Barrons Wl 34

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overwrought

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adj. extremely agitated; hysterical

whe she heard about the tragedy, she became too overwrought to work.

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ovoid

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adj. egg-shaped

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pachyderm

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n. thick-skinned animal

i.e. elephant

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paean

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n. song of praise or joy

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painstaking

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adj. showing hard work; taking great care


painstaking efforts

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palatable

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adj. agreeable; pleasing to the taste

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palatial

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adj. magnificent


He proudly showed us his palatial home

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paleontology

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n. study of prehistoric life

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palimpsest

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n. parchment used for 2nd time after original writing has been erased

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pall

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v. grow tiresome


the study of wordlists can eventually pall and put one to sleep

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pallet

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n. small, poor bed

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palliate

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v. ease pain; make less severe or offensive


we can try to palliate the symptoms

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pallid

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adj. pale; wan (sickly)

bc he did not sleep much, he had a pallid complexion

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palpable

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adj. tangible; easily perceptible


I cannot understand how you could overlook such a palpable blunder (stupid mistake)

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palpitate

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think palpitations

v. throb; flutter


her heart began to palpitate more and more erratically

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paltry

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adj. insignificant; petty; trifling


this is a paltry sum to pay for such a treasure!

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pan

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v. criticize harshly


the playwright was miserable when the critics panned it unanimously

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panacea

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n. cure-all; remedy for all diseases

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panache

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n. flair; flamboyance (strikingly bold or brilliant; grand)

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pandemonium

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n. wild tumult (uproar)


pandemonium broke out among the passengers

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pander

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v. cater to the low desires of others

this movie panders to the masses' taste for violence

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panegyric

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n. formal praise

i don't deserve such panegyrics

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papyrus

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n. ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant

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parable

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n. short, simple story teaching a moral

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paradigm

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n. model; example; pattern

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paradox

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n. something apparently contradictory in nature; statement that looks false but is actually correct

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paragon

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n. model of perfection

the other students hated Maria bc the teacher always pointed her out as a paragon of virtue

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parameter

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n. limit; independent variable

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paramount

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adj. foremost in importance; supreme


of paramount importance

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paramour

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n. illicit lover


her husband had a paramour

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paraphernalia

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n. equipment; odds and ends


Her desk was cluttered w/ various paraphernalia

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parasite

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n. toady; sycophant

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parity

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n. equality; close resemblance


I do not see the parity between the two

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parlance

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n. language; idiom


All this legal parlance confuses me

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parley

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n. conference


the peace parley is going on right now

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parochial

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adj. narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes

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parody

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n. humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty (grotesque imitation of its model)

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paroxysm

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n. fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage



When he heard of his son's misdeeds, he was weized by a paroxysm of rage

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parquet

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n. floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaiclike pattern

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parry

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v. ward off a blow; deflect

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parsimony

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n. stinginess; excessive frugality

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partial

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adj. incomplete; having a liking for something


i am partial to chocolate eclairs.

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partiality

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n. inclination; bias

I must avoid partiality when i award the prize

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partisan

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adj. one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party

The Democrats and Republicans spend their time on partisan struggles

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passe

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adj. old-fashioned; past the prime

her style is passe

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pastiche

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n. imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing


her music is not a pastiche of any particular composer

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pastoral

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adj. rural


pastoral life

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patent

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adj. open for the public to read; obvious

It was patent to everyone that the witness spoke the truth

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pathetic

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adj. causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching

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pathos

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n. tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings


a quiet tone of pathos ran thru the novel

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patina

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n. green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painting


Judging by the patina on this bronze statue...

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patois

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n. local or provincial dialect


I can understand the patois of the natives

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patrician

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adj. noble; aristocratic


We greatly admired her well-bred, patrician elegance

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patronize

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v. support; act superior toward; be a customer of

Penniless artists want to find wealthy art lovers to patronize them

don't patronize me!

I refuse to patronize this restaurant

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pauper

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v. very poor person

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peccadillo

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n.. slight offense

his mother always acted as if he were guilty of armed robbery, not of some mere peccadillo.