Shared Flashcard Set

Details

GRE Vocabulary Words
from soundkeepers.com
588
Other
Undergraduate 4
07/14/2012

Additional Other Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
abdication
Definition
: formal resignation and renunciation of powers

King George VI stammered when speaking and abhorred giving speeches, but his father's death followed by his brother David's abdication meant that he was required to give many more.
Term
aberration
Definition
: optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image
: disorder in one's mental state
: state or condition markedly different from the norm

Lars fell in love with a life-sized doll; despite this aberration, he and his doll were much loved by the community.
Term
abeyance
Definition
: temporary cessation or suspension

Her eating disorder was in abeyance in the presence of her family (who routinely made sure she was well), but once she moved away to college, her life spiraled out of control and she resorted to extreme dieting and exercising to keep her emotions at bay.
Term
abjure
Definition
: formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief; usually under pressure

Under Hitler's prosecution, some Jews abjured their religious beliefs.
Term
abrogate
Definition
: to repeal or do away with

By signing the form, they abrogated their right to sue the institution in the case of injury.
Term
abscond
Definition
: run away; usually includes taking something or someone along

My attempted to abscond prison with his cousin but in the end only escaped by himself.
Term
abut
Definition
: lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
A great fan of nature, I like my bed abutting the window.
Term
acarpous
Definition
: producing no fruit

Due to the severe drought, all of the apple trees on the farm were acarpous.
Term
accretion
Definition
: an increase in a beneficiary's share in an estate
: an increase in land resulting from water borne sediment
: growth by addition as by adhesion

The accretion of seaglass on the shores of this beach is what makes it such an exciting shore to comb.
Term
adulteration
Definition
: being mixed with extraneous material

Unadulterated happiness is joy untainted by other emotions.
Term
alacrity
Definition
: liveliness and eagerness

When offered a summer position at UMBC's REU program, I (somewhat naively) accepted with alacrity.
Term
amalgamate
Definition
: to bring or combine together or with something else

Individually, they were strong, amalgamated, they were even stronger.
"amalgamated colleges, amalgamated industries"
Term
ameliorate
Definition
: to make better

Claire woke up feeling nauseous, but her symptoms ameliorated by the end of the evening.
Term
amortize
Definition
: reduce or extinguish (a debt) by money regularly put aside
: gradually write off an initial cost (of an asset)

She had over $200,000 in loans which would be amortized by working and saving responsibly.
Term
abstruse
Definition
: difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge

The best posters at SURF will be the ones that are not abstruse -- ones that the general public can understand.
Term
antithetical
Definition
: sharply contrasted in character or purpose

Suspicion is the antithesis of trust.
Term
apathetic
Definition
: marked by a lack of interest

"an apathetic audience"
Term
aplomb
Definition
: great coolness and composure under strain

He was a professional, handling his daughter's surgery with great aplomb.
Term
apostate
Definition
: a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party of friend etc

Never very religious, she was an apostate from the Jewish religion when Hitler began prosecuting Jews.
Term
apotheosis
Definition
: elevation of a person (as to the status of a god
: model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal

Appearing as Hamlet was the apotheosis of his career
Term
apprise
Definition
: to inform someone or something


"I thought it right to apprise Chris of what happened"
Term
approbation
Definition
: official recognition or approval

The opera was met with high approbation at the King's ball.
Term
appropriate
Definition
: give or assign a share of money or time to a particular person or cause

"I will appropriate this money for your research"
Term
apropos
Definition
: of an appropriate or pertinent nature; at an opportune time
: by the way

"Your letter arrived apropos"
"Apropos, can you lend me some money?"
Term
apt
Definition
: being of striking appropriateness and pertinence

"an apt reply"
Term
arbitrate
Definition
: an act between parties with a view to reconciling differences

"He arbitrated the family dispute"
Term
ardent
Definition
: enthusiastic or passionate; burning and glowing

"ardent admirers"
Term
ardor
Definition
: intense feeling of love

"They were imbued with a revolutionary ardor"
Term
arduous
Definition
: difficult to accomplish, demanding considerable mental effort and will

"the arduous work of preparing a dictionary"
Term
argot
Definition
: lingo, a characteristic of a particular group (as among thieves)

"they don't speak our argot"
Term
ascertain
Definition
: be careful or certain to do something

"He ascertained that the valves were closed"
Term
ascetic
Definition
: to practice self-denial as spiritual discipline

Fasting is an ascetic ritual
Term
ascribe
Definition
: attribute or credit to

"We ascribe this quotation to Shakespeare"
Term
asperity
Definition
: harshness of manner
: something hard to endure

"the asperity of northern winters"
"Gobbert spoke to his students with some asperity"
Term
aspersion
Definition
: an abusive attack on a person's character or good name

"Don't worry, I don't think anyone is casting aspersions on you"
Term
assiduous
Definition
:marked by care and persistent effort

"assicuous research"
Term
assuage
Definition
provide relief from pain

"This pill will assuage your headaches"
Term
astringent
Definition
: a drug that causes contraction of body tissues and canals
: tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
: sour or bitter in taste

"astringent cosmetic lotions"
Term
astute
Definition
marked by hardheaded intelligence
"an astute tenant always reads the small print in a lease"
Term
atonement
Definition
: the act of making amends, especially in appeasing a deity
:satisfaction, reparation, or expiation given for an injury or wrong
Term
attenuate
Definition
: become weaker in strength, value, or magnitude

"the attenuated tones of an old recording"
Term
audacious
Definition
: disposed to venture or take risks

"audacious visions of the total conquest of space"
Term
augury
Definition
:an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come

"he hoped it was an augury"
Term
august
Definition
:profoundly honored, of or befitting a lord
Term
auspice
Definition
a favorable omen, a divine or prophetic token

derived from Latin: one who looks at birds, a diviner who reads omens from the observed flight or birds
Term
auspicious
Definition
attended by favorable circumstances

"an auspicious beginning for the campaign"
Term
austere
Definition
practicing great self-denial; stern or strict bearing

"an austere expression"
Term
aver
Definition
to declare or affirm solemnity and formally as true
to report or maintain

"He averred he was innocent of the allegations"
Term
avow
Definition
to admit openly and bluntly, make no bones about
Term
baleful
Definition
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

"Bill shot a baleful look in her direction"
Term
balk
Definition
refuse to comply
Term
banal
Definition
obvious and dull

"banal conversation"
Term
bane
Definition
something that causes misery or death

"the bane of my existence"
Term
bazaar
Definition
shop where variety of goods are sold
Term
beatify
Definition
declared a dead person to be blessed; the first step of achieving sainthood; fill with sublime emotion

"The children were beatified at the prospect of going to the movies"
Term
bedizen
Definition
dress up garishly and tastelessly

"When Daisy bedizen herself to impress tout San Francisco..."
Term
belie
Definition
represent falsely

"This statement belies my intentions"
Term
bellicose
Definition
:having or showing a disposition to fight

"bellicose young officers"
Term
benefactor
Definition
someone who helps people or institutions (financially)
Term
berate
Definition
severely scold or criticize

"The mother berated the child for entering the stranger's car"
Term
bereft
Definition
sorrowful through loss or deprivation

