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Stack #213368
test9
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| condign | adequate; (of punishment) severe and well deserved |
| oscillate | vibrate pendulumlike; waver |
| theoretical | based on theory; not practical or applied; hypothetical |
| pundit | authority on a subject; expert; learned person |
| stereotype | one regarded as embodying a set image or type; fixed and unvarying representation; standardized mental picture often reflecting prejudice; Ex. stereotype of the happy slave; V: make a stereotype of; represent by a stereotype; |
| brawny | muscular; having well-developed muscles |
| surfeit | satiate; feed or supply to excess; stuff; indulge to excess in anything; N: surfeiting; excessive amount; Ex. surfeit of food |
| hazard | venture; put in danger; risk; Ex. hazard a guess; N: possible source of danger |
| eloquence | expressiveness; persuasive speech; ADJ. eloquent: movingly expressive; expressing ideas well so that the hearers can be influeneced |
| fanciful | whimsical; visionary; imaginary; produced by imagination; Ex. fanciful scheme |
| factious | inclined to form factions; causing dissension |
| chassis | framework and working parts of an automobile; framework to which components are attached |
| inopportune | untimely; inappropriate or ill-timed; poorly chosen |
| alcove | nook; recess |
| vendetta | blood feud (esp. between two families); CF. Nina Williams |
| nemesis | someone seeking revenge; source of downfall or ruin; CF. Nemesis |
| accrue | come to one as a gain; accumulate over time; come about by addition; Ex. benefits that accrue from scientific research; Ex. interest accruing in a bank account; N. accrual |
| undertaker | funeral director; one whose business is to arrange burials |
| complementary | serving to complete something |
| jingoist | extremely aggressive and militant patriot; warlike chauvinist; N. jingoism: extreme nationalism |
| aquiline | curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose |
| lofty | very high |
| mordant | biting; sarcastic; stinging; (apprec.) incisive; cutting; Ex. mordant pen/wit |
| bombast | grandiloquent, pompous speech |
| shift | change position or place; exchange (one thing) for another; change in direction or position; Ex. shift the stolen goods; N. group of workers which takes turns with other groups; working period of such a group |
| deft | neat; skillful |
| homily | sermon; tedious moralizing lecture; serious warning; ADJ. homiletic |
| rankle | irritate; fester; annoy |
| mingle | mix together in close association |
| indeterminate | uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite |
| rotundity | roundness; sonorousness of speech |
| enumerate | list; mention one by one |
| congenial | pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one's tastes and nature; Ex. congenial weather |
| gist | essence; main point; substance |
| privation | lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life; hardship; want; CF. deprive |
| cataclysm | deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change |
| toxic | poisonous; N. toxicity |
| mutter | utter (complaining words) indistinctly in low tones |
| abjure | renounce upon oath |
| extradition | surrender of prisoner by one state to another; Ex. extradition treaty; V. extradite |
| quirk | sudden sharp turn or twist; startling twist; caprice; idiosyncrasy; peculiarity of behavior; Ex. by a quirk of fate |
| aspire | seek to attain (position or status); long for; Ex. aspire to become president; Ex. aspire to/after the leadership |
| stratagem | deceptive scheme; clever trick |
| arrogance | pride; haughtiness; ADJ. arrogant: unpleasantly self-important (with a strong confidence in one's own importance and a lack of respect for other people) |
| commune | small (often rural) community whose members share work and income; V: exchange thoughts or feelings; Ex. commune with nature |
| forestall | prevent by taking action in advance |
| inundate | flood; overflow; submerge; cover completely; Ex. inundated with work |
| fussy | fastidious; finicky; easily upset |
| estranged | separated; alienated; V. estrange: alienate (people in a family); N. estrangement |
| jetsam | things thrown from a ship (to lighten the ship) |
| bequeath | leave to someone by means of a will; hand down in his will; N. bequest |
| dauntless | bold; fearless |
| lien | legal claim or right on a property |
| congruent | in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly; CF. congruous |
| expound | explain |
| obtuse | blunt; not sharp; stupid; slow in understanding |
| detrimental | harmful; damaging; N. detriment |
| mangy | shabby; wretched; suffering from mange; of bad appearance |
| putrefy | make or become putrid; N. putrefaction |
