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329 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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pacify |
to calm down
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pact
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an agreement
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paean
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song of praise or joy
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palatable
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pleasant to the taste
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palatial
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magnificent
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paleontology
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study of prehistoric life
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pall
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(two meanings) something that covers or conceals (noun); to become wearisome or unpleasant (verb)
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palliate
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to ease; to lessen
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pallid
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pale; dull
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palpable
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obvious; capable of being touched or felt
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palpitate
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to beat rapidly; to tremble
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palsy
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muscle paralysis
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paltry
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trivial; worthless
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panacea
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a cure-all; an answer for all problems
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panache
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self-confidence; a showy manner
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pandemic
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general; widespread
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pandemonium
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wild disorder; confusion
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panegyric
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an expression of praise
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pang
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a sharp pain
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panoply
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suit of armor; any protective covering
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panorama
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unlimited view; comprehensive survey
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parable
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a simple story giving a moral or religious lesson
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paradigm
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a model; an example
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paradox
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a statement that seems contradictory, but probably true
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paragon
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a model of excellence or perfection
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parameter
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boundary; limits
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paramount
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chief; supreme
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paranoia
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mental disorder characterized by a feeling of being persecuted
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paraphernalia
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personal belongings; equipment
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paraphrase
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to reword; to restate
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parched
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dried up; extremely thirsty
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pariah
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an outcast
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parity
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equality; similarity
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parley
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discussion; conference
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parlous
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dangerous
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parochial
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local; narrow; limited
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parody
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a work which imitates another in a ridiculous manner
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paroxysm
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a sudden outburst; a fit
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parrot
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to repeat or imitate without understanding
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parry
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to avoid something such as a thrust or blow
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parsimonious
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stingy; miserly
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partisan
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a strong supporter of a cause
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pass¨¦
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old fashioned; out-of-date
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passive
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submissive; unresisting
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pastoral
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pertaining to the country; rural
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patent
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(two meanings) a government protection for an inventor (noun); evident or obvious (adjective)
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paternal
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fatherly
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pathogenic
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causing disease
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pathos
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pity; deep feeling
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patriarch
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an early biblical person regarded as one of the fathers of the human race
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patrician
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aristocratic
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patrimony
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inherited right; heritage
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patronage
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the control of power to make appointments to government jobs
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patronize
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(two meanings) to be a customer; to talk down to
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paucity
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scarcity; lack
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peccadillo
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a minor offense
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pectoral
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pertaining to the chest
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peculate
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to steal; to embezzle
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pecuniary
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pertaining to money
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pedagogue
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a schoolteacher
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pedantic
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tending to show off one.s learning
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pedestrian
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(two meanings) one who walks (noun); ordinary or dull (adjective)
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pedigree
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a record of ancestors; a line of descent
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peer
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(two meanings) an equal (noun); to look closely (verb)
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peerless
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without equal; unmatched
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peevish
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hard to please; irritable
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pejorative
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having a negative effect; insulting
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pellucid
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transparent; clear
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pelt
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(two meanings) skin of a fur-bearing animal (noun); to throw things at (verb)
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penal
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pertaining to punishment
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penchant
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a strong liking for; an inclination
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pendant
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anything that hangs or is suspended
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penitent
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expressing sorrow for sin or wrongdoing
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pensive
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dreamily thoughtful
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penury
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extreme poverty
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peon
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common worker
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perceive
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to observe
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perceptible
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observable; recognizable
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perdition
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damnation; ruin; hell
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peregrinate
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to travel from place to place
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peremptory
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decisive; final; not open to debate
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perennial
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lasting for a long time; perpetual
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perfidious
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deceitful; treacherous; unfaithful
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perforce
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of necessity
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perfunctory
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done without care; routine
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perigee
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point nearest to the earth
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perilous
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dangerous; risky
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periphery
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outside boundary; unimportant aspects of a subject
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periphrastic
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said in a roundabout way
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perjury
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making a false statement while under oath
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permeate
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to spread throughout
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pernicious
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deadly; destructive
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peroration
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the concluding part of a speech
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perpetrate
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to do something evil; to be guilty of
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perpetuate
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to cause to continue
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perplexity
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confusion
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perquisite
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something additional to regular pay
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persevere
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to endure; to continue
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personification
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giving human qualities to a nonhuman being
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perspicacity
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keenness of judgment
