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875 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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gauche
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adj. lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless
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paucity
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adj. smallness of quantity; scarcity
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virulent
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adj. hostile; harmful; extreme; venemous
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feral
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existing in a natural state
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unctuous
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characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, esp. in an affected manner
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adage
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n. wise saying, proverb
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dispel
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v. scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
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bungle
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v. mismanage; blunder
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anthropoid
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adj. manlike
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effeminate
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adj. unmanly; womanly
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bard
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n. poet
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bane
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n. cause of ruin; curse
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didatic
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adj. teaching; instructional
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ascetic
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adj. practicing self-denial; austere
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anneal
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v. reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
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avuncular
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adj. like an uncle
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curmudgeon
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n. churlish; miserly individual
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deify
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v. turn into a god; idolize
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lionize
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v. to treat as a celebrity
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ancillary
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adj. serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary
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abnegation
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n. renunciation; self-sacrifice
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belabor
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v. explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally
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averse
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adj. reluctant; disinclined
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doctrinaire
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adj. unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding
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chary
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adj. cautious; sparing or restrained about giving
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disconsolate
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adj. sad
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avow
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v. declare openly
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collusion
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n. conspiring in a fraudulent scheme
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delude
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v. deceive
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disport
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v. amuse
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asperity
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n. sharpness (of temper)
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We had to learn to walk on egg shells around my father because of his asperity; we knew that if he thought that we were out of line that he would lose his temper.
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brackish
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adj. somewhat saline; slightly salty
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dinghy
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n. small boat
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bantering
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adj. good-naturedly ridiculing
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brandish
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v. wave around; flourish
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cavalcade
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n. procession; parade
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acclivity
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n. sharp upslope of a hill
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betoken
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v. signify; indicate
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bastion
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n. stronghold; something seen as a source of protection
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acuity
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n. sharpness
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carapace
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n. shell covering the back (of a turtle, crab, etc.)
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cordon
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n. extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress; barrier
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disaffected
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adj. disloyal
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dyspeptic
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adj. suffering from indigestion
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capitulate
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v. surrender
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When the general saw what a precarious position his troops were in, he realized that he had no other option than to capitulate to the enemy.
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alcove
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n. nook; recess
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adventitious
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adj. accidental; causal
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eclipse
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v. darken; extinguish; surpass
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concession
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n. an act of yielding
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dormer
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n. window projecting from roof
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begrudge
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v. resent
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centrigade
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adj. denoting a widely used temperature scale
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careen
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v. lurch; sway
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The for sale sign careened in the wind.
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culvert
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n. artificial channel for water
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aphasia
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n. loss of speech due to injury or illness
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bandy
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v. discuss lightly or glibly; exchange (words) heatedly
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constituent
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n. supporter
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bemused
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adj. confused; lost in thought; preoccupied
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bedraggle
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v. wet thoroughly
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conduit
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n. aqueduct; passageway
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accost
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v. approach and speak first to a person
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anathema
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n. solemn curse; someone or something regarded as curse
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actuate
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v. motivate
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acrimonious
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adj.bitter in words or manner
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concede
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adj. hollow
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acquiesce
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v. assent; agree passively
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bravado
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n. swagger; assumed air of defiance
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chaffing
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adj. bantering; joking
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atone
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v. make amends for; pay for
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appellation
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n. name; title
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carillon
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n. set of bells capable of being played
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amnesty
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n. pardon
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defray
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v. provide for the payment of
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codicil
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n. supplement to the body of a will
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browbeat
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v. bully; intimidate
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The jocks browbeated the nerds for their lunch money.
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apiary
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n. place where bees are kept
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divest
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v. strip; deprive
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canvass
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v. determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.
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canard
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n. unfounded rumor; exaggerated report
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brazen
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adj. insolent; bold; defiant
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edify
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v. instruct; correct morally
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ebb
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v. recede; lessen
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ashen
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adj. ash colored; deadly pale
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besmirch
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v. soil, defile
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cynosure
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n. object of general attention
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dour
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adj. sullen; stubborn
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descry
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v. catch sight of
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dappled
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adj. spotted
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condign
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adj. adequate; deservedly severe
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crotchety
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adj. eccentric; whimsical
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animadversion
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n. critical remark
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After I had worked so hard on the paper, I was crushed to read all of the animadversions that were scribbled in red across my paper.
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drivel
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n. nonsense; foolishness
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edict
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n. decree (esp. one issued by sovereign); official command
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cull
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v. pick out; reject
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dint
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n. means; effort
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cavalier
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adj. causal and offhand; arrogant
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comport
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v. bear one's self; behave
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antediluvian
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adj. antiquated; extremely ancient
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clangor
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n. loud, resounding noise
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agog
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adj. highly excited; intensely curious
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awl
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n. pointed tool used for piercing
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adjutant
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n. staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
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cant
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insincere expressions of piety; jargon of thieves
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beholden
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adj. obligated; indebted
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deciduous
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adj. falling off, as of leaves
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chafe
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v. warm by rubbing; make sore (by rubbing)
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arroyo
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n. gully
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burlesque
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v. give an imitation that ridicules
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conscript
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n. draftee; person forced into military service
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cipher
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n. nonentity; worthless person or thing
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continence
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n. self-restraint; sexual chastity
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bereft
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adj. deprived of; lacking
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despot
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n. tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler
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comeuppance
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n. rebuke; deserts (usually unpleasant)
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alimentary
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adj. supplying nurishment
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discomfit
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v. put to rout; defeat; disconcert
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captious
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adj. fault-finding
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canter
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n. slow gallop
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awft
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adv. upward
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crone
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n. hag
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cantankerous
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adj. ill-humored; irritable
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avocation
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n. secondary or minor occupation
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effete
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adj. worn out; exhausted; barren
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controvert
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adj. forced; artificial; not spontaneous
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derelict
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adj. abandoned; negligent
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deprecate
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v. express disapproval of; protest against; belittle
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cavil
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v. make frivolous objections
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alluvial
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adj. pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
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consort
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v. associate with
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apposite
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adj. appropriate; fitting
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anoint
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v. consecrate; sanctify; ordain
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blowhard
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n. talkative boaster
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disquisition
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n. a formal systematic inquiry
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corollary
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n. consequence; accompaniment
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aspersion
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n. slanderous remark
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carrion
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n. rotting flesh of a dead body
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demagogue
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n. person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader
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ascendancy
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n. controlling influence
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concomitant
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n. that which accompanies
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adjunct
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n. something (generally nonessential or inferior) added on or attached
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dolt
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n. stupid person
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cataclysm
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n. deluge; upheaval; an extensive flood
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askance
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adv. with a sideways or indirect look
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bivouac
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n. temporary encampment
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conclave
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n. private meeting
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apropos
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prep. with reference to; regarding
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clime
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n. region; climate
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clarion
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adj. shrill, trumpetlike sound
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bate
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v. let down; restrain
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buffet
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v. slap; batter; knock about
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ballast
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n. heavy substance used to add stability or weight
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delusive
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adj. deceptive; raising vain hopes
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deadpan
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adj. wooden; impassive
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connubial
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adj. pertaining to marriage or teh matrimonial state
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accoutre
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v. equip
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coterie
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n. group that meets socially; select circle
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connivance
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n. pretense of ignorance of something wrong; permission to offend
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depredation
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n. a predatory attack; a raid
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compunction
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n. remorse
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atavism
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n. resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents
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dotage
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n. senility
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aperture
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n. opening; hole
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comestible
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n. something fit to be eaten
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cauterize
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v. burn with hot iron or caustic
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augury
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n. omen; prophecy
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bowdlerize
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v. remove material that is considered offensive/objectionable from (ex. a book)
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coup
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n. highly successful action or sudden attack
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accretion
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n. growth, increase
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adjuration
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n. solemn urging
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consanguinity
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n. kinship
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defrock
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v. to strip a priest or minister of church authority
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assay
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v. analyze; evaluate
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brocade
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n. rich, figured fabric
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dossier
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n. file of documents on a subject
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carnage
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n. destruction of life
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distrait
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adj. absentminded
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deplore
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v. regret
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dogged
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adj. determined; stubborn
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compendium
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v. brief, comprehensive summary
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cornice
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n. projecting molding on building (usually above columns)
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daub
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v. intimidate; frighten
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brusque
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adj. blunt; abrupt
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complicity
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n. participation; involvement
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asinine
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adj. stupid
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aplomb
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n. poise; assurance
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The company was so impressed with her aplomb that they immediately offered her a job; she had more poise and self-assurance than any of the other applicants.
