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1. uncalled for; lacking good reason; unwarranted
ex.)gratuitous violence
2. given or done free of charge |
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prevailing code, tenet, doctrine
ex.)Many scientists dismiss the six-day creation, the 6,000-year-old Earth, and other literal interpretations of the Bible's creation story as church dogma having no factual foundation |
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A dummy or artifact for public observation. If representing someone hated, it might be burned
ex.)Protesting American foreign policy, the demonstrators burned an effigy of the President in front of the White House |
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| One who derives pleasure from receiving pain |
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Well adapted; suitable or fit; relevant; appropriate; pertinent
ex.)The senator's apposite characterization as a philanderer was well deserved |
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in beginning stages, recently born; (especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential
ex.)the nascent space industry |
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An old saying, which has obtained credit by long use; a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth
ex.)the old adage “out of sight out of mind.” |
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a minor weakness or eccentricity in of character; shortcoming; defect
ex.)they have to tolerate each other's little foibles |
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1. having or showing the symptoms of a fever
ex.)a febrile illness
2. having or showing a great deal of nervous excitement or energy
ex.)a febrile imagination |
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First; that begins a series; marking the beginning of an institution, activity, or period of office
ex.)his inaugural concert as music director |
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To get or maneuver through cleverness or craftiness (often by devious or dishonest means)
ex.)Ted attended all the football games he could finagle tickets for |
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| atavistic (ayh-tah-vis-tic) |
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Definition
relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral
ex.)atavistic fears and instincts |
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not able to be doubted, questioned, or criticized; entirely trustworthy
ex.)an unimpeachable witness |
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| unwilling to compromise, or apologize for, one's views |
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feeling or characterized by great anger
ex.)a barrage of irate letters |
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the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency
ex.)Although they were accusing her of several heinous crimes she nonetheless answered all of their questions with total probity. |
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very angry; enraged
ex.)I was absolutely incensed |
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a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that follows the doing of something bad
ex.)spend the money without compunction |
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combine (one thing) with another so that they become a whole
ex.)transportation planning should be integrated with energy policy |
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equivalent in seriousness to/value/significance of/effect; virtually the same as
ex.)Your behavior is tantamount to that of a hardened criminal |
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| That which is supposed; hypothesis; conjecture; surmise; opinion or belief without sufficient evidence |
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| analogous (think analogy!) |
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comparable in certain respects, typically in a way that makes clearer the nature of the things compared
ex.)they saw the relationship between a ruler and his subjects as analogous to that of father and children |
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1. Belonging or related to the subject or matter in hand; fit or appropriate in any way; adapted to the end proposed; apposite; material; relevant
2. Regarding; concerning; belonging; pertaining |
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Open to view; public; apparent; manifest; done or shown openly; not hidden
ex.)an overt act of treason |
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1. the roof of the mouth
2. relish; taste; liking
ex.)a fine range of drink for sophisticated palates |
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| Rejection; a setting aside as trivial, invalid, or unworthy of consideration |
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1. Of or pertaining to a tree, or to trees; of nature of trees
2. Attached to, found in or upon, or frequenting, woods or trees
ex.)arboreal possum |
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1. To combine by synthesis; to unite
2. To produce by synthesis |
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Loaded; freighted; burdened
ex.)a ship laden with gold; a laden heart |
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someone who supports a particular party, person, or set of ideas
ex.)he was a strong adherent of monetarism |
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(of a feeling or a memory) lasting a long time; enduring
ex.)he had an abiding respect for her |
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hard, menial, or dull work
ex.)domestic drudgery |
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able to be understood; comprehensible
ex.)this would make the system more intelligible to the general public |
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| a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution |
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| the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it |
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(especially of the state) take away (property) from its owner
ex.)government plans to expropriate farmland |
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turn away (one's eyes or thoughts)
ex.)she averted her eyes during the more violent scenes |
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| the action or fact of abasing or being abased; humiliation or degradation |
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(of a situation or condition) extremely bad, unpleasant, and degrading
ex.)abject poverty |
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| to accuse of or present proof of a crime or fault |