| hideous | repulsive to the sight; ugly; repugnant; Ex. hideous face/scream |
| abate | subside or moderate |
| annul | make void |
| egotism | tendency to speak or write of oneself excessively; conceit; self-importance |
| skeptic | sceptic; doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence supporting a point of view; ADJ. skeptical; N. skepticism; scepticism |
| audacious | daring; bold; N. audacity |
| compost | mixture of decaying organic matter used as fertilizer; V: put or make compost |
| heresy | opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted religion; ADJ. heretical; CF. heretic |
| high-flown | highly pretentious or inflated |
| maniacal | raging mad; insane; N. maniac: insane person; CF. mania: disorder of the mind; intense enthusiasm |
| whorl | ring of leaves around stem; ring; circular arrangement; Ex. whorls on the fingers |
| petulant | touchy; peevish; ill-tempered |
| decimate | kill (usually one out of ten or every tenth man); destroy or kill a large part of |
| resolve | decide; settle; solve; separate; make a determined decision; N. resolution |
| brave | face courageously; Ex. brave the storm |
| viscous | (of a liquid) thick and sticky; gluey; viscid; CF. consistency |
| grovel | crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate; behave in a servile manner |
| compliance | conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield; disposition to yield to others; V. comply |
| invalid | one incapacitated(disabled) by a chronic illness; ADJ: incapacitated by illness; not valid; null; V: allow to leave (a military force) because of ill-health |
| spurious | false; counterfeit; forged; illogical; Ex. spurious arguments |
| lechery | gross lewdness; lustfulness; ADJ. lecherous; N. lecher: lecherous man |
| entomology | study of insects |
| molt(moult) | periodically shed or cast off hairs or feathers (for replacement by a new growth) |
| expatiate | talk at length; speak or write in detail |
| tribute | tax levied by a ruler; payment made by one nation to another in acknowledgment of submission; mark of respect (such as praise or gift); Ex. pay tribute to |
| askance | with a sideways or indirect look (with disapproval or distruct); Ex. look askance at |
| dour | sullen; gloomy; stubborn |
| prate | talk idly; speak foolishly; boast idly |
| cardinal | chief; most important; N: priest; cardinal number: number that shows quantity rather thatn order |
| pastry | paste of flour and water (eaten when baked) |
| betroth | become engaged to marry |
| valediction | saying farewell; expression of leave-taking |
| hygiene | science and practice of the promotion and preservation of health; ADJ. hygienic: showing careful attention to cleanness (to prevent disease); Ex. hygienic condition |
| elaboration | addition of details; intricacy |
| homeostasis | tendency of a system or organism to maintain relative stability or internal equilibrium; CF. homeo-: constant; Ex. homeotherm |
| hostage | person who is kept as a prisoner by an enemy so that the other side will do what the enemy demands |
| resentment | indignation; bitterness; displeasure; V. resent: feel anger about |
| palimpsest | parchment or piece of writing material used for second time after original writing has been erased |
| vaporize | turn into vapor (steam, gas, fog, etc.) |
| lackadaisical | lacking interest or effort; lacking purpose or zest; lazy; halfhearted; languid |
| casualty | serious or fatal accident; person killed or wounded in an accident or battle |
| bulk | size or volume (esp. when very large); main part; Ex. The bulk of the work has already been done; ADJ. bulky: having great size |
| rectitude | moral correctness; moral uprightness; moral virtue; correctness of judgment |
| vainglorious | boastful; excessively conceited; N. vainglory: great vanity |
| filing | particle removed by a file |
| inveigh | denounce; utter censure or invective; Ex. inveigh against the evils of drink |
| pathetic | causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching |
| agnostic | one who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate reality |
| supererogatory | superfluous; more than needed or demanded |
| engross | occupy fully; absorb |
| orgy | wild drunken revelry; unrestrained indulgence in an activity; Ex. orgy of shopping |
| feral | (of an animal) not domestic; wild |
| hilarity | boisterous mirth(merriment; laughter); ADJ. hilarious: full of laughter |
| incandescent | strikingly bright; shining with intense heat; emitting visible light when heated; Ex. incandescent light bulb; CF. candle |
| forebears(forbears) | ancestors |
| disenfranchise | disfranchise; deprive of a civil right; OP. enfranchise |
| slink | move furtively; ADJ. slinky: stealthy; furtive; sneaky (as in ambush) |