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blase
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adj. bored with pleasure or dissipation
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bacchanalian
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adj. drunken
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asunder
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adv. into parts; apart
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arable
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adj. fit for growing crops
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abeyance
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n. suspended action
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aquiline
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adj. curved, hooked
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beset
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v. harass or trouble; hem in
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befuddle
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v. confuse thoroughly
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behemoth
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n. huge creature; something of monstrous size or power
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citadel
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n. fortress
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citadel
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n. fortress
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aerie
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n. nest of a large bird of prey (eagle, hawk)
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dissolution
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n. disintegration; looseness of morals
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doldrums
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n. blues; listlessness; slack period
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disenfranchise
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v. deprive of a civil right
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amiss
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adj. wrong; faulty
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dais
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n. raised platform for guests of honor
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colloquy
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n. informal discussion
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balk
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v. stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue
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denizen
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n. inhabitant or resident; regular visitor
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apothegm
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n. pithy, compact saying
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addle
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v. muddle; drive crazy
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cozen
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v. cheat; hoodwink; swindle
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apothecary
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druggist
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chaff
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n. worthless products of an endeavor
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apprise
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v. inform
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aegis
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n. shield, defense
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arrears
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n. benign in debt; an unfulfilled obligation
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detraction
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n. slandering; aspersion
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cerebration
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n. thought
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cupidity
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n. greed
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diadem
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n. crown
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doddering
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adj. infirm from old age; shaky
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brooch
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n. ornamental clasp
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bilk
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v. swindle; cheat
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ablution
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n. washing
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animus
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n. hostile feeling or intent
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ape
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v. imitate or mimic
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detonation
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n. explosion
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chortle
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v. chuckle with delight
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chimerical
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adj. fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; imaginative
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enigma
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n. a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand
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erudite
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adj. having or showing great knowledge or learning
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irascible
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adj. (of a person) easily made angry
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inimical
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adj. tending to obstruct or harm
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garrulous
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adj. excessively talkative, esp. on trivial matters
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furtive
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adj. attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble
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foment
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v. to instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action)
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cupidity
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n. greed for money or possessions
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reticence
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n. not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily
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adulation
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n. excessive or obsequious praise
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portentous
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adj. done in a pompously or oversly solemn manner so as to impress
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parry
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1. v. ward off (a weapon or attack), esp. with a countermove
2. v. answer (a question or accusation) evasively |
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fervid
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adj. intensely enthusiastic or passionate
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lucid
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adj. expressed clearly; easy to understand
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opaque
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adj. not able to be seen through; not transparent
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placate
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v. to make someone less angry or hostile
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prodigal
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1. spending money or resources freely and recklessly
2. having or giving something on a lavish scale |
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relegate
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v. to consign or dismiss to an inferior rank or position
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ensconse
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v. to establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe, or secret place
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enmity
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n. the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something
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egregious
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adj. outstandingly bad; shocking
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effervesce
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1. v.(of a liquid) to give off bubbles
2. v. (of a person) to be vivacious and enthusiastic |
The parents effervesced with pride over their new baby.
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blandishment
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n. a flattering or pleasing statement or actoin used to persuade soemone gently to do something
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aggrandize
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v. to increase the power, status, or wealth of:
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dither
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v. to be indecisive
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abstain
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v. to restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something
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recalcitrant
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adj. having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline
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deplore
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v. to feel or express strong disapproval of (something)
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cower
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v. to crouch down in fear
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cogitate
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v. to think deeply about something; to meditate or reflect
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coeval
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adj. having the same age or date of origin
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stolid
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adj. (of a person) calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation
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turgid
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adj. swollen, distended, or congested
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tawdry
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adj. showy but cheap and of poor quality
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beatitude
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n. supreme blessedness; exalted happiness
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trenchant
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adj. vigorous or incisive in expression or style
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phlegmatic
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adj. (of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition
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The children have to learn to be phlegmatic when they hear alarms; if we have a fire in the building, we won't have time to comfort the children before we are able to get them outside.
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caustic
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adj. able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action
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spurious
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adj. not being what it purports to be; false or fake
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burgeon
|
v. to begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish
|
|
|
|
cadge
|
v. to ask for or obtain (something to which one is not strictly entitled)
|
|
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|
castigate
|
v. to reprimand (someone) severely
|
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|
emollient
|
adj. having the quality of softening or soothing the skin
|
That facial scrub is considered an emollient because it softens the skin.
|
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|
encomium
|
n. a speech or piece of writing that praises soemone or something highly
|
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ephemeral
|
adj. lasting for a very short time
|
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|
surly
|
adj. bad-tempered and unfriendly
|
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spurn
|
v. to reject with disdain or contempt
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|
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|
chicanery
|
n. the use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose
|
|
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|
bombast
|
n. high-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people
|
Pretentious Paul always sought to impress. Even when spoke, he bombasted people with big words.
|
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|
amalgamate
|
v. to combine or unite to form one organization or structure
|
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effrontery
|
n. insolent or impertinent behavior
|
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|
firebrand
|
n. a person who is passionate about a particular cause, typically inciting change and taking radical action
|
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|
|
sate
|
v. to satisfy (a desire or appetite) to the full
|
|
|
|
saturnine
|
adj. (of a person or their manner) slow and gloomy
|
|
|
|
acerbity
|
n. a sharp and forthright comment or style of speaking
|
|
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|
sedulity
|
n. dedication and diligence
|
|
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|
accolade
|
n. an award or privilege granted as a special honor or as an acknowledgment of merit
|
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abysmal
|
adj. extremely bad; appalling
|
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|
abstemious
|
adj. not self-indulgent, esp. when eating or drinking
|
|
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|
abscond
|
v. to leave hurriedly and secretly (typically to avoid detection of or arrest)
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|
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|
ineffable
|
adj. too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words
|
|
|
|
sentient
|
adj. able to perceive or feel things
|
|
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|
banal
|
adj. so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring
|
|
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|
cacophony
|
n. a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
|
The thunderstorm was so cacophonous that the animals all hid under the bed.
