Barron Atoz

Front 1

flippant (adj)

Back 1

lacking proper seriousness.

When Mark told Mona he loved her, she dismissed his earnest declaration with a flippant "Oh, you say that to all the girls!"

flippancy (n)

Front 2

flit (v)

Back 2

fly, dart lightly; pass swiftly by.

Like a bee flitting from flower to flower, Rose flitted from one boyfriend to the next.

Front 3

floe (n)

Back 3

mass of floating ice.

The ship made slow progress as it battered (strike repeatedly with hard blows) its way through the ice floes.

Front 4

flora (n)

Back 4

flora and fauna of Vietnam.

plants of a region or era. Because she was a botanist, she spent most of her time studying the flora of the desert.

botany
1.
1. The science or study of plants.
2. A book or scholarly work on this subject.
2. The plant life of a particular area: the botany of the Ohio River valley.
3. The characteristic features and biology of a particular kind of plant or plant group.

Front 5

florid (adj)

Back 5

ruddy; reddish; flowery.

If you go to Florida and get sunburn, your complexion will look florid. If your post cards about your trip praise it in flowery words, your prose will be florid, too.

prose: ordinary speech or writing, without metrical structure.

Front 6

flotsam (n)

Back 6

drifting wreckage.

Beachcombers (nguoi song lang thang ben bo bien) eke out a living by salvaging the flotsam and jetsam of the sea.

In maritime law, flotsam applies to wreckage or cargo left floating on the sea after a shipwreck. Jetsam applies to cargo or equipment thrown overboard from a ship in distress and either sunk or washed ashore. The common phrase flotsam and jetsam is now used loosely to describe any objects found floating or washed ashore.

Front 7

flout (v)

Back 7

reject, mock

Front 8

flunctuate (v)

Back 8

waver; shift.

Front 9

fluke (n)

Back 9

unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune.

When Douglas defeated Tyson for the heavyweight championship, some sportscasters dismissed his victory as a fluke.

Front 10

fluster (v)

Back 10

confuse.

The teacher's sudden question flustered him and he stammered his reply.

stammer: To speak with involuntary pauses or repetitions.
To utter with involuntary pauses or repetitions.
A way of speaking characterized by involuntary pauses or repetitions.

Front 11

fluted (adj)

Back 11

having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar (cot tru) ).

All that remained of the ancient building were the fluted columns.

Front 12

flux (n)

Back 12

flowing; series of changes.

While conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair.

Front 13

flounder (v)

Back 13

struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter.

Up to his knees in the bog. Floyd floundered about, trying to regain his footing. Bewildered by the new software, Floyed floundered until Jan showed her how to get started.

Front 14

fodder (n)

Back 14

coarse food for cattle, horses, etc.

One of Nancy's chores at the ranch was to put fresh supplies of fodder in the horses' stalls.

Front 15

foil

Back 15

(n) contrast
In Star Wars, dark, evil Darth Vader is a perfect foil for fair-haired, naive Luke Skywalker.

(v) defeat, frustrated
In the end, Skywalker is able to foil Vader's diabolical schemes

Front 16

foible (n)

Back 16

weakness, slight fault.

We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect.

Front 17

foist (v)

Back 17

insert improperly; palm off.


I will not permit you to foist such ridiculous ideas upon the membership of this group.

Front 18

foliage (n)

Back 18

masses of leaves.

Every autumn before the leaves fell he promised himself he would drive through New England to admire the colorful fall foliage.

Front 19

foment (v)

Back 19

stir up; instigate.

Cher's archenemy Heather spread some nasty rumors that fomented trouble in the club. Do you think Cher's foe meant to foment such discord ?

Front 20

foolhardy (adj)

Back 20

rash.

Don't be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced people before undertaking this venture

Front 21

fop (n)

Back 21

dandy;

man excessively preoccupied with his clothes

Front 22

foray (n)

Back 22

raid.

attack, assault, incursion, swoop, strike, onslaught, sortie, sally, push, thrust

The company staged a midnight foray against the enemy outpost.

Front 23

forbearance (n)

Back 23

patience.

Be patient with John. Treat him with forbearance: he is still weak from his illness.

Front 24

ford (n,v)

Back 24

place where a river can be crossed on foot.

Rather than risk using the shaky rope bridge. David walked a half-mile downstream until he came to the nearest ford.

Front 25

forbears (n)

Back 25

ancestors.

Reverence for one's forebears plays an important part in many Oriental cultures

Front 26

foreboding (n)

Back 26

premonition (A presentiment of the future; forewarning) of evil.

Suspecting no conspiracies against him, Caesar gently ridiculed his wife's forebodings about the Ides of March.

Front 27

forensic (adj)

Back 27

suitable to debate or courts of law.

In her best forensic manner, the lawyer addressed the jury.

Front 28

portend (v)

Back 28

foreshadow (be a sign or warning that (something, esp. something momentous or calamitous (catastrophe)

Front 29

forestall (v)

Back 29

prevent by taking action in advance.

By setting up a prenuptial agreement, the prospective bride and groom hoped to forestall any potential arguments about money in the event of a divorce.


prenuptial: existing or occurring before marriage : prenuptial pregnancy.

Front 30

forgo (v)

Back 30

give up, do without.

Ida decided to forgo dessert to loose weight.

Front 31

forlorn (adj)

Back 31

sad and lonely; wretched.

Deserted by her sisters and friends, the forlorn child sat sadly on the steps awaiting their return.

Front 32

forsake (v)

Back 32

desert; abandon; renounce.

No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and children to run off with another woman.

he forsook his wife

Front 33

forswear

Back 33

renounce; abandon.

The captured knight could escape death only if he agreed to forswear Christianity and embrace Islam as the one true faith.

Front 34

abash (v)

Back 34

embarrass

I was not at all abashed by my admiration to Einstein

Front 35

abdicate (v)

Back 35

renounce, give up.

When Edward VIII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the entire world.

rw: abjure

Front 36

abet (v)

Back 36

assist, usually in doing something wrong; encourage.

She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle (cozen) he had planned.

Front 37

abeyance (n)

Back 37

suspended action

The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.

Front 38

abhor (v)

Back 38

detest, hate. She abhorred all forms of bigotry.

bigot: One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.

rw: abnominate

Front 39

abject (adj)

Back 39

wretched; lacking pride.

On the streets of New York, the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind.

Front 40

abjure (v)

Back 40

renounce upon oath; disavow.

Pressure from the university authorities caused the young scholar to abjure his heretical opinions.

rw: abdicate

Front 41

ablution (n)

Back 41

washing.

His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath"

Front 42

abnegation (n)

Back 42

renunciation; self-sacrifice.

Though Rudolph and Duches Flavia love one another, their love was doomed, for she had to wed the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom.

Front 43

abominable (ajd)

Back 43

detestable; extremely unpleasant; very bad.

Mary liked John until she learned he was also dating Susan; then she called him an abominable young man, with abominable taste in women.

Front 44

abominate

Back 44

loathe; hate

Moses scolded the idol worshipers in the tribe because he abominated the custom.

rw: abhor

Front 45

aboriginal

Back 45

being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native.

Her studies of the primitive art forms of the aboriginal Indians were widely reported in the scientific aborigine.

Front 46

abortive

Back 46

unsuccessful; fruitless.

Attacked by armed troops, the Chinese students had to abandon their abortive attempt to democratize Beijing peacefully.

Front 47

abrade

Back 47

rub away; tend to grind down

Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish, abrasive remarks can wear away a listener's patience.

Front 48

abridge

Back 48

condense or shorten.

Because the publishers felt the public want shorter version of War and Peace, they proceed to abridge the novel.

Front 49

abrogate (v)

Back 49

abolish, annul

The King intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor.

Abolish, withdraw, cancel, retract, revoke, vitiate or repeal

Front 50

abscission

Back 50

removal by cutting off, as in surgery; separation.

Gas gangrene spreads so swiftly and is so potentially deadly that doctors advise abscission of the gangrenous tissue.
When a flower or leaf separated naturally from the parent plant, this process is called abscission or leaf fall.

botany: study about plants.
The shedding of leaves, flowers, or fruits following the formation of the abscission zone.

Front 51

absolve

Back 51

pardon (an offense).

The father confessor absolved him of his sins. absolution

Front 52

abut

Back 52

border upon; adjoin.

Where our estates abut, we must build a fence.

Front 53

abysmal

Back 53

bottomless.

His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance.

Front 54

abyss

Back 54

enormous chasm; vast, bottomless pit

Front 55

accede

Back 55

agree.

If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be the victim of future demands.

RW: assent

Front 56

acclaim

Back 56

applaud; announce with great approval.

The sportscasters acclaimed every American victory in the Olympics and decried every American defeat.

decry, disparage, depreciate, derogate, belittle, minimize, downgrade. These verbs mean to think, write, or speak of as being of little value or importance.
Decry implies open denunciation or condemnation: A staunch materialist, he decries economy.
Disparage often implies the communication of a low opinion by indirection: Many critics disparage psychoanalysis as being a pseudoscience.
To depreciate is to assign a lower than customary value to someone or something: Some musicologists depreciate Liszt's compositions.
Derogate implies a detraction that impairs: People often derogate what they don't understand.
Belittle and minimize mean to make less important, but minimize strongly implies the minimum level: He belittled the child's attempts to draw. She tried to minimize my accomplishment.
To downgrade is to minimize in importance or estimation: Her rival downgraded the painting, calling it decorative but superficial.

Front 57

acclimate

Back 57

adapt, adjust to climate or environment; adapt.

One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of travelers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments.

Front 58

acclivity

Back 58

sharp upslope of a hill.

The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear.


sw: aloft

Front 59

accolade

Back 59

award of merit.

In Comp Sci, the Turing is the highest accolade

Front 60

accomplice (n)

Back 60

partner in crime.

Because he had provided the criminal with the lethal weapon, he was arrested as an accomplice in the murder.

Front 61

accost

Back 61

approach and speak first to a person.

When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because I thought they were going to attack me.

RW: solicit

Front 62

accoutre / accouter

Back 62

equip.

The fisherman was accoutered with the best that the sporting good store could supply. accoutrement.

Front 63

accretion (n)
accrete (v)

Back 63

growth, increase.

Over the years Bob put on weight; because of his accretion of flesh, he went from size M to size XL.


rw: wax|wane

Front 64

accrue (v) / accrual (n)

Back 64

come about by addition, to increase, accumulate.

You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principle sum.

To accumulate over time: I have accrued 15 days of sick leave.

Front 65

acerbic (adj)/ accerbity

Back 65

bitter or sour in nature, sharp and cutting.

Noted for her acerbic wit and gossiping. Alice Roosevelt Longworth had a pillow in her home embroidered with the legend "if you can't say something good about someone, sit right here by me"

RW: astringent, caustic, corrosive, mordacious, mordant, pungent, trenchant, truculent, acidulous, acrid.

Front 66

acetic

Back 66

vinegary.

The salad had an exceedingly acetic flavor.

Front 67

acidulous

Back 67

slightly sour; sharp; caustic.

James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.

RW: acerbic (a bit stronger)

Front 68

acme

Back 68

peak; pinnacle; highest point.

Welles' success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career as an actor; never again did he achieve such popular acclaim.

RW: summit


SYNONYMS summit, peak, pinnacle, acme, apex, zenith, climax. These nouns all mean the highest point. Summit denotes the highest level attainable: “This [appointment] had been the summit of Mr. Bertram's ambition” (Sir Walter Scott). Peak usually refers to the uppermost point: “It was the peak of summer in the Berkshires” (Saul Bellow). Pinnacle denotes a towering height, as of achievement: The articulation of the theory of relativity catapulted Einstein to the pinnacle of his profession. Acme refers to an ultimate point, as of perfection: The artist's talents were at their acme when this work was created. Apex is the culminating point: The military regime represented the apex of oppression and intimidation. Zenith is the point of highest achievement, most complete development, or greatest power: “Chivalry was then in its zenith” (Henry Hallam). Climax refers to the point of greatest strength, effect, or intensity that marks the endpoint of an ascending process: The government's collapse was the climax of a series of constitutional crises.

