Good Words To Know For Sat

Front 1

intercede

Back 1

v. to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement

Front 2

hackneyed

Back 2

adj. used so often as to lack freshness or orginiality

Front 3

approbation

Back 3

n. the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval or sanction

Front 4

innuendo

Back 4

n. a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense)

Front 5

coalition

Back 5

n. a combination, union. or merger for some specific purpose

Front 6

elicit

Back 6

v. to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person)

Front 7

hiatus

Back 7

n. a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing)

Front 8

assuage

Back 8

v. to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench

Front 9

decadence

Back 9

n. decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence

Front 10

expostulate

Back 10

v. to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning

Front 11

simluate

Back 11

v. to make a pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of

Front 12

jaded

Back 12

adj. wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)

Front 13

umbrage

Back 13

n. foliage giving shade; shade cast by trees; an overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspiciion

Front 14

prerogative

Back 14

n. a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence

Front 15

luris

Back 15

adj. causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint

Front 16

transcend

Back 16

v. to rise above or beyond, exceed

Front 17

provinicial

Back 17

adj. pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside

n. a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area ;a soldier from a province or colonoy

Front 18

petulant

Back 18

adj. peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset

Front 19

unctuous

Back 19

adj. fatty, oily, and pliable; excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety

Front 20

meritorious

Back 20

adj. worthy, deserving recognition and praise

Front 21

ex officio

Back 21

adj., adv. by virtue of holding a certain office

Front 22

infiringe

Back 22

v. to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds

Front 23

callow

Back 23

adj. without feathers; without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise

Front 24

ameliorate

Back 24

v. to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming

Front 25

bombastic

Back 25

adj. pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas

Front 26

ingratiate

Back 26

v. to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favorable acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)

Front 27

epitome

Back 27

n. a summary, condensed account; an instance that represent sa larger reality

Front 28

aplomb

Back 28

n. poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity

Front 29

extort

Back 29

v. to urge strongly, advise earnestly

Front 30

drivel

Back 30

n. saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense

v. to let saliva flow from mouth ;to utter nonse or childish twaddle; to waste of fritter away foolishly

Front 31

inveigh

Back 31

v. to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval

Front 32

surmise

Back 32

v. to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess

n. an idea or thought that seems likely but lacks definite proof

Front 33

intrinsic

Back 33

adj. belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part; good for its own sake

Front 34

occult

Back 34

adj. mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means

v. to hide, conceal; eclipse

n. matters involving the supernatural

Front 35

precipitate

Back 35

v. to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; to give distinct form to

adj. characterized by excessive haste

n. moisture; the product of an action or process

Front 36

lassitude

Back 36

n. weariness of body or mind, lack of energy

Front 37

millenium

Back 37

n. a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy, prosperity, or peace

Front 38

permeate

Back 38

v. to spread through, penetrate, soak through

Front 39

stringent

Back 39

adj. strict severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste

Front 40

interloper

Back 40

n. an intruder, one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be

Front 41

expiate

Back 41

v. to make amends, atone, make up for

Front 42

expedite

Back 42

v. to make easy, cause to progress faster

Front 43

abominate

Back 43

v. to have an intense dislike or hatred for

Front 44

ascribe

Back 44

v. to assign or refer to (as a cause or source), attribute

Front 45

adventitious

Back 45

adj. resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental , not essential

Front 46

enjoin

Back 46

to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit

Front 47

commiserate

Back 47

v. to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress

Front 48

acculturation

Back 48

n. the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend

Front 49

circuitous

Back 49

roundabout, not direct

Front 50

ferment

Back 50

n. a state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence

v. to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action

Front 51

vitriolic

Back 51

adj. bitter, sarcastic; high caustic or biting (like a strong acid)

Front 52

wheedle

Back 52

v. to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end

Front 53

peculate

Back 53

v. to steal something that has been given into one's trust, to take improperly for one's own use

Front 54

proclivity

Back 54

n. a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)

Front 55

nominal

Back 55

adj. existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously

Front 56

seditious

Back 56

adj. resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government

Front 57

tenuous

Back 57

adj. thin, slender; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported

Front 58

noncommittal

Back 58

adj. not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no

Front 59

sangfroid

Back 59

n. composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances

Front 60

inadvertant

Back 60

adj. resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental

Front 61

aggrandize

Back 61

v. to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify

Front 62

inscrutable

Back 62

adj. incapable of being understood

Front 63

archetype

Back 63

n. an original model after which similar things are patterned; a perfect or typical example

Front 64

erudite

Back 64

adj. scholarly, learned

Front 65

infer

Back 65

v. to find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought

Front 66

affable

Back 66

adj. courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to

Front 67

amorpohous

Back 67

adj. shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character

Front 68

goassamer

Back 68

adj. thin, light, delicate, insubstantial

n. a very thin, light cloth

Front 69

aura

Back 69

n. that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality

Front 70

insular

Back 70

adj. relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience

Front 71

contraband

Back 71

n. illegal traffic, smuggled goods

adj. illegal, prohibited

Front 72

sleazy

Back 72

adj. thin or flimsy in texture; cheap, shoddy, or inferior in quality or cahracter

Front 73

irrevocable

Back 73

adj. incapable of being changed or called back

Front 74

sedulous

Back 74

adj. persistent, showing industry and determination

Front 75

remonstrate

Back 75

v. to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to

Front 76

retrench

Back 76

v. to cut down, reduce in scope and cost

Front 77

resilient

Back 77

adj. able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly (from illness, misfortunes, etc.)