|
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|
tyro
|
n. a beginner or novice
|
|
|
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deprave
|
v. to make (someone) immoral or wicked
|
|
|
|
evince
|
v. to reveal the presence of (a quality or feeling)
|
|
|
|
ferocity
|
n. the state or quality of being savagely fierce, cruel, or violent
|
|
|
|
opprobium
|
1. harsh criticism or censure
2. the public disgrace arising from one's shameful conduct |
|
|
|
obsequious
|
adj. obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
|
|
|
|
diurnal
|
adj. of or during the day
|
|
|
|
freebooter
|
n. a pirate or lawless adventurer
|
|
|
|
frieze
|
n. a broad horizontal band of sculpted or painted decoration, esp. on a wall near the ceiling
|
|
|
|
specious
|
adj. superficially plausible, but actually wrong
|
|
|
|
frond
|
n. the leaf or leaflike part of a palm, fern, or similar plant
|
|
|
|
fuddle
|
v. to confuse or stupefy (someone), esp. w/alcohol
|
|
|
|
fulminate
|
v. to express w/vehement protest
|
|
|
|
gaffe
|
n. an unintentional act or remark causing embarassment to its originator; a blunder
|
|
|
|
gainsay
|
v. to deny or contradict (a fact or statement)
|
|
|
|
abut
|
v. to be next to or have a common border
|
|
|
|
gait
|
n. a person's manner of walking
|
|
|
|
gambol
|
v. to run or jump about playfully
|
|
|
|
gamut
|
n. the complete range or scope of something
|
|
|
|
glean
|
v. to extract (information) from various sources
|
|
|
|
gourmand
|
n. a person who enjoys eating and often eats too much
|
|
|
|
grandiloquent
|
adj. pompous or extravegent in language, style, or manner, esp. in a way that is intended to impress
|
|
|
|
guffaw
|
n. a loud and unrestrained burst of laughter
|
|
|
|
halcyon
|
adj. denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful
|
|
|
|
harbinger
|
n. a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another
|
|
|
|
hegemony
|
n. leadership or dominance, esp. by one country or social group over others
|
|
|
|
salubrious
|
adj. healthful; conducive to well-being
|
|
|
|
hermetic
|
adj.(of a seal or closure) complete and airtight
|
|
|
|
hubris
|
adj. excessive pride or self-confidence
|
|
|
|
umbrage
|
n. offense or annoyance
|
|
|
|
voluble
|
adj. speaking or spoken incessantly and fluently
|
|
|
|
plucky
|
adj. having or showing determined courage in teh face of difficulties
|
|
|
|
derelict
|
adj. in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect
|
|
|
|
prevaricate
|
v. to speak or act in an evasive way
|
|
|
|
propitiate
|
v. to win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them
|
|
|
|
abash
|
v. to cause to feel embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed
|
|
|
|
aberrant
|
adj. departing from an accepted standard
|
|
|
|
anodyne
|
adj. not likely to provoke dissent or offense; unconentious or inoffensive, often deliberately so
|
|
|
|
abrogate
|
v. to repeal or do away with (a law, right, or formal agreement)
|
|
|
|
hirsute
|
adj. hairy
|
|
|
|
obdurate
|
adj. hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
|
The obdurate teenager refused to do what his parents asked him; he was resistant to their persuasions.
|
|
|
misanthrope
|
n. a person who dislikes others
|
|
|
|
malinger
|
v. to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
|
|
|
|
iconoclast
|
n. a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions
|
|
|
|
mendicant
|
adj. given to begging
|
|
|
|
largess
|
adj. generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others
|
|
|
|
proclivity
|
n. a tendency to do or choose something regularly; a predisposition
|
|
|
|
insular
|
adj. ignorant or uninterested in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience
|
|
|
|
vacuous
|
adj. having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless
|
|
|
|
torpor
|
n. a state of physical or mental inactivity; lethargy
|
|
|
|
euphony
|
n. the quality of being pleasing to the ear, esp. through a harmonious combination of words
|
|
|
|
condign
|
adj. (of a punishment or retribution) appropriate to the crime or wrongdoing; fitting and deserved
|
|
|
|
acumen
|
the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain
|
|
|
|
perfidy
|
n. deceitfulness; untrustworthiness
|
|
|
|
ethereal
|
adj. extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world
|
|
|
|
sanguine
|
adj. cheerfully optimistic
|
|
|
|
dearth
|
adj. a scarcity or lack of something
|
|
|
|
predilection
|
n. a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something
|
|
|
|
polemic
|
n. a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something
|
|
|
|
prolix
|
adj. (of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy
|
|
|
|
rapt
|
adj. completely fascinated by what one is seeing or hearing
|
|
|
|
florid
|
1. adj. having a red or flushed complexion
2. adj. elaborately or excessively intricate or complicated |
|
|
|
palliate
|
v. to make (a disease or its symptoms) less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause
|
|
|
|
penury
|
n. extreme poverty; destitution
|
|
|
|
perspicacious
|
adj. (of an account or representation) clearly expressed and easily understood; lucid
|
|
|
|
rapprochement
|
n. an establishment or resumption of harmonious relations
|
|
|
|
vacillate
|
v. to alternate or waver b/n different opinions or actions; be indecisive
|
|
|
|
vim
|
n. energy; enthusiasm
|
|
|
|
bawdy
|
adj. dealing with sexual matters in a comical way
|
|
|
|
attenuate
|
v. to reduce the force, effect, or value of:
|
|
|
|
petulant
|
adj. (of a eprson or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered
|
|
|
|
abjure
|
v. to solemnly renounce (a belief, cause, or claim)
|
|
|
|
craven
|
adj. comtemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly
|
|
|
|
depradation
|
n. an act of attack or plundering
|
|
|
|
improvidence
|
adj. not having or showing foresight
|
|
|
|
aegis
|
n. the protection, backing, or support of a particular person or organization
|
Karen Holbrook withdrew her candicacy for the President of FGCU because she did not feel that she had the aegis of some of the key people behind the university.
|
|
|
besmirch
|
v. to damage the reputation of (someone or something) in the opinion of others
|
|
|
|
charlatan
|
n. a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill
|
|
|
|
chagrin
|
n. distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated
|
|
|
|
cavil
|
v. to make petty or unnecessary objections
|
|
|
|
castigation
|
v. to reprimand (someone) severely
|
|
|
|
calumny
|
n. the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone's reputation; slander
|
|
|
|
callow
|
adj. (esp. of a young person) inexperienced and immature
|
|
|
|
cadence
|
n. a modulation or inflection of the voice
|
|
|
|
cabal
|
n. a secret political clique or faction
|
|
|
|
bulwark
|
n. a defensive wall
|
|
|
|
ebullient
|
adj. cheerful and full of energy
|
|
|
|
apothegm
|
n. a concise saying or maxim; aphorism
|
|
|
|
asunder
|
adj. apart; divided
|
|
|
|
argot
|
n. the jargon or slang of a particular group or class
|
|
|
|
ardor
|
n. enthusiasm or passion
|
|
|
|
austere
|
adj. severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance
|
|
|
|
auspice
|
n a divine or prophetic token
|
|
|
|
abrasion
|
the process of scraping or wearing away
|
|
|
|
boon
|
n. a thing that is helpful or beneficial
|
|
|
|
bowdlerize
|
v. to remove material that is considered improper or offensive from (a text or acocunt)
|
|
|
|
apathy
|
n. lack of interest, concern, or enthusiasm
|
|
|
|
perfidy
|
n. (poetic/lit.) deceitfulness; untrustworthiness
|
|
|
|
obviate
|
v. to remove (a need or difficulty)
|
|
|
|
agglomeration
|
n. collected or formed into a mass
|
|
|
|
alacrity
|
adj. brisk and cheerful readiness
|
|
|
|
mendacious
|
adj. not telling the truth; lying
|
Mendy was always mendacious. In fact, she had a reputation for being a pathological liar.
