Gre Worda

Front 1

abase

Back 1

lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect

Front 2

abash

Back 2

embarrass

Front 3

abate

Back 3

to lessen; to subside

Front 4

aberrant

Back 4

deviating from normal or correct.

Front 5

abet

Back 5

assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage

Front 6

abeyance

Back 6

suspended action

Front 7

abject

Back 7

(of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology

Front 8

abjure

Back 8

promise or swear to give up

Front 9

ablution

Back 9

washing

Front 10

abominable

Back 10

detestable; extremely unpleasant

Front 11

abortive

Back 11

unsuccessful; fruitless

Front 12

abrogate

Back 12

abolish

Front 13

abrogate

Back 13

repeal or annul by authority

Front 14

abscission

Back 14

cutting off; separation

Front 15

abscond

Back 15

depart secretly and hide

Front 16

abscond

Back 16

to leave secretly and hide, often to avoid the law.

Front 17

abstemious

Back 17

sparing in eating and drinking; temperate

Front 18

abstemious

Back 18

restraint, especially of food and alcohol

Front 19

abstruse

Back 19

difficult to comprehend; obscure

Front 20

abusive

Back 20

coarsely insulting; physically harmful

Front 21

abut

Back 21

border upon; adjoin

Front 22

acarpous

Back 22

effete; no longer fertile; worn out

Front 23

accede

Back 23

agree

Front 24

acclivity

Back 24

sharp upslope of a hill; OP. declivity

Front 25

accoutre

Back 25

equip; N. accoutrement

Front 26

accretion

Back 26

growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete

Front 27

accrue

Back 27

come to one as a gain; accumulate over time; come about by addition; Ex. benefits that accrue from scientific research; Ex. interest accruing in a bank account; N. accrual

Front 28

acerbity

Back 28

bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste, manner, or tone)

Front 29

acetic

Back 29

vinegary

Front 30

acidulous

Back 30

slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic

Front 31

acrid

Back 31

bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent

Front 32

acrimonious

Back 32

stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior

Front 33

acrophobia

Back 33

fear of heights

Front 34

actuate

Back 34

motivate; activate; cause to act

Front 35

acuity

Back 35

sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing)

Front 36

acumen

Back 36

mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen

Front 37

addle

Back 37

make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg)

Front 38

adduce

Back 38

to offer as example, reason or proof

Front 39

adjunct

Back 39

something attached to but holding an inferior position

Front 40

adjuration

Back 40

solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly

Front 41

adjure

Back 41

to beg

Front 42

adjutant

Back 42

staff officer assisting the commander; assistant

Front 43

admonitory

Back 43

containing warning

Front 44

adulation

Back 44

flattery; admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved

Front 45

adulterate

Back 45

make impure or of poorer quality by adding inferior or tainted(contaminated) substances

Front 46

adumbrate

Back 46

to suggest or hint; overshadow

Front 47

adventitious

Back 47

accidental; casual; happening by chance

Front 48

advert

Back 48

refer

Front 49

aegis

Back 49

shield; protection; defense

Front 50

aerie(aery,eyrie,eyry)

Back 50

nest of a large bird of prey

Front 51

agglomeration

Back 51

collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. aggolmeate: jumbled mass; heap

Front 52

aggrandize

Back 52

make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; N. aggrandizement

Front 53

aggregate

Back 53

sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars

Front 54

agog

Back 54

highly excited; intensely curious

Front 55

agrarian

Back 55

pertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform

Front 56

airy

Back 56

of air; high in the air; lofty; immaterial; unreal

Front 57

alacrity

Back 57

cheerful promptness without reluctance

Front 58

alchemy

Back 58

medieval chemistry

Front 59

alcove

Back 59

nook; recess

Front 60

alimentary

Back 60

supplying nourishment

Front 61

allay

Back 61

calm; pacify

Front 62

allure

Back 62

entice; attract; tempt

Front 63

alluvial

Back 63

pertaining to soil deposits left by running water

Front 64

altruistic

Back 64

unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altiruism: unselfish concern for the welfare of others; unselfishness; OP. egoism

Front 65

amalgam

Back 65

combination of different things; mixture of metals (containing mercury) used for filling holes in teeth

Front 66

amalgamate

Back 66

(of societies or groups) combine; unite in one body

Front 67

ambivalence

Back 67

the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions

Front 68

ameliorate

Back 68

improve; make better

Front 69

amiable

Back 69

agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly

Front 70

amity

Back 70

friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations

Front 71

amoral

Back 71

nonmoral; having no understanding of right and wrong

Front 72

amorous

Back 72

moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances

Front 73

amortize

Back 73

end (a debt) by setting aside money

Front 74

anachronism

Back 74

an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic

Front 75

analgesia

Back 75

condition of being unable to feel pain

Front 76

analgesic

Back 76

causing insensitivity to pain; N.

Front 77

analogous

Back 77

comparable; similar

Front 78

anathema

Back 78

solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize

Front 79

ancillary

Back 79

serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N.

Front 80

anemia

Back 80

condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic

Front 81

anesthetic

Back 81

substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia

Front 82

animadversion

Back 82

critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval

Front 83

animus

Back 83

hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition

Front 84

anneal

Back 84

reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass)

Front 85

anodyne

Back 85

drug that relieves pain or trouble; ¡¯≈Ρ¶; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement

Front 86

anomalous

Back 86

peculiar; unique, contrary to the norm (n: anomaly)

Front 87

antebellum

Back 87

existing before a war

Front 88

antecedents

Back 88

preceding events that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background

Front 89

antediluvian

Back 89

ancient; outmoded; (literally,before the flood); made a long time ago

Front 90

anthropoid

Back 90

manlike; resembling a human being; N.

Front 91

anthropologist

Back 91

student of the history and science of humankind

Front 92

anthropomorphic

Back 92

having human form or characteristics

Front 93

antipathy

Back 93

hostility toward, objection, or aversion to

Front 94

antithesis

Back 94

contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical

Front 95

antithetical

Back 95

direct opposing

Front 96

aphasia

Back 96

loss of speech due to injury or illness

Front 97

aphasia

Back 97

loss of the power to use or comprehend words

Front 98

aphorism

Back 98

pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic

Front 99

apiarist

Back 99

person who keeps bees

Front 100

apiary

Back 100

a place where bees are kept

Front 101

apiculture

Back 101

bee-keeping

Front 102

aplomb

Back 102

poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence

Front 103

apocryphal

Back 103

(of a story) widely believed but untrue

Front 104

apogee

Back 104

highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee

Front 105

apoplexy

Back 105

stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain

Front 106

apothegm(apophthegm)

Back 106

pithy, compact saying

Front 107

apotheosis

Back 107

elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something

Front 108

apotheosis

Back 108

deification; glorification to godliness

Front 109

apparition

Back 109

ghost; phantom

Front 110

appellation

Back 110

name; title

Front 111

appellation

Back 111

identifying name or title

Front 112

apposite

Back 112

appropriate; fitting

Front 113

approbation

Back 113

approval

Front 114

approbation

Back 114

approval

Front 115

appurtenances

Back 115

subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing

Front 116

apropos

Back 116

with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos (of) the present situation; ADJ. ADV.

Front 117

aquiline

Back 117

curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose

Front 118

arabesque

Back 118

a complex ornate design

Front 119

arable

Back 119

fit for growing crops; Ex. arable land

Front 120

arboreal

Back 120

of or living in trees

Front 121

arcane

Back 121

esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener

Front 122

arch-

Back 122

chief; first; Ex. archbishop

Front 123

archetype

Back 123

prototype; primitive pattern

Front 124

archipelago

Back 124

group of closely located islands

Front 125

ardor

Back 125

heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent

Front 126

arduous

Back 126

steep; difficult; ascent; laborious

Front 127

argot

Back 127

slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people

Front 128

arraign

Back 128

charge in court; indict

Front 129

arrant

Back 129

in the highest degree

Front 130

arrears

Back 130

being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done

Front 131

arroyo

Back 131

gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater

Front 132

artifice

Back 132

deception; trickery

Front 133

artless

Back 133

without guile; open and honest

Front 134

ascendancy

Back 134

controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant

Front 135

ascetic

Back 135

practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism

Front 136

aseptic

Back 136

preventing infection; having a cleansing effect

Front 137

aseptic

Back 137

surgically clean

Front 138

asperity

Back 138

sharpness; roughness; severity (of temper or weather); Ex. asperities of a Russian winter

Front 139

aspersion

Back 139

slanderous remark; Ex. cast aspersions on

Front 140

aspersion

Back 140

slander

Front 141

aspirant

Back 141

seeker after position or status

Front 142

assay

Back 142

analyze (to discover what materials are present); evaluate (soil or ore)

Front 143

assent

Back 143

agree; accept; N. assessment

Front 144

assuage

Back 144

to make less severe; to appease or satisfy

Front 145

astigmatism

Back 145

eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism

Front 146

astringent

Back 146

binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism

Front 147

atavism

Back 147

resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic

Front 148

atelier

Back 148

artist's workroom

Front 149

atrocity

Back 149

brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious

Front 150

attenuate

Back 150

make thin; weaken; enervate

Front 151

augury

Back 151

omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future)

Front 152

august

Back 152

impressive; majestic

Front 153

aureole

Back 153

sun's corona; halo; bright circle of light

Front 154

auroral

Back 154

pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis

Front 155

auspicious

Back 155

favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices

Front 156

auspicious

Back 156

favorable; successful; prosperous

Front 157

austere

Back 157

forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monk's austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity

Front 158

automaton

Back 158

mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself

Front 159

avarice

Back 159

greediness for wealth

Front 160

aver

Back 160

state confidently; declare as true

Front 161

aver

Back 161

affirm; assert; prove; justify; declair

Front 162

avert

Back 162

prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought); Ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; Ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight.

Front 163

avocation

Back 163

secondary or minor occupation

Front 164

avuncular

Back 164

of or like an uncle

Front 165

axiom

Back 165

self-evident truth requiring no proof

Front 166

bacchanal

Back 166

noisy party with a lot of drinking

Front 167

Bacchanalia

Back 167

the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus

Front 168

bacchanalian

Back 168

drunken, orgy

Front 169

badinage

Back 169

teasing conversation; banter; joking talk

Front 170

baleful

Back 170

evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look

Front 171

balk

Back 171

stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate

Front 172

banal

Back 172

hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich\'ed

Front 173

bandy

Back 173

discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with

Front 174

bank

Back 174

heap; piled-up mass; embankment; lateral tilting (as of an aircraft in turning); V: pile up; protect with a bank; tilt in turning

Front 175

bantering

Back 175

joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter

Front 176

barrister

Back 176

counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar

Front 177

base

Back 177

contemptible; morally bad; inferior in value or quality; Ex. base motives/conduct; Ex. base metal such as iron

Front 178

bastion

Back 178

stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism

Front 179

bate

Back 179

let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate

Front 180

bawdy

Back 180

indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd

Front 181

bearing

Back 181

deportment; connection

Front 182

beatific

Back 182

giving or showing bliss; blissful

Front 183

beatitude

Back 183

blessedness; state of great happiness

Front 184

bedizen

Back 184

to adorn, especially in a cheap showy manner

Front 185

bedraggle

Back 185

wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled

Front 186

beholden

Back 186

obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude

Front 187

belabor

Back 187

harp on; dwell on tediously; explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally; beat severely; attack physically

Front 188

beleaguer

Back 188

besiege or attack (with an army); harass; beset

Front 189

belie

Back 189

contradict; give a false impression; disguise; Ex. The poor sales belied our high hopes; Ex. Her smile belies her true feeling of displeasure.

Front 190

bellicose

Back 190

belligerent; pugnacious; warlike

Front 191

benison

Back 191

blessing

Front 192

bequest

Back 192

arrangement to give smth at death

Front 193

bereaved

Back 193

deprived of (someone beloved through death)

Front 194

bereft

Back 194

deprived of (something valuable); lacking

Front 195

beset

Back 195

harass or trouble from all directions; hem in

Front 196

besmirch

Back 196

soil; defile; make dirty

Front 197

bestial

Back 197

beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel

Front 198

betoken

Back 198

signify; indicate; be a sign of

Front 199

bicameral

Back 199

two-chambered as a legislative body

Front 200

bifurcated

Back 200

divided into two branches; forked

Front 201

bilge

Back 201

bulge the protuberance of a cask

Front 202

bilious

Back 202

suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated

Front 203

bilk

Back 203

swindle; cheat

Front 204

billow

Back 204

large wave of water; a great swell or surge (of smoke); V: surge, swell, roll in billows

Front 205

bivouac

Back 205

temporary encampment; camp without tents; V.

Front 206

blanch

Back 206

bleach; whiten; make white or pale

Front 207

blandishment

Back 207

speech or action intended to coax someone into doing something

Front 208

blas\'e

Back 208

bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested or bored

Front 209

blight

Back 209

plant disease; V: infect with blight; ruin; destroy

Front 210

blighted

Back 210

suffering from a disease; destroyed

Front 211

blithe

Back 211

cheerful; casual; carefree

Front 212

blithe(blithesome)

Back 212

gay; joyous

Front 213

boon

Back 213

blessing; benefit; something very helpful

Front 214

bovine

Back 214

cowlike; placid and dull; slow-thinking; calm

Front 215

bowdlerize

Back 215

expurgate; CF. Thomas Bowdler

Front 216

brackish

Back 216

somewhat saline

Front 217

braggadocio

Back 217

boasting

Front 218

brindled

Back 218

tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)

Front 219

brocade

Back 219

rich, figured(patterned) fabric

Front 220

bromide

Back 220

platitude; chemical compound used to calm excitement

Front 221

brooch

Back 221

ornamental clasp; pin

Front 222

brook

Back 222

tolerate; endure; Ex. brook no interference; N: small stream

Front 223

brook

Back 223

to tolerate, endure

Front 224

brusque

Back 224

blunt; abrupt; curt; not wanting to waste time being nice

Front 225

bucolic

Back 225

rustic; pastoral

Front 226

bugaboo

Back 226

bugbear; object of baseless terror

Front 227

bulwark

Back 227

strong wall built for defense; earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends

Front 228

burgeon

Back 228

grow rapidly; grow forth; send out buds; Ex. burgeoning computer industry; CF. bludgeon

Front 229

burgeon

Back 229

to grow or flourish; a bud or new growth (adj: burgeoning )

Front 230

burnish

Back 230

make shiny by rubbing; polish

Front 231

buttress

Back 231

support; prop up; N. stationary structure to support wall; Ex. flying buttress

Front 232

buxom

Back 232

full-bosomed; plump; jolly

Front 233

cabal

Back 233

small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests

Front 234

cache

Back 234

hiding place; V.

Front 235

cacophonous

Back 235

discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony: unpleasant mixture of loud sounds

Front 236

cacophony

Back 236

harsh sound

Front 237

cadge

Back 237

to get something by taking advantage of someone; to beg; to get by begging

Front 238

callow

Back 238

youthful; immature; inexperienced

Front 239

calorific

Back 239

heat-producing; N. calorie

Front 240

calumny

Back 240

malicious misrepresentation; slander

Front 241

canard

Back 241

unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report

Front 242

canker

Back 242

any ulcerous sore; ulcer; any evil; CF. cancer

Front 243

canny

Back 243

shrewd in money matters; thrifty

Front 244

cant

Back 244

insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people

Front 245

canter

Back 245

slow gallop; V. CF. trot

Front 246

canto

Back 246

division of a long poem

Front 247

capacious

Back 247

spacious

Front 248

capitulate

Back 248

surrender; give up all resistance

Front 249

caprice

Back 249

whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause

Front 250

capricious

Back 250

unpredictable; fickle

Front 251

captious

Back 251

faultfinding; too critical

Front 252

carapace

Back 252

shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.)

Front 253

carcinogenic

Back 253

causing cancer; N. carcinogen

Front 254

career

Back 254

rush wildly; go at full speed

Front 255

carillon

Back 255

a set of bells (often in a tower) capable of being played

Front 256

carousal

Back 256

drunken revel; V. carouse

Front 257

carouse

Back 257

to drink alcohol freely

Front 258

carp

Back 258

to find fault or complain querulously

Front 259

carping

Back 259

petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble

Front 260

carrion

Back 260

rotting flesh of a dead body; CF. vulture

Front 261

castigate

Back 261

to chastise or criticize severely

Front 262

castigation

Back 262

punishment; severe criticism or disapproval

Front 263

cataclysm

Back 263

deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change

Front 264

cataract

Back 264

great waterfall; eye abnormality (causing a gradual loss of eyesight)

Front 265

catechism

Back 265

book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize

Front 266

catharsis

Back 266

purging or cleansing of any passage of the body; purging and weakening of strong emotions as a result of experiencing a dramatic work of art

Front 267

cathartic

Back 267

purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; ADJ.

Front 268

caustic

Back 268

capable of dissolving by chemical action; highly critical: "His caustic remarks spoiled the mood of the party."; biting; sarcastic

Front 269

cavil

Back 269

quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault unnecessarily

Front 270

cede/cession

Back 270

to surrender possession of, especially by treaty

Front 271

celerity

Back 271

rapidity of motion or action

Front 272

centripetal

Back 272

tending toward the center

Front 273

cerebration

Back 273

thought; working of the brain

Front 274

certitude

Back 274

certainty

Front 275

cession

Back 275

yielding to another; ceding

Front 276

chafe

Back 276

warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N.

