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639 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Abrogate
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to abolish or annul by authority; put down
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Abscission
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act of cutting off or removing
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Abscond
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to depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide
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Acumen
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quick, keen, or accurate knowledge or insight
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Admonish
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to reprove; to express warning or disapproval
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Adumbrate
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to foreshadow vaguely, intimate, suggest or outline sketchily
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Aesthetic
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dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive
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Anathema
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a solemn or ecclesiastical curse, acccured or throughly loathed person or thing
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Anodyne
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soothing
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Antithetical
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diametrically opposed
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Apathy
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lack of interest or feelings
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Apocryphal
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dubious authenticity or origin; spurious
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Apogee
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farthest or highest point; culmination; zenith
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Apostate
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one who abandons long-held religious or political convictions, betrayer of the cause
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Apotheosis
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deification, glorification to godliness, the perfect example
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Apposite
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appropriate, pertinent, relevant, apropos
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Apprise
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give notice to, inform
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Approbation
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an expression of approval or praise
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Appropriate
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to take for one's own use
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Arabesque
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complex, ornate design
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Arcane
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mysterious, abtruse, esoteric
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Arrant
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impudent, boldness
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Arrest
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to suspend, to engage
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Artless
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completely without guile; natural without artificiality
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Ascetic
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one who practices rigid self-denial
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Asperity
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severity, harshness
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Aspersion
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an act of defamation or maligning
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Assiduous
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diligent, hardworking
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Astringent
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having a tightening effect on living tissue, harsh
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Attenuate
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rarefy, weaken
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Augury
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omen, portent
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August
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majestic, venerable
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Auspice
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protection or support, patronage
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Auspicious
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favorable, propitious, successful
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Austere
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without adornment, bare; severely simple
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Avarice
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greed, especially for wealth
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Aver
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to state as a fact, confirm or support
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Axiom
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a universally recognized principle, common saying
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Baneful
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sinister, pernicious, ominous
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Bane
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cause of injury, source of harm
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Beatify
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to bless, make happy
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Bedizen
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to adorn, especially in a cheap showy manner
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Belie
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to give a false impression of, to misrepresent
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Bellicose
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belligerent, warlike
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Benign
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favorable, harmless
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Blandish
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to coax with flattery
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Bolster
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to provide support or reinforcement
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bombastic
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pompous
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boor
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rude or insensitive person
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broach
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bring up, announce
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brook
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to tolerate, endure
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Bucolic
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rustic and pastoral