|
|
|
bandy
|
1. adj. (of a person's legs) curved so as to be wide apart at the knees
2. v. to pass on or discuss an idea or rumor in a causual way |
|
|
|
baleful
|
adj. threatening harm; menacing
|
That baleful suspect should not be bailed out of jail because he is threatening great harm upon his release.
|
|
|
atone
|
v. to make amends or reparation
|
|
|
|
avarice
|
n. extreme greed for wealth or material gain
|
|
|
|
coddle
|
v. to threat in an indulgent or overprotective way
|
|
|
|
perfunctory
|
adj. (of an action or gesture) carried out w/a minimum of effort or reflection
|
|
|
|
occluded
|
adj. stopped, closed up, or obstructed (an opening, orifice, or passage)
|
|
|
|
pundit
|
n. an expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called on to give opinions about it to the public
|
|
|
|
panegyric
|
n. a public speech or published text in praise of someone or something
|
|
|
|
paragon
|
n. a person or thing regarded as a perfect exampleof a particular quality
|
|
|
|
abject
|
adj. (of a situation or condition) extremely bad, unpleasant, and degrading
|
|
|
|
compunction
|
n. a feeling of guilt or moral scrupple that follows the doing of something bad
|
|
|
|
ablution
|
n. the act of washing oneself
|
|
|
|
peccadillo
|
n. a small, relatively unimportant offense or sin
|
|
|
|
nefarious
|
adj. (typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal
|
The witch committed her nefarious acts by making deadly concoctions and serving them to unsuspecting victims.
|
|
|
lugubrious
|
adj. looking or sounding sad and dismal
|
|
|
|
laconic
|
adj. (of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words
|
|
|
|
consonance
|
n. agreement or compatibility b/n opinions or actoins
|
|
|
|
enervate
|
v. to cause (someone) to feel drained of energy or vitality; to weaken
|
|
|
|
impiety
|
adj. lack of piety or reverence, esp. for a god
|
|
|
|
adroit
|
adj. clever or skillful in using the hands or mind
|
|
|
|
adjuration
|
n. a solemn or earnest urge or request to do something
|
When she realized how broke they had become, she gave her proud husband an abjuration to apply for unemployment.
|
|
|
acme
|
n. the point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful
|
|
|
|
extant
|
adj. (esp. of a document) still in existence; surviving
|
|
|
|
exorbitant
|
adj. (of a price or amount charged) unreasonably high
|
$400 is an exorbitant amount of money to charge a person for spaying a cat.
|
|
|
impecunious
|
adj. having little or no money
|
|
|
|
apocryphal
|
adj. (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true
|
|
|
|
cynosure
|
n. a person or thing that is the center of attention or admiration
|
|
|
|
fortuitous
|
adj. chance; unexpected; unanticipated
|
|
|
|
myriad
|
n. a very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things
|
|
|
|
passel
|
n. a group or lot of indeterminite number
|
|
|
|
pernicious
|
adj. causing insidious harm or ruin; injurious; harmful
|
|
|
|
penitent
|
adj. feeling or expressing sorrow for sin or wrongdoing and disposed to atonement and amendment
|
The penitent woman begged the priest to tell her how to right her wrongs.
|
|
|
prevaricate
|
v. to speak falsely or misleadingly
|
|
|
|
obtuse
|
adj. not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect
|
|
|
|
unsavory
|
adj. not savory; tasteless or insipid
|
|
|
|
proselyte
|
n. a person who has changed from one opinion, belief, sect, or the like to another
|
|
|
|
portentous
|
adj. ominous; warning; threatening; menacing
|
|
|
|
subjugate
|
v. to gain mastery over; gain control of; conquer
|
|
|
|
imperious
|
1. adj. domineering in a haughty manner; dictatorial
2. adj. urgent; imperative |
|
|
|
probity
|
n. integrity and uprightness; honesty
|
|
|
|
munificent
|
adj. extremely liberal in giving; very generous
|
|
|
|
perquisite
|
n. an incidental payment, benefit, privilege, or advantage over and above regular income
|
|
|
|
froward
|
adj. willfully contrary; not easily managed
|
|
|
|
cataclysm
|
n. any violent upheaval, esp. one of social or political nature
|
|
|
|
tautologous
|
adj. needlessly repititious
|
|
|
|
adventitious
|
adj. associated w/something by chance rather than as an integral part
|
|
|
|
vitiate
|
v. to impair the quality of; make faulty; spoil
|
|
|
|
fatuous
|
adj. foolish or inane, esp. in an unconscious, complacent manner; silly
|
|
|
|
vicissitude
|
n. a change or variation occurring in the course of something
|
|
|
|
augmentation
|
n. the amount by which something increases
|
|
|
|
perturbation
|
n. mental disquiet, disturbance, or agitation
|
|
|
|
inveigle
|
v. to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements
|
|
|
|
taciturn
|
adj. inclined to silence; reserved in speech
|
|
|
|
helical
|
adj. pertaining to having the form of a helix; spiral
|
|
|
|
idiosyncratic
|
adj. peculiar to the individual
|
|
|
|
sagacious
|
adj. having or showing acute mental discernment and keen practical sense; shrewd
|
|
|
|
shrewd
|
adj. astute or sharp in practical manners
|
|
|
|
procumbent
|
adj. lying on the face; prone
|
|
|
|
nadir
|
n. the lowest point; point of greatest adversity or despair
|
|
|
|
zephyr
|
n. a gentle, mild breeze
|
|
|
|
kith
|
n. an unprincipled, untrustworthy, or dishonest person
|
|
|
|
bilious
|
adj. peevish; irritable; cranky
|
|
|
|
palpable
|
adj. readily or plainly seen, heard, perceived, etc.; obvious
|
|
|
|
canaille
|
n. riffraff; rabble
|
|
|
|
filigree
|
n. ornamental work of fine (typically gold or silver) wire formed into delicate tracery
|
|
|
|
flippant
|
adj. not showing a serious or respectful attitude
|
|
|
|
flout
|
v. to openly disregard (a rule, law, or convention)
|
|
|
|
foist
|
v. to impose an unwelcome or unnecessary person or thing on
|
|
|
|
fracas
|
n. a noisy disturbance or quarrel
|
|
|
|
pithy
|
adj. (of language or style) concise and forcefully expressive
|
|
|
|
indelible
|
adj. (of ink or a pen) making marks that cannot be removed
|
|
|
|
dowdy
|
adj. (of a person, typically a woman, or her clothes) unfashionable and without style in appearance
|
|
|
|
nadir
|
adj. lowest point
|
|
|
|
misogynism
|
n. the hatred of women by men
|
|
|
|
fealty
|
n. (hist.) a feudal tenant's or vassel's sworn loyalty to a lord
|
|
|
|
peculation
|
n. embezzled or stolen (money, esp. public funds)
|
|
|
|
brusque
|
adj. abrupt or offhand in speech or manner
|
|
|
|
bumptious
|
adj. self-assertivce or proud to an irritating degree
|
|
|
|
consonance
|
n. agreement or compatibility b/n opinions or actions
|
|
|
|
coalesce
|
v. to come together and form one mass or whole
|
|
|
|
venial
|
adj. denoting a sin that is not regarded as depriving the soul of divine grace
|
|
|
|
tarrying
|
v. staying longer than intended
|
|
|
|
viands
|
n. (poetic) an item of food
|
|
|
|
vestige
|
n. a trace of something that is disapperaing or no longer exists
|
|
|
|
moribund
|
adj. (of a person) at the point of death
|
|
|
|
recumbent
|
adj. (esp. of a person or human figure) lying down
|
|
|
|
mercurial
|
adj. (of a person) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind
|
|
|
|
desultory
|
adj. lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
|
|
|
|
bellicose
|
adj. demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight
|
|
|
|
rapacoius
|
adj. aggressively greedy or grasping
|
|
|
|
mordant
|
adj. (esp. of humor) having or showing a sharp or critical quality; biting
|
|
|
|
travesty
|
n. a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something
|
|
|
|
implore
|
v. to beg earnestly or desperately to do something
|
|
|
|
peregrinate
|
v. (archaic or humorous) to travel or wander around from place to place
|
Polly peregrinated from place to place and from job to job.