Front 69

acquittal (adj) / acquit (v)

Back 69

deliverance from a charge.
The state of being found or proved not guilt


His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him guilty.

RW: clear, exculpate, exonerate, vindicate.

Front 70

acrid

Back 70

sharp; bitterly pungent

The acrid order of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired.

RW: bitter, acerbic

Front 71

actuarial

Back 71

calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics.

According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was century ago.

Front 72

actuate

Back 72

motivate.

I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily

RW: activate, impel
Ant: impede, stop

Front 73

acuity

Back 73

sharpness.

In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and he needs glasses

Front 74

acute (adj) / acumen

Back 74

quickly perceptive; keen; brief and sever.

The acute young doctor realized immediately that the gradual deterioration of her patient's once-acute hearing was due to a chronic (kinh nien, thuong xuyen, perenial) illness, not an acute one.

Front 75

adage

Back 75

wise saying; proverb.

There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money.

rw: proverb, aphorism, apothegm

saying, maxim, adage, saw, motto, epigram, proverb, aphorism. These nouns refer to concise verbal expressions setting forth wisdom or a truth. A saying is an often repeated and familiar expression: a collection of philosophical sayings. Maxim denotes particularly an expression of a general truth or a rule of conduct: “For a wise man,
he seemed to me … to be governed too much by general maxims” (Edmund Burke). Adage applies to a saying that has
gained credit through long use: a gift that gave no credence to the adage, “Good things come in small packages.” Saw often refers to a familiar saying that has become trite through frequent repetition: old saws that gave little comfort to the losing team. A motto expresses the aims, character, or guiding principles of a person, group, or institution: “Exuberance over taste” is my motto. An epigram is a witty expression, often paradoxical or satirical and neatly or brilliantly phrased: In his epigram Samuel Johnson called remarriage a “triumph of hope over experience.” Proverb refers to an old and popular saying that illustrates something such as a basic truth or a practical precept: “Slow and steady wins the race” is a proverb to live by. Aphorism, denoting a concise expression of a truth or principle, implies depth of content and stylistic distinction: Few writers have coined more aphorisms than Benjamin Franklin.

Front 76

addendum (n)

Back 76

addition; appendix to book.

Jane's editor approved her new comparative literature text but though it would be even better with an addendum on recent developments in literacy criticism.

Front 77

addle (V)

Back 77

muddle; drive crazy; become rotten.

This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone. addled.

RW: bewilder, perplex, muddle, confound, confuse

Front 78

adherent (N)

Back 78

supporter; follower.

In the wake of the scandal, the senator's one-time adherents quietly deserted him.

Front 79

adjunct (N)

Back 79

something (generally nonessential or inferior) added or attached.

Although I don't absolutely need a second computer, I plan to buy a laptop to serve as an adjunct to my desktop model.

RW: appendage, supplement

Front 80

adjure (V) / adjuration (N)

Back 80

solemnly urging.

Her adjuration to tell truth did not change the witnesses' testimony.

Front 81

adjutant (N)

Back 81

staff officer assisting the command; assistant.

Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Somerset, Somerset was in no doubt as to who made all major decisions.

Front 82

adorn (V) / adornment (N)

Back 82

decorate.

Wall paintings and carved statues adorned the temple.

Front 83

adulation / adulate

Back 83

flattery; admiration

the rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes-men.

Front 84

adventitious

Back 84

accidental; casual.

She found this adventitious meeting with her friend extremely fortunate.

fortituous

Front 85

adverse

Back 85

unfavorable; hostile.

The recession had a highly adverse effect on Father's investment portfolio: he lost so much money that he could no longer afford the butler and the upstairs maid.

Front 86

adversity

Back 86

poverty; misfortune.

We must learn to meet adversity gracefully.

Front 87

advert

Back 87

refer (to).

Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it as important.

inadvertently: accidentally, unintentionally.

Front 88

aegis

Back 88

shield; defense.

Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured freedoms.

Front 89

aerie

Back 89

nest of a large bird of prey (eagle, hawk).

The mother eagle swooped down on the rabbit and bore (bear) it off to her aerie high in the Rocky Mountains.

Front 90

affected

Back 90

artificial; pretended; assumed in order impress.

His affected mannerism --- his "Harvard" accent, his air of boredom, his use of obscure foreign words - bugged us: he acted as if he thought he was too good for his old HS friends. affection

Front 91

affidavit

Back 91

written statement made under oath.

The court refused to accept her statement unless she presented it in the form of an affidavit.

Front 92

affinity

Back 92

kinship.

She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her pains

Front 93

affix

Back 93

attach or add on; fasten.

First the registrar had to affix his signature to the license; then he had to affix his official seal.

Front 94

affliction

Back 94

state of distress; cause of suffering.

Even in the midst of her affliction, Elizabeth tried to keep up with the spirits of those around her.

Front 95

affluence

Back 95

abundance; wealth.

Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the American way of life

Front 96

affront (N/V)

Back 96

insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect.

When Mrs. Proudie was not seated besides the Archdeacon at the head table, she took it as a personal affront and refused to speak to her hosts for a week.

Front 97

agape

Back 97

open mouthed, wide open (due to amazement)

She stared, agape , at the many strange animals in the zoo.

Front 98

agglomerate(v)/agglomeration (n)

Back 98

collection; heap.

It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items she had collected on her trip.

Front 99

aghast (adj)

Back 99

horrified; dumbfounded.

Miss Manners was aghast at the crude behavior of the fraternity brothers at the annual toga party.

Front 100

agility (n)

Back 100

nimbleness, dexterity.

The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled the audience

Front 101

agnostic/ atheistic/ theistic

Back 101

one who's skeptical of the existence of a god or any ultimate reality.

Agnostics say we can neither prove nor disprove the existence of God; we simply have no way to know.

Front 102

agog (adj)

Back 102

highly excited; intensely curious.

Full of keen anticipation or excitement; eager.

We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was giving up his career in order to enter a monastery.

Front 103

agrarian (n)

Back 103

pertaining to land or its cultivation.

As a result of its recent industrialization, the country is gradually loosing its agrarian tradition.

Front 104

alchemy (n)

Back 104

medieval form of speculative thought that aimed to transform base metals (lead or cooper) into silver or gold and to discover a means of prolonging life or the finding of panacea (remedy to cure all diseases)

Although alchemy anticipated science in its belief that physical reality was determined by an unvarying set of natural laws, the alchemists' experimental method was hardly scientific.

Front 105

alcove (n)

Back 105

nook ; recess

Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the young couple.

Front 106

alimentary (adj)

Back 106

supplying nourishment, nutritional

The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there. When asked for the name of the digestive tract, Sherlock Holmes replied, "Alimentary, my dear Watson."

Front 107

alimony (n)

Back 107

payments made to an ex-spouse after divorce.

Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award $500 a month in alimony.

Front 108

allay (v)

Back 108

relieve; calm; pacify.

The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing that the fire had been controlled.

Front 109

allege (v) / allegation (n)

Back 109

state without proof.

Although it is alleged that she has worked for the enemy, she denies the allegation and, legally, we can take no action against her without proof.

Front 110

allegory (n) /allegorical (adj)

Back 110

story in which characters are used as symbols; fable.

Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of the human soul.

Front 111

alliteration (n)

Back 111

repetition of beginning sound in poetry.

"The furrow followed tree" is an example of alliteration.

Front 112

alloy

Back 112

mix; make less pure; lessen or moderate.

Our delight at the Mets' victory was alloyed by our concern for Al Laites, who injured his pitching arm in the game.

Front 113

allude

Back 113

refer indirectly

Try not to allude to this matter in his presence because the topic annoys him.

Front 114

allusion

Back 114

indirect reference

the allusions to mythological characters in Milton's poems bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin.

Front 115

alluvial

Back 115

pertaining to soil deposits left by running water

The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river very fertile.

Front 116

aloof

Back 116

apart; reserved

Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest conversed.

Front 117

aloft

Back 117

upward

The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging.

Front 118

altercation

Back 118

noisy quarrel, a vehement quarrel.

Throughout the altercation, not one sensible word was uttered.

Front 119

altruistic

Back 119

unselfishly generous; concerned for others

In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships to hundreds of economically disadvantaged youths, Eugene Lang performed a truly altruistic deed.

Front 120

amass

Back 120

collect, accumulate

The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible.

Front 121

ambidextrous

Back 121

capable of using either hand with equal ease

A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous.

Front 122

ambiance / ambience

Back 122

environment; atmosphere

She went to the restaurant not for the food but for the ambiance.

Front 123

amble

Back 123

moving at an easy pace

When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the animal to go faster than a gentle amble.

Front 124

ambrosia

Back 124

food of the gods

ambrosia was supposed to give immortality to any human who ate it.

Front 125

ambulatory

Back 125

able to walk

He was described as an ambulatory patient because he was not confined to his bed.

Front 126

amenable

Back 126

readily managed; willing to be led

He was amenable to any suggestions that came from those he looked up to; he resented advice from his inferiors.

sw:compliant, conformable, docile, obedient, submissive
rw: corrigible

Front 127

amend

Back 127

correct; change, generally for the better

Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United States.

Front 128

amicable

Back 128

friendly, amiable

The dispute was settled in an amicable manner with no harsh words.

Front 129

amiss

Back 129

wrong; faulty

Seeing her frown (nhi'u ma`y), he wondered if anything were amiss.

Front 130

amity

Back 130

friendship

Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in International Living were established to promote international amity.

Front 131

amnesia

Back 131

loss of memory

Because she was suffering from amnesia, the police could not get the young girl to identify herself.

Front 132

amphitheater

Back 132

oval building with tiers of seats

The spectators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators.

Front 133

amputate

Back 133

cut off part of body; prune

When the doctors had to amputate Ted Kennedy's leg to prevent the spread of cancer, he did not let the loss of his leg keep him from participating in sports.

Front 134

amok / amuk

Back 134

in a state of rage

The police had to be called in to restrain him after he ran amok in the department store.

Front 135

amulet

Back 135

charm; talisman
Around her neck she wore the amulet that the witch doctor had given her.
bu`a ho^. tha^n

Front 136

analgesic

Back 136

painkiller, causing insensitivity to pain

The analgesic qualities of this lotion will provide temporary relief.

rw: anodyne

Front 137

anarchist

Back 137

person who rebels against the established order

Only the total overthrow of all governmental regulations would satisfy the anarchist.

Front 138

anathema / anathematize (V)

Back 138

solemn curse; someone or something that is despised

He heaped anathema upon his foe.

anathematize: curse

The high priest anathematized the heretics.

Front 139

ancillary

Back 139

serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary

In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplexing case on his own.

Front 140

anemia

Back 140

condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles

The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia.

Front 141

anesthetic (adj/n) / anesthesia

Back 141

substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness

His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was soon asleep.

Front 142

anguish

Back 142

acute pain; extreme suffering

Visiting the site of explosion, Premier Gorbachev wept to see the anguish of the victims and their families.

Front 143

animadversion

Back 143

critical remark

He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly because he realized they were true.

Front 144

animosity

Back 144

hostile, active enmity

He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he advocated limitations of their power.

Front 145

animus (n)

Back 145

hostile feeling or intent

The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks.

Front 146

annals

Back 146

records; history

In the annals of this period, we find no mention of democratic movements.

Front 147

anneal

Back 147

reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling

After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking.

samurai sword ?


(nghĩa bóng) tôi luyện, rèn luyện

Front 148

annuity

Back 148

yearly allowance

The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements his social security benefits so that he can live very comfortably without working

Front 149

anodyne

Back 149

drug that relieves pain; opiate

His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it.

rw: analgestic, painkiller

Front 150

anoint

Back 150

consecrate, to choose by or as if by divine intervention.

