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Princeton Rewiew
Princeton Hit parade
432
Language - English
Graduate
09/20/2012

Additional Language - English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
abate
Definition
(v) to lessen in intensity or degree
Term
aberrant, (n. form: aberration)
Definition
(adj) deviation from the norm
Term
abjure
Definition
(v) to renounce or reject solemnly; to recant; to avoid
Term
abscond
Definition
(v) to depart clandestinely; to steal off an hide
Term
accolade
Definition
(n) an expression of praise
Term
acerbic
Definition
(adj.) having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
Term
acumen
Definition
(n) keen, accurate judgement or insight
Term
adulation
Definition
(n) excessive praise; intense adoration
Term
adulterate
Definition
(v) to reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
Term
adumbrate
Definition
(v) to foreshadow vaguely or intimate; to suggest or outline sketchily; to obscure or overshadow
Term
aesthetic
Definition
(adj.) dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
Term
aggrandize
Definition
(v) to increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige
Term
alacrity
Definition
(n) eager and enthusiastic willingness (like Michelle!)
Term
alchemy
Definition
(n) a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into gold (an alchemist is one who practices alchemy)
Term
alloy
Definition
(v) to commingle; to debase by mixing with something inferior-unalloyed means pure
Term
amalgamate (n. form: amalgamation)
Definition
(v) to combine several elements into a whole
Term
ameliorate
Definition
(v) to make better or make more tolerable
Term
amenable
Definition
(adj.) agreeable; responsive to suggestion
Term
anachronism
Definition
(n) something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
Term
anathema
Definition
(n) a solemn or ecclesiastical (religious) curse; accursed or thoroughly loathed person or thing
Term
anodyne
Definition
(adj./n) soothing, something that assuages or allays pain or comfort
Term
anomaly, (adj. form: anomalous)
Definition
(n) deviation from the normal order, form, or rule; abnormality
Term
apogee
Definition
(n) farthest or highest point; culmination; zenith
Term
apostate
Definition
(n) one who abandons long-held religious or political convictions
Term
apotheosis
Definition
(n) deification, glorification to godliness, an exalted example, a model of excellence or perfection
Term
approbation
Definition
(n) an expression of approval or praise
Term
appropriate
Definition
(v) to take for one's own, confiscate
Term
archaic
Definition
(adj.) outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive time
Term
arduous
Definition
(adj.) strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort
Term
arrest, arresting
Definition
(v./adj.) to suspend; to engage; holding one's attention: as in arrested adolescence, an arresting portrait
Term
ascetic
Definition
(n) one who practice rigid self-denial, esp. as an act of religious devotion
Term
asperity
Definition
(n) severity, rigor; roughness, harshness; acrimony, irritability
Term
asseverate
Definition
(v) to aver, allege, assert
Term
assiduous
Definition
(adj.) diligent, hard-working, sedulous
Term
assuage
Definition
(v) to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
Term
astringent
Definition
(adj./n) having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue
Term
audacious (n. form: audacity)
Definition
(adj.) daring and fearless; recklessly bold
Term
augury
Definition
(n) omen, portent
Term
august
Definition
(adj.) majestic, venerable
Term
austere (n. form: austerity)
Definition
(adj.) without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic
Term
avarice (adj. form: avaricious)
Definition
(n) greed, esp. for wealth
Term
aver
Definition
(v) to state as a fact; to declare or assert
Term
axiom (adj. form; axiomatic)
Definition
(n) a universally recognized principle
Term
axiomatic (n. form: axiom)
Definition
(adj) taken as a given; posessing self-evident truth
Term
bellicose
Definition
(adj.) belligerent, pugnacious, warlike
Term
bent
Definition
(n) leaning, inclination, proclivity, tendency [He had a naturally artistic bent]
Term
bolster
Definition
(v) to provide support or reinforcement
Term
bombastic (n. form: bombast)
Definition
(adj.) pompous; grandiloquent
Term
broach
Definition
(v) bring up, announce, begin to talk about
Term
brook
Definition
(v) to tolerate, endure, countenance
Term
bucolic
Definition
(adj.) rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural ares and their inhabitants