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Burgeon
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to grow rapidly or flourish
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Burnish
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to polish, rub to shine
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Byzantine
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labrynthine, complex
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cacophony
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harsh, jarring, discordant sound
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cadge
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to sponge, beg or mooch
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cajole
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to coax, wheedle
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calumniate
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to slander, make a false accusation
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canon
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an established set of principles or code of laws
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capricious
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inclined to change one's mind
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cardinal
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importance
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caret
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an insertion mark
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carnality
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something relating to the body or flesh
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castigation
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severe criticism or punishment
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catalyst
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accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction, person or thing that causes change
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causality
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relationship between cause and effect
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caustic
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burning or stinging; causing corrosion
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censure
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to criticize severely
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chaos
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a condition of confusion or unpredictability
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chary
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wary, cautious
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chasten
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to chastise or correct; subdue
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chauvinist
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one blindly devoted to a group of which one is a member
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chic
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stylish and fashionable; sophistication in dress
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chicanery
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trickery or subterfuge
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chimera
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an illusion
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choleric
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tending toward anger
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churlish
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boorish, vulgar
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coalesce
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to come together
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coda
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concluding section to a musical or literary piece
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cogent
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appealing forcibly to the mind or reason
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color
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to change as if by dyeing influence distort or gloss over
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commensurate
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matching corresponding or proportionate in degree, size amount or other property
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complaisance
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willingness to comply with the wishes of others
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confound
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to cause to be confused; to frustrate
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consequential
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pompous, self-important
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contemn
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to scorn or despise
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contentious
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argumentative, quarrelsome
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contiguous
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sharing a border; touching
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contrite
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regretful; penitent
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convention
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generally agreed upon practice or attitude
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convoluted
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complex or complicated
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corrigible
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capable of being set right
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countenance
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to approve of or tolerate
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cozen
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to deceive, beguile, hoodwink
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craven
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comtemptibly fainthearted, lacking any courage
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credulous
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tending to believe too readily
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crescendo
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a gradual increase in intensity
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decorum
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politeness or appropriateness of conduct or behavior
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culpable
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deserving blame
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cynicism
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an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness
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damp
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to diminish the intensity or check something
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daunt
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to intimidate or dismay
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dearth
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smallness of quantity or number, scarcity
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debacle