Front 277

chaffing

Back 277

bantering; joking

Front 278

chalice

Back 278

goblet; consecrated cup

Front 279

chary

Back 279

cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or restrained about giving; OP. bold

Front 280

chase

Back 280

ornament a metal surface by indenting; follow rapidly to catch

Front 281

chaste

Back 281

morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere

Front 282

chasten

Back 282

discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. castigate

Front 283

chimera

Back 283

illusion or fabrication of the mind

Front 284

chimerical

Back 284

fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; N. chimera: unreal fancy; fire-breathing female creature

Front 285

chivy

Back 285

to tease or annoy with persistent petty attacks

Front 286

choleric

Back 286

hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera

Front 287

chortle

Back 287

chuckle with delight; N.

Front 288

churl

Back 288

bad-tempered person

Front 289

churlish

Back 289

boorish; rude; N. churl: boor; yahoo

Front 290

chutzpah

Back 290

nerve; gall

Front 291

ciliated

Back 291

having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash

Front 292

cipher

Back 292

nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V.

Front 293

circlet

Back 293

small ring; band of gold, silver, jewel, etc. (worn on the head, arms, or neck as decoration)

Front 294

circuitous

Back 294

roundabout

Front 295

circumlocution

Back 295

indirect or roundabout expression (by using an uncecessarily large number of words esp. when trying to avoid answering a difficult question directly)

Front 296

circumscribe

Back 296

limit; confine; draw a line around

Front 297

circumspect

Back 297

prudent; cautious; acting after careful thought

Front 298

clairvoyant

Back 298

having foresight; fortuneteller; N. clairvoyance

Front 299

clamber

Back 299

climb by crawling with difficulties; scramble

Front 300

clandestine

Back 300

secret

Front 301

clapper

Back 301

striker (tongue) of a bell

Front 302

clarion

Back 302

shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times

Front 303

cleft

Back 303

N: split

Front 304

clerical

Back 304

of the clergy or clerk

Front 305

clime

Back 305

climate

Front 306

clique

Back 306

small exclusive group of people

Front 307

cloister

Back 307

monastery or convent

Front 308

cloture

Back 308

closing device (in Parliament) to end a debate by voting

Front 309

cloying

Back 309

distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess

Front 310

coagulate

Back 310

congeal; thicken; clot; N. coagulant

Front 311

coagulation

Back 311

change to a thick and solid state

Front 312

coalesce

Back 312

combine; fuse; N. coalescence

Front 313

coalescing

Back 313

coming together and uniting into one substance

Front 314

codicil

Back 314

supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will

Front 315

codify

Back 315

arrange (laws or rules) as a code; classify; N. code: system of words used instead of ordinary writing; collection of laws, rules, established social customs

Front 316

coeval

Back 316

living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time; contemporary; of the same age; coexisting

Front 317

cogent

Back 317

strong; convincing

Front 318

cogitate

Back 318

think over; ponder; mediate

Front 319

cognate

Back 319

having a common origin; related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature; Ex. cognate languages; N.

Front 320

cognizance

Back 320

knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowledge; aware

Front 321

cognizant

Back 321

being fully aware of

Front 322

cohere

Back 322

stick together

Front 323

coiffure

Back 323

hairstyle

Front 324

collation

Back 324

a light meal; collating

Front 325

colloquial

Back 325

pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression

Front 326

colloquy

Back 326

informal discussion; conversation

Front 327

collusion

Back 327

conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or deceive others; V. collude

Front 328

comely

Back 328

attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance

Front 329

comestible

Back 329

something fit to be eaten

Front 330

comeuppance

Back 330

deserts; well-deserved punishment or misfortune; rebuke

Front 331

comity

Back 331

courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations

Front 332

commensurate

Back 332

equal in extent; of the same size

Front 333

commodious

Back 333

having plenty of space for what is needed; comfortable

Front 334

commune

Back 334

small (often rural) community whose members share work and income; V: exchange thoughts or feelings; Ex. commune with nature

Front 335

compendium

Back 335

brief, comprehensive summary; ADJ. compendious

Front 336

compensatory

Back 336

making up for; repaying

Front 337

complacency

Back 337

self-satisfaction; smugness; ADJ. complacent

Front 338

complaisant

Back 338

trying to please; obliging; willing to please others

Front 339

comport

Back 339

bear one's self; behave; Ex. comport oneself; N. comportment

Front 340

compunction

Back 340

remorse; strong uneasiness caused by guilt; feeling of regret for one's action

Front 341

concatenate

Back 341

link as in a chain

Front 342

concentric

Back 342

having a common center

Front 343

conciliatory

Back 343

reconciling; soothing; V. conciliate: reconcile; soothe; win the friendly feelings (by removing anger)

Front 344

conclave

Back 344

private secret meeting

Front 345

concomitant

Back 345

that which accompanies; Ex. Deafnes is a frequent concommitant of old age; ADJ: existing or happening together with something else

Front 346

concord

Back 346

harmony; accord

Front 347

concordat

Back 347

formal agreement

Front 348

concurrent

Back 348

happening at the same time; in agreement

Front 349

condescend

Back 349

(derog.) bestow courtesies with a superior air; descend to the level of one considered inferior

Front 350

condign

Back 350

adequate; (of punishment) severe and well deserved

Front 351

conducive

Back 351

helpful; contributive; V. conduce; Ex. conduce to/towards

Front 352

conduit

Back 352

aqueduct; passageway for fluids

Front 353

conflagration

Back 353

a great fire

Front 354

confluence

Back 354

flowing together; the place where two rivers flow together; crowd; gathering together

Front 355

congenital

Back 355

existing at birth

Front 356

conglomerate

Back 356

corporation made up of several different companies in diversified fields; mass of various material gathered together; rock consisting of small stones held together by clay; V.

Front 357

conglomeration

Back 357

mass of material sticking together

Front 358

congruence

Back 358

correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship; CF. congruity

Front 359

congruent

Back 359

in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly; CF. congruous

Front 360

conjecture

Back 360

surmise; guess; V.

Front 361

conjoin

Back 361

to join together

Front 362

conjugal

Back 362

pertaining to marriage

Front 363

conjure

Back 363

cause to appear by magic; summon (a devil or a spirit) by magical power; practice magic (esp. by very quick movement of the hands); evoke; conjure up: bring into the mind; Ex. The magician conjured a rabbit out of his hat.

Front 364

connivance

Back 364

pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend; V. connive: feign ignorance (of a wrong); cooperate secretly in an illegal action; conspire

Front 365

connotation

Back 365

suggested or implied meaning of an expression; V. connote

Front 366

connubial

Back 366

pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state

Front 367

consanguineous(consanguine)

Back 367

having a common ancestor

Front 368

consanguinity

Back 368

kinship; relationship by birth

Front 369

conscientious

Back 369

scrupulous; through and careful; Ex. conscientious worker

Front 370

conscript

Back 370

draftee; person forced into military service; V.

Front 371

consonance

Back 371

harmony; agreement

Front 372

consonant

Back 372

harmonious; in agreement; N.

Front 373

consternation

Back 373

great shock and fear; dismay

Front 374

constrain

Back 374

compel

Front 375

constraint

Back 375

restraint; compulsion; repression of feelings; reticence; V. constrain: hold back; restrain; compel; oblige; confine forcibly; imprison

Front 376

contagion

Back 376

infection (by contact); ADJ. contagious; CF. infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air

Front 377

contemn

Back 377

to scorn or despise

Front 378

contiguous

Back 378

touching; neighboring

Front 379

continence

Back 379

self-restraint; sexual chastity; sexual abstinence; voluntary control over bladder and bowel functions; ADJ. continent

Front 380

contravene

Back 380

contradict; oppose; violate (a rule, law, or custom); N. contravention

Front 381

contrite

Back 381

filled with deep sorrow for wrongdoing

Front 382

contrivance

Back 382

something contrived; machine or apparatus; clever deceitful plan; scheme

Front 383

contumacious

Back 383

stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority (esp. disobedient to an order made by a court)

Front 384

convalesce

Back 384

to recover health gradually after sickness

Front 385

conversant

Back 385

familiar with; having knowledge of

Front 386

conveyance

Back 386

vehicle; transfer; act of conveying; Ex. public conveyance

Front 387

convivial

Back 387

pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; gay; characterized by joviality; jovial

Front 388

convoke

Back 388

call together; Ex. convoke Parliament; N. convocation

Front 389

copious

Back 389

plentiful

Front 390

coquette

Back 390

flirt; flirtatious woman; woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without sincere feelings; V.

Front 391

cordon

Back 391

extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress

Front 392

cornice

Back 392

projecting molding on building (usually above columns or pillars)

Front 393

corollary

Back 393

natural consequence (which naturally follows from something else)

Front 394

corporal

Back 394

of the body: "corporal punishment." a non-commissioned officer ranked between a sergeant and a private.

Front 395

corporeal

Back 395

of or having to do with material, as opposed to spiritual; tangible. (In older writings, coeporeal could be a synonym for corporal. This usage not common.

Front 396

corpulent

Back 396

having a large bulky bod; very fat

Front 397

corpus

Back 397

collection (of writings or information); Ex. the corpus of Shakespear's works; Cf. corpse

Front 398

corpuscle

Back 398

red or white cell in the blood

Front 399

corrugated

Back 399

wrinkled; ridged

Front 400

coterie

Back 400

group that meets socially; select circle; close group of people with shared interests

Front 401

countenance

Back 401

approve; support; tolerate; Ex. countenance his rude behavior; N: face; appearance

Front 402

countermand

Back 402

cancel; revoke (an order)

Front 403

countervail

Back 403

counterbalance

Front 404

cow

Back 404

terrorize; intimidate

Front 405

cozen

Back 405

cheat; hoodwink; swindle

Front 406

crabbed

Back 406

sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting

Front 407

cravat

Back 407

piece of linen worn as a necktie

Front 408

craven

Back 408

cowardly; a coward

Front 409

credence

Back 409

belief

Front 410

credential

Back 410

evidence concerning one's authority; written proof of a person's position; Ex. The new ambassador presented his credentials to the court.

Front 411

credulity

Back 411

belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivet\'e; ADJ. credulous

Front 412

credulous

Back 412

ready to believe things

Front 413

crestfallen

Back 413

dejected; dispirited

Front 414

crone

Back 414

hag; ugly old woman

Front 415

crotchet

Back 415

highly individual and usually eccentric opinion

Front 416

cull

Back 416

pick out from others (to kill the weakest members); reject; select; collect (information); N.

Front 417

culpable

Back 417

deserving blame; blameworthy

Front 418

culprit

Back 418

one guilty of a crime

Front 419

culvert

Back 419

artificial channel for water; drain crossing under a road

Front 420

cupidity

Back 420

greed; lust

Front 421

curmudgeon

Back 421

churlish, miserly individual; bad-tempered old person

Front 422

cynosure

Back 422

object of general attention; person or thing that is a center of attention; CF. Ursa Minor

Front 423

dais

Back 423

raised platform for speakers or other important people

Front 424

dapper

Back 424

neat and trim (in appearance); (of small men) neat in appearance and quick in movements; neat; spry

Front 425

dappled

Back 425

spotted

Front 426

dastard

Back 426

coward

Front 427

daub

Back 427

smear (as with paint); cover with something sticky; Ex. daub one's clothes with mud/paint; N: small bit of sticky substance; Ex. a daub of paint

Front 428

debar

Back 428

bar; forbid; exclude; Ex. debarred from jury services

Front 429

debutante

Back 429

young woman making formal entrance into society

Front 430

decadence

Back 430

decay; fall to a lower level (of morality, civilization, or art); ADJ. decadent

Front 431

decant

Back 431

pour off gently (wine or liquid)

Front 432

deciduous

Back 432

falling off at a specific season or stage of growth as of leaves; Ex. deciduous tree/teeth

Front 433

declaim/declamation

Back 433

to speak pompously or bombastically

Front 434

declivity

Back 434

downward inclination

Front 435

decorous

Back 435

proper (in behavior, conduct, or appearance)

Front 436

decorum

Back 436

propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners; appropriateness of behavior or conduct

Front 437

decrepit

Back 437

weak and in bad condition from old age or hard use; Ex. decrepit old chair/man

Front 438

decrepitude

Back 438

state of collapse or weakness caused by illness or old age

Front 439

decry

Back 439

express strong disapproval of; condemn openly (something dangerous to the public); disparage; Ex. decry the violence of modern films

Front 440

defalcate

Back 440

embezzle

Front 441

deference

Back 441

courteous regard for another's wish; courteous yielding to another's wish or opinion (showing respect); ADJ. deferential; OP. effrontery

Front 442

defoliate

Back 442

destroy leaves; deprive of leaves (by the use of chemicals); N. defoliant

Front 443

deft

Back 443

neat; skillful

Front 444

degradation

Back 444

humiliation; debasement; degeneration; V. degrade: debase; disgrace; degenerate; reduce (something) in worth; demote (someone); reduce in rank

Front 445

deign

Back 445

to condescend; to give; stoop

Front 446

deleterious

Back 446

harmful

Front 447

delineate

Back 447

portray; depict; sketch; describe; N. delineation

Front 448

deluge

Back 448

great flood; heavy rush of water

Front 449

delusive

Back 449

deceptive; likely to delude; misleading; raising vain hopes; Ex. delusive promises

Front 450

demagogue

Back 450

person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader of people; CF. demagoguery

Front 451

demean

Back 451

disgrace; humiliate; debase in dignity; behave

Front 452

demotic

Back 452

of or pertaining to the people

Front 453

demur

Back 453

object (because of doubts, scruples); raise an objection (showing qualms); hesitate; Ex. demur at the idea of working on Sunday

Front 454

demure

Back 454

(of a woman or child) grave; quiet and serious; coy; pretending to be demure

Front 455

denigrate

Back 455

blacken; belittle; defame

Front 456

denizen

Back 456

(animal, person, or plant) inhabitant or resident of a particular place; regular visitor

Front 457

denouement

Back 457

an outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot

Front 458

deplore

Back 458

regret; express sorrow and severe disapproval for something bad; Ex. deplore their violent behavior; ADJ. deplorable: very bad; deserving severe disapproval; Ex. deplorable living condition

Front 459

depose

Back 459

dethrone; remove from office; give a deposition; testify

Front 460

deposition

Back 460

testimony under oath; deposing; dethroning

Front 461

deprecate

Back 461

express disapproval of; deplore; protest against; belittle; ADJ. deprecatory

Front 462

depredation

Back 462

the act of preying upon or plundering: "The depredations of the invaders demoralized the population."

Front 463

dereliction

Back 463

deserting and leaving; to fall into ruins

Front 464

deride

Back 464

ridicule; treat with contempt; make fun of; OP. respect

Front 465

derision

Back 465

ridicule; mockery; deriding

Front 466

derivation

Back 466

deriving; origin or source of something; Ex. the derivation of the word

Front 467

derivative

Back 467

unoriginal; obtained from another source; Ex. derivative prose style; N.