The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil, crowning him king of Israel.

Front 151

antagonistic (adj)

Back 151

hostile; opposed

Despite his lawyers' best efforts to stop him, the angry prisoner continued to make antagonistic remarks to the judge.

Front 152

antecede (v) / antecedent (n)

Back 152

precede

The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century.

antecedents
preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later; early life; ancestors

Before giving permission for Drummie to marry Estella, Miss Havisham had a few questions about the young man's birth and antecedents

Front 153

antediluvian

Back 153

antiquated; ancient

The antediluvian customs had apparently not changed for thousands of years.

Front 154

anthropoid

Back 154

manlike

The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals.

Front 155

anthropologist

Back 155

student of the history and science of humankind

Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric humans in this area.

botanist
bugologist/zoologist

Front 156

anthropomorphic

Back 156

having human form or characteristics

Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics.

Front 157

antiquated

Back 157

obsolete; outdated

Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors, Philip thought typewriters were too antiquated for him to use.

Front 158

antiseptic

Back 158

substance that prevents infection

It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no matter how slight or insignificant.

Front 159

antithesis

Back 159

contrast; direct opposite of or to

This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for, and he fought it with all his strength.

Front 160

ape / apish

Back 160

imitate or mimic

He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal in front of the whole school.

Front 161

aperture

Back 161

opening; hole

She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the insects had entered the room.

Front 162

aphasia

Back 162

loss of speech due to injury or illness

After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or could only mumble incoherently

Front 163

aplomb

Back 163

poise; composure; confidence

Wellington's nonchalance (casual lack of concern) and aplomb in the heat of battle always heartened his followers.

Front 164

apocalyptic (adj)

Back 164

prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster

His apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild surmises (lack of supporting evidence, a conjecture).

Front 165

apocryphal (adj)

Back 165

fiction, untrue; made up, questionable authority.

To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his adventures in the big city.

Front 166

apogee

Back 166

highest point; farthest or highest point: apex

When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from the earth, it is at its apogee.

Front 167

apoplexy

Back 167

stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis

tai bien mach mau nao

He was crippled by an attack of apoplexy.

Front 168

apostate

Back 168

renegade, deserter, one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs

Because he switched from one party to another, his former friends shunned him as an apostate.

Front 169

apothecary (n)

Back 169

pharmacist, druggist

In Holland, apothecaries still sell spices as well as ointments and pills.

Front 170

apothegm

Back 170

pithy, compact saying

Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar sayings.

Front 171

apotheosis

Back 171

deification (deify: raising someone status to a deity); glorification

The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor his apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she, too, would be exalted (elevated, exaggerated, inflated) to the rank of a god

Front 172

appal

Back 172

dismay; shock;
làm mất tinh thần; làm mất hết can đảm

We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city's jails.

Front 173

apparition

Back 173

ghost; phantom

Hamlet was uncertain about the identity of the apparition that had appeared and spoken to him.

Front 174

appellation

Back 174

name; title

He was amazed when the witches hailed him with his correct appellation.

Front 175

application

Back 175

diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply

Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt Polly praised him for his application

Front 176

apposite

Back 176

appropriate; fitting

He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression for every occasion.

Front 177

apprehend

Back 177

arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive

The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long.

Front 178

apprehensive

Back 178

fearful, anxious;
discerning

His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the street revealed his nervousness.

Front 179

appurtenances

Back 179

appendage, adjunct, subordinate (phụ, phụ thuộc, lệ thuộc, ở dưới quyền, cấp dưới) possessions

He bought the estate and all its appurtenances.

rw: auxillary

Front 180

apropos

Back 180

with reference to; regarding

I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and pertinent.

Front 181

aptitude

Back 181

fitness; talent

The counselor evaluated his aptitudes before advising him about the career he should follow.

Front 182

aquiline

Back 182

curved, hooked

He can be recognized by his aquiline nose, curved like the beak of the eagle.

Front 183

arable

Back 183

fit for plowing, cultivation

The land was no longer arable; erosion had removed the valuable topsoil

Front 184

arbiter / arbitrate

Back 184

person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge

As an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers.

Front 185

arcade

Back 185

a covered passageway, usually lined with shops

The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the winter rain.

Front 186

arcane

Back 186

secret; mysterious

What was arcane to us was clear to the psychologist.

Front 187

archeology

Back 187

study of artifacts and relics of early mankind

The professor of archeology headed an expedition to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins.

kha?o co^? ho.c

Front 188

archetype

Back 188

prototype; primitive pattern

The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Island and New Jersey.

Front 189

archipelago

Back 189

group of closely located islands

When he looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the South Seas, he longed to visit them.

Front 190

argot

Back 190

slang

In the argot of the underworld, she "was taken for a ride."

Front 191

arid

Back 191

dry; barren

The cactus had adapted to survive in an arid environment.

Front 192

aristocracy

Back 192

hereditary nobility; privileged class

Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy.

tra chuyen con noi

Front 193

aromatic

Back 193

fragrant

Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from China to Europe

Front 194

arraign

Back 194

charge in court; indict

After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court.

Front 195

array

Back 195

marshal; draw up in order

His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him.

clothe; adorn

She liked to watch her mother array herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening

Front 196

arrears

Back 196

being in debt

He was in arrears with his payments on the car.

Front 197

arroyo

Back 197

gully

Until the heavy rains of the past spring, this arroyo had been a dry bed.

Front 198

artifacts

Back 198

products of primitive culture

Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor and came to no conclusion

Front 199

artifice

Back 199

deception; trickery

The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military might.

Front 200

artisan

Back 200

a manually skilled worker

Artists and artisans alike are necessary to the development of a culture.

Front 201

ascendancy

Back 201

controlling influence, domination

President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendancy over Philippine

Front 202

asceptic

Back 202

antiseptic, preventing infection; having a cleansing effect

Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced asceptic conditions.

Front 203

asinine

Back 203

stupid

Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration.

Front 204

askance

Back 204

with a sideways or indirect look

Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn.

With disapproval, suspicion, or distrust: “The area is so dirty that merchants report the tourists are looking askance” (Chris Black).

Front 205

asperity

Back 205

sharpness (of temper), harshness

say with asperity

These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed.

aspersion: slander, bittering remark, act of defaming

Front 206

aspirant

Back 206

seeker after position or status

Although I am an aspirant for public office, I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses.

Front 207

assail

Back 207

assault, trouble, attack

He was assailed with questions after his lecture.

Front 208

assay

Back 208

analyze; evaluate

When they assayed the ore (qua(.ng mo?), they found that they had discovered a very rich vein.

Front 209

assess / assessment

Back 209

estimation; appraisal

I would like to have your assessment of the situation in South Africa.

rw: assay

Front 210

astigmatism

Back 210

eye defect that prevents proper focus

As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from astigmatism, they took him to the optometrist for corrective glasses.

Front 211

astral

Back 211

relating to the stars

She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new telescope revealed.

Front 212

bacchanalian

Back 212

drunken

Emperor Nero attended the bacchanalian orgy.

Front 213

badger

Back 213

pester; annoy

She was forced to change her telephone number because she was badgered by obscene phone calls.

Front 214

badinage

Back 214

teasing conversation

Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with cheerful badinage.

Front 215

baffle

Back 215

frustrate; perplex

The new code baffled the enemy agents.

Front 216

bait

Back 216

harass; tease

The soldiers baited the prisoners, terrorizing them.

Front 217

baleful

Back 217

menacing; deadly

Casting a baleful eye at his successful rival, the rejected suitor stole off, vowing to have his revenge.

Front 218

balk

Back 218

stoop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue

The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn area.

Front 219

balk

Back 219

foil
例句: When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt.

Front 220

ballast

Back 220

heavy substance used to add stability or weight

The ship was listing badly to one side; it was necessary to shift the ballast in the hold to get her back on an even keel.

Front 221

balm

Back 221

something that relieves pain

Friendship is the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.

Front 222

balmy

Back 222

mild; fragrant

A balmy breeze refreshed us after the sultry blast.

Front 223

bandy

Back 223

discuss lightly; exchange blows or words

The president refused to bandy words with reporters at the press conference.

Front 224

bantering

Back 224

good-naturedly ridiculing

They resented his bantering remarks because they misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm.

Front 225

barb

Back 225

sharp projection form fishhook, etc.; pointed comment

The barb from the fishhook caught in his finger as he grabbed the fish.

Front 226

bard

Back 226

poet

The ancient bard Homer sang of the fall of Troy.

Front 227

barefaced

Back 227

shameless; bold; unconcealed

Shocked by Huck Finn's barefaced lies, Miss Watson prayed the good Lord would give him a sense of his unregenerate wickedness.

Front 228

baroque

Back 228

highly ornate

Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern skyscrapers, they found the flamboyance of baroque architecture amusing.

Front 229

barrage

Back 229

barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion

The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy canyons.

Front 230

barrister

Back 230

counselor-at-law

Galsworthy started as a barrister, but when he found the practice of law boring, turned to writing.

Front 231

barterer

Back 231

trader

The barterer exchanged trinkets for the natives' furs.

Front 232

bask

Back 232

luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth

basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell asleep.

Front 233

bate

Back 233

let down; restrain

Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity.

Front 234

bauble

Back 234

trinket; trifle

The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag.

Front 235

bawdy

Back 235

indecent; obscene

She took offense at his bawdy remarks.

Front 236

beatific

Back 236

giving bliss; blissful

The beatific smile on the child's face made us very happy.

Front 237

beatitude

Back 237

blessedness; state of bliss

Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of indescribable beatitude.

Front 238

bedizen

Back 238

dress with vulgar finery

The witch doctors were bedizened in their gaudiest costumes.

Front 239

bedraggle

Back 239

wet thoroughly

We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to change into dry clothing.

Front 240

befuddle

Back 240

confuse thoroughly

His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only on befuddling her further.

Front 241

beget

Back 241

father; produce; give rise to

One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily beget another.

Front 242

avarice

Back 242

greed

similar: cupidity, avidity; covetousness; parsimony
contrary: philanthropy; charity, benevolence; munificence; beneficence; altruism (altruistic)

Front 243

awry

Back 243

twisted; gone wrong (as in plans that went awry)

similar: amiss; astray; afield; askew; aslant; tortuous; serpentine; convoluted; vermicular

contrary: true; assiduous; undeviating

Front 244

balk (v)

Back 244

to stop short; refuse to continue

The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn area.

When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt.

similar: demur; spurn; shun; desist; halt; falter; stammer; suspend

contrary: advance, proceed; persevere; persist; endure; pertinacious; dogged; indefatigable.

Front 245

bate

Back 245

to moderate or restrain; hold back (as in bated breath)

Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity.

similar: impede; bridle; abate; repress; quell; quash; suppress; curb
contrary: unfetter; emancipate; manumit; discharge; extricate

Front 246

bauble (n)

Back 246

a trinket
The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag.

similar: trifle; toy; triviality; memento; souvenir

Front 247

behemoth

Back 247

a huge creature, leviathan (e.g., big ship or whale)

Sportcasters nicknamed the linebacker "The Behemoth."

similar: leviathan, mammoth; gargantuan; prodigious; titanic; colossal; vast
contrary: dwarf: mannequin; pygmy; diminutive; bantam; lilliputian; minutia

Front 248

bereaved (n/adj)

Back 248

the state of having lost something cherished or valuable (as in the death of a family member)

His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement.

similar: bereft: deprived; denuded; forfeited.

Front 249

bilk

Back 249

to deceive; defraud

The con man specialized in bilking insurance companies.

similar: dupe; swindle; beguile; delude; cozen, feign

Front 250

blazon (v)

Back 250

to herald, to proclaim or announce publicly or conspicuously (noticeably, obviously)

similar: herald, publicize; divulge; promulgate; publish; flaunt.