Front 78

reverberate

Back 78

v. to re-echo, resound; to be repeatedly reflected

Front 79

querulous

Back 79

adj. peevish, complaining, fretful

Front 80

repudiate

Back 80

v. to disown, reject, or deny the validity of

Front 81

propensity

Back 81

n. a natural inclination or bent toward

Front 82

scurrilous

Back 82

adj. coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed

Front 83

flout

Back 83

v. to mock, treat with contempt

Front 84

caveat

Back 84

n. a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior

Front 85

blazon

Back 85

v. to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely

Front 86

filch

Back 86

v. to steal, especially in a sneaky way an din petty amounst

Front 87

fractious

Back 87

adj. tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable

Front 88

equitable

Back 88

adj. fair, just, embodying principles of justice

Front 89

autonomy

Back 89

n. self-government, political control

Front 90

addendum

Back 90

n. an addition or supplement designed to increase correctness, completeness, or currency

Front 91

amnesty

Back 91

n. a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness

Front 92

axiomatic

Back 92

adj. self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule

Front 93

extricate

Back 93

v. to free from entanglements or difficulties; remove with effort

Front 94

soporific

Back 94

adj. tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy

n. something that induces sleep

Front 95

scathing

Back 95

adj. bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm

Front 96

unwieldy

Back 96

adj. not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity

Front 97

vapid

Back 97

adj. dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force

Front 98

prognosticate

Back 98

v. to predict, especially on the basis of present indications or signs, foretoken

Front 99

sepulchral

Back 99

adj. funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal

Front 100

salutary

Back 100

adj. beneficial, helpful; healthy, wholesome

Front 101

straiglaced

Back 101

adj. extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical

Front 102

scourge

Back 102

v. to whip, punish severely

n. a cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism

Front 103

precept

Back 103

n. a rule of conduct or action

Front 104

transient

Back 104

adj. lasting only a short time, fleeting

one who stays only a short time

Front 105

brusque

Back 105

adj. abrupt, blunt, with no formalities

Front 106

demagogue

Back 106

n. a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

Front 107

cajole

Back 107

v. to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises

Front 108

ennui

Back 108

n. weariness and discontent from lack of occupation or itnerest, boredom

Front 109

anomalous

Back 109

adj. abnormal irregular, departing from the usual

Front 110

contrive

Back 110

v. to plain with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan

Front 111

disabuse

Back 111

v. to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking

Front 112

arbiter

Back 112

n. one having power to decide a matter at issue; a judge, umpire

Front 113

bizarre

Back 113

adj. extremely strange, unusual, atypical

Front 114

castigate

Back 114

v. to punish severely, criticize severely

Front 115

aspersion

Back 115

n. a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming

Front 116

vouchsafe

Back 116

v. to give or furnish condescendingly; to grant

Front 117

megalomania

Back 117

n. a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc., far in excess of reality

Front 118

surreptitious

Back 118

adj. stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud

Front 119

transmute

Back 119

v. to change from one nature, substance, or form to another; to transform

Front 120

immutable

Back 120

adj. not subject to change, constant

Front 121

transgress

Back 121

v. to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law

Front 122

heinous

Back 122

adj. very wicked, offensive, hateful

Front 123

insurgent

Back 123

n. one who rebels or rises against authority

adj. rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on

Front 124

fetter

Back 124

n. a chain or shackle placed on the feet (often used in plural); anything that confines or restrains

v. to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent

Front 125

sinecure

Back 125

n. a position requiring little or no work; an easy job

Front 126

vicarious

Back 126

performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another

Front 127

elan

Back 127

an enthusiastic vigor and liveliness, spirit; a flair

Front 128

dissipate

Back 128

to cause to disappear; to scatter, dispel; to spend foolishly, squander; to be extravagant in pursuit of pleasure

Front 129

disavow

Back 129

to deny responsibility for or connection with

Front 130

conducive

Back 130

tending to promote or assist, helpful, favorable

Front 131

expurgate

Back 131

to remove objectionable passages or words from a written text; to cleanse, purify

Front 132

dispassionate

Back 132

impartial; calm, free from emotion

Front 133

consternation

Back 133

dismay, confusion

Front 134

dissension

Back 134

disagreement, sharp difference of opinion

Front 135

bovine

Back 135

resembling a cow or ox; sluggish, unresponsive

Front 136

acrimonious

Back 136

stinging, bitter in temper or tone

Front 137

corpulent

Back 137

fat; having a large, bulky body

Front 138

subservient

Back 138

subordinate in capacity or role; serving to promote some end; submissively obedient

Front 139

perfidy

Back 139

faithlessness, treachery

Front 140

hypothetical

Back 140

based on an assumption or guess; used as a provisional or tentative idea to guide or direct investigation

Front 141

impugn

Back 141

to call into question; attack as false

Front 142

odium

Back 142

hatred, contempt; disgrace or infamy resulting from hateful conduct

Front 143

intemperate

Back 143

immoderate, lacking in self-control; inclement

Front 144

ignoble

Back 144

mean, low, base

Front 145

squeamish

Back 145

inclined to nausea; easily shocked or upset; excessively fastidious or refined

Front 146

susceptible

Back 146

open to; easily influenced; lacking in resistance

Front 147

gauntlet

Back 147

an armored or protective glove; a challenge to combat; two lines of men armed with weapons with which to beat a person forced to run between them; an ordeal

Front 148

relegate

Back 148

to place in a lower position; to assign , refer, turn over; to banish

Front 149

posterity

Back 149

future generations, a person's descendants

Front 150

ovation

Back 150

an enthusiastic public reception of a person, marked esp. by loud and prolonged applause.