"bereft of hope"
Term
bigot
Definition
a prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from his own
Term
bilge
Definition
where the sides of the vessel curve in to form the bottom
Term
blandishment
Definition
flattery intended to persuade
Term
blithe
Definition
carefree and happy and lighthearted;
lacking or showing lack of due concern

"she spoke with blithe ignorance of the true situation"
"a merry blithesome nature"
Term
boisterous
Definition
violently agitated and turbulent

"boisterous winds and waves"
Term
bolster
Definition
support and strengthen; prop up with a pillow; a pillow that is often put across a bed underneath the regular pillows

"bolster the seat of the chair"
"bolster morale"
Term
boorish
Definition
ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance

He was boorish and insensitive
Term
brash
Definition
offensively bold; presumptuously daring

"a brash thing to say"
Term
brazen
Definition
face with defiance or impudence; unconstrained by convention or propriety

"brazen arrogance"
Term
brisket
Definition
a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest especially of beef
Term
broach
Definition
decorative pin worn by women; bring up a topic for discussion
Term
burgeon
Definition
grow and flourish

"a burgeoning administration"
Term
burnish
Definition
the property of being smooth and shiny

"burnish the wooden floors"
Term
cabal
Definition
a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act; a secret of political clique; engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy

"a cabal of dissidents"
conspired
Term
cadge
Definition
ask for and get free; be a parasite; obtain or seek by wheedling

"He is always cadging cigarettes from his friends"
Term
calipers
Definition
an instrument for measure the distance between two points
Term
calumniate
Definition
charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone

"The journalists have calumniated me!"
Sully, defame
Term
calumny
Definition
an abusive attack on a person's character or name
Term
canvass
Definition
an oil painting on canvas; get the opinions of people by asking specific questions; solicit votes from potential voters
Term
coeval
Definition
person of nearly the same age as another; of the same period

When two things happen at the same time, they are coeval
Term
cogent
Definition
powerfully persuasive, having the power to convince

"a cogent argument", "cogent analysis of the problem"
Term
cogitate
Definition
consider carefully and deeply, turn over in one's mind
Term
cognizant
Definition
having knowledge or understanding

"our youth are cognizant of the law"
Term
collusion
Definition
secret or illegal conspiracy

"SOme of his employees were acting on a collusion to rob him"
Term
commend
Definition
express approval of; give to in charge

"She commended his paintings", "I commend my children to you"
Term
commingle
Definition
mix together different elements

"His book comingles sarcasm and sadness"
Term
complacently
Definition
in a self-satisfied manner

"He complacently lived out his life as a second grade teacher"
Term
complaisance
Definition
a disposition or tendency to yield to the will or wishes of others
Term
compunction
Definition
a feeling of deep regret(usually for some misdeed)

He spent the money without compunction
Term
concord
Definition
agreement of opinions
Term
condone
Definition
excuse, overlook, make allowances for, be lenient with

"condone someone's behavior"
Term
conjoin
Definition
make contact or come together

"The two roads conjoin here"
Term
connoisseur
Definition
an expert able to appreciate a field; especially in the fine arts
Term
connotation
Definition
what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression
Term
consternation
Definition
fear resulting from the awareness of danger

"To her consternation, she realized she was in over her head"
Term
contemn
Definition
look down on with disdain

"He contemns the people he has to work for"
Term
contentious
Definition
inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree
"a contentious nature" "bellicose young officers"

litigious, bellicose
Term
contiguous
Definition
very close or connected in space or time

"contiguous events"
Term
contrite
Definition
feeling regret for a fault or offense; feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses

She may get away with a warning if she seems contrite and'or genuinely confused
Term
contumacious
Definition
stubbornly resistant to authority

"a contumacious witness is subject to punishment"
Term
conundrum
Definition
a difficult problem
Term
convoke
Definition
call together

"The students were convoked in the auditorium"
Term
convoluted
Definition
highly involved or intricate
Term
cordial
Definition
strong flavored sweet liquor usually drunk after a meal
Term
cordon
Definition
adornment consisting of an ornamental ribbon or cord
Term
corporeal
Definition
having material or physical from or substance

"That which is created is of necessity corporeal and visible and tangible"
Term
corroboration
Definition
confirmation that some fact or statement is true

"However there was no corroboration to show that the money was actually paid"
Term
countenance
Definition
expression of a face

"her sad countenance"
Term
countervail
Definition
oppose and mitigate the effects of by contrary actions

"This will countervail the foolish actions of my colleagues"
Term
covert
Definition
secret or hidden; not openly practiced

"The covert actions of the CIA"
Term
covetous
Definition
immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth

"casting covetous eyes on his neighbor's fields"
Term
craven
Definition
an abject coward; lacking even the rudiments of courage

A craven proposal to raise the white flag
Term
abject
Definition
utterly hopeless

"abject poverty"
Term
credulity
Definition
tendency to believe readily
Term
credulous
Definition
disposed to believe on little evidence

"this gimmick would convince none but the most credulous"
Term
curmudgeon
Definition
a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
Term
cursory
Definition
hasty and without attention to detail

"a cursory inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws"
Term
curtail
Definition
place restrictions on

"curtail drinking in school"
Term
cynic
Definition
someone who is critical of the motives of others
Term
daunt
Definition
cause to lose courage
Term
dearth
Definition
an acute insufficiency, especially of food

"There is a dearth of evidence"
Term
debacle
Definition
a sudden and violent collapse
Term
decorous
Definition
characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste in manners and conduct
Term
decorum
Definition
propriety in manners and conduct
Term
decry
Definition
express strong disapproval of

"We decry the racism in South Africa"
Term
defer
Definition
submit or yield to another's wish or opinion

"in deference of your wishes"
Term
delineate
Definition
describe in vivid detail; trace the shape of; represented accurately or precisely
Term
deluge
Definition
the rising of a body of water; a heavy rain
Term
demagogue
Definition
an orator who appeals to the passions and prejudices of his audience
Term
demur
Definition
a formal objection to an opponent's pleadings

"He wanted him to be treasurer but he demurred"
Term
denigrate
Definition
charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone

"The journalists have denigrated me!"
Term
denouement
Definition
final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work

"Weakness in the denouement never makes for a good story"
Term
denounce
Definition
speak out against

"I denounce the Nazis"
Term
deplore
Definition
express strong disapproval of

"I deplore this hostile action"
Term
deposition
Definition
removing a powerful person from a position or office
Term
deprave
Definition
corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality

"deprave the young people with wine and women"
corrupt, debauch
Term
deprecate
Definition
belittle

"the teacher should not deprecate the student's efforts"
Term
dereliction
Definition
deliberate or conscious neglect

"ghost town of derelict buildings"
"any officer who does less is derelict of his or her duties"
Term
derision
Definition
the act of treating with contempt
Term
descry
Definition
to catch sight of

"the lookout descried land"
Term
desiccant
Definition
a substance that promotes drying

"calcium oxide is a desiccant because it absorbs water and removes moisture"
Term
desuetude
Definition
a state of inactivity or disuse

"New words are being formed while others lapse into desuetude"
Term
diaphanous
Definition
so thin as to transmit light

"a hat with a diaphanous veil"
"diaphanous wings of a butterfly"
Term
diatribe
Definition
a bitter, sharply abusive attack or criticism
"repeated diatribes against a senator"
Term
diffidence
Definition
lack of self-confidence; showing modest reserve