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perspicuity
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clearness, as of a statement
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pert
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bold; saucy
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pertinent
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relevant; to the point
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perturb
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to unsettle; to disturb
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peruse
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to read carefully
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pervade
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to spread throughout; to pass through
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perverse
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contrary; cranky
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pervert
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to lead astray; to corrupt
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pessimist
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one who sees the worst in everything
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petrify
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to turn to rock; to paralyze with fear
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petrology
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study of rocks
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petty
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unimportant; minor
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petulant
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irritable; rude
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phalanx
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closely massed body of persons
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phenomenon
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extraordinary person, thing, or event
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philander
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to engage in various love affairs
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philanthropy
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a desire to help mankind; generosity
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philately
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stamp collecting
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philippic
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a bitter verbal attack
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philistine
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uncultured; common
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phlegmatic
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unemotional; cool; not easily excited
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phobia
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intense fear
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phoenix
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a bird which symbolizes immortality
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picaresque
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pertaining to an adventurous wanderer
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piddling
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trifling; petty
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piecemeal
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bit by bit; gradually
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pied
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many-colored; variegated
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piety
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reverence; devotion
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pigment
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dye; coloring matter
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pilgrimage
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a journey to a holy place
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pillage
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to rob by violence
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pillory
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to expose to public ridicule or abuse
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pinnacle
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peak; highest point
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pious
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religious
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piquant
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stimulating to the taste; exciting interest
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pique
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to irritate or annoy
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piscine
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of or like a fish
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pitfall
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unexpected difficulty; a trap
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pithy
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concise; to the point
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pittance
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small share or amount
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pivotal
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central; crucial
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placard
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small poster
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placate
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to soothe; to calm
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placebo
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harmless, phony medicine; something said or done to soothe
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placid
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calm
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plagiarism
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claiming another.s work to be one.s own
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plague
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(two meanings) a contagious disease (noun); to torment; to trouble (verb)
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plaintive
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sorrowful; sad
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platitude
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a dull or trite remark
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platonic
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spiritual; free from sensual desire
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plaudit
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applause; (in the plural) any expression of approval
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plausible
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apparently true, fair, or reasonable
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plebeian
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pertaining to a member of the lower classes
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plenary
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full; complete; absolute
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plethora
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abundance
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pliant
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easily bent; adaptable
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plight
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a sad or dangerous situation
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ploy
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a gimmick; a trick
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pluck
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(two meanings) to pull at (verb); courage (noun)
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plumb
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to test; to measure
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plunder
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to rob; to take by force
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plutocracy
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rule by the wealthy class
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poach
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to trespass
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podium
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a platform
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poignant
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keenly distressing; affecting the emotions
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polarize
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to separate into opposing groups
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polemic
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a controversy or argument
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politic
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diplomatic; shrewd
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poltroon
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a coward
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polychromatic
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many-colored
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polyglot
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speaking or writing several languages
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polymorphic
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having many forms
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polytheism
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belief in many gods
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pomp
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brilliant show or display
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ponder
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to think deeply; to consider carefully
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ponderous
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heavy; burdensome
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porcine
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of or like a pig
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portable
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capable of being carried
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portal
|
door; gate; entrance
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portentous
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warning; foreshadowing
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portly
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stout; large
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posterity
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future generations
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posthumous
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occurring after death
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postulate
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to assume without proof; to take for granted
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potable
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drinkable
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potent
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powerful; strong
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potentate
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ruler; monarch
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potential
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capacity for being or becoming something
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potion
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a drink
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potpourri
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a mixture
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pragmatic
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practical
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prate
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to talk extensively and pointlessly; to babble
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precarious
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uncertain; dangerous; risky
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precede
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to be, come, or go before
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precedent
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an act that may be used as an example in the future
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precept
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a rule of conduct
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precipice
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cliff
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precipitate
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to bring about an action suddenly
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precipitous
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extremely steep
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pr¨¦cis
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brief summary
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preclude
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to prevent; to shut out
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precocious
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prematurely developed
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precursor
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a forerunner; predecessor
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predatory
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living by plunder, exploitation, etc.
