciling; soothing.
She was still angry despite his conciliatory words.
v. conciliate. |
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Term
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Definition
v. overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse.
The Widow Douglass condoned Huck's minor offenses. |
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Term
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Definition
v. confuse; puzzle.
No mystery could confound Sherlock Holmes for long. |
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Term
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Definition
n. person competent to act as a judge of art, etc.; a lover of an art.
Bernard Berenson was an American art critic and connoisseur of Italian art. |
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Term
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Definition
n. claim; thesis.
Their contention is that if you follow their tactics, you will boost your score on the GRE,
v. contend. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. quarrelsome.
The coach became so contentious that the referees threw him out of the game. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. penitent.
Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he imposed the sentence.
n. contrition. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. riddle; difficult problems.
The invented conundrums to entertain themselves during the long car drive. |
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Term
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Definition
v. approach; tend to meet; come together.
African-American men from all over the United States converged on Washington for the Million Man March.
n. convergence. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. coiled around; involved; intricate.
His argument was so convoluted that few of us could follow it intelligently. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. cowardly.
Lillian's craven refusal to join the protest was criticized by her comrades. |
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Term
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Definition
v. intimidate; frighten.
The hero was not daunted by the villain. |
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Term
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Definition
n. propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners.
Even the best-mannered students have trouble behaving with decorum on the last day of school.
ADJ. decorous. |
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Term
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Definition
n. failure to act.
The team lost the game by default when they failed to show up. |
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Term
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Definition
n. courteous regard for another's wish.
In deference to the minister's request, please do not take photographs during the wedding service. |
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Term
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Definition
v. portray; depict; sketch.
The author delineates the character so well that we can predict his every move.
n. delineation. |
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Term
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Definition
v. blacken.
All attempts to denigrate the character of our late president have failed. |
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Term
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Definition
v. ridicule; make fun of.
The critics derided his pretentious dialogue and refused to consider his play seriously.
ADJ. derisive. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. unoriginal; obtained from another source.
Her early poetry was clearly derivative in nature. |
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Term
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Definition
v. dry up.
The pioneers used to desiccate food in order to preserve it. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. aimless; haphazard; digressing at random.
To Malcolm X, reading was purposeful, not desultory. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. something that discourages; hindrance.
Does the threat of capital punishment serve as a deterrent to potential killers? Also ADJ, |
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Term
|
Definition
n. bitter scolding; invective.
During the lengthy diatribe delivered by his opponent he remained calm and self-controlled. |
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Term
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Definition
n. split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones).
He didn't know how to resolve the dichotomy between his ambition to go to college, and his childhood longing to join the circus, |
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Term
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Definition
n. shyness.
To become a salesperson, you must overcome your diffidence. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. wordy; rambling; spread out (like a gas).
If you pay authors by the word, you tempt them the produce diffuse manuscripts rather than brief ones. Also v.
n. diffusion. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. wandering away from the subject.
The Professor's digressions were always more fascinating than the topic of the day.
v. digress. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. lament with music.
The funeral dirge stirred us to tears. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. correct a false impression; undeceive.
I will attempt to disabuse you of your impression of my client's guilt. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. mentally quick and observant; having insight.
The star was sufficiently discerning to distinguish her true friends from the countless phonies who flattered her.
v. discern
n. discernment |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. not harmonious; conflicting.
Nothing is so discordant as the sound of the junior high school orchestra tuning up. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve.
Each candidate tried to discredit the other. |
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Term
|
Definition
| n. lack of consistency; difference. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. separate; unconnected; consisting of distinct parts.
Do not confuse discrete (separate) with discreet (prudent in speech and actions). |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. lacking genuine candor; insincere.
The mayor's earlier remarks were disingenuous. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. unprejudiced.
Given the judge's political ambitions and the lawyer's financial interest in the case, the only disinterested person in the courtroom may have been the court reporter. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. lacking coherence; separated at the joints.
The unprepared student scribbled a few disjointed sentences on his answer sheet. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. eliminate from consideration; reject.
She dismissed the notion that he might be unfaithful to her. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. belittle.
She was more likely to praise her son's crude attempts at art than to disparage him. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. basically different; unrelated.
Tony and Tina have disparate notions of marriage. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. disguise; pretend.
Even though John tried to dissemble his motive for taking modern dance, we all knew he was there not to dance but to meet girls. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. distribute; spread; scatter (like seeds).
Propagandists have been able to disseminate their doctrines by their use of the Internet. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. disintegration; looseness in morals.