Front 151

balk

Back 151

to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified; a check or hindrance; defeat; disappointment.

Front 152

disinterested

Back 152

unbiased by personal interest or advantage; not influenced by selfish motives

Front 153

leeway

Back 153

extra time, space, materials, or the like, within which to operate; margin

Front 154

partisan

Back 154

an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, esp. a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.

Front 155

sham

Back 155

anything that is defamatory or that maliciously or damagingly misrepresents.

Front 156

bluster

Back 156

to be loud, noisy, or swaggering; utter loud, empty menaces or protests; boisterous noise and violence

Front 157

reverie

Back 157

a state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing

Front 158

pantomime

Back 158

the art or technique of conveying emotions, actions, feelings, etc., by gestures without speech.; to represent or express in pantomime.

Front 159

outright

Back 159

complete or total

Front 160

wistful

Back 160

1. characterized by melancholy; longing; yearning.
2. pensive, esp. in a melancholy way.

Front 161

dole

Back 161

a portion or allotment of money, food, etc., esp. as given at regular intervals by a charity or for maintenance.

Front 162

underscore

Back 162

to stress; emphasize

Front 163

repast

Back 163

1. a quantity of food taken or provided for one occasion of eating: to eat a light repast.
2. a meal: the evening repast.
3. the time during which a meal is eaten; mealtime.
4. Archaic. the taking of food, as at a meal.
5. Obsolete. food.
–verb (used without object)
6. to eat or feast (often fol. by on or upon).

Front 164

billow

Back 164

a great wave or surge of the sea.; to rise or roll in or like billows; surge.

Front 165

strident

Back 165

having a shrill, irritating quality or character

Front 166

sleuth

Back 166

noun
1. a detective.
2. a bloodhound.
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
3. to track or trail, as a detective.

Front 167

manacle

Back 167

noun
1. a shackle for the hand; handcuff.
2. Usually, manacles. restraints; checks.
–verb (used with object)
3. to handcuff; fetter.
4. to hamper; restrain: He was manacled by his inhibitions.

Front 168

saunter

Back 168

amble

Front 169

upheaval

Back 169

strong or violent change or disturbance, as in a society

Front 170

slake

Back 170

to satisfy or quench, to relieve

Front 171

bumbling

Back 171

–adjective
1. liable to make awkward blunders: a bumbling mechanic.
2. clumsily incompetent or ineffectual: bumbling diplomacy.
–noun
3. the act or practice of making blunders:

Front 172

Crotchety

Back 172

cranky and ill-tempered

Front 173

vocation

Back 173

1. a particular occupation, business, or profession; calling.

Front 174

prevaricate

Back 174

to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.

Front 175

scrupulous

Back 175

–adjective
1. having scruples; having or showing a strict regard for what one considers right; principled.
2. punctiliously or minutely careful, precise, or exact

Front 176

ensconce

Back 176

. to settle securely or snugly

Front 177

ambivalence

Back 177

uncertainty or fluctuation, esp. when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.

Front 178

mellifluous

Back 178

sweetly or smoothly flowing; sweet-sounding

Front 179

aficionado

Back 179

an ardent devotee; fan, enthusiast.

Front 180

adjunct

Back 180

–noun
1. something added to another thing but not essential to it.
–adjective
5. joined or associated, esp. in an auxiliary or subordinate relationship.

Front 181

disingenuous

Back 181

lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere

Front 182

bromide

Back 182

3. an overused and dull saying.; a dull person

Front 183

volition

Back 183

the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing

Front 184

gratis

Back 184

–adverb
1. without charge or payment; free: The manufacturer provided an extra set of coat buttons gratis.
–adjective
2. free; gratuitous.

Front 185

lagniappe

Back 185

an unexpected or indirect benefit.

Front 186

precarious

Back 186

perilous

Front 187

noxious

Back 187

hurtful

Front 188

morass

Back 188

–noun
1. a tract of low, soft, wet ground.
4. any confusing or troublesome situation, esp. one from which it is difficult to free oneself; entanglement.

Front 189

sine qua non

Back 189

an indispensable condition, element, or factor; something essential

Front 190

inchoate

Back 190

1. not yet completed or fully developed; rudimentary.

Front 191

vitiate

Back 191

1. to impair the quality of; make faulty; spoil.

Front 192

ascetic

Back 192

–noun
1. a person who dedicates his or her life to a pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices extreme self-denial or self-mortification for religious reasons.
2. a person who leads an austerely simple life, esp. one who abstains from the normal pleasures of life or denies himself or herself material satisfaction.

