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1589 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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abdicate
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To relinquish (power or responsibility) in a formal manner
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aberrant
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Different from an accepted norm or group (usu. considerably so)
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abet
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To urge, encourage or help someone or something (oft. an offense)
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aboriginal
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Having existed from the beginning
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abridge
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To shorten or condense
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acclimate
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To accustom oneself to a climate or situation
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accost
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To approach and speak to someone (oft. rudely so)
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acquiesce
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To comply or consent passively; submit
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adamant
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Stubborn or unyielding; an extremely hard substance
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adulterate
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To make impure through the addition of a foreign element; to corrupt
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adversity
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Hardship
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aesthetic
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Relating to the appreciation of beauty
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affable
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Easy and pleasant to talk to; approachable
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affinity
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A natural attraction or feeling of kinship
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aggregate
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Total; in a dense cluster
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aghast
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Horrified
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alienate
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To make unfriendly; to isolate emotionally
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alleviate
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To make more bearable; to lighten
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altruism
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Selfless benevolence or generosity
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ambiguous
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Open to more than one interpretation; uncertain
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ambivalent
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Feeling the coexistence of opposing emotions or attitudes
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amenable
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Responsive to advice, authority or suggestion
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amorphous
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Lacking definite form; shapeless
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analogous
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Similar in such a way as to permit the comparison to something otherwise dissimilar
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anarchy
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Absence of government; chaos or lawlessness
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anomalous
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Deviating from the usual or common order, form or rule
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antipathy
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Strong feelings of aversion
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antiquated
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Very old; outmoded
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apathy
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A lack of interest or concern; indifference
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appease
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To pacify
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assimilate
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To make similar or cause to resemble
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audacity
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Daring; bold recklessness
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auspicious
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Attended by favorable circumstances
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austere
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Severe or stern in character; bare or simple; somber or grave
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autonomous
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Independent
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avarice
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Greed
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axiom
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A self-evident truth
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banal
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Drearily commonplace; trite
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belittle
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To disparage; to make someone feel small or unimportant
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benefactor
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One that gives aid (esp. financial)
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boisterous
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Loud and noisy (oft. in a rough manner)
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boorish
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Rude; possessed of little refinement
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bourgeois
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A member of the middle class; typical of the middle class
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canon
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A law or code of laws
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catharsis
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A purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions
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caustic
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Corrosive; biting (remark)
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coagulate
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To harden into a semi-solid
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cogent
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Appealing to the intellect; compelling
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collusion
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A secret agreement with deceitful intent
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commiserate
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To sympathize with
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compliant
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Willing to agree or obey
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condone
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To overlook, forgive or tolerate an offense without protest
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conducive
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Promoting or leading to
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connoisseur
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A person with expert knowledge or training (esp. in the fine arts)
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consensus
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An agreement between all parties
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contentious
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Quarrelsome
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convoluted
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Intricate or complicated
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covenant
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Sacred pact
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covert
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Not openly practiced, engaged in or shown
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credence
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Claim to legitimacy or trustworthiness
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credulous
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Gullible
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cynical
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Inclined to believe the worst; skeptical; scornful
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dauntless
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Fearless
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dearth
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A scarcity or lack of
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defame
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To damage someone’s or something’s reputation
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delineate
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To sketch out or depict
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despot
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A ruler with absolute power
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destitute
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Lacking or devoid of; poor
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deterrent
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Something that discourages
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devoid
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Lacking
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devout
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Devoted to religion
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digress
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To turn away from (esp. the main subject of a conversation)
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disabuse
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To free from misconception
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discerning
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Exhibiting good judgment; perceptive
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discord
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Strife; lack of agreement
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discretion
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Ability to act sensibly; freedom to act on one’s own
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disingenuous
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Not straightforward; crafty
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disparate
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Entirely dissimilar
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disseminate
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To scatter widely; to promulgate
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dissent
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Disagreement
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dissolution
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Decomposition into fragments or parts; debauchery
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distend
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To swell or stretch
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divest
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To get rid of
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divulge
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To make known (esp. a secret)
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dogmatic
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Characterized by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of principles that are unproved or can’t be proofed
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dormant
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Asleep or inactive
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eclectic
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Made up from a variety of sources; unusual
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eloquence
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Persuasive discourse
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embellish
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To make beautiful by decoration; to add fictitious details to a story
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ennui
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Boredom
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enumerate
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To count (out); to list
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esoteric
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Meant for or understood by only a small group of people; particular to a small group; confidential
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euphemism
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A mild substitute for an unpleasant or offensive term
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euphoria
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A feeling of great happiness or well-being
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exacerbate
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To increase the severity, violence or bitterness of; to aggravate
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exasperate
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To make angry or annoy greatly
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exhibitionist
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Someone who deliberately behaves to attract attention
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exonerate
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To free from blame
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extol
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To praise highly or exalt
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facetious
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Playfully jocular; humorous
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facilitate
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To assist or make easier
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fallacy
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A false notion
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fathom
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To comprehend; a measure of marine depth
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fervor
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Great warmth and intensity of emotion; intense heat or passion
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fickle
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Capricious
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filibuster
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Prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action
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fledgling
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An inexperienced person; a young bird
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flout
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To show contempt for; to scorn
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forsake
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To give up or abandon
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fortuitous
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Lucky