Front 251

boisterous

Back 251

loud, rough, or violent

The unruly crowd became even more boisterous when he tried to quiet them.

similar: clamorous; tumultuous, obstreperous; rambunctious; riotous; turbulent
contrary: sedate; staid; reconciled; subdued; placid, tranquil

Front 252

bovine (adj)

Back 252

cowlike; dull or inactive

Nothing excites Esther; even when she won the state lottery, she still preserved her air of bovine calm.

similar: inert; loutish; slothful; torpid; indolent; languid; phlegmatic; listless

contrary: astir; exuberant; animated; vivacious; effervescent; ebuillient

Front 253

brusque

Back 253

abrupt or blunt in speech

She was offended by his brusque reply;

similar: curt; bluff; crude; frank; boorish; sententious; terse
contrary: tactful ; suave; glib

Front 254

bungle

Back 254

to mishandle; botch up; make a bad mistake ; spoil by clumsy behavior

I was afraid you would bungle his assignment but I had no one else to send.

similar: blunder; bollix; spoil; ruin; impair
contrary: ameliorate; rectify; finesse

Front 255

caliber (n)

Back 255

ability; capacity

A man of such caliber should not be assigned such menial tasks.

Front 256

callous (adj)

Back 256

hardened; unfeeling

He had worked in the hospital for so many years that he was callous to the suffering in the wards.

Front 257

canard (n)

Back 257

unfounded rumor

It is almost impossible to protect oneself from such a base canard.

Front 258

cardinal (adj)

Back 258

chief
If you want to increase your word power, the cardinal rule of vocabulary-building is to read.

Front 259

cauterize (v)

Back 259

burn with hot iron or caustic

In order to prevent infection, the doctor cauterized the wound.

Front 260

cavil (v)

Back 260

make frivolous objections; to raise irritating and trivial objection.

I respect your sensible criticisms, but I dislike the way you cavil about unimportant details.

Front 261

cloy (v) / cloying (adj)

Back 261

distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental

Disliking the cloying sweetness of standard wedding cakes, Jody and Tom chose a homemade carrot cake for their reception.

Front 262

cornucopia (n)

Back 262

affluence, abundance; plenty; horn overflowing with fruit and grain; symbol of abundance

The encyclopedia salesman claimed the new edition was a veritable cornucopia of information, an inexhaustible source of knowledge for the entire family.

contrary: paucity; dearth; scarcity; want

Front 263

coterie

Back 263

a close knit group of people with common interest. group that meets socially; select circle

After his book had been published, he was invited to join the literary coterie that lunched daily at the hotel.

clique; cadre; clan; cabal; retinue

Front 264

dissipated

Back 264

depleted; squander

The young man quickly dissipated his inheritance and was soon broke.
* bị xua tan, bị tiêu tan
* bị phung phí (tiền của)
* bị tiêu mòn, bị uổng phí (nghị lực); tản mạn (sự chú ý...)
* chơi bời phóng đãng

Front 265

dapper

Back 265

neat and trim;

similar: fastidious, natty

In "The Odd Couple," Tony Randall played Felix Unger, an excessively dapper soul who could not stand to have a hair out of place.

Front 266

debonair

Back 266

friendly; aiming to please

1. Suave; urbane.
2. Affable; genial.
3. Carefree and gay; jaunty.

The debonair youth was liked by all who met him, because of his cheerful and obliging manner.

contrary: impudent; impertinent; insolent; flippant; churlish; boorish; unceremonious.

Front 267

deft

Back 267

adroit, adept; dexterous; neat; skillful

The deft waiter uncorked the champagne without spilling a drop.

maladroit; inept; gauche

Front 268

dictum

Back 268

arthoritative and weighty statement

She repeated the statement as though it were the dictum of the most expert worker in the group.

Front 269

dither (n)

Back 269

great excitement; agitation; trembling.

A state of indecisive agitation.

To be nervously irresolute in acting or doing.

similar: commotion; frenzy; tumult; clamor; turbulence; ado; perturbation

contrary: tranquility; armistice

Front 270

dolt (n)

Back 270

a stupid person

I thought I was talking to a mature audience; instead, I find myself addressing a pack of dolts.

similar: imbecile; simpleton; ignoramus; dullard
contrary: prodigy; savant; virtuoso; sage; paragon

Front 271

dour

Back 271

sullen; gloomy

The man was dour and taciturn.

similar: morose; somber; doleful; melancholy; lugubrious; saturnine; dismal
contrary: blithe; jovial; jocund; sanguine

Front 272

dross

Back 272

waste matter; worthless impurities

Many methods have been devised to separate the valuable metal from the dross.

Front 273

earthy

Back 273

unrefined; coarse

His earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in the audience.

Front 274

ebb

Back 274

recede; lessen

His fortunes began to ebb during the recession.

recede, ebb, retract, retreat, retrograde. These verbs mean to move backward: a hairline that had receded; waters that ebb at low tide; a turtle that retracted into its shell; an army that retreated to avoid defeat; academic standards that have retrograded.

Front 275

economy

Back 275

efficiency or conciseness in using something

Reading the epigrams of Pope, I admire the economy of his verse: in few words he conveys worlds of meaning.

Front 276

edify

Back 276

instruct; correct morally

Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his audience, many of his listeners were amused and not enlightened.

Front 277

eerie

Back 277

weird; Suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious

In that eerie setting, it was easy to believe in ghosts and other supernatural beings.

sw: uncanny; bizarre; peculiar; deviant; anomalous, inexplicable, aberrant

Front 278

effectual

Back 278

efficient

If we are to succeed, we must seek effectual means of securing our goals.

Front 279

effeminate

Back 279

having womanly traits

His voice was high-pitched and effeminate.

Front 280

effervescence

Back 280

inner excitement; exuberance

Nothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon reasserted itself.

Front 281

effete (adj)

Back 281

not able to bear young, worn out; exhausted; barren

The literature of the age reflected the effete condition of the writers; no new ideas were forthcoming.

depleted, (emaciate = become very thin)

Front 282

efficacy

Back 282

power to produce desired effect
The efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage

Front 283

effluvium

Back 283

noxious smell

Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities; the effluvium and the poisons in the air are hazards to life.

Front 284

egotism

Back 284

conceit; vanity

She thought so much of herself that we found her egotism unwarranted and irritating.

Front 285

egoism

Back 285

excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in others; egotism; conceit; narcism

His egoism prevented him from seeing the needs of his colleagues.

Front 286

elated

Back 286

overjoyed; in high spirits

Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her Olympic victory.

Front 287

elixir

Back 287

cure-all; something invigorating

The news of her chance to go abroad acted on her like an elixir.

Front 288

emaciated (adj)

Back 288

withered, thin, or wasted

His long period of starvation had left him emaciated.

similar: gaunt; enervated

Front 289

emanate (v)

Back 289

flowing form; issuing from/forth

A strong odor of sulfur emanated from the spring

Front 290

embroil

Back 290

throw into confusion, involve someone else in a dispute

He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to arbitrate the dispute.

Front 291

emollient (n)

Back 291

soothing or softening remedy, a softening ointment or other agent

He applied an emollient to the inflamed area.

Front 292

emolument

Back 292

salary or other compensation for employment

In addition to the emolument this position offers, you must consider the social prestige it carries with it.

Front 293

enthrall

Back 293

to captivate; hold under a spell; fascinate; capture; enslave

From the moment he saw her picture, he was enthralled by her beauty.

sw: mesmerize; bewitch; stupefy; enchant

Front 294

equestrian

Back 294

rider on horseback

These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds.

sw: jockey; cavalry; dragoon
contrary: pedestrian; afoot

Front 295

esprit (n)

Back 295

sprightliness of spirit or wit

sw: enthusiasm; vitality; morale; energy; vigor; zeal; ebullience

Front 296

exemplary

Back 296

outstanding; suitable as a model (either good or bad)

Her exemplary behavior was praised at commencement.

similar: ideal; consummate; paragon; archetypal, quintessential; epitome; egregious; extant

Front 297

exorbitant

Back 297

excessive; extravagant

sw: inordinate; immoderate; plethoric; lavish; superfluous; turgid
contrary: depleted; bereft;

The people grumbled at his exorbitant prices but paid them because he had a monopoly .

Front 298

exonerate

Back 298

acquit; exculpate

I am sure this letter naming the actual culprit will exonerate you.

Front 299

extol

Back 299

to praise

The astronauts were extolled as the pioneers of the Space Age.

sw: laud; commend; acclaim; eulogize; hail; esteem; venerate; adulate; revere
contr: inveigh; censure; fulminate

Front 300

facilitate

Back 300

to make easier

He tried to facilitate repayment of the loan by getting a part-time job.

sw: assist; expedite; further; *succor* (NOT succumb); dispatch; precipitate
cont: impede; hamper; hinder; arrest.

Front 301

fathom

Back 301

to understand thoroughly; literally; to reach the bottom of something.

I find his motives impossible to fathom

sw: discern; conceive; assimilate

Front 302

fetid

Back 302

having an offensive smell;

The neglected wound became fetid.

sw: malodorous; putrid; noisome; rank; noxious; mephitic
contrary: aromatic, fragrant; odoriferous, redolent

Front 303

filch

Back 303

to steal; purloin
the boys filched apples from the fruit stand

Front 304

flippant / flippancy

Back 304

disrespectful; rude; trifling gaiety

Your flippancy at this serious moment is offensive.

similar: impertinent; impious, impudent; insolent; audacious; churlish; unceremonious
contrary: debonair; chivalrous; duteous

Front 305

flux

Back 305

a continuous moving on or passing by; constant succession or change.

While conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair.

similar: instability; transmutation; metamorphosis; transfiguration; influx; efflux
cont: stagnancy; stationary; inert; dormancy; stasis.

Front 306

foible (n)

Back 306

a small character weakness; slight fault

We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect.

sw: frailty; flaw

Front 307

foist

Back 307

to force upon or impose upon fraudulently, insert improperly; palm off

I will not permit you to foist such ridiculous ideas upon the membership of this group

sw: palm; swindle; dupe; chicane

Front 308

fetter

Back 308

to bind; chain

sw: bridle; muzzle; lash; encumber; adjure; manacle;
batten; gird; fob; indenture; enslave
cont: unfetter; emancipate; disencumber; extricate; exculpate; manumit

Front 309

gaffe

Back 309

social blunder
sw: tactlessness; maladroitness; peccadillo; oversight; bungle
According to Miss Manners, to call your husband by your lover's name is worse than a mere gaffe; it is a tactical mistake

Front 310

gall

Back 310

bitterness; nerve (v.annoy)

The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall.

similar: effrontery; temerity; insolence; audacity; brashness; impertinence

Front 311

gabit

Back 311

any move by which one seeks to gain an advantage; an opening move in chess in which a piece is sacrificed

The player was afraid to accept his opponent's gambit because he feared a trap which as yet he could not see.

sw: stratagem; coven; machination; ruse; tactic; ploy; chicanery; arbitrage; subterfuge; artifice.

Front 312

gamut

Back 312

entire range

In this performance, the leading lady was able to demonstrate the complete gamut of her acting ability.

sw: spectrum; breadth; scope; purview; panaoply

Front 313

garish

Back 313

gaudy; overly showy; tasteless showy

She wore a garish rhinestone necklace.

sw: meretricious; ostentatious; florid;
contrary: seemly; unadorned; unobstrucsive

Front 314

garner

Back 314

to gather; store up; collect; accumulate

She hoped to garner the world's literature in one library.

sw: amass; hoard; agglomerate; accrue

Front 315

gesticulate

Back 315

to gesture or motion

Operatic performers are trained to make exaggerated gesticulations because of the large auditoriums in which they appear.

Front 316

glower

Back 316

to scowl or frown

sw: grimace; glare; smirk

The angry boy glowered at his father.

Front 317

gnome

Back 317

dwarf

sw: mannequin; pygmy; lilliputian; bantam; gremlin
cont: leviathan; mammoth; colossus

In medieval mythology, gnomes were the special guardians and inhabitants of subterranean mines.