ADJ. dissolute. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. discord; opposite of harmony.
Charles Ives often used dissonance - clashing or unresolved chords.
ADJ. dissonant. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. expand; swell out.
When he is stressed his veins distend on his forehead. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. purify; refine; concentrate.
A moonshiner distills mash into whiskey; an epigrammatist distills thoughts into quips. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. vary; go in different directions from the same point.
The spokes of the wheel diverge from the hub. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. strip; deprive.
He was divested of his power to act and could no longer govern.
n. divestiture. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. provide written evidence.
She kept all the receipts from her trip in order to document her expenses from the firm. Also n. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal.
We tried to discourage him from being so dogmatic, but never could convince him that his opinions might be wrong. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. sleeping lethargic; latent.
Her long-dormant ambition to write flared up once more.
n. dormancy. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. someone easily fooled.
The gullible Watson was often made a dupe by unscrupulous parties. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm
Amy's ebullient nature could not be repressed. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources.
His style of decorating was eclectic: bits and pieces of furnishings from different periods juxtaposed to create a unique decor. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. power to produce desired effect.
The drug's efficacy depends on the regularity of the dosage.
ADJ. efficacious |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. impudence; shameless boldness; sheer nerve; presumptuousness.
He had the effrontery to ask her for a letter of recommendation. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. poem or song expressing lamentation.
On the death of Edward King, Milton composed the elegy "Lycidas."
ADJ. elegiacal. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. draw out by discussion.
The detectives tried to elicit where he hid the loot. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. adorn; ornament; enhance, as a story.
The costume designer embellished the ball gown. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. based on experience.
He placed his reliance entirely on empirical data. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. imitate; rival.
Whose virtues would you like to emulate? |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country.
The disease is endemic in this part of the world. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. weaken.
When she was ill, even a short walk enervated her.
n. enervation. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. cause; produce.
To receive praise for accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. increase; improve.
An excellent essay will enhance any application. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. short-lived; fleeting.
The mayfly is an ephemeral creature; its adult life lasts little more than a day. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. calmness of temperament; composure.
Even caring for a sick mother did not disturb Bea's equanimity. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth.
Give it to us straight and don't equivocate. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. learned; scholarly.
His prose was entertaining and erudite; lively as well as learned.
n. erudition. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. hard to understand; known only to the chosen few.
New Yorker stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone's death.
Jeff delivered the eulogy at Genny's memorial service. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. mild expression in place of an unpleasant one.
"He passed away" is a euphemism for "he died." |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. worsen; embitter.
The bombing exacerbated England's already existing bitterness against the IRA. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. clear from blame.
She was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. urgent situation; pressing needs or demands; state of requiring immediate attention.
The exigencies of war gave impetus and funding to computer research. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. projection; conjecture.
Based on the extrapolation from the results of the primaries on Super Tuesday, George W. Bush was projected to be the Republican candidate for the presidency.
v. extrapolate. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. joking (often inappropriately); humorous.
I don't need any facetious cracks about do-good little rich girls. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. help bring about; make less difficult.
Rest and nourishment should facilitate the patient's recovery. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. false; misleading.
Fallacious reasoning does not always yield erroneous results. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. brainless; inane; foolish, yet smug.
Fatheads are by definition fatuous. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. trying to please by behaving obsequiously, flattering, or cringing.
Courtiers fawn upon princesses; groupies fawn upon rock stars. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. apt; suitably expressed; well chosen.
He was famous for his felicitous remarks. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. glowing ardor; intensity of feeling.
The students cheered the strikers and booed the dean with fervor. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. droop; grow feeble.
When the opposing team scored its third goal, the home team's spirits flagged.
ADJ. flagging |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. inexperienced.
Also n. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. reject; mock; show contempt for.
To flaunt something is to show it off; to flout something is to show your scorn for it. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. stir up; instigate.
The nasty rumors fomented trouble within the club. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. prevent by taking action in advance.
Setting up a prenuptial agreement will forestall any potential arguments about money in the event of a divorce. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. thrift; economy.
Anyone who doesn't learn to practice frugality risks bankruptcy.
ADJ. frugal. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. useless; hopeless; ineffectual.
It is futile for me to try to get any work done around here. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. deny.
She was too honest to gainsay the truth of the report. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. loquacious; wordy; talkative.
n. garrulity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. urge on.
She was goaded by her friends until she yielded to their wishes. Also n. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. overcharge.
Ticket scalpers tried to gouge the public. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. pompous; bombastic; using high-sounding language.