"stood in the doorway diffident and abashed"
"she was diffident when offering a comment on the lecture"
Term
dilatory
Definition
using cautious slow strategy to wear down opposition; wasting time; inclined to waste time and lag behind

"a dilatory strategy"
"because all deadlines are enforced, no dilatory conduct is tolerated"
Term
disabuse
Definition
to free somebody from an erroneous belief

Disabuse yourself from the belief that a PhD can come with perseverance
Term
discomfit
Definition
to cause to lose one's composure

"I was discomfitted by the question"
Term
discordant
Definition
not in agreement or harmony
Term
discountenance
Definition
show disapproval by discouraging; look with disfavor on

"D.A.R.E. officers discountenanced underage smoking and smoking in general"
Term
disingenuous
Definition
not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness; not sincere

"a disingenuous excuse" "a disingenuous apology"
Term
disinter
Definition
to bring from obscurity into view; dig up for reburial or for medical investigation

"the actors's autobiography disinterred a new era"
Term
disparate
Definition
including markedly dissimilar elements

"a disparate aggregate of creeds and songs and prayers"
Term
dissemble
Definition
to give false or misleading appearance

"He dissembled his disappointment"
"She dissembled innocence"
Term
disseminate
Definition
cause to become widely known; to scatter or spread widely

"she want to africa and disseminated information about safe drinking water"
Term
dissent
Definition
the act of protesting
Term
dissipation
Definition
to scatter in various directions, expel, spend wastefully

"to dissipate a fortune"
"dissipate a talent"
"the dissipation of the mist"
Term
dissolution
Definition
the termination of a relationship, meeting
Term
divestiture
Definition
the act of divesting (to strip away or deprive);
the act of a corporation getting rid of a subsidary


"to re-examine the company's divestiture"
Term
doggerel
Definition
a comic verse of irregular measure

" he heard some silly doggerel that kept running through his mind"
Term
dogma
dogmatic
Definition
an official system of principles concerning faith
of or of the nature of a dogma; asserting opinion in an arrogant manner
Term
dogmatism
Definition
the intolerance and prejudice of a bigot
Term
dolt
Definition
a person who is not very bright
Term
dross
Definition
worthless material that should be removed; the scum formed by oxidation at the surface of molten metals
Term
dulcet
Definition
pleasing to the air
Term
dupe
Definition
person who is tricked or swindled
Term
duplicity
Definition
acting in bad faith; deception by pretending to entertain one set of intentions while acting under the influence of another
Term
duress
Definition
compulsory force or threat

"confessed under duress"
Term
dynamo
Definition
an electric generator
Term
ebullience
Definition
overflowing with enthusiasm
Term
ecumenical
Definition
of worldwide scope or applicability; pertaining to the whole Christian church

"an ecumenical movement"
Term
edacious
Definition
devouring or craving food in great quantities

"edacious vultures"
rapacious, voracious
Term
eddy
Definition
flow in a circular current
Term
effete
Definition
marked by excessive self-indulgence and moral decay

"an effete, over-refined society"
Term
efficacy
Definition
capacity or power to produce a desired result

"concern about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine"
Term
effrontery
Definition
audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to;

"the obvious effrontery to the court should not go unnoticed"
impertinence, imprudence, cheek
Term
egress
Definition
the act of coming or going out; becoming apparent

"Water egressed from the hole in the wall"
Term
elegy
Definition
a mournful poem, a lament for the dead
Term
embezzle
Definition
to convert money or property fraudulently to one's own use
Term
empirical
Definition
derived from experience and observation rather than theory
Term
encomium
Definition
formal expression of praise; a speech or writing that praises something or someone highly
Term
endemic
Definition
a plant that is native to a certain limited area; disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree

"the islands have a number of interesting endemic species"
Term
enervate
Definition
weaken mentally or morally; disturb the composure of

"the nerves enervate the epithelium"
Term
engender
Definition
make children; produce, give rise to

"Hatred engenders violence"
Term
enmity
Definition
the feeling of a hostile person; a state of deep-seated ill will

"he could no longer contain his enmity"
Term
enormity
Definition
an act of extreme wickedness ; the quality of being outrageous, vastness of size or extent
Term
entreat
Definition
ask for request earnestly

"College professors often entreat students to forgo cramming."
"He does not want to do it, but if you entreat him, he may"
Term
epicure
epicurean
Definition
a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food and drink)

"The modern epicure swoons at the yeasty aroma and the dense honey-comb texture of a good loaf of bread"
"an epicurean banquet"
Term
epistle
Definition
a long, formal letter
Term
epithet
Definition
a defamatory or abusive word or phrase;
a descriptive word of phrase
Term
epitome
Definition
a person or things that possesses to a high degree the features of an entire class

"he is the epitome of greatness"
Term
equable
Definition
not easily irritated

"an equable temper"
"remained equable despite the frequent delays"
Term
equanimity
Definition
steadiness of minder udner stress

"she accepted her problems with equaminity"
Term
equipoise
Definition
equality of distribution
Term
equivocal
Definition
uncertain as a sign or indication

"the evidence from the analysis was equivocal"
Term
equivocate
Definition
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear to mislead or withhold information

"she equivocated on the cross-examination"
Term
erasure
Definition
deletion by an act of expunging or erasing
Term
erudite
Definition
having or showing profound knowledge

"an erudite professor"
Term
esoteric
Definition
confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle
Term
espouse
Definition
take up the cause, ideology, practice, method of someone and use it as one's own; take in marriage

"the position you espouse"
Term
eulogy
Definition
formal expression of praise
Term
euthanasia
Definition
the act of killing someone painlessly
Term
evince
Definition
give expression to

"she evinced her disappointment"
Term
excoriate
Definition
express strong disapproval of;
to strip or remove skin from

"We excoriate the racism in South Africa"
"Her palms were excoriated from the severe shoveling"
Term
excoriation
Definition
to denounce vehemently; an abraded area where the skin is torn of worn off
Term
exculpate
Definition
pronounce not guilty of criminal charge

"the suspect was exculpated of the murder charges"
Term
exigency
Definition
a sudden unforseen crisis that requires immediate action; a pressing or urgent situation

"the health-care exigency"
Term
exonerate
Definition
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges

"The suspect was exonerated [exculpated] of murder charges"
Term
expatiate
Definition
add details, as to an account or an idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way

"She expatiated [elaborated] on the main ideas in her dissertation"
Term
expedient
Definition
proper under the circumstances; tending to serve some desired object

"It is expedient that you go"
Term
expediency
Definition
a regard for what is politic or advantageous as opposed to what is right
Term
expiation
Definition
the act of atoning sin or wrongdoing

"the expiation of sins"
Term
expostulate
Definition
reason (with somebody) for the purpose of dissuasion
Term
expurgate
Definition
edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate

"expurgate a novel"
Term
exsert
Definition
thrust or extend out

"exsert out his hand"
Term
extant
Definition
still in existence; not extinct or destroyed or lost
Term
extenuate
Definition
lessen or try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

"The circumstances extenuate the crime"
Term
extirpate
Definition
surgically remove (an organ);
pull up as if by the roots