|
|
|
repartee
|
n. conversation or speech characterized by quick, witty comments or replies
|
|
|
|
palindrome
|
n. a word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward
|
|
|
|
turpitude
|
n. depravity; wickedness
|
|
|
|
espouse
|
v. 1. adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life) 2. (archaeic) marry
|
|
|
|
tractable
|
adj. (of a person) easy to control or influence; (of a situation/problem) easy to deal with
|
|
|
|
truculent
|
adj. eager or quick to argue or fight
|
|
|
|
vaunt
|
v. to boast about or praise (something)
|
|
|
|
amercement
|
n. (hist. English law) a fine
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forfeiture
|
n. something that has been lost or given up as a necessary consequence of something else
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|
awry
|
adj. (of a person) easy to control or influence; (of a situation/problem) easy to deal with
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|
semaphore
|
n. a particular system of sending messages
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|
fallacious
|
adj. faulty reasoning
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|
capricious
|
adj. given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior
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|
incendiary
|
adj. (of a device or attack) designed to cause fires
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|
copious
|
adj. abundant in supply or quantity
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|
sumptuous
|
adj. splending and expensive looking
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docile
|
adj. ready to accept control or instruction; submissive
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raucous
|
adj. making or constituting a disturbingly harsh and loud noise
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|
postulate
|
v. to suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of (something) as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief
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|
prognosticate
|
v. to foretell or prophesy (an event in the future)
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|
conciliate
|
v. 1. to stop someone from being angry or discontented; pacify 2. (archaic) to gain (esteem or goodwill)
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pittance
|
n. a very small or inadequate amount of money paid to someone as an allowance or wage
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scurrilous
|
adj. making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation
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|
eclectic
|
adj. deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources
|
Her eclectic style of music does not fit neatly into any one genre.
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excoriate
|
v. to censure or criticize severely
|
The FCC has often excoriated music and films for being too lewd, vulgar, and/or violent.
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objurgate
|
v. to reproach or renounce vehemently; berate sharply
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extol
|
v. to praise enthusiastically
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collusion
|
n. secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, esp. in order to cheat or deceive others
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fustian
|
n. pompous or pretentious speech or writing
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nugatory
|
adj. of no real value; trifling; worthless
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|
saturnine
|
adj. (of a person or their manner) slow and gloomy
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|
neophyte
|
n. a person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief
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|
indignation
|
n. anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment
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|
miscegenate
|
v. to interbreed (people) considered to be of different racial types
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|
altruistic
|
adj. unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others
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|
virile
|
adj. (of a man) having strength, energy, adn a strong sex drive
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choleric
|
adj. bad-tempered or irritable
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bestial
|
adj. of or like an animal or animals
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surreptitious
|
adj. obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine
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furtive
|
adj. attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically b/c of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble
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|
egregious
|
adj. outstandingly bad
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|
|
lurid
|
adj. very vivid in color, so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect
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|
propitious
|
adj. giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable
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|
auspicious
|
adj. conducive to success; favorable
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|
|
|
evanescent
|
adj. soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading or disappearing
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|
aggregative
|
adj. of or pertaining to a whole, total
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|
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|
malapropos
|
adj. inappropriate; out of place
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|
funereal
|
adj. mournful; gloomy; dismal
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|
|
boorish
|
adj. unmannered; crude; insensitive
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|
virulence
|
n. extreme hostility
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|
|
|
duct
|
n. a channel or tube for conveying something
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|
|
|
penurious
|
adj. extremely stingy; parsimonious; miserly
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|
|
|
supineness
|
n. a failure to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence
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|
chevron
|
n. a badge or insignia consisting of stripes meeting at an angle, worn on the sleeve of a uniform to indicate rank, merit, length of service
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|
coronet
|
n. a small, or relatively simple crown, esp. as worn by lesser royalty and peers
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|
liturgics
|
n. the science or art of conducting public worship
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|
|
lascivious
|
adj. inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd
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|
|
|
spoonerism
|
n. the transposition of initial words or other sounds of words, usually by accident
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|
carousal
|
n. a noisy or drunken feast or social gathering
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|
proclivity
|
n. natural or habitual inclination or tendency; propensity; predisposition
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|
dilatory
|
adj. tending ot delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy
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|
|
|
parallax
|
n. the apparent displacement of an observed object due to a change in the position of the observer
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|
|
propinquity
|
n. nearness in place; proximity
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|
|
|
interstice
|
n. an intervening space
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|
|
corpulent
|
adj. large or bulky of body; portly; stout; fat
|
Look at that corpulent cow! You sure can tell that she's been well fed.
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|
portly
|
adj. rather heavy or fat; stout; corpulent
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|
|
|
vociferate
|
v. to speak or cry out loudly or noisily; shout; brawl
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|
|
|
caloric
|
adj. of or pertaining to heat
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|
|
|
chevron
|
n. a badge or insignia consisting of stripes meeting at an angle, worn on the sleeve of a uniform to indicate rank, merit, length of service
|
|
|
|
coronet
|
n. a small, or relatively simple crown, esp. as worn by lesser royalty and peers
|
|
|
|
liturgics
|
n. the science or art of conducting public worship
|
|
|
|
lascivious
|
adj. inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd
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|
|
|
spoonerism
|
n. the transposition of initial words or other sounds of words, usually by accident
|
|
|
|
carousal
|
n. a noisy or drunken feast or social gathering
|
|
|
|
proclivity
|
n. natural or habitual inclination or tendency; propensity; predisposition
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|
|
|
dilatory
|
adj. tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy
|
|
|
|
parallax
|
n. the apparent displacement of an observed object due to a change in the position of the observer
|
|
|
|
propinquity
|
n. nearness in place; proximity
|
|
|
|
interstice
|
n. an intervening space
|
|
|
|
corpulent
|
adj. large or bulky of body; portly; stout; fat
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|
|
|
portly
|
adj. rather heavy or fat; stout; corpulent
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|
|
|
vociferate
|
v. to speak or cry out loudly or noisily; shout; brawl
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|
|
|
caloric
|
adj. of or pertaining to heat
|
|
|
|
modicum
|
n. a moderate or small amount
|
|
|
|
ravenous
|
adj. extremely hungry; famished; voracious
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|
|
|
invidious
|
adj. calculated to create ill will or resentment or give offense; hateful
|
|
|
|
hedonistic
|
adj. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a person whose life is devoted to the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification
|
|
|
|
stoic
|
n. a person who maintains or affects the mental attitude avocated by the Stoics(free from passion)
|
|
|
|
latency
|
n. the state of being not yet evident or active
|
|
|
|
tutelage
|
n. instruction; teaching; guidance
|
|
|
|
immiscibility
|
n. something that is incapable of being mixed
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|
|
|
vincture
|
n. a binding
|
|
|
|
imbue
|
v. to transpire or permeate with a feeling or quality
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|
|
|
paltry
|
adj. riciculously or insultingly small
|
|
|
|
singular
|
adj. exceptionally good or great; remarkable
|
|
|
|
elegy
|
n. a sorrowful poem or speech, esp. as a lament for the dead
|
|
|
|
vituperative
|
adj. characterized by harshly abusive censure
|
|
|
|
lambaste
|
v. to reprimand or berate harshly; censure; excoriate
|
|
|
|
diatribe
|
n. a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation, attack, or criticism
|
|
|
|
harangue
|
n. a scolding or a long or intense verbal attack; diatribe
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|
|
|
excoriate
|
v. to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally
|
|
|
|
canard
|
n. a false or baseless, usually derogatory, story
|
|
|
|
ersatz
|
adj. serving as a substitute; synthetic; artificial
|
|
|
|
equivocate
|
v. to use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid commitment or in order to mislead; prevarication or hedge
|
|
|
|
spurious
|
adj. not genuine, authentic, or true; not from the claimed, pretended, or proper source
|
|
|
|
pedant
|
n. 1. precisionist; perfectionist; formalist 2. intellectual; academic
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|
|
|
deride
|
v. to laugh at in scorn or contempt
|
|
|
|
ostentation
|
n. pretentious or conspicuous show, as of wealth or importance; display intended to impress others
|
|
|
|
elusive
|
adj. cleverly or skillfully evasive
|
|
|
|
provident
|
adj. having or showing foresight; providing carefully for the future
|
The provident parents put money aside from each of their paychecks so that they could one day send their children to college.