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rout, fiasco, complete failure
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deleterious
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injurious, harmful
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demur
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to question or oppose
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denigrate
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blacken, belittle, defame
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denouement
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an outcome or solution
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deprecate
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to disparage or belittle
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depredate
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to plunder, pillage
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derision
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scorn, ridicule
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derivative
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unoriginal, obtained from another
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desiccate
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to dry out or dehydrate
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desuetude
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disuse, old and used
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desultory
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random, thoughtless, lack of plan
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detraction
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slandering, verbal attack
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diaphanous
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transparent
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diatribe
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harsh denunciation
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didactic
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intended to teach or instruct
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die
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a tool used for shaping
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diffident
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reserved, shy
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digress
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to stray form the point
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dilettante
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one with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
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din
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a loud sustained noise
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dirge
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a mournful song or poem for the dead
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disabuse
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to undeceive; to set right
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discomfit
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to defeat, put down
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discordant
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conflicting, dissonant or harsh in sound
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discretion
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cautious reserve in speech
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disinterested
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free from self-interest, unbiased
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disparage
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to slight or belittle
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disparate
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fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
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dissemble
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to disguise or conceal
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dissolution
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disintegration, looseness in morals
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dissonance
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lack of harmony
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distrait
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distracted, absent-minded
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divulge
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to disclose something secret
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doggerel
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trivial, poorly constructed verse
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dogmatic
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authoritatively and or arrogantly assertive of principles
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dross
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slag, waste or foreign matter
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dulcet
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melodious, harmonious
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dupe
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one how is deceived
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dynamo
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generator, forceful, energetic person
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ebullience
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the quality or lively
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eccentric
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departing from norms or conventions
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eclectic
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composed of elements drawn from various sources
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edifying
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enlightening, informative
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efficacy
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the ability to produce an intended result
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effrontery
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extreme boldness
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effusive
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gushing, excessively demonstrative
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egress
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exit
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elegy
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a mournful poem
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eloquent
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well-spoken
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emollient
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soothing, making less harsh
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empirical
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based on observation or experiment
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encomium
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glowing enthusiastic praise
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endemic
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characteristic of or often found in a particular region
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enervate
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to weaken