Front 318

grovel

Back 318

to behave in a service fashion (literally, to crawl on the round)

sw: cower; wallow; fawn
ct: condescend; deign; patronize

Front 319

guise (n)

(disguise)

Back 319

appearance

sw: countenance; mien; demeanor; facade; semblance

In the guise of a plumber, the detective investigated the murder case.

Front 320

hap

Back 320

chance or luck

In his poem hap, Thomas Hardy objects to the part chance plays in our lives.

Front 321

hebetic

Back 321

dull; fatigued

sw: lethargic; torpid; listless; phlegmatic; languid

contrary: vivacious; effervescent, ebullient; zealous; ardent; fervent; fervid

Front 322

hedonist / hedonism

Back 322

belief that pleasure is the sole aim in life

hedonism and asceticism are opposing philosophies of human behavior.

Front 323

heedless

Back 323

not noticing; disregarding; careless; unmindful

He drove on, heedless of the warnings that the road was dangerous.

sw: remiss; negligent; oblivious; reckless; slack; lax
cont: circumspect; wakeful; wary; rapt; vigilant; punctilious

Front 324

herald

Back 324

to announce or foretell
sw: blazon, proclaim; divulge; promulgate, foreshadow; portend; presage

Front 325

hermetic

Back 325

sealed by fusion so as to be airtight

After these bandages are sterilized, they are placed in hermetic containers

sw: impervious; impermeable; inscrutable; caulked
cont: pervious; permeable, porous, pregnable

Front 326

heterodox

Back 326

unorthodox; unconventional

To those who upheld the belief that the earth did not move, Galileo's theory that the earth circled the sun was disturbingly heterodox.


sw: eccentric; maverick; deviant; idiosyncratic; outlandish

Front 327

hew (v)

Back 327

cut to pieces with ax or sword

The cavalry rushed into melee and hewed the enemy with their swords.

Front 328

hoary

Back 328

white (hair) with age; very old

The man was hoary and wrinkled when he was 70.

Front 329

comport

Back 329

to behave; to conform oneself;bear one's self; behave

He comported himself with great dignity.

sw: comply; accord; acquiesce
cont: transgress; trespass; balk

Front 330

imbue

Back 330

saturate, fill; permeate; pervade

His visits to the famous Gothic cathedrals imbued him with feelings of awe and reverence.

Front 331

improvident

Back 331

wasteful; neglectful; thriftless

He was constantly being warned to mend his improvident ways and begin to "save for a rainy day."


sw: imprudent; negligent; remiss; prodigal; profligate; inadvertent; heedless
cont: prudent; provident; politic; mindful; puntilious

Front 332

impasse

Back 332

predicament from which there is no escape

In this impasse, all turned to prayer as their last hope.

sw: dilemma, quandary; straight; plight; mire

Front 333

impious

Back 333

irreverent

The congregation was offended by her impious remarks.

sw: sacrilegious; blasphemous; flippant; impudent (not to be confused with imPRUdent)
cont: reverent; respectful; courteous

Front 334

harp (v) / harping (n)

Back 334

tiresome dwelling on a subject

After he had reminded me several times about what he had done for me, I told him to stop his harping on my indebtedness to him.

Front 335

ineluctable

Back 335

irresistible; inevitable; inescapable; not to be escaped

He felt that his fate was ineluctable and refused to make any attempt to improve his lot.

sw: ineludible; inevasible; inexorable

Front 336

inscrutable

Back 336

impenetrable; unfathomable, not readily understood; mysterious

Experienced poker players try to keep their expressions inscrutable, hiding their reactions to the cards behind a so-called poker face.

sw: impervious; impermeable; hermetic; enigmatic; cryptic; abstruse; recondite
ct: pervious; permeable; porous; pregnable; fathomable; ascertainable

Front 337

iota

Back 337

a very small quantity

similar: shed; trace; fleck; scintilla

Front 338

inculcate

Back 338

to teach persistently and earnestly

sw: indoctrinate; admonish; ingrain; infix; brainwash

inculcate the young with the sense of duty

Front 339

indelible

Back 339

incapable of being erased or eradicated (abolish, eliminate)

sw: permanent; ineffaceable; ineradicable; immutable

ct: eradicable; temporary; revocable; evanescent; temporal

Front 340

inveterate

Back 340

deep-rooted; longstanding

he is an inveterate smoker and cannot break the habit.

sw: habitual; entrenched; ensconced; ingrained; inbred; innate

Front 341

jaded

Back 341

fatigued, exhausted, weary, surfeited
He looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded appetite.

Front 342

jaunt (n) / jaunty (adj)

Back 342

jaunt: trip; short journey
He took a quick jaunt to Atlantic City.

jaunty: lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree
In Singing in the Rain, Gene Kelly sang and danced his way through the lighthearted title number in a properly jaunty style.

Front 343

jocose

Back 343

given to joking

The salesman was so jocose that many of his customers suggested that he become a stand-up comic.

Front 344

jostle

Back 344

shove; bump

In the subway he was jostled by the crowds.

sw: jar; collide; jolt; impact; nudge; propel

Front 345

jubilant

Back 345

rejoicing; characterized by great joy; joyful (especially due to a triumph or other joyous event)

There was great jubilitantion when the armistice (truce) was announced.

similar: elated; exuberant; exultant; reveling; frolicsome .

Front 346

juncture

Back 346

an intersection; a crisis

At this critical juncture, let us think carefully before determining the course we shall follow.

sw: crossroads; concourse; junction; confluence; bifurcation; exigency; dilemma; quandary

Front 347

jut

Back 347

to extend out; protrude

sw: bulge; extrude; distend; bloat; bastion; cantilever

Front 348

kaleidoscope

Back 348

tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, etc., produce interesting symmetrical effects

People found a new source of entertainment while peering through the kaleidoscope; they found the ever-changing patterns fascinating

sw: variegation; matrix; array; mosaic; aurora; chameleon; protean; mutation; motley

Front 349

kindle

Back 349

start a fire; ignite, inspire
Her teacher's praise kindled a spark of hope inside her.
New Mexico's promise of financial aid kindles a spark of hope inside myself.

sw: incite; impel; foment; spur

Front 350

knead

Back 350

mix; work dough

Her hands grew strong from kneading bread.

sw: amalgamate, alloy

Front 351

knell

Back 351

tolling of a bell, especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell

"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day."

Front 352

knoll

Back 352

little, round hill

Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach the grave site, you must climb uphill and walk a short distance along a marked path

Front 353

knurled

Back 353

knotty; gnarled

similar: contorted; serpentine

Front 354

kraft

Back 354

strong paper (usually brown in color) used for making bags and for wrapping ..

Front 355

maim (v)

Back 355

batter, mutilate; mangled, haul, injure

The hospital could not take care of all who had been mangled or maimed in the railroad accident.

sw: mangle, deface; dismember

Front 356

manumit (v)

Back 356

emancipate; free from bondage, to release from slavery or servitude

Enlightened slave owners were willing to manumit their slaves and thus put an end to the evil slavery in the country

sw: liberate, discharge, *unfetter*, disencumber, exculpate, extricate, disenthrall.
cont: enslave; indenture; fetter; bridle; muzzle; lash; encumber; manacle; adjure

Front 357

masochism / masochist (n)

Back 357

intentional infliction of pain on oneself, person who enjoys his own pain

The masochist begs, "Hit me." The sadist smiles and says, "I won't."

cont: sadism: intentionally infliction of pain on another

Front 358

mephitic (adj)

Back 358

offensive to the smell; noxious or poisonous.

sw: fetid; malodorous; putrid; noisome; rank; deleterious
cont: aromatic; odoriferous, redolent; salubrious; salutary.

Front 359

mete (v)

Back 359

to measure; to distribute (as in mete out rations)

He tried to be impartial in his efforts to mete out justice.
sw: allot; parcel; allocate; apportion, ration; divvy; dole; dispense; issue

Front 360

mettle (n)

Back 360

courage; spirit; character

When challenged by the other horses in the race, the thoroughbred proved its mettle by its determination to hold the lead.

sw: constitute; spirit; composition; fabric.

Front 361

motile (adj) motility (n)

Back 361

capable of moving spontaneously

Certain organisms exhibit remarkable motility; motile spores, for example, may travel for miles before coming to rest.

sw: ambulatory; mobile; transportable; migratory; transient.
cont: stationary, dormant; static; anchored; inert; sluggish; phlegmatic; entrenched; ingrained.

Front 362

motley (adj)

Back 362

parti-colored; mixed; colorful; composed of many elements.

The captain had gathered a motley crew to sail the vessel.

sw: variegated; dappled; polychromatic; kaleidoscopic; psychedelic; prismatic; heterogeneous; sundry; commingled; multiform; manifold.

cont: monochromatic; homogeneous; uniform; monolithic.

Front 363

mulct (v)

Back 363

defraud a person of something, to punish by fine or forfeiture; to deprive another of possession by fraud.

The lawyer was accused of trying to mulct the boy of his legacy.

sw: penalize; amerce; exact; sanction; confiscate; expropriate

Front 364

natty (adj)

Back 364

neatly or smartly dressed

Priding himself on being a natty dresser, the gangster Bugsy Siegel collected a wardrobe of imported suits and ties

sw: dapper; chic; spruce; smart, foppish; fastidious
cont: disheveled; slovenly; unkempt; tatterdemalion.

Front 365

necromancy (n)

Back 365

black magic; dealings with the dead
Because he was able to perform feats (acts) of necromancy, the natives thought he was in league with the devil.

sw: witchcraft; sorcery; sortilege; wizardry; thaumaturgy; shamanism; conjuration; occultism; alchemy; legerdemain.

Front 366

nemesis (n)

Back 366

revenging agent

Captain Bligh vowed to be Christian's nemesis.

sw: vindication; vengeance; revenge; retaliation; recompense.

Front 367

nettle (v)

Back 367

annoy; vex

Do not let him nettle you with his sarcastic remarks.

sw: perturb; peeve; irk; chafe; abrade; exasperate

Front 368

niggling (adj)

Back 368

spend too much time on minor points; carp

Let's not niggle over details.

sw: cavil; picayune; pedantic; petty; carping; belaboring; quibbling; trifling

Front 369

nonplus (v)

Back 369

bring to a halt by confusion; perplex

Jack's uncharacteristic rudeness nonplussed Jill, leaving her uncertain how to react.

sw: stupefy; bewilder; confound; baffle; addle; befuddle
cont: clarify; elucidate; explicate

Front 370

nostalgia

Back 370

homesickness; longing for the past

The first settlers found so much work to do that they had little time for nostalgia.

sw: homesick; yearning; sentimental; mawkish; maudlin

Front 371

nubile

Back 371

marrigeable; suitable for marriage (referring to a young woman, especially in physical development.

Mrs. Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, was worried about finding suitable husbands for her five nubile daughters.

sw: eligible; maturated; ripe; precocious
ct: juvenile; pubescent; puerile

Front 372

oblivion

Back 372

forgetfulness
Her work had fallen into a state of oblivion; no one bothered to read them.

sw: vacuity; temporalness; obsolescence
ct: remembrance; amanuensis; reminiscence; nostalgia; memoir

Front 373

obtuse

Back 373

slow to understand; insensitive (literally, blunt) blunt; stupid

Because he was so obtuse, he could not follow the teacher's reasoning and asked foolish questions.

sw: undiscerning; doltish; dull; dimwitted; moronic, abstruse, recondite,
cont: perspicacious; keen; astute; discerning

Front 374

odyssey

Back 374

long eventful journey.