Front 193

deracinate

Back 193

1. to pull up by the roots; uproot; extirpate; eradicate.
2. to isolate or alienate (a person) from a native or customary culture or environment.

Front 194

parlous

Back 194

adjective
1. perilous; dangerous.
2. Obsolete. clever; shrewd.
–adverb
3. to a large extent; greatly.

Front 195

probity

Back 195

integrity and uprightness; honesty.

Front 196

gambol

Back 196

–verb (used without object)
1. to skip about, as in dancing or playing; frolic.
–noun
2. a skipping or frisking about; frolic.

Front 197

bathos

Back 197

–noun
1. a ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax.
2. insincere pathos; sentimentality; mawkishness.
3. triteness or triviality in style.

Front 198

persiflage

Back 198

–noun
1. light, bantering talk or writing.
2. a frivolous or flippant style of treating a subject.

Front 199

lugubrious

Back 199

mournful, dismal, or gloomy, esp. in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner

Front 200

tendentious

Back 200

partisan

Front 201

peccadillo

Back 201

a very minor or slight sin or offense; a trifling fault.

Front 202

immolate

Back 202

–verb (used with object), -lat·ed, -lat·ing.
1. to sacrifice.
2. to kill as a sacrificial victim, as by fire; offer in sacrifice.
3. to destroy by fire.

Front 203

liaison

Back 203

a relationship, the person who initiates such a relationship

Front 204

accouterment

Back 204

An accessory item of equipment or dress.

Front 205

sic

Back 205

1. to attack (used esp. in commanding a dog): Sic 'em!
2. to incite to attack (usually fol. by on).

Front 206

mystique

Back 206

–noun
1. a framework of doctrines, ideas, beliefs, or the like, constructed around a person or object, endowing the person or object with enhanced value or profound meaning: the mystique of Poe.
2. an aura of mystery or mystical power surrounding a particular occupation or pursuit: the mystique of nuclear science.

Front 207

lucubration

Back 207

laborious study or meditation

Front 208

lampoon

Back 208

a light, good-humored satire

Front 209

modulate

Back 209

1. to regulate by or adjust to a certain measure or proportion; soften; tone down.

Front 210

raconteur

Back 210

a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.

Front 211

polemic

Back 211

–noun
1. a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc.
2. a person who argues in opposition to another; controversialist.

Front 212

didactic

Back 212

1. intended for instruction; instructive: didactic poetry.
2. inclined to teach or lecture others too much: a boring, didactic speaker.
3. teaching or intending to teach a moral lesson.

Front 213

disparity

Back 213

inequality

Front 214

propitiate

Back 214

to pacify, appease

Front 215

sublimate

Back 215

to divert the energy of (a sexual or other biological impulse) from its immediate goal to one of a more acceptable social, moral, or aesthetic nature or use.; to make nobler or purer

Front 216

UNCONSCIONABLE

Back 216

ridiculously or unjustly excessive

Front 217

ecumenical

Back 217

general; universal

Front 218

piece de resistance

Back 218

an outstanding accomplishment

Front 219

homily

Back 219

1. a sermon, usually on a Biblical topic and usually of a nondoctrinal nature.
2. an admonitory or moralizing discourse.
3. an inspirational saying or cliché.

Front 220

curmudgeon

Back 220

a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person.

Front 221

interstice

Back 221

A space, especially a small or narrow one, between things or parts

Front 222

rapacity

Back 222

The act or practice of extorting or exacting by oppressive injustice; greediness

Front 223

eclat

Back 223

Great brilliance, as of performance or achievement; success

Front 224

ancillary

Back 224

of secondary importance

Front 225

Folderol

Back 225

Foolishness; nonsense

Front 226

quasi

Back 226

resembling; seeming; virtual

Front 227

hedonism

Back 227

Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses

Front 228

prurient

Back 228

having, inclined to have, or characterized by lascivious or lustful thoughts, desires, etc.

Front 229

hauteur

Back 229

Arrogance in bearing and attitude;

Front 230

quixotic

Back 230

Foolishly impractical; also, capricious; impulsive

Front 231

zany

Back 231

Comical; given to extravagant or outlandish behavior

Front 232

pander

Back 232

2. a person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others.
4. to act as a pander; cater basely

Front 233

ad hoc

Back 233

–adverb
1. for the special purpose or end presently under consideration: a committee formed ad hoc to deal with the issue.
–adjective
2. concerned or dealing with a specific subject, purpose, or end: The ad hoc committee disbanded after making its final report.

Front 234

expound

Back 234

to explain in detail, elucidate

Front 235

vestige

Back 235

a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence

Front 236

depredation

Back 236

An act of plundering and pillaging and marauding

Front 237

rapport

Back 237

relation; connection, esp. harmonious or sympathetic relation

Front 238

vignette

Back 238

A picture having a background or that is shaded off gradually

Front 239

touchstone

Back 239

An excellent quality or example that is used to test the excellence or genuineness of others

Front 240

cull

Back 240

To pick or sort out from the rest

Front 241

maladroit

Back 241

lacking in adroitness; unskillful; awkward; bungling; tactless

Front 242

volte-face

Back 242

A reversal, as in policy

Front 243

aberration

Back 243

Deviation from a right, customary, or prescribed course

Front 244

apprise

Back 244

To give notice to; inform

Front 245

vagary

Back 245

An extravagant or erratic notion or action

Front 246

gamut

Back 246

1. the entire scale or range

Front 247

debauch

Back 247

To corrupt morally

Front 248

contumelious

Back 248

insulting display of contempt in words or actions; contemptuous or humiliating treatment.