| besmirch | soil; defile; make dirty |
| brood | sit on in order to hatch; think deeply or worry anxiously; N: the young of certain animals; group of young birds hatched at one time |
| beholden | obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude |
| flay | strip off skin; plunder; remove the skin from; criticize harshly |
| sophomoric | immature; half-baked; like a sophomore |
| exculpate | clear from blame or guilt |
| perturb | disturb greatly |
| variegated | (esp. of a flower or leaf) many-colored |
| excerpt | selected passage (written or musical) taken from a longer work; V. |
| insolvent | bankrupt; lacking money to pay; N. insolvency |
| parley | conference (between opponents); CF. speak |
| compendium | brief, comprehensive summary; ADJ. compendious |
| gusty | windy |
| benison | blessing |
| don | put on; OP. doff |
| chaffing | bantering; joking |
| hive | box for bees; V: cause to go in a hive |
| catapult | slingshot; hurling machine; V: fire from catapult |
| aspirant | seeker after position or status |
| magistrate | official with power to administer the law |
| finite | limited |
| supplicant | one who supplicates; ADJ. |
| scrappy | quarrelsome |
| intelligentsia | intellectuals; members of the educated elite (often used derogatorily) |
| crochet | make (a piece of needlework) by looping thread with a hooked needle; N. CF. crotchet |
| epitome | perfect example or embodiment; brief summary; Ex. epitome of good manners; V. epitomize: make an epitome of; be an epitome of; embody |
| vagrant | wandering from place to place; roving; stray; moving in a random fashion; Ex. vagrant thoughts; N. vagrancy |
| falter | hesitate; weaken in purpose or action; walk or move unsteadily through weakness; N. |
| florid | ruddy; (of a complexion) reddish; flowery; very ornate; CF. rose |
| philatelist | stamp-collector; N. philately: stamp collecting |
| grotesque | fantastic; comically hideous; strange and unnatural (causing fear or amusement) |
| avalanche | great mass of falling snow and ice |
| accessible | easy to approach; obtainable |
| inane | silly; senseless; Ex. inane remarks; N. inanity |
| orientation | act of finding oneself in society; orienting |
| acidulous | slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic |
| crabbed | sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting |
| lagoon | shallow body of water or lake near a sea; lake separated from a sea by sandbars or coral reefs |
| unprepossessing | unattractive |
| airy | of air; high in the air; lofty; immaterial; unreal |
| acuity | sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing) |
| integrate | make whole; combine; make into one unit |
| dispatch | speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed; V: send to a specified destination; finish promptly; kill |
| knead | mix; work dough; mix and work into a uniform mass (with the hands); Ex. knead dough |
| spry | (esp. of older people) vigorously active; nimble |
| addiction | compulsive habitual need |
| bizarre | fantastic; violently contrasting; noticeably odd; strikingly unconventional |
| humane | marked by kindness or consideration; kind and compassionate; humanitarian |
| sycophant | servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man; ADJ. sycophantic |
| swear-word | word considered offensive; Ex. ``bloody'' |
| sedate | composed (with no excitement); grave; V: administer a sedative to; CF. sedative |
| abet | assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage |
| monograph | scholarly article |
| preternatural | beyond what is normal in nature; supernatural; Ex. preternatural strength/forces |
| jurisdiction | right and power to apply the law; authority |
| despoil | plunder; sack; Ex. despoil the village |
| voluminous | having great volume (as of a garment or container); bulky; large |
| dapper | neat and trim (in appearance); (of small men) neat in appearance and quick in movements; neat; spry |
| sleigh | large vehicle drawn by a horse over snow or ice |
| sullen | silently showing ill humor or resentment; dark; gloomy |
| anathema | solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize |
| destitute | extremely poor; lacking means of subsistence; utterly lacking; devoid; Ex. destitute of any experience |
| dismantle | take apart; disassemble |
| imperative | absolutely necessary; that must be done; critically important; expressing command; Ex. It is imperative that; N: something that must be done |
| disclaim | disown; renounce claim to; deny; CF. disclaimer |
| indoctrinate | cause to accept a doctrine without questioning it; Ex. indoctrinated with mindless anti-communism |
| indigence | poverty |
| interstice | narrow space between things |
| abode | dwelling place; home |
| avuncular | of or like an uncle |