The politician could never speak simply; she was always grandiloquent. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. sociable.
Typically, party-throwers are gregarious; hermits are not. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. without deceit.
He is guileless; he cannot be guilty of fraud. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. long, passionate, and vehement speech.
In her lengthy harangue, the principal berated the offenders. Also v. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. of the same kind.
Private schools are typically very homogeneous; they do not offer much cultural diversity.
n. homogeneity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. exaggeration; overstatement.
Apple claims that the new computers are pure hyperbole.
ADJ. hyperbolic. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. attacking cherished traditions.
His radical plays were deeply iconoclastic.
n. iconoclasm. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. worship of idols; excessive admiration.
Idolatry of singers of country music is typical of the excessive enthusiasm of youth. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. unchangeable.
All things change over time; nothing is immutable. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. injure; hurt.
Drinking alcohol can impair your ability to drive safely. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. without feeling; imperturbable; stoical.
The prisoner kept his face impassive. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. hinder; block.
He had not set out to impede the progress of the investigation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. impervious; not permitting passage through its substance.
This new material is impermeable to liquids. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. calm; placid.
In spite of hysteria, the general remained imperturbable and in full command. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. impenetrable; incapable of being damaged or distressed.
The actor was impervious to criticism. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. incapable of being pacified.
She was the implacable enemy of the Evremonde family. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. understood but not stated.
He believed his love was implicit in his deeds. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. burst inward.
If you break a vacuum tube, the glass tube implodes.
n. implosion. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADV. unintentionally; by oversight; carelessly.
She inadvertently mismarked a question on the exam. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. recently begun; rudimentary; elementary.
Before the Creation, the world was an inchoate mass. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. lack of harmony; absurdity.
The incongruity of his wearing sneakers with formal attire amused the observers.
ADJ. incongruous. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. insignificant; unimportant.
"Don't worry about it; it's inconsequential." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. introduce something into a larger whole; combine; unite.
Truman ordered the military to incorporate blacks into every branch of the armed services. Also ADJ. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite.
When interest rates rise remains indeterminate. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. poverty.
Neither the economists nor the political scientists have found a way to eliminate indigence from our society.
ADJ, n. indigent. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. lazy.
Couch potatoes are indolent.
n. indolence. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. inactive; lacking power to move.
He lay in bed inert.
n. inertia. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. naive and trusting; young; unsophisticated.
Little Red Riding Hood was ingenuous when she went for a walk with the Big Bad Wolf.
n. ingenue. |
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Definition
ADJ. firmly established by nature or habit.
She had an inherent love of justice . |
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Definition
ADJ. harmless.
An occasional glass of wine is innocuous. |
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Definition
ADJ. unconscious; unresponsive.
She seems insensible to shame. |
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Definition
v. hint; imply; creep in.
Did you mean to insinuate that I'm getting fat? |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. lacking in flavor; dull.
Flat prose and flat ginger ale are equally insipid. |
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Term
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Definition
n. narrow-mindedness; isolation.
The insularity of the islanders manifested itself in their suspicion of anything foreign.
ADJ. insular. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. unruly; stubborn; unyielding.
Pigpen was intractable. |
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Definition
n. refusal of any compromise; stubbornness.
The negotiating team had not expected such intransigence from the striking workers.
ADJ. intransigent. |
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Term
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Definition
v. overwhelm; flood; submerge.
This semester I am inundated with work. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. accustomed; hardened.
She became inured to the Alaskan cold. |
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Definition
n. abuse.
He had not expected the invective that greeted his proposal. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. irritable; easily angered.
Miss Minchin's irascible temper intimidated the schoolgirls who feared she'd burst into a rage at any moment. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. uncertain how to act; weak.
A leader should never appear irresolute. |
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Term
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Definition
n. plan of a trip.
Ethel refused to make any alterations in her itinerary. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. brief and to the point.
Clint Eastwood plays laconic characters. |
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Term
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Definition
n. languor; weariness.
I surrendered to my growing lassitude, and lay down for a nap. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. potential but undeveloped; dormant; hidden.
Polaroid pictures allow you to see the latent photographic image gradually appear before your eyes.
n. latency. |
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Term
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Definition
v. praise.
The NFL lauded Boomer Esiason's efforts to raise money for cystic fibrosis.
n. laudable.
ADJ. laudatory. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. drowsy; dull.
The stuffy room made her lethargic.
n. lethargic. |
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Term
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Definition
n. earthen or stone embankment to prevent flooding.
The river rose and threatened to overflow the levee. |
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Term
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Definition
n. lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity.