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engender
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to cause, produce
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enigmatic
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mysterious, obscure
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ennui
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dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredum
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enormity
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excessive wickedness
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ephemeral
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brief, fleeting, short-lived
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epicure
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one devoted to sensual pleasure
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episodic
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loosely connected, not flowing logically
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epithet
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disparaging word or phrase
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epitome
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embodiment, quintessence
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equanimity
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composure, self-possession
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equable
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level, not able to be easily disturbed
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equivocate
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to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
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errant
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traveling, itinerant
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erratic
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without consistency
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eschew
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to shun or avoid
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esoteric
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intended for or understood by a small specific group
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essay
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to test or try, attempt, experiment
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estimable
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worthy, formidable
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eulogy
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a speech honoring the dead
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evanescent
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tending to disappear like vapor
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evince
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to show clearly, to indicate
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exacerbate
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to make worse
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exact
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to demand, call for, require
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excoriate
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to censure scathingly
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exculpate
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exonerate, to clear of blame
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exemplar
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typical or standard specimen
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exhort
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to incite, to make urgent appeals
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exigent
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urgent, pressing
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exonerate
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to remove from blame
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expatiate
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discuss or write about at length, to range freely
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expiate
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to atone or make amends for
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expurgate
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to remove obscenity, purify, censor
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extant
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existing, not destroyed or lost
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extemporaneous
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improvised, done without preparation
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extirpate
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to destroy, exterminate, cut out
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Facetious
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playful, humorous
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fallacy
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an invalid or incorrect notion
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fallow
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untilled, inactive. dormant
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fanatical
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zealous, single-mindedly obssessed with one thing
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fatuous
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silly, inanely foolish
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fawn
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to flatter or praise excessively
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feckless
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ineffectual, irresponsible
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felicitous
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suitably expressed, well chosen
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fell
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a barren or stony hill, an animal's hide
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fervent
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greatly emotional or zealous
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fetid
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stinking having a heavy bad smell
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fetter
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to shackle to put in chains, restrainf
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filibuster
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intentional obstruction, usually using prolonged speech making to delay legislative action
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filigree
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an ornamental work, especially of delicate lacelike patterns
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flag
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to sag or droop, to become spiritless, to decline
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flip
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sarcastic, impertinent
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florid
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flushed with color, ruddy, ornate
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flout
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to demonstrate contempt for