| matin\'ee(matinee) | dramatic or musical performance given in the afternoon |
| welt | raised mark from a beating or whipping |
| strangle | kill by choking or suffocating; suppress |
| flotsam | drifting wreckage |
| eclipse | darken; extinguish; outshine; surpass; cause an eclipse |
| putative | supposed; reputed; generally regarded as such; Ex. putative father of the child |
| gerrymander | change voting district lines in order to favor a political party; N. CF. Elbridge Gerry + (sala)mander |
| implicate | incriminate; involve incriminatingly; show to be involved (in a crime); Ex. implicate someone in the crime |
| oblivion | obscurity; condition of being completely forgotten; forgetfulness |
| incompatible | inharmonious; N. incompatibility |
| assent | agree; accept; N. assessment |
| momentous | very important; N. moment; CF. momentary |
| seminal | related to seed or semen; germinal; creative; providing a basis for further development; influencing future developments; Ex. seminal research in a new field |
| histrionic | theatrical; excessively dramatic or emotional; affected; of actors or acting; N. histrionics: histrionic behavior |
| stockade | wooden enclosure or pen; fixed line of posts used as defensive barrier |
| stem | stop or check (the flow of); Ex. stem the bleeding from the slashed artery; N: main axis of a plant; stalk |
| vagary | capricious happening; caprice; whim; CF. wander |
| inculcate | teach (ideas or principles); instill |
| countermand | cancel; revoke (an order) |
| insularity | narrow-mindedness; isolation; ADJ. insular: of an island; isolated; narrow-minded; CF. peninsula |
| discriminating | able to see differences; discerning; prejudiced; N. discrimination |
| vouchsafe | grant condescendingly; guarantee; Ex. vouchsafe your fair return on your investment |
| rubble | fragments (esp. from a destroyed building) |
| abeyance | suspended action |
| sate | satisfy to the full; satisfy to excess; cloy |
| asymmetric | not identical on both sides of a dividing central line |
| rote | repetition; memorization through repetition without understanding; Ex. learn poetry by rote |
| immolate | offer or kill as a sacrifice (by fire) |
| malignant | tending to cause death; highly injurious; aggressively malevolent; Ex. malignant tumor |
| dysentery | inflammatory disorder of the lower intestinal tract |
| fray | brawl; fight; V: wear away or unravel by rubbing; have loose threads developing; cause to become worn out (a person's temper or nerves); CF. rub |
| agglomeration | collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. aggolmeate: jumbled mass; heap |
| phylum | major classification, second to kingdom, of plants and animals; category ranking below a kingdom and above a class; division |
| hiatus | gap; pause; gap or interruption in space or time; break |
| irrevocable | unalterable; irreversible; impossible to revoke |
| contrivance | something contrived; machine or apparatus; clever deceitful plan; scheme |
| apostate | one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs; N. apostasy |
| ratify | approve formally; confirm; verify |
| loft | room or space under the roof; attic |
| defray | provide for the payment of; undertake the payment of; pay |
| discerning | mentally quick and observant; having insight; perceptive; able to make good judgments; V. discern: perceive |
| chagrin | annoyance and disappointment; vexation (caused by humiliation or injured pride) |
| magisterial | authoritative; imperious; commanding; of a magistrate; Ex. magisterial study of Roman law; Ex. magisterial manner |
| warp | twist out of shape; N. |
| phenomena | observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation; SG. phenomenon: observable fact; very unusual person, thing, or event; marvel; wonder; CF. phenomenons; ADJ. phenomenal: very unusual; extraordinary; of a phenomenon; Ex. phenomenal strength |
| plaudit | praise; enthusiastic approval; round(succession or series) of applause; ADJ. plauditory; CF. applaud |
| litter | waste material thrown away (as bits of paper scattered untidily); V: cover untidily with scattered litter |
| advent | arrival |
| tenacious | holding fast (as to a belief); persistent |
| touchstone | stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion; standard |
| resound | (of a place) be filled with sound; (of a sound) sound loudly; sound back; echo; Ex. hall resounded with laughter |
| aperture | opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light |
| coalition | partnership; league; union of separate political parties |
| defame | harm someone's reputation; malign; speak evil of; slander; N. defamation; ADJ. defamatory |
| nutrition | process of nourishing or being nourished; CF. malnutrition |