"extirpate the the vine that has spread all over the garden"
Term
extol
Definition
praise, glorify, honor

'extol the virtues of one's children"
Term
extort
Definition
get or cause to become in a difficult or laborious manner

"They extorted money from him by threatening him"
Term
extralegal
Definition
not regulated or sanctioned by law

"they were only extralegal recourses for their grievances"
Term
facetious
Definition
cleverly amusing in tone

"a facetious tone" "facetious remarks"
tongue-in-cheek
Term
facile
Definition
expressing yourself readily, clearly, and effectively
Term
fatuous
Definition
complacently or inanely foolish

"it is fatuous to believe everything we hear"
Term
feckless
Definition
generally incompetent and ineffectual

"feckless attempts to repair the plumbing"
Term
fecund
Definition
capable of producing offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive

"a fecund imagination"
Term
felicitous
Definition
marked by good forune
Term
ferret
Definition
animal that lives in prairie regions of US;
search and discover through persistent investigation

"she ferreted out the truth"
Term
fervid
Definition
extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion

"fervent desire to change society"
Term
fervor
Definition
feelings of great warmth and intensity

"he spoke with great fervor"
ardor
Term
fetter
Definition
a shackle for the ankles or feet

"restrain with fetters"
Term
finesse
Definition
subtly skillful handling of situations
Term
finical
finicky
Definition
related to finicky
exacting especially about details

"a finicky eater"
Term
fission
Definition
a nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei
Term
flagrant
Definition
shockingly noticeable or evident; notorious

"a flagrant crime"
Term
fledged
Definition
having the plumage or feathers necessary for flight
Term
florid
Definition
elaborately or excessively ornamented; flamboyant

"the senator's florid speech"
Term
flout
Definition
treat with contemptuous disregard

"flout the rules"
Term
foible
Definition
a minor weakness of failing of character

"an all-too-human foible"
Term
foment
Definition
to stir up public opinion; instigate or foster rebellion

"to foment trouble"
"his legs should be fomented"
Term
foppish
Definition
affecting extreme elegance in dress and manner
fop: a man excessively vain and concerned about dress, appearance, and manners
Term
forbear
forbearance
Definition
to refrain, resist, abstain
refraining from acting

The pain was so great she could not forbear crying outloud
Term
ford
Definition
a place in a river shallow enough to be waded across
Term
forswear
Definition
to reject or renounce under oath

"to forswear an injurious habit"
abjure, retract
Term
frenetic
Definition
excessively agitated; transported with rage or other violent emotion

"frenetic screams followed the accident"
Term
frivolity
Definition
not serious or sensible

"frivolous girls at the party"
Term
froward
Definition
unmanageable, difficult, obstinate
Term
fulminate
Definition
to make criticisms, to explode with noise and violence

"He fulminated against the Republicans' plan to cut Medicare"
Term
fulsome
Definition
unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech

"gave him a fulsome introduction"
"fulsome praise"
Term
gainsay
Definition
to deny, dispute, contradict

"few would gainsay the attractiveness of diversity"
Term
gambol
Definition
gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; play boisterously

"the children gamboled in the meadow"
Term
garner
Definition
to acquire or deserve by one's efforts or actions
Term
garrulous
Definition
wordy and talkative

"kept from housework from her garrulous neighbors"
Term
gaucherie
Definition
socially awkward or tactless act
Term
glib
Definition
artfully persuasive in speech
Term
gossamer
Definition
filaments from a cobweb; gauze fabric with extremely fine texture
Term
gregarious
Definition
seeking and enjoying the company of others

"a gregarious person who avoids solitude"
Term
grovel
Definition
to humble oneself or act in an abject manner; to show submission or fear

"grovel for food from his master"
Term
grovel
Definition
to humble oneself or act in an abject manner; to show submission or fear

"grovel for food from his master"
Term
guile
Definition
the quality of being crafty; the use of tricks to deceive someone of money
Term
guileless
Definition
free from guile, free of deceit

"a guileless answer"
Term
hamper
Definition
a basket with a cover;
prevent the progress or movement of

"hampered by the weather"
Term
hapless
Definition
deserving or inciting pity

"hapless victims of war"
Term
harangue
Definition
a scolding, an intense verbal attack

"harangued the soldiers during bootcamp"
Term
harbinger
Definition
foreshadow; indication of the approach of someone
Term
harrow
Definition
to distress keenly and painfully; to draw over the land a cultivator that pulverizes or smoothes the soil
Term
hermetic
Definition
completely airtight

"hermitic bags prevent food from spoiling"
Term
hew
Definition
strike with an axe; cut down

"hew an oak"
"hew a oath in the rock"
Term
hirsute
Definition
having or covered with hair

"our anatomically hirsute cousins are our genetic brothers"
Term
hone
Definition
make perfect or complete; sharpen

"hone your skills"
"hone your French in Paris"
Term
hoodwink
Definition
conceal one's true motives by feigning good intentions so as to gain an end
Term
hubris
Definition
overbearing pride or presumption

"the hubris of one who thinks he knows everything"
Term
iconoclast
Definition
someone who tries to destroy traditional ideas or institutions

"he was an iconoclast who shocked respectable opinion"
Term
idolatrous
Definition
blindly or excessively devoted or adoring

"idolatrous worship"
Term
idyll
Definition
a short descriptive poem of rural or pastoral life
Term
ignoble
Definition
completely lacking nobility

"ignoble civilians"
Term
ignoble
Definition
completely lacking nobility

"ignoble civilians"
Term
ignominious
Definition
deserving or bringing disgrace or shame

"ignominious defeat"
Term
illicit
Definition
contrary or forbidden by law

"illicit trade"
Term
imbroglio
Definition
a very embarrassing situation

"Aftermath of the imbroglio"
Term
impassive
Definition
revealing very little emotion

"impassive face"
Term
impecunious
Definition
not having enough money to pay for necessities

"impecunious beggar"
Term
impending
Definition
close in time; about to occur

"an impending danger"
imminent
Term
imperious
Definition
able to deal authoritatively with affairs

"dismissed the matter with an imperious wave of her hand"
Term
impermeable
Definition
preventing especially liquids to pass through
Term
imperturbably
Definition
not easily excited or agitated
Term
impervious
Definition
not capable of being affected

"a material impervious to water"
"impervious to argument"
Term
impetuous
Definition
characterized by hate and lack of thought or deliberation
marked by force and violence

"an impetuous decision"
"impetuous waves"
Term
implacable
Definition
impossible to placate (please)

"her implacable mother-in-law"
Term
implicit
Definition
being without doubt or reserve "implicit trust"
implied though not directly expressed "implicit anger in the argument"
Term
importune
Definition
beg persistently and urgently

"I importune you to help them"
Term
imprecation
Definition
a curse; a malediction

"he suffered the imprecations of the mob"
Term
impudence
Definition
the trait of being rude and impertinent

"she had the impudence to demand everything be done her way"
Term
impute
Definition
attribute or give credit to

"We impute this quotation to Shakespeare"
ascribe
Term
inane
Definition
complacently foolish
Term
inaugurate
Definition
be a precursor of; commence officially

"the fall of the Berlina Wall inaugurated the post-Cold War period"
Term
incessant
Definition
occurring so frequently so as to seem unceasing