Such levity is improper in church. |
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Definition
n. record of voyage or flight; record of day-to-day activities.
Take a look at the number of new files listed on my computer log.
Also v. |
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Definition
ADJ. talkative.
Put a phone in her hand and see how loquacious she can be.
n. loquacity. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. easily understood; clear; intelligible.
Her explanations are lucid enough for a child to grasp.
n. lucidity. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. shining; issuing light.
The sun is a luminous body. |
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Term
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Definition
n. generosity.
Noted for his magnanimity, the philanthropist donated millions to charity.
ADJ. magnanimous. |
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Term
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Definition
n. one who feigns illness to escape duty.
The captain punished all malingerers and forced them to work.
v. malinger. |
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Definition
ADJ. capable of being shaped by pounding; impressionable.
Gold is a malleable metal, easily shaped into bracelets and rings. |
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Definition
n. rebel; nonconformist.
George Sand was a maverick who fought her proper womanly role. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. lying; habitually dishonest.
She assumed he was mendacious and refused to believe a word he said. |
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Term
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Definition
n. change of form.
The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many such changes in animal life.
v. metamorphose. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. excessively careful; painstaking; scrupulous.
Martha Stewart was a meticulous housekeeper. |
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Term
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Definition
n. one who hates mankind.
Various critics consider him a misanthrope.
ADJ. misanthropic. |
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Term
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Definition
v. lessen in intensity; moderate; appease.
Conversion to the use of solar energy may help mitigate global warming. |
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Term
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Definition
v. soothe.
She tried to mollify the angry passenger by offering her a seat in first class. |
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Definition
ADJ. ill-humored; sullen; melancholy.
Forced to take early retirement, Bill acted morose for months. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday..
He talked only of mundane matters such as the daily weather forecast. |
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Term
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Definition
v. cancel out; nullify; deny.
A sudden surge of adrenaline can negate the effects of fatigue.
n. negation. |
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Term
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Definition
n. recent convert; beginner,
This mountain slope contains slides that will challenge neophytes. |
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Definition
ADJ. stubborn.
He was obdurate in his refusal to listen to our complaints. |
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Definition
ADJ. slavishly attentive; servile; sycophantic.
Nothing irritated her more than an excessively obsequious waiter or fawning salesclerk. |
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Term
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Definition
n. make unnecessary; get rid of.
This contribution will obviate any need for further collections of funds. |
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Term
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Definition
v. shut; close.
A blood clot occluded an artery in to the heart.
n. occlusion. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services.
The officious bellboy was intent on showing her all the special features of the deluxe suite. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. burdensome.
Her work load was too onerous. |
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Term
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Definition
n. infamy; vilification.
He refused to defend himself against the opprobrium hurled against him by the newspapers. |
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Term
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Definition
v. vibrate pendulumlike; waver.
Public opinion oscillates between the extremes of optimism and pessimism. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention.
Trump's casino is the most ostentatious gambling palace in the East. |
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Term
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Definition
n. model of perfection.
Miss Minchin always pointed her out as a paragon of virtue. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party.
Democrats and Republicans spend their time on partisan struggles.
Also n. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. pertaining to disease.
As we study the pathological aspects of disease, we must not overlook the psychological elements. |
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Term
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Definition
n. scarcity.
They closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers made it uneconomical to operate. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. showing off learning; bookish.
Judge Judy was not at all the pedantic legal scholar.
n. pedantry. |
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Term
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Definition
n. strong inclination; liking.
Dave has a penchant for taking risks. |
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Term
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Definition
n. severe poverty; stinginess.
He feared he would end his days in penury.
He became such a penny-pincher that he turned into a penurious miser. |
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Term
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Definition
n. something long-lasting.
These plants are hardy perennials and will bloom for many years.
Also ADJ. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. treacherous; disloyal.
When Caesar realized that Brutus had betrayed him, he reproached his perfidious friend.
n. perfidy. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm.
His perfunctory inspection overlooked many errors. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. penetrable; porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through.
If jogging clothes weren't made out of permeable fabric, the sweat would seep through the material.
v. permeate. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. spread throughout.
She could not rid her clothes of the pervasive odor that clung to them.
v. pervade. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. calm; not easily disturbed.
The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person. |
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Term
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Definition
n. devoutness; reverence for God.
Mother Theresa exemplified the true spirit of piety.
ADJ. pious. |
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Term
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Definition
v. pacify; conciliate.
The store manager tried to placate the angry customer. |
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Term
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Definition
n. ability to be molded.