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foster
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To bring up or nurture
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frugal
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Economical
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gratuitous
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Unearned or unjustified; unnecessary; free
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gregarious
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Sociable, outgoing
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hamper
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To hinder or prevent; a large basket
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harry
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To vex or annoy
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hedonism
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Pursuit of pleasure
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hypocritical
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Speaking contrary to one’s true beliefs or actions
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imminent
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About to occur
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imperative
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A command or order; extremely necessary
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imperturbable
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Unshakably calm and collected
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impervious
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Impenetrable
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impetuous
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Impulsive or rash
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implicit
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Implied; not expressly stated
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impulsive
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Rash; acting on impulse rather than thought
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impunity
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Exempt from penalty, punishment or harm
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inadvertent
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Marked by unintentional lack of care
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incendiary
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Tending to inflame; an agitator
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incipient
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Beginning to exist or to appear
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incontrovertible
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Undeniable or impossible to dispute
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incorrigible
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Incapable of being corrected or informed; difficult to control
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indifferent
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Without bias
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indomitable
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Unconquerable
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inert
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Unable to move or act; sluggish or lethargic
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inherent
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Naturally a part of; intrinsic
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inhibit
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To hold back or forbid
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inimical
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Harmful in effect; hostile
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insatiable
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Impossible to satisfy
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insidious
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Deceitfully harmful; treacherous
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insipid
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Tasteless; lacking stimulation or interest
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insufferable
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Intolerable
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insular
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Of or relating to an island; narrow or provincial in outlook
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intangible
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Incapable of being perceived by the senses
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intractable
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Difficult to manage; stubborn
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intrepid
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Fearless
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inundate
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To cover, overwhelm or flood with water; to swamp
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itinerary
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The route or proposed route of a journey
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judicious
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Having or exhibiting sound judgment; prudent
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laudatory
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Expressing praise
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levity
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Lightness of manner; frivolity
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lucid
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Easily understood; intelligible
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lurid
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Gruesome; marked by sensation
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magnanimous
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Courageously noble in mind and heart; generous or unselfish
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magnate
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A powerful or influential person (esp. business)
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malevolence
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Ill-will
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misanthrope
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One who hates or mistrusts mankind
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mundane
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Commonplace or ordinary; everyday
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narcissism
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Excessive love of oneself
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nascent
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Just born; emerging
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nonplused
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In a state of confusion, bewilderment or perplexity
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noxious
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Harmful to one’s health, mind or morals
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omnipotent
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Having unlimited power
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onerous
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Burdensome
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oscillate
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To swing back and forth with a steady rhythm; to waver
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paradigm
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An example that serves as a model or pattern
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paragon
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A model of excellence; a peerless example
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parody
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A literary work that mockingly mimics a well-known story; a mocking imitation
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parsimonious
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Excessively sparing or frugal
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paucity
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Smallness of number; fewness
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pedantic
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Showing off one’s bookish knowledge (in a negative manner)
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penchant
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A definite liking; a strong inclination
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philanthropy
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Charitable aid; love of human kind
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piety
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Religious devotion; reverence
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pious
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Religiously devout; marked by false devoutness
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platonic
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Spiritual love; love between friends
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posthumous
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After death
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pragmatic
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Concerned with facts or actual occurrences; practical
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precarious
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Dangerously lacking in security or stability
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precursor
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One that indicates something to come; a forerunner or predecessor
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preponderance
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Superiority in weight, force, importance or influence
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presumptuous
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Beyond what is right or proper; excessively forward
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pretentious
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Believing you are better than you are; showy or ostentatious
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prevaricate
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To stray from or evade the truth; to lie or equivocate
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problematic
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Posing a problem; difficult to solve
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prodigal
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Rashly or wastefully extravagant
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prodigious
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Impressively great in size, force or extent; enormous
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prodigy
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A person with exceptional talents or powers; an omen
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profligate
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Recklessly wasteful
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profound
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Coming as if from the depths of one’s being; deep
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prolific
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Producing offspring in great abundance; producing a lot (of anything)
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propensity
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An innate inclination; a tendency
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proportionate
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Properly related in size
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propriety
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Polite behavior
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prosaic
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Lacking in imagination; dull
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pundit
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A (supposedly) learned critic or expert
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pungent
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Sharp smelling or tasting; penetrating, biting or caustic
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recant
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To withdraw formally a previously held belief
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relegate
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To banish or exile
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renege
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To fail to carry out a promise or commitment
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renounce
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To reject or disown (usu. by formal announcement)
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reprehensible
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Deserving blame
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reproach
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To express disapproval; to blame
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repudiate
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To reject the authority or validity of
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requisite
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Necessary; something that is required
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rescind
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To make void; to repeal or annul
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reticent
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Restrained or reserved; reluctant or unwilling
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retribution
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Punishment; reward
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reverent
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Worshipful
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rhetoric
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The art of using language persuasively (or artistically); language that is insincere
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sanctimonious
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Faking righteousness
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sanction
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To approve authoritatively
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satiate
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To satisfy
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satire
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A literary work that attacks human folly through wit or sarcasm
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schism
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A separation into factions
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secular
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Not specifically related to religion; occurring once in a century or from century to century
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severance
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The act or condition of being severed; separation
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skeptical
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Doubtful or questioning
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solvent
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Having sufficient funds to pay all debts
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squander
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To spend wastefully
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stupefy
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To amaze or stun
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stymie