| sustenance | sustaining; means of livelihood, support, food, nourishment; something that maintains life; food |
| waive | give up temporarily; yield; N. waiver: waiving a right or claim; document that waives a right or claim |
| facilitate | help bring about; make less difficult |
| glean | gather leavings; gather grain left behind by reapers; gather bit by bit (facts or information) often with difficulty |
| novelty | something new; newness; ADJ. novel: new; original |
| avenge | take vengence for something or on behalf of someone; Ex. They avenged his death by burning the village; Ex. He swore to avenge his brother; Ex. They avenged themselves on their enemy. |
| emanate | issue forth; come out |
| shrivel | make or become shrunken and wrinkled (often by drying) |
| swell | long wave of water that moves continuously without breaking; V. |
| misconduct | immoral behavior; bad management; V. |
| fell | cruel; (of a disease) deadly |
| swear | vow; promise; use profane oaths; use offensive words |
| immune | resistant to; free or exempt from; N. immunity |
| decry | express strong disapproval of; condemn openly (something dangerous to the public); disparage; Ex. decry the violence of modern films |
| nomenclature | terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things |
| bait | harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals |
| exposure | risk, particularly of being exposed to disease or to the elements; unmasking; act of laying something open; Ex. exposure of governmental corruption |
| ruminant | animal that ruminates; ADJ. |
| scorch | sear; N. |
| stock | standard; kept regularly in stock or supply; typical; routine; common; Ex. stock sizes of paper; Ex. stock excuse/character; N: goods for sale in a shop; OP. unique |
| imperceptible | unnoticeable; impossible to perceive; undetectable |
| collusion | conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or deceive others; V. collude |
| depravity | extreme corruption; wickedness; V. deprave |
| quorum | minimal number of members necessary to conduct a meeting |
| allude | refer indirectly; N. allusion: indirect reference |
| pendulous | hanging; suspended |
| pith | core or marrow; spongelike substance in the center of stems; essence; substance |
| psychosomatic | of the influence of the mind on the body (esp. with respect to disease) |
| nominal | in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint |
| soar | rise or fly high in the air; Ex. The rocket soared into the sky. |
| marred | damaged; disfigured; V. mar: spoil; disfigure |
| etymology | study of word parts; study of the origins of words |
| reprise | musical repetition; repeating of a piece of music; repeat performance; recurrent action; Ex. reprise in the finale; Ex. constant reprises |
| mammal | vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young |
| allure | entice; attract; tempt |
| fracas | brawl(noisy quarrel or fight) in which a number of people take part; melee |
| embitter | make bitter; fill with painful or bitter feelings; make sad and angry; Ex. He was embittered by many disappointments. |
| saunter | stroll(go for a leisurely walk) slowly; N. |
| determinate | having a fixed order of procedure; precisely defined; invariable; fixed; conclusive; final |
| alimentary | supplying nourishment |
| adore | love deeply and respect highly |
| condiments | seasonings; spices |
| forlorn | sad and lonely; wretched; desolate |
| certitude | certainty |
| outcast | one that has been excluded from a society; ADJ. |
| nether | lower; Ex. nether garments/regions |
| comity | courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations |
| bout | match; short period of great activity; Ex. wrestling bout; bout of drinking/flu |
| fell | cut or knock down (a tree or a person); bring down (with a missile) |
| barefaced | shameless and noticeable; blatant; bold; unconcealed; having no covering on the face; Ex. barefaced lie |
| demented | insane |
| subsume | include (as a member of a group); encompass |
| shun | keep away from; avoid deliberately; Ex. She has been shunned by her neighbors. |
| unimpeachable | that cannot be impeached; beyond doubt or question; blameless and exemplary |
| retard | delay (in development); ADJ. retarded: (as of a child) slower in development |
| toga | Roman outer robe |
| decree | authoritative order; edict; judgment of a court of law; V: order or judge by decree |
| conversant | familiar with; having knowledge of |
| douse | plunge into water or liquid; dip; immerse; drench; wet throughly; extinguish; throw water over; dowse |
| brooch | ornamental clasp; pin |
| indict | charge; N. indictment |
| gossamer | sheer; very light; like cobwebs; N: soft and sheer fabric; cobweb |
| pyromaniac | person with an insane desire to set things on fire |