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predicate
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to declare; to assert
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predilection
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a liking; preference; inclination
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predispose
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to make susceptible
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preeminent
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standing out above all others
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preen
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to dress oneself carefully or smartly
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prehensile
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adapted for seizing or grasping something
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prelude
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an introduction
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premeditate
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to plan beforehand
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premier
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first in importance or time
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premise
|
statement from which a conclusion is drawn
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premonition
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forewarning; hunch
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preponderance
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superiority in quantity or power; dominance
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preposterous
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absurd; ridiculous
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prerogative
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privilege or right
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presage
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to indicate or warn in advance
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prescience
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knowledge of things before they happen
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presentiment
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anticipation, especially of something evil
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prestige
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influence; importance
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presumptuous
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boldly assuming
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pretentious
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showy; putting on airs
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preternatural
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abnormal; beyond what is natural
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pretext
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a false reason or motive; an excuse
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prevail
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to succeed; to gain the advantage
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prevaricate
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to lie
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prim
|
formal; proper
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primary
|
first; chief
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primeval
|
of the earliest times or ages
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primogeniture
|
state of being the first born
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primordial
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first; original
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primp
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to dress up in a fussy way
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prismatic
|
many-colored
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pristine
|
uncorrupted; in its original state
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privation
|
loss or lack of something essential
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privy
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(to) having knowledge of something private or secret
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probe
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to investigate; to examine
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probity
|
honesty; integrity
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proclivity
|
inclination; tendency
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procrastinate
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to postpone; to delay
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procreate
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to beget or produce
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procrustean
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designed to get conformity at any cost
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procure
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to obtain; to secure
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prod
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to urge; to poke or jab
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prodigal
|
wasteful
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prodigious
|
enormous; vast
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profane
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showing disrespect for sacred things
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profess
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to acknowledge; to admit frankly
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proffer
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to offer
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proficiency
|
skill; competency
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profligate
|
shamelessly immoral; extremely wasteful
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profound
|
very deep
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profuse
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abundant
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progeny
|
descendants
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prognosticate
|
to predict; to foretell
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projectile
|
a bullet, shell, grenade, etc., for firing from a gun
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proletarian
|
one who belongs to the working class
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proliferate
|
to expand; to increase
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prolific
|
productive; fertile
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prolix
|
tediously long and wordy
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prologue
|
introduction
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promenade
|
a stroll or a walk; an area used for walking
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promiscuous
|
sexually loose
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promontory
|
piece of land that juts out
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promulgate
|
to announce; to advocate
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prone
|
reclining; lying flat; inclined
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propagate
|
to spread; to multiply
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propensity
|
inclination; tendency
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prophetic
|
predicting
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propinquity
|
nearness; closeness
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propitious
|
favorable
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proponent
|
a person who supports a cause or doctrine
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propriety
|
conformity; appropriateness
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prosaic
|
dull; commonplace; unimaginative
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proscribe
|
to denounce; exile
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proselyte
|
a person who has changed from one religion to another; a convert
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prospectus
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a report describing a forthcoming project
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prostrate
|
lying flat; thrown or fallen to the ground
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protagonist
|
main character
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protean
|
changeable; variable
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prot¨¦g¨¦
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one who has been guided or instructed by another
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protocol
|
the etiquette observed by diplomats
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prototype
|
the original; first of its kind; a model
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protract
|
to draw out; to prolong
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protrude
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to stick out; to project
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proverbial
|
well-known
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provident
|
having foresight
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provincial
|
countrified; narrow; limited
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provisional
|
temporary
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proviso
|
a condition; a stipulation
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provoke
|
to anger; to irritate; to annoy
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prowess
|
skill; strength; daring
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proximity
|
nearness in place or time
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proxy
|
one who acts in place of another
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prude
|
an overly proper person
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prudence
|
caution; good judgment
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prune
|
to cut off or lop off such as twigs, branches, or roots
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prurient
|
lustful; obscene; lewd
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pseudo
|
false; counterfeit
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pseudonym
|
a fake or assumed name
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psyche
|
the human soul or spirit
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puerile
|
childish; immature
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pugilist
|
a boxer
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pugnacious
|
eager to fight; quarrelsome
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puissant
|
powerful; strong
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pulchritude
|
beauty
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pulmonary
|
pertaining to the lungs
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pulverize
|
crush or grind into powder; totally destroy
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pummel
|
to beat or thrash with the fists
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pun
|
the use of words alike in sound but different in meaning
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punctilious
|
very exact; precise
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pundit
|
a learned man; an expert or authority
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pungent
|
having a sharp taste or smell; severely critical or sarcastic
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punitive
|
pertaining to punishment
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puny
|
weak; inferior
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purge
|
to cleanse; to purify
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puritanical
|
strict; rigid; harsh
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purloin
|
to steal
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purport
|
to claim to be
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purvey
|
to furnish; to supply
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pusillanimous
|
cowardly; fearful
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putative
|
supposed; believed
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putrefy
|
to rot; to decay
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pyre
|
a funeral fire in which the corpse is burned
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pyretic
|
pertaining to fever
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pyromaniac
|
one who likes to start fires; arsonist
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Pyrrhic
|
victory success gained at too high a cost |