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To thwart or stump
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sullen
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Gloomy; sulky
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supercilious
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Feeling or showing haughty disdain
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superfluous
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Beyond what is needed or required
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synthesis
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The combining of separate elements to form a coherent whole; the result of that combining
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tacit
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Silent; unstated or implied
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tenuous
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Long and thin; slender or slight
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terse
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Brief and to the point
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transient
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Remaining in one place only a brief time; one that does so
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ubiquitous
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Everywhere
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ulterior
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Lying beyond what is evident or revealed (oft. intentionally so as to deceive); occurring later or subsequent
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untenable
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Impossible to maintain or inhabit
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untoward
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Not favorable; troublesome or adverse
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urbane
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Polite, refined and often elegant in manner
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vacillate
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To sway between two sides, positions or opinions; to waver
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venerable
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Commanding respect; worthy of reverence
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veracity
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Truthfulness
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verbose
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Wordy
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vernacular
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The language of everyday people (as opposed to that of literary works)
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vex
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To annoy, bother or harass
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viable
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Useable; able to survive; capable of success
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vilify
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To make vicious and defamatory statements about
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vivacious
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Lively or full of spirit
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volatile
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Prone to quick and marked change
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voluminous
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Having great size or volume
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voracious
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Ravenous
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xenophobia
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Fear of hate of anything foreign (esp. people)
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zealot
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A person who is fanatically committed to an idea or cause
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abash
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To humiliate or embarrass
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aberration
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Deviation from a proper or expected course
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abeyance
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A state of temporary inaction; suspension
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abide
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To be faithful to or endure
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abhor
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To hate or detest
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abstemious
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Characterized by eating or drinking in moderation
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acumen
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Quickness, accuracy and keenness of judgment or insight
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aegis
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Protection; sponsorship; shield of Athena
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alacrity
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Cheerful willingness; speed or quickness
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amalgamate
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To mix or blend together into a homogeneous body
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anachronistic
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Out of historical order; old fashioned
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anathema
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A curse or denunciation; one that is cursed or reviled
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animus
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A feeling of animosity or ill-will
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antipodal
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Exactly opposite
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approbation
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Warm approval; praise
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artless
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Naïve or simple
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ascetic
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Leading a life of self-denial and austerity (usu. for spiritual improvement)
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assiduous
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Diligent, unceasing, persistent
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belie
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To picture falsely or misrepresent
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bellicose
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Warlike in manner
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bucolic
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Rustic, pastoral, or relating to the countryside;
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buttress
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A structure built against a wall for support or reinforcement; to support or reinforce
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cachet
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A mark of authenticity
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cacophony
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A harsh, discordant sound or combination of tones
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capacious
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Spacious or roomy
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capitulate
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To give up all resistance or surrender; to come to terms
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castigate
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To punish severely; to criticize harshly
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censure
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To criticize severely; an expression of disapproval
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chagrin
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A keen feeling of mental unease from failure, disappointment or a disconcerting event
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charlatan
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A quack or fraud
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catholic
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Comprehensive or universal
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chary
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Wary or cautious
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coda
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A concluding passage (usu. of a musical movement or composition)
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commensurate
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Corresponding in size or degree
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compensatory
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Serving as a reimbursement, substitute of counterbalance
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conciliatory
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Intended to generate good-will
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conundrum
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A difficult or insoluble problem; a dilemma
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deference
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Courteous respect; yielding to the wishes of another
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deleterious
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Having a harmful effect; injurious
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demur
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To object or delay
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denigrate
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To speak ill of or attack the character of
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deprecate
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To belittle or deplore
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desiccate
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To dry out thoroughly
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desultory
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Random; disconnected from that which precedes it
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diatribe
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A bitter, abusive denunciation
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dichotomy
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Division into two contradictory parts or opinions
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didactic
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Intending to instruct (oft. morally); inclined to teach or moralize excessively
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diffident
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Shy and timid
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discrete
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Distinct; having distinct parts
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dissonance
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A harsh, disagreeable combination of sounds; discord; conflict
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efficacy
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Effectiveness
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effigy
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A crude dummy; a likeness or image (esp. of a person)
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effloresce
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To blossom or bloom
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effrontery
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Brazen boldness; presumptuousness
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elicit
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To bring or draw out (something latent)
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emancipate
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To set free ownership or oppression; to liberate
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endemic
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Particular to a specified country or people
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enervate
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To weak or destroy the strength or nerve of
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engender
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To produce or generate
|
|
|
evanescent
|
Vanishing or likely to vanish like vapor
|
|
|
expedite
|
To speed up the process
|
|
|
extemporize
|
To do something off the top of your head; to improvise
|
|
|
foment
|
To nurse to life or activity; to encourage
|
|
|
fulminate
|
To issue a thunderous verbal attack; to explode or cause to explode
|
|
|
gainsay
|
To declare false; to deny
|
|
|
germane
|
Both pertaining and fitting; relevant
|
|
|
glib
|
Performed with a natural, offhand ease; characterized by ease or fluidity that is superficial or insincere
|
|
|
halcyon
|
Calm and peaceful; tranquil
|
|
|
harangue
|
Speech or writing characterized by strong feelings; a tirade
|
|
|
hegemony
|
Predominant influence of one country over others
|
|
|
histrionics
|
Exaggerated emotional behavior
|
|
|
homogeneous
|
Uniform in composition or structure
|
|
|
hyperbole
|
A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for effect
|
|
|
iconoclast
|
One who attacks and seeks to overthrow popular ideas, practices or institutions
|
|
|
idiosyncratic
|
Peculiar, unusual, or uniquely individual
|
|
|
impecunious
|
Lacking money; penniless
|
|
|
impolitic
|
Not wise
|
|
|
indigent
|
Poor or needy
|
|
|
indolent
|
Habitually lazy
|
|
|
ineffable
|
Indescribable or unutterable
|
|
|
internecine
|
Relating to a struggle within a nation or a group; mutually destructive
|
|
|
inure
|
To habituate to something undesirable; to accustom
|
|
|
invective
|
Denunciatory or abusive language; a verbal attack
|
|
|
inveigle
|
To win over by flattery
|
|
|
irascible
|
Easily angered
|
|
|
irresolute
|
Lacking in resolution; indecisive
|
|
|
laconic
|
Using very few words; terse
|
|
|
lassitude
|
A state or feeling or weariness, diminished energy or listlessness
|
|
|
Machiavellian
|
Cunningly deceitful
|
|
|
malinger
|
To feign illness or incapacity in order to avoid duty or work; to shirk
|
|
|
malleable
|
Capable of being shaped, influenced or controlled; pliant
|
|
|
miscreant
|
A villain or evil-doer; a heretic
|
|
|
mitigate
|
To moderate (a quality or condition) in force or intensity
|
|
|
nadir
|
The lowest point
|
|
|
obfuscate
|
To make so confused as to be difficult to understand
|
|
|
obtuse
|
Lacking quickness of perception or intellect; blunt or dull
|
|
|
obviate
|
To render unnecessary
|
|
|
odious
|
Arousing strong dislike or displeasure; very unpleasant
|
|
|
officious
|
Excessively eager to offer unwanted services or advice; informal or unofficial
|
|
|
opprobrium
|
Scornful reproach or contempt
|
|
|
paean
|
A song of joyful praise
|
|
|
pedagogue
|
A teacher, esp. one who teaches in a dogmatic or pedantic manner
|
|
|
penury
|
Extreme want or poverty
|
|
|
pernicious
|
Deadly or destructive
|
|
|
perpetuity
|
Forever; eternity
|
|
|
perspicacious
|
Extremely perceptive
|
|
|
pervade
|
To permeate
|
|
|
phlegmatic
|
Of or relating to phlegm; unemotional
|
|
|
piquant
|
Pleasantly pungent or tart in taste; charming or attractive
|
|
|
pith
|
The essential or central part; strength, vigor or mettle
|
|
|
platitude
|
A trite or banal statement expressed as if it were original or significant; lack of originality
|
|
|
plethora
|
Excess; superabundance
|
|
|
polemic
|
A controversial argument (esp. one attacking the opinion of another)
|
|
|
precipitate
|
To fall or be thrown headfirst; to cause to happen; to condense and fall as rain or snow; moving rapidly and heedlessly
|
|
|
probity
|
Complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
|
|
|
profusion
|
Abundance
|
|
|
proscribe
|
To denounce or condemn; to forbid; to banish
|
|
|
protuberance
|
Something that protrudes, such as a knob or a bulge
|
|
|
qualm
|
A feeling of sickness or uneasiness
|
|
|
querulous
|
Given to complaining; peevish
|
|
|
quixotic
|
Idealistic without regard to practicality; capricious or impulsive
|
|
|
raconteur
|
One who tells stories with skill and wit
|
|
|
recalcitrant
|
Marked by stubborn resistance to and defiance of authority
|
|
|
redoubtable
|
Arousing fear or awe; formidable
|
|
|
refractory
|
Obstinately resistant to authority or control; resistant to heat
|
|
|
reprobate
|
A morally unprincipled person; morally unprincipled
|
|
|
rhapsody
|
Extreme enthusiasm, esp. in speech or writing; ecstasy
|
|
|
sanguinary
|
Accompanied by or eager for bloodshed; bloody
|
|
|
sedulous
|
Persevering in effort or endeavor
|
|
|
solicitous
|
Anxious or concerned
|
|
|
sophistry
|
Plausible but fallacious argumentation
|
|
|
specious
|
Having the ring of plausibility but actually fallacious
|
|
|
spurious
|
Not genuine; false
|
|
|
stolid
|
Expressing little emotion or feeling; impassive
|
|
|
surfeit
|
To feed or supply to excess, satiety or disgust; overindulgence
|
|
|
temerity
|
Foolhardy disregard of danger; recklessness
|
|
|
torpid
|
Dull; sluggish; inactive
|
|
|
tractable
|
Easily managed or controlled
|
|
|
trenchant
|
Cutting; incisive or keen; caustic
|
|
|
truculent
|
Disposed to fight; pugnacious or belligerent
|
|
|
virulent
|
Extremely infectious or poisonous; bitterly hostile
|
|
|
vitriolic
|
Bitterly scathing or caustic
|
|
|
vituperative
|
Harshly abusive
|
|
|
abate
|
To lessen in quantity, intensity or degree
|
|
|
abscond
|
To leave suddenly and secretly to avoid arrest
|
|
|
accede
|
To give one’s consent
|
|
|
acclaim
|
To praise enthusiastically (usu. in public)
|
|
|
accolade
|
Praise, approval
|
|
|
accretion
|
A gradual increase in size by external addition
|
|
|
acquit
|
To clear from a charge or accusation
|
|
|
acrid
|
Harshly bitter in taste or smell
|
|
|
addle
|
To muddle or confuse
|
|
|
adorn
|
To make beautiful; to put ornaments on something
|
|
|
adulation
|
Intense adoration or praise; ass-kissing
|
|
|
aggravate
|
To make heavier, worse or more troublesome; to provoke
|
|
|
agile
|
Quick, light, nimble
|
|
|
alchemy
|
The medieval science of turning metals to gold; any magical or false mutational process
|
|
|
allege
|
To assert without proof
|
|
|
allegiance
|
Loyalty or the obligation of loyalty
|
|
|
aloof
|
Physically or emotionally distant; reserved or remote
|
|
|
ambidextrous
|
Having the ability of using both hands with equal skill or ease
|
|
|
anecdote
|
A short account of an interesting event
|
|
|
anguish
|
Agonizing mental or physical pain
|
|
|
animosity
|
Strong criticism
|
|
|
antidote
|
Anything that will counteract or remove the effects of poison, disease, or the like
|
|
|
apartheid
|
A policy of racial segregation practiced in South Africa against non-white people
|
|
|
apparition
|
Ghost
|
|
|
apprehensive
|
Anxious or fearful about the future; uneasy
|
|
|
apt
|
Inclined; having a natural tendency to
|
|
|
ardor
|
Intensity of passion or affection
|
|
|
arduous
|
Demanding great effort or labor; difficult
|
|
|
arid
|
Extremely dry
|
|
|
arrogance
|
Overbearing pride
|
|
|
articulate
|
Marked by the use of clear, expressive language
|
|
|
ascertain
|
To discover with certainty
|
|
|
astringent
|
Harsh or severe in nature; sharp and penetrating
|
|
|
astute
|
Shrew in judgment
|
|
|
audacious
|
Fearlessly daring (oft. recklessly so); brave or bold
|
|
|
autocrat
|
A single ruler having unlimited power; a despot
|
|
|
auxiliary
|
Giving assistance or support; helping; supplementary
|
|
|
aversion
|
A fixed, intense dislike
|
|
|
avid
|
Marked by keen interest and enthusiasm
|
|
|
bask
|
To expose oneself to pleasant warmth; to take pleasure or satisfaction
|
|
|
belligerent
|
Inclined or eager to fight; hostile
|
|
|
benevolence
|
An inclination to perform generous acts; a generous act
|
|
|
benign
|
Of a gentle or mild character; harmless
|
|
|
blatant
|
Unpleasantly loud and noisy; totally or offensively conspicuous
|
|
|
brash
|
Hasty and unthinking; lacking in tact or sensitivity
|
|
|
brazen
|
Brashly audacious (oft. rudely so)
|
|
|
brittle
|
Likely to break, snap or crack; fragile
|
|
|
callous
|
Hardened; unfeeling
|
|
|
candid
|
Unprejudiced or impartial; open and sincere
|
|
|
cantankerous
|
Ill-tempered and quarrelsome
|
|
|
canvass
|
To examine carefully or discuss thoroughly; scrutinize
|
|
|
catalyst
|
Someone or something that makes a process or event happen
|
|
|
circuitous
|
Indirect, roundabout
|
|
|
clamor
|
A loud outcry or noise; din
|
|
|
coagulation
|
The hardening of a substance into something thicker and firmer
|
|
|
coalesce
|
To grow together
|
|
|
coax
|
To persuade through flattery
|
|
|
coddle
|
To treat indulgently; to baby
|
|
|
coerce
|
To force to act or think in a certain way through the use of pressure, threat or force; to compel
|
|
|
colloquial
|
Particular to common speech as distinguished from literary
|
|
|
commemorate
|
To honor the memory of through ceremony
|
|
|
conceit
|
An unduly high opinion of one’s self or abilities
|
|
|
concord
|
Harmony or agreement
|
|
|
concur
|
To agree
|
|
|
condense
|
To reduce in quantity or length
|
|
|
congeal
|
To coagulate
|
|
|
conjoin
|
To join together
|
|
|
consecrate
|
To declare or make sacred
|
|
|
console
|
To comfort
|
|
|
conspicuous
|
Easy to notice; obvious
|
|
|
consummate
|
To bring to completion; complete or perfect in all respects
|
|
|
copious
|
Abundant
|
|
|
cordial
|
Warm and sincere; friendly
|
|
|
counterfeit
|
To forge falsely; Something illegally or falsely made
|
|
|
covet
|
To secretly desire something which is not yours
|
|
|
cower
|
To cringe in fear
|
|
|
cryptic
|
Having hidden meaning; obscure
|
|
|
cumbersome
|
Difficult to handle because of weight or bulk; onerous
|
|
|
curt
|
Brief or short in speech or manner (oft. rudely so)
|
|
|
curtail
|
To cut short
|
|
|
dainty
|
Delicately beautiful or charming
|
|
|
debacle
|
A sudden collapse, downturn or defeat; a total failure
|
|
|
decimate
|
To kill or destroy a large portion of something
|
|
|
decorum
|
Appropriateness of conduct; the conventions of polite behavior
|
|
|
decree
|
An authoritative order having the force of a law
|
|
|
defiance
|
Bold resistance to authority or an opposing force
|
|
|
deluge
|
To overwhelm with (usu. water); a flood
|
|
|
deplete
|
To reduce or lessen by use, exhaustion, or waste
|
|
|
deposition
|
Testimony taken under oath (usu. written down)
|
|
|
deride
|
To speak of with contempt and mirth
|
|
|
derision
|
Ridicule
|
|
|
derivative
|
Something derived; unoriginal
|
|
|
derogatory
|
Disparaging or belittling
|
|
|
deter
|
To hinder or prevent
|
|
|
detraction
|
A derogatory comment on a person’s character or reputation
|
|
|
deviant
|
Differing from the norm or the accepted standards of society; one who differs from the norm or the accepted standards of society
|
|
|
dexterity
|
Skill and grace in physical activity (oft. of the hands); adroitness
|
|
|
dilate
|
To make wider or larger
|
|
|
diligent
|
Marked by painstaking effort
|
|
|
disallow
|
To withhold permission or sanction
|
|
|
discern
|
To perceive with the eyes; to detect through careful observation
|
|
|
discredit
|
To injure the reputation of
|
|
|
discreet
|
Showing prudence and self-restraint; modest
|
|
|
disdain
|
To regard or treat with haughty contempt; scorn
|
|
|
disheveled
|
Disordered or untidy
|
|
|
disinterested
|
Impartial; indifferent
|
|
|
dismal
|
Causing gloom; dreary; characterized by a lack of merit
|
|
|
disproof
|
The act of refuting; evidence the refutes
|
|
|
distraught
|
Deeply agitated; insane
|
|
|
drone
|
To speak in a monotonous tone; a male bee that performs no work
|
|
|
dubious
|
Doubtful
|
|
|
duress
|
Constraint by threat; coercion
|
|
|
elucidate
|
To make clear by explanation
|
|
|
emaciate
|
To make or become extremely thin
|
|
|
embezzle
|
To take (usu. money) for one’s own use in violation of a trust
|
|
|
emote
|
To express emotion, esp. in an excessive or theatrical manner
|
|
|
emulate
|
To strive to equal or excel; to imitate
|
|
|
encapsulate
|
To encase in a capsule; to sum up
|
|
|
endorse
|
To write one’s signature on the back of a check; to give approval or support to
|
|
|
enduring
|
Lasting
|
|
|
engrave
|
To cut, carve or etch into some material
|
|
|
engrossing
|
Fascinating
|
|
|
entangle
|
To entwine in a confusing mass
|
|
|
entice
|
To attract or lure
|
|
|
equilibrium
|
A state of balance
|
|
|
eradicate
|
To pull up by the roots; to destroy
|
|
|
erratic
|
Irregular
|
|
|
erroneous
|
Mistaken
|
|
|
evoke
|
To summon or call forth
|
|
|
exhaustive
|
Treating all parts or aspects without omission; thoroughly
|
|
|
exploit
|
An act or deed, esp. a heroic one; to use (deceitfully)
|
|
|
extinct
|
No longer in existence
|
|
|
extinguish
|
To put out or douse (usu. a fire); to destroy
|
|
|
extort
|
To obtain from another by coercion or intimidation
|
|
|
extraneous
|
Inessential or irrelevant
|
|
|
extrovert
|
A gregarious or outgoing individual
|
|
|
exuberant
|
Full of unrestrained joy or enthusiasm
|
|
|
falter
|
To waver or stumble, oft. due to a loss of confidence
|
|
|
feign
|
To give a false appearance of
|
|
|
felon
|
One who has committed crime more severe than a misdemeanor
|
|
|
ferocity
|
Savageness
|
|
|
fetish
|
An object of unreasonably excessive attention or interest
|
|
|
fetter
|
A chain or shackle for the ankles; to restrain or restrict
|
|
|
fidelity
|
Loyalty
|
|
|
fidget
|
To behave or more nervously or restlessly
|
|
|
figurehead
|
Someone of nominal leadership but no real authority
|
|
|
finesse
|
Refined or delicate performance, execution or artisanship
|
|
|
finicky
|
Hard to please
|
|
|
fission
|
The act or process of splitting into parts
|
|
|
fixate
|
To make stable; to fix one’s attention on; to obsess on
|
|
|
flamboyant
|
Highly elaborate; given to ostentatious display
|
|
|
flaunt
|
To exhibit shamelessly or ostentatiously
|
|
|
flop
|
To fall or lie down heavily and noisily; to fail utterly
|
|
|
foil
|
To prevent from being successful; to thwart; a pole-like sword
|
|
|
foolproof
|
Designed to be impervious to human error; infallible
|
|
|
forage
|
The act of searching for food or provisions
|
|
|
forfeit
|
To surrender something as a punishment
|
|
|
forgery
|
Counterfeiting
|
|
|
fragile
|
Easily broken; delicate
|
|
|
fragrant
|
Having a pleasant odor
|
|
|
frantic
|
Highly excited with strong emotion or frustration; frenzied
|
|
|
gesticulate
|
To make gestures for emphasis (esp. while speaking)
|
|
|
gist
|
The central idea; essence
|
|
|
glimmer
|
A dim or intermittent flicker or flash of light
|
|
|
gloat
|
To feel or express great self-satisfaction (oft. maliciously)
|
|
|
glut
|
To fill beyond capacity; oversupply or excess
|
|
|
gnaw
|
To bite at, chew on or generally erode with the teeth
|
|
|
gorge
|
A deep, narrow passage with steep, rocky sides; a ravine; to eat in a gluttonous manner
|
|
|
gouge
|
To scoop or dig out; to charge an excessively high price
|
|
|
grave
|
Requiring serious thought; somber in conduct or character
|
|
|
graze
|
To feed on leisurely and continuously; to touch lightly
|
|
|
grovel
|
To behave in a servile manner; to lie in a prostrate manner
|
|
|
guile
|
Cunning treachery; skillful deceit
|
|
|
gullible
|
Easily deceived or duped
|
|
|
gush
|
To flow forth suddenly in great volume (esp. tears or praise)
|
|
|
gust
|
A strong, abrupt burst of wind
|
|
|
hack
|
To cut or chap with repeated, irregular blows
|
|
|
haughty
|
Scornfully and condescendingly proud
|
|
|
heed
|
To pay attention to and consider
|
|
|
heinous
|
Grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable
|
|
|
heresy
|
An opinion or doctrine at variance with established religious beliefs, esp. from Christian dogma by a church member
|
|
|
highbrow
|
Highly cultured or intellectual
|
|
|
hospitable
|
Disposed to treat strangers or guests with warmth and generosity
|
|
|
hovel
|
A small, miserable dwelling
|
|
|
idolatry
|
The worship of idols; excessive devotion to something
|
|
|
ignoble
|
Not noble in character; base
|
|
|
illicit
|
Illegal
|
|
|
illustrious
|
Well-known and distinguished
|
|
|
impair
|
To cause to diminish in strength or quality
|
|
|
impede
|
To be an obstacle to or to place obstacles in the way of
|
|
|
impermeable
|
Impossible to penetrate or permeate
|
|
|
implosion
|
A violent collapse inward
|
|
|
inane
|
Lacking sense or substance; empty or stupid
|
|
|
incense
|
To cause to become extremely angry; an aromatic substance that is burned to produce a pleasant odor
|
|
|
incessant
|
Unceasing
|
|
|
incite
|
To provoke and urge on
|
|
|
incongruous
|
Lacking in harmony; incompatible or not in agreement
|
|
|
incredulous
|
Skeptical or disbelieving
|
|
|
increment
|
A small, often imperceptible addition or augmentation
|
|
|
incumbent
|
Obligatory; Resting or leaning on something else; Someone currently holding a specified office
|
|
|
indistinct
|
Not clearly or sharply delineated; vague
|
|
|
inept
|
Not apt or fitting; foolish; incompetent
|
|
|
infallible
|
Incapable of erring or failing
|
|
|
inferno
|
A place or condition suggestive of hell; a place of fiery heat
|
|
|
infuse
|
To fill or cause to be filled with something
|
|
|
ingenuous
|
Lacking in worldliness; openly straightforward
|
|
|
ingest
|
To take into the body by the mouth for digestion; to take in
|
|
|
interim
|
An interval of time between acts or periods; temporary
|
|
|
introspection
|
Contemplation of one's own thoughts and feelings
|
|
|
invalid
|
One who is disabled by illness or injury; not valid
|
|
|
invincible
|
Unconquerable
|
|
|
iota
|
A very small amount; a bit
|
|
|
ire
|
Wrath
|
|
|
irksome
|
Causing annoyance, weariness or vexation
|
|
|
jabber
|
To talk rapidly or unintelligibly
|
|
|
jovial
|
Merry
|
|
|
lackluster
|
Lacking brightness, luster or vitality; dull
|
|
|
lament
|
To express grief for or about; to regret deeply
|
|
|
lavish
|
Marked by or produced with extravagance; to give in abundance
|
|
|
legacy
|
Money or property bequeathed to another by will; something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor
|
|
|
lethargy
|
A state of inactivity, sluggishness and apathy
|
|
|
lurk
|
To lie in wait, as in ambush
|
|
|
malcontent
|
One who is dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs
|
|
|
malign
|
To speak evil of; evil in nature or spirit
|
|
|
manacle
|
A device for confining the hands
|
|
|
massacre
|
A cruel, indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings
|
|
|
maul
|
To injure by beating; to handle roughly
|
|
|
mesmerize
|
To hypnotize
|
|
|
meticulous
|
Extremely careful and precise; excessively concerned with details
|
|
|
mischievous
|
Causing mischief; Playfully naughty; troublesome
|
|
|
miser
|
One who lives very meagerly to save money; a greedy person
|
|
|
moderation
|
Temperance
|
|
|
morbid
|
Of, relating to or caused by disease; psychologically unhealthy
|
|
|
morose
|
Sullenly melancholy; gloomy
|
|
|
negligent
|
Characterized by or inclined to neglect, esp. habitually
|
|
|
oblivious
|
Completely unaware or mindful of
|
|
|
ominous
|
Menacing or threatening; portentous
|
|
|
opaque
|
Impenetrable by light; so obscure as to be unintelligible
|
|
|
palate
|
The roof of the mouth
|
|
|
palatial
|
Of the nature or a palace; magnificently enormous
|
|
|
pariah
|
A social outcast
|
|
|
partisan
|
A fervent supporter of a cause, group, person or idea
|
|
|
patron
|
A sponsor or benefactor; a customer (esp. a regular one)
|
|
|
pedestrian
|
One who journeys on foot; commonplace
|
|
|
perennial
|
Lasting or active throughout the entire year or many years
|
|
|
perilous
|
Dangerous
|
|
|
permeate
|
To spread or flow through; to pervade
|
|
|
perpetrate
|
To be responsible for or commit (esp. a crime)
|
|
|
personable
|
Pleasing in personality
|
|
|
petrify
|
To turn into wood; to cause to be stiff or stone-like
|
|
|
pine
|
To mourn or long for out of grief
|
|
|
pivotal
|
Of vital importance; crucial
|
|
|
placate
|
To allay the anger of (esp. by concessions); to appease
|
|
|
plea
|
An earnest request
|
|
|
plod
|
To move or walk in a heavy, laborious manner
|
|
|
plummet
|
To decline suddenly and steeply; something that weighs down
|
|
|
poignant
|
Keenly distressing to the spirit, body or mind; profoundly moving
|
|
|
pompous
|
Marked by excessive self-esteem or exaggerated dignity
|
|
|
portent
|
A sign of something important of calamitous to come; an omen
|
|
|
prevalent
|