Front 468

derivative

Back 468

unoriginal; obtained from another source

Front 469

descry

Back 469

catch sight of (something distant)

Front 470

descry

Back 470

to make clear, to say; catch sight of; see smth in the distance

Front 471

desiccant

Back 471

substance used to absorb moisture

Front 472

desiccate

Back 472

to dry out thoroughly (adj: desiccated)

Front 473

desolate

Back 473

(of a place) deserted; unpopulated; (of a person) lonely; forlorn; joyless

Front 474

despoil

Back 474

plunder; sack; Ex. despoil the village

Front 475

desuetude

Back 475

cessation of use; disuse

Front 476

desultory

Back 476

aimless; haphazard; digressing at random

Front 477

determinate

Back 477

having a fixed order of procedure; precisely defined; invariable; fixed; conclusive; final

Front 478

detumescence

Back 478

diminishing or lessening of swelling

Front 479

deviance

Back 479

being different in moral standards (from normal)

Front 480

devious

Back 480

roundabout; erratic; deviating from the straight course; not straightforward; not completely honest; Ex. devious route

Front 481

dexterous

Back 481

skillful; skill in using hands or mind; N. dexterity

Front 482

diadem

Back 482

crown

Front 483

dialectical

Back 483

relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal; Ex. dialectical situation; N. dialectic: art of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments

Front 484

diaphanous

Back 484

sheer; transparent; guazy

Front 485

diatribe

Back 485

bitter scolding or denunciation; invective; abuse

Front 486

dictum

Back 486

authoritative and weighty statement (made by a judge in court); saying; maxim; CF. obiter dictum: incidental, nonbinding remark (something said in passing)

Front 487

didactic

Back 487

(of speech or writing) intended to teach a moral lesson; teaching; instructional; N. didacticism

Front 488

diffidence

Back 488

shyness; lack of self-confidence; timidity; ADJ. diffident

Front 489

diffident

Back 489

lacking self-confidence, modest (n: diffidence)

Front 490

diffuse

Back 490

wordy; verbose; rambling; spread out (like a gas); V: spread out in all directions; disperse; N. diffusion; CF. suffuse

Front 491

digression

Back 491

wandering away from the subject; V. digress

Front 492

dilate

Back 492

expand; dilate on/upon: speak or write at length on (a subject)

Front 493

dilatory

Back 493

delaying; tending to delay

Front 494

dilettante

Back 494

aimless follower of an art or a field of knowledge (not taking it seriously); amateur; dabbler; CF. delight

Front 495

diligence

Back 495

steadiness of effort; persistent hard work

Front 496

diminution

Back 496

lessening; reduction in size; V. diminish

Front 497

din

Back 497

continued loud noise; V: make a din; instill by wearying repetition

Front 498

dint

Back 498

means; effort; Ex. by dint of hard work

Front 499

diorama

Back 499

life-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history; three-dimensional scene with modeled figures against a painted background

Front 500

disabuse

Back 500

correct a false impression; undeceive; free from a wrong belief

Front 501

disaffected

Back 501

disloyal; lacking loyality; V. disaffect: cause to lose affection or loyalty

Front 502

disapprobation

Back 502

disapproval; condemnation

Front 503

disclose

Back 503

reveal; N. disclosure

Front 504

discomfit

Back 504

frustrate; put to rout; defeat; disconcert; embarrass; perturb

Front 505

disconcert

Back 505

upset the self-possession of

Front 506

disconsolate

Back 506

hopelessly sad (at the loss of something)

Front 507

disconsolate

Back 507

cheerless; dejected

Front 508

discountenance

Back 508

refuse to approve of

Front 509

discursive

Back 509

(of a person or writing) digressing; rambling (without any clear plan)

Front 510

disgorge

Back 510

surrender something (stolen); eject; vomit; OP. gorge

Front 511

disingenuous

Back 511

not naive; not candid; sophisticated; worldly wise; OP. ingenuous

Front 512

disinter

Back 512

dig up from the earth

Front 513

disjunction

Back 513

act or state of separation; disunity; CF. disjunctive: expressing a choice between two ideas; CF. conjunction; CF. conjunctive

Front 514

disparate

Back 514

basically different; impossible to compare; unrelated

Front 515

dispirited

Back 515

lacking in spirit

Front 516

disport

Back 516

amuse; Ex. disport oneself; CF. divert

Front 517

disputatious

Back 517

argumentative; fond of argument

Front 518

disquietude

Back 518

uneasiness; anxiety; V. disquiet: make anxious

Front 519

disquisition

Back 519

formal systematic inquiry; explanation of the results of a formal inquiry; long formal speech or written report

Front 520

dissemble

Back 520

to conceal one's real motive, to feign

Front 521

dissimulate

Back 521

pretend; conceal by feigning; dissemble

Front 522

dissolute

Back 522

marked by indulgence in vices

Front 523

dissolution

Back 523

disintegration; reduction to a liquid form; looseness in morals; sensual indulgence; debauchery; ADJ. dissolute: lacking in moral restraint; leading an immoral life

Front 524

distend

Back 524

expand; swell out

Front 525

distrait

Back 525

absentminded; distracted

Front 526

diurnal

Back 526

daily; occurring during the daytime

Front 527

diverge

Back 527

vary; go in different directions from the same point; ADJ. divergent: differing; deviating

Front 528

divest

Back 528

strip (as of clothes); deprive (as of rights); dispossess; N. divestiture(divestment)

Front 529

divestiture

Back 529

taking off; getting rid of; giving up

Front 530

doctrinaire

Back 530

unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding; marked by inflexible attachment to a doctrine without regard to its practical difficulties

Front 531

doddering

Back 531

shaky; infirm from old age; V. dodder

Front 532

doff

Back 532

take off; OP. don

Front 533

doggerel

Back 533

trivial, poorly constructed verse

Front 534

dogmatic

Back 534

opinionated; holding stubbornly to one's opinion; arbitrary; doctrinal

Front 535

dolorous

Back 535

marked by misery or grief

Front 536

domicile

Back 536

home; V. ADJ. domiciled: having one's domicile; Ex. He is domiciled in Britain.

Front 537

domineer

Back 537

rule over tyrannically

Front 538

dormer

Back 538

window projecting upright from roof; CF. sleeping room

Front 539

dotage

Back 539

senility; feeblemindedness of old age; Ex. In one's dotage

Front 540

dote

Back 540

be excessively fond of; show signs of mental decline

Front 541

dowdy

Back 541

untidy (of a woman or clothes); slovenly; dressed in an unattractive way; shabby; CF. unattractive woman

Front 542

dowse

Back 542

use a divining rod to search for underground water or minerals

Front 543

draconian

Back 543

extremely severe; Ex. draconian punishment; CF. Draco: Athenian politician

Front 544

draught

Back 544

current of air (through a room or to a fire); act of pulling roads; act of swallowing liquid or amount of liquid swallowed at a time

Front 545

dregs

Back 545

sediment in a liquid; lees; worthless residue

Front 546

droll

Back 546

queer and amusing

Front 547

drone

Back 547

idle person who lives on other people's work; male bee

Front 548

dross

Back 548

waste matter; worthless impurities

Front 549

dubious

Back 549

questionable; (of something) causing doubt; (of someone) filled with doubt; N. dubiety

Front 550

ductile

Back 550

malleable; pliable; (of metals) easily pulled into shape; flexible; (of someone) easily influenced or controlled

Front 551

dulcet

Back 551

sweet sounding; pleasing to the ear; melodious

Front 552

duplicity

Back 552

double-dealing; hypocrisy; being dishonest and deceitful; ADJ. duplicitous

Front 553

dys-

Back 553

abnormal; impaired

Front 554

dyspeptic

Back 554

suffering from indigestion; N. dyspepsia: indigestion; difficulty in digesting food

Front 555

ebullience

Back 555

exuberance; outburst of feeling

Front 556

ebullient

Back 556

showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm; boiling; N. ebullience; N. ebullition: state of boiling

Front 557

ebullient

Back 557

overflowing with enthusiasm; showing excitement

Front 558

ecclesiastic

Back 558

ecclesiastical; pertaining to the church; N: minister; priest; cleric; clergyman

Front 559

ecumenical

Back 559

representing the whole Christian world

Front 560

edacious

Back 560

voracious; devouring

Front 561

eddy

Back 561

swirling current of water, air, etc.; V.

Front 562

edifice

Back 562

building (of imposing size)

Front 563

edify

Back 563

instruct; correct morally

Front 564

efface

Back 564

rub out; remove the surface of; make indistinct

Front 565

effervescence

Back 565

inner excitement or exuberance; showing high spirits; emitting bubbles forming inside; bubbling from fermentation or carbonation; ADJ. effervescent; V. effervesce

Front 566

effete

Back 566

having lost one's original power; barren; worn out; exhausted

Front 567

efficacy

Back 567

power to produce desired effect; ADJ. efficacious: effectual

Front 568

effigy

Back 568

dummy; likeness of a person made of wood, paper, or stone; Ex. burn an effigy of the President

Front 569

effluent

Back 569

the quality of flowing out. something that flows out, such as a stream from a river (n: effluence)

Front 570

effluvia

Back 570

outflow in a stream of particles; a noxious odor or vapor

Front 571

effluvium

Back 571

noxious(harmful) smell

Front 572

effrontery

Back 572

rudeness without any sense of shame; shameless boldness; presumptousness; nerve; cheek; arrogance; impudence

Front 573

effulgent

Back 573

shining brightly; brilliant

Front 574

effusion

Back 574

pouring forth; unrestrained outpouring of feeling; V. effuse: pour out; ADJ. effusive: pouring forth; gushing

Front 575

egregious

Back 575

notorious; conspicuously bad or shocking

Front 576

egress

Back 576

exit; opening for going out; act of going out; OP. ingress

Front 577

elegy

Back 577

poem or song expressing lamentation (for the dead); ADJ. elegiacal, elegiac

Front 578

elicit

Back 578

draw out fact or information (by discussion or from someone)

Front 579

elliptical

Back 579

elliptic; oval; of an ellipse; containing an ellipsis; ambiguous either purposely or because key words have been left out

Front 580

elucidate

Back 580

explain; make clear; clarify; enlighten; CF. lucid

Front 581

elysian

Back 581

relating to paradise; blissful

Front 582

emaciated

Back 582

thin and wasted (from hunger or illness)

Front 583

emanate

Back 583

issue forth; come out

Front 584

emasculate

Back 584

weaken; castrate

Front 585

embargo

Back 585

ban on commerce or other activity

Front 586

embitter

Back 586

make bitter; fill with painful or bitter feelings; make sad and angry; Ex. He was embittered by many disappointments.

Front 587

emblazon

Back 587

ornament richly (a shield or flag); N. emblazonment

Front 588

emboss

Back 588

produce a design in raised relief; decorate with a raised design

Front 589

embroil

Back 589

throw into confusion; involve in strife, dispute, or quarrel; entangle; CF. imbroglio

Front 590

embryonic

Back 590

undeveloped; rudimentary; N. embryo: organism in the early stage of development

Front 591

emend

Back 591

correct (usually a text); N. emendation: correction of errors; improvement

Front 592

emetic

Back 592

substance causing vomiting; ADJ.

Front 593

eminent

Back 593

rising above others; high; lofty; distinguished; Ex. eminent position

Front 594

emissary

Back 594

agent (sent on a mission to represent another); messenger

Front 595

emollient

Back 595

softening; something that softens

Front 596

emolument

Back 596

salary; payment for an office; compensation

Front 597

empirical

Back 597

based on experience

Front 598

enact

Back 598

make (a bill) into law

Front 599

enclave

Back 599

territory enclosed within an alien land

Front 600

encomiastic

Back 600

praising; eulogistic; N. encomium: very high praise; eulogy

Front 601

encomium

Back 601

a formal eulogy or speech of praise; warm or glowing praise;

Front 602

endemic

Back 602

prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country; peculiar to a particular region or people; CF. pandemic

Front 603

endue

Back 603

provide with some quality; endow

Front 604

enervate

Back 604

weaken; take away energy from

Front 605

enfranchise

Back 605

admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote); CF. franchise

Front 606

engender

Back 606

to give rise to, to propagate, to cause: "His slip of the toungue engendered much laughter."

Front 607

enjoin

Back 607

command; order; forbid

Front 608

enmity

Back 608

ill will; hatred; hostility; being an enemy

Front 609

ennui

Back 609

boredom; listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; CF. annoy

Front 610

enormity

Back 610

hugeness (in a bad sense); excessive wickedness; Ex. enormity of the crime; ADJ. enormous

Front 611

enrapture

Back 611

please intensely; fill with rapture and delight

Front 612

ensconce

Back 612

settle comfortably; place comfortably (in a secure place)

Front 613

entomology

Back 613

study of insects

Front 614

entreat

Back 614

plead; ask earnestly

Front 615

enumerate

Back 615

list; mention one by one

Front 616

environ

Back 616

enclose; surround; N. environs: surrounding area (as of a city)

Front 617

eon(aeon)

Back 617

long period of time; an age; longest division of geologic time containing two or more eras

Front 618

epaulet(epaulette)

Back 618

ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.)

Front 619

ephemeral

Back 619

lasting for only a brief time, fleeting (n: ephemera); short lived

Front 620

epicure

Back 620

connoisseur of food and drink; gourmet; ADJ. epicurean; CF. Epicurus

Front 621

Epicurean

Back 621

believing that pleasure is good and suffering is bad and should be avoided; N.

Front 622

epigram

Back 622

witty thought or paradoxical saying, usually short

Front 623

episodic

Back 623

(of a story or play) loosely connected; made up of separate and loosely connected parts; N. episode: incident in the course of an experience

Front 624

epithet

Back 624

word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing; descriptive phrase to characterize a person (often contemptous)

Front 625

epitome

Back 625

perfect example or embodiment; brief summary; Ex. epitome of good manners; V. epitomize: make an epitome of; be an epitome of; embody

Front 626

epoch

Back 626

period of time

Front 627

equable

Back 627

tranquil; of even calm temper; (of temperature) steady; uniform

Front 628

equanimity

Back 628

calmness of temperament; composure

Front 629

equestrian

Back 629

rider on horseback; ADJ.

Front 630

equine

Back 630

resembling a horse; Ex. equine face

Front 631

equipoise

Back 631

balance; balancing force; equilibrium

Front 632

equitable

Back 632

fair; impartial; OP. inequitable

Front 633

equity

Back 633

fairness; justice; OP. inequity

Front 634

equivocal

Back 634

(of words or statements) ambiguous; intentionally misleading; (of behavior) questionable; OP. unequivocal

Front 635

equivocate

Back 635

try to deceive by equivocal language

Front 636

errant

Back 636

wandering (esp. in search of adventure); straying from proper moral standards; Ex. knight-errant

Front 637

erudite

Back 637

(of a person or book) learned; full of learning; scholarly; N. erudition

Front 638

eschew

Back 638

avoid habitually; Ex. eschew alcoholic drinks

Front 639

esoteric

Back 639

hard to understand; known only to the chosen few, esp. initiates; N. esoterica

Front 640

espouse

Back 640

adopt; support (an idea or aim); marry; N. espousal

Front 641

ethos

Back 641

underlying character of a culture, group, etc.; character or ideas peculiar to a specific person, group, or culture; Ex. the company ethos

Front 642

etymology

Back 642

study of word parts; study of the origins of words

Front 643

eugenic

Back 643

pertaining to the improvement of race; N. eugenics: study of hereditary improvement of the human race

Front 644

euphemism

Back 644

mild expression in place of an unpleasant one; ADJ. euphemistic

Front 645

euphony

Back 645

sweet sound; ADJ. euphonious

Front 646

evince

Back 646

to show clearly; to indicate

Front 647

evocative

Back 647

tending to call up (emotions, memories)

Front 648

exacerbate

Back 648

worsen; aggravate; embitter

Front 649

exchequer

Back 649

treasury; Ex. Chancellor of the exchequer

Front 650

excise

Back 650

cut away; cut out; N: government tax on good produced and used inside a country; N. excision

Front 651

excoriate

Back 651

scold with biting harshness; censure strongly; strip the skin off

Front 652

exculpate

Back 652

to demonstrate or prove to be blameless: "The evidence tended to exculpate the defendant."(adj: exculpatory)

Front 653

execrable

Back 653

very bad; detestable

Front 654

execrate

Back 654

curse; express abhorrence for; detest

Front 655

executor

Back 655

person designated to execute the terms of a will; øπº˙ ¿€«∞¿« ¡¶¿€¿⁄

Front 656

exegesis

Back 656

explanation, especially of biblical(of the bible) passages

Front 657

exhort

Back 657

urge (by strong argument or advice); Ex. The general exhorted his men to fight bravely; N. exhortation

Front 658

exigency

Back 658

emergency an urgent situation

Front 659

exiguous

Back 659

small in amount; minute

Front 660

exorbitant

Back 660

exceeding customary or normal limits, esp. in quantity or price: "The cab fare was exorbitant."

Front 661

expatiate

Back 661

talk at length; speak or write in detail; to roam; wander freely

Front 662

expatriate

Back 662

exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land; V: exile; banish; leave one's country

Front 663

expiate

Back 663

make amends for (a sin)

Front 664

expiation

Back 664

ending; expiring

Front 665

explicate

Back 665

explain in detail; interpret; clarify; CF. explicable

Front 666

expository

Back 666

explanatory; serving to explain; N. exposition: explaining; exhibition

Front 667

expostulation

Back 667

protest; remonstrance; reasoning with someone to correct or dissuade; V. expostulate

Front 668

expropriate

Back 668

take possession of (often for public use and without payment)

Front 669

expunge

Back 669

cancel; remove a word or name (from a book or list); erase

Front 670

expurgate

Back 670

clean; remove offensive parts of a book

Front 671

expurgate

Back 671

to remove obscenity, purify, censor

Front 672

exscind

Back 672

to cut out; cut away

Front 673

extant

Back 673

in existence, still existing: The only extant representative of that species."

Front 674

extemporaneous

Back 674

not planned; impromptu; extempore

Front 675

extenuate

Back 675

reduce the strength; lessen seriousness; partially excuse

Front 676

extirpate

Back 676

root up; uproot; destroy completely

Front 677

extralegal

Back 677

outside the law

Front 678

extrapolation

Back 678

projection; conjecture; V. extrapolate: infer (unknown information) from known information

Front 679

extricable

Back 679

that can be freed

Front 680

extricate

Back 680

free from an entanglement or difficulty; disentangle

Front 681

extrude

Back 681

force or push out; thrust out; shape (plastic or metal) by forcing through a die

Front 682

exult

Back 682

rejoice

Front 683

facet

Back 683

small plane surface (of a gem(precious stone)); a side

Front 684

facetious

Back 684

joking (often inappropriately); unserious; humorous

Front 685

facile

Back 685

easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superficial; not deep; Ex. facile solution to a complex problem; Ex. facile speaker; N. facility: ability to do something easily and well; ease in doing resulting from skill or aptitude; something that facilitates an action; amenity; Ex. with great facility

Front 686

factious

Back 686

inclined to form factions; causing dissension

Front 687

factitious

Back 687

artificial; produced artificially; sham; false; Ex. factitious tears

Front 688

factotum

Back 688

handyman; person who does all kinds of work; CF. do everything

Front 689

fallacious

Back 689

false; based on a fallacy; misleading; N. fallacy: false idea or notion; false reasoning; Ex. popular fallacy; Ex. fallacy of the argument

Front 690

fallible

Back 690

liable to err

Front 691

fallow

Back 691

(of land) plowed but not sowed (to improve the quality); uncultivated

Front 692

fancied

Back 692

imagined; unreal

Front 693

fancier

Back 693

breeder or dealer of animals; one who has a special interest, as for raising specific plant or animal

Front 694

fanciful

Back 694

whimsical; visionary; imaginary; produced by imagination; Ex. fanciful scheme

Front 695

fastidious

Back 695

difficult to please; squeamish; fussy; finicky

Front 696

fatuous

Back 696

smugly and unconsciously foolish; inane; silly; N. fatuity, fatuousness

Front 697

fauna

Back 697

animals of a period or region; CF. flora

Front 698

faze

Back 698

disconcert; dismay; embarrass

Front 699

febrile

Back 699

feverish

Front 700

feckless

Back 700

lacking purpose or vitality; ineffective

Front 701

fecund

Back 701

fertile

Front 702

feint

Back 702

trick; shift; sham blow; feigned attack to draw away defensive action; V.