Term
burgeon
Definition
(v) to grow rapidly or flourish
Term
cacophony (adj. form: cacophonous)
Definition
(n) harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
Term
calumniate
Definition
(v) to slander, make a false accusation; calumny means slander, aspersion
Term
canon (adj. form: canonical)
Definition
(n) an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
Term
canonical (n. form: canon)
Definition
(adj) forllowing or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
Term
capricious
Definition
(adj.) inclined to change one's mind impulsively; erratic; unpredictable
Term
captious
Definition
(adj.) disposed to point out trivial faults, calculated to confuse or entrap in argument
Term
cardinal
Definition
(adj.) major, as in cardinal sin
Term
castigation (v. form: castigate)
Definition
(n) severe criticism or punishment
Term
catalyst
Definition
(n) a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that cause change
Term
caustic
Definition
(adj) burning or stinging; causing corrosion
Term
cavil
Definition
(v) to find fault without good reason
Term
celerity
Definition
(n) speed, alacrity-[think accelerate]
Term
censure
Definition
(v) to criticize severely; to officially rebuke
Term
chary
Definition
(adj.) wary, cautious, sparing
Term
chauvinist
Definition
(n) a blindly devoted patriot
Term
chicanery
Definition
(n) trickery or subterfuge
Term
chimera
Definition
(n) an illusion; originally an imaginary fire-breathing she-monster
Term
cogent
Definition
(adj.) appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
Term
color
Definition
(v) to change as if by dyeing, e.e., to distort, gloss or affect (usually the first)-[Yellow journalism covered the truth]
Term
complaisance (adj. form: complaisant)
Definition
(n) the willingness to comply with the wishes of others
Term
connoisseur
Definition
(n) an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
Term
consequential
Definition
(adj.) pompous, self-important (primary definitions are: logically following; important)
Term
contentious
Definition
(adj.) argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
Term
contiguous
Definition
(adj.) sharing a border; touching; adjacent
Term
contrite (n. form: contrition)
Definition
(adj.) regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
Term
contumacious
Definition
(adj.) insubordinate, rebellious; contumely means insult, scorn, aspersion
Term
convention
Definition
(n) a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
Term
convoluted
Definition
(adj.) complex or complicated
Term
credulous (n. form: credulity)
Definition
(adj.) tending to believe too readily; gullible
Term
culpable (n. form: culpability)
Definition
(adj.) deserving blame
Term
cynicism (adj. form: cynical)
Definition
(n) an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness
Term
damp
Definition
(v) to diminish the intensity or check the vibration of a sound
Term
dearth
Definition
(n) smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
Term
debacle
Definition
(n) rout, fiasco, complete failure-[My first attempt at a souffle was a total debacle]
Term
decorum (adj. form: decorous)
Definition
(n) polite or appropriate conduct or behavior
Term
demur
Definition
(v) to question or oppose
Term
denouement
Definition
(n) an outcome or solution, the unraveling of a plot
Term
derision (adj. form: derisive; v. form: deride)
Definition
(n) scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
Term
descry
Definition
(v) to discriminate or discern
Term
desiccate
Definition
(v) to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
Term
desuetude
Definition
(n) disuse-[After years of of desuetude, my French skills were finally put to use]
Term
desultory
Definition
(adj.) random; aimless; marked by a lack of plan or purpose-[Her desultory performance impressed no one]
Term
diaphanous
Definition
(adj.) transparent, gauzy
Term
diatribe
Definition
(n) a harsh denunciation
Term
didactic
Definition
(adj.) intended to teach or instruct
Term
die
Definition
(n) a tool used for shaping, as in a tool-and-die shop
Term
diffident
Definition
(adj.) reserved, shy, unassuming; lacking in self-confidence-[Surprisingly, the CEO of the corporation had been a diffident youth]
Term
dilettante
Definition
(n) one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
Term
dirge
Definition
(n) a song of grief or lamentation-[We listened to the slow, funeral dirge]
Term
disabuse
Definition
(v) to undeceive; to set right
Term
discordant
Definition
(adj) conflicting; dissonant or harsh sounding