| husband | use sparingly; conserve; save; Ex. husband one's energy; CF. house holder |
| ovoid | egg-shaped; CF. ovum; CF. ovulate |
| desecrate | profane; violate the sanctity of |
| relinquish | give up something (with reluctance); yield; release; Ex. relinquish power/the claim to the land/his hold on my arm |
| pervasive | spread throughout; V. pervade: (of smells, ideas, feelings) spread throughout; charge; permeate |
| ineffable | unutterable; not to be uttered; taboo; that cannot be expressed in speech; indescribable; unspeakable; inexpressible; Ex. ineffable name/joy |
| abstract | theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational |
| disproportion | lack of proportion (between the parts); ADJ. disproportionate |
| crevice | crack; fissure |
| extenuate | weaken; mitigate; lessen the seriousness of (bad behavior) |
| apathy | lack of caring; indifference; lack of concern or interest in important matters; Ex. He was sunk in apathy after his failure; ADJ. apathetic |
| secrete | conceal; hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism; CF. secretive |
| meteoric | like a meteor; swift; momentarily brilliant; Ex. meteoric rise to fame; N. meteor |
| vertex | summit; highest point; PL. vertices |
| raspy | making a harsh noise; grating; harsh |
| authoritative | having the weight of authority; regarded as providing knowledge that can be trusted; reliable; peremptory and dictatorial; Ex. authoritative dictionary/manner; CF. definitive |
| tatter | torn piece of cloth; ADJ. tattered: (of clothes) old and torn; (of a person) dressed in old torn clothes |
| discordant | not harmonious; conflicting |
| recidivism | habitual return to crime (even after being punished); N. recidivist |
| commonplace | ordinary; N: something ordinary or common; trite remark |
| pandemic | widespread; affecting the majority of people; N: pandemic disease; CF. all people |
| prodigious | enormous; marvelous; extraordinary; Ex. prodigious amount/memory |
| glib | fluent (with insincerity or superficiality); facile; slick |
| effusion | pouring forth; unrestrained outpouring of feeling; V. effuse: pour out; ADJ. effusive: pouring forth; gushing |
| imprecation | curse; swearword |
| replicate | reproduce; duplicate |
| hibernal | wintry; wintery; of or like winter |
| unsullied | untarnished; CF. sully |
| figure | written symbols; number; amount represented in numbers; outline or silhouette of a thing or human body; person (well-known); impression; diagram; pattern; group in a dance; Ex. figure of speech; V. calculate with numbers; adorn with figures; appear; |
| goad | urge on; drive with a goad; cause (someone) to do something by continued annoyance; Ex. They goaded him into doing it by saying he was a coward; N: sharp-pointed stick for driving cattle; stimulus; CF. annoy continually |
| sow | plant or scatter seed |
| requite | make return for; repay; reciprocate; revenge; N. requittal |
| flicker | burn unsteadily or fitfully; move waveringly; N: flickering movement or light; brief sensation; Ex. flicker of excitement |
| reciprocal | mutual; given and received in return; exchangeable; interacting; Ex. reciprocal trade agreement |
| laud | praise; N. ADJ. laudable: praiseworthy; ADJ. laudatory: expressing praise |
| expunge | cancel; remove a word or name (from a book or list); erase |
| notch | V-shaped cut in a surface; V. |
| translucent | partly transparent |
| repellent | driving away; disgusting; offensive; repulsive; unattractive; N. |
| institution | instituting; (building for the) organization; established custom, practice, or relationship in a society; mental hospital; Ex. institution of marriage |
| obstinate | stubborn; hard to control or treat; Ex. obstinate cough; N. obstinacy |
| riveting | holding one's attention; absorbing; engrossing |
| formality | ceremonious quality; ceremonious adherence to rules; something done just for form's sake; Ex. mere formality |
| hinterlands | back country; inner part of a country; OP. foreland |
| satyr | half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus (resembling a goat), portrayed as wanton(unrestrained) and cunning; lecher; CF. faun; CF. goat: lecherous man |
| throttle | strangle; regulate the speed of with a throttle; N: valve that regulates the flow; CF. throat ? |
| faction | party; clique (within a large group); dissension |
| pinion | restrain or immobilize by binding the wings or legs; N: bird's wing |
| filch | steal (things of small value) |
| sportive | playful; frolicsome; merry; CF. sport: play or frolic; CF. sportsmanlike |
| spontaneity | lack of premeditation; naturalness; freedom from constraint; ADJ. spontaneous: self-generated; unpremeditated; happening without being planned |
| concede | admit; acknowledge as being true (often reluctantly); yield; grant; Ex. concede a goal |