The refugee's journey from Cambodia was a terrifying odyssey

similar: trek; *peregrination*; excursion; pilgrimage; junket; safari; transhumance ; migration

Front 375

ogle

Back 375

to glance flirtatiously at
glance coquettishly at; make eyes at

Sitting for hours at the sidewalk cafe, the old gentleman would ogle the young girls and recall his youthful romances.

sw: eye, stare; leer; gape; agape

Front 376

onus

Back 376

burden; responsibility

The emperor was spared the onus of signing the surrender papers; instead, he relegated the assignment to his generals.

sw: accountability; liability; culpability

Front 377

opulence (n)

Back 377

extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance

The glitter and opulence of the ballroom took Cinderella's breath away.

sw: affluence; prosperity; privilege; indulgence; extravagance.
cont: destitution; pauperism; *mendicancy*; indigence.

Front 378

ordinate

Back 378

fundamental; primary

sw: rudimentary; basal; *inchoate*, axiomatic; chief; capital; cardinal; axial; definitive; incisive
ct: subordinate; subsidiary; subservient; auxiliary; *ancillary*

Front 379

oust

Back 379

to force out or expel or drive out

The world wondered if Aquino would be able to oust Marcos from office.

sw: banish; evict; exile; ostracize; *extradite*

Front 380

overt

Back 380

out in the open; not hidden, open to view

According to the United States Constitution, a person must commit an overt act before he may be tried for treason.

sw: perceptible; apparent; manifest; evident; palpable
ct: convert; camouflaged; shrouded; veiled; clandestine; surreptitious.

Front 381

pall (v)

Back 381

something that covers over; especially in darkness or gloom; to become wearisome; tiresome; or unpleasant

The study of word lists can eventually pall and put one to sleep.

sw: shroud; cloy; surfeit; glut; oppress

Front 382

pallid (adj)

Back 382

pale or deficient in color (as from fear or ill health)

Because his occupation required that he work at night and sleep during the day, he had an exceptionally pallid complexion.

sw: sallow; wan; ashen; anemic (*anemia*), waxen; blanched
ct: blushed; ruddy; rosy; cerise; rubicund; sanguine; motley

Front 383

pan

Back 383

to criticize harshly

Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was miserable when the critics panned it unanimously.

sw: censure; reprove; chastise; reprimand; reproach; remonstrate; inveigh; disapprobate; reprobate
ct: acclaim; extol; plaudit; laud; hail; adulate; commend; approbate (to sanction, authorize); panegyrize; eulogize.

Front 384

parley

Back 384

a conference

The peace parley has not produced the anticipated truce (A temporary cessation or suspension of hostilities by agreement of the opposing sides; an armistice.).

sw: council; intercourse; dialogue; rendezvous; tryst

Front 385

parochial (adj)

Back 385

narrow or limited in scope

Although Jane Austen writes novels set in small rural communities, her concerns are universal, not parochial.

sw: provincial; insular; sectarian
ct: pandemic; universal; rife; epidemic

Front 386

peripheral

Back 386

pertaining to the outer region of something (as opposed to the core or center)

We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of the great city.

sw: marginal; ambient; extraneous; extrinsic; auxiliary; ancillary
cont: nuclear; chief; capital; cardinal; axial; definitive; incisive; fundamental; primary; ordinate; axiomatic

Front 387

poseur

Back 387

a person who pretends to be sophisticated or elegant in order to impress others

Some thought Dali was a brilliant painter; others dismissed him as a poseur.

sw: feigner; parvenu; upstart

Front 388

prattle

Back 388

to speak in a childish manner; babble

The children prattle endlessly about their new bauble

sw: jabber; twaddle; chatter; drivel; gibberish

Front 389

puerile

Back 389

pertaining to a child

His puerile pranks sometimes offended his more mature friends.

sw: callow; nubile; fledgling; pubescent; juvenile; green
ct: hoary; grizzled; ancient; ripened; antique; decrepit; doddering.

Front 390

purloin (v)

Back 390

to steal or take dishonestly

sw: pilfer; filch, misappropriate; abscond; peculate; **embezzle**; *foist*

Front 391

quaff (v)

Back 391

to drink with relish

As we quaffed our ale (a type of alcoholic, stronger than beer), we listened to the gay songs of the students in the tavern.

sw: guzzle; swig; imbibe; swill; ingurgitate; partake

Front 392

quail (v)

Back 392

to shrink with fear; cower; lose heart

He was afraid that he would quail in the face of danger.

sw: cower; recoil; cringe; shudder; flinch; wince

Front 393

quaint

Back 393

unusual in a charming way; old-fashioned, picturesque

Her quaint clothes and old-fashioned language marked her as an eccentric

sw: curious; peculiar; eccentric

Front 394

qualms

Back 394

misgivings; doubts

His qualms of conscience had become so great that he decided to abandon his plans.

sw: scruples; hesitance; skepticism; leeriness; wariness; reluctance; mistrust; trepidation; dread; circumspection

qualm, scruple, compunction, misgiving. These nouns denote a feeling of uncertainty about the fitness or correctness of an action. Qualm is a disturbing feeling of uneasiness and self-doubt: “an ignorant ruffianly gaucho, who . . . would . . . fight, steal, and do other naughty things without a qualm” (W.H. Hudson). Scruple is an uneasy feeling arising from conscience or principle about a course of action: “My father's old-fashioned notions boggled a little at first to this arrangement . . . but his scruples were in the end overruled” (John Galt). Compunction implies a prick or twinge of conscience aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing: stole the money without compunction. Misgiving suggests often sudden apprehension: had misgivings about quitting his job.

Front 395

quash/quell

Back 395

to put down or suppress

The authorities acted quickly to quash the student rebellion, sending in tanks to cow the demonstrators.

The police used fire hoses and tear gas to quell the rioters.

sw: subdue; squelch; allay; stifle; quench; vanquish
ct: spur; induce; promote; facilitate; provoke; goad; incite; foment; instigate

Front 396

quaver/quiver (v)

Back 396

to shake tremulously

tremulous
1. Marked by trembling, quivering, or shaking.
2. Timid or fearful; timorous.

sw: tremble; shiver; shudder; quiver.

Front 397

quibble (v)

Back 397

equivocate (lie, vong vo tam quoc), to nitpick; to evade an issue by making irrelevant points

Do not quibble; I want a straightforward and definite answer.

sw: carp; cavil; gripe; elude; parry; muddle; obfuscate; niggling, waffle

Front 398

quip (n)

Back 398

witty or sarcastic remark; taunt

You are unpopular because you are too free with your quips and sarcastic comments.

sw: mockery; insult; gibe; jeer; satire; banter; ridicule; derision.

Front 399

rabid (adj) (rabies)

Back 399

irritating extreme in opinion, raging violently, like a fanatic; furious

He was a rabid follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park.

sw: fanatic; frenzied; altruistic; maniacal; fervent; fervid; ardent

Front 400

raiment (n)

Back 400

clothing; attire

"How can I go to the ball?" asked Cinderella. "I have no raiment fit to wear."

sw: vestments; garb; garments; apparel; habits; accouterments; ensemble; finery; regalia; trimmings; frippery

Front 401

rampart (n)

Back 401

small mound of earth used defensively in battle; defensive mound on earth

"From the ramparts we watched" as the fighting continued.

sw: barrier; fortification; impediment; barricade; bar; blockage; bastion; escarpment; barbican, hummock, hillock.

Front 402

rarefied (adj)

Back 402

lofty; made less dense (as in rarefied gases)

The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the rarefied atmosphere.

sw: exalted (apotheosis); esoteric; diffused; thinned; ethereal; vaporous

Front 403

recourse (n)

Back 403

access to assistance in time of trouble

The boy's only recourse was to appeal to his father for aid.

sw: resort; aid; relief; succor; avail; remedy

Front 404

relent (v)

Back 404

to surrender or give in

When her stern father would not relent and allow her to marry Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett eloped (run away, abscond) with her suitor.

sw: yield; capitulate; relinquish; cede; abdicate; succumb; acquiesce
cont: inexorable, relentless

Front 405

relic (n)

Back 405

a surviving memorial from the past, surviving remnant (remainder); memento

Egypt's Department of Antiquities prohibits tourists from taking mummies and other ancient relics out of the country.

sw: artifact; curio; **vestige***; remnant (remainder); bibelot; antique; memento (token, reminder, take this book as a memento of your visit)

Front 406

reprieve (v)

Back 406

to delay punishment, temporary stay

During the twenty-four-hour reprieve, the lawyers sought to make the stay of execution permanent.

sw: suspend; defer; adjourn; pardon

Front 407

reprisal (n)

Back 407

the infliction of an injury in return for an injury done, retaliation

I am confident that we are ready for any reprisals the enemy may undertake (multiple meanings: e.g., begin).

sw: revenge, recompense, vengeance, vendetta (blood feud), vindictive (not related to **vindicate**: clear of charges)

Front 408

requite (v)
requital (n)

Back 408

to repay; pay back; revenge

The wretch requited his benefactors by betraying them.

sw: recompense; remunerate; reimburse; rebate; vindicate; avenge; retribution
ct: (be in) arrears; owe; withhold

Front 409

retribution (n)

Back 409

vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses

The evangelist maintained that an angry deity would exact retribution from the sinners.

sw: revenge; vindication; requital; recompense; retaliation, nemesis

Front 410

rift (n)

Back 410

a break or opening

The plane was lost in the stormy sky until the pilot saw the city through a rift in the clouds.

sw: chasm; fissure; breach; crevice; cranny; cleft; aperture; orifice

Front 411

ruffian (n)

Back 411

a bully

The ruffians threw stones at the police.

sw: scoundrel; miscreant; hooligan; thug

Front 412

saga (n)

Back 412

a myth or legend

This is a saga of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it.

sw: tale; epic; fable; allegory; parable

Front 413

sartor (n)

Back 413

a tailor, sartorial (pertaining to tailors)

He was as famous for the sartorial splendor of his attire as he was for his acting.

sw: couturier

Front 414

scabbard (n)

Back 414

a case for a sword or other blade, sheath

The drill master told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword before slipping it back into the scabbard.

sw: sheath; quiver (shake w/ tremulous, arrow holder); holster

Front 415

scathed (adj)

Back 415

harmed; injured

1. To harm or injure, especially by fire.
2. To criticize or denounce severely; excoriate.

unscathed: unharmed -> They prayed he would come back from the war unscathed.

sw: wounded; damaged; aggrieved; impaired

Front 416

scotch (v)

Back 416

stamp out; thwart; hinder; to injure so as to make harmless;

Heather tried to scotch the rumor that she had stolen her best friend's fiance.

sw: foil; hinder; thwart; arrest; impede; forestall; preclude; interdict; sabotage; undermine; maim

Front 417

scruple (n,v)

Back 417

a moral or ethical consideration giving rise to hesitancy or doubt, fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons

Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she did not scruple to read his diary.

sw: qualms, misgivings, demurral; conscience; unwillingness; leeriness; wariness; reluctance

Front 418

scurrilous (adj)

Back 418

obscene; indecent

Your scurrilous remarks are especially offensive because they are untrue.

sw: lewd, vulgar; uncouth; indecorous; lascivious; licentious; unsavory; libertine; bawdy; ribald.
ct: seemly; decorous; befitting; scrupulous; genteel courtly

Front 419

scourge

Back 419

to whip (especially, in punishment), severe punishment.

# A source of widespread dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war.
# A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment.