Term
discretion (adj. form: discreet)
Definition
(n) cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
Term
disinterested
Definition
(adj.) free of bias or self-interest; impartial
Term
disparage
Definition
(v) to slight or belittle
Term
disparate
Definition
(adj.) fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
Term
dissemble
Definition
(v) to disguise or conceal; to mislead
Term
divulge
Definition
(v) to disclose something secret
Term
dogmatic (n. form: dogma)
Definition
(adj.) expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or unprovable principles
Term
ebullience (adj. form: ebullient)
Definition
(n) the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
Term
eccentric
Definition
(adj.) departing from norms or conventions
Term
eclectic
Definition
(adj.) composed of elements drawn from various sources
Term
effrontery
Definition
(n) extreme boldness; presumptuousness
Term
elegy (adj. form: elegiac)
Definition
(n) a mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
Term
eloquent (n. form: eloquence)
Definition
(adj.) well-spoken, expressive, articulate
Term
emollient
Definition
(adj./n.) soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smooths the skin
Term
empirical
Definition
(adj.) based on observation or experiment
Term
encomium
Definition
(n) glowing and enthusiastic praise; panegyric, tribute, eulogy
Term
endemic
Definition
(adj.) characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region, of people
Term
enervate
Definition
(v) to weaken; to reduce in vitality
Term
enigmatic (n. form: enigma)
Definition
(adj.) mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
Term
ennui
Definition
(n) dissatisfaction from restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
Term
ephemeral
Definition
(adj.) brief;fleeting
Term
equivocate (adj. form: equivocal)
Definition
(v) to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
Term
erudite (n. form: erudition)
Definition
(adj.) very learned; scholarly
Term
eschew
Definition
(v) to shun or avoid-[She chose to eschew the movie theater, preferring to watch DVDs at home]
Term
esoteric
Definition
(adj.) intended for or understood by a small, specific group
Term
essay
Definition
(v) to test or try; attempt, experiment-[The newly born fawn essayed a few wobbly steps]
Term
eulogy (v. form: eulogize)
Definition
(n) a speech honoring the dead
Term
evanescent
Definition
(adj.) tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing
Term
exacerbate
Definition
(v) to make worse or more severe
Term
exact
Definition
(v) to demand, call for, require, take [Even a various war exacts a heavy price]
Term
excoriate
Definition
(v) to censure scathingly, to upbraid
Term
exculpate
Definition
(v) exonerate; to clear of blame
Term
execrate
Definition
(v) denounce, feel loathing for, curse, declare to be evil
Term
exegesis
Definition
(n) critical examination, explication
Term
exigent
Definition
(adj.) urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
Term
exonerate
Definition
(v) to remove blame
Term
expiate
Definition
(v) to atone or make amends for-[Pia Zadora has expiated her movie career by good works and charity]
Term
extemporaneous
Definition
(adj.) improvised; done without preparation
Term
extirpate
Definition
(v) to destroy, exterminate, cut out, exscind
Term
facetious
Definition
(adj.) playful; humorous
Term
fallacy (adj. form: fallacious)
Definition
(n) an invalid or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief
Term
fatuous
Definition
(adj.) silly, inanely foolish-[I would ignore such a fatuous comment]
Term
fawn
Definition
(v) to flatter or praise excessively
Term
fell
Definition
(adj.) inhumanely cruel-[Fell beats surrounded the explorer]
Term
fell
Definition
(v) to cause to fall by striking-[The lumberjacks arrived and felled many trees]
Term
fervent (n. form: fervor)
Definition
(adj.) greatly emotional or zealous
Term
filibuster
Definition
(n) intentional obstruction, esp. using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action
Term
flag
Definition
(v) to sag or droop, to become spiritless, to decline: Think of a flag on a windless day, as in her flagging spirits
Term
flip
Definition
(adj.) sarcastic, impertinent, as in flippant-[a flip remark]
Term
flout
Definition
(v) to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention
Term
ford
Definition
(v) to wade across the shallow part of a river or stream
Term
fortuitous
Definition
(adj.) happening by accident or chance
Term
fractious
Definition
(adj.) quarrelsome, rebellious, unruly, refractory, irritable