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foment
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to stir up, incite, rouse
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forbearance
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patience, willingness to wait
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ford
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to wade across the shallow part of a river or stream
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forestall
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to act in a way to hinder exclude or prevent an action
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forswear
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to renounce, disallow, repudiate
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fortuitous
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happening by fortunate accident or chance
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fracas
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noisy fight or quarrel
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fractious
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quarrelsome, rebellious, unruly
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froward
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intractable, not willing to yield or comply stubbornly
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fulminate
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to attack loudly
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furtive
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marked by stealth, covert
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gainsay
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to deny, dispute, contradict
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gambol
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to skip about playfully
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garner
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to gather and save
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garrulous
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pointlessly talkative
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gauche
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crude awkward, tasteless
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germane
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relevant to the subject at hand
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glib
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marked by ease or informality, nonchalant, superficial
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gossamer
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delicate, insubstantial, insincere
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grandiloquence
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pompous speech or expression
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gregarious
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sociable, outgoing, enjoying the company of others
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grouse
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to complain or grumble
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guile
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trickery, duplicity
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hackneyed
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rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
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halcyon
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calm and peaceful, prosperous
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hallow
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to set apart as holy
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harangue
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to deliver a loud, pompous speech
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harrow
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to distress, create stress or torment
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hedonism
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devotion to pleasurable pursuits
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hegemony
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the consistent dominance or influence of one group, state
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heretical
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violating accepted dogma or convention
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hermetic
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airtight, impervious to outside influence
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heretical
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violating accepted dogma or convention
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hermetic
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airtight, imperious to outside influence
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heterodox
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unorthodox, heretical, iconoclastic
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hirsute
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hairy, shaggy
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homily
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a sermon or morally instructive lecture
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homogenous
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same throughout
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hubris
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arrogant presumption or pride
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hyperbole
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an exaggerated statement, often used as a figure of speech
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iconoclast
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one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions
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idolatrous
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given to intense or excessive devotion to something
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idyll
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a carefree, light-hearted pastoral or romantic episode or experience; a literary or musical piece describing such
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ignominious
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shameful, dishonorable
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imbroglio
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difficult or embarrassing situation
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imminent
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about to happen; impending
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immutable
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not capable of change
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impassive
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revealing no emotion or sensibility
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impecunious
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lacking funds, without money
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imperious
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commanding, masterful, arrogant
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imperturbable
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marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness
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impetuous