Front 249

poltroon

Back 249

a base coward

Front 250

fustian

Back 250

Pretentious speech or writing; pompous language

Front 251

monolithic

Back 251

massive, solid, and uniform

Front 252

vicissitude

Back 252

a change or variation occurring in the course of something.

Front 253

prescience

Back 253

knowledge of things before they exist or happen; foreknowledge; foresight.

Front 254

tautology

Back 254

Needless repetition of the same sense in different words; redundancy

Front 255

savoir-faire

Back 255

The ability to say or do the right or graceful thing

Front 256

abeyance

Back 256

temporary inactivity, cessation, or suspension

Front 257

faux pas

Back 257

a social blunder

Front 258

incubus

Back 258

An oppressive or nightmarish burden

Front 259

bruit

Back 259

To spread news of; repeat

Front 260

iconoclastic

Back 260

Seeking to overthrow traditional or popular ideas or institutions

Front 261

vainglory

Back 261

Empty pride

Front 262

pundit

Back 262

A source of opinion; a critic

Front 263

corollary

Back 263

A proposition following so obviously from another that it requires little demonstration

Front 264

dogmatic

Back 264

Making statements without argument or evidence

Front 265

bete noire

Back 265

Something unwanted or unwelcome

Front 266

waggish

Back 266

witty or joking

Front 267

philistine

Back 267

One who lacks knowledge in a specific area

Front 268

licentious

Back 268

1. sexually unrestrained; lascivious; libertine; lewd.
2. unrestrained by law or general morality; lawless; immoral.
3. going beyond customary or proper bounds or limits; disregarding rules.

Front 269

fulsome

Back 269

offensive from excess of praise

Front 270

mercurial

Back 270

Quick and changeable in temperament; volatile

Front 271

xenophobia

Back 271

Fear and contempt of strangers or foreign peoples

Front 272

casuistry

Back 272

. specious, deceptive, or oversubtle reasoning, esp. in questions of morality; fallacious or dishonest application of general principles; sophistry.
2. the application of general ethical principles to particular cases of conscience or conduct.

Front 273

picaresque

Back 273

1. pertaining to, characteristic of, or characterized by a form of prose fiction, originally developed in Spain, in which the adventures of an engagingly roguish hero are described in a series of usually humorous or satiric episodes that often depict, in realistic detail, the everyday life of the common people

Front 274

bowdlerize

Back 274

to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.

Front 275

emolument

Back 275

profit, salary, or fees from office or employment; compensation for services

Front 276

sub rosa

Back 276

confidentially; secretly; privately.

Front 277

aegis

Back 277

Kindly endorsement and guidance

Front 278

sycophant

Back 278

A parasite; a toady

Front 279

cognate

Back 279

akin, similar

Front 280

beguile

Back 280

To take away from by or as if by cunning; cheat

Front 281

chauvinist

Back 281

Prejudiced belief in the superiority of one's own gender, group, or kind

Front 282

philippic

Back 282

any speech or discourse of bitter denunciation.

Front 283

immure

Back 283

To confine within or as if within walls; imprison

Front 284

obloquy

Back 284

1. censure, blame, or abusive language aimed at a person or thing, esp. by numerous persons or by the general public.
2. discredit, disgrace, or bad repute resulting from public blame, abuse, or denunciation.

Front 285

execrable

Back 285

Detestable; extremely bad

Front 286

hoi polloi

Back 286

The common people; the masses

Front 287

niggardly

Back 287

Stingy (no longer acceptable to use)

Front 288

refractory

Back 288

Stubbornly disobedient

Front 289

caterwaul

Back 289

To have a noisy argument

Front 290

microcosm

Back 290

A smaller, representative unity having analogies to a larger unity

Front 291

maudlin

Back 291

excessively sentimental

Front 292

ineffable

Back 292

Incapable of being expressed

Front 293

non sequitir

Back 293

A statement that does not follow logically from what preceded it

Front 294

lachrymose

Back 294

Weeping or inclined to weep; tearful

Front 295

apogee

Back 295

The highest point

Front 296

versimilitude

Back 296

The quality of appearing to be true or real

Front 297

flamboyant

Back 297

Characterized by extravagance and in general by want of good taste

Front 298

macrocosm

Back 298

The whole of any sphere or department of nature or knowledge to which man is related