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describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval
ex.)the institution was stigmatized as a last resort for the destitute |
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1. a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory
ex.)the exposition and defense of his ethics
2. a large public exhibition of art or trade goods |
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make (something abstract) more concrete or real
ex.)Regarding an abstraction as if it had concrete or material existence, the artist was well-known for his works which would refiy the ideal |
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Term
| edulcorate (eh-dul-ku-rate) |
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Definition
make (something) more acceptable or palatable(pleasant)
ex.)I had to add at least 2 packs of sugar in order to edulcorate the bitter coffee |
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| soporific (sof-er-if-ick) |
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Definition
1. causing or tending to induce sleep
ex.)the motion of the train had a somewhat soporific effect
2. pertaining to or characterized by sleep or sleepiness; sleepy; drowsy |
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(especially of an unwelcome influence or physical effect) spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people
ex.)ageism (discrimination based on age) is pervasive and entrenched in our society |
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| celerity (seh-lare-eh-tee) |
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Definition
swiftness; speed
ex.)the student lacks celerity in getting to class |
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ineffective; incompetent; futile
ex.)The teacher was not convinced by his feckless excuses on why he failed to do his homework |
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to reduce to fine particles or spray/atoms
ex.)Disgusted with her party's atomization into factions, the senator made efforts to bring her feuding colleagues together. |
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1. to attack on all sides; assail; harass; trouble or threaten persistently
ex.)the social problems that beset the inner city
2. to surround
3. to set or place upon; be covered or studded with
ex.)the wedding ring was beset with diamonds
ex.)blades of grass beset with glistening drops of dew |
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Definition
extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical
ex.)I advised him to avoid such a vast and perhaps quixotic project |
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incapable of being resisted or evaded; inescapable; inevitable
ex.)the ineluctable facts of history |
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1. a slight infusion, as of some element or quality
ex.)A tincture of education had softened his rude manners
2. a trace; a smack or smattering; tinge
ex.)a tincture of irony
3. a dye or pigment |
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Definition
to charge with fault; blame; accuse; incriminate
ex.)someone placed the pistol in your room in order to inculpate you |
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1. incisive or keen, as language or a person; caustic; cutting
ex.)trenchant wit
2. vigorous; effective; energetic
3. clearly or sharply defined; clear-cut; distinct |
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| not transparent; (mental) dullness; obscurity of meaning |
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profitable; moneymaking; remunerative (reh-mune-er-a-tive)
ex.)a lucrative business |
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| not suitable or appropriate in the circumstances |
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| not representative of a type, group, or class; irregular, abnormal |
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| disposed or inclined to revenge; vengeful |
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a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something
ex.)he has a penchant for adopting stray dogs |
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1. (of a cruel or violent action) deliberate and unprovoked
ex.)sheer wanton vandalism
2. (especially of a woman) sexually immodest or promiscuous |
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atone for (guilt or sin)
ex.)their sins must be expiated by sacrifice |
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| chauvinism (show-veh-niz-em) |
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Definition
1. exaggerated or aggressive patriotism
ex.)public opinion was easily moved to chauvinism and nationalism
2. excessive or prejudiced loyalty or support for one's own cause, group, or gender |
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having or relating to two sides; affecting both sides
ex.)bilateral hearing is essential for sound location |
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| a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument |
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a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage; bown-noser
ex.)I thought you wanted a competent assistant, not a nodding sycophant |
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a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit
ex.)a celebrated clarinet virtuoso |
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| megalomania (mega-lo-mania) |
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| obsession with the exercise of power, especially in the domination of others; delusion about one's own power or importance (typically as a symptom of manic or paranoid disorder) |
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| chicanery (sheh-keen-er-ee) |
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the use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose
ex.)an underhanded person who schemes corruption and political chicanery behind closed doors |
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modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence
ex.)a diffident youth |
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| effervescent (eff-er-ves-ent) |
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Definition
1. (of a liquid) giving off bubbles; fizzy
ex.)an effervescent drink
2. vivacious and enthusiastic
ex.)effervescent young people |
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Definition
carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection; cursory
ex.)he gave a perfunctory nod |
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| the quality of having a grim or ghastly atmosphere |
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exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action
ex.)the impunity enjoyed by military officers implicated in civilian killings |