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hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive
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implacable
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not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
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importune
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to ask incessantly, beg, nag
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impudent
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shamelessly bold, insolent, impertinent
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impugn
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attack or assail verbally, censure
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impunity
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immunity from punishment, penalty or harm
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impute
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to attribute to a cause or source, ascribe, assign
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inalienable
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cannot be transferred
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inchoate
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in an initial stage, not fully formed
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incipient
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beginning to come into being or to become apparent
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indefatigable
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not easily exhaustible, tireless, dogged
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indifferent
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having no interest or concern, apathetic, showing no bias or prejudice
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indolent
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lazy, listless
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ineluctable
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certain, inevitable
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inert
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unmoving, lethargic
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ingenuous
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artless, frank, candid, lacking in sophistication
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inherent
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ingrained within one's nature
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inimical
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damaging, harmful, injurious
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inimitable
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one of a kind, peerless
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iniquity
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wickedness, gross injustice
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innervate
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to supply with nerves, energize
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innocuous
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harmless, causing no damage
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inscrutable
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incapable of being discovered or understood
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insensible
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unconscious, unresponsive
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insipid
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without taste or flavor, dull
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insouciant
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unconcerned, carefree
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insular
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parochial, narrowminded
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interdict
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prohibit, forbid, ban
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intimate
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to imply, suggest
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intractable
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not easily managed
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intransigent
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refusing to compromise
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intrepid
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steadfast, courageous
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inundate
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to cover or overwhelm, to flood
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inured
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accustomed to accepting something undesirable
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inveigle
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to obtain by deception or flattery
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inveterate
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deep rooted, ingrained, habitual
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invidious
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tending to arouse envy or ill will in others
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irascible
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easily angered
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itinerate
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to travel from place to place
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jejune
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vapid, uninteresting
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jibe
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to agree, to be in accord
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jocose
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given to joking; humorous
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kinetic
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having to do with motion; lively
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labile
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readily open to change, unstable
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lachrymose
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causing tears
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laconic
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using few words, terse
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lassitude
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listlessness, weariness
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laud
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to praise highly
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lavish
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extravagant
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lethargic
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characterized by sluggishness
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libertine
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someone unrestrained by morality
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limn
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to draw, outline in detail
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limpid
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transparent, clear
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list
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to tilt or lean to one side