Front 299

cozen

Back 299

To mislead by means of a petty trick or fraud; deceive

Front 300

claque

Back 300

A group of persons hired to applaud at a performance

Front 301

ineluctable

Back 301

Not to be avoided or escaped; inevitable

Front 302

imprecation

Back 302

The act of calling down a curse that invokes evil

Front 303

dictum

Back 303

An authoritative statement

Front 304

patrician

Back 304

A nobleman; also, a person of refined upbringing, manners, and taste

Front 305

utilitarian

Back 305

Exhibiting or stressing usefulness over other values; practical

Front 306

dichotomy

Back 306

Division into two usually contradictory parts or opinions

Front 307

solecism

Back 307

A nonstandard usage or grammatical construction

Front 308

bilk

Back 308

To defraud, cheat, or swindle

Front 309

chimerical

Back 309

Given to unrealistic fantasies; highly improbable

Front 310

purview

Back 310

Range of vision, comprehension, or experience; outlook

Front 311

raillery

Back 311

Good-humored banter or teasing repartee

Front 312

contumacious

Back 312

Obstinate; stubbornly disobedient

Front 313

systemic

Back 313

Relating to or affecting the entire body or an entire organism

Front 314

quizzical

Back 314

Teasing; mocking; playfully vexing

Front 315

fastidious

Back 315

Hard to please

Front 316

deracinate

Back 316

To displace from one's native or accustomed environment

Front 317

proselyte

Back 317

One who has been won over from one religious belief to another

Front 318

fetid

Back 318

Having an offensive odor

Front 319

foray

Back 319

A venture or an initial attempt, especially outside one's usual area

Front 320

attrition

Back 320

A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement, resignation, or death

Front 321

mnemonic

Back 321

Relating to, assisting, or intended to assist the memory

Front 322

apposite

Back 322

suitable; well-adapted; pertinent; relevant

Front 323

virtuoso

Back 323

A master in the technique of some particular fine art

Front 324

sanguine

Back 324

Having the color of blood

Front 325

immaculate

Back 325

Without spot or blemish

Front 326

liturgy

Back 326

A ritual

Front 327

symptomatic

Back 327

Showing signs of a disease

Front 328

eleemosynary

Back 328

Contributed as an act of charity; gratuitous

Front 329

punctilio

Back 329

A fine point of etiquette

Front 330

polarize

Back 330

To cause to concentrate about two conflicting or contrasting positions

Front 331

bilious

Back 331

Appearing as if affected by such a malady; sickly

Front 332

contretemps

Back 332

An unforeseen event that disrupts the normal course of things; an inopportune occurrence

Front 333

bane

Back 333

Fatal injury or ruin

Front 334

truckle

Back 334

To yield or bend obsequiously to the will of another; to submit

Front 335

commensurate

Back 335

Corresponding in size or degree; proportionate

Front 336

mountebank

Back 336

–noun
1. a person who sells quack medicines, as from a platform in public places, attracting and influencing an audience by tricks, storytelling, etc.
2. any charlatan or quack.
–verb (used without object)
3. to act or operate as a mountebank.

Front 337

vendetta

Back 337

A bitter, destructive feud

Front 338

quagmire

Back 338

A difficult or precarious situation; a predicament

Front 339

stigmatize

Back 339

To characterize or brand as disgraceful or humiliating

Front 340

obfuscate

Back 340

To make obscure or unclear

Front 341

beleaguer

Back 341

To annoy persistently; harass

Front 342

lucubration

Back 342

Laborious study or meditation

Front 343

palliate

Back 343

To extenuate; also, to relieve

Front 344

saturnalian

Back 344

Of unrestrained and intemperate jollity; riotously merry; dissolute

Front 345

empirical

Back 345

Relying on or derived from observation or experiment

Front 346

pastiche

Back 346

A dramatic, literary, or musical piece openly imitating the previous works of other artists, often with satirical intent

Front 347

bellwether

Back 347

One that serves as a leader or as a leading indicator of future trends

Front 348

effete

Back 348

Infertile; also, worn out; also, decadent; effeminate

Front 349

bauble

Back 349

A trinket

Front 350

effusive

Back 350

Unrestrained or excessive in emotional expression; gushy

Front 351

internecine

Back 351

Mutually destructive; ruinous or fatal to both sides

Front 352

panache

Back 352

Distinctive and stylish elegance

Front 353

diaphanous

Back 353

Allowing light to pass through

Front 354

accolade

Back 354

An expression of approval; praise

Front 355

apostate

Back 355

false

Front 356

paean

Back 356

A fervent expression of joy or praise

Front 357

obsequies

Back 357

Funeral rites

Front 358

risible

Back 358

Worthy to be laughed at; amusing

Front 359

adumbrate

Back 359

To give a slight representation of; to outline

Front 360

fulminate

Back 360

To thunder forth menaces

Front 361

jeremiad

Back 361

A literary work or speech expressing a bitter lament or a righteous prophecy of doom

Front 362

mete

Back 362

To apportion

Front 363

salubrious

Back 363

Conducive or favorable to health or well-being

Front 364

ascetic

Back 364

One who practices extreme self-denial; also, austere, severe

Front 365

matrix

Back 365

That which contains and gives shape or form to anything

Front 366

dank

Back 366

Disagreeably damp or humid

Front 367

coalesce

Back 367

To come together so as to form one whole; unite

Front 368

quid pro quo

Back 368

An equal exchange or substitution

Front 369

burgeon

Back 369

To grow and flourish

Front 370

insouciant

Back 370

Marked by unconcern; nonchalant

Front 371

prolix

Back 371

Wordy

Front 372

ribald

Back 372

Characterized by, or given to, vulgar humor

Front 373

noisome

Back 373

Very offensive, particularly to the sense of smell

Front 374

hidebound

Back 374

Stubbornly prejudiced, narrow-minded, or inflexible

Front 375

fait accompli

Back 375

An accomplished, presumably irreversible deed or fact

Front 376

inveigle

Back 376

To win over by coaxing, flattery, or artful talk

Front 377

supervene

Back 377

To come or occur as something extraneous, additional, or unexpected

Front 378

nub

Back 378

The point, gist, or heart of something; The main point of an idea

Front 379

scrimp

Back 379

To be sparing or frugal; To economize or handle stingily

Front 380

alight

Back 380

To come down and settle, as after flight

Front 381

timidity

Back 381

Lack of self-confidence or courage

Front 382

capsize

Back 382

To turn bottom side up; To upset

Front 383

prudent

Back 383

Using caution in handling practical matters; Careful and shrewd

Front 384

shirk

Back 384

To avoid work, duty or responsibility; To slough off

Front 385

quibble

Back 385

To argue a point by bringing up minor objections; To nitpick or bicker over trivial details