Widely occurring, existing, accepted or practiced
|
|
|
pristine
|
In a pure state; uncorrupted
|
|
|
procrastinate
|
To delay or put off for later
|
|
|
propensity
|
An innate inclination; a tendency
|
|
|
provisional
|
Temporary
|
|
|
proximity
|
Closeness; propinquity
|
|
|
prudent
|
Wise in handling practical matters
|
|
|
pry
|
To inquire in a nosy manner or snoop; to obtain with difficulty
|
|
|
pseudo-
|
Prefix meaning ‘false’
|
|
|
quack
|
An untrained person who pretends to be a physician; a charlatan
|
|
|
quaff
|
To drink heartily
|
|
|
quell
|
To put down forcibly; to suppress
|
|
|
queer
|
Deviating from the expected; strange
|
|
|
rebuff
|
A blunt or abrupt repulse or refusal
|
|
|
reconcile
|
To re-establish a close relationship; to bring (oneself) to accept
|
|
|
regurgitate
|
To spit up partially digested food (oft. used of ideas as well)
|
|
|
reiterate
|
To say or do repeatedly
|
|
|
rejuvenate
|
To restore to youthful vigor or appearance
|
|
|
renowned
|
Famous
|
|
|
renovate
|
To restore to an earlier condition; to revive
|
|
|
repel
|
To force or keep back in a manner, physically or mentally
|
|
|
resuscitate
|
To restore consciousness, vigor or life to
|
|
|
revere
|
To worship or adore
|
|
|
reverence
|
A feeling of profound awe, respect and (often) love; veneration
|
|
|
scorch
|
To burn
|
|
|
servile
|
Abjectly submissive; slavish
|
|
|
shard
|
A piece of broken pottery or a fragment of glass
|
|
|
shrewd
|
Clever or cunning; sharp or penetrating
|
|
|
shrill
|
High-pitched and piercing in sound; harshly keen to the senses
|
|
|
slur
|
To pronounce indistinctly
|
|
|
squalid
|
Having a dirty, mean, poverty-stricken appearance
|
|
|
stipulate
|
To lay down as a condition
|
|
|
sublime
|
Majestic
|
|
|
succinct
|
Concise
|
|
|
suffice
|
To be enough or make do
|
|
|
superimpose
|
To lay or place something over something else
|
|
|
suppress
|
To prevent from being disclosed or punished
|
|
|
surcharge
|
An additional amount charged
|
|
|
talon
|
The claw of a predatory bird
|
|
|
tenacious
|
Holding persistently to something (e.g. a point of view)
|
|
|
thwart
|
To prevent the occurrence, realization or attainment of
|
|
|
transgress
|
To go beyond or over; to act in violation of the law
|
|
|
turbulent
|
Violently agitated; tumultuous; causing unrest or restless in nature
|
|
|
vain
|
Not yielding the desired outcome; fruitless; excessively proud of one’s appearance or accomplishments
|
|
|
vestige
|
A visible trace, mark, or impression, of something gone
|
|
|
virtue
|
A rare, curious, or beautiful quality
|
|
|
vivify
|
To give or bring to life; to make more lively or vivid
|
|
|
vociferous
|
Making a noisy and vehement outcry
|
|
|
whimsical
|
Capricious
|
|
|
yelp
|
A short, sharp cry or bark
|
|
|
yen
|
A strong desire or urge for something
|
|
|
zealous
|
Filled with enthusiastic devotion to a principle or cause
|
|
|
zenith
|
The peak
|
|
|
abacus
|
Outmoded device used for calculating basic arithmetic
|
|
|
abase
|
To lower in rank or esteem
|
|
|
accretion
|
A gradual increase in size by external addition
|
|
|
admonition
|
Gentle reproof; warning
|
|
|
ado
|
Bustle, fuss, bother
|
|
|
alloy
|
A solid mixture of two or more metals; a mixture; something added that lowers value or purity
|
|
|
angst
|
Anxiety or apprehension often accompanied by depression
|
|
|
apropos
|
With reference to, speaking of
|
|
|
archetype
|
An ideal example of a type; a quintessence or prototype
|
|
|
assail
|
To attack (with violent blows)
|
|
|
assuage
|
To cause to be less harsh, violent, or severe, as excitement, appetite, pain, or disease
|
|
|
astringent
|
Harsh or severe in nature; sharp and penetrating
|
|
|
astute
|
Shrewd in judgment
|
|
|
atonement
|
Amends, reparation, or expiation made for a wrong or injury
|
|
|
attune
|
To bring into a harmonious relationship
|
|
|
barrage
|
An artificial obstruction built in a waterway; a wall of artillery fire
|
|
|
belabor
|
To assail verbally; to discuss repeatedly or at excessive length
|
|
|
berate
|
To rebuke or scold at length
|
|
|
bewilder
|
To confuse or befuddle; to disorient
|
|
|
bolster
|
To support or prop up; to buoy
|
|
|
breach
|
A rupture, gap or hole
|
|
|
buoy
|
To keep afloat; to uplift; a float
|
|
|
capricious
|
Characterized by or subject to whim
|
|
|
cavalier
|
Carefree and nonchalant; dismissive in an offhand manner
|
|
|
centurion
|
A captain of one hundred infantry in the ancient Roman army
|
|
|
cessation
|
A ceasing or stopping
|
|
|
clandestine
|
Kept or done in secret, often to conceal an illegal purpose
|
|
|
cogitate
|
To think carefully about; to ponder
|
|
|
cognizant
|
Fully aware of
|
|
|
collateral
|
Parallel or accompanying; secondary or subordinate; property acceptable as security for a loan
|
|
|
collude
|
To act together to achieve a deceitful purpose; to conspire
|
|
|
complacence
|
Self-satisfaction
|
|
|
complaisance
|
The inclination to comply willingly with the wishes of others
|
|
|
conciliate
|
To overcome distrust or animosity; to appease
|
|
|
confluence
|
The flowing together of two or more streams
|
|
|
connotation
|
An idea or meaning associated with a word or thing
|
|
|
consternation
|
A state of paralyzing dismay
|
|
|
constrict
|
To make smaller or narrower by binding or squeezing
|
|
|
cornucopia
|
The horn of plenty, symbolizing prosperity and abundance
|
|
|
corpulence
|
Obesity
|
|
|
correlate
|
To put in some relation of connection or correspondence
|
|
|
corroborate
|
To strengthen or support with other evidence
|
|
|
countenance
|
The appearance or expression of a face
|
|
|
coy
|
Reserved; flirtatiously shy or modest
|
|
|
cull
|
To pick out from others or select; to gather or collect
|
|
|
culpable
|
Deserving of blame; at fault
|
|
|
curmudgeon
|
An ill-tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions
|
|
|
curriculum
|
The course of study offered by an institution
|
|
|
daunt
|
To discourage
|
|
|
defer
|
To put off or postpone; to commit or entrust to another
|
|
|
deprave
|
To debase (esp. morally)
|
|
|
dilapidate
|
To decay or fall into a state of disrepair
|
|
|
din
|
A loud jumble of noise
|
|
|
disconcert
|
To frustrate by throwing into disorder
|
|
|
disconsolate
|
Beyond consolation; very sad, cheerless
|
|
|
discourse
|
Conversation, speech or writing
|
|
|
divestiture
|
An act of divesting; the sale or liquidation of an asset
|
|
|
divulge
|
To make known (esp. a secret)
|
|
|
dolt
|
A person regarded as stupid
|
|
|
dote
|
To show excessive love or fondness
|
|
|
drawl
|
To speak with lengthened vowels; the speech or manner of one who drawls
|
|
|
dupe
|
To deceive an unwary person; one who has been deceived
|
|
|
duplicity
|
Double-dealing
|
|
|
earthenware
|
Anything made of clay and baked in a kiln or dried in the sun
|
|
|
eddy
|
A current moving in a circular motion or against the main current
|
|
|
edible
|
Fit to be eaten
|
|
|
egomania
|
Obsessive self-interest
|
|
|
élan
|
Enthusiastic vigor and liveliness; distinctive style or flair
|
|
|
empirical
|
Derived from observation or experiment; verifiable
|
|
|
encumbrance
|
A heavy, burdensome load
|
|
|
engulf
|
To swallow or overwhelm by overflowing or enclosing
|
|
|
enigma
|
A riddle or mystery
|
|
|
enunciate
|
To pronounce carefully; to articulate
|
|
|
ephemeral
|
Living or lasting for a brief time
|
|
|
epitome
|
A representation or example of a class of type
|
|
|
equivocate
|
To avoid making an explicit statement
|
|
|
errant
|
Straying from the proper course or standards; roving, esp. in search of adventure
|
|
|
explicate
|
To make clear or explain
|
|
|
explicit
|
Fully and clearly expressed
|
|
|
extralegal
|
Not permitted by law
|
|
|
extricate
|
To release from an entanglement; to disentangle
|
|
|
felicitous
|
Agreeably suited; happy or fortunate
|
|
|
ferment
|
To undergo fermentation, a process by which yeast converts sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol; to excite, agitate or seethe
|
|
|
fervid
|
Intensely zealous
|
|
|
flinch
|
To wince involuntarily; to recoil or shrink
|
|
|
fluster
|
To make or become nervous or upset
|
|
|
fodder
|
Feed for livestock; raw material
|
|
|
foible
|
A personal weakness or failing
|
|
|
fracas
|
A noisy, disorderly fight or quarrel; a brawl
|
|
|
garble
|
To mix up or distort so as to make incomprehensible
|
|
|
garner
|
To gather and store; to amass
|
|
|
glean
|
To collect bit by bit (esp. information or understanding)
|
|
|
goad
|
To prod our urge as if with a pointed stick; a prod
|
|
|
gourmet
|
A connoisseur of fine food and drink
|
|
|
havoc
|
Devastation; disorder or chaos
|
|
|
heterogeneous
|
Consisting of dissimilar elements or parts
|
|
|
hoodwink
|
To deceive
|
|
|
hypocrisy
|
The act of professing beliefs, feelings or virtues which one does not practice
|
|
|
ignominious
|
Marked by shame or disgrace; shameful
|
|
|
imbue
|
To permeate or inspire
|
|
|
immaculate
|
Without spot or blemish; impeccably clean
|
|
|
impiety
|
The quality or state of lacking reverence or piety
|
|
|
implacable
|
Incapable of being pacified or pleased
|
|
|
implicate
|
To show or prove to be involved in or concerned
|
|
|
incise
|
To cut into with a sharp instrument; to engrave
|
|
|
indigenous
|
Native; intrinsic
|
|
|
indulge
|
To yield to or gratify the desires or whims of
|
|
|
inebriated
|
Drunk
|
|
|
innocuous
|
Harmless
|
|
|
inscrutable
|
Difficult to fathom or understand
|
|
|
insensible
|
Imperceptible
|
|
|
insurrection
|
Open revolt against a civil authority
|
|
|
intersperse
|
To distribute among other things at intervals
|
|
|
irate
|
Extremely angry
|
|
|
irrevocable
|
Impossible to retract or revoke
|
|
|
iterate
|
To repeat
|
|
|
latent
|
Present or potential but not evident or active; hidden or dormant
|
|
|
levee
|
An embankment raised to prevent a river from overflowing
|
|
|
lexicon
|
A dictionary; a vocabulary
|
|
|
lull
|
To cause to sleep or rest; a relatively calm interval of time
|
|
|
luminary
|
An object, such as a celestial body, that gives off light; a star
|
|
|
lustrous
|
Having a glow; radiant
|
|
|
machination
|
A crafty scheme for the accomplishment of a sinister end
|
|
|
manifest
|
Clearly apparent; to appear clearly
|
|
|
manumit
|
To set free from slavery; to emancipate
|
|
|
mettlesome
|
Having courage or spirit
|
|
|
microcosm
|
A small-scale representation of (or analogy to) a larger system
|
|
|
middling
|
Of medium size, position or quality
|
|
|
mince
|
To cut or shop into small pieces; to walk with small steps; to speak in roundabout way so as to avoid being direct
|
|
|
mirth
|
Gladness and gaiety (oft. expressed as laughter)
|
|
|
misnomer
|
A name wrongly or unsuitably applied to a person or thing
|
|
|
misogynist
|
One who hates or mistrusts women
|
|
|
modicum
|
A small, moderate or token amount
|
|
|
mollify
|
To soothe or soften
|
|
|
myriad
|
Innumerable; a vast number
|
|
|
nonchalant
|
Seeming to be coolly unconcerned or indifferent
|
|
|
outmoded
|
Out of fashion or practice; obsolete
|
|
|
penitent
|
Feeling or expressing remorse for one’s sins or misdeeds
|
|
|
pique
|
To provoke or arouse (esp. resentment or interest)
|
|
|
plebian
|
Characteristic of commoners; unrefined or coarse in manner
|
|
|
pliant
|
Easily bent; adaptable
|
|
|
ponderous
|
Having great weight; lacking grace; bored and dull
|
|
|
portend
|
To serve as an omen or a warning of
|
|
|
predominate
|
To be of or have greater quantity, power or importance
|
|
|
proclivity
|
A natural inclination or propensity
|
|
|
profane
|
Marked by contempt or irreverence for what is sacred
|
|
|
prone
|
Lying with the front or face downward; having a tendency to
|
|
|
provincial
|
Unsophisticated or rural; narrow and self-centered
|
|
|
pyre
|
A heap of combustibles arranged for burning a dead body
|
|
|
rabble
|
The lowest or coarsest class of people; a mob
|
|
|
rancor
|
Bitter, long-lasting resentment
|
|
|
rarefy
|
To make thin or less dense; to become thin or less dense
|
|
|
raucous
|
Rough-sounding and harsh; boisterous and disorderly
|
|
|
reciprocity
|
A mutual exchange of favors or privileges
|
|
|
recluse
|
One who withdraws from the world to live in seclusion
|
|
|
recompense
|
To make compensation to
|
|
|
recuperate
|
To recover
|
|
|
regale
|
To provide with great entertainment; a choice food or delicacy
|
|
|
resilience
|
The ability to recover quickly
|
|
|
salient
|
Jutting out; strikingly conspicuous
|
|
|
savor
|
To perceive by taste or smell; to enjoy or relish
|
|
|
scabbard
|
The sheath of a sword or dagger
|
|
|
solace
|
Comfort in grief, trouble, or calamity
|
|
|
sophomoric
|
Exhibiting great immaturity and lack of judgment
|
|
|
sordid
|
Filthy, dirty or foul (oft. morally)
|
|
|
stigma
|
A mark or token of infamy or disgrace
|
|
|
stingy
|
Cheap or unwilling to spend money
|
|
|
subpoena
|
To serve a writ summoning a person to give legal testimony; such a writ
|
|
|
substantiate
|
To support with evidence; to verify; to make or form a solid mass
|
|
|
sully
|
To dirty, mar or taint
|
|
|
tepid
|
Lukewarm
|
|
|
transcend
|
To pass beyond the limits of; to be greater than
|
|
|
transitory
|
Existing for a short time only
|
|
|
translucent
|
Permitting light through, but with some diffusion; clear
|
|
|
travesty
|
An exaggerated or grotesque imitation; to parody or ridicule
|
|
|
trudge
|
To walk in a laborious, heavy-footed way; to plod
|
|
|
turmoil
|
A state of extreme confusion or agitation; tumult
|
|
|
tutelage
|
The act of training or the state of being under instruction
|
|
|
undermine
|
To subvert in an underhand way
|
|
|
unscathed
|
Unharmed or untouched
|
|
|
vacuous
|
Empty; lacking intelligence; devoid of expression
|
|
|
valorous
|
Marked by great personal bravery; valiant
|
|
|
vanquish
|
To beat or conquer in battle; to subdue
|
|
|
vend
|
To sell (oft. by peddling)
|
|
|
vigilant
|
On the alert; watchful
|
|
|
vigorous
|
Strong, energetic and active in body or mind; robust
|
|
|
vindictive
|
Disposed to seeking revenge; spiteful
|
|
|
warmonger
|
One who advocated or tries to stir up war
|
|
|
writhe
|
To move or twist from pain or embarrassment
|
|
|
abject
|
Of low condition; wretched or miserable in kind
|
|
|
absolution
|
The formal remission of a sin by a priest
|
|
|
abut
|
To touch at one end or side; to border upon
|
|
|
abysmal
|
Relating to an abyss; limitless; profound
|
|
|
acerbic
|
Bitter or sharp
|
|
|
acolyte
|
A devoted follower
|
|
|
agog
|
Full of excitement; eager
|
|
|
alcove
|
A recess or partially enclosed portion of a room
|
|
|
ameliorate
|
To make better
|
|
|
antecedent
|
Going before; a preceding occurrence or event
|
|
|
antithetical
|
Diametrically opposed
|
|
|
apprise
|
To give notice to; to inform
|
|
|
ascribe
|
To attribute to a specific reason; to assign as a quality
|
|
|
aspersion
|
A damaging remark; slander
|
|
|
asunder
|
Into separate parts
|
|
|
augury
|
Omen; the art of divination
|
|
|
avow
|
To acknowledge openly
|
|
|
baneful
|
Causing death or ruin; harmful
|
|
|
bombast
|
Pompous speech or writing
|
|
|
broach
|
To bring up for discussion or debate
|
|
|
brogue
|
A strong dialectal accent
|
|
|
brook
|
To put up with or tolerate
|
|
|
burgeon
|
To grow and flourish
|
|
|
burnish
|
To make smooth or glossy; to polish
|
|
|
cajole
|
To urge with flattery or repeated appeals; to wheedle
|
|
|
chicanery
|
Deception by trickery; a trick
|
|
|
collate
|
To compare carefully to find points of disagreement; to arrange or assemble in careful order
|
|
|
contiguous
|
Touching or joining at the edge or boundary
|
|
|
contrite
|
Penitent or remorseful
|
|
|
convivial
|
Fond of feasting, drinking and good company; sociable
|
|
|
convoke
|
To call together or assemble; to convene
|
|
|
cordon
|
A lined barrier (oft. of cord or ribbon)
|
|
|
countervail
|
To act against with equal force; to counteract
|
|
|
crass
|
So crude and unrefined as to be lacking in manners and sensibility
|
|
|
cupidity
|
A keen sense of desire; avarice or greed
|
|
|
cursory
|
Performed with haste and scant attention to detail
|
|
|
dalliance
|
A frivolous spending of time; playful flirtation
|
|
|
dandy
|
A man who effects extreme elegance in clothes and manners; a fop
|
|
|
dawdle
|
To waste time by idling
|
|
|
debauch
|
To corrupt morally
|
|
|
demagogue
|
A leader who obtains power through impassioned appeals to emotions and prejudice
|
|
|
denizen
|
Inhabitant
|
|
|
dereliction
|
Deserted by an owner; run-down or dilapidated
|
|
|
dervish
|
One possessed of abundant and often frenzied energy
|
|
|
diffuse
|
To pour out and cause to spread freely; to soften; widely spread out
|
|
|
droll
|
Amusingly odd
|
|
|
eccentric
|
Departing from a recognized, conventional or established norm; off-center or odd
|
|
|
edify
|