When clay dries out, it loses its plasticity. |
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Term
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Definition
n. trite remark; commonplace statement.
Polonious expressed himself only in platitudes; every word out of his mouth was a truism. |
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Term
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Definition
n. excess; overabundance.
She offered a plethora of excuses for her shortcomings. |
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Term
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Definition
v. fall sharply.
Stock prices plummeted as Wall Street reacted to the rise in interest rates. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. full of pores; like a sieve.
Dancers like to wear porous clothing because it allows the ready passage of water and air. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something.
This coming trip to France should provide me with a pragmatic test of my conversational French ability. |
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Term
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Definition
n. introductory statement.
In the Preamble to the Constitution, the purpose of the document is set forth. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. uncertain; risky.
The client didn't purchase the stock because her advisor warned her that it would be a precarious investment. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. rash; premature; hasty; sudden.
I had enough sense to keep myself from quitting a job in such a precipitate fashion. |
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Term
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Definition
n. forerunner.
Most critics consider the poets to be precursors of the Romantic Movement, not true Romantics. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. arrogant; taking liberties.
It seems presumptuous for one so relatively new to the field to challenge the conclusions of its leading experts.
n. presumption. |
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Term
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Definition
v. lie.
Some people believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is justifiable. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. characteristic of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled.
This area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness. |
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Term
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Definition
n. uprightness; incorruptibility.
Everyone took his probity for granted. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. doubtful; unsettled; questionable; perplexing.
Whether the arena will ever be completed is problematic. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. wasteful; reckless with money.
Don't be so prodigal spending my money.
Also n. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. deep; not superficial; complete.
Freud's remarkable insights into human behavior caused his fellow scientists to honor him as a profound thinker.
n. profundity. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. tending to prevent the purchase or use of something; inclined to prevent or forbid.
The new car's price was prohibitive.
n. prohibition. |
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Term
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Definition
v. grow rapidly; spread; multiply.
Get-rich-quick schemes are designed to proliferate.
n. proliferation. |
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Term
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Definition
n. natural inclination.
Sol has an unfortunate propensity to belittle the talents of others |
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Term
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Definition
v. appease.
The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods. |
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Term
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Definition
n. fitness; correct conduct.
Miss Manners counsels her readers so that they may behave with propriety in any social situation. |
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Term
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Definition
v. ostracize; banish; outlaw.
Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus proscribed all those who had conspired against Julius Caesar. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. stinging; sharp in taste or smell; caustic.
The pungent smell made Stanley gag.
n. pungency. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. limited; restricted.
The mayor could only give the candidate a qualified endorsement. (secondary meaning) |
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Term
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Definition
n. minor objection or complaint.
Aside from a few quibbles about the set, the hypercritical critic loved the play.
Also v. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. at rest; dormant; temporarily inactive.
People did not return to cultivate the hillside lands until the volcano had been quiescent for a full year.
n. quiescence. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. made less dense (of a gas).
The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the rarefied atmosphere.
v. rarefy
n. rarefaction. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. obstinately stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly.
Which animal is more recalcitrant, a pig or a mule? |
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Term
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Definition
v. disclaim or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error.
Hoping to make Joan of Arc recant her testimony, her English captors tried to convince her that her visions had been sent to her by the Devil. |
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Term
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Definition
n. hermit; loner.
Disappointed in love, she became a recluse.
ADJ. reclusive. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. abstruse; profound; secret.
He read many recondite books in order to obtain the material for his scholarly thesis. |
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Term
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Definition
ADJ. stubborn; unmanageable.
The refractory horse was eliminated from the race when he refused to obey the jockey. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. disprove.
The witnesses were able to refute the lying testimony.
n. refutation. |
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Term
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Definition
v. banish to an inferior position; delegate; assign.
The manager relegated him to a minor position. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. express disapproval or disappointment.
He imagined how the look on his mother's face would reproach him.
Also n.
ADJ. reproachful. |
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Term
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Definition
| n. person handed in sin, devoid of a sense of decency. I cannot understand how he has so many admirers if he is the reprobate you say he is. |
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Term
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Definition
v. disown; disavow.
She announced that she would repudiate all debts incurred by her ex-husband. |
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Term
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Definition
v. cancel.
The senator proposed a bill to rescind the unpopular financial measure. |
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Term
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Definition
n. determination.
Nothing could shake his resolution to succeed.
ADJ. resolute. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. determination; firmness of purpose.
How dare you question my resolve to take up sky diving. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence.