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|
|
furtive
|
adj. taken, done, used, etc., surreptitiously or by stealth; secret
|
The cheater furtively copied the teacher's answer key before he took the exam.
|
|
|
derisive
|
adj. contemptuous; mocking
|
|
|
|
dulcet
|
adj. pleasant sounding, soothing to the ear; agreeable
|
|
|
|
donnybrook
|
n. an inordinately wild fight or contentious dispute; brawl; free-for-all
|
|
|
|
timorous
|
adj. full of fear; fearful
|
|
|
|
pernicious
|
adj. causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful
|
|
|
|
brazen
|
adj. shameless or impudent; bold
|
|
|
|
sybarite
|
n. a person devoted to luxury and pleasure
|
|
|
|
natty
|
adj. neatly or trimly smart in dress or appearance; spruce
|
|
|
|
sapience
|
adj. having or showing great wisdom or sound judgment
|
|
|
|
fatuity
|
n. complacent stupidity; foolishness
|
|
|
|
astringent
|
adj. having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe
|
|
|
|
extemporaneous
|
adj. improvised; done without preparation
|
Since she truly did not expect to win the award, she did not bother to prepare an acceptance speech. Thus, when she won, she had to deliver an extemporaneous speech.
|
|
|
engender
|
v. to cause, produce, give rise to
|
|
|
|
cozen
|
v. to deceive, beguile, hoodwink
|
|
|
|
expatiate
|
v. to discuss or write about at length; to range freely
|
|
|
|
nonplussed
|
adj. baffled, in a quandary, at a loss for what to say, do, or think
|
|
|
|
limn
|
v. to draw, outline in detail
|
|
|
|
avarice
|
n. greed, esp. for wealth
|
|
|
|
limpid
|
adj. transparent, serene, clear and simple in style, untroubled
|
|
|
|
exigent
|
adj. urgent; pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
|
|
|
|
vituperate
|
v. to use condemnatory language; abuse or censure severely
|
|
|
|
verisimilitude
|
n. the appearance of truth; the quality of seeming to be true
|
She provided her story with verisimilitude when she passed the lie detector.
|
|
|
inimical
|
adj. damaging, harmful, injurious, hostile, unfriendly
|
|
|
|
ebullience
|
adj. the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
|
|
|
|
assiduous
|
adj. diligent, hard-working
|
|
|
|
incipient
|
adj. beginning to come into being or to become apparent
|
|
|
|
peremptory
|
adj. admitting of no contradiction, putting an end to further debate, haughty, imperious
|
|
|
|
sundry
|
adj. various, miscellaneous, separate
|
|
|
|
feckless
|
adj. ineffectual; irresponsible
|
I always have to remind my feckless roommate, Fred, to go to class, do his homework, and to pay his bills on time.
|
|
|
pariah
|
n. an outcast, a rejected and despised person
|
|
|
|
panegyric
|
n. formal expression of praise
|
|
|
|
panegyric
|
n. a formal expression of praise
|
|
|
|
ineluctable
|
adj. certain; inevitable
|
|
|
|
insouciant
|
adj. unconcerned, carefree, nonchalant
|
The insouciant student was so unconcerned about her studies that she would get soused on the night before her finals.
|
|
|
refulgent
|
adj. radiant, shiny, brilliant
|
That sure is one refulgent ruby; it's absolutely radiant!
|
|
|
nostrum
|
n. cure-all, placebo, questionable remedy
|
|
|
|
denigrate
|
v. to blacken, belittle, sully, defame, disparage
|
|
|
|
venal
|
adj. capable of being bought or bribed, mercenary
|
|
|
|
prattle
|
v. to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
|
|
|
|
quail
|
v. to shrink back in fear; lose courage
|
|
|
|
gossamer
|
adj. delicate, insubstantial or tenuous; insincere
|
|
|
|
philistine
|
n. a crass individual guided by material rather than intellectual or artistic values
|
|
|
|
germane
|
adj. relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
|
|
|
|
effusive
|
adj. gushing; excessively demonstrative
|
|
|
|
distrait
|
v. distracted; absent-minded, esp. due to anxiety
|
|
|
|
mince
|
v. to pronounce or speak affectedly or too carefully, euphemize, take tiny steps, tiptoe
|
|
|
|
rancorous
|
adj. characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
|
|
|
|
extirpate
|
v. to destroy, exterminate, cut out, pull out by the roots
|
|
|
|
rue
|
v. to regret, feel remorse
|
|
|
|
palliate
|
v. to make something appear less serious, gloss over, mitigate
|
|
|
|
hirsute
|
adj. hairy, shaggy
|
|
|
|
mellifluous
|
adj. sweetly flowing, usually used to describe words or sounds
|
|
|
|
pundit
|
n. an authority on a subject, one who gives opinions
|
|
|
|
pillory
|
v. to punish, hold up to public scorn
|
|
|
|
enormity
|
n. excessive wickedness; evilness
|
|
|
|
depradations
|
n. attacks, ravages
|
|
|
|
byzantine
|
adj. labrynthine, complex
|
|
|
|
dynamo
|
n. generator; forceful, engertic person
|
|
|
|
pernicious
|
adj. extremely harmful, potentially causing death
|
|
|
|
salacious
|
adj. appealing to or causing sexual desire, bawdy
|
|
|
|
grouse
|
v. to complain or grumble
|
|
|
|
rancorous
|
adj. characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
|
|
|
|
extirpate
|
v. to destroy, exterminate, cut out, pull out by the roots
|
|
|
|
rue
|
v. to regret, feel remorse
|
|
|
|
palliate
|
v. to make something appear less serious, gloss over, mitigate
|
|
|
|
hirsute
|
adj. hairy, shaggy
|
|
|
|
mellifluous
|
adj. sweetly flowing, usually used to describe words or sounds
|
|
|
|
pundit
|
n. an authority on a subject, one who gives opinions
|
|
|
|
pillory
|
v. to punish, hold up to public scorn
|
|
|
|
enormity
|
n. excessive wickedness; evilness
|
|
|
|
depradations
|
n. attacks, ravages
|
|
|
|
byzantine
|
adj. labrynthine, complex
|
|
|
|
dynamo
|
n. generator; forceful, energetic person
|
Dina is a dynamo who knows how to get what she wants.