| galleon | large three-masted sailing ship |
| dissemble | disguise; hide the real nature of; pretend |
| missive | letter; written statement; CF. sent |
| temporize | gain time as by postponing an action; avoid committing oneself |
| veracity | truthfulness; adherence to the truth |
| valedictory | pertaining to farewell; N: farewell address (esp. at graduation exercises) |
| tithe | tax of one-tenth (contributed to a church); V: pay a tithe |
| lexicographer | compiler of a dictionary; CF. lexicography: work of compiling a dictionary |
| plumage | feathers of a bird; |
| molecule | the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance |
| turmoil | extreme confusion; great commotion and confusion; Ex. throw the country into turmoil |
| endue | provide with some quality; endow |
| parsimony | stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious |
| gouge | tear out; cut out (as if with a gouge); Ex. gouge his eyes out; N: chisel for cutting out hollow areas in wood |
| homely | not good-looking; unattractive |
| trajectory | path taken by a projectile; Ex. trajectory of a bullet |
| gallows | framework from which a noose is suspended (used for execution by hanging) |
| censorious | severely critical |
| aggregate | sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars |
| gnarled | twisted |
| beeline | direct quick route |
| baroque | highly ornate |
| anecdote | short story of an amusing or interesting event |
| serendipity | gift for finding valuable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck; CF. The Three Princes of Serendip |
| lackluster | lacking luster(shine; gloss); dull |
| flag | droop; grow feeble; decline in vigor or strength; ADJ. flagging; CF. unflagging |
| egoism | excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in others; selfishness; ADJ. egoistic, egoistical |
| gazette | official periodical publication; newspaper |
| scurvy | contemptible; despicable; N: disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin C |
| stringent | (of rules) binding; rigid; marked by scarcity of money; Ex. stringent economic conditions |
| unwitting | not knowing; unaware; unintentional; Ex. She was their unwitting accomplice; Ex. unwitting insult; CF. wit: know |
| patois | local or provincial dialect |
| exact | demand and obtain by force; Ex. exact a promise from him; N. exaction |
| emaciated | thin and wasted (from hunger or illness) |
| guileless | without deceit |
| centaur | mythical figure, half man and half horse |
| droop | bend or hang downward; become weakened; Ex. His shoulders drooped with tiredness; N. |
| finished | properly made and complete; Ex. finished product/performance |
| imbibe | drink in |
| dissertation | formal essay; treatise |
| discursive | (of a person or writing) digressing; rambling (without any clear plan) |
| dappled | spotted |
| servitude | slavery; compulsory labor imposed as a punishment |
| humor | indulge; comply with the wishes of; N. quality that makes something amusing; state of mind; mood; Ex. in a bad humor; Ex. out of humor |
| drudgery | hard unpleasant work; menial work |
| apex | tip; summit; climax; highest point |
| lancet | small surgical tool for making incisions |
| smart | intelligent; quick and energetic; fashionable; Ex. smart pace/restaurant; V: cause or feel a sharp pain; N: smarting pain |
| foul | very bad or disagreeable; very dirty; Ex. foul smell/flavor/temper/language/air/deed/weather/means; N. act against the rules; V. make or become foul; commit a foul |
| negate | cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny; N. negation |
| comestible | something fit to be eaten |
| plump | pleasantly fat; nicely rounded |
| interdict | prohibit; forbid; N. |
| urgent | compelling immediate action; pressing; persistent; importunate; Ex. urgent in his demands |
| isotope | varying from of an element |
| gusto | eager enjoyment; zest; enthusiasm |
| nihilist | one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless and existence meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary terrorist; CF. nihilism: belief that nothing has meaning or value; belief that destruction of existing political |
| obliterate | destroy completely; wipe out; Ex. obliterate the village |
| sleek | smooth and shining (as from good health); V. |
| relapse | return to a former state (esp. after improvement); N. |
| acetic | vinegary |
| frivolous | lacking in seriousness; flippant; self-indulgently carefree; unworthy of serious attention; relatively unimportant; trivial |
| anomaly | irregularity |
| insouciant | without concern or care; unconcerned; indifferent |
| commodious | spacious and comfortable |
| prize | pry; move with a lever; value highly; esteem; Ex. his most prized possession; N: something captured during war-time (esp. an enemy ship) |