To instruct; to help improve intellectually, spiritually or morally
|
|
|
egregious
|
Conspicuously bad or offensive
|
|
|
emblazon
|
To adorn richly with prominent markings; to make illustrious
|
|
|
enmity
|
Deep-seated, often mutual hatred
|
|
|
ensign
|
A standard or banner (oft. of a military unit); a sign or token
|
|
|
equivocal
|
Open to two or more interpretations and often intended to mislead; ambiguous
|
|
|
erudite
|
Widely learned
|
|
|
eschew
|
To avoid or shun
|
|
|
espouse
|
To marry or give/take in marriage; to give one’s loyalty to (esp. a cause or principle)
|
|
|
eulogy
|
A speech or piece of writing for someone who has died; high praise or condemnation
|
|
|
euthanasia
|
The act of ending the life of an individual in great pain or doomed to great suffering
|
|
|
exemplar
|
One worthy of imitation; an archetype or example
|
|
|
exorbitant
|
Exceeding all bounds of custom or fairness
|
|
|
extrapolate
|
To infer or estimate by extending or projecting known information
|
|
|
extemporaneous
|
Done with little or no preparation
|
|
|
fastidious
|
Possessing or displaying meticulous attention to detail
|
|
|
fawn
|
A young deer; to seek favor or attention by flattery
|
|
|
flak
|
Anti-aircraft artillery; excessive or abusive criticism
|
|
|
flippant
|
Marked by disrespectful levity or casualness
|
|
|
fluke
|
A stroke of good luck; an accident
|
|
|
grievous
|
Causing grief, pain or anguish
|
|
|
hackneyed
|
Overly familiar though overuse; commonplace
|
|
|
harbinger
|
One that indicates or foreshadows what will come
|
|
|
harrow
|
To inflict great distress and torment on
|
|
|
headlong
|
Head first; rashly
|
|
|
hieroglyph
|
Written in a script in which pictorial symbols represent meanings and sounds; difficult to decipher
|
|
|
highfalutin
|
Pompous or pretentious
|
|
|
homeostasis
|
Internal equilibrium
|
|
|
idiosyncrasy
|
A quality or habit peculiar to an individual or a specific group
|
|
|
immutable
|
Unchangeable
|
|
|
impromptu
|
Prompted by the occasion rather than being planned in advance
|
|
|
imprudent
|
Unwise
|
|
|
impudent
|
Marked by offensive boldness; insolent
|
|
|
incursion
|
A raid or invasion into a foreign territory the act of entering into
|
|
|
indelible
|
Incapable of being blotted out, effaced, destroyed, or removed
|
|
|
indict
|
To accuse of or charge with wrongdoing
|
|
|
inflammable
|
Very flammable
|
|
|
insinuate
|
To introduce a thought gradually and insidiously
|
|
|
interpolate
|
To insert or introduce between other elements or parts
|
|
|
irony
|
The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their meaning
|
|
|
itinerate
|
To travel from one place to another
|
|
|
jilt
|
To deceive or drop (a lover) suddenly or callously
|
|
|
jocular
|
Marked by joking
|
|
|
juxtapose
|
To place side-by-side
|
|
|
languid
|
Lacking energy, force or vitality
|
|
|
lascivious
|
Given to or expressing lust; salacious or lecherous
|
|
|
laud
|
To praise
|
|
|
lechery
|
Excess indulgence in sexual activity; lewdness
|
|
|
libel
|
A false publication in writing that damages another’s reputation
|
|
|
liberality
|
The quality or state of being generous
|
|
|
lionize
|
To look on or treat (a person) as a celebrity
|
|
|
lithe
|
Supple; marked by effortless grace
|
|
|
lollygag
|
To waste time by puttering aimlessly; to dawdle
|
|
|
lope
|
To run or ride with a steady, easy gait; a steady, easy gait
|
|
|
loquacious
|
Talkative
|
|
|
lumber
|
Something useless or cumbersome; timber sawed into boards; to walk or move with a heavy clumsiness
|
|
|
macabre
|
Suggesting the horror of death or decay; gruesome
|
|
|
maladroit
|
Marked by a lack of adroitness; inept
|
|
|
malaise
|
A vague feeling of uneasiness or ill-being
|
|
|
maverick
|
An unbranded animal; a dissenter
|
|
|
megalomania
|
Delusion about one’s own wealth, power or greatness
|
|
|
mellifluous
|
Flowing with sweetness or honey; smooth and sweet
|
|
|
mercurial
|
Quick and changeable in temperament; volatile
|
|
|
mettle
|
Courage; inherent quality of character and temperament
|
|
|
molt
|
To shed periodically all or part of a covering (esp. skin or feathers)
|
|
|
multifarious
|
Having great diversity or variety
|
|
|
nebulous
|
Cloudy, misty or hazy; vague
|
|
|
nefarious
|
Infamous by way of being extremely wicked
|
|
|
neophyte
|
A beginner or novice
|
|
|
occlude
|
To obstruct or prevent the passage of
|
|
|
odium
|
Strong dislike, contempt or aversion
|
|
|
onus
|
A burden or responsibility
|
|
|
ostensible
|
Represented or appearing as such; professed
|
|
|
pallor
|
Extreme or unnatural paleness
|
|
|
palpable
|
Capable of being touched or felt; perceivable
|
|
|
peccadillo
|
A small sin or fault
|
|
|
peruse
|
To read or examine (esp. with care)
|
|
|
petulant
|
Peevish or ill-behaved; bratty
|
|
|
pithy
|
Forceful and brief; precisely meaningful
|
|
|
plaintive
|
Expressing sorrow; melancholy or mournful
|
|
|
pluck
|
Resourceful courage in the face of danger; spirit
|
|
|
plumb
|
To determine the depth of something; a weight on the end of a line used to determine water depth
|
|
|
pomp
|
Magnificent display (oft. ostentatious)
|
|
|
preclude
|
To make impossible; to prevent
|
|
|
precocious
|
Manifesting unusually early development or maturity (esp. in mental aptitude)
|
|
|
predilection
|
A disposition in favor of something; a preference
|
|
|
preen
|
To smooth or clean feathers with the beak; to primp; to exult
|
|
|
profuse
|
Plentiful or copious; extravagant
|
|
|
proliferate
|
To increase or spread rapidly; to cause to increase or grow rapidly
|
|
|
propagation
|
To cause to multiply, spread or breed
|
|
|
prostrate
|
To bow down in humility or adoration; lying face down in submission
|
|
|
pucker
|
To gather or become gathered into small folds or wrinkles (esp. used in regard to the lips)
|
|
|
pugilist
|
Someone who fights with the fists; a boxer
|
|
|
pugnacious
|
Prone to quarrel or fight; belligerent
|
|
|
pulchritude
|
Great physical beauty
|
|
|
pundit
|
A (supposedly) learned critic or expert
|
|
|
qualm
|
A fit of nausea, sickness of faintness
|
|
|
quandary
|
A puzzling predicament
|
|
|
quibble
|
To evade the truth with trivial objections; a petty objection
|
|
|
quiescent
|
Being quiet or still; inactive
|
|
|
raze
|
To level to the ground; to demolish
|
|
|
requite
|
To make repayment; to return
|
|
|
resonant
|
Strong and deep in tone; having a prolong, subtle or stimulating effect beyond the initial impact
|
|
|
respite
|
A short interval of rest or relief
|
|
|
retinue
|
A train of people accompanying an important person
|
|
|
ruffian
|
A thug
|
|
|
ruminate
|
To chew food previously swallowed and regurgitated; to turn a matter over in the mind repeatedly
|
|
|
rumple
|
To wrinkle or fold into creases; to become wrinkled
|
|
|
sanctimony
|
Feigned piety; hypocritical devoutness
|
|
|
satyr
|
A debauched goat-man creature in Greek mythology; a very lascivious man
|
|
|
savant
|
A learned person or scholar; an idiot savant
|
|
|
seminal
|
Of or relating to semen or seed; creative; highly influential in an original way
|
|
|
seminary
|
A school for theological training
|
|
|
sentient
|
Having sense perception; conscious
|
|
|
sere
|
Withered or dry
|
|
|
serrated
|
Saw-toothed
|
|
|
shiv
|
A razor, knife or any other sharp instrument used as a weapon
|
|
|
sluggard
|
A person habitually lazy or idle
|
|
|
sodden
|
Thoroughly soaked; saturated
|
|
|
soporific
|
Causing sleep; something that causes sleep
|
|
|
spurn
|
To reject disdainfully
|
|
|
staid
|
Sedately dignified; sober
|
|
|
staunch
|
Firm and steadfast
|
|
|
stoic
|
Unaffected by joy, grief, pleasure or pain; one so
|
|
|
sublimate
|
To modify of subdue the natural expression of (usu. an impulse)
|
|
|
subterfuge
|
A deceptive stratagem or device
|
|
|
succor
|
Assistance in time of want or difficulty; to give aid to
|
|
|
sumptuous
|
Of a size or splendor suggesting great expense; lavish
|
|
|
supersede
|
To take the place of or replace; to cause to be set aside
|
|
|
supine
|
Lying on the back
|
|
|
suppliant
|
Asking humbly and earnestly; a supplicant
|
|
|
sycophant
|
A servile flatterer, especially of those in authority or influence
|
|
|
synopsis
|
A brief outline or overview; a summary
|
|
|
synergy
|
Cooperative interaction for a combined effect
|
|
|
taciturn
|
Habitually disinclined to speak
|
|
|
tangential
|
Merely touching or slightly connected; superficially relevant
|
|
|
tantalize
|
To taunt by offering something desirable while keeping it just out of reach
|
|
|
taut
|
Stretched tight
|
|
|
tawdry
|
Gaudy and cheap in nature or appearance
|
|
|
torque
|
A turning or twisting force
|
|
|
travail
|
Hard or agonizing labor; toil or tribulation; to work hard or toil
|
|
|
trepidation
|
A state of alarm or dread; apprehension
|
|
|
trifling
|
Of slight worth or importance; frivolous or idle
|
|
|
truant
|
Absent without permission (esp. from school); lazy or neglectful; one who is absent without permission
|
|
|
twit
|
A foolishly annoying person; to taunt or tease; a taunt or tease
|
|
|
undulate
|
To move or cause to move in smooth, wave-like motion
|
|
|
unkempt
|
Not combed; disorderly or rude
|
|
|
vapid
|
Lacking liveliness or interest; dull or flat
|
|
|
variegated
|
Having marks, patches or streaks of different colors; varied
|
|
|
veer
|
To turn aside or steer off course
|
|
|
vehement
|
Strong, forceful or intense in expression; fervid
|
|
|
veneer
|
A thin, outside layer; a deceptive or superficial facade
|
|
|
venerate
|
To regard with respect or reverence
|
|
|
verbiage
|
An excess of words; wordiness
|
|
|
visage
|
The face, countenance, or look of a person
|
|
|
visceral
|
Affecting the intestines; profound or instinctive
|
|
|
viscous
|
Having a relatively high resistance to flow; thick and sludgy
|
|
|
wean
|
To transfer (the young) from dependence on mother's milk to another form of nourishment
|
|
|
wrest
|
To obtain or take by pulling with a violent, twisting motion
|
|
|
writ
|
A written order issued by a court; writings
|
|
|
wry
|
Dryly humorous (oft. with a touch of irony); twisted or bent to one side (e.g. a ‘wry smile’)
|
|
|
ablution
|
A washing or cleansing (esp. of the body)
|
|
|
abrade
|
To wear down or rub away through friction
|
|
|
adage
|
A traditional saying or proverb
|
|
|
adumbrate
|
To give a sketchy outline of or foreshadow
|
|
|
aggrandize
|
To make appear greater, larger, more powerful
|
|
|
anachronism
|
The representation of someone or something as existing outside their proper time
|
|
|
antebellum
|
Period before war
|
|
|
aplomb
|
Self-confident assurance
|
|
|
apoplectic
|
Extremely angry; furious
|
|
|
apposition
|
The placement of something next to or side by side
|
|
|
arabesque
|
An intricate pattern or design
|
|
|
arbiter
|
One empowered or chosen to judge or decide a disputed issue
|
|
|
arboreal
|
Of or pertaining to trees
|
|
|
asperity
|
Harshness or roughness of manner
|
|
|
attenuate
|
To make slender, small, fine or less dense; to weaken
|
|
|
august
|
Inspiring awe or admiration; majestic
|
|
|
aver
|
To affirm positively; to assert as fact
|
|
|
baleful
|
Portending evil; ominous; harmful in intent
|
|
|
balk
|
To refuse stubbornly and abruptly
|
|
|
ballast
|
Something that gives balance or stability (esp. in character)
|
|
|
blandishment
|
Flattery or wheedling intended to coax
|
|
|
blithe
|
Carefree
|
|
|
brusque
|
Abrupt and curt in manner or speech; discourteously blunt
|
|
|
calumny
|
A false statement intended to injure another’s reputation; slander
|
|
|
circumlocution
|
Evasion in words or speech; a roundabout expression
|
|
|
circumspect
|
Heedful of circumstance and potential consequences; prudent
|
|
|
cloy
|
To cause distaste by supplying too much of something which was originally pleasant (e.g. by being too sweet)
|
|
|
coeval
|
Existing during the same period of time; a contemporary
|
|
|
compendium
|
A short, complete summary
|
|
|
compunction
|
A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt
|
|
|
corporeal
|
Of or relating to the body; of a physical nature; tangible
|
|
|
cravat
|
A band of fabric worn around the neck as a tie
|
|
|
deciduous
|
Falling off or shedding at a specific season; ephemeral
|
|
|
decry
|
To condemn openly
|
|
|
deign
|
To deem worthy of account
|
|
|
desideratum
|
Something considered necessary or highly desirable
|
|
|
discountenance
|
To look upon with disfavor
|
|
|
disinter
|
To remover from a grave or tomb; exhume
|
|
|
donnybrook
|
An uproar or free-for-all
|
|
|
dulcet
|
Pleasant to the ear
|
|
|
dynamo
|
A machine that generates energy; an extremely energetic and forceful person
|
|
|
eave
|
The projecting overhang at the lower edge of a roof
|
|
|
ebullient
|
Zestfully enthusiastic; boiling or bubbling
|
|
|
effulgence
|
Splendor
|
|
|
elegy
|
A poem or song lamenting the dead
|
|
|
entreat
|
To ask for or request earnestly
|
|
|
epicurean
|
Devoted to the pursuit of pleasure
|
|
|
epistle
|
A letter
|
|
|
epithet
|
A term used to characterize a person or thing; an insult
|
|
|
equipoise
|
Equality in distribution of weight
|
|
|
espy
|
To catch sight of
|
|
|
exculpate
|
To relieve of blame
|
|
|
expectorate
|
To spit or cough up
|
|
|
expedient
|
Appropriate to a purpose; self-serving
|
|
|
expiate
|
To make amends for; to atone
|
|
|
expropriate
|
To deprive of possession; to transfer (another’s property) to oneself
|
|
|
exscind
|
To cut out
|
|
|
extant
|
Still in existence; not extinct
|
|
|
extempore
|
In an impromptu manner; done without preparation or forethought
|
|
|
extenuate
|
To lessen the seriousness or importance of
|
|
|
extradite
|
To hand someone over to the legal jurisdiction of another authority
|
|
|
facile
|
Easy
|
|
|
finical
|
Finicky
|
|
|
fledge
|
To take care of a young bird until it can fly; to cover with feathers
|
|
|
florid
|
Ruddy; flowery
|
|
|
garrulous
|
Tiresomely talkative
|
|
|
gibe
|
To make jaunting, heckling, or jeering remarks
|
|
|
gossamer
|
A soft, sheer gauzy fabric; light, delicate or tenuous
|
|
|
grandstand
|
To perform ostentatiously so as to impress
|
|
|
hallow
|
To make or set apart as holy; to revere
|
|
|
hermetic
|
Completely sealed; impervious to outside influence
|
|
|
hew
|
To cut down (with an ax)
|
|
|
hibernal
|
Of or relating to winter
|
|
|
hirsute
|
Hairy
|
|
|
hubris
|
Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance
|
|
|
idyll
|
A short poem or prose piece which romanticizes pastoral life
|
|
|
imbroglio
|
A difficult situation or entanglement; a confused disagreement
|
|
|
imperious
|
Arrogantly dominating or overbearing; fearless
|
|
|
improvident
|
Not providing for the future; thriftless; rash
|
|
|
impugn
|
To attack as false or questionable (esp. in argument)
|
|
|
indefatigable
|
Tireless or seemingly tireless
|
|
|
indigence
|
Poverty; neediness
|
|
|
inimitable
|
Defying imitation; matchless
|
|
|
inveterate
|
Deep-rooted; habitual
|
|
|
jibe
|
To be in accord
|
|
|
lackadaisical
|
Lacking spirit, interest or liveliness; languid
|
|
|
libation
|
The pouring of a liquid offering as a religious ritual; an intoxicating beverage
|
|
|
libertine
|
One who acts without moral restraint; one who defies religious precepts
|
|
|
licentious
|
Lacking moral discipline or self restraint (esp. sexually); wanton
|
|
|
lode
|
A rich source or supply of something
|
|
|
loll
|
To stand, move or recline in an indolent or relaxed manner
|
|
|
lucre
|
Money or profits
|
|
|
matriculate
|
To admit or be admitted into a group (esp. a college or university)
|
|
|
maudlin
|
Effusively or tearfully sentimental
|
|
|
mollycoddle
|
To be overprotective and indulgent towards
|
|
|
monomania
|
A pathological obsession with one idea or subject
|
|
|
moribund
|
About to die
|
|
|
obdurate
|
Stubbornly impenitent; hardhearted or intractable
|
|
|
obeisance
|
A gesture or movement that expresses homage or deference
|
|
|
oblique
|
Slanting; indirect or evasive
|
|
|
ossify
|
To turn into bone
|
|
|
ostentation
|
Pretentious display meant to impress others
|
|
|
ostracize
|
To exclude from a group
|
|
|
oxymoron
|
A rhetorical device in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined (e.g. deafening silence)
|
|
|
palpitate
|
To tremble, shake or quiver
|
|
|
panoply
|
A splendid or striking array; the entire armory of a warrior
|
|
|
patois
|
A regional dialect, esp. one without a written tradition
|
|
|
pathos
|
Sympathy, sadness or tenderness aroused by experience or art
|
|
|
pecuniary
|
Of or relating to money
|
|
|
penurious
|
Pettily unwilling to spend money
|
|
|
peremptory
|
Putting an end to all debate or action
|
|
|
perjury
|
The deliberate giving of false or misleading information under oath
|
|
|
perturbation
|
The act of being greatly disturbed; agitation
|
|
|
philistine