Front 386

countenance

Back 386

Appearance, especially the expression of the face

Front 387

mull

Back 387

To think about or ponder

Front 388

quaint

Back 388

Strange, peculiar, or unusual in an interesting, pleasing, or amusing way

Front 389

canvass

Back 389

To solicit votes, subscriptions, opinions, or the like from; To examine carefully or discuss thoroughly

Front 390

pall

Back 390

To become boring or wearisome; To tire or become dull

Front 391

pedestrian

Back 391

Lacking wit or imagination; Common and ordinary

Front 392

cosmopolitan

Back 392

Having worldwide scope; So sophisticated as to be at home in all parts of the world

Front 393

farce

Back 393

noun
1. a light, humorous play in which the plot depends upon a skillfully exploited situation rather than upon the development of character.
2. humor of the type displayed in such works.
3. foolish show; mockery; a ridiculous sham.
4. Cookery. forcemeat.
–verb (used with object)
5. to season (a speech or composition), esp. with witty material.

Front 394

lethargic

Back 394

Unnaturally sleepy, dull or slow moving

Front 395

peevish

Back 395

easily irritated or annoyed

Front 396

abound

Back 396

To exist in large quantities; To be abundant or plentiful

Front 397

gaudy

Back 397

Tastelessly cheap and showy, flashy; Highly decorated in a vulgar way

Front 398

sagacious

Back 398

wise, shrewd

Front 399

wayward

Back 399

Resistant to guidance or discipline; Disobedient; Unpredictable

Front 400

dilapidated

Back 400

Fallen into decay or partial ruin because of neglect

Front 401

dynamic

Back 401

Characterized by continuous change, activity, or progress

Front 402

casual

Back 402

1. happening by chance; fortuitous: a casual meeting.
2. without definite or serious intention; careless or offhand; passing: a casual remark.

Front 403

stodgy

Back 403

Dull, unimaginative, and commonplace

Front 404

wan

Back 404

Unnaturally pale, as from illness; Weak or faint

Front 405

salvo

Back 405

A forceful verbal or written assault; A simultaneous discharge of firearms

Front 406

vindictive

Back 406

Eager for revenge; Spiteful or vengeful

Front 407

indisposed

Back 407

Slightly sick or ill; Unwilling or reluctant to do something

Front 408

partial

Back 408

1. being such in part only; not total or general; incomplete: partial blindness; a partial payment of a debt.
2. biased or prejudiced in favor of a person, group, side, etc., over another, as in a controversy: a partial witness.
3. pertaining to or affecting a part.

idiom - partial to

Front 409

haggle

Back 409

To bargain over the price of something; To argue in attempt to come to terms

Front 410

pelt

Back 410

To throw a stream of things; To strike successively

Front 411

indiscriminate

Back 411

1. not discriminating; lacking in care, judgment, selectivity, etc.: indiscriminate in one's friendships.
2. not discriminate; haphazard; thoughtless: indiscriminate slaughter.
3. not kept apart or divided; thrown together; jumbled: an indiscriminate combination of colors and styles.

Front 412

shiftless

Back 412

–adjective
1. lacking in resourcefulness; inefficient; lazy.
2. lacking in incentive, ambition, or aspiration.

Front 413

recluse

Back 413

A person who lives in seclusion or apart from society; A hermit

Front 414

tether

Back 414

To fasten with a rope or chain

Front 415

dovetail

Back 415

4. to join or fit together compactly or harmoniously.

Front 416

veneer

Back 416

A thin layer of wood or other material for facing or inlaying wood; Any thin outer layer

Front 417

waif

Back 417

–noun
1. a person, esp. a child, who has no home or friends.
2. something found, esp. a stray animal, whose owner is not known.
3. a stray item or article: to gather waifs of gossip.

Front 418

ferret

Back 418

to drive out

Front 419

unassuming

Back 419

Not arrogant or pretentious; Modest

Front 420

chafe

Back 420

To wear away or irritate by rubbing; To annoy; To become worn or sore from rubbing

Front 421

vilify

Back 421

1. to speak ill of; defame; slander.

Front 422

facetious

Back 422

Humorous, not meant seriously; Sarcastic

Front 423

regale

Back 423

To provide with great enjoyment; To entertain

Front 424

willful

Back 424

Said or done on purpose; Deliberate

Front 425

proxy

Back 425

A person who is given the authority to act or stand in for another

Front 426

garnish

Back 426

To provide or supply with something ornamental, especially food; To adorn; To decorate

Front 427

mien

Back 427

Appearance, demeanor or look; One's appearance or manner

Front 428

caustic

Back 428

–adjective
1. capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue.
2. severely critical or sarcastic: a caustic remark.
–noun
3. a caustic substance.