Hughes preferred reticent employees to loquacious ones.
n. reticence. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. respectful; worshipful.
Sometimes I don't feel properly reverent.
v. revere.
n. reverence. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. person celebrated for wisdom.
She was possessed to consult the legendary sage.
Also ADJ. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. healthful.
Many people with hay fever move to more salubrious sections of the country. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. approve; ratify.
Nothing will convince me to sanction the engagement of my daughter to that man. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. satisfy fully.
They stuffed themselves with goodies until they were satiated.
n. satiety. |
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Term
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Definition
v. soak thoroughly.
You must saturate your lawn well to encourage its growth. |
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Term
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Definition
v. enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality.
He especially savored the chagrin of the critics who predicted his failure. |
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Term
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Definition
v. hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism.
The pack rat secretes odds and ends in its nest and the pancreas secretes insulin in the islets of Langerhans. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. fragment, generally of pottery.
The archaeologist assigned several students the task of reassembling vessels from the shards he brought back from the expedition. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. doubter; person who suspends judgement until having examined the evidence supporting a point of view.
I am a skeptic about the new health plan.
ADJ. skeptical
n. skepticism. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. worried; concerned.
The employer was very solicitous about the health of her employees.
n. solicitude. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness.
The professor's lectures were so soporific.
Also n. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. seemingly reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally).
To claim that, because houses and birds both have wings, both can fly is extremely specious reasoning. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism.
The visible portion of the spectrum includes red at one end, and violet at the other. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ, occurring irregularly.
You can still hear sporadic outbursts of laughter from the passing parade outside. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. token of disgrace; brand.
I do not attach any stigma to the fact that you were accused of this crime.
v. stigmatize. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. be thrifty; set limits.
He refused to stint on the wedding arrangements. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. make express conditions, specify.
The president stipulated that NATO teams be allowed to inspect Russian bases. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. dull; impassive.
The earthquake shattered his usual stolid demeanor.
n. stolidity. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. marked with parallel bonds; grooved.
The glacier left many striated rocks
v. striate. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. pompous walk. Also v.
n. supporting bar.
The strut supporting the rafter needed to be reinforced. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. writ summoning a witness to appear.
The office served a subpoena on the witness.
Also v. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. settle down; descend; grow quiet.
The doctor assured us that the fever would eventually subside. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. establish by evidence; verify; support.
These endorsements substantiate our claim. |
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Term
|
Definition
v. cause to be set aside; replace; make obsolete.
Bulk mailing regulation 326D supersedes bulk mailing regulation 326C.
n. supersession. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. hypothesis; surmise.
I will confide in him based on the supposition that he will be discreet.
v. suppose. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. understood; not put into words.
We have a tacit agreement based only on a handshake. |
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ, peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing.
He tried to distract her with tangential remarks. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. thin; rare; slim.
The allegiance of our allies is held by such tenuous ties. |
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Term
|
Definition
n. extended scolding; denunciation; harangue.
At the meeting, the boss went into a lengthy tirade, and scolded us for everything. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy.
Nothing aroused the bear from his torpor.
ADJ. torpid. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. winding; full of curves.
The road is so tortuous, we should go slowly. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. docile; easily managed.
Susan seemed a tractable woman.
n. tractability. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
n. violation of law; sin.
She was willing to overlook his minor transgressions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. aggressiveness; ferocity.
His reviews were noted for their general tone of truculence.
ADJ. truculent. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
v. waver; fluctuate.
She vacillated over which suitor to marry.
n. vacillation. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
v. revere.
The common people still venerate their traditional spiritual leader. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. truthful.
I have always found him veracious and reliable.
n. veracity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. wordy.
The speech was far too verbose.
n. verbosity. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. practical or workable; capable of maintaining life.
The plan is viable and stands a good chance of winning popular support. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. sticky; gluey.
Melted tar is a viscous substance
n. viscosity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. abusive; scolding.
He became vituperative when he realized we couldn't grant him his wish. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
ADJ. changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly.
The political climate today is extremely volatile.
Acetone is an extremely volatile liquid: it evaporates instantly.
n. volatility. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. justified; authorized.
You must convince her this action is warranted. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
ADJ. very cautious.
The spies grew wary as the approached the sentry. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. turmoil; bewildering jumble.
The existing welter of overlapping federal and state proclaims cries out for reform. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. capricious; fanciful.
The hero is a playful, whimsical man. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
n. fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal (eager enthusiasm).
Though Glenn was devout, he was no zealot. |
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