Term
fulminate
Definition
(v) to loudly attack or denounce
Term
furtive
Definition
(adj.) marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
Term
gainsay
Definition
(v) to deny, dispute, contradict, oppose
Term
garrulous
Definition
(adj.) pointlessly talkative, talking too much (not like Michelle! :P)
Term
germane
Definition
(adj.) relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
Term
glib
Definition
(adj.) marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
Term
grandiloquence (adj. form: grandiloquent)
Definition
(n) pompous speech or expression
Term
gregarious
Definition
(adj.) sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
Term
grouse
Definition
(v) to complain or grumble
Term
guy
Definition
(n/v) a rope, cord, or cable attached to something as a brace or guide; to steady or reinforce using a guy: Think guide
Term
hackneyed
Definition
(adj.) rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
Term
halcyon
Definition
(adj.) calm and peaceful
Term
harangue
Definition
(v./n.) to deliver a pompous speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
Term
hedonism
Definition
(n) devotion to pleasurable pursuits, esp. to the pleasure of the senses (a hedonist is someone who pursue pleasure)
Term
hegemony
Definition
(n) the consistent dominance of one state or ideology over others
Term
heretical (n. form: heresy)
Definition
(adj.) violating accepted dogma or convention
Term
heterodox
Definition
(adj.) unorthodox, heretical, iconoclast
Term
hubris
Definition
(n) overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
Term
hyperbole (adj. form: hyperbolic)
Definition
(n) an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech
Term
iconoclast
Definition
(n) one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institution
Term
idolatrous (n. form: idolatry)
Definition
(adj.) given to intense or excessive devotion to something
Term
imbroglio
Definition
(n) difficult or embarrassing situation
Term
imminent
Definition
(adj.) about to happen; impending
Term
immutable
Definition
(adj.) not capable of change
Term
impassive
Definition
(adj.) revealing no emotion
Term
impecunious
Definition
(adj.) lacking funds; without money
Term
imperturbable
Definition
(adj.) marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness
Term
impetuous
Definition
(adj.) hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
Term
implacable
Definition
(adj.) not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
Term
impunity
Definition
(n) immunity from punishment or penalty
Term
inchoate
Definition
(adj.) in an initial stage; not fully formed
Term
incipient
Definition
(adj.) beginning to come into being or to become apparent
Term
indefatigable
Definition
(adj.) not easily exhaustible; tireless, dogged
Term
indifferent
Definition
(adj.) having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
Term
ineluctable
Definition
(adj.) certain, inevitable
Term
inert
Definition
(adj.) unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
Term
infelicitous
Definition
(adj.) unfortunate; inappropriate
Term
ingenuous
Definition
(adj.) artless; frank and candid; lacking in a sophistication
Term
inimical
Definition
(adj.) damaging; harmful; injurious
Term
inimitable
Definition
(adj.) one of a kind, peerless
Term
innocuous
Definition
(adj.) harmless; causing no damage
Term
insipid
Definition
(adj.) without taste or flavor; lacking in spirit; bland
Term
insouciant
Definition
(adj.) unconcerned, carefree, heedless
Term
intimate
Definition
(v) to imply, suggest or insinuate-[Are you intimating that I cannot be trusted?]
Term
intractable
Definition
(adj.) not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
Term
intransigent (n. form: intransigence)
Definition
(adj.) refusing to compromise
Term
intrepid
Definition
(adj.) steadfast and courageous
Term
inured
Definition
(adj.) accustomed to accepting something undesirable
Term
inveigle
Definition
(v) to obtain by deception or flattery
Term
inveterate
Definition
(adj.) deep rooted, ingrained, habitual
Term
irascible
Definition
(adj.) easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts
Term
jejune
Definition
(adj.) vapid, uninteresting, nugatory; childish, immature, puerile
Term
laconic
Definition
(adj.) using few words; terse
Term
laud (adj. form; laudatory)
Definition
(v) to praise highly
Term
list
Definition
(v) to tilt or lean on one side-[The ship's broken mass listed helplessly in the wind]
Term
loquacious (n. form: loquacity)
Definition
(adj.) extremely talkative (like Michelle!)