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loquacious
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extremely talkative
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|
|
lucid
|
clear, sound, intelligible
|
|
|
lumber
|
to move heavily and clumsily with a rumbling sound
|
|
|
luminous
|
characterized by brightness
|
|
|
magnanimity
|
the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart
|
|
|
malevolent
|
having or showing often vicious ill will, spite or hatred
|
|
|
malinger
|
to feign illness so as to avoid work
|
|
|
malleable
|
capable of being shaped or formed
|
|
|
martial
|
associated with war and the armed forces
|
|
|
martinet
|
a rigid disciplinarian
|
|
|
maunder
|
to talk or move aimlessly
|
|
|
maverick
|
an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
|
|
|
melancholy
|
tending toward sadness
|
|
|
mellifluous
|
sweetly flowing, usually used to describe words or sounds
|
|
|
mendacity
|
the condition of being untruthful
|
|
|
mendicant
|
a beggar, supplicant
|
|
|
mercurial
|
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
|
|
|
meretricious
|
tawdry, pretentious, attractive but false, showy
|
|
|
meticulous
|
characterized by extreme care and precision
|
|
|
mettlesome
|
courageous, high-spirited
|
|
|
militate
|
to have weight or bearing on, to argue against
|
|
|
milk
|
to exploit, to squeeze every last ounce
|
|
|
minatory
|
menacing, threatening
|
|
|
mince
|
pronounce or speak affectedly or too carefully, take tiny steps
|
|
|
misanthrope
|
one who hates humankind
|
|
|
misogynist
|
one who hates women
|
|
|
mitigate
|
to make or become less severe or intense
|
|
|
mollify
|
to calm or soothe, reduce in emotional intensity
|
|
|
monotony
|
tedious lack of variety or change
|
|
|
morose
|
sad, sullen, melancholy
|
|
|
multifaceted
|
having many aspects
|
|
|
multifarious
|
varied, motley
|
|
|
mundane
|
of the world, concerned with the ordinary
|
|
|
nadir
|
low point, perigee
|
|
|
nascent
|
coming into being, in early development
|
|
|
natty
|
trimly neat and tidy
|
|
|
nebulous
|
vague, cloudy, lacking clearly defined
|
|
|
neologism
|
a new word, expression or usage
|
|
|
neophyte
|
a recent convert, a beginner
|
|
|
nexus
|
a connection tie or link
|
|
|
nice
|
exacting, extremely or even excessively precise, done with skill
|
|
|
noisome
|
offensive, especially to one's sense of smell
|
|
|
nonplussed
|
baffled, lost at what to say
|
|
|
nostrum
|
cure-all, placebo, questionable remedy
|
|
|
noxious
|
harmful, injurious
|
|
|
obdurate
|
unyielding, hardhearted
|
|
|
obeisance
|
gesture that expresses deference, such as a bow
|
|
|
obfuscate
|
to deliberately obscure, to make confusing
|
|
|
obsequious
|
exhibiting a fawning attentiveness, subservient
|
|
|
obstinate
|
stubborn, hardheaded, uncompromising
|
|
|
obstreperous
|
noisy, loudly stubborn
|
|
|
obtain
|
to be established, accepted
|
|
|
obtuse
|
lacking sharpness or intellect, not clear or precise in thought
|
|
|
obviate
|
to anticipate and make unnecessary
|
|
|
occlude
|
to obstruct or block
|
|
|
occult
|
hidden, concealed, beyond comprehension
|
|
|
odious
|
hateful; arousing strong feelings of dislike
|
|
|
officious
|
meddlesome, pushy in ones offer where they are unwanted
|
|
|
onerous
|
troubling, burdensome
|
|
|
opaque
|
impermeable by light, dense in light
|
|
|
opprobrium
|
disgrace, contempt, scorn
|
|
|
oscillation
|
the act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady rhythm
|
|
|
ossified
|
changed into bone, made rigid conventional and unreceptive to change
|
|
|
ostensible
|
seeming, appearing as such professed
|
|
|
ostentatious
|
characterized by or given to pretentiousness
|
|
|
overweening
|
presumptuously arrogant, overbearing
|
|
|
pagean
|
a song or expression of praise and thanksgiving
|
|
|
palliate
|
to make something appear less serious
|
|
|
pandemic
|
widespread, occurring over a large area
|
|
|
panegyric
|
formal expression of praise
|
|
|
paradigm
|
something that serves as a model, framework of assumptions
|
|
|
paradox
|
a contradiction that seems true
|
|
|
paragon
|
something regarded as a model of excellence
|
|
|
pariah
|
an outcast, a rejected and despised person
|
|
|
parody
|
a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect
|
|
|
parry
|
to block
|
|
|
parsimonious
|
cheap, miserly
|
|
|
partisan
|
one-sided, committed to a party, biased or prejudice
|
|
|
paucity
|
scarcity, a lacking of
|
|
|
peccadillo
|
a slight offense, literally, a minor sin
|
|
|
pedagogy
|
the art or profession or training, teaching
|
|
|
pedantic
|
ostentatious display of learning, excessive attention
|
|
|
pedestrian
|
commonplace, trite, unremarkable
|
|
|
penchant
|
strong inclination, a liking
|
|
|
penurious
|
penny-pinching, thrifty
|
|
|
peremptory
|
admitting of no contradiction, putting an end to further debate
|
|
|
perennial
|
recurrent through the year or many years
|
|
|
perfidy
|
intentional breach of faith, treachery
|
|
|
perfunctory
|
cursory, done without care or interest
|
|
|
peripatetic
|
itinerant, traveling, nomadic
|
|
|
pernicious
|
extremely harmful, potentially causing death
|
|
|
personable
|
pleasing in appearance, attractive
|
|
|
perspicacious
|
acutely perceptive, having keen discernment
|
|
|
peruse
|
to examine with great care
|
|
|
pervade
|
to permeate throughout
|
|
|
petrous
|
like a rock, hard
|
|
|
petulant
|
impatient, irritable
|
|
|
philanthropic
|
humanitarian, benevolent
|
|
|
philistine
|
a crass individual guided by material rather than intellectual
|
|
|
phlegmatic
|
calm, sluggish, unemotional
|
|
|
picaresque
|
involving clever rogues or adventurers
|
|
|
pied
|
multi-colored
|
|
|
pillory
|
to punish, hold up to public scorn
|
|
|
pine
|
to yearn intensely, to languish
|
|
|
pious
|
extremely reverent or devout
|
|
|
piquant
|
agreeably pungent, spicy
|
|
|
pique
|
resentment, feeling of irritation due to hurt pride
|
|
|
pirate
|
to use or reproduce illegally
|
|
|
pith
|
central part
|
|
|
placate
|
to appease
|
|
|
plaintive
|
mournful, melancholy
|
|
|
plangent
|
pounding, thundering
|
|
|
plastic
|
moldable, pliable
|
|
|
platitude
|
a superficial or trite remark
|
|
|
plethora
|
overabundance
|
|
|
pluck
|
courage, spunk
|
|
|
plumb
|
to measure the depth
|
|
|
plummet
|
to plunge or drop down
|
|
|
poignant
|
distressing, pertinent
|
|
|
polemical
|
controversial, argumentative
|
|
|
pragmatic
|
practical rather than idealistic
|
|
|
prattle
|
to babble meaninglessly
|
|
|
precarious
|
uncertain, risky, dangerous
|
|
|
precept
|
rule establishing standards of conduct
|
|
|
precipitate
|
acting with excessive haste or impulse
|
|
|
precursor
|
something that precedes and indicates or announces another
|
|
|
predilection
|
a disposition in favor of something
|
|
|
preempt
|
to replace, to supersede
|
|
|
preen
|
to dress up, primp
|
|
|
prescience
|
knowing of events prior to their occurring
|
|
|
presumptuous
|
overstepping bounds, as of propriety of courtesy
|
|
|
prevaricate
|
to deliberately avoid the truth
|
|
|
pristine
|
pure, uncorrupted, clean
|
|
|
prize
|
to pry or force with a lever
|
|
|
probity
|
adherence to highest principles
|
|
|
proclivity
|
a natural disposition or inclination
|
|
|
prodigal
|
recklessly wasteful, extravagant, profuse
|
|
|
prodigious
|
abundant in size, force or extent
|
|
|
profligate
|
excessively wasteful
|
|
|
profuse
|
given or coming forth abundantly, extravagant
|
|
|
prolific
|
producing in large volumes
|
|
|
prolix
|
long-winded, verbose
|
|
|
propensity
|
a natural tendency
|
|
|
propinquity
|
nearness in time or place
|
|
|
propitiate
|
to appease or pacify
|
|
|
propitious
|
auspicious, favorable
|
|
|
propriety
|
appropriateness, conformity with standards of acceptable behavior
|
|
|
prosaic
|
dull, unimaginative