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the conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated
ex.)the implication is that no one person at the bank is responsible |
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a thing at which someone excels
ex.)small talk was not his forte |
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a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well; affinity
ex.)she was able to establish a good rapport with the children |
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an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation; a violation of accepted, although unwritten, social rules
ex.)Wearing the revealing dress to the funeral was a fashion faux pas |
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| sententious (sen-ten-shuhs) |
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Definition
1. having or expressing strong opinions
about what people should and should not do; given to excessive moralizing; self-righteous
ex.)He is always trying to use some old maxim or wise saying to make his point. Sometimes it's effective, other times he comes off as sententious
2. given to or using pithy sayings or maxims - concise |
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Definition
| a pithy observation that contains a general truth, such as, “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” |
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Definition
concise, forceful and fully expressive
ex.)proverbs and poems are pithy |
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displaying or indicative of an offensively condescending manner
ex.)a patronizing smile |
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belonging naturally; inherent; essential
ex.)access to the arts is intrinsic to a high quality of life |
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| blasphemy (blayhs-fuh-mee) |
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Definition
the act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk
ex.)he was detained on charges of blasphemy |
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| mendacious (men-day-shuhs) |
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Definition
not telling the truth; lying; deceitful
ex.)mendacious propaganda |
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| cosmopolitan (cosmo-paul-ah-tin) |
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Definition
familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures
ex.)his knowledge of French, Italian, and Spanish made him genuinely cosmopolitan |
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a place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged
ex.)it will be a forum for consumers to exchange their views on medical research |
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rising in power or influence
ex.)ascendant moderate factions in the party |
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| panegyric (pan-ah-jeer-ick) |
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| a public speech or published text in praise of someone or something |
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| a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person |
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| grimly mocking or cynical |
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an expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called on to give opinions about it to the public
ex.)a globe-trotting financial pundit |
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in which
ex.)the situation wherein the information will eventually be used |
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by which
ex.)a system whereby people could vote by telephone |
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| profundity (pro-found-deh-tee) |
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Definition
| having intellectual depth and insight |
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1. of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
2. having low density |
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| obfuscation (ob-feh-scation) |
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Definition
1. to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy
2. to make obscure or unclear
ex.)to further obfuscate a problem with extraneous information |
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absolute certainty or conviction that something is the case
ex.)"the question may never be answered with certitude |
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the quality of being religious or reverent
ex.)acts of piety and charity |
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| (especially in journalism) the use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy, in order to provoke public interest or excitement |
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make a forcefully reproachful protest
ex.)he turned angrily to remonstrate with Tommy |
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| capitulated (kah-pitch-uu-late) |
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Definition
cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; surrender
ex.)the patriots had to capitulate to the enemy forces |
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lasting or existing for a long or apparently infinite time; enduring or continually recurring
ex.)his perennial distrust of the media |
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| flamboyant confidence of style or manner |
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| the act of placing in a lower rank or position; making secondary |
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| defiance of authority; refusal to obey orders |
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strongly reminiscent or suggestive of (something)
ex.)names that were redolent of history and tradition |
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| propitiatory (pruh-pish-ee-ah-tory) |
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Definition
to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate
ex.)His use of the phrase "Yes, dear," was merely a propitiatory response |
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| not showing a serious or respectful attitude |
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| an abundance or large quantity of something |
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(of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence
ex.)he watched himself with the most sedulous care |
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| vitriolic (veh-tree-olic) |
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Definition
filled with bitter criticism or malice
ex.)vitriolic attacks on the politicians |
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