Term
lubricious
Definition
(adj.) lewd, wanton, greasy, slippery
Term
lucid
Definition
(adj.) clear; easily understood
Term
lumber
Definition
(v) to move heavily and clumsily-[Lumbering giants on land, walruses are actually graceful swimmers]
Term
luminous
Definition
(adj.) characterized by brightness and the emission of light
Term
magnanimity (adj. form: magnanimous)
Definition
(n) the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart esp. in forgiving
Term
malevolent (n. form: malevolence)
Definition
(adj.) having or showing often vicious ill will, spite, or hatred
Term
malleable
Definition
(adj.) capable of being shaped or formed; tractable; pliable
Term
martial
Definition
(adj) associated with war and the armed forces
Term
maverick
Definition
(n) an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
Term
meet
Definition
(adj.) fitting, proper-[It is altogether meet that Jackie Robinson is in the baseball hall of fame.]
Term
mendacity (adj. form: mendacious)
Definition
(n) the condition of being untruthful; dishonesty
Term
mendicant
Definition
(n) a beggar, supplicant
Term
mercurial
Definition
(adj.) characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
Term
meretricious
Definition
(adj.) cheap, gaudy, tawdry, flashy, showy; attracting by false show
Term
meticulous
Definition
(adj.) characterized by extreme care and precision; attentive to detail
Term
milk
Definition
(v) to exploit, to squeeze every ounce of-[I milked the position for all it was worth]
Term
minatory
Definition
(adj.) menacing, threatening (reminds you of the Minotaur, a threatening creature indeed)
Term
mince
Definition
(v) pronounce or speak affectedly, euphemize, speak too carefully-[Don't mince words.[ Also, to take tiny steps, tiptoe
Term
misanthrope (adj. form: misanthropic)
Definition
(n) one who hates all other humans
Term
mitigate
Definition
(v) to make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
Term
mollify
Definition
(v) to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
Term
morose
Definition
(adj.) sad; sullen; melancholy
Term
mundane
Definition
(adj.) of the world; typical pf or concerned with the ordinary
Term
nadir
Definition
(n) low point, perigee
Term
nascent
Definition
(adj.) coming into being; in early developmental stages
Term
nebulous
Definition
(adj.) vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
Term
neologism
Definition
(n) a new word, expression or usage; the creation or usage of new words or senses
Term
neophyte
Definition
(n) a recent convert; a beginner; novice
Term
nice
Definition
(adj.) exacting, fastidious, extremely precise: [He made a nice distinction between the two cases]
Term
nonplussed
Definition
(adj.) baffled, bewildered, at a loss for what to do or think
Term
noxious
Definition
(adj.) harmful, injurious
Term
obdurate
Definition
(adj.) unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
Term
obfuscate
Definition
(v) to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
Term
obsequious
Definition
(adj.) exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
Term
obstinate
Definition
(adj.) stubborn; hardheaded; uncompromising
Term
obstreperous
Definition
(adj.) noisily and stubbornly defiant, aggressively boisterous
Term
obtain
Definition
(adj.) to be established, accepted, or customary-[Those standards no longer obtain]
Term
obtuse
Definition
(adj.) lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
Term
obviate
Definition
(v) to anticipate and make unnecessary
Term
occlude
Definition
(v) to obstruct or block
Term
occult
Definition
(adj.) hidden, concealed, beyond comprehension
Term
odious
Definition
(adj.) evoking intense aversion or dislike
Term
onerous
Definition
(adj.) troubling; burdensome
Term
opaque
Definition
(adj.) impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
Term
opprobrium
Definition
(n) disgrace; contempt; scorn
Term
oscillation (v. form: oscillate)
Definition
(n) the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm
Term
ossified
Definition
(adj.) tending to become more rigid, conventional, sterile and reactionary with age; literally, turned into bone