"the child's incessant cries"
Term
inchoate
Definition
only partly in existence; imperfectly formed

"a vague inchoate idea"
Term
incite
Definition
provoke or stir up

"provoke a rebellion"
Term
inculcate
Definition
teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions

"inculcate values into the young generation"
Term
incursion
Definition
the act of entering some territory or domain (often in large numbers)

"the incursion of the television into the living room"
Term
indelible
Definition
cannot be removed, washed away, or erased

"an indelible stain"
Term
indelicate
Definition
verging on the indecent

"indelicate behavior"
Term
indigence
Definition
a state of extreme poverty or destitution

"a general state of indigence among the homeless"
Term
indolence
Definition
inactivity resulting from dislike or work

"a welfare system that rewards indolence is wrong"
Term
ineffable
Definition
defying expression or description; too scared to be uttered

"ineffable beauty" "ineffable happiness"
Term
ethos
Definition
characteristic
Term
ethos
Definition
characteristic

"the ethos of our society consists of individual rights and individual anatomy"
Term
trifling
Definition
trivial

"a trifling sum"
Term
exacerbate
Definition
to make worse

"the hurricane will exacerbate tensions in the city"
Term
affable
Definition
easy to talk to

"an affable and courteous gentleman"
Term
preternatural
Definition
beyond natural

"preternatural powers"
Term
polemical
Definition
controversial

"polemical diatribes written in the heat of the moment"
Term
capricious
Definition
fickle

"capricious weather"
Term
ephemeral
Definition
lasting a short time

"ephemeral joys of childhood"
Term
mercurial
Definition
subject to unpredictable changes

"mercurial personality"
Term
plutocrat
Definition
person whose power derives from wealth
Term
volubility
Definition
facile in speech and writing

articulate, garrulous, loquacious
Term
pellucidity
Definition
clear; free from obscurity

"pellucid waters"
"a pellucid way of writing"
Term
restive
Definition
unable to keep still
Term
circumscribed
Definition
draw a circle around; to restrict with limits
Term
fallow
Definition
uncultivated land
Term
recalcitrant
Definition
resistant towards authority
Term
prolixity
Definition
boring verbosity
Term
jibe
Definition
an aggressive remark "she threw jibes of sarcasm"
be compatible "that doesn't jibe with me"
Term
jocular
Definition
characterized by jokes and good humor
Term
judicious
Definition
proceeding from good sense or judgement

"judicious use of one's money"
Term
lachrymose
Definition
showing sorrow; tearful

"lachrymose tone"
Term
laconic
Definition
brief and to the point

"a laconic reply"
Term
lassitude
Definition
weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy
Term
latent
Definition
not active

"latent diabetes"
Term
laudatory
Definition
full of or giving praise

"laudatory remarks"
Term
libel
Definition
false and malicious publication
Term
libertine
Definition
usually a person who is morally unrestrained

"a libertine woman"
Term
lien
Definition
the legal claim of one person upon the property of another to secure the payment of depth or satisfaction of an obligation

"the party who holds the lien can sell the property to pay off a debt"
"good people do not have an exclusive lien on good ideas"
Term
limn
Definition
to make a portrait of, trace the shape of

"the ability to limn the customer's image on paper"
Term
loll
Definition
be lazy or idle; hang loosely or laxly

"lolled around all day"
"his tongue lolled"
Term
loquacious
Definition
full of trivial conversation
Term
lubricious
Definition
characterized by lust

"eluding the lubricious embrace of her employer"
Term
lucubrate
Definition
add details, as to an account or idea, elaborate

"She lucubrated on the main ideas in her dissertation"
expatiate, elaborate
Term
luculent
Definition
transparently clear, easily understandable

"luculent prose"
pellucid, perspicuous, limpid
Term
lugubrious
Definition
excessively mournful

"his lugubrious conduct was doubtlessly intended to soften the heart of the court
Term
luminary
Definition
a celebrity who is an inspiration to others
Term
machinations
Definition
crafty schemes; plots; intrigues

"In other words, after a lot of machination and arguing, you may not win in the end"
Term
magnanimous
Definition
generous and understanding and tolerant

"a heart magnanimous enough to hold no grudges"
Term
malapropism
Definition
the unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one that sounds similar
Term
malign
Definition
speak unfavorably about

"she maligns her husband everywhere"
Term
manacle
Definition
shackle that consists of a metal loop that can be locked around the wrist
Term
maudlin
Definition
effusively or insincerely emotional

"maudlin expressions of sympathy"
Term
maverick
Definition
someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action

"she led a maverick life"
Term
mellifluous
Definition
pleasing to the air

"the mellifluous tones of the cello"
dulcet
Term
mendacious
Definition
given to lying

"a mendacious child" "a mendacious witness"
Term
mendacity
Definition
the tendency to be untruthful
Term
mendicant
Definition
a pauper who lives by begging
Term
meretricious
Definition
based on pretense; deceptively pleasing;
tastelessly showy;
like or relating to a prostitute

"meretricious praise"
"meretricious [flashy] colors"
Term
middling
Definition
any commodity of intermediate quality or size;
of no exceptional quality or ability

"the performance was middling at best"
Term
minatory
Definition
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

"minatory thunderclouds"
ominous, baleful
Term
misanthrope
Definition
someone who dislikes people in general
Term
misogynist
Definition
a misanthrope who dislikes women in particular
Term
mitigate
Definition
make less severe or harsh

"mitigating circumstances"
extenuating
Term
mollify
Definition
make less rigid or softer; make more temperate

"she mollified the angry customer"
Term
morose
Definition
showing a brooding ill humor

"a morose, hopeless shrug"
Term
mortuary
Definition
a building or room where dead bodies are kept before burial or cremation
Term
multifarious
Definition
having many aspects

"the multifarious noise of a great city"
Term
mundane
Definition
found in the ordinary course of events;
concerned with the world or worldly matters "mundane affairs"

placid, quotidian, prosaic,
Term
nadir
Definition
the lowest point of anything; the point on the celestial sphere directly below an observer

"their usage is as much as three times higher at its peak than at its nadir"
Term
nascent
Definition
coming into existence

"a nascent republic"
Term
nebulous
Definition
lacking definition or definite content

"nebulous reasons"
Term
neophyte
Definition
any new participant in some activity;
plant founded in an area where it has not been recorded previously
Term
nexus
Definition
a connected series or group

"her past research focused on the nexus of food and energy"
Term
noisome
Definition
offensively malodorous

"a noisome smell"
putrid, nauseating
Term
nonplussed
Definition
filled with bewilderment

"nonplussed that she left without saying goodbye"
Term
nostrum
Definition
patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable

"Cataracts develop following use of anti-fat nostrum"
Term
noxious
Definition
injurious to physical or mental health

"noxious chemical wastes"
Term
obdurate
Definition
showing unfeeling resistance to tender feelings

"the child's misery would move even the most obdurate heart"
Term
obfuscate
Definition
make obscure or unclear

"his response only obfuscated his students even more"
Term
obloquy
Definition
a malicious attack;
state of disgrace resulting from public abuse

"not all writers or artists seek or ably perform a public rile, and those who do risk obloquy"
"They would have saved the nation much obloquy"
Term
obsequious
Definition
attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner

"obsequious shop assistants"
Term
obstreperous
Definition
boisterously and noisily aggressive