They feared the plague and regarded it as a deadly scourge.

sw: lash, switch; cane; chastise; castigate; discipline

Front 420

scruple (n,v)

Back 420

a moral or ethical consideration giving rise to hesitancy or doubt, fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons

Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she did not scruple to read his diary.

sw: qualms, misgivings, demurral; conscience; unwillingness; leeriness; wariness; reluctant

Front 421

seine (n)

Back 421

a type of fishing net

When the shad run during the spring, you may see fishermen with seines along the banks of our coastal rivers.

sw: snare; lure; trap

Front 422

shun (v)

Back 422

to stay away from; avoid

Cherishing his solitude, the recluse shunned the company of other human beings.

sw: eschew; avert; abstain; evade; elude; spurn; snub
ct: embrace; enfold; welcome

Front 423

shunt (v)

Back 423

to show out of the way; turn aside; divert; sidetrack

If the switchman failed to shunt the Silver Streak onto a side track, the train would plow right into Union Station.

sw: reject; jettison; shed; discard

Front 424

squalid (adj)

Back 424

neglected; dirty, or poor (especially, living conditions)

It is easy to see how crime can breed in such a squalid neighborhood.

sw: seedy; ramshackle; shabby
ct: tidy; immaculate

Front 425

stentorian (adj)

Back 425

extremely loud

The town crier had stentorian voice.

sw: clamorous, boisterous; obstreperous; strident; plangent; tumultuous; forte; rambunctious; riotous, turbulent
ct: quiescent; mute; tacit; placid; serene, sedate; staid; subdued; tranquil

Front 426

suborn (v)

Back 426

to induce another in an unlawful manner; to persuade another to commit an unlawful act

sw: bribe, inveigle; entrap; coax; corrupt; deprave; beguile; seduce; entice; allure

Front 427

sundry (adj)

Back 427

various; diverse; several

My suspicions were aroused when I read sundry items in the newspapers about your behavior.

sw: variegated; myriad; multifarious

Front 428

svelte (adj)

Back 428

gracefully slender; slender or graceful in figure or outline; slim.

sw: lithe; willowly; lissome

Front 429

sybarite

Back 429

a person devoted to luxury or pleasure

Rich people are not always sybarites; some of them have little taste for a life of luxury.

sw: epicurean; voluptuary; hedonist; debauchee

Front 430

taper (v)

Back 430

to become narrower; candle

He lit the taper (candle) on the windowsill.

sw: cramp; contract; squeeze; compress; constrict; obelisk; pyramid; carafe
ct: distend; widen; splay; flare; flute

Front 431

tedium

Back 431

boredom; weariness

We hope this radio will help overcome the tedium of your stay in the hospital.

sw: ennui; monotony, fatigue, pall, apathy, dullness; repetitiveness.
ct: scintillation; exuberance; titillation; jubilation (jubilant); ado; melodrama

Front 432

tepid

Back 432

luke warm (neither cold nor hot)

sw: indifferent; apathetic; nonchalant; impassive; sedate.

Front 433

tether

Back 433

to tie with a rope

Before we went to sleep, we tethered the horses to prevent their wandering off during the night.

sw: leash; fetter; manacle; moor; berth; anchor.

Front 434

throng

Back 434

a large crowd

Throngs of shoppers jammed the aisles.

sw: horde; swarm; host; multitude.

Front 435

tithe (n,v)

Back 435

a tax of one tenth (v. to give 1/10th as a tax or donation)

Because he was an agnostic, he refused to pay his tithes to the clergy.

sw: levy (to collect/impose tax, draft for military), tariff; toll; duty; assessment

Front 436

toady

Back 436

fawning flatterer; a "yes-man"

Never tell the boss anything he doesn't wish to hear. He doesn't want an independent adviser, he just wants a toady


sw: acolyte; lackey; minion; entourage; retinue.

Front 437

tocsin

Back 437

an alarm, bell, or another signal.

sw: knell; portent; foretoken; omen

Front 438

travail (n)

Back 438

laborious; arduous work

How long do you think a man can endure such travail and degradation without rebelling?

sw: drudgery; toil; labor; moil

Front 439

tryst

Back 439

an appointment for a meeting (especially a secretive meeting of lovers)

The lovers kept their tryst (meet) even though they realized their danger.

sw: rendezvous; engagement; parley

Front 440

tutelage

Back 440

training under the guidance and protection of another.

Under the tutelage of such masters of the instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso (master in art/music)

sw: apprenticeship; guardianship; conservation; custody.

Front 441

tyro

Back 441

a beginner

For a mere tyro, you have produced some marvelous results.

sw: novice; neophyte; apprentice; amateur; rookie; greenhorn; proselyte

Front 442

unconscionable

Back 442

in violation of one's conscience

She found the load shark's demands unconscionable and impossible to meet.

sw: unscrupulous (scruple), corrupt; unethical; amoral; venal; sordid.

ct: conscionable; just; equitable.

Front 443

ungainly

Back 443

clumsy; awkward

He is an ungainly young man; he trips over everything.

sw: unwieldy, inept; maladroit; oafish; gauche (tactless), bungling (bungle), loutish.

Front 444

unguent

Back 444

ointment

Apply this unguent to the sore muscles before retiring.

sw: liniment; emollient; salve; balm; cerate; unction.

Front 445

unrequited

Back 445

Not reciprocated or returned in kind: unrequited love

Suffering the pangs of unrequited love, Olivia rebukes (reprove, reprimand, admonish) Cesario for his hard-heartedness.

requitt
1. reciprocate; to make repayment or return for: requite another's love. See synonyms at .
2. To avenge.

sw: unilateral; unrecompensed; delinquent (overdue in payment, fail to do what law requires) , owing; due

ct: reciprocate; recompense; remunerated; reimbursed; rebated; avenged.

Front 446

unwieldy

Back 446

cumbersome or awkward, ungainly

sw: unmanageable; bulky; clumsy; ungainly

The large carton was so unwieldy that the movers had trouble getting it up the stairs.


ct: manageable, controllable; yielding; compliant; cooperative; acquiescent.

Front 447

unwitting

Back 447

unknowing; unaware; unintentional

She was the unwitting tool of the swindlers

sw: ignorant; oblivious (oblivion); inadvertent; involuntary

Front 448

upstart

Back 448

a person who has become arrogant as a result of sudden rise to a position of importance;

sw: parvenu; elitist; snob; opportunist.

Front 449

uxorious

Back 449

overly devoted or submissive to one's wife

His friends laughed at him because he was so uxorious and submissive to his wife's desires.

sw: doting; fawning; indulgent.

Front 450

vainglorious

Back 450

excessively proud of one's accomplishments.

She was a vainglorious and arrogant individual.

sw: vain; boastful; conceited; egotistical; haughty; pompous; arrogant
ct: retiring; decorous; unpretentious; unobtrusive.

Front 451

vantage

Back 451

an advantageous position or condition.

They fired upon the enemy from behind trees, walls and any other point of vantage they could find.
sw: benefit; boon; privilege

Front 452

vapid

Back 452

lacking liveliness; spirit; or flavor, inane

She delivered an uninspired and vapid address.

sw: insipid; stale; banal; mundane; prosaic; phlegmatic; insouciant

Front 453

variegated

Back 453

varied in appearance; especially in color

Without her glasses, Gretchen saw the fields of tulips as a variegated blur.

sw: kaleidoscopic; polychromatic; dappled; motley; prismatic; mottled; mosaic; multifarious

Front 454

vaunt

Back 454

speak boastfully (vaingloriously) of

This much vaunted project proved a disappointment when it collapses

sw: brag: flaunt; gloat; tout; brandish; publicize

Front 455

venturesome

Back 455

bold; daring; hazardous

A group of venturesome women were the first to scale Mt.Annapurna.

sw: venturous; audacious; intrepid; treacherous; perilous; jeopardous

Front 456

verge

Back 456

edge, border

Madame Curie knew she was on the verge of discovering the secrets of radioactive elements.

sw: threshold; brink; precipice; brim.

Front 457

vespertine

Back 457

pertaining or occurring during the evening

sw: crepuscular; nocturnal
ct: diurnal (day time)

Front 458

victuals

Back 458

food, meals
I am very happy to be able to provide you with these victuals; I know you are hungry
sw: fare; comestibles; pabulum; pap; fodder; viand

Front 459

vie

Back 459

to compete
Politicians vie with one another, competing for donations and votes.
sw: contend; contest; rival; endeavor; clash; spar

Front 460

vitriolic

Back 460

severely sarcastic or caustic, corrosive;

Such vitriolic criticism is uncalled for.

sw: scathing; sardonic; acerbic; mordant; trenchant; acrimonious; pungent

Front 461

vouchsafe

Back 461

to grant condescendingly; to guarantee

sw: bestow, endow; bequeath; ensure; pledge, warrant.

Front 462

waffle

Back 462

to straddle an issue or refuse to commit oneself to a position

sw: equivocate; quibble, waver

Front 463

waif

Back 463

a person (esp a child) or animal w/out a home

Although he already had eight cats, he could not resist adopting yet another feline waif.

sw: stray; orphan; urchin; rogue; foundling; ragamuffin; tatterdemalion

Front 464

warble

Back 464

to sing in a birdlike manner

Every morning the birds warbled outside her window.

sw: cheep; twitter; coo; chirrup; whistle

Front 465

wean

Back 465

to break away from a dependency (esp a baby's dependency on its mother),
accustom a baby not to nurse; give up a cherished activity

He decided he would wean himself away from eating junk food and stick to fruits and vegetables.

sw: disengage; disentangle

Front 466

welter

Back 466

to roll; heave (raise/lift/throw w/ great effort) or writhe (twist), turmoil; bewildering jumble

The existing welter of overlapping federal and state proclaims cries out for immediate reform.

sw: flounder; wallow

Front 467

wheedle

Back 467

to deceive or persuade by flattery

cajole; coax; deceive by flattery

She knows she can wheedle almost anything she wants from her father.

sw: cajole; coax;entice; inveigle, lure; seduce; beguile; hoax

Front 468

whit

Back 468

a tiny particle

There is not a whit of intelligence or understanding in your observations.

sw: scintilla; bit; morsel; iota; shred; trace; fleck; minutia

Front 469

wistful

Back 469

characterized by a sad longing or yearning.

With a last wistful glance at the happy couples dancing in the hall, Sue headed back to her room to study for her exam.

sw: nostalgic; sentimental; melancholy; plaintive; lugubrious; pensive.

Front 470

woe

Back 470

misery; sorrow; grief


sw: affliction; distress; wretchedness; torment; melancholy
ct: elation; mirth; glee

Front 471

wry

Back 471

distorted; twisted, or devious (esp a sense of humor)

We enjoy Dorothy Parker's verse for its wry wit.

sw: sly; insidious; crafty; foxy; vulpine; askew; awry; aslant; tortuous; serpentine, convoluted; vermicular (worm-like)

Front 472

xanthous

Back 472

yellow or yellowish

Front 473

xyloid

Back 473

resembling wood; woodlike

sw: ligneous.

Front 474

yelp

Back 474

to cry sharply (like a dog)

sw: bark; shriek; yap; squeal; bellow

Front 475

yoke

Back 475

a device for joining (liking) two things together; oppression; domination, or harnessing.

I don't wish to be yoked to him in marriage, as if we were cattle pulling a plow.

sw: bridle; fetter; cinch; muzzle; halter

Front 476

jokel

Back 476

a country bumpkin

At school, his classmates regarded him as a yokel and laughed at his rustic mannerisms.

sw: hayseed; boor; churl; rustic; peasant; curmudgeon

ct: urbanite; bourgeois

Front 477

yore

Back 477

a time past

He dreamed of the elegant homes of yore, but gave no thought to their inelegant plumbing.

sw: ancient; antiquity; bygone; quondam; antecedent; anterior; erstwhile; antediluvian

Front 478

zenithal

Back 478

upright; erect; pertaining to the highest vertical point.
point directly overhead in the sky; summit

When the sun was at its zenith, the glare was not as strong as at sunrise and sunset.

sw: vertical; perpendicular; plumb.

Front 479

zing

Back 479

vitality; energy; animation

sw: verve; vim; vigor; zest; zeal; esprit; gusto; ebullience

Front 480

zodiacal

Back 480

pertaining to the heavens (esp to an imaginary belt cover which celestial bodies pass)

sw: cosmic; astrologic; astronomic; universal; celestial; sidereal

Front 481

zonule

Back 481

a little zone (designated area)

sw: band; belt

Front 482

zoophagous

Back 482

meat-eating

sw: carnivorous; predatory

Front 483

fallible

Back 483

like to to err (make error), weak (as in human)

everyone is fallible to some degree
i am only a fallible human

Front 484

falter

Back 484

hesitate

do not falter when it comes to girls :]

Front 485

fell

Back 485

cruel; deadly

Front 486

feral (adj)

Back 486

not domestic, wild

Front 487

fancier

Back 487

animals dealer or breeder.