Front 703

feint

Back 703

pretend

Front 704

felicitous

Back 704

(of a word or remark) apt; suitably expressed; well chosen

Front 705

felicity

Back 705

happiness; appropriateness (of a remark, choice, etc.); quality of being felicitous

Front 706

fell

Back 706

cut or knock down (a tree or a person); bring down (with a missile); cruel; (of a disease) deadly

Front 707

feral

Back 707

(of an animal) not domestic; wild

Front 708

ferment

Back 708

agitation; commotion(noisy and excited activity); unrest (of a political kind); V. produce by fermentation; undergo fermentation; cause (a state of trouble)

Front 709

fervid

Back 709

ardent; zealous; hot

Front 710

fete(f\^ete)

Back 710

honor at a festival; celebrate or honor with a feast; N. (outdoor) festival or feast; CF. feast

Front 711

fetid(foetid)

Back 711

malodorous; foul

Front 712

fetter

Back 712

shackle; restrict the freedom of; N. chain or shackle for the foot of a prisoner; CF. foot

Front 713

fiat

Back 713

command; arbitrary order; Ex. presidential fiat; CF. let it be done

Front 714

figurehead

Back 714

carved image on the prow of a ship

Front 715

filch

Back 715

steal (things of small value)

Front 716

filial

Back 716

pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter; Ex. filial respect

Front 717

filigree

Back 717

delicate ornamental lacelike metalwork

Front 718

firebrand

Back 718

piece of burning wood; hothead; troublemaker; person who stirs up trouble

Front 719

fission

Back 719

splitting or division (esp. of cells)

Front 720

fissure

Back 720

crevice; crack

Front 721

fitful

Back 721

spasmodic; intermittent; irregular

Front 722

flaccid

Back 722

flabby; lacking firmness; weak; Ex. flaccid muscles

Front 723

flag

Back 723

droop; grow feeble; decline in vigor or strength; ADJ. flagging; CF. unflagging

Front 724

flay

Back 724

strip off skin; plunder; remove the skin from; criticize harshly

Front 725

fleck

Back 725

spot; mark with flecks; N: small mark or spot

Front 726

fledged

Back 726

able to fly; trained, experienced

Front 727

floe

Back 727

flat mass of floating ice

Front 728

florescence

Back 728

condition or period of flowering

Front 729

florid

Back 729

ruddy; (of a complexion) reddish; flowery; very ornate; CF. rose

Front 730

flotsam

Back 730

drifting wreckage

Front 731

flout

Back 731

reject, mock; to go against (as in going against tradition)

Front 732

fluted

Back 732

having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar); V. flute: make long parallel inward curves in; N. flute: long rounded groove incised on the shaft of a column

Front 733

fodder

Back 733

coarse food for cattle, horses, etc.; feed for livestock; CF. food

Front 734

foible

Back 734

small weakness of character; slight fault; CF. feeble

Front 735

foible

Back 735

defect of character (a person is wrongly proud)

Front 736

foil

Back 736

contrast; one that by contrast enhances the distinctive characteristics of another; defeat; frustrate; prevent from being successful; thwart; CF. Fail

Front 737

foist

Back 737

insert improperly; impose upon another by coercion; palm off; pass off as genuine or worthy; CF. fist

Front 738

foment

Back 738

stir up; incite; instigate; promote the growth of (something evil or unpleasant)

Front 739

foppish

Back 739

vain about dress and appearance; N. fop: man who takes too much interest in his clothes and appearance

Front 740

forage

Back 740

food for horses and cattle

Front 741

foray

Back 741

raid; sudden raid or military advance; V.

Front 742

forbearance

Back 742

patience; forgiveness; V. forbear: refrain from (in a generous and forgiving way); be patient; Ex. forbear to send him to prison

Front 743

forebears(forbears)

Back 743

ancestors

Front 744

forestall

Back 744

prevent by taking action in advance preempt

Front 745

foretoken

Back 745

premonitory sign

Front 746

forswear

Back 746

renounce under oath; abandon; make a solemn promise to give up; CF. abjure

Front 747

fortuitous

Back 747

accidental; by chance; N. fortuity

Front 748

founder

Back 748

person who establishes (an organization or business)

Front 749

fractious

Back 749

unruly; peevish; cranky; bad-tempered; Ex. fractious horse

Front 750

freebooter

Back 750

pirate or plunderer who makes war in order to grow rich

Front 751

frenetic

Back 751

frantic, frenzied

Front 752

frenetic(phrenetic)

Back 752

frenzied; frantic

Front 753

fresco

Back 753

painting on wet plaster (usually fresh)

Front 754

frieze

Back 754

ornamental horizontal band on a wall

Front 755

frisk

Back 755

move about playfully; froric; ADJ. frisky: playful

Front 756

frock

Back 756

long loose garment (worn by monks)

Front 757

frolicsome

Back 757

prankish; gay; playful; merry; frisky

Front 758

frond

Back 758

fern leaf; palm or banana leaf

Front 759

froward

Back 759

intractable; not willing to yield or comply; stubborn

Front 760

fructify

Back 760

bear fruit; produce fruit

Front 761

fuddle

Back 761

make stupid or confused as with alcholic drink; N. in a fuddle: confused

Front 762

fulminate

Back 762

thunder; explode; issue a severe denunciation

Front 763

fulsome

Back 763

disgustingly excessive; offensively flattering; Ex. fulsome praise/expressions of admire

Front 764

furtive

Back 764

stealthy; quiet and secret (trying to escape notice); sneaky; Ex. furtive glance

Front 765

fusillade

Back 765

simultaneous firing or outburst (of missiles, questions, etc.)

Front 766

fusty

Back 766

musty; rigidly old-fashioned or reactionary

Front 767

gadfly

Back 767

animal-biting fly; irritating person

Front 768

gainsay

Back 768

deny

Front 769

gainsay

Back 769

to deny; to oppose

Front 770

gait

Back 770

manner of walking or running; speed

Front 771

galleon

Back 771

large three-masted sailing ship

Front 772

galley

Back 772

low ship with sails (rowed along by slaves)

Front 773

galvanic

Back 773

of the production of electricity by the action of an acid on a metal; having the effect of an electric shock; Ex. galvanic cell; galvanic effect; CF. Luigi Galvani

Front 774

galvanize

Back 774

stimulate or shock by an electric current; stimulate by shock; shock into action; stir up; coat with rust-resistant zinc by using electricity

Front 775

gambit

Back 775

opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed; action made to produce a future advantage

Front 776

gambol

Back 776

romp; skip about; leap about playfully; frolic; N.

Front 777

garish

Back 777

overbright in color; unpleasantly bright; gaudy

Front 778

garrulous

Back 778

verbose; talkative; rambling: "We tried to avoid our garrulous neighbor."

Front 779

gauche

Back 779

clumsy (in social behavior); coarse and uncouth

Front 780

gaucherie

Back 780

socially awkward, tactless behavior

Front 781

gentry

Back 781

people of standing(rank or position); people of good family or high social position; class of people just below nobility

Front 782

genuflect

Back 782

bend the knee as in worship

Front 783

germane

Back 783

pertinent; bearing upon(having connection with) the case at hand; appropriate

Front 784

germinal

Back 784

pertaining to a germ; creative; Ex. germinal idea

Front 785

gerontocracy

Back 785

government ruled by old people

Front 786

gerontology

Back 786

study of the sociological phenomena associated with old age

Front 787

gerrymander

Back 787

change voting district lines in order to favor a political party; N. CF. Elbridge Gerry + (sala)mander

Front 788

gestate

Back 788

evolve as in prenatal growth; N. gestation: period of development from conception until birth

Front 789

gesticulation

Back 789

motion; gesture; V. gesticulate: make gestures (while speaking)

Front 790

gibe

Back 790

mock; make jeering remarks; N: jeering remarks

Front 791

gild

Back 791

cover with a thin layer of gold

Front 792

girth

Back 792

distance around something; circumference

Front 793

glower

Back 793

scowl; glare; look or stare angrily

Front 794

gnomic

Back 794

characterized by aphorism

Front 795

gossamer

Back 795

sheer; very light; like cobwebs; N: soft and sheer fabric; cobweb

Front 796

gourmand

Back 796

epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink

Front 797

granary

Back 797

storehouse for grain

Front 798

grandiloquent

Back 798

(of a person or speech) using high sounding or important-sounding language; pompous; bombastic

Front 799

gregarious

Back 799

sociable; (of an animal) tending to form a group

Front 800

grouse

Back 800

complain; fuss; grumble; grouch; N: plump chickenlike game bird

Front 801

gruel

Back 801

thin liquid porridge

Front 802

guffaw

Back 802

boisterous laughter; V.

Front 803

guile

Back 803

skillful deceit: "He was known for his guile." (v. bequile; adj: beguiling.) Ohter meaning: to charm (v.) or charming (adj:), not positive connotation

Front 804

guileless

Back 804

without deceit

Front 805

guise

Back 805

outward appearance; costume; Ex. in a new guise

Front 806

gull

Back 806

trick; deceive; hoodwink; N: person who is easily tricked; dupe

Front 807

gustatory

Back 807

affecting or relating to the sense of taste

Front 808

guy

Back 808

cable or chain attached to something that needs to be braced or steadied; CF. guide

Front 809

gyroscope

Back 809

apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc.

Front 810

habituate

Back 810

accustom or familiarize; addict

Front 811

hackles

Back 811

hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog; Ex. make someone's hackles rise

Front 812

hackneyed

Back 812

commonplace; trite

Front 813

haggard

Back 813

wasted away; gaunt; Ex. haggard faces of the rescued miners

Front 814

halcyon

Back 814

calm; peaceful; Ex. halcyon days

Front 815

hale

Back 815

healthy

Front 816

hap

Back 816

chance; luck

Front 817

harangue

Back 817

long, passionate, and vehement speech; V.

Front 818

harbinger

Back 818

smth or smb that foretells the coming of

Front 819

hardihood

Back 819

resolute; courage and fortitude

Front 820

hardy

Back 820

(of people or animals) sturdy; robust; (of plants) able to stand inclement(stormy) weather

Front 821

harrow

Back 821

to distress; create stress or torment

Front 822

harrowing

Back 822

agonizing; distressing; traumatic; V. harrow: break up and level (soil) with a harrow; inflict great distress on; agonize; N: farming machine to break up the earth

Front 823

hector

Back 823

to bully

Front 824

hegemony

Back 824

dominance especially of one nation over others

Front 825

heinous

Back 825

atrocious; wicked; hatefully bad; Ex. heinous crime

Front 826

herbivorous

Back 826

grain-eating; CF. herbivore

Front 827

hermetic

Back 827

sealed by fusion so as to be airtight; airtight; concerning alchemy or magic; obscure and mysterious; occult

Front 828

hermitage

Back 828

home of a hermit

Front 829

herpetologist

Back 829

one who studies reptiles; CF. herpetology: branch of zoology that deals with reptiles and amphibians

Front 830

heterodox

Back 830

(of beliefs) against accepted opinion; unorthodox; unconventional

Front 831

heterogeneous

Back 831

dissimilar; mixed; not homogeneous; consisting of dissimilar elements or plants

Front 832

hew

Back 832

cut to pieces with ax or sword; chop; N.

Front 833

hibernal

Back 833

wintry; wintery; of or like winter

Front 834

high-flown

Back 834

highly pretentious or inflated

Front 835

hirsute

Back 835

hairy; having a lot of hair

Front 836

histrionic

Back 836

theatrical; excessively dramatic or emotional; affected; of actors or acting; N. histrionics: histrionic behavior

Front 837

hoary

Back 837

white with age

Front 838

homeostasis

Back 838

tendency of a system or organism to maintain relative stability or internal equilibrium; CF. homeo-: constant; Ex. homeotherm

Front 839

homiletics

Back 839

act of preaching

Front 840

hone

Back 840

sharpen (a tool); N: whetstone for sharpening a tool

Front 841

hortatory

Back 841

encouraging; exhortive; marked by exhortation; CF. exhort

Front 842

hubris

Back 842

arrogance; excessive self-conceit

Front 843

hummock

Back 843

small hill; hillock

Front 844

humus

Back 844

substance or rich soil formed by decaying vegetable matter; CF. soil

Front 845

husband

Back 845

use sparingly; conserve; save; Ex. husband one's energy; CF. house holder

Front 846

husbandry

Back 846

frugality; thrift; economy; agriculture; farming; Ex. animal husbandry; CF. husbandman

Front 847

hyperbole

Back 847

exaggeration; overstatement; ADJ. hyperbolic: of hyperbole; of a hyperbola

Front 848

hypocritical

Back 848

pretending to be virtuous; deceiving; N. hypocrisy: profession of beliefs one does not possess; CF. hypocrite

Front 849

ichthyology

Back 849

study of fish; CF. ichthyo-: fish

Front 850

iconoclastic

Back 850

attacking cherished traditions; N. iconoclast: one who attacks traditional ideas; one who destroys sacred images

Front 851

idiom

Back 851

expression whose meaning as a whole differs from the meanings of its individual words; distinctive style (of expression); Ex. idiom of the modern popular music; ADJ. idiomatic

Front 852

idyll(idyl)

Back 852

short poem idealizing rural life; simple happy period of life (in the country); scene from such a time; Ex. idyll of two young lovers

Front 853

idyllic

Back 853

charmingly carefree; simple and happy; Ex. idyllic scene

Front 854

ignoble

Back 854

unworthy; not noble; dishonorable; Ex. ignoble deed

Front 855

ignominious

Back 855

shameful; dishonorable; undignified; disgraceful

Front 856

ignominy

Back 856

deep disgrace; shame or dishonor; ADJ. ignominious; Ex. ignominous defeat

Front 857

illicit

Back 857

illegal

Front 858

illimitable

Back 858

infinite; limitless

Front 859

illusory

Back 859

illusive; deceptive; not real

Front 860

imbalance

Back 860

lack of balance or symmetry; disproportion

Front 861

imbecility

Back 861

weakness of mind; state of being an imbecile; N. imbecile: stupid person; fool

Front 862

imbibe

Back 862

drink in

Front 863

imbroglio

Back 863

complicated situation (as in a play); painful or complex misunderstanding (as in a play); entanglement; confused mass (as of papers); V. embroil

Front 864

imbue

Back 864

saturate(soak thoroughly); fill; Ex. imbue someone with feelings

Front 865

immolate

Back 865

offer or kill as a sacrifice (by fire)

Front 866

immure

Back 866

imprison; shut up in confinement; CF. wall

Front 867

immutable

Back 867

unchangeable

Front 868

impecunious

Back 868

penniless; poor; having little or no money

Front 869

impenitent

Back 869

not repentant

Front 870

imperil

Back 870

put in danger

Front 871

imperious

Back 871

domineering; too commanding; haughty; CF. imperial/emperor

Front 872

impertinent

Back 872

insolent; rude; not pertinent; N. impertinence

Front 873

imperturbable

Back 873

unshakably calm; placid

Front 874

impetuous

Back 874

violent; hasty; rash; impulsive; without careful thought; Ex. impetuous decision

Front 875

impetus

Back 875

moving force; momentum; force of a moving body; incentive; stimulus; impulse

Front 876

impinge

Back 876

infringe; encroach; influence; touch; collide with; Ex. The effects are impinging on every aspect of our lives.

Front 877

impious

Back 877

irreverent

Front 878

implacable

Back 878

incapable of being pacified; impossible to appease; Ex. implacable enemy

Front 879

impolitic

Back 879

not wise; not expedient; not politic

Front 880

imponderable

Back 880

weightless; that cannot undergo precise evaluation; CF. pound

Front 881

importunate

Back 881

urging; always demanding; troublesomely urgent or persistent

Front 882

importune

Back 882

beg persistently; make repeated requests (in an annoying way)

Front 883

imposture

Back 883

assuming a false identity; masquerade; CF. impostor

Front 884

imprecation

Back 884

an invocation of evil; a curse

Front 885

improvidence

Back 885

an absence of foresight; a failure to provide for future needs or events: "Their improvidence resulted in the loss of their home."

Front 886

impudent

Back 886

rash indiscreet

Front 887

impugn

Back 887

dispute or contradict (often in an insulting way); attack as false or questionable; challenge; gainsay; CF. fight

Front 888

impuissance

Back 888

powerlessness; feebleness

Front 889

impunity

Back 889

freedom from punishment or harm; CF. punish

Front 890

impute

Back 890

attribute; ascribe; charge; N. imputation

Front 891

inamorata

Back 891

woman whom a man loves

Front 892

incendiary

Back 892

arsonist; ADJ: causing fire; of arson; Ex. incendiary bomb

Front 893

inchoate

Back 893

not yet fully formed; rudimentary; elementary; in an initial or early stage; incomplete; disorganized: "The act of writing forces one to clarify incohate thoughts."