|
|
|
pernicious
|
adj. extremely harmful, potentially causing death
|
|
|
|
salacious
|
adj. appealing ot or causing sexual desire, bawdy
|
|
|
|
grouse
|
v. to complain or grumble
|
|
|
|
eschew
|
v. to shun or avoid
|
|
|
|
plaintive
|
adj. mournful, melancholy, sorrowful
|
|
|
|
mellifluous
|
adj. sweetly flowing, usually used to describe words or sounds
|
|
|
|
pundit
|
n. an authority on a subject, one who gives opinions
|
|
|
|
pillory
|
v. to punish, hold up to public scorn
|
|
|
|
enormity
|
n. excessive wickedness; evilness
|
|
|
|
interdict
|
v. to prohibit, forbid, ban, halt
|
When the judge issued the restraining order against him, she interdicted him from being near his family.
|
|
|
regale
|
v. to delight or entertain, feast
|
|
|
|
ubiquitous
|
adj. existing everywhere at the same time, constantly encountered, widespread
|
|
|
|
succor
|
n. assistance, relief in time of distress
|
After Hurricane Katrina, people sent food and money to the city of New Orleans in order to provide those affected by the tragedy with succor.
|
|
|
polemical
|
adj. controversial, argumentative
|
|
|
|
venality
|
n. the use of position for personal gain
|
|
|
|
piquant
|
adj. agreeably pungent, spicy, stimulating
|
|
|
|
nascent
|
adj. coming into being; in early developmental stages
|
|
|
|
equanimity
|
n. composure, self-possession
|
|
|
|
putrefy
|
v. to rot, decay and give off a foul odor, become gangrenous
|
|
|
|
guile
|
n. trickery, duplicity, cunning
|
Beware of the pirates' guile; they sure are a cunning bunch.
|
|
|
arabesque
|
n. complex, ornate design
|
|
|
|
maverick
|
n. an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
|
|
|
|
minatory
|
adj. menacing, threatening
|
|
|
|
sophistry
|
n. fallacious reasoning; plausible but faulty logic
|
|
|
|
jocose
|
adj. given to joking; humorous
|
|
|
|
obstreperous
|
adj. noisy, loudly stubborn, boisterous
|
|
|
|
imbroglio
|
n. difficult or embarrassing situation
|
|
|
|
jejune
|
adj. vapid, uninteresting; childish, immature; lacking nutrition
|
|
|
|
supercilious
|
adj. disdainful, arrogant, haughty, characterized by haughty scorn
|
|
|
|
brook
|
v. to tolerate, endure, countenance
|
|
|
|
impetuous
|
adj. hastily or rashly energetic, impulsive and vehement
|
|
|
|
fetid
|
adj. stinking, having a heavy bad smell
|
|
|
|
ostensible
|
adj. seeming, appearing as such, professed
|
|
|
|
putrefy
|
v. to rot, decay and give off a foul odor, become gangrenous
|
|
|
|
guile
|
n. trickery, duplicity, cunning
|
|
|
|
arabesque
|
n. complex, ornate design
|
|
|
|
maverick
|
n. an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
|
|
|
|
minatory
|
adj. menacing, threatening
|
|
|
|
sophistry
|
n. fallacious reasoning; plausible but faulty logic
|
|
|
|
jocose
|
adj. given to joking; humorous
|
|
|
|
obstreperous
|
adj. noisy, loudly stubborn, boisterous
|
|
|
|
imbroglio
|
n. difficult or embarrassing situation
|
|
|
|
jejune
|
adj. vapid, uninteresting; childish, immature; lacking nutrition
|
|
|
|
supercilious
|
adj. disdainful, arrogant, haughty, characterized by haughty scorn
|
|
|
|
brook
|
v. to tolerate, endure, countenance
|
|
|
|
impetuous
|
adj. hastily or rashly energetic, impulsive and vehement
|
|
|
|
fetid
|
adj. stinking, having a heavy bad smell
|
|
|
|
ostensible
|
adj. seeming, appearing as such, professed
|
|
|
|
neologism
|
n. a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses
|
|
|
|
precarious
|
adj. uncertain, risky, dangerous
|
|
|
|
adumbrate
|
v. to foreshadow vaguely, intimate, sugest or outline sketchily
|
|
|
|
tendentious
|
adj. biased, showing marked tendencies
|
|
|
|
sinecure
|
n. position requiring little or no work and usually providing an income
|
|
|
|
arcane
|
adj. mysterious, abstruse, esoteric, knowing only by initiates
|
|
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labile
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adj. readily open to change, unstable
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cache
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n. place of concealment for provisions or valuables; a store of goods or valuables in a concealed place
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blandishment
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n. a flattering or pleasing statement or action used to persuade someone gently to do something
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After my friend's boyfriend broke up with her, I had to tell her all sorts of blandishments just to get her out of bed.
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ineluctable
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adj. unable to be resisted or avoided
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While the doctor dreaded telling his patient's family the unfortunate news, he knew that it was ineluctable when they confronted him out near the waiting room.
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modality
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n. a particular mode in which something exists or is experienced or expressed; a particular method or procedure
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truncate
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v. to shorten (something) by cutting off the top or the end
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mawkish
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adj. sentimental in a feeble or sickly way
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abdicate
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v. to give up a position, right, or power
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abjure
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v. to reject, abandon formally
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ablution
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n. act of cleansing
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adumbrate
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v. to sketch, outline in a shadowy way
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aerie
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n. nook or nest built high in the air
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amortize
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v. to diminish by installment payments
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After continuously making monthly payments on my student loans, my balance amortized.
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arboreal
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adj. relating to trees; living in trees
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beatific
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adj. saintly, angelic
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bonhomie
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n. good-natured geniality; atmosphere of good cheer
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cajole
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v. to flatter, coax, persuade
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canard
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n. a lie
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carom
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v. to strike and rebound
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cavalcade
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n. a procession
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cistern
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n. tank for rainwater
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coffer
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n. strongbox, large chest for money
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cognomen
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family name; any name, esp. a nickname
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compunctious
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adj. feeling guilty or having misgivings
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conciliatory
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adj. overcoming distrust or hostility
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corrugate
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v. to mold in a shape with parallel grooves and ridges
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cosset
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v. to pamper, treat with great care
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denigrate
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v. to slur or blacken someone's reputation
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diaphanous
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adj. allowing light to show through; delicate
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distaff
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n. the female branch of a family
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dolor
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n. sadness
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effluvia
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n. outpouring of gases or vapors
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effulgent
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adj. brilliantly shining
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emend
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v. to correct a text
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ersatz
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adj. fake
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From a distance, her purse appears to be an authentic Louis Vuitton, but upon close inspection, you can tell that it's ersatz.