|
|
|
proscribe
|
to outlaw or prohibit
|
|
|
provident
|
frugal, looking to the future
|
|
|
puerile
|
childish immature
|
|
|
pugnacious
|
contentious, belligerent
|
|
|
punctilious
|
precise, paying attention to trivialities
|
|
|
pundit
|
an authority on a subject, one who gives opinions
|
|
|
pungent
|
characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
|
|
|
pusillanimous
|
cowardly, craven
|
|
|
putrefy
|
to rot decay and give off foul odor
|
|
|
Quaff
|
to drink deeply
|
|
|
quail
|
to shrink back in fear
|
|
|
qualify
|
to limit
|
|
|
qualms
|
misgivings, reservations
|
|
|
queries
|
questions, inquiries
|
|
|
querulous
|
quarrelsome, prone to complaining
|
|
|
quiescence
|
stillness, motionlessness
|
|
|
quotidian
|
occurring or recurring daily
|
|
|
rail
|
to complain about bitterly
|
|
|
ramify
|
to be divided or subdivided
|
|
|
rancorous
|
characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
|
|
|
rapacious
|
greedy, plundering
|
|
|
rarefy
|
to make or become thin
|
|
|
rebus
|
riddle, a representation of words by pictures
|
|
|
recalcitrant
|
obstinately defiant of authority or guidance
|
|
|
recant
|
to retract a previously held belief
|
|
|
recapitulate
|
to summarize, to repeat concisely
|
|
|
recondite
|
hidden, concealed
|
|
|
reconnoiter
|
to engage in reconnaissance (exploration conducted to gain information)
|
|
|
recumbent
|
leaning, resting, prone
|
|
|
redolent
|
fragrant, suggestive, evocative
|
|
|
redoubtable
|
awe-inspiring, worthy of honor
|
|
|
refulgent
|
radiant, shiny, brilliant
|
|
|
refute
|
disprove, successfully argue against
|
|
|
regale
|
to delight or entertain, feast
|
|
|
relegate
|
to forcibly assign to a lower palce
|
|
|
remonstrate
|
to protest, object
|
|
|
renege
|
to fail to honor a commitment
|
|
|
rent
|
torn, split apart
|
|
|
repine
|
to feel or express dejection or discontent
|
|
|
repudiate
|
disown
|
|
|
rescind
|
to invalidate, repeal, retract
|
|
|
resolute
|
adamant, steadfast, determined
|
|
|
reticent
|
quiet, reserved
|
|
|
reverent
|
feeling of awe
|
|
|
rhetoric
|
the art or study of effective use of language
|
|
|
risible
|
hilarious
|
|
|
rubric
|
authoritative rule
|
|
|
rue
|
remorseful
|
|
|
sagacious
|
having sound judgment
|
|
|
salacious
|
causing sexual desire
|
|
|
salient
|
prominent, protruding
|
|
|
salubrious
|
promoting health or well-being
|
|
|
salutary
|
remedial, wholesome, causing improvement
|
|
|
sanctimony
|
self-righteousness
|
|
|
sanction
|
authoritative permission
|
|
|
sanguine
|
cheerful, confident
|
|
|
sap
|
to enervate, weaken the vitality
|
|
|
satiate
|
to overindulge, satisfy to excess
|
|
|
satire
|
a literary work that ridicules human vice through humor
|
|
|
saturnine
|
gloomy, dark, sullen, morose
|
|
|
scurvy
|
contemptible, despicable
|
|
|
sedulous
|
diligent, persistent, hardworking
|
|
|
seine
|
a large net hung out and dragged in to catch fish
|
|
|
sere
|
withered, arid
|
|
|
seminal
|
like a seed, source
|
|
|
shard
|
a piece of broken pottery or glass
|
|
|
simper
|
to smirk, to say something with a silly coy smile
|
|
|
sinecure
|
position requiring little or no work and provides income
|
|
|
singular
|
exceptional, unusual, odd
|
|
|
sinuous
|
winding, curving
|
|
|
slake
|
to satisfy, quench
|
|
|
sodden
|
soaked or drenched
|
|
|
solder
|
to weld, fuse or join
|
|
|
solicitous
|
concerned and attentive
|
|
|
solvent
|
able to meet financial obligations
|
|
|
sophistry
|
fallacious reasoning, faulty logic
|
|
|
sophomoric
|
exhibiting immaturity
|
|
|
soporific
|
causing drowsiness, induce sleep
|
|
|
sordid
|
characterized by filth
|
|
|
sparse
|
thin, not dense
|
|
|
specious
|
seeming true but actually false
|
|
|
spendthrift
|
spends money wastefully
|
|
|
splenetic
|
bad-tempered, irritable
|
|
|
sporadic
|
occurring only occasionally
|
|
|
spurious
|
lacking authenticity, false
|
|
|
squalid
|
wretched and dirty as from neglect
|
|
|
squander
|
to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
|
|
|
stanch
|
to stop the flow of fluid
|
|
|
static
|
not moving, at rest
|
|
|
steep
|
to saturate or completely soak
|
|
|
stentorian
|
extremely loud and powerful
|
|
|
stint
|
to restrain, be sparing
|
|
|
stoic
|
indifferent to or unaffected by pain
|
|
|
stolid
|
calm, impassive
|
|
|
striated
|
striped, grooved
|
|
|
strut
|
a structural support used to brace a framework
|
|
|
stupefy
|
to stun, baffle
|
|
|
stymie
|
to block
|
|
|
subpoena
|
a court order requiring appearance
|
|
|
subtle
|
not obvious, difficult to discern
|
|
|
succinct
|
brief, concise
|
|
|
succor
|
assistance, relief in time of distress
|
|
|
sundry
|
various, separate
|
|
|
supercilious
|
disdainful, arrogant
|
|
|
superfluous
|
exceeding what is sufficient
|
|
|
supine
|
inactive, morally slack
|
|
|
supplant
|
to take the place of
|
|
|
suppliant
|
asking humbly
|
|
|
supplicant
|
beggar
|
|
|
surfeit
|
to feed or supply in excess
|
|
|
sycophant
|
someone who tries to flatter or please for personal gain
|
|
|
synthesis
|
the combination of parts to whole
|
|
|
table
|
to remove from consideration
|
|
|
taciturn
|
not talkative, silent
|
|
|
talisman
|
something believed to have magic power or bestow good luck
|
|
|
tamp
|
to plug, to drive in or down by a series of blows
|
|
|
tautology
|
a repetition, a redundancy
|
|
|
tawdry
|
cheap, gaudy, showy
|
|
|
tenacity
|
the quality of adherence or persistence to something valued
|
|
|
tendentious
|
biased, showing marked tendencies
|
|
|
tender
|
to offer formally
|
|
|
tenuous
|
having little substance or strength, flimsy
|
|
|
terse
|
brief and concise in wording
|
|
|
timorous
|
timid fearful, diffident
|
|
|
tirage
|
a long and extremely critical speech
|
|
|
toady
|
sycophant, flatterer
|
|
|
torpid
|
lethargic, sluggish
|
|
|
torque
|
a force that causes rotation
|
|
|
torrid
|
passionate, ardent, scorching
|
|
|
tortuous
|
winding, twisting, excessively complicated
|
|
|
tout
|
to publicly praise
|
|
|
tractable
|
docile, obedient, easily led
|
|
|
transient
|
fleeting, passing quickly
|
|
|
travesty
|
mockery, caricature
|
|
|
trenchant
|
sharply perceptive, keen. penetrating
|
|
|
truculent
|
fierce, scathing
|
|
|
tumid
|
swollen
|
|
|
turbid
|
muddy, having sediment stirred up
|
|
|
turgid
|
swollen, bloated pompous
|
|
|
turpitude
|
depravity, baseness
|
|
|
tyro
|
novice, beginner
|
|
|
ubiquitous
|
existing everywhere at the same time
|
|
|
umbrage
|
offense, resentment
|
|
|
undulate
|
to move in a wavelike fashion
|
|
|
unfeigned
|
genuine
|
|
|
untenable
|
indefensible, no viable
|
|
|
untoward
|
troublesome
|
|
|
upbraid
|
to scold, chastise
|
|
|
urbane
|
sophisticated, refined, elegant
|
|
|
usury
|
charging an exorbitant or illegal rate of interest
|
|
|
vacillate
|
to waver indecisively between one opinion and another
|
|
|
variegated
|
multicolored, patches of different color
|
|
|
vaunt
|
brag or boast
|
|
|
venal
|
capable of being bought or bribed
|
|
|
venerate
|
to revere
|
|
|
veracity
|
truthfulness, honestly
|
|
|
verisimilitude
|
appearing to be true or real
|
|
|
veritable
|
authentic, real or genuine
|
|
|
vexation
|
annoyance, irritation
|
|
|
vigilant
|
alert watchful
|
|
|
vilify
|
to defame
|
|
|
virulent
|
extremely harmful or poisonous, bitterly
|
|
|
viscous
|
thick, sticky
|
|
|
vitiate
|
to reduce the value of, debase
|
|
|
vituperate
|
to use harsh condemnatory language
|
|
|
volatile
|
readily changing to vapor
|
|
|
voracious
|
having an insatiable appetite for an activity
|
|
|
waft
|
a light breeze
|
|
|
waver
|
to move to and fro, to stay away
|
|
|
welter
|
to toss about, to be in turmoil
|
|
|
wend
|
to go, proceed, walk
|
|
|
whet
|
to sharpen or stimulate
|
|
|
whimsical
|
imaginative, unpredictable
|
|
|
zealous
|
fervent, ardent, impassioned
|