Front 894

incipient

Back 894

beginning; in an early stage

Front 895

incisive

Back 895

(appreciatively) cutting; sharp; Ex. incisive remarks; V. incise: make a cut into

Front 896

inclement

Back 896

stormy; unkind; unmerciful; CF. clement

Front 897

incommodious

Back 897

not spacious; inconvenient

Front 898

incongruity

Back 898

lack of harmony; absurdity; ADJ. incongruous: lacking in harmony; inappropriate

Front 899

incontinent

Back 899

lacking self-restraint; not continent; licentious

Front 900

incontrovertible

Back 900

indisputable; impossible to dispute; not open to question; unquestionable

Front 901

incorporeal

Back 901

without a material body; insubstantial

Front 902

incorrigible

Back 902

not capable of being corrected: "The school board finally decided the James was incorrigible and expelled him from school."

Front 903

incredulity

Back 903

tendency to disbelief

Front 904

incredulous

Back 904

withholding belief; skeptical; showing disbelief

Front 905

increment

Back 905

increase

Front 906

incrustation

Back 906

hard coating or crust; V. incrust: encrust; cover with a crust

Front 907

incubus

Back 907

burden; very worriying problem; mental care; nightmare; male devil; CF. succubus

Front 908

inculcate

Back 908

teach (ideas or principles); instill; fix firmly by repetition

Front 909

indelible

Back 909

permanent; unerasable; strong: "The Queen made an indelible impression on her subjects."

Front 910

indemnify

Back 910

make secure against damage or loss; compensate for damage or loss; CF. make uninjured

Front 911

indenture

Back 911

bind as servant or apprentice to master; bind by indenture; N: contract binding one party into the service of another for a specified time (as between an apprentice and his master)

Front 912

indices

Back 912

signs; indications; Ex. indices of a student's potential; CF. index: something that reveals or indicates; sign; Ex. cost-of-living index

Front 913

indigence

Back 913

poverty

Front 914

indigenous

Back 914

native; Ex. plant indigenous to the New World

Front 915

indigent

Back 915

poor; destitute

Front 916

indissoluble

Back 916

permanent; impossible to dissolve or disintegrate

Front 917

indistinct

Back 917

not easily heard, seen

Front 918

indite

Back 918

write; compose

Front 919

indolent

Back 919

lazy

Front 920

indomitable

Back 920

not easily discouraged or subdued; unconquerable; unyielding

Front 921

indubitable

Back 921

unable to be doubted; which cannot be doubted; unquestionable

Front 922

indubitable

Back 922

too evident to be doubted

Front 923

indulgent

Back 923

humoring; yielding; lenient; showing indulgence

Front 924

ineffable

Back 924

unutterable; not to be uttered; taboo; that cannot be expressed in speech; indescribable; unspeakable; inexpressible; Ex. ineffable name/joy

Front 925

ineluctable

Back 925

irresistible; not to be escaped; unavoidable

Front 926

inexorable

Back 926

relentless; unyielding; implacable; not capable of being changed by entreaty or efforts; Ex. inexorable price rises

Front 927

infallible

Back 927

unerring; never making mistakes

Front 928

ingenue

Back 928

ing\'enue; young innocent girl

Front 929

ingenuous

Back 929

naive and trusting; young; unsophisticated; candid

Front 930

ingratiate

Back 930

become popular with; bring (oneself) in favor of another; Ex. ingratiate himself with the boss

Front 931

ingress

Back 931

the act of entering; entrance

Front 932

inimical

Back 932

(of someone) unfriendly; hostile; (of something) harmful; detrimental; CF. enemy

Front 933

inimitable

Back 933

matchless; not able to be imitated

Front 934

iniquitous

Back 934

wicked; immoral; unrighteous; N. iniquity; Ex. den of iniquity

Front 935

innocuous

Back 935

harmless; having no adverse affect; not likely to provoke strong emotion

Front 936

inordinate

Back 936

beyond reasonable limits; unrestrained; excessive; Ex. inordinate demands

Front 937

insalubrious

Back 937

unwholesome; not healthful; Ex. insalubrious place

Front 938

insatiable

Back 938

not easily satisfied; unquenchable; Ex. insatiable appetite

Front 939

insensate

Back 939

without feeling; lacking sense; foolish

Front 940

insidious

Back 940

treacherous; stealthy; sly; working or spreading harmfully in a stealthy manner; Ex. insidious spreading of dry rot

Front 941

insipid

Back 941

lacking in flavor; lacking interest; dull; Ex. insipid food/character

Front 942

insolvent

Back 942

bankrupt; lacking money to pay; N. insolvency

Front 943

insouciant

Back 943

without concern or care; unconcerned; indifferent

Front 944

insular

Back 944

of or pertaining to an island, thus, excessively exclusive: "Newcomers found it difficult to make friends in the insular community."

Front 945

insularity

Back 945

narrow-mindedness; isolation; ADJ. insular: of an island; isolated; narrow-minded; CF. peninsula

Front 946

insuperable

Back 946

insurmountable; unbeatable; Ex. insuperable difficulties

Front 947

intelligentsia

Back 947

intellectuals; members of the educated elite (often used derogatorily)

Front 948

inter

Back 948

to entomb or bury

Front 949

interdict

Back 949

prohibit; forbid; N.

Front 950

interloper

Back 950

intruder; one who interferes

Front 951

interminable

Back 951

endless

Front 952

internecine

Back 952

mutually destructive

Front 953

interpolate

Back 953

insert between

Front 954

interregnum

Back 954

period between two successive reigns or governments

Front 955

interstice

Back 955

narrow space between things

Front 956

intimate

Back 956

hint; suggest; imply; ADJ: marked by close relationship; familiar; private; personal; Ex. intimate knowledge/thoughts in the diary; N: close friend or confidant; CF. intimacy

Front 957

intractable

Back 957

unruly; difficult to manage; Ex. intractable problem/child

Front 958

intransigence

Back 958

refusal of any compromise; stubbornness; ADJ. intransigent: uncompromising

Front 959

intransigent

Back 959

stubborn; uncompromising immovable; unwilling to change: "She was so intransigent we finally gave up trying to convince her." (n: intransigence)

Front 960

intrepid

Back 960

fearless; brave; undaunted

Front 961

inured

Back 961

accustomed; hardened; Ex. inured to the Alaskan cold; V. inure: make used to something undesirable; harden; CF. unfeeling

Front 962

invective

Back 962

abusive language; curses

Front 963

inveigh

Back 963

denounce; utter censure or invective; Ex. inveigh against the evils of drink

Front 964

inveigle

Back 964

deceive; lead astray by deception; wheedle(cajole); Ex. inveigle her into joining the club; CF. interest dishonestly

Front 965

inveterate

Back 965

deep-rooted; long-established

Front 966

invidious

Back 966

designed to create ill will or envy; tending to rouse ill will or envy; Ex. invidious comparison

Front 967

inviolable

Back 967

secure from corruption, attack, or violation(or profanation); unassailable; Ex. inviolable oath/rights; N. inviolability

Front 968

involute

Back 968

complex

Front 969

irascible

Back 969

prone to outbursts of temper, easily angered

Front 970

iridescent

Back 970

exhibiting rainbowlike colors; Ex. iridescent oil slick; N. iridescence

Front 971

irremediable

Back 971

incurable; uncorrectable; impossible to remedy

Front 972

irresolute

Back 972

uncertain how to act; weak; lacking in resolution; indecisive; N. irresolution

Front 973

isthmus

Back 973

narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land

Front 974

itinerate

Back 974

to travel from place to place; to peregrinate

Front 975

jaded

Back 975

tired or uninterested by surfeit; fatigued; surfeited; worn out; wearied; Ex. jaded appetite

Front 976

jaunty

Back 976

cheerful and pleased with life; lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree; dapper in appearance; Ex. jaunty person/hat

Front 977

jetsam

Back 977

things thrown from a ship (to lighten the ship)

Front 978

jingoist

Back 978

extremely aggressive and militant patriot; warlike chauvinist; N. jingoism: extreme nationalism

Front 979

jocose

Back 979

given to(having a tendency of) joking

Front 980

jocund

Back 980

merry

Front 981

junta

Back 981

group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal; group of military officers ruling a country after seizing power (by force)

Front 982

jurisprudence

Back 982

science of law

Front 983

juxtapose

Back 983

place side by side; CF. next

Front 984

ken

Back 984

range of knowledge; Ex. beyond one's ken

Front 985

kernel

Back 985

central or vital part; core; whole seed (as of corn)

Front 986

kinetic

Back 986

producing motion; of motion

Front 987

kismet

Back 987

fate; destiny; Ex. Kismet is the Arabic word for fate.

Front 988

knell

Back 988

tolling of a bell especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell; V.

Front 989

labile

Back 989

likely to change; unstable; Ex. emotionally labile; N. lability

Front 990

lachrymose

Back 990

causing tears; tearful

Front 991

laconic

Back 991

brief and to the point; using few words; terse

Front 992

laity

Back 992

laypersons; laymen; persons not connected with the clergy

Front 993

lancet

Back 993

small surgical tool for making incisions

Front 994

languid

Back 994

lacking energy or vitality; weary; sluggish; listless

Front 995

languish

Back 995

lose animation or strength

Front 996

languor

Back 996

lack of physical or mental energy; lassitude; depression

Front 997

lank

Back 997

long and thin; Ex. Lank, gaunt, Abraham Lincoln

Front 998

larder

Back 998

pantry; place where food is kept

Front 999

largess

Back 999

generous gift (given to people who do not have enough)

Front 1000

lascivious

Back 1000

lustful

Front 1001

lassitude

Back 1001

languor; weariness; listlessness

Front 1002

latent

Back 1002

present but not yet noticeable or active; dormant; hidden; N. latency; CF. potential

Front 1003

legerdemain

Back 1003

sleight(dexterity) of hand; CF. light of hand

Front 1004

leonine

Back 1004

like a lion

Front 1005

leviathan

Back 1005

giant whale, therefore, something very large

Front 1006

lexicographer

Back 1006

compiler of a dictionary; CF. lexicography: work of compiling a dictionary

Front 1007

lexicon

Back 1007

dictionary

Front 1008

libel

Back 1008

defamatory written statement; act of writing something that smears a person's character; V. ADJ. libelous

Front 1009

libertine

Back 1009

debauched person; dissolute or licentious person; rou\'e; CF. free

Front 1010

libidinous

Back 1010

lustful

Front 1011

licentious

Back 1011

amoral; lewd and lascivious; unrestrained

Front 1012

ligneous

Back 1012

like wood

Front 1013

limn

Back 1013

paint; portray

Front 1014

limpid

Back 1014

crystal clear

Front 1015

lineaments

Back 1015

features especially of the face; distinctive shape or contour of the face; CF. line

Front 1016

lionize

Back 1016

treat (a person) as a celebrity

Front 1017

litany

Back 1017

supplicatory prayer; prayer in which the priest calls out and the people replies in the same words

Front 1018

lithe

Back 1018

flexible; supple; bending; twisting CF. limber

Front 1019

litotes

Back 1019

understatement for emphasis; Ex. ``not bad(=pretty good)''

Front 1020

livid

Back 1020

lead-colored; black and blue (as from a bruise); ashen; enraged; extremely angry

Front 1021

loath

Back 1021

reluctant; unwilling; disinclined; Ex. Romeo and Juliet were both loath for him to go.

Front 1022

loathe

Back 1022

detest; ADJ. loathsome: arousing loathing; offensive; Ex. loathsome smell

Front 1023

lode

Back 1023

metal-bearing vein(long deposit of an ore)

Front 1024

loll

Back 1024

rest to sit or stand in a lazy way; hang (dog's tongue)

Front 1025

lout

Back 1025

clumsy person; ADJ. loutish; CF. from countrysides ?

Front 1026

lucid

Back 1026

easily understood; clear; intelligible; N. lucidity

Front 1027

lucre

Back 1027

money; profit; Ex. filthy lucre

Front 1028

lucubrate

Back 1028

write in scholarly fashion

Front 1029

lugubrious

Back 1029

weighty, mournful, or gloomy, especially to an excessive degree: "Jake's lugubrious monologues depressed his friends."

Front 1030

luminary

Back 1030

celebrity (in a specific field); dignitary; object that gives light (as a celestial body)

Front 1031

lurid

Back 1031

wild; sensational; graphic; gruesome; horrible; Ex. lurid details of the murder

Front 1032

luscious

Back 1032

pleasing to taste or smell; delicious

Front 1033

luxuriant

Back 1033

abundant; growing healthily and in large amounts; excessively ornate; rich and splendid; fertile; Ex. luxuriant forests/prose; CF. luxurious, luxuriate

Front 1034

luxuriate

Back 1034

take pleasure in great comfort

Front 1035

macabre

Back 1035

gruesome; grisly; ghastly; CF. of death

Front 1036

macabre

Back 1036

gruesome; suggesting death

Front 1037

macerate

Back 1037

soften by soaking in liquid; waste away; Ex. macerate powdered wood to make paper

Front 1038

machinations

Back 1038

evil schemes or plots; schemes or plots to achieve an evil end; V. machinate

Front 1039

maculated

Back 1039

spotted; stained; CF. immaculate

Front 1040

magnanimity

Back 1040

generosity; ADJ. magnanimous: generous

Front 1041

magnate

Back 1041

person of prominence or influence; powerful or influential person (in business or industry); Ex. oil magnate

Front 1042

magniloquent

Back 1042

boastful; pompous

Front 1043

maladroit

Back 1043

clumsy; not skillful; awkward; bungling; tackless

Front 1044

maladroit

Back 1044

tactless; clumsy

Front 1045

malady

Back 1045

illness

Front 1046

malaise

Back 1046

uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health (without any particular pain or appearance of disease)

Front 1047

malapropism

Back 1047

comic misuse of a word(for one that resembles it); CF. Mrs. Malaprop

Front 1048

malapropos

Back 1048

inappropriate; ADV.

Front 1049

malediction

Back 1049

curse; execration

Front 1050

malefaction

Back 1050

evil deed; crime

Front 1051

malefactor

Back 1051

evildoer; criminal

Front 1052

maleficient

Back 1052

doing evil; N. maleficience

Front 1053

malfeasance

Back 1053

wrongdoing; misconduct (by a public official)

Front 1054

malign

Back 1054

speak evil of; bad-mouth(criticize spitefully); defame; ADJ: harmful; Ex. malign influence

Front 1055

malinger

Back 1055

to fake illness or injury in order to shirk a duty

Front 1056

malingerer

Back 1056

one who feigns illness to escape duty; V. malinger: feign illness to avoid work

Front 1057

malodorous

Back 1057

foul-smelling

Front 1058

manacle

Back 1058

chains for the hands or feet

Front 1059

mangy

Back 1059

shabby; wretched; suffering from mange; of bad appearance

Front 1060

maniacal

Back 1060

raging mad; insane; N. maniac: insane person; CF. mania: disorder of the mind; intense enthusiasm

Front 1061

manifest

Back 1061

evident; visible; obvious; V: show plainly

Front 1062

manifestation

Back 1062

outward demonstration; manifesting; indication of the presence of something; Ex. manifestation of his pronounced musical bent

Front 1063

manifold

Back 1063

many in number or kind; numerous; varied

Front 1064

mannered

Back 1064

affected; not natural; Ex. mannered way of speech

Front 1065

manumit

Back 1065

emancipate; free from slavery or bondage

Front 1066

marshal

Back 1066

put in order; guide ceremoniously to the correct place; Ex. marshal the children into the museum; N: military officer; official

Front 1067

martial

Back 1067

warlike; of war; Ex. martial art/law

Front 1068

martinet

Back 1068

strict disciplinarian; person who demands total obedience to rules and orders; CF. Jean Martinet

Front 1069

masochist

Back 1069

person who enjoys his own pain; CF. masochism

Front 1070

masticate

Back 1070

chew

Front 1071

matriarch

Back 1071

woman who rules a family or larger social group

Front 1072

matrix

Back 1072

point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold or die; Ex. the matrix of Western civilization

Front 1073

maudlin

Back 1073

sentimental in a silly or tearful way

Front 1074

mausoleum

Back 1074

monumental tomb; large stately tomb; CF. Mausolos

Front 1075

mauve

Back 1075

pale purple

Front 1076

mawkish

Back 1076

mushy(sentimental) and gushy; icky-sticky sentimental; excessively and objectionably sentimental

Front 1077

maxim

Back 1077

proverb; truth pithily stated

Front 1078

medium

Back 1078

element that is a creature's natural environment; nutrient setting in which microorganisms are cultivated; appropriate occupation or means of expression; channel of communication; compromise; middle position between extremes; intervening substance through which something else is transmitted

Front 1079

megalomania

Back 1079

mania for doing grandiose things; mental disorder characterized by delusions of wealth, power, or importance

Front 1080

melee

Back 1080

fight

Front 1081

mellifluous

Back 1081

(of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious; having a pleasant tune

Front 1082

menagerie

Back 1082

collection of wild animals on exhibition; zoo

Front 1083

mendacious

Back 1083

lying; habitually dishonest; N. mendacity

Front 1084

mendacity

Back 1084

dishonesty

Front 1085

mendicant

Back 1085

beggar; ADJ: living as a beggar

Front 1086

mercurial

Back 1086

capricious; quick and changing; fickle; containing the element mercury; Ex. mercurial temper; CF. mood

Front 1087

meretricious

Back 1087

flashy; tawdry; attractive on the surface but of no real value; Ex. metericious argument/jewel; CF. prostitute

Front 1088

metallurgical

Back 1088

pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; N. metallurgy: science that deals with extracting metals from ores

Front 1089

metaphysical

Back 1089

pertaining to speculative philosophy; of metaphysics; N. metaphysics: branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality

Front 1090

mete

Back 1090

measure; distribute; administer; Ex. mete out justice/punishment

Front 1091

metrical

Back 1091

metric; written in the form of poetry; Ex. metrical translation of Homer

Front 1092

mettle

Back 1092

courage (to continue bravely in spite of difficulties); spirit; ADJ. mettlesome

Front 1093

mettlesome

Back 1093

courageous; high-spirited

Front 1094

miasma

Back 1094

swamp gas; heavy vaporous atmosphere often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence; noxious atmosphere or influence

Front 1095

middling

Back 1095

fairly good but not very good

Front 1096

milieu

Back 1096

social environment; means of expression; Ex. feel out of one's milieu; Ex. His proper milieu is watercolor.