"kept up an obstreperous clamor"
Term
obviate
Definition
prevent the occurence of;
do away with

"Let's obviate a confrontation"
Term
occluded
Definition
closed off; taken into and retained in another substance

"occluded vision"
"the occluded oil mass"
Term
occult
Definition
beyond the range of ordinary knowledge or understanding
Term
odious
Definition
unequivocally detestable

"odious crimes"
Term
odium
Definition
hate coupled with disgust
Term
officious
Definition
intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner

"an officious old woman"
Term
onerous
Definition
not easily borne; wearing

"the onerous task of preparing tax returns"
Term
opprobrious
Definition
deserving or bringing disgrace or shame

"opprobrious retreat"
inglorious; ingnominious
Term
ossify
Definition
become boney

"the tissue ossified"
Term
ostensible
Definition
represented or appearing as such but not necessarily so

"his ostensible purpose was charity; his real goal popularity"
Term
ostentation
Definition
pretentious or showy or vulgar display;
lack of elegance as a consequence of being pompous

"they aren't interested in displays of ostentation or status
Term
overhaul
Definition
periodic maintenance on a car or machine

"you should overhaul your car engine"
Term
overweening
Definition
presumptuously arrogant "getting a little overweening and needed to be slapped down"

unrestrained in especially feelings "overweening praise"
Term
pacifist
Definition
someone opposed to violence as a means of settling disputes
Term
paean
Definition
a formal expression of praise
Term
palatial
Definition
suitable or like a palace

"the palatial residence"
Term
palliate
Definition
provide physical relief, as from pain

"this pill will palliate your headache"
relieve, assuage
Term
palpability
Definition
the quality of being perceivable by touch
Term
palpitate
Definition
beat rapidly

"his heart palpitated"
Term
panegyric
Definition
a formal expression of praise

"never was a funeral panegyric so eloquent as the silent look of sympathy which strangers exchanged when they met on that day"
paean
Term
paradign
Definition
standard or typical example
Term
pariah
Definition
person who is rejected (from society or home)
Term
parsimonious
Definition
excessively unwilling to spend

"parsimonious thrift"
Term
partisan
Definition
an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of some person or activity

"if the objective is to promote a partisan agenda, and not science, then the comments should be directed to some other soapbox"
Term
paucity
Definition
an insufficient number or quantity

"the absence of narrative punch compounded by a paucity of interesting characters"
Term
peccadillo
Definition
a petty misdeed
Term
pedantic
Definition
marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
Term
penchant
Definition
a strong liking

"the Irish have a penchant for blarney"
Term
penitent
Definition
feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds
Term
penury
Definition
a state of extreme poverty or destitution

"a general state of penury exists among the homeless"
indigence
Term
peregrination
Definition
travel (especially by foot)

"each step he took represented an inward peregrination"
Term
peremptory
Definition
putting an end to all debate and action;
not allowing contradiction or refusal

"spoke in peremptory tones" "peremptory commands"
Term
perennial
Definition
a plant lasting for three seasons or more; recurring again and again

"perennial efforts to stipulate the requirements
Term
perfidious
Definition
trending to betray; deliberately faithless; deceitful

"a perfidious lover"
Term
perfidy
Definition
an act of deliberate betrayal

"he is a conventional villain, a machine of efficacy with perfidy in his heart"
Term
perfunctory
Definition
hasty and without attention to detail

"a casual inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws"
cursory
Term
peripatetic
Definition
walking or traveling about
of or pertaining to Aristotle, who taught philosophy while walking the Lyceum of ancient Athens
Term
perjury
Definition
criminal offense of making false statements under oath
Term
pernicious
Definition
working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way; exceedingly harmful

"glaucoma is a pernicious disease"
insidious
Term
perpetrate
Definition
perform an act, usually with a negative connotation

"perpetrate a crime"
Term
perspicacity
Definition
the capacity to assess situations or circumstances shrewdly and to draw sound conclusions; intelligence manifested by being astute (as in business dealings)
Term
petrous
Definition
of bone (especially temporal bone);
resembling stone in hardness
Term
petulant
Definition
easily irritated or annoyed

"If your suggestion is rejected, don't be petulant or get discouraged"
Term
philistine
Definition
a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits
Term
phlegmatic
Definition
showing little emotion

"a phlegmatic and undemonstrative teenager"
Term
picaresque
Definition
involving clever rogues or adventurers especially as in a type of fiction

"picaresque novels"
"picaresque hero"
Term
pied
Definition
having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly

"the pied desert" "a pied dress"
particolored, piebald, motley
Term
piquant
Definition
attracting or delighting

"an piquant face with large appealing eyes"
Term
pique
Definition
a sudden outburst of anger; cause to feel sudden outburst of anger
a tightly woven fabric with raised cords

"her tactless remark piqued me"
Term
pith
Definition
the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience

"the pith of the argument"
gist, nub
Term
plaintive
Definition
expressing sorrow
Term
platitude
Definition
a trite or obvious remark;
the quality of being flat, dull or trite

"the platitude of most political oratory"
Term
ponderous
Definition
having great mass and weight and unwieldiness

"a ponderous burden"
Term
portent
Definition
a sign of something about to happen

"he looked for a portent before going into battle"
Term
repudiate
Definition
to reject as having no authority or binding force "repudiate a claim"

to reject with disapproval or denial "repudiate a new doctrine" "repudiate a charge"
Term
precarious
Definition
fraught with danger

"precarious waters"
Term
precept
Definition
a doctrine that is taught

"he believed all the Christian precepts"
Term
preclude
Definition
keep from happening or arising; have the effect of preventing

"my sense of tact precludes an honest answer"
Term
precursory
Definition
warning of future misfortune

"these phenomena were actually precursory and therefore could be used to predict the earthquake"
Term
predilection
Definition
a predisposition in favor of something

"a predilection for expensive cars"
Term
predominate
Definition
be larger in number, quality, power, status, or importance

"Hispanics predominate in this neighborhood"
Term
preempt
Definition
to occupy [land] in order to establish a prior right to buy;
to acquire before someone else; take for oneself
take the place of because of priorities, reconsideration, rescheduling, etc

"The special newscast preempted the usual television program"
Term
preponderance
Definition
exceeding in heaviness; having greater weight; superiority in numbers

"a preponderance in Blacks in prison"



similar to predominate
Term
presage
Definition

a sign of something about to happen; "he looked for a presage before going into battle"

 

portent

Term
prevaricate
Definition
deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information

"the appellant did in fact prevaricate and admitted it"

equivocate, tergiversate, palter,
Term
probity
Definition
integrity and uprightness; honesty

Probity officers are employed throughout the process to maintain accountability and fairness
Term
proclivity
Definition
a natural inclination

"he has a proclivity for exaggeration"
Term
profligate
Definition
utterly and shamelessly immoral or dissipated; thoroughly dissolute;
recklessly prodigal or extravagant

"reducing the borrowing costs of the profligate could increase them for the virtuous and reduce the incentive for reform"
Term
profundity
Definition
intellectual depth; penetrating knowledge;
the quality of being physically deep

"the profundity of my feeling"
"the profundity of the mine was almost a mile"
Term
profusion
Definition
the quality of being extremely abundant
Term
proliferate
Definition
to cause to grow in increase rapidly; to grow rapidly