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extrapolate
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v. to estimate
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fey
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adj. doomed
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fulsome
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adj. excessive, overdone, sickingly abundant
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germinate
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v. to being to grow (as in a seed or idea)
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gnostic
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adj. having to do with knowledge
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ilk
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n. type or kind
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imbue
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v. to infuse; dye; wet, moisten
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imperious
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adj. arrogantly self-assured, domineering, overbearing
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impolitic
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adj. unwise
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inculcate
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v. to teach; impress in the mind
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A teacher's main goal should be to inculcate her students with valuable lessons.
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inculpate
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v. to blame; charge with a crime
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indefatigable
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adj. never tired
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indubitable
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adj. unquestionable
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insuperable
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adj. insurmountable, unconquerable
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interpolate
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v. to insert; change by adding new words or material
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jingoism
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n. belligerent support of one's country
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juggernaut
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n. huge force destroying everything in its path
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kismet
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n. fate
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knell
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n. sound of a funeral bell; omen of death or failure
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lapidary
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adj. relating to precious stones
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lassitude
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n. lethargy, sluggishness
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legerdemain
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n. trickery
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lexicon
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n. dictionary, list of words
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libidinous
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adj. lustful
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liniment
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n. medicinal liquid used externally to ease pain
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lissome
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adj. easily flexed, limber, agile
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macabre
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adj. gruesome, producing horror
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malapropism
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n. humerous misuse of a word
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martinet
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n. strict disciplinarian; one who rigidly follows rules
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maudlin
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adj. overly sentimental
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minatory
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adj. menacing, threatening
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molt
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v. to shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically
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mordacious
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adj. caustic, biting
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mote
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n. small particle, speck
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munificent
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adj. generous
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necromancy
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n. black magic
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nihilism
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n. belief that existence and all traditional values are meaningless
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numismatics
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n. coin collecting
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paean
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n. a song of praise or thanksgiving
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panacea
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n. cure-all
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panoply
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n. impressive array
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parochial
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adj. of limited scope or outlook, provincial
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pastiche
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n. piece of literature or music imitating other works
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peculation
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n. theft of money or goods
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Kevin was arrested for peculation after the bank caught him stealing money from my brother's bank account.
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penultimate
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adj. next to last
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penumbra
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n. partial shadow
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pernicious
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adj. very harmful
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Penicillin is a wonder drug for many people, however, if you are allergic to penicillin, it will be pernicious to your health.
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phalanx
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n. massed group of soldiers, people, or things
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plangent
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adj. resounding; plaintive; expressing or suggesting sadness
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polyglot
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n. speaker of many languages
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posit
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v. to put in position; to suggest an idea
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prescient
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adj. having foresight
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privation
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n. lack of usual necessities or comforts
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promulgate
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v. to make known publicly
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propinquity
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n. nearness
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proselytize
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v. to induce someone to convert to a particular belief or religion
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prurient
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adj. lustful, exhibiting lewd desires
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pulchritude
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adj. beauty
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raconteur
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n. a witty, skillful storyteller
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raillery
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n. lighthearted jesting
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rancor
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adj. bitter hatred
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recreant
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adj. disloyal; cowardly
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renitent
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adj. resisting pressure, obstinate
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repast
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n. meal
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requite
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v. to return or repay
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restive
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adj. impatient, uneasy, restless
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ribald
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adj. humorous in a vulgar way
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riposte
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n. a retort
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rococo
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adj. very highly ornamented
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sacrosanct
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adj. extremely sacred; beyond criticism
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sapient
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adj. wise
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sedition
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n. behavior promoting rebellion
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sepulchral
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adj. typical of a place of burial
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shirk
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v. to avoid a task due to laziness or fear
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She shirked away from returning the angry customer's phone call all day long.
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slake
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v. to quench or moderate
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slovenly
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adj. untidy, messy
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solipsism
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n. belief that the self is the only reality
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staid
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adj. self-restrained, strait-laced
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stentorian
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adj. extremely loud
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stymie
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v. to block or thwart
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subterfuge
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n. trick or tactic used to avoid something
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sybarite
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n. person devoted to pleasure and luxury
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syncopation
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n. temporary irregularity in musical rhythm
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tableau
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n. vivid description, striking incident or scene
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talisman
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n. something producing a magical effect
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temerity
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n. recklessness
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threnody
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n. a sad poem or song
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trammel
|
v. to impede or hamper
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untoward
|
adj. not favorable; unruly
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usury
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n. lending money at exorbitant rates
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virile
|
adj. manly, having qualities of an adult male
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vitiate
|
v. to reduce in value or effectiveness
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waspish
|
adj. easily irritated (like a wasp in behavior)
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wraith
|
n. a ghost
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inveterate
|
adj. having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change
|
She was an inveterate gambler; gambling had been her pitfall for years. She would gamble whenever and wherever she had the chance.
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peripatetic
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adj. traveling from place to place, esp. working or based in various places for places for relatively short periods
|
The employer was turned off by the peripatetic applicant's resume because he did not want to hire a person who moved from place to place and from job to job.
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beleaguer
|
v. 1. to surround with military forces
2. to surround or beset, as with troubles |
The United States beleaguered the Iraq.
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jaunty
|
adj. having or expressing a lively, cheerful, and self-confident manner
|
The jaunty bartender's liveliness was able to make even her most depressed patron's happy.
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malcontent
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n. a person who is dissatisfied and rebellious
adj. not satisfied or content with currently prevailing conditions or circumstances |
We knew that the employee was malcontent with his job, but we did not actually expect him to set fire to the building.
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satiety
|
n. the state of being gratified; the state of having one's desire or appetite satisfied
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On Thanksgiving, I was in a state of complete satiety.
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avarice
|
n. extreme greed for wealth or material gain
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His gold-digging wife married him solely because she had an avarice for material gain.
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pretension
|
n. a claim or the assertion of a claim to something; the use of affection to impress
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They laughed at my pretensions to superior judgment
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impolitic
|
adj. failing to possess or display prudence; unwise; inappropriate
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That was an impolitic approach to a sensitive issue.
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vendetta
|
n. a blood fued in which the family of a murdered person seeks vengeance on the murderer or the murderer's family
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There has been a bitter vendetta between the two families for years.
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celerity
|
n. swiftness of movement
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When the sluggish tortoise caught a glance of the hare's celerity, he did not think that he stood a chance to beat him in the race.
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importune
|
v. to ask (someone) pressingly and persistently for or to do something
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The spoiled child importuned her parents to buy her a pony until they finally caved in and bought one for her.
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promontory
|
n. a point of high land that juts out into a large body of water; a headland
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When you're sailing around the coast, be careful that you don't run into any promontories.
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maudlin
|
adj. self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental, often through drunkeness
|
When was drunk, she displayed an almost maudlin concern for the roadkill that she saw out the window.
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despondent
|
adj. in low spirits from loss of hope or courage
|
After she had been turned down so many times, she became despondent.
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hubris
|
n. excessive pride or self-confidence
|
The NFL star flashed his superbowl ring with hubris.
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mawkish
|
adj. sentimental in a feeble or sickly way
|
That greeting card is way too mawkish for me to give to anyone; even if I am married to the man, the card is just sickly sentimental.
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|
conjecture
|
n. an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information
|
The commentators made various conjectures about the outcome of the next election.
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|
despot
|
n. a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppresive way.
|
Stahlin was a despot.
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inculcate
|
v. to instill (an attitude, idea, or habit) by persistent instruction
|
The Sunday school teacher tried to inculcate virtue in the young.
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soporific
|
adj. tending to induce drowsiness or sleep
|
Those bedtime stories are soporific; it only takes a couple of minutes before they make my kids fall asleep.
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