Term
ostentatious
Definition
(adj.) characterized by or given to pretentious play; showy
Term
paean
Definition
(n) a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
Term
palliate
Definition
(v) to make something seem less serious, to gloss over, to make less severe or intense
Term
panegyric
Definition
(n) formal praise, eulogy, encomium; panegyrical means expressing elaborate praise
Term
parody
Definition
(n) a humorous imitation intended for ridicule of comic effect, esp. in literature and art
Term
parsimonious
Definition
(adj.) cheap, miserly-[A parsimonious person parses out his money with great difficult]
Term
pedagogy
Definition
(n) the profession or principles of teaching, or instructing
Term
pedantic
Definition
(adj,) overly concerned with the trivial details of learning or education; show-offish about one's knowledge
Term
pedestrian
Definition
(adj.) commonplace, trite, unremarkable, quotidian
Term
pellucid
Definition
(adj.) transparent, easy to understand, limpid
Term
penurious
Definition
(adj.) penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
Term
penury
Definition
(n) poverty; destitution
Term
perennial
Definition
(adj.) recurrent throughout the years or many years; happening repeatedly
Term
perfidy (adj. form: perfidious)
Definition
(n) intentional breach of faith; treachery
Term
perfunctory
Definition
(adj.) cursory; done without care or interest
Term
pernicious
Definition
(adj.) extremely harmful; potentially causing death
Term
peroration
Definition
(n) the concluding part of a speech; flowery, rhetorical speech
Term
perspicacious (n. form: perspicacity)
Definition
(adj.) acutely perceptive; having keen discernment
Term
peruse (n. form; perusal)
Definition
(v) to examine with great care
Term
pervade (adj. form: pervasive)
Definition
(v) to permeate throughout
Term
pervasive
Definition
(adj.) having the tendency to permeate or spread throughout
Term
phlegmatic
Definition
(adj.) calm; sluggish; unemotional
Term
pied
Definition
(adj.) multicolored, usually in blotches-[The Pied Piper of Hamlin was co called because of his multicolored coat.]
Term
pine
Definition
(v) to lose vigor (as through grief); to yearn
Term
pine
Definition
(v) to yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
Term
pious (n. form. piety)
Definition
(adj.) extremely reverent or devout; showing strong religious devotion
Term
pirate
Definition
(v) to illegally use or produce
Term
pith
Definition
(n) the essential or central part
Term
pithy
Definition
(adj.) precise and brief
Term
placate
Definition
(v) to appease; to clam by making concessions
Term
plangent
Definition
(adj.) pounding, thundering, resounding
Term
plastic
Definition
(adj.) moldable, pliable, not rigid
Term
platitude
Definition
(n) a superficial remark, esp. one offered as meaningful
Term
plethora
Definition
(n) an overabundance; a surplus
Term
pluck
Definition
(n) courage, spunk, fortitude-[Churchill's speeches inspired a pluck of his countrymen during the war.]
Term
plummet
Definition
(v) to plunge or drop straight down
Term
pragmatic
Definition
(adj.) practical rather than idealistic
Term
prattle
Definition
(v) to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
Term
precipitate
Definition
(adj.) acting with excessive haste or impulse
Term
precipitate
Definition
(v) to cause or happen before anticipated or required
Term
precursor
Definition
(n) one that precedes and indicates or announces another
Term
predilection
Definition
(n) a disposition in favor of something; preference
Term
preen
Definition
(v) to dress; to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
Term
prescience (adj. form: prescient)
Definition
(n) foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring
Term
presumptuous
Definition
(adj.) over stepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
Term
prevaricate
Definition
(v) to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
Term
pristine
Definition
(adj.) pure; uncorrupted; clean
Term
prize
Definition
(v) to pry, to press or force with a lever; something taken by force, spoils-[The information was prized from him.]