Front 1097

militate

Back 1097

work against; Ex. militate against the chances of promotion; CF. serve as a soldier

Front 1098

mimicry

Back 1098

imitation

Front 1099

minatory

Back 1099

menacing; threatening

Front 1100

mince

Back 1100

pronounce or speak affectedly; euphemize

Front 1101

mincing

Back 1101

affectedly dainty(delicate); V. mince: cut (esp. meat) into very small pieces; walk with exaggerated primness; walk in an unnatural way, taking little short steps; Ex. The actor minced across the stage; CF. mincemeat; CF. mincer

Front 1102

minion

Back 1102

servile dependent; obsequious follower

Front 1103

minutiae

Back 1103

petty or trivial details; CF. minutia

Front 1104

mire

Back 1104

entangle; stick in swampy ground; stick or sink in mire; N: bog; deep mud; Ex. sucked deeper into the mire

Front 1105

misanthrope

Back 1105

one who hates mankind; misanthropist

Front 1106

misapprehension

Back 1106

error; misunderstanding; V. misapprehend

Front 1107

miscellany

Back 1107

mixture of writings on various subjects; collection of various items

Front 1108

mischance

Back 1108

ill luck

Front 1109

miscreant

Back 1109

wretch; wrongdoer; villain; Ex. kindness to the miscreant; CF. believe

Front 1110

misogamy

Back 1110

hatred of marriage

Front 1111

misogynist

Back 1111

hater of woman; CF. misogyny

Front 1112

missile

Back 1112

object to be thrown or projected

Front 1113

missive

Back 1113

letter; written statement; CF. sent

Front 1114

mitigate

Back 1114

to make less forceful; to become more moderate; to make less harsh or undesirable: "He was trying to mitigate the damage he had done." (n: mitigation)

Front 1115

mnemonic

Back 1115

pertaining to memory; assisting the memory; N: device, such as as formula or rhyme, used as a mnemonic aid

Front 1116

modicum

Back 1116

limited quantity; small amount; Ex. He does not have a modicum of sense; CF. moderate

Front 1117

modish

Back 1117

fashionable; conforming to the current fashion

Front 1118

mollify

Back 1118

soothe an angry person

Front 1119

mollycoddle

Back 1119

pamper; coddle; baby; indulge excessively

Front 1120

monastic

Back 1120

related to monks or monasteries; removed from worldly concerns

Front 1121

monetary

Back 1121

pertaining to money

Front 1122

mongrel

Back 1122

plant or animal (esp. a dog) of mixed breed; ADJ.

Front 1123

monochromatic

Back 1123

having only one color

Front 1124

monochrome

Back 1124

painting in only one color; ADJ.

Front 1125

monograph

Back 1125

scholarly article

Front 1126

monolithic

Back 1126

solidly uniform; unchangeable; unyielding; N. monolith: large block of stone

Front 1127

monomania

Back 1127

excessive concentration on a single object or idea

Front 1128

mordant

Back 1128

biting; sarcastic; stinging; (apprec.) incisive; cutting; Ex. mordant pen/wit

Front 1129

mores

Back 1129

conventions; moral standards; moral customs

Front 1130

moribund

Back 1130

dying; at the point of death; CF. death

Front 1131

morose

Back 1131

ill-humored; sullen; sullenly melancholy

Front 1132

mortar

Back 1132

vessel in which substances are crushed with a pestle

Front 1133

mote

Back 1133

small speck (esp. of dust)

Front 1134

motility

Back 1134

ability to move spontaneously; ADJ. motile: moving spontaneously

Front 1135

motley

Back 1135

multi-colored (as of a garment worn by a jester); mixed; heterogeneous; CF. jester: one who jests (as a paid fool at medieval courts)

Front 1136

mottled

Back 1136

blotched in coloring; spotted; Ex. mottled face; V. mottle: mark with blotches of different colors

Front 1137

mountebank

Back 1137

charlatan; boastful pretender

Front 1138

mulct

Back 1138

defraud a person of something; swindle; Ex. mulct the boy of his legacy

Front 1139

mulish

Back 1139

unreasonably and inflexibly obstinate

Front 1140

multifarious

Back 1140

varied; greatly diversified; Ex. multifarious activities

Front 1141

multiform

Back 1141

having many forms

Front 1142

multilingual

Back 1142

having many languages; fluent in several languages

Front 1143

multiplicity

Back 1143

state of being numerous or multiple; large number; Ex. multiplicity of details; ADJ. multiple: of more than one element

Front 1144

mundane

Back 1144

worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday; of the ordinary; Ex. mundane existence; CF. world

Front 1145

munificent

Back 1145

very generous in giving; Ex. munificent benefactor; N. munificience

Front 1146

mural

Back 1146

wall painting

Front 1147

myopic

Back 1147

nearsighted; lacking foresight; N. myopia

Front 1148

myriad

Back 1148

very large number; ADJ. CF. ten thousand

Front 1149

nadir

Back 1149

lowest point; point on the celestial sphere diametrically opposite the zenith

Front 1150

naivet\'e(naivety)

Back 1150

quality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness; gullibility; ADJ. naive(na\"ive): ingenuous; lacking worldliness; simple; credulous

Front 1151

narcissist

Back 1151

conceited person; N. narcissism; CF. narcissus

Front 1152

nascent

Back 1152

incipient; coming into being or existence; Ex. nascent ability in music

Front 1153

natation

Back 1153

swimming

Front 1154

nauseate

Back 1154

cause to become sick; fill with disgust; fill nausea

Front 1155

necromancy

Back 1155

black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead; art that professes to communicate with the spirits of the dead so as to predict the future; CF. necromancer; CF. necro+divination; CF. necro-: death; Ex. necropolis

Front 1156

nefarious

Back 1156

wicked, evil: "a nefarious plot."

Front 1157

negligible

Back 1157

so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded

Front 1158

neologism

Back 1158

new or newly coined word or phrase

Front 1159

neophyte

Back 1159

recent convert; new member of a religious group; beginner; CF. plant

Front 1160

nettle

Back 1160

irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome

Front 1161

nexus

Back 1161

connection

Front 1162

nib

Back 1162

beak(bill); pen point

Front 1163

nihilist

Back 1163

one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless and existence meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary terrorist; CF. nihilism: belief that nothing has meaning or value; belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement

Front 1164

noisome

Back 1164

harmful, offensive, destructive: "The noisome odor of the dump carried for miles."

Front 1165

nomenclature

Back 1165

terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things

Front 1166

nominal

Back 1166

in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint

Front 1167

nonplus

Back 1167

put at a loss; bring to a halt by confusion; perplex; CF. no more

Front 1168

nonplused

Back 1168

greatly surprised

Front 1169

nostrum

Back 1169

questionable medicine; quack medicine; CF. our (remedy)

Front 1170

notoriety

Back 1170

disrepute; ill fame

Front 1171

nova

Back 1171

star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns to its original brightness

Front 1172

novelty

Back 1172

something new; newness; ADJ. novel: new; original

Front 1173

novitiate

Back 1173

period of being a novice; house where novices are trained

Front 1174

noxious

Back 1174

harmful; CF. obnoxious

Front 1175

nubile

Back 1175

marriageable; of marriageable age; CF. connubial

Front 1176

nugatory

Back 1176

worthless; futile; trifling

Front 1177

numismatist

Back 1177

person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals

Front 1178

nuptial

Back 1178

related to marriage or the wedding ceremony; N. nuptials: wedding ceremony

Front 1179

nutritious

Back 1179

providing nourishment

Front 1180

obdurate

Back 1180

stubborn; refusing to change one's belief

Front 1181

obeisance

Back 1181

bow (to show respect and obedience)

Front 1182

obelisk

Back 1182

tall column tapering(becoming gradually narrower toward the end) and ending in a pyramid

Front 1183

obfuscate

Back 1183

confuse; muddle; cause confusion; make needlessly complex; make so confused as to be difficult to understand

Front 1184

oblique

Back 1184

indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line); Ex. oblique reference

Front 1185

obloquy

Back 1185

abusively detractive language; sharp criticism; slander; disgrace; infamy

Front 1186

obsequious

Back 1186

slavishly attentive; servile; full of servile compliance; sycophantic

Front 1187

obsequious

Back 1187

too eager to obey or serve

Front 1188

obsequy

Back 1188

funeral ceremony

Front 1189

obsidian

Back 1189

black volcanic rock

Front 1190

obstreperous

Back 1190

boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable

Front 1191

obtrude

Back 1191

push (oneself or one's ideas) forward or intrude; impose (oneself or one's ideas) on others; butt in; stick out or extrude; thrust out; Ex. obtrude A on B; ADJ. obtrusive; N. obtrusion; CF. unobtrusive

Front 1192

obtuse

Back 1192

blunt; not sharp; stupid; slow in understanding

Front 1193

obviate

Back 1193

to prevent by anticipatory measures; to make unnecessary:

Front 1194

Occident

Back 1194

the West

Front 1195

occlude

Back 1195

shut; close; obstruct; Ex. A blood clot occluded an artery.

Front 1196

oculist

Back 1196

physician who specializes in treatment of the eyes

Front 1197

odious

Back 1197

arousing strong dislike; hateful(causing hatred); vile

Front 1198

odium

Back 1198

detestation; quality of being odious; hatefulness; disrepute (resulting from hateful conduct)

Front 1199

offal

Back 1199

waste or by-product of a process; rubbish

Front 1200

officious

Back 1200

meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services; overly eager in offering unwanted services or advices; Ex. officious bellboy

Front 1201

olfactory

Back 1201

concerning the sense of smell

Front 1202

oligarchy

Back 1202

government by a privileged few

Front 1203

omnivorous

Back 1203

eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything

Front 1204

onerous

Back 1204

needing effort; burdensome

Front 1205

opalescent

Back 1205

iridescent; lustrous; like an opal; N. opalescence

Front 1206

opiate

Back 1206

medicine to induce sleep or deaden pain; something that relieves emotions or causes inaction; sleep-producing drug containing opium

Front 1207

opprobrious

Back 1207

showing scorn or reproach

Front 1208

opprobrium

Back 1208

infamy; disgrace arising from shameful conduct; vilification(slander); scorn; contempt; Ex. opprobrium hurled against him; ADJ. opprobrious: expressing contempt; shameful or infamous

Front 1209

optometrist

Back 1209

one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects

Front 1210

opulence

Back 1210

extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance; ADJ. opulent: possessing great wealth; abundant

Front 1211

oracular

Back 1211

of an oracle; prophetic; uttered as if with divine authority; mysterious or ambiguous; hard to understand; N. oracle: wiser person; prophecy made by an oracle

Front 1212

orotund

Back 1212

sonorous; bombastic

Front 1213

orthography

Back 1213

correct spelling; CF. ortho-: straight; correct; Ex. orthodontics

Front 1214

ossified

Back 1214

turned to bone; hardened like bone; Inflexible: "The ossified culture failed to adapt to new economic conditions and died out."

Front 1215

ossify

Back 1215

change or harden into bone; become hard and unchanging in one's ideas

Front 1216

ostensible

Back 1216

apparent; appearing as such; professed(pretended); pretended; Ex. ostensible purpose of the expedition

Front 1217

ostentatious

Back 1217

showy; trying to attract attention; pretentious; N. ostentation: showy display

Front 1218

outmoded

Back 1218

no longer in fashion or use; no longer stylish; old-fashioned

Front 1219

outstrip

Back 1219

outrun; surpass; outdo

Front 1220

overweening

Back 1220

presumptuously arrogant; being a jerk

Front 1221

overwrought

Back 1221

nervous or excited; extremely agitated; hysterical; wrought-up; CF. wrought: made or done

Front 1222

ovoid

Back 1222

egg-shaped; CF. ovum; CF. ovulate

Front 1223

pachyderm

Back 1223

thick-skinned animal

Front 1224

paean

Back 1224

song of praise or joy; Ex. paeans celebrating the victory

Front 1225

palatial

Back 1225

of or suitable for a palace; magnificent

Front 1226

paleontology

Back 1226

study of prehistoric life or fossils; CF. paleo-: ancient or prehistoric; Ex. paleography: study of ancient written documents

Front 1227

palette

Back 1227

board on which painter mixes pigments(coloring matters)

Front 1228

palimpsest

Back 1228

parchment or piece of writing material used for second time after original writing has been erased

Front 1229

pall

Back 1229

become boring; grow tiresome

Front 1230

pallet

Back 1230

small poor bed; Ex. straw pallet

Front 1231

pallid

Back 1231

pale; wan; Ex. pallid complexion

Front 1232

pan

Back 1232

criticize harshly

Front 1233

panacea

Back 1233

cure-all; remedy for all diseases

Front 1234

pandemic

Back 1234

widespread; affecting the majority of people; N: pandemic disease; CF. all people

Front 1235

pander

Back 1235

cater to (the low desires of others)

Front 1236

panegyric

Back 1236

a writing or speech in praise of a person or thing

Front 1237

pang

Back 1237

sudden sharp feeling of pain

Front 1238

panoply

Back 1238

smth forming a protective covering; impressive array

Front 1239

paragon

Back 1239

model of perfection; Ex. paragon of virtue

Front 1240

paramour

Back 1240

illicit lover

Front 1241

pare

Back 1241

cut away the outer covering or skin of (with a knife); trim; Ex. pare apples/expenses

Front 1242

pariah

Back 1242

an outcast; a rejected and despised person

Front 1243

parlance

Back 1243

language; manner of speaking; idiom; Ex. in legal/common parlance

Front 1244

paroxysm

Back 1244

fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage; sudden outburst

Front 1245

parquet

Back 1245

floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic like matter; CF. strip: long narrow piece

Front 1246

parry

Back 1246

ward off a blow; deflect; Ex. He parried the unwelcome question very skillfully; N. CF. ∏∑¥¬¥Ÿ¥¬ ∞≥≥‰¿Ã æ∆¥‘

Front 1247

parsimony

Back 1247

stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious

Front 1248

parvenu

Back 1248

upstart; newly rich person

Front 1249

pastiche

Back 1249

imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing; work of art openly imitating the works of other artists

Front 1250

pathological

Back 1250

pertaining to disease; N. pathology: study of disease

Front 1251

pathos

Back 1251

tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings; Ex. pathos that runs through the novel

Front 1252

patina

Back 1252

green crust on old bronze works or copper; tone slowly taken by varnished painting

Front 1253

patois

Back 1253

local or provincial dialect

Front 1254

patrician

Back 1254

noble; aristocratic; N: person of high rank; aristocrat; CF. member of the governing classes in ancient Rome; CF. plebian

Front 1255

patrimony

Back 1255

property inherited from a father

Front 1256

paucity

Back 1256

scarcity a lacking of

Front 1257

peccadillo

Back 1257

small sin; small weakness in one's character

Front 1258

pecuniary

Back 1258

pertaining to money

Front 1259

pedagogue

Back 1259

teacher; CF. child leader

Front 1260

pedant

Back 1260

scholar who overemphasizes book learning, trivial details of learning, or technicalities

Front 1261

pedantic

Back 1261

showing a narrow concern for rules or formal book learning; making an excessive display of one's own learning: "We quickly tired of his pedantic conversation."

Front 1262

pejorative

Back 1262

(of a word or phrase) suggesting that someone is of little value; negative in connotation; having a belittling effect; Ex. Many women now considers ``housewife'' a pejorative expression, because it patronized them.

Front 1263

pell-mell

Back 1263

in confusion; disorderly; Ex. dash pell-mell

Front 1264

pellucid

Back 1264

transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to understand

Front 1265

penance

Back 1265

self-imposed punishment for sin; Ex. do penance for one's sins; CF. penitent

Front 1266

penchant

Back 1266

strong inclination; strong liking (esp. for something that is disapproved of by other people); Ex. penchant for fast cars

Front 1267

pendulous

Back 1267

hanging; suspended

Front 1268

penitent

Back 1268

repentant; N.