"pizza parlors proliferate in this area"
Term
prolix
Definition
tediously prolinged or tending to speak or write at great length

"editing a prolix manuscript" "a prolix lecturer"
Term
propagation
Definition
the act of producing offspring or multiplying by such production;
the spreading of something into new religions; the movement of a wave through a medium

"propagation of ideas"
Term
propinquity
Definition
the property of being close together

"computers have reduced the importance of geographic propinquity"
Term
propitiate
Definition
make peace with

"tribes who worship together, propitiate the gods together, die together"
conciliate
Term
propitiatory
Definition
intending to reconcile or appease

"sent flowers as a propitiatory gesture"
Term
propitious
Definition
presenting favorable circumstances"

"propitious omens"
Term
prosaic
Definition
not challenging; dull and lacking excitement

pedestrian, quotidian, vapid
Term
proscribe
Definition
command against

"I proscribe you to call me late at night"
"Mother proscribed the trip to the chocolate store"
Term
protracted
Definition
relatively long in duration

"a protracted argument" "a protracted discussion" "a protracted visit from the mother-in-law"

prolonged
Term
provident
Definition
providing carefully for the future

"a provident father plans for his children's education"
Term
provisional
Definition
under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon

"provisional employees" "provisional agreement"

probationary, tentative
Term
prudence
Definition
caution with regard to practical matters; discretion;
provident care in the management of resources;
frugality

"the servants showed great tact, discretion, and prudence"

tact, discretion
Term
prudish
Definition
exaggeratedly proper

"my prudish Aunt Anna doesn't approve of my miniskirts"
Term
pugnacious
Definition
ready and able to resort to force or violence

"pugnacious sprits lamented that there was so little prospect of an exhilarating disturbance"
Term
punctilious
Definition
marked by precise accordance with details

"worrying meticulously about punctilious details"
Term
pundit
Definition
someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field"

"the average stock market pundit isn't this wrong"
Term
purvey
Definition
to provide, furnish, or supply (especially food or provisions) usually as a business or service

"teachers tend to pruvey what they themselves have learned"
Term
pusillanimous
Definition
lacking in courage and manly strength and resolution; contemptibly fearful

"she recoils with a pusillanimous horror before whatever is new and untried"
Term
pyre
Definition
wood heaped for burning a dead body, as in India

"he climbed onto the pyre and stayed there until the fire consumed him"
Term
qualm
Definition
uneasiness about the fitness of an action
Term
quiescent
Definition
causing no symptoms; marked by a state of tranquil repose

"a quiescent tumor"
"the quiescent melancholy of the town"
Term
quixotic
Definition
not sensible about practical matters; unrealistic

"a quixotic disregard for money"
"a quixotic dream of a world state"
Term
rabble
Definition
a disorderly crowd of people
Term
raffish
Definition
marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness;
marked by smartness in dress and manners


"a cocktail party given by some raffish bachelors"
"a raffish young man" "a raffish red hat"
Term
ramify
Definition
divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork;
have or develop consequences

"the road ramifies"
"these actions will ramify"
Term
rancorous
Definition
showing deep-seated resentment

"rancorous envy of the rich"
Term
rapacious
Definition
devouring or craving food in great quantities

"a rapacious appetite"
Term
rarefy
Definition
weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance); make more subtle or refined; lessen the density or solidity of

"moisture rarifies when heated"
Term
reactionary
Definition
an extreme conservative; an opponent of progress or liberalism

"Mine are clearly reactionary views that aren't going to have any effect at all"
Term
rebuff
Definition
a deliberate discourteous act; reject outright and bluntly
force or drive back

"she rebuffed his proposal"
"she rebuffed the attack"
Term
recalcitrant
Definition
marked by stubborn resistance to authority

"The University suspended the most recalcitrant demonstrators"
Term
recant
Definition
formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure

"she recanted her beliefs" "recanted his earlier statements about his religion"

abjure, retract
Term
recidivism
Definition
habitual relapse into crime

"some argue that the prison system does more damage and increase recidivism to these individuals"
Term
recondite
Definition

difficult to penetrate, incomprehensible to one of ordinary knowledge "the professor's lectures were so recondite students tended to avoid them"

 

abstruse

Term
recourse
Definition
act of turning to for assistance

"a recourse to his uncle was his last resort"
Term
redoubtable
Definition
inspiring fear
having or worthy or pride

"the redoubtable prospect of major surgery"
"a redoubtable scholar of the Renaissance"
Term
refractory
Definition
resistant to authority or control

"a refractory child"
Term
refulgent
Definition
radiating or as if radiating light

"the refulgent sun" "refulgent daffodils"

beaming, effulgent, radiant
Term
regicide
Definition
the act of killing a king
Term
relegate
Definition
assign to a class or kind

"People argue about how to relegate certain mushrooms"
Term
remonstrate
Definition
to say or plead in protest, objection, or disapproval

"The mother remonstrated the child for entering the stranger's car"
Term
repast
Definition
a quantity of food taken or provided for one occasion of eating; a meal

"to eat a light repast; the evening repast"
Term
reprobate
Definition
to disapprove, condemn, censure
Term
repudiate
Definition
to reject; refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid

"The woman repudiated the divorce settlement"
Term
requite
Definition
to make repayment for or return something

related to requital: (a return or reward for service)
"It would be poor requital to start another such needless war"
Term
reticent
Definition
reluctant to draw attention to yourself; cool and formal in manner

"friends gave more negative ratings to reticent individuals"
Term
rotund
Definition
excessively fat
spherical in shape
Term
ruffian
Definition
a cruel and brutal fellow
Term
sagacious
Definition
skillful in statecraft or management

"an astute and sagacious statesman"
Term
salacious
Definition
suggestive of or tending to moral looseness

"salacious whisperings of a dirty old man"

lewd, indecent, obscene
Term
salient
Definition
having a quality that thrusts itself into attention
Term
salubrious
Definition
promoting health; healthful

"the salubrious mountain air and water"
Term
salutary
Definition
tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health

"the salutary influence of pure air"
Term
sanctimony
Definition
pretended, affected, or hypocritical religious devotion

"The greenies are derided for their shrill sanctimony"
Term
sanction
Definition
authoritative permission or approval, as for an action

"There is no sanction if their parents refuse to take them"
Term
sanguine
Definition
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life; confidently optimistic and cheerful

"fresh and sanguine complexion"

ruddy, rubicund
Term
saturnine
Definition
showing a brooding ill humor


"a saturnine and unsociable manner"

dark, dour, glum, moody, morose
Term
scabbard
Definition
sheath for a sword or dagger or bayonet
Term
secular
Definition
concerning those not members of the clergy
Term
sedulous
Definition
marked by care and persistent effort

"her sedulous efforts to learn French"

assiduous
Term
seminal
Definition
containing seeds of later development

"seminal ideas of one discipline can influence the growth of another"
"seminal fluid"
Term
sententious
Definition
abounding in pithy (concise and forcefully expressive) aphorisms or maxims

"a sententious book"
Term
pithy
Definition
concise and forcefully expressive

"pithy maxims"
Term
shunt
Definition
implant for draining fluids within the body
Term
sinuous
Definition
curved or curving in and out