|
A smug or ignorant person hostile or indifferent to arts and culture
|
|
|
pleat
|
A fold made in cloth by doubling the material upon itself and then pressing or stitching it into place; a to press or arrange in pleats
|
|
|
presage
|
To foretell or portend; an omen or portent
|
|
|
prescience
|
Knowledge of events before they take place
|
|
|
preternatural
|
Out of or beyond the course of what is natural; extraordinary or supernatural
|
|
|
prim
|
Stiffly proper
|
|
|
profundity
|
Great depth of intellect, feeling or meaning
|
|
|
propitious
|
Presenting favorable circumstances; auspicious
|
|
|
proscribe
|
To denounce or condemn; to prohibit or forbid
|
|
|
proxy
|
A person authorized to act for another; an agent or substitute
|
|
|
punctilious
|
Strictly attentive to minute details of form in action or conduct
|
|
|
purloin
|
To steal
|
|
|
quail
|
To shrink back in fear; to cower
|
|
|
quorum
|
The minimum number of people to be present for a meeting or transaction to be valid
|
|
|
quotidian
|
Everyday or common; occurring daily
|
|
|
ramify
|
To divide or subdivide into branches or subdivisions
|
|
|
recapitulate
|
To repeat in concise form; to summarize
|
|
|
redress
|
To set right or rectify
|
|
|
regicide
|
The killing of a king
|
|
|
rotund
|
Rounded in figure; plump
|
|
|
sagacious
|
Having or showing keen judgment and discernment; wise
|
|
|
salacious
|
Appealing to or stimulating sexual desires
|
|
|
sardonic
|
Scornfully or cynically mocking
|
|
|
sepulcher
|
A burial vault
|
|
|
shellac
|
A thin varnish used to finish wood; to batter or beat severely
|
|
|
shunt
|
To turn or move aside to an alternate course; an object, act or process which moves something to an alternate course
|
|
|
somniferous
|
Inducing sleep; soporific
|
|
|
somnolent
|
Sleepy or drowsy
|
|
|
sonorous
|
Having or producing sound
|
|
|
stanch
|
To check or stop the flow of
|
|
|
stave
|
To break or smash inward; stave off ‘to repel’
|
|
|
striated
|
Striped, grooved or ridged
|
|
|
subsume
|
To include in a more comprehensive category
|
|
|
sundry
|
Various; miscellaneous
|
|
|
supplicate
|
To beg
|
|
|
surreptitious
|
Obtained or done by clandestine or stealthy means
|
|
|
teetotal
|
Pertaining to complete abstinence from alcohol; total
|
|
|
temperance
|
Moderation; abstinence from or restraint in the use of alcohol
|
|
|
tendentious
|
Marked by a strong implicit point of view; partisan
|
|
|
tertiary
|
Third
|
|
|
timorous
|
Lacking courage
|
|
|
toady
|
A person who flatters or defers to for self-serving reasons; a sycophant
|
|
|
torrid
|
Excessively hot
|
|
|
tout
|
To solicit customers or votes brazenly; to promote or praise enthusiastically
|
|
|
transmogrify
|
To change in shape or form
|
|
|
trite
|
Made commonplace from overuse or repetition; hackneyed
|
|
|
turpitude
|
Depravity or baseness
|
|
|
turgid
|
Swollen or bloated; bloated or overly ornate language
|
|
|
upbraid
|
To reproach or reprove sharply
|
|
|
usury
|
The act of lending money at an exorbitant or illegally high rate
|
|
|
vacuity
|
A total absence or lack of
|
|
|
veracious
|
Honest or truthful; precise or accurate
|
|
|
verdant
|
Green with vegetation
|
|
|
veritable
|
Real, true or genuine
|
|
|
wheedle
|
To obtain through flattery; to cajole
|
|
|
whelp
|
The young offspring of a mammal
|
|
|
winsome
|
Attractive
|
|
|
woo
|
To court a woman romantically
|
|
|
wrangle
|
To bicker or quarrel; to obtain through argument; to herd
|
|
|
wreak
|
To bring about, cause or inflict (usu. something destructive)
|
|
|
yeoman
|
An assistant or other subordinate; workmanlike
|
|
|
abjure
|
To renounce or repudiate under oath
|
|
|
abrogate
|
To abolish or repeal through authority
|
|
|
aesthete
|
A deep admirer of beauty or aesthetics (often excessively so)
|
|
|
aggress
|
To initiate an attack, fight or war
|
|
|
amortize
|
To liquidate a debt by installment payments into a sinking fund
|
|
|
animadversion
|
The utterance of criticism or censure
|
|
|
apogee
|
The farthest or highest point; the apex
|
|
|
apostate
|
One who has abandoned his beliefs
|
|
|
apse
|
A domed projection of a building
|
|
|
atavistic
|
Suggesting the characteristics of an ancestor or a primitive type
|
|
|
bailiwick
|
A person’s specific area of skill, interest or authority
|
|
|
beatify
|
To make blessedly happy; to mark someone as blessed and worthy of veneration in a particular region
|
|
|
bedaub
|
To smear or soil; To ornament in a vulgar fashion
|
|
|
bequest
|
The act of giving or passing on something to another (usu. by will)
|
|
|
besotted
|
Stupefied (usu. from liquor); inebriated
|
|
|
bilge
|
To lowest part of a ship’s hull; the bulging portion of a barrel
|
|
|
bilious
|
Of or relating to bile; sickly; having a peevish disposition
|
|
|
bowdlerize
|
To modify content by shortening, simplifying or skewing; to expurgate prudishly (usu. a book)
|
|
|
bumptious
|
Crudely or loudly assertive; pushy
|
|
|
cabal
|
A conspiratorial group of people; a secret scheme
|
|
|
cadge
|
To beg or get by begging
|
|
|
canard
|
A false and deliberately misleading story
|
|
|
cant
|
Insincere speech full of platitudes or pious expressions; singsong speech
|
|
|
cavil
|
To raise trivial objections or find fault unnecessarily
|
|
|
churl
|
A rude, boorish person
|
|
|
cipher
|
Some or something having no value; a nonentity
|
|
|
comestible
|
Edible; something edible
|
|
|
comport
|
To conduct oneself in a particular manner; to agree or correspond
|
|
|
conflagration
|
A large, destructive fire
|
|
|
craven
|
Cowardly
|
|
|
defenestration
|
The act of throwing someone out a window
|
|
|
descry
|
To catch sight of; to detect through careful observation
|
|
|
diaphanous
|
Transparent
|
|
|
diffidence
|
Self-distrust
|
|
|
dilatory
|
Tending to cause delay
|
|
|
dilettante
|
One who dabbles in an art or field of knowledge; amateurish
|
|
|
dint
|
Force or effort; power
|
|
|
discomfit
|
To make uneasy or confused; to disconcert or frustrate
|
|
|
dissemble
|
To disguise or hide behind a false appearance; to feign
|
|
|
docent
|
A teacher or lecturer
|
|
|
ecumenical
|
Of worldwide scope; universal
|
|
|
educe
|
To draw out; to deduce
|
|
|
effete
|
Depleted of energy or effectiveness; marked by decadence; effeminate
|
|
|
egress
|
An exit; the act of exiting
|
|
|
emolument
|
Payment for an office or employment; compensation
|
|
|
epicure
|
A person with refined tastes or devoted to please
|
|
|
eponym
|
A person whose name is or is thought to be the source of the name of something, such as a people or a location (e.g. Romulus = the eponymous founder of Rome)
|
|
|
equable
|
Unvarying; steady
|
|
|
equanimity
|
The quality of being even-tempered and calm; composure
|
|
|
evince
|
To show or clearly demonstrate
|
|
|
excoriate
|
To tear the skin off of; to criticize severely
|
|
|
exigency
|
A state or quality of requiring much effort or action; a need
|
|
|
expatiate
|
To wander freely; to speak or write at length
|
|
|
expostulate
|
To reason earnestly with someone in order to persuade or correct
|
|
|
factious
|
Given to or promoting internal dissension
|
|
|
fallow
|
Plowed but left unseeded; characterized by inactivity
|
|
|
fascicle
|
A small bundle; one section of a book published in many parts
|
|
|
fatuous
|
Foolish
|
|
|
feckless
|
Feeble or ineffective
|
|
|
fecund
|
Productive of offspring or vegetation; fruitful
|
|
|
fetid
|
Having an offensive odor
|
|
|
fop
|
A man preoccupied with his clothes and manners; a dandy
|
|
|
forbearance
|
Patient endurance or toleration of offenses
|
|
|
ford
|
A shallow place in a body of water where one can cross
|
|
|
forestall
|
To delay or hinder by taking precautionary measures; to anticipate
|
|
|
forswear
|
To renounce or disavow under oath
|
|
|
frieze
|
A decorative horizontal band
|
|
|
gamut
|
The whole range or sequence
|
|
|
gerontic
|
Of or relating to old age
|
|
|
gewgaw
|
A decorative trinket; a bauble
|
|
|
gourmand
|
A lover of fine food and drink; a gluttonous eater
|
|
|
grandiloquence
|
Pompous or bombastic speech or expression
|
|
|
immolate
|
To kill as a sacrifice
|
|
|
impassive
|
Devoid of or not subject to emotion
|
|
|
importunate
|
Urgent in character
|
|
|
importune
|
To harass with persistent demands or entreaties
|
|
|
impute
|
To attribute or credit; to charge with fault or responsibility for
|
|
|
inculcate
|
To teach by frequent repetition; to indoctrinate
|
|
|
ineluctable
|
Impossible to avoid; inevitable
|
|
|
inexorable
|
Incapable of being persuaded by treaty; Unrelenting
|
|
|
interdict
|
An authoritative act of prohibition; to prohibit authoritatively
|
|
|
intransigent
|
Refusing to moderate a position; uncompromising
|
|
|
inveigh
|
To give vent to angry disapproval; to protest vehemently
|
|
|
invidious
|
Tending to rouse ill will, animosity or resentment
|
|
|
jocose
|
Given to joking; merry
|
|
|
juggernaut
|
Something that elicits blind devotion; a terrible, destructive force
|
|
|
junket
|
To hold a party or banquet; a party, banquet or tour
|
|
|
junta
|
A group of military officers ruling a country after seizing power
|
|
|
kowtow
|
To show servile deference; the act of doing so
|
|
|
lachrymose
|
Given to weeping; tearful
|
|
|
leviathan
|
Something unusually large of its kind (esp. a ship); a large animal (usu. a whale or sea monster)
|
|
|
lien
|
A legal claim or hold on a property used as security for a debt
|
|
|
ligature
|
Something used for tying or binding; an alphabetic character combining two or more letters
|
|
|
livery
|
A uniform or distinctive manner of dress
|
|
|
lodestone
|
One that attracts strongly
|
|
|
malapropism
|
Ludicrous misuse of a word
|
|
|
mendacious
|
Lying; false or untrue
|
|
|
mendicant
|
A beggar
|
|
|
missive
|
A written message; a letter
|
|
|
munificent
|
Extremely generous
|
|
|
nexus
|
A link or tie
|
|
|
nice
|
Pleasing or agreeable in nature; overly delicate or fastidious
|
|
|
obsequious
|
Exhibiting servile behavior; fawning
|
|
|
obtest
|
To supplicate or entreat
|
|
|
obtrude
|
To impose on others without invitation or with undue insistence
|
|
|
obdurate
|
To close or obstruct
|
|
|
obverse
|
Facing or turned towards the observer; serving as a counterpart
|
|
|
obvert
|
To turn so as to present another side to; to alter the appearance of
|
|
|
overweening
|
Presumptuously arrogant; excessive or immoderate
|
|
|
paladin
|
A paragon of chivalry or heroic champion; a strong supporter of defender a cause
|
|
|
palliate
|
To make an offense or crime appear less serious; to mitigate
|
|
|
palpate
|
To examine or explore by touching (usu. an organ)
|
|
|
panacea
|
A remedy for all diseases, evils or difficulties; a cure-all
|
|
|
panegyric
|
A formal public eulogy; elaborate praise
|
|
|
pedant
|
One who exhibits learning or scholarship in an ostentatious manner
|
|
|
pellucid
|
Translucent
|
|
|
penultimate
|
Next to last
|
|
|
peregrinate
|
To travel through, over or from place to place (esp. on foot)
|
|
|
perfidy
|
Treachery
|
|
|
perfunctory
|
Done routinely and with little interest or care
|
|
|
peripatetic
|
Walking about from place to place; traveling on foot
|
|
|
perseveration
|
The act or tendency to repeat something continuously despite the cessation of the original stimulus
|
|
|
persnickety
|
Overly particular about details; snobbish or pretentious
|
|
|
perspicacity
|
Acuteness of discernment or understanding
|
|
|
petrous
|
Stony
|
|
|
plenary
|
Complete in all respects; fully attended by all qualified members
|
|
|
polyglot
|
A person who speaks two or more languages
|
|
|
precatory
|
Relating to or expressing entreaty or supplication
|
|
|
precept
|
A rule or principle prescribing a particular course of conduct
|
|
|
prolix
|
Excessively wordy
|
|
|
promulgate
|
To make known by public declaration; to announce officially
|
|
|
propinquity
|
Nearness
|
|
|
propitiate
|
To conciliate or appease
|
|
|
protuberant
|
Bulging
|
|
|
provenance
|
Place of origin; proof of authenticity or past ownership
|
|
|
provident
|
Providing for the future; frugal
|
|
|
prurient
|
Inordinately interested in sex; lascivious
|
|
|
putrefaction
|
Decomposition of organic material into foul-smelling matter
|
|
|
purvey
|
To supply or furnish; to advertise or circulate
|
|
|
raffish
|
Cheaply vulgar in appearance or nature; unconventional in a carefree manner
|
|
|
rapacious
|
Greedy
|
|
|
recidivism
|
A tendency to lapse into a previous pattern of behavior
|
|
|
remonstrate
|
To say or plead in protest; to present an objection
|
|
|
remunerate
|
To pay a suitable equivalent for goods or services already provided
|
|
|
repast
|
A meal; figuratively, any refreshment
|
|
|
restive
|
Resisting control
|
|
|
ribald
|
Characterized or indulging in vulgar, lewd humor
|
|
|
risible
|
Eliciting laughter; ludicrous
|
|
|
sanguine
|
Ruddy; passionate; cheerfully confident
|
|
|
scurvy
|
A disease caused by vitamin C deficiency; mean or contemptible
|
|
|
sententious
|
Pithy; abounding in or given to pompous moralizing
|
|
|
septic
|
Causing, affected by or relating to sepsis (poisoning by microscopic organisms); infected or putrefying
|
|
|
simian
|
Resembling a monkey or an ape; a monkey or ape
|
|
|
sinuous
|
Characterized by curves or turns
|
|
|
slake
|
To satisfy a craving (usu. thirst); to quench
|
|
|
somatic
|
Of, relating to or affecting the body
|
|
|
stint
|
To be sparing with; a fixed amount of work allotted
|
|
|
suborn
|
To induce to commit an unlawful act
|
|
|
subreption
|
A calculated misrepresentation through concealment of the facts
|
|
|
subrogate
|
To substitute (one person) for another
|
|
|
supernumerary
|
Exceeding a fixed or standard number; extra or superfluous
|
|
|
suss
|
To discover or figure out
|
|
|
syllogism
|
Deductive reasoning (e.g. All men are mortal, I am human, therefore I am mortal); a subtle or specious piece of reasoning
|
|
|
sylvan
|
Relating to or characteristic of the forest
|
|
|
syncopate
|
To shorten by removing something from the middle
|
|
|
tamp
|
To pack down by a succession of blows or taps
|
|
|
tautology
|
Needless repetition of the same sense in different words; redundancy
|
|
|
toothsome
|
Delicious or luscious; pleasant or attractive
|
|
|
trenchant
|
Cutting deeply and quickly; incisive, distinct
|
|
|
turbid
|
Muddy or muddled; in a state of turmoil
|
|
|
tyro
|
A beginner in learning anything; a novice
|
|
|
umbrage
|
A sense of offense or resentment; shade
|
|
|
uncouth
|
Crude or unrefined; ungraceful or clumsy
|
|
|
unctuous
|
Oily; characterized by exaggerated or insincere earnestness
|
|
|
vagary
|
An extravagant or erratic notion of action
|
|
|
vainglory
|
Excessive, pretentious, and demonstrative vanity
|
|
|
venal
|
Mercenary or corrupt; open to bribery
|
|
|
venial
|
Easily excused or forgiven; pardonable
|
|
|
venous
|
Of, relating to or contained in the veins
|
|
|
vernal
|
Of or relating to springtime
|
|
|
verisimilitude
|
The quality of appearing to be true or real
|
|
|
vetted
|
Thoroughly examined or evaluated
|
|
|
vicissitude
|
A change of condition, circumstance or fortune (oft. unexpected)
|
|
|
viscid
|
Thick and adhesive (used of a fluid)
|
|
|
vitriol
|
Bitterly abusive feeling or expression
|
|
|
vitiate
|
To reduce the value, validity or purity of; to debase
|
|
|
vituperate
|
To criticize harshly or abusively
|
|
|
voluble
|
Fluent
|
|
|
wag
|
A humorous or droll person
|
|
|
welter
|
To move or sit as if in or on water; a confused mass or jumble
|
|
|
wend
|
To go on or proceed
|
|
|
yon
|
Yonder; something at a distance
|
|
|
zeitgeist
|
The spirit of the time; the tastes and outlook of a generation
|
|
|
zephyr
|
A gentle breeze; something that is soft and airy
|
|
|
abstruse
|
Difficult to understand; obscure
|
|
|
aleatory
|
Dependent on chance or luck; characterized by gambling
|
|
|
antediluvian
|
Extremely old; of the era before the Flood in the Bible
|
|
|
aphorism
|
A terse statement of truth or opinion; an adage
|
|
|
apocryphal
|
Of doubtful authority or authenticity; erroneous, fictitious
|
|
|
apotheosis
|
Deification
|
|
|
apposite
|
Strikingly appropriate or relevant
|
|
|
argot
|
A specialized vocabulary peculiar to a particular group
|
|
|
arrant
|
Completely or thoroughly
|
|
|
asseverate
|
To declare seriously or positively; to affirm
|
|
|
atrabilious
|
Inclined to melancholy; peevish or surly
|
|
|
bosky
|
Having many bushes, shrubs or trees
|
|
|
bromide
|
A commonplace remark or platitude; a platitude
|
|
|
brumal
|
Of, relating to, or occurring in winter
|
|
|
callipygian
|
Having a beautiful or curvaceous ass
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captious
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Disposed to find and point out trivial faults
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cataract