Front 1269

penology

Back 1269

study of prison management and criminal rehabilitation

Front 1270

pensive

Back 1270

dreamily or deeply thoughtful; sadly thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness; contemplative; CF. think over

Front 1271

penumbra

Back 1271

partial shadow (in an eclipse); CF. almost shadow

Front 1272

penury

Back 1272

extreme poverty; stinginess; ADJ. penurious: very poor; stingy

Front 1273

perambulate

Back 1273

to travel over or through (esp. on foot)

Front 1274

perdition

Back 1274

damnation; complete ruin; hell

Front 1275

peregrination

Back 1275

traveling about; wandering

Front 1276

peremptory

Back 1276

demanding and leaving no choice; imperative; Ex. peremptory decree/knock

Front 1277

perfidious

Back 1277

deliberately treacherous; dishonest (n: perfidy)

Front 1278

perforate

Back 1278

pierce; put a hole through

Front 1279

perigee

Back 1279

point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth; CF. apogee

Front 1280

perimeter

Back 1280

outer boundary; length of the outer boundary; circumference

Front 1281

peripatetic

Back 1281

walking about from place to place (to work); moving; Ex. peripatetic school of philosophy

Front 1282

peripatetic

Back 1282

wandering

Front 1283

perish

Back 1283

be destroyed decay

Front 1284

pernicious

Back 1284

very harmful; deadly; very destructive; Ex. pernicious effect/anemia

Front 1285

pernicious

Back 1285

harmful; injurious

Front 1286

peroration

Back 1286

conclusion of an oration; perorating; V. perorate: conclude a speech; speak at great length

Front 1287

perpetrate

Back 1287

commit an offense; do (something wrong)

Front 1288

perquisite(perk)

Back 1288

any gain above stipulated salary; Ex. perquisites such as free meals and a car

Front 1289

perspicacious

Back 1289

(of someone) having insight; penetrating; astute

Front 1290

perspicacity

Back 1290

quick judging and understanding

Front 1291

perspicuity

Back 1291

clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity

Front 1292

perspicuous

Back 1292

(of something) plainly expressed; easy to understand; Ex. perspicuous comments

Front 1293

pert

Back 1293

(esp. of a girl or young woman) impertinent; forward; trim; jaunty; Ex. pert young miss/hat

Front 1294

pertinacious

Back 1294

holding tenaciously to an action; stubborn; persistent

Front 1295

pervasive

Back 1295

spread throughout; V. pervade: (of smells, ideas, feelings) spread throughout; charge; permeate

Front 1296

pestle

Back 1296

tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl or mortar

Front 1297

petrify

Back 1297

turn to stone; cause to become stonelike; stun or paralyze

Front 1298

petrous

Back 1298

like a rock, hard, stony

Front 1299

phalanx

Back 1299

formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears; group of men packed together (for attack or defense)

Front 1300

philanderer

Back 1300

faithless lover; flirt

Front 1301

philatelist

Back 1301

stamp-collector; N. philately: stamp collecting

Front 1302

philology

Back 1302

study of language or words

Front 1303

phlegmatic

Back 1303

calm and unexcitable; not easily disturbed; CF. phlegm: sticky mucus produced in the respiratory tract

Front 1304

physiognomy

Back 1304

face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features

Front 1305

physiological

Back 1305

pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms; N. physiology

Front 1306

picaresque

Back 1306

involving clever rogues or adventurers

Front 1307

piebald

Back 1307

of different colors; mottled; spotted in different colors (esp. in black and white); Ex. piebald horse; CF. pie+bald

Front 1308

pied

Back 1308

piebald; variegated(many-colored); multicolored

Front 1309

pillory

Back 1309

punish by placing in a wooden frame or pillory; subject or expose to criticism and ridicule; N.

Front 1310

pinion

Back 1310

restrain or immobilize by binding the wings or legs; N: bird's wing

Front 1311

pinnace

Back 1311

small boat

Front 1312

pinnacle

Back 1312

peak; highest point; acme; Ex. pinnacle of fame

Front 1313

piquant

Back 1313

pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating; Ex. piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help

Front 1314

pique

Back 1314

irritation; resentment from wounded pride (eg. loss in a contest); V: provoke; arouse; annoy; cause to feel resentment; Ex. pique her curiosity

Front 1315

piscatorial

Back 1315

pertaining to fishing; CF. Pisces

Front 1316

pith

Back 1316

core or marrow; spongelike substance in the center of stems; essence; substance

Front 1317

pithy

Back 1317

concise and meaningful; substantial; meaty

Front 1318

placate

Back 1318

to calm or reduce anger by making concessions: "The professor tried to placate his students by postponing the exam."

Front 1319

placebo

Back 1319

harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill

Front 1320

plaintive

Back 1320

expressing sorrow; mournful; Ex. plaintive song

Front 1321

plait

Back 1321

braid; interwine; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; Ex. plaited hair; N: braided length as of hair o fabric; CF. pigtail, ponytail

Front 1322

plasticity

Back 1322

ability to be molded; ADJ. plastic: capable of being shaped or molded; Ex. plastic material such as clay

Front 1323

platitude

Back 1323

trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous

Front 1324

platonic

Back 1324

purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire

Front 1325

plaudit

Back 1325

praise; enthusiastic approval; round(succession or series) of applause; ADJ. plauditory; CF. applaud

Front 1326

plebeian

Back 1326

common; vulgar; pertaining to the common people; N: common people in ancient Rome; CF. patrician

Front 1327

plebiscite

Back 1327

direct vote by the entire electorate (on an important issue)

Front 1328

plenary

Back 1328

(of power) complete; full; fully attended by all qualified members; Ex. plenary power

Front 1329

plenitude

Back 1329

abundance; plenty; great amount; completeness; fullness; CF. plenary, plenty

Front 1330

plight

Back 1330

difficult condition; condition or state (esp. a bad state or condition); predicament

Front 1331

plumage

Back 1331

feathers of a bird;

Front 1332

plumb

Back 1332

exactly vertical; N: weight on the end of a line; V: examine very carefully or critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding); Ex. plumb the depth of

Front 1333

plutocracy

Back 1333

society ruled by the wealthy

Front 1334

poignancy

Back 1334

quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion; ADJ. poignant: touching; deeply moving; (of sorrow, grief, etc.) painful; keenly distressing to the mind; Ex. poignant memory/anxiety; CF. prick

Front 1335

polemic

Back 1335

attack or defense of an opinion; controversy or refutation; argument in support of point of view; N. polemics: art of debate or controversy

Front 1336

polemic

Back 1336

aggressive attack on opinions of another; disputant

Front 1337

polemical(polemic)

Back 1337

aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious (rather than simply expressing opinions)

Front 1338

politic

Back 1338

prudent; judicious; well judged; expedient; well devised

Front 1339

polity

Back 1339

(particular form of) political organization; form of government of nation or state; Ex. student polity

Front 1340

polyglot

Back 1340

speaking several languages; multilingual; Ex. polyglot person/society; N.

Front 1341

pomposity

Back 1341

self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt(pompous person); ADJ. pompous: self-important

Front 1342

pontifical

Back 1342

pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious; CF. pontiff: pope; bishop

Front 1343

pore

Back 1343

study industriously; ponder; scrutinize; Ex. pore over the book; N.

Front 1344

portend

Back 1344

foretell; presage; be a sign or warning of; N. portent: sign; omen; forewarning

Front 1345

portent

Back 1345

omen; marvelous; threatening

Front 1346

poseur

Back 1346

person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others; person who poses; CF. pose

Front 1347

posit

Back 1347

to postulate; to suggest

Front 1348

postulate

Back 1348

self-evident truth; something assumed without proof; V: assume the truth of (as a basis of an argument)

Front 1349

potable

Back 1349

suitable for drinking; drinkable

Front 1350

poultice

Back 1350

soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body

Front 1351

practicable

Back 1351

feasible

Front 1352

practical

Back 1352

based on experience; of or acquired through practice (rather than theory); useful; Ex. practical man

Front 1353

prate

Back 1353

talk idly; speak foolishly; boast idly

Front 1354

prate

Back 1354

to talk long and idly

Front 1355

prattle

Back 1355

talk idly; babble; N. CF. prate

Front 1356

prattle

Back 1356

to prate; to utter or make meaningless sounds

Front 1357

precipice

Back 1357

cliff with a vertical or nearly vertical face; a dangerous place from which one is likely to fall; metaphorically, a very risky circumstance

Front 1358

precipitant

Back 1358

something that causes a substance in a chemical solution to separate out in solid form; ƒß¿¸¡¶; OP. solvent

Front 1359

precipitate

Back 1359

hurl downward; throw headlong; hasten; cause to happen sooner; condense and fall as rain or snow; cause (a solid substance) to be separated from a solution; ADJ. hasty; rash; premature; sudden

Front 1360

precipitous

Back 1360

steep; overhasty; precipitate

Front 1361

precise

Back 1361

concise summary

Front 1362

precocious

Back 1362

advanced in development; N. precocity

Front 1363

predilection

Back 1363

special liking; mental preference; partiality

Front 1364

predominate

Back 1364

have more power than others

Front 1365

preen

Back 1365

make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction or pride; (of a bird) smooth or clean (feathers) with the beak; Ex. preen oneself on; CF. prune

Front 1366

prefatory

Back 1366

introductory; of a preface

Front 1367

prefigure

Back 1367

be a sign of; foreshadow

Front 1368

prehensile

Back 1368

capable of grasping or holding (esp. by wrapping around); Ex. prehensile tails

Front 1369

prelate

Back 1369

church dignitary; priest of high position in the church (esp. bishop)

Front 1370

prelude

Back 1370

introduction; introductory performance or event; forerunner

Front 1371

premeditate

Back 1371

plan in advance; Ex. premeditated murder

Front 1372

premise

Back 1372

assumption; postulate; proposition upon which an argument is based

Front 1373

premonition

Back 1373

forewarning; presentiment; foreboding

Front 1374

premonitory

Back 1374

serving to warn

Front 1375

preponderance

Back 1375

superiority of power, quantity, etc.; V. preponderate: be greater in power, weight, or importance; ADJ. preponderant

Front 1376

prepossessing

Back 1376

attractive; CF. preoccupying ?

Front 1377

preposterous

Back 1377

absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous

Front 1378

presage

Back 1378

foretell; be a warning or sign of; N: presentiment; foreboding; omen

Front 1379

prescience

Back 1379

ability to foretell the future; knowledge of actions before they occur; ADJ. prescient

Front 1380

presentiment

Back 1380

premonition; foreboding; feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear

Front 1381

pretension

Back 1381

pretentiousness; claim (without foundation); Ex. I make no pretensions to skill as an artist.

Front 1382

pretentious

Back 1382

ostentatious; showy; pompous; making unjustified claims; overambitious; Ex. pretentious films that claim to be art

Front 1383

preternatural

Back 1383

beyond what is normal in nature; supernatural; Ex. preternatural strength/forces

Front 1384

pretext

Back 1384

excuse

Front 1385

prevaricate

Back 1385

to stray away from or evade the truth: "When we asked him what his intentions were, he prevaricated."(n: prevarication; prevaricator)

Front 1386

primogeniture

Back 1386

seniority by birth; state of being the first-born child; right of the eldest child (to inherit the entire property of one or both parents)

Front 1387

primordial

Back 1387

existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary

Front 1388

privation

Back 1388

lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life; hardship; want; CF. deprive

Front 1389

probity

Back 1389

uprightness; honesty; incorruptibility

Front 1390

proclivity

Back 1390

inclination; natural tendency (esp. towards something bad)

Front 1391

prodigious

Back 1391

enormous; marvelous; extraordinary; Ex. prodigious amount/memory

Front 1392

profligacy

Back 1392

shameless immorality

Front 1393

profligate

Back 1393

wasteful (of money); dissipated; wildly immoral; dissolute; N: profligate person; N. profligacy

Front 1394

profligate

Back 1394

wasteful; prodigal; extravagant

Front 1395

profundity

Back 1395

depth

Front 1396

profusion

Back 1396

great amount; plenty; overabundance; excess; lavish expenditure; Ex. profusion of choices; ADJ. profuse: plentiful; copious; giving or given abundantly; extravagant

Front 1397

progenitor

Back 1397

ancestor

Front 1398

progeny

Back 1398

children; offspring; descendants

Front 1399

progeny/progenitor

Back 1399

descendants; children

Front 1400

proletarian

Back 1400

member of the working class; blue collar guy; N. proletariat: working class (who have to work for wages)

Front 1401

proliferate

Back 1401

grow rapidly (in numbers); spread; multiply; N. proliferation

Front 1402

proliferate

Back 1402

grow, reproduce by rapid multification

Front 1403

prolix

Back 1403

tiring because too long

Front 1404

prolixity

Back 1404

tedious wordiness; verbosity; ADJ. prolix: wordy; verbose; diffuse

Front 1405

promiscuous

Back 1405

mixed indiscriminately; indiscriminate; not choosing carefully; indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners; irregular, particularly sexually; Ex. promiscuous life/girl; N. promiscuity

Front 1406

promontory

Back 1406

headland

Front 1407

promulgate

Back 1407

announce; proclaim a doctrine or law; make known by official publication

Front 1408

propagate

Back 1408

increase in number by producing young; multiply; spread; Ex. Most plants propagate by seed; Ex. newspaper propagating their ideas

Front 1409

propagation

Back 1409

increasing the number; spreading; extending

Front 1410

prophylactic

Back 1410

used to prevent disease; N: something prophylactic; condom; N. prophylaxis: prevention of disease

Front 1411

propinquity

Back 1411

nearness (in space or relationship); proximity; kinship

Front 1412

propitiate

Back 1412

to conciliate; to appease: "They made sacrifices to propitiate angry gods."

Front 1413

propitious

Back 1413

favorable; auspicious; advantageous; fortunate; Ex. propitious day/sign

Front 1414

propound

Back 1414

put forth for consideration or analysis; set forth; Ex. propound a problem/theory

Front 1415

propulsive

Back 1415

driving forward; N. propulsion

Front 1416

prosaic

Back 1416

lacking in imagination; dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact(concerned with facts, not imagination or feelings); factual; CF. prose

Front 1417

proscenium

Back 1417

part of stage in front of curtain; front arch of a stage

Front 1418

proscribe

Back 1418

prohibit; ostracize; banish; outlaw

Front 1419

proselytize

Back 1419

(induce someone to) convert to a religion or belief; N. proselyte: new convert to a doctrine or religion

Front 1420

prosody

Back 1420

art of versification; study of the metrical structure of verse

Front 1421

prostrate

Back 1421

stretch out full on ground; make prostrate; enervate; Ex. prostrating illness; ADJ: lying face down; having lost all strength

Front 1422

protean

Back 1422

able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will

Front 1423

protract

Back 1423

prolong; lengthen in time; draw out

Front 1424

protuberance

Back 1424

protrusion; swelling; bulge

Front 1425

provenance

Back 1425

place of origin; origin or source of something; Ex. Gunpowder is of Chinese provenance; CF. come

Front 1426

provender

Back 1426

dry food for livestock; fodder

Front 1427

provincial

Back 1427

pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; narrow; unsophisticated

Front 1428

provision

Back 1428

act of providing; something provided; preparatory measure; provisions: necessary supplies (esp. food); stipulation; condition in an agreement; Ex. According to the provisions of the agreement

Front 1429

proviso

Back 1429

stipulation; condition in an agreement; provision

Front 1430

proxy

Back 1430

authorized agent; authority to act for another

Front 1431

prurient

Back 1431

having or causing lustful desires and thoughts; arousing immoderate sexual desire

Front 1432

pseudonym

Back 1432

pen name; fictitious name assumed by an author; ADJ. pseudonymous

Front 1433

psychosomatic

Back 1433

of the influence of the mind on the body (esp. with respect to disease)

Front 1434

puerile

Back 1434

childish; immature; CF. puer: boy

Front 1435

pugilist

Back 1435

boxer; CF. pugilism: boxing

Front 1436

pugnacity

Back 1436

combativeness; disposition to fight; ADJ. pugnacious: (of people) belligerent; combative in nature

Front 1437

puissant

Back 1437

powerful; strong; potent; N. puissance: power

Front 1438

pulchritude

Back 1438

beauty; comeliness; ADJ. pulchritudinous

Front 1439

punctilious

Back 1439

minutely attentive (perhaps too much so) to fine points; stressing niceties of conduct or form; N. punctilio, punctiliousness: careful attention payed to every small exact detail

Front 1440

pundit

Back 1440

authority on a subject; expert; learned person

Front 1441

pungency

Back 1441

sharpness; stinging quality

Front 1442

pungent

Back 1442

stinging; acrid; sharp in taste or smell; (of speech or writing) caustic; N. pungency; marked by a sharp incisive quality; caustic

Front 1443

punitive

Back 1443

inflicting, involving or aiming at punishment

Front 1444

purport

Back 1444

intention; purpose; meaning; V: claim; profess; Ex. order which purports to be signed by the general

Front 1445

purvey

Back 1445

provide supply

Front 1446

purveyor

Back 1446

furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer; V. purvey: supply (eg. food); furnish; CF. provide

Front 1447

pusillanimous

Back 1447

cowardly, craven, timid, or irreselute; petty: "The pusillanimous leader soon lost the respect of his people."