Front 429

ungainly

Back 429

–adjective
1. not graceful; awkward; unwieldy; clumsy: an ungainly child; an ungainly prose style.
–adverb
2. in an awkward manner.

Front 430

wrangle

Back 430

–verb (used with object)
2. to argue or dispute.
3. to tend or round up (cattle, horses, or other livestock).
4. to obtain, often by contrivance or scheming; wangle: He wrangled a job through a friend.
–noun
5. a noisy or angry dispute; altercation.

Front 431

jostle

Back 431

To make or force one's way by pushing; the act of doing such a thing

Front 432

impunity (as well as immunity)

Back 432

noun
1. exemption from punishment.
2. immunity from detrimental effects, as of an action.

Front 433

solicitous

Back 433

–adjective
1. anxious or concerned (usually fol. by about, for, etc., or a clause): solicitous about a person's health.
2. anxiously desirous: solicitous of the esteem of others.
3. eager (usually fol. by an infinitive): He was always solicitous to please.
4. careful or particular: a solicitous housekeeper.

Front 434

prodigal

Back 434

Wasteful or extravagant, especially in the use of money or property

Front 435

levity

Back 435

Lack of respect or seriousness when dealing with something serious; Frivolity

Front 436

pithy

Back 436

Short and to the point; Concise

Front 437

qualm

Back 437

A sensation of doubt or misgiving; Uneasiness

Front 438

dregs

Back 438

The least desirable portion or leftovers; The part of least worth

Front 439

tawdry

Back 439

Showy, cheap and tacky; Gaudy

Front 440

wry

Back 440

Dryly humorous, even with a touch of irony; Twisted to one side

Front 441

bonanza

Back 441

A source of great wealth or prosperity

Front 442

genial

Back 442

Sympathetically cheerful and cheering; Kindly

Front 443

vaunted

Back 443

Praised boastfully or excessively; Bragged about

Front 444

capacious

Back 444

Roomy, large, spacious; Able to hold much

Front 445

perturb

Back 445

To trouble, to make uneasy, to throw into confusion

Front 446

rote

Back 446

A routine; A fixed, habitual, or mechanical course of procedure

Front 447

curt

Back 447

Rudely brief when speaking to someone; Concise and to the point

Front 448

preclude

Back 448

To make impossible, prevent, shut out

Front 449

opus

Back 449

A very impressive creative work, especially a numbered composition

Front 450

aloof

Back 450

Distant or reserved in manner; Withdrawn or remote; Uncaringly distant

Front 451

nonentity

Back 451

A person or thing of no importance

Front 452

glut

Back 452

To fill beyond capacity; To overstock

Front 453

churlish

Back 453

Rude, lacking good manners or politeness

Front 454

oblivion

Back 454

The state of being completely forgotten; The state of being unconscious of or not noticing what is happening; Unawareness

Front 455

trepidation

Back 455

Fear and apprehension; A state of alarm or dread

Front 456

reciprocal

Back 456

Given or felt by each toward the other; Mutual;

Front 457

staid

Back 457

Serious and dignified; Quiet or subdued in character or conduct

Front 458

blase(accent over e)

Back 458

Bored with life; Unexcited

Front 459

solvent

Back 459

Having sufficient funds to pay all debts

Front 460

abut

Back 460

To be adjacent; To touch or join at the edge or border; To neighbor

Front 461

stoical

Back 461

Seemingly unaffected by pleasure or pain; Unemotional; Impassive

Front 462

pert

Back 462

–adjective, -er, -est.
1. boldly forward in speech or behavior; impertinent; saucy.
2. jaunty and stylish; chic; natty.
3. lively; sprightly; in good health.

Front 463

dire

Back 463

Causing or involving great fear or suffering; Dreadful

Front 464

excise

Back 464

To remove by or as if by cutting; A tax on unnecessary goods

Front 465

ostracize

Back 465

To exclude from public or private favor; To banish

Front 466

simper

Back 466

To smile in a silly, self-conscious way

Front 467

cryptic

Back 467

Difficult to comprehend; Having hidden meaning; Secret and mysterious

Front 468

stint

Back 468

To limit to a certain amount, number, share, or allowance; To set limits to; To restrict

Front 469

jaunty

Back 469

1. easy and sprightly in manner or bearing: to walk with a jaunty step.
2. smartly trim, as clothing: a jaunty hat.

Front 470

mendicant

Back 470

A beggar; One who practices begging for a living

Front 471

expedient

Back 471

1. tending to promote some proposed or desired object; fit or suitable for the purpose; proper under the circumstances: It is expedient that you go.
2. conducive to advantage or interest, as opposed to right.

Front 472

gestate

Back 472

1. to carry in the womb during the period from conception to delivery.
2. to think of and develop (an idea, opinion, plan, etc.) slowly in the mind.

Front 473

blandishment

Back 473

something, as an action or speech, that tends to flatter, coax, entice, etc

Front 474

reticent

Back 474

taciturn; 1. disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved.
2. reluctant or restrained.

Front 475

cornucopia

Back 475

3. an abundant, overflowing supply.
4. a horn-shaped or conical receptacle or ornament.