The dog fancier exhibited her prize collie at the annual Kennel Club show.

Front 488

farce

Back 488

broad comedy; mockery

Nothing went right, the entire talk degenerated (deteriorated) into a farce.

Front 489

fallow

Back 489

plowed but not sowed; Left unplowed and unseeded during a growing season; uncultivated.

Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit land to lie fallow every few years.

Front 490

fatalism (fatalistic)

Back 490

a belief that events are determined by forces beyond one's control.

Within fatalism, he accepted the hardships that beset (annoy) continually or chronically (longstanding)) him.

Front 491

fauna

Back 491

animals of a period or region.

The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period by examining the skeletal remains and the fossils.

Front 492

faze

Back 492

disconcert (embarrassed), dismay.

No crisis could faze the resourceful hotel manager

Front 493

febrile

Back 493

feverish (so^'t).

In his febrile condition, he was subject to nightmares and hallucinations.

Front 494

feckless

Back 494

feeble and infective; careless and irresponsible.

Front 495

fecundity

Back 495

fertility; fruitfulness.

The fecundity of her mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in her poems.

Rabbits (or even parakeets) are noted for their fecundity: in the absence of natural predators; they multiply, well like rabbits, as the Australians learned to their dismay.

Front 496

feign

Back 496

pretend. (malinger)

Lady Macbeth feigned illness

Front 497

felicity (felicitous)

Back 497

happiness; appropriateness.

She wrote a note to the newlyweds wishing them great felicity in their wedded life.

Front 498

fell

Back 498

cruel, deadly.

The newspapers told of the tragic spread of the fell disease.

Front 499

ferret

Back 499

drive or hunt out of hiding.

She ferreted out their secret.

Front 500

ferment (not ferVent)

Back 500

agitation, commotion (disorderly outburst or tumult).

With the breakup of the Soviet Union, much of Easter Europe was in a state of ferment.

Front 501

fester

Back 501

v. rankle; produce irritation or resentment.

n. A sore that has become inflamed and formed pus

Jole's insult festered in Anne's mind for days and made her too angry to speak to him.

Front 502

festive (adj)

Back 502

joyous; celebratory.

Their wedding in the park was a festive occasion.

Front 503

fete (v,n)

Back 503

honor at a festival.

The returning hero was feted at a community supper and dance.

Front 504

fetid

Back 504

malodorous (mal-odor); foul-smelling.

When a polecat is alarmed, the scent glad under its tail emits a fetid secretion (The organic process of synthesizing and releasing some substance) used for territorial marking. Stinky! Does feta cheese smell fetid to you ?

Front 505

fetter

Back 505

shackle, Bound by chains fastened around the ankles

The prisoner was fettered to the wall.

Front 506

fiat

Back 506

command; authorization.

Although the bill abolishing the allowances and privileges of the former princes was rejected by the upper house, it was put into effect by presidential fiat.

Front 507

fickle

Back 507

faithless, changeable.

As soon as Romeo saw Juliet, he forgot all about his crush on Rosaline. Was Romeo fickle ?

Front 508

figment

Back 508

invention; imaginary thing.

Was he hearing real voices in the night, or were they just a figment of his imagination.

Front 509

figurine

Back 509

small ornamental statuette.

In the Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade was hired to trace the missing figurine of a black bird.

Front 510

filial

Back 510

pertaining to a son or daughter.

Many children forget their filial obligations and disregard the wishes of their parents.

Front 511

filibuster

Back 511

block legislation by making long speeches.

Even though we disapproved of senator Foghorn's political goals, we were impressed by his ability to filibuster endlessly to keep an issue from coming to a vote.

Front 512

filigree

Back 512

delicate, lacelike metalwork.

The pendant (An adornment that hangs from a piece of jewelry (necklace or earring)) with gold filigree that she wore round her neck trembled with each breath she took.

Front 513

finesse

Back 513

delicate skill

The finesse and adroitness of the surgeon impressed the observers in the operating room.

Front 514

firebrand

Back 514

hothead; troublemaker

The police tried to keep track of all the local firebrands when the President came to town.

Front 515

fissure

Back 515

crevice (A long narrow depression in a surface)

đường nứt, kẽ hở (tường, núi đá)

The mountain climbers secured footholds in tiny fissures in the rock.

Front 516

fitful

Back 516

spasmodic; intermittent (Stopping and starting at irregular intervals, *not* to be confused with imminent, )

After several fitful attempts, he decided to postpone the start of the project until he felt more energetic.

Front 517

flaccid

Back 517

flabby

His *sedentary* (inactive, requiring sitting or little activity) life had left him with flaccid muscles.

Front 518

flag

Back 518

droop; grow feeble (Lacking strength or vigor)

When the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only minutes into the first period, the home team's spirits flagged.

Front 519

flagrant (adj)

Back 519

conspicuously (prominently) wicked, Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible

We cannot condone such flagrant violations of the rules.

Front 520

flail

Back 520

thresh grain by hand; strike or slap; toss about

In medieval times, warriors flailed their foe with a metal ball attached to a handle.

* cái néo

* cái đập lúa


ngoại động từ

* đập (lúa...) bằng cái đập lúa

* vụt, quật

Front 521

flair

Back 521

talent

She has an uncanny (surpassing the ordinary or normal) flair for discovering new artists before the public has become aware of their existence.

Front 522

flamboyant

Back 522

ornate (Marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details)

Modern architecture has discarded the flamboyant trimming on buildings and emphasizes simplicity of line.

Front 523

flay

Back 523

strip off skin; plunder

The criminal was condemned to be flayed alive.

Front 524

fleck

Back 524

spot

Her cheeks flecked with tears, were testimony to the hours of weeping.

Front 525

fleece

Back 525

rob; plunder.

The trickster fleeced him of his inheritance

Front 526

flinch

Back 526

hesitate; shrink.

Without a flinch.

Front 527

facile

Back 527

easy; expert


Because he was a facile speaker, he never refused a request to address an organization.

Front 528

faction (factious)

Back 528

party; clique; dissension

The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the club disturbed the majority of the members.

factious
inclined to form factions; causing dissension.

Your statement is factious and will upset the harmony that now exists.

Front 529

factitious

Back 529

artificial; sham

Hollywood actresses often create factitious tears by using glycerine.

Front 530

factotum

Back 530

handyman; person who does all kinds of work

Although we had hired him as a messenger, we soon began to use him as a general factotum around the office.

Front 531

faculty

Back 531

mental or bodily powers; teaching staff

As he grew old, he feared he might lose his faculties and become useless to his employer.

Front 532

fallacious

Back 532

misleading

Your reasoning must be fallacious because it leads to a ridiculous answer.

Front 533

feint

Back 533

trick; shift; sham blow

The boxer was fooled by his opponent's feint and dropped his guard.

Front 534

forte

Back 534

strong point or special talent

I am not eager to play this rather serious role, for my forte is comedy.

Front 535

forthright

Back 535

straightforward; direct; frank

I prefer Jill's forthright approach to Jack's tendency to beat around the bush.

Front 536

founder

Back 536

fail completely; sink

After hitting the submerged iceberg, the Titanic started taking in water rapidly and soon foundered.

Front 537

fracas

Back 537

brawl; melee; quarrel

The military police stopped the fracas in the bar and arrested the belligerents.

Front 538

fractious

Back 538

grumpy, peevish, unruly

The fractious horse unseated its rider.

Front 539

frailty

Back 539

weakness

The doctor prescribed vitamin and mineral supplements for the sick old woman because of her frailty.

Front 540

frantic

Back 540

wild

At the time of the collision, many people became frantic with fear.

Front 541

fraught

Back 541

filled

Since this enterprise is fraught with danger, I will ask for volunteers who are willing to assume the risks.

Front 542

fray

Back 542

brawl

The three musketeers were in the thick of fray.

Front 543

fret

Back 543

to be annoyed or vexed
To fret over your poor grades is foolish; instead, decide to work harder in the future.

Front 544

friction

Back 544

clash in opinion; rubbing against

At this time when harmony is essential, we cannot afford to have any friction in our group.

Front 545

frieze

Back 545

ornamental band on a wall

The frieze of the church was adorned with sculpture.

Front 546

frigid

Back 546

intensely cold

Alaska is in the frigid zone.

Front 547

fritter

Back 547

waste

He could not apply himself to any task and frittered away his time in idle (without purpose, pointless) conversation.

Front 548

frivolous

Back 548

lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant

Though Nancy enjoyed Bill's frivolous, lighthearted companionship, she sometimes wondered whether he could ever be serious.

Front 549

frolicsome

Back 549

prankish; gay

The frolicsome puppy tried to lick the face of its master.

Front 550

frond

Back 550

fern leaf; palm or banana leaf

After the storm the beach was littered with the fronds of palm trees.

Front 551

fructify

Back 551

bear fruit

This peach tree should fructify in three years.

Front 552

fulcrum

Back 552

support on which a lever rests

If we use this stone as a fulcrum and the crowbar as a lever, we may be able to move this boulder.

Front 553

fulsome

Back 553

disgustingly excessive

His fulsome praise of the dictator annoyed his listeners.

Front 554

furor

Back 554

frenzy; great excitement

The story of her embezzlement of the funds created a furor on the stock exchange.

Front 555

furtive

Back 555

stealthy; sneaky

The boy gave a furtive look at his classmate's test paper.

Front 556

fusilade

Back 556

simultaneous firing or outburst (of missiles, questions, etc.)

Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture concludes with a thunderous fusilade of cannon fire.

Front 557

fusion

Back 557

union; coalition

The opponents of the political party in power organized a fusion of disgruntled groups and became an important element in the election.

Front 558

gadfly

Back 558

animal-biting fly; an irritating person

Like a gadfly, he irritated all the guests at the hotel; within forty eight hours, everyone regarded him as an annoying busybody.

Front 559

gait

Back 559

manner of walking or running; speed

The lame man walked with an uneven gait.

Front 560

gale

Back 560

windstorm; gust of wind; emotional outburst (laughter, tears).

The Weather Channel warned vieweres about a rising gale, with winds of up to 60 mph.

Front 561

gall

Back 561

bitterness; nerve;

The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall.

annoy; chafe

Their taunts galled him.

Front 562

galleon

Back 562

large sailing ship

The Spaniards pinned their hopes on the galleon, the large warship; the British, on the smaller and faster pinnace.

Front 563

galvanize

Back 563

stimulate by shock; stir up

The entire nation was galvanized into strong military activity by the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Front 564

gambol

Back 564

skip; leap playfully

Watching children gamboling in the park is a pleasant experience

Front 565

gamely

Back 565

in a spirited manner; with courage

Because he had fought gamely against a much superior boxer, the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left the arena.

Front 566

gargoyle

Back 566

waterspout carved in groteque figures on a building

The gargoyles adorning the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris are amusing in their grotesqueness.

Front 567

garnish

Back 567

decorate

Parsley was used to garnish the boiled potato.

Front 568

gastronomy

Back 568

science of preparing and serving good food

One of the by-products of his trip to Europe was his interest in gastronomy; he enjoyed preparing and serving foreign dishes to his friends.

Front 569

gauche

Back 569

clumsy; boorish

Such remarks are gauche and out of place; you should apologize for making them.

Front 570

gaunt

Back 570

lean and angular; barren

His once-round face looked surprisingly gaunt after he had lost weight.

Front 571

gavel

Back 571

hammerlike tool; mallet.

"Sold!" cried the auctioneer, banging her gavel on the table to indicate she'd accepted the final bid.

Front 572

gawk

Back 572

stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe

The country boy gawked at the skyscrapers and neon lights of the big city.