| rapture | great joy and delight; ecstasy; ADJ. rapturous |
| grotto | small cavern |
| macerate | soften by soaking in liquid; waste away; Ex. macerate powdered wood to make paper |
| incite | arouse to action; goad; motivate; induce to exist; Ex. incite a riot/the crowd to rebellion |
| crass | very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating; Ex. crass behavior |
| yore | time long past; Ex. in the days of yore |
| calorific | heat-producing; N. calorie |
| rake | immoral or dissolute person |
| invective | abuse |
| judicious | sound on judgment; wise |
| categorical | without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute |
| chafe | warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N. |
| captious | faultfinding; too critical |
| expropriate | take possession of (often for public use and without payment) |
| palm | conceal in the palm of the hand; palm off: pass off; Ex. palm off some bad oranges onto the lady/the painting as a real Renoir |
| intermediary | intermediate; acting as a mediator; N: mediator; go-between |
| implode | burst inward; CF. vaccum tube |
| credo | creed |
| malapropism | comic misuse of a word; CF. Mrs. Malaprop |
| pretension | pretentiousness; claim (without foundation); Ex. I make no pretensions to skill as an artist. |
| stint | set limits in amount or number; be thrifty; ADJ. stinting, unstinting; CF. stint:savings |
| lubricate | apply a lubricant to; N. lubricant: substance that reduces friction |
| advert | refer |
| comely | attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance |
| ambivalence | the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions |
| bereaved | deprived of (someone beloved through death) |
| glutton | someone who eats too much; ADJ. gluttonous: given to gluttony; greedy; CF. gluttony: habit of eating too much |
| lurk | stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived |
| profound | deep; not superficial; complete; Ex. profound thinker/remark/silence/deafness; N. profundity |
| stipend | pay for services |
| mountebank | charlatan; boastful pretender |
| parchment | writing material made from the skin of a sheep or goat |
| cursory | casual; hastily done with little attention to detail |
| vilify | slander; speak evil of; N. vilification |
| doom | condemnation to a severe penalty; ruin; fate (esp. a tragic or ruinous one); V. |
| apposite | appropriate; fitting |
| hem | surround tightly so that movement is impossible; Ex. hem in; N. |
| venom | poison (of an animal); hatred; Ex. remarks full of venom; ADJ. venomous |
| retort | quick sharp reply; V. |
| saline | salty |
| plausible | conceivably true; having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious |
| gall | annoy; exasperate; chafe; N: skin sore caused by rubbing (as on the skin of a horse); exasperation |
| foster | rear; bring up (for a certain period only); encourage; promote the development of (feelings or ideas); Ex. help foster friendly relations; ADJ: giving parental care although not related by blood; Ex. foster parents |
| mortician | undertaker; CF. death |
| legerdemain | sleight(dexterity) of hand; CF. light of hand |
| obsessive | related to thinking about something constantly; of an obsession; preoccupying; N. obsession: compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea; compulsive idea; V. obsess: preoccupy the mind of excessively |
| respiration | breathing; exhalation; ADJ. respiratory |
| charisma | divine gift; great popular charm or appeal; magnetism |
| empirical | based on experience |
| causal | implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality |
| barterer | trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money |
| fundamental | basic; primary; essential |
| hostility | unfriendliness; hatred; enmity; ADJ. hostile |
| breed | produce young; rear; bring up; produce (an undesirable condition); N: kind or sort of animal or plant |
| gravity | seriousness; ADJ. grave |
| enact | make (a bill) into law |
| demur | object (because of doubts, scruples); raise an objection (showing qualms); hesitate; Ex. demur at the idea of working on Sunday |
| manumit | emancipate; free from slavery or bondage |
| omnipresent | universally present; ubiquitous |
| condole | express condolences; N. condolence: sympathy for someone who has experienced great sorrow |
| sour | having a sharp or acid taste; acid; tart; bad-tempered; V. |
| relic | surviving remnant (from an extinct culture); memento; keepsake; relics: corpse; Ex. ancient relics; Ex. relics of his travel; Ex. His relics are buried at X. |
| reckon | count; calculate; regard as; think; suppose |
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akhalidi
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