Term
probity
Definition
(n) adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
Term
proclivity
Definition
(n) a natural predisposition or inclination
Term
prodigal
Definition
(adj.) recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
Term
prodigious
Definition
(adj.) abundant in size, force or extent; extraordinary
Term
profligate (n. form: profligacy)
Definition
(adj.) excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
Term
profuse
Definition
(adj.) given or coming forth abundantly; extravagant
Term
proliferate
Definition
(v) to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
Term
prolific
Definition
(adj.) producing large volumes or amounts; productive
Term
prolix
Definition
(adj.) long-winded, verbose; prolixity means verbosity-[Mikhail Gorbachev is famous for his prolixity]
Term
propensity
Definition
(n) a natural inclination or tendency; penchant
Term
propitiate
Definition
(v) to appease; to conciliate; propitious means auspicious, favorable
Term
prosaic
Definition
(adj.) dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
Term
puerile
Definition
(adj.) childish, immature, jejune, nugatory
Term
puissance
Definition
(n) power, strength; puissant means powerful, strong-[The senator delivered a puissant speech to the convention]
Term
pungent
Definition
(adj.) characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
Term
pusillanimous
Definition
(adj.) cowardly, craven
Term
putrefy (adj. form: putrid)
Definition
(v) to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
Term
quaff
Definition
(v) to drink deeply
Term
quail
Definition
(v) to lose courage, turn frightened
Term
qualify
Definition
(v) to limit-[Let me qualify that statement]
Term
qualms
Definition
(n) misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy
Term
queries
Definition
(n) questions; inquiries; doubts in the mind; reservations
Term
querulous
Definition
(adj.) prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
Term
quiescence (adj. form: quiescent)
Definition
(n) stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at rest
Term
quixotic
Definition
(adj.) foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
Term
quotidian
Definition
(adj.) occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
Term
rail
Definition
(v) to complain about bitterly-[Early American progressives railed against the railroad barons.]
Term
rancorous (n. form: rancor)
Definition
(adj.) characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
Term
rarefy
Definition
(v) to make or become thing, less dense; to refine
Term
recalcitrant
Definition
(adj.) obstinately defiant of authority; difficult to manage
Term
recant
Definition
(v) to retract, esp. a previously held belief
Term
recondite
Definition
(adj.) hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
Term
redoubtable
Definition
(adj.) awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
Term
refulgent
Definition
(adj.) radiant; shiny; brilliant
Term
refute
Definition
(v) to disprove; to successfully urge against
Term
relegate
Definition
(v) to forcibly assign, esp. to a lower place or position
Term
remonstrate
Definition
(v) to protest, object
Term
renege
Definition
(v) to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
Term
rent
Definition
(v/n) torn, past or rend-[He rent his garments]; an opening tear caused by such-[a large rent in the fabric]
Term
repudiate
Definition
(v) to refuse to have anything to do with; disown
Term
rescind
Definition
(v) to invalidate; to repeal; to retract
Term
reticent
Definition
(adj.) quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts or feelings
Term
reverent (n. form: reverence)
Definition
(adj.) marked by, feeling or expressing a feeling of profound awe and respect
Term
rhetoric
Definition
(n) the art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion
Term
sagacious
Definition
(adj.) having sound judgement; perceptive, wise, like a sage
Term
salacious
Definition
(adj.) lustful, lascivious, bawdy
Term
salubrious
Definition
(adj.) promoting health or well-being
Term
salutary
Definition
(adj.) remedial, wholesome, causing improvement
Term
sanction
Definition
(n/v) authoritative permission or approval; a penalty intended to enforce compliance; to give permission or authority to
Term
sanguine
Definition
(adj.) cheerful, confident, optimistic
Term
sap
Definition
(adj.) a fool or nitwit-[Don't be a sap]
Term
sap
Definition
(v) to enervate or weaken the vitality of-[The race sapped my strength]
Term
satire (adj. form: satirical)
Definition
(n) a literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision
Term
saturnine
Definition
(adj.) gloomy, dark, sullen, morose
Term
scurvy
Definition
(adj.) contemptible, despicable-[He was a scurvy old reprobate.]
Term
sedulous
Definition
(adj.) diligent; persistent; hardworking (like nerds!)
Term
sententious
Definition
(adj.) aphoristic or moralistic; epigrammatic; tending to moralize excessively
Term
shard
Definition
(n) a piece of broken pottery or glass
Term
singular
Definition
(adj.) exceptional, unusual, odd-[He was singularly well-suited for the job]
Term
solicitous
Definition
(adj.) concerned and attentive; eager
Term
solvent
Definition
(adj.) able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
Term
soporific
Definition
(adj.) causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep (like Turkey!)