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A downpour or deluge; opacity of the lens of the eye
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cloture
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A parliamentary procedure in which debate is ended and an immediate vote is taken
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commodious
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Spacious or room
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condign
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Deserved; adequate
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contemn
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To scorn or despise
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contumacious
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Rebellious
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corona
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A faintly colored luminous ring which hazily appears to surround a celestial body
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cynosure
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An object that serves as the focal point of attention or admiration
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daedal
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Intricate in design or function
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dais
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A raised platform for speakers
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denouement
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The final resolution of a dramatic or narrative plot; the outcome
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deracinate
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To pull out by the roots; to displace from a native location
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descant
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A discussion on a theme
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desuetude
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A state of disuse or inactivity
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doggerel
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Clumsy verse, often having irregular form and monotonous rhymes
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edacious
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Characterized by voracity
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effluvium
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A (usu.) invisible emanation or exhalation; waste
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encomium
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Warm, glowing praise
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eremite
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A recluse or hermit (esp. a religious recluse)
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euphonious
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Pleasing to the ear
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expurgate
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To remove erroneous or offensive material from a book
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extirpate
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To pull up by the roots; to destroy totally
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factotum
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An assistant or employee who serves in a wide range of capacities
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fatidic
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Of or relate to fate; prophetic
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febrile
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Feverish
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feculent
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Full of foul or impure matter; fecal
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fey
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Having or displaying an otherworldly or fairylike aspect; clairvoyant; touched in the head (as if under a spell)
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fugacious
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Fleeting
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fulsome
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Offensively flattering or insincere; offensive to one’s sensibilities
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homiletics
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The art of preaching
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inchoate
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In an initial or early stage; incipient
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insouciant
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Marked by blithe unconcern; nonchalant
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jejune
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Lacking in nutritive value; childish; boring
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limn
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To describe; to depict by painting or drawing
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lucubrate
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To write in a scholarly fashion
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luculent
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Easily understood; clear or lucid
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lugubrious
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Indicating sorrow, often ridiculously
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macerate
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To make or become soft by steeping in a liquid; to emaciate
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masticate
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To chew
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mawkish
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Excessively sentimental; sickening or insipid in taste
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meretricious
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Attracting attention in a vulgar manner; plausible but false or insincere; of or relating to prostitutes or prostitution
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mien
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The external appearance or manner of a person
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minatory
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Threatening or menacing
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monoglot
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A person who knows only one language
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mordant
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Bitingly sarcastic or painful; incisive or trenchant
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morganatic
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Pertaining to a marriage between a person of noble birth and a partner of lower rank
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nave
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The hub of a wheel; the central part of a church
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noisome
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Bad smelling
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nostrum
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A medicine whose effectiveness is unproved; a quack remedy
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nugatory
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Of little or no importance; trifling
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obloquy
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Abusive language; calumny
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obstreperous
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Noisily and stubbornly defiant; aggressively boisterous
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paratactic
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Juxtaposed side-by-side
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paroxysm
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A sudden outburst of emotion or action; a sudden attack or fit
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parvenu
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A person who has suddenly risen to a higher social and economic class but has not yet been gained social acceptance in that class
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penumbra
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A partial shadow; an area in which something exists to a lesser degree
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peripeteia
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A sudden change of events or reversal of circumstances
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persiflage
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Light, good-natured talk; banter
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philately
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The study or collecting of stamps
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physiognomy
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The art of judging human character from facial features only; facial features (esp. when revealing character)
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picaresque
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Of or involving clever rogues
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piebald
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Spotted or patchy (esp. in black and white)
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pied
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Patchy in color or splotchy
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protean
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Exhibiting many shapes or varieties
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puerile
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Childish
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puerperal
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Related to, connected with or occurring during childbirth
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puissance
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Power
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pusillanimous
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Lacking courage; cowardly
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pyretic
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Relating to, producing or affected by fever
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quaternary
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Consisting of four
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quean
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A disreputable young woman; a prostitute
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quiddity
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The real nature of a thing; the essence
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recondite
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Not easily understood; abstruse
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recrudesce
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To break out anew or come into renewed activity
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repine
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To be disconnected or in low spirits; to complain, fret or yearn for
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repugn
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To oppose or contend against
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salubrious
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Conducive or favorable to health or well-being
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salutary
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Beneficial or remedial to health
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saturnine
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Melancholy or sullen
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scintilla
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A minute amount; an iota
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sclerotic
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Hardened
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seraph
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A celestial being having three pairs of wings (pl. seraphim)
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sequacious
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Persisting in a continuous intellectual or stylistic direction; disposed to follow others
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shibboleth
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A custom or practice that betrays one as an outsider; a commonplace saying or idea
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simper
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To smile in a self-conscious and often coy manner; such a smile
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sinecure
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A position or office with no duties or work that pays a salary
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splenetic
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Ill-humored or irritable
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steatopygia
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The condition of having a enormously large or fat ass
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stentorian
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Extremely loud
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stipple
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To draw, paint or engrave in dots or strokes; the act of doing so
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stochastic
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Conjectural
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stygian
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Gloomy, dark or hellish; infernal
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suzerain
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A nation that controls another but allows it domestic sovereignty
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sybarite
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A person devoted to luxury or pleasure; a voluptuary
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synod
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A council or assembly (usu. ecclesiastical)
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synesthete
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One who experiences one sense as another (i.e. smells a sound)
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tetchy
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Peevish or testy
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tortuous
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Winding or twisting
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treacle
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Cloyingly sweet speech or sentimentality
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ursine
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Have bear-like qualities or characteristics
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uxorious
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Excessively submissive or devoted to one’s wife
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virago
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A woman regarded as noisy, scolding or domineering; a large, strong, courageous woman
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xero-
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Prefix indicating dry or arid (e.g. xeroderma ‘dry-skin’)
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xylo-
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Prefix indicating wood (e.g. xylography ‘wood-engraving’)
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yaw
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To swerve off course temporarily
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