"sinuous lines"
Term
skiff
Definition
any or various small boats propelled by pars or by sails or by a motor
Term
slake
Definition
to make less active or intense; to cool or refresh

"the cold water slaked his thirst"
"his cool manner slaked their enthusiasm"
Term
sluggard
Definition
an idle slothful person
Term
somatic
Definition
characteristic of the body

"a somatic illness"

corporeal, bodily
Term
sophistry
Definition
a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone
Term
sordid
Definition
morally ignoble or base; vile
meanly avaricious and mercenary
dirty or filthy

"the cheater employed sordid methods to win"
Term
specious
Definition
apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible

"specious arguments"
"Percentages are meaningless and only used to skew the debate in specious ways"
Term
splenetic
Definition
very irritable

"bristly and splenetic exchanges between the White House and the press"
Term
spurious
Definition
intended to deceive

"spurious argument"
specious
Term
squalid
Definition
foul and run-down and repulsive

"a squalid and over-crowded apartment"
Term
squander
Definition
spend extravagantly
Term
staunch
Definition
stop the flow of a liquid
Term
stentorian
Definition
very loud or powerful in sound:

a stentorian voice
Term
stint
Definition
an unbroken period of time which you do somethign

"stint as a lifeguard"
Term
stipulate
Definition
specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement
Term
stolid
Definition
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility

"her impassive and stolid remoteness"
impassive
Term
stygian
Definition
hellish
Term
stymie
Definition
a thwarting and distressing situation; hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of

"her brother stymied her at every turn"
Term
induce
Definition
to lead or move by persuasion or influence, as to some action or state of mind

induce a person to buy a raffle ticket
Term
suborn
Definition
induce to commit perjury or give false testimony; incute to commit a crime or an evil deed

"he suborned his butler to cover up the murder of his wife"
Term
subpoena
Definition
a writ issued by court authority to compel the attendance of a witness at a judicial proceeding; disobedience may be punishable
Term
subsume
Definition
to consider or include (idea, proposition) as part of a more comprehensive one;
to bring (a case, instance, etc) under a rule
to take up into a more inclusive classification

"We have no categories that are inclusive enough to subsume him"
Term
succor
Definition
assistance in the time of difficulty

"the contributions provided some succor for the victims"
Term
sullied
Definition
to soil, tarnish, stain

"sullied reputations"
Term
summarily
Definition
without delay

"the spy was summarily executed"
Term
sumptuous
Definition
rich and superior in quality

"a sumptuous sum"
"sumptuously gilded dining rooms"
Term
sundry
Definition
miscellaneous unspecified objects

"the trunk was full of sundries"
Term
supercilious
Definition
expressive of contempt

"curled his lip in a supercilious smile"
"spoke in a sneering supercilious manner"
Term
superimpose
Definition
place on top of

can you superimpose the two images?
Term
superseded
Definition
take the place or move into the position of

"Smith superseded Miller as CEO"
Term
supine
Definition
offering no resistance
lying face upward

"supine hostages"
Term
suppliant
Definition
one praying humbly for something

"a suppliant sinner seeking forgiveness"
Term
supplicate
Definition
ask humbly for something

"supplicate for God's blessing"
"he supplicated the King for clemency"
Term
clemency
Definition
mercy

"He supplicated the King for clemency"
Term
surfeit
Definition
eating until excessively full; the quality of being so overabundant that princes fall; indulge one's appetite to satiety

"a surfeit of workers caused a significant reduction in the wage rate"
Term
sycophant
Definition
a person who tires to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage

"the hiring committee then consisted of the head and one sycophant who always agreed with him"
Term
taciturn
Definition
habitually reserved and uncommunicative
Term
turgid
Definition
abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas

"hungry children with turgid stomachs"
bloated distended, puffy, tumescent, tumid
Term
turpitude
Definition
a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice

"the various turpitudes of modern society"
Term
deprave
Definition
to make morally bad or evil; corrupt

"Better to take them away from those who may deprave them.
Term
tyro
Definition
someone new to a field or activity
Term
ulterior
Definition
being beyond what is seen or avowed; intentionally kept concealed; coming at a subsequent time or stage;

"ulterior motives"
"later, ulterior developments"
Term
uncouth
Definition
lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
Term
uncouth
Definition
lacking refinement or cultivation or taste

"uncouth soldiers"
Term
undermine
Definition
in injure or destroy by insidious activity or imperceptible stages, sometimes tending toward a sudden dramatic effect
to weaken or cause to collapse by removing underlying support

"sniping at the chair and seeking to undermine her"
Term
untoward
Definition
contrary to your interests or welfare
not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper

"language untoward to a lady"
undecorous, unseemly
Term
upbraid
Definition
express criticism towards

"The president upbraided the general for his irresponsible behavior"

reproached
Term
urbane
Definition
marked by wide-ranging knowledge and appreciation of many parts of the world arising from urban life and wide travel

"the urbane manners of a true cosmopolite"
Term
vacillation
Definition
changing location by moving back and forth
Term
vagary
Definition
an unexpected and inexplicable change in something

"the vagaries of the weather"
"his wealth fluctuates with the vagaries of the stock market"
Term
venal
Definition
capable of being corrupted

"venal police officers and politicians of Vietnam"
corruptible, dishonest
Term
venerate
Definition
regard with feelings of respect and reverence

"Venerate God as your father"
Term
veneration
Definition
religious zeal; willingness to serve God

"veneration of God"
Term
veracity
Definition
unwillingness to tell lies
Term
verisimilitude
Definition
the appearance of truth; the quality of seeming to be true

"the play lacked verisimilitude"
Term
veritable
Definition
not counterfeit or copied

"a veritable signature"
unquestionable, bona fide, authentic
Term
verve
Definition
energetic style
Term
vex
Definition
be a mystery or bewildering to

"a vexing problem"
Term
viable
Definition
capable of life or normal growth and development

"viable seeds"
"viable fetus"
Term
vigilance
Definition
the process of paying close and continuous attention

"he keeps a vigilant eye open for trouble"
Term
vilify
Definition
spread negative information about

"The Nazi propaganda vilified the Jews"
Term
vilify
Definition
spread negative information about

"The Nazi propaganda vilified the Jews"
Term
vindictive
Definition
showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite

"said with vindication"
Term
virago
Definition
large strong and aggressive woman
Term
visceral
Definition
obtained through intuition rather than from reasoning or observation
viscera: organs in the cavities of the body, especially the abdomen
Term
vitiate
Definition
take away the legal force or render ineffective

"nothing vitiated her beauty"

invalidate, mar
Term
vituperate
Definition
spread negative information about

"the Nazi propaganda vitupeated the Jews"
villified
Term
vituperate
Definition
spread negative information about

"the Nazi propaganda vitupeated the Jews"
villified
Term
vivacious
Definition
vigorous and active

"a vivacious group that challenged the system"
Term
volatile
Definition
tending to vary often and widely

"volatile emotions"
"volatile stocks"
Term
voluble
Definition
marked by a ready flow of speech

"she is an extremely voluble young woman who engages in soliloquies, not conversations"
Term
voluminous
Definition
large in number or quantity

"she took voluminous notes" "voluminous press coverage"
Supporting users have an ad free experience!