Term
sordid
Definition
(adj.) characterized by film, grime, or squalor; foul
Term
sparse
Definition
(adj.) thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
Term
specious
Definition
(adj.) seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive; plausible but false
Term
spendthrift
Definition
(n) one who spends money wastefully (like people who buy golden toilets! haha)
Term
sporadic
Definition
(adj.) occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances
Term
spurious
Definition
(adj.) lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
Term
squalid (n. form: squalor)
Definition
(adj.) sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
Term
squander
Definition
(v) to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
Term
stand
Definition
(n) a group of trees
Term
static
Definition
(adj.) not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
Term
steep
Definition
(v) to saturate or completely soak, as a in to let a tea bag steep-[She was steeped in esoteric knowledge]
Term
stentorian
Definition
(adj.) extremely loud and powerful
Term
stoic (n. form: stoicism)
Definition
(adj.) indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
Term
strut
Definition
(n) the supporting structural cross-part of a wing
Term
stupefy
Definition
(v) to stun, baffle, or amaze
Term
stygian
Definition
(adj.) gloomy, dark
Term
stymie
Definition
(v) to block; thwart
Term
subpoena
Definition
(n) a court order requiting appearance and/or testimony
Term
subtle
Definition
(adj.) not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
Term
succinct
Definition
(adj.) brief; concise
Term
superfluous
Definition
(adj.) exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
Term
supplant
Definition
(v) to take the place of; supersede
Term
surfeit
Definition
(n/v) an overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply to excess
Term
sycophant
Definition
(n) toady, servile, self-seeking flatterer; parasite
Term
synthesis (v. form: synthesize)
Definition
(n) the combination of parts to make a whole
Term
table
Definition
(v) to remove (as a parliamentary motion) from consideration-[They tabled the motion and will consider it again later]
Term
tacit
Definition
(adj.) implied; not explicitly stated
Term
tenacity adj. form: tenacious)
Definition
(n) the quality of adherence to something valued; persistent determination
Term
tendentious
Definition
(adj.) biased; showing marked tendencies
Term
tender
Definition
(v) to proffer or offer-[He tended his resignation]
Term
tenuous
Definition
(adj.) having little substance or strength; flimsy; weak
Term
terse
Definition
(adj.) brief and concise in wording
Term
timorous
Definition
(adj.) timid, fearful, diffident
Term
tirade
Definition
(n) a long and extremely critical speech; a harsh denunciation
Term
torpid (n. form: torpor)
Definition
(adj.) lethargic; sluggish; dormant
Term
torque
Definition
(n) a force that causes rotation
Term
tortuous
Definition
(adj.) winding, twisting; excessively complicated
Term
tout
Definition
(v) to publicly praise or promote
Term
transient
Definition
(adj.) fleeting; passing quickly; brief
Term
trenchant
Definition
(adj.) sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
Term
truculent
Definition
(adj.) fierce and cruel; eager to fight
Term
tyro
Definition
(n) novice, greenhorn, rank amateur
Term
ubiquitous
Definition
(adj.) existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; wide-spread
Term
unfeigned
Definition
(adj.) genuine; not false or hypocritical
Term
untenable
Definition
(adj.) indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
Term
urbane (n. form: urbanity)
Definition
(adj.) sophisticated, refined, elegant
Term
vacillate
Definition
(v) to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another; waver
Term
variegated
Definition
(adj.) multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different colors
Term
veracity
Definition
(n) truthfulness, honesty
Term
vexation (v. form: vex)
Definition
(n) annoyance; irritation
Term
vigilant (n. form: vigilant)
Definition
(adj.) alertly watchful
Term
vilify
Definition
(v) to defame; to characterize harshly
Term
virulent
Definition
(adj.) extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
Term
viscous (n. form; viscosity)
Definition
(adj.) thick; sticky
Term
vitiate
Definition
(v) to corrupt, debase, spoil, make ineffective
Term
vituperate
Definition
(v) to use harsh, condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; berate
Term
volatile (n. form: volatility)
Definition
(adj.) readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive
Term
voluble
Definition
(adj.) fluent, verbal, having easy to use of spoken language
Term
voracious
Definition
(adj.) having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
Term
waffle
Definition
(v) to equivocate; to change one's position [His detractors say that the President waffles too much; he can never make up his mind]
Term
wag
Definition
(n) wit, joke [Groucho Max was a well-known wag]
Term
waver
Definition
(v) to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion
Term
zealous
Definition
(adj.) fervent; ardent; impassioned; devoted to a cause (a zealot is a zealous person)
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