Front 1448

putative

Back 1448

supposed; reputed; generally regarded as such; Ex. putative father of the child

Front 1449

putrefaction

Back 1449

becoming rotten

Front 1450

putrefy

Back 1450

make or become putrid; N. putrefaction

Front 1451

putrescent

Back 1451

becoming putrid; putrefying

Front 1452

putrid

Back 1452

decayed and foul-smelling; foul; rotten; decayed; N. putridity

Front 1453

pyre

Back 1453

large pile of wood for burning

Front 1454

quadruped

Back 1454

four-footed animal; ADJ. CF. biped

Front 1455

quaff

Back 1455

drink with zest; drink with relish(zest; hearty enjoyment); ≤‹≤©≤‹≤© ∏∂Ω√¥Ÿ; CF. sip

Front 1456

quagmire

Back 1456

bog; marsh; soft, wet, boggy land; predicament; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself

Front 1457

quail

Back 1457

cower; shrink back in fear; lose heart

Front 1458

qualify

Back 1458

reach a necessary standard; limit the meaning of something stated

Front 1459

quarry

Back 1459

person or animal of pursuit; victim; object of a hunt; prey

Front 1460

quash

Back 1460

crush; suppress; squash; subdue; annul; Ex. quash a rebellion/the decision of the low court

Front 1461

quay

Back 1461

dock; wharf; pier; landing place (for boats)

Front 1462

quell

Back 1462

suppress; put an end to; put down forcibly; extinguish; quiet; Ex. ``Army Quells Rebellion'' in newspaper; CF. kill

Front 1463

querulous

Back 1463

given to complaining; complaining; fretful; whining

Front 1464

queue

Back 1464

line (of waiting people or vehicles)

Front 1465

quibble

Back 1465

minor objection or complaint; V: raise minor objections; carp; cavil

Front 1466

quiescence

Back 1466

inactivity; stillness; dormancy (adj: quiescent)

Front 1467

quiescent

Back 1467

dormant; temporarily inactive; at rest; N. quiescence

Front 1468

quietude

Back 1468

tranquillity; calmness

Front 1469

quip

Back 1469

taunt; clever sarcastic remark; V.

Front 1470

quisling

Back 1470

traitor who aids invaders; CF. Vidkun Quisling

Front 1471

quiver

Back 1471

tremble; shake; N.

Front 1472

quixotic

Back 1472

idealistic but impractical; generous; unselfish; CF. Don Quixote

Front 1473

quotidian

Back 1473

daily; commonplace; customary; Ex. quotidian routine

Front 1474

quotidian

Back 1474

banal; everyday

Front 1475

raconteur

Back 1475

story-teller; one who tells stories with wit and skill

Front 1476

raffish

Back 1476

low; vulgar

Front 1477

raffle

Back 1477

lottery; V: award as a prize in a raffle; Ex. raffle off a new car

Front 1478

rail

Back 1478

complain bitterly; scold; rant; Ex. the weaker railing against injustices

Front 1479

raiment

Back 1479

clothing; garments; Ex. I have no raiment fit to wear.

Front 1480

rake

Back 1480

angle of a slope; V: slant from the perpendicular; immoral or dissolute person

Front 1481

rakish

Back 1481

jaunty; stylish; sporty; morally corrupt; dissolute; Ex. He wore his hat at a rakish and jaunty angle.

Front 1482

ramify

Back 1482

branch out; divide into branches or subdivisions

Front 1483

rampant

Back 1483

growing or spreading uncontrollably; growing in profusion; unrestrained; Ex. rampant lawlessness/weed; defensive mound of earth

Front 1484

rancor

Back 1484

long-lasting hatred; bitterness; Ex. negotiation without rancor; ADJ. rancorous

Front 1485

rankle

Back 1485

irritate; fester; annoy

Front 1486

rapacious

Back 1486

voracious; ravenous; taking everything one can; excessively grasping; plundering; subsisting on live prey; Ex. rapacious birds

Front 1487

rapt

Back 1487

engrossed; absorbed; enchanted; Ex. rapt listener

Front 1488

rarefy

Back 1488

to make or become thin; to purify or refine (n: rarefaction, adj: rarefied)

Front 1489

ratiocination

Back 1489

reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises; V. ratiocinate: reason logically

Front 1490

rave

Back 1490

overwhelmingly favorable review; V: talk wildly as if mad; Ex. raving lunatic

Front 1491

raze

Back 1491

destroy completely; Ex. raze the city to the ground

Front 1492

rebus

Back 1492

representation of words in the form of pictures or symbols; puzzle in which pictures or letters stand for words; Ex. ``R U 18'' is a rebus for ``Are you 18''.

Front 1493

recalcitrant

Back 1493

disobedient or resisting authority even after being punished; obstinately stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly; Ex. recalcitrant child

Front 1494

recapitulate

Back 1494

summarize

Front 1495

recast

Back 1495

reconstruct (a sentence, story, statue, etc.); fashion again

Front 1496

recidivism

Back 1496

habitual return to crime (even after being punished); N. recidivist

Front 1497

recompense

Back 1497

make payment to reward punish

Front 1498

recondite

Back 1498

abstruse; not easily understood; profound; secret

Front 1499

recreancy

Back 1499

cowardice; cowardly giving up

Front 1500

recreant

Back 1500

disloyal; cowardly; N: disloyal and cowardly person

Front 1501

recrimination

Back 1501

countercharges; V. recriminate

Front 1502

rectitude

Back 1502

moral correctness; moral uprightness; moral virtue; correctness of judgment

Front 1503

recumbent

Back 1503

reclining; lying down completely or in part

Front 1504

redolent

Back 1504

odorous; fragrant; suggestive (of an odor); Ex. redolent of onions/mystery

Front 1505

redoubtable

Back 1505

formidable; causing fear

Front 1506

redress

Back 1506

remedy; compensation; Ex. seek redress for the damage to your car; V: put right; remedy or rectify (a wrong); make amends for

Front 1507

refectory

Back 1507

dining hall; room where meals are served (in a school)

Front 1508

refraction

Back 1508

bending of a ray of light

Front 1509

refractory

Back 1509

unmanageable; disobedient and stubborn; Ex. refractory horse

Front 1510

refulgent

Back 1510

effulgent; brilliant; brightly shining; gleaming; Ex. refulgent moon

Front 1511

regale

Back 1511

to delight or entertain; to feast

Front 1512

regent

Back 1512

a person who governs in place of a ruler who is ill, absent, or still a child; ADJ. Ex. the Prince regent

Front 1513

regicide

Back 1513

murder of a king or queen

Front 1514

rejoinder

Back 1514

reply; retort; comeback; V. rejoin: say in reply

Front 1515

remediable

Back 1515

reparable

Front 1516

remit

Back 1516

transmit (money) in payment; free someone from a debt or punishment

Front 1517

remittance

Back 1517

remitting of money; amount of money remitted

Front 1518

remonstrate

Back 1518

protest; objection; V. remonstrate: say in protest

Front 1519

remunerative

Back 1519

(of work) compensating; rewarding; profitable; well-paid; V. remunerate: reward; pay (someone) for work or trouble

Front 1520

renascent

Back 1520

rising again into being or vigor

Front 1521

rend

Back 1521

split; tear apart; N. rent; CF. heartrending: causing deep sorrow

Front 1522

rent

Back 1522

tear made by rending; rip; split

Front 1523

reparation

Back 1523

compensation (for loss or wrong); amends; Ex. make reparation for the damage; CF. repair

Front 1524

repartee

Back 1524

quick clever reply

Front 1525

repast

Back 1525

meal; feast; banquet

Front 1526

repine

Back 1526

fret; complain; be annoyed; Ex. repine over the undone work

Front 1527

replete

Back 1527

fully filled; filled to the brim or to the point of being stuffed; abundantly supplied; Ex. report replete with errors

Front 1528

repose

Back 1528

resting; state of being at rest; calmness; V: lie at rest; relax; put or place; Ex. repose our hopes in a single man

Front 1529

repository

Back 1529

storehouse

Front 1530

reprisal

Back 1530

recurrence, renewal or resumption of an action

Front 1531

reproach

Back 1531

blame (not angrily but sadly); express disapproval or disappointment; N. ADJ. reproachful

Front 1532

reprobate

Back 1532

morally disapproved person; person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency; CF. disapproved by God ?

Front 1533

reprobation

Back 1533

severe disapproval; CF. approbation

Front 1534

reproof

Back 1534

the act of censuring, scolding, or rebuking. (v. reprove).

Front 1535

reprove

Back 1535

censure; rebuke; N. reproof

Front 1536

repudiate

Back 1536

disown; disavow; deny

Front 1537

repugnance

Back 1537

disgust; strong dislike; loathing; ADJ. repugnant: arousing disgust; repulsive

Front 1538

requite

Back 1538

make return for; repay; reciprocate; revenge; N. requittal

Front 1539

requite

Back 1539

repay; give in return

Front 1540

respite

Back 1540

time for rest; interval of relief; delay in punishment; reprieve

Front 1541

resplendent

Back 1541

brilliant; splendid in appearance; dazzling; glorious

Front 1542

restive

Back 1542

impatiently restless (induced by external coercion or restriction); restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control; Ex. restive horses because of wolves; CF. not a general synonym for `restless'

Front 1543

reticent

Back 1543

inclined to silence; uncommunicative; reserved; Ex. He was reticent about the reasons; N. reticence

Front 1544

retinue

Back 1544

following; attendants

Front 1545

retiring

Back 1545

shy and reserved (of a person); modest; Ex. her retiring personality

Front 1546

retrench

Back 1546

cut down; cut down expenses; economize

Front 1547

retrograde

Back 1547

go backwards; recede; degenerate; deteriorate; ADJ.

Front 1548

retrospective

Back 1548

looking back on the past; N. retrospection; V. retrospect

Front 1549

reverend

Back 1549

deserving reverence; N: priest

Front 1550

reverent

Back 1550

respectful; worshipful; V. revere: regard with reverence; N. reverence: profound respect

Front 1551

reverie

Back 1551

daydream; abstracted musing

Front 1552

revile

Back 1552

attack with abusive language; vilify(slander)

Front 1553

revulsion

Back 1553

sudden strong feeling of disgust; sudden violent change of feeling; negative reaction; Ex. revulsion from the scenes of torture

Front 1554

ribald

Back 1554

marked by vulgar lewd humor; wanton; profane; N. ribaldry: ribald language or joke

Front 1555

rider

Back 1555

amendment or clause added to a legislative bill

Front 1556

rife

Back 1556

(of something bad) widespread; abundant; current

Front 1557

rift

Back 1557

narrow opening in a large mass; break in a friendly relation; Ex. through a rift in the clouds; OP. reconcilation

Front 1558

rightful

Back 1558

legally correct; Ex. rightful owner

Front 1559

rile

Back 1559

irritate; vex; muddy

Front 1560

rivulet

Back 1560

small stream; CF. rill < rivulet < river

Front 1561

roil

Back 1561

make liquids murky by stirring up sediment; disturb

Front 1562

roseate

Back 1562

rosy; optimistic; Ex. roseate views

Front 1563

rostrum

Back 1563

raised platform for speech-making; pulpit

Front 1564

rubric

Back 1564

title or heading (in red print); directions for religious ceremony; protocol

Front 1565

ruddy

Back 1565

reddish; (of the face) reddish and healthy-looking

Front 1566

rue

Back 1566

regret; lament; mourn; Ex. He will rue the day; N. ADJ. rueful

Front 1567

ruminant

Back 1567

animal that ruminates; ADJ.

Front 1568

ruminate

Back 1568

chew over and over (mentally or, like cows, physically); mull over(ponder)

Front 1569

runic

Back 1569

mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet; N. rune: one of the letters of an alphabet used by ancient Germanic peoples (cut on stone or wood); magic charm

Front 1570

ruse

Back 1570

trick to deceive; stratagem

Front 1571

rusticate

Back 1571

banish to the country; dwell in the country

Front 1572

sacrosanct

Back 1572

most sacred or holy; immune from criticism or violation

Front 1573

sagacious

Back 1573

wise; perceptive; shrewd; having insight; N. sagacity

Front 1574

salacious

Back 1574

lascivious; lustful; Ex. salacious monk

Front 1575

salient

Back 1575

prominent; projecting beyond a line; conspicuous; Ex. salient features

Front 1576

sallow

Back 1576

(of the skin) yellowish and unhealthy-looking; sickly in color; Ex. sallow complexion due to jaundice

Front 1577

salubrious

Back 1577

healthful; conducive to health or well-being; socially desirable; Ex. salubrious area; CF. health

Front 1578

salutary

Back 1578

tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome; Ex. The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy; CF. health

Front 1579

salvage

Back 1579

rescue (goods or property) from loss; N: saving; property saved

Front 1580

sanctimonious

Back 1580

displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness; N. sanctimony: hypocritical piety

Front 1581

sanguinary

Back 1581

bloody; with much bloodshed

Front 1582

sanguine

Back 1582

optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the color of blood; red

Front 1583

sardonic

Back 1583

scornfully mocking; disdainful; sarcastic; cynical; Ex. sardonic smile

Front 1584

sartorial

Back 1584

pertaining to tailors or tailoring; Ex. a man of great sartorial elegance; CF. sartor: tailor

Front 1585

sate

Back 1585

satisfy to the full; satisfy to excess; cloy

Front 1586

satiate

Back 1586

satisfy fully (physical needs such as hunger); sate; N. satiety: condition of being satiated

Front 1587

satyr

Back 1587

half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus (resembling a goat), portrayed as wanton(unrestrained) and cunning; lecher; CF. faun; CF. goat: lecherous man

Front 1588

savant

Back 1588

a very knowledgable person; a genious

Front 1589

savory

Back 1589

pleasant in taste; tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable; Ex. savory reputation

Front 1590

scad

Back 1590

a great quantity; Ex. scads of clothes

Front 1591

schism

Back 1591

division into factions (esp. within a religious body); split

Front 1592

scintilla

Back 1592

trace; minute amount; shred; least bit; Ex. There is not a scintilla of truth; CF. spark

Front 1593

scintillate

Back 1593

sparkle; flash; be animated; be full of life; Ex. scintillating conversation

Front 1594

scion

Back 1594

detached plant shoot used in grafting; descendant

Front 1595

scoff

Back 1595

laugh (at); mock; ridicule; Ex. scoff at their threats

Front 1596

scotch

Back 1596

stamp out(put an end to); thwart; hinder; Ex. scotch the rumor; CF. cut; CF. »∞µø¿ª ¡Ÿ¿Ã¥¬ ¿«πÃ

Front 1597

scourge

Back 1597

lash; whip (formerly used for punishment); source of severe punishment; V: whip; afflict

Front 1598

scruple

Back 1598

hesitate for ethical reasons; fret about; Ex. She did not scruple to read his diary; N: uneasy feeling arising from conscience; conscience

Front 1599

scrupulous

Back 1599

conscientious; extremely thorough; Ex. scrupulous worker

Front 1600

scurrilous

Back 1600

abusive; obscene; indecent; Ex. scurrilous remark

Front 1601

scurvy

Back 1601

contemptible; despicable; N: disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin C

Front 1602

scuttle

Back 1602

sink (a ship) by cutting holes in the hull; scrap; discard; N: small hatch in a ship's deck or hull

Front 1603

seamy

Back 1603

sordid; base; filthy; unwholesome; Ex. seamy side of city life

Front 1604

sectarian

Back 1604

of a sect; narrow-minded; parochial; N: member of a sect; narrow-minded person

Front 1605

sedition

Back 1605

conduct or language inciting rebellion; rebellion; resistance to authority; insubordination; ADJ. seditious

Front 1606

sedulous

Back 1606

diligent; persevering; persistent: "Her sedulous devotion to overcoming her background impressed many." (n: sedulity; sedulousness; adv. sedulously)

Front 1607

seethe

Back 1607

be violently disturbed; boil; (of a liquid) move about wildly as if boiling; Ex. The nation was seething with discontent.

Front 1608

seine

Back 1608

seine net; net for catching fish

Front 1609

seismic

Back 1609

pertaining to earthquakes

Front 1610

seminal

Back 1610

related to seed or semen; germinal; creative; providing a basis for further development; influencing future developments; Ex. seminal research in a new field

Front 1611

sensitization

Back 1611

process of being made sensitive or acutely responsive to an external agent or substance; V. sensitize: make or become sensitive

Front 1612

sententious

Back 1612

short and pithy; full of maxims, proverbs

Front 1613

sentient

Back 1613

capable of sensation and conscious; aware; sensitive; Ex. sentient creature; N. sentience

Front 1614

sentinel

Back 1614

sentry; lookout

Front 1615

sepulcher

Back 1615

tomb; V: place in a sepulcher; ADJ. sepulchral

Front 1616

sere

Back 1616

sear; parched; dry

Front 1617

serendipity

Back 1617

gift for finding valuable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck; CF. The Three Princes of Serendip

Front 1618

serenity

Back 1618

calmness; placidity; ADJ. serene

Front 1619

servile

Back 1619

like a slave; lacking independence

Front 1620

sextant

Back 1620

navigation tool used to determine a ship's latitude and longitude (by measuring the altitudes of stars)

Front 1621

Shangri-la

Back 1621

imaginary remote paradise on earth; CF. Lost Horizon

Front 1622

sheaf

Back 1622

bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together

Front 1623

shunt

Back 1623

move (a railway train) from one track to another; turn aside; divert; sidetrack; Ex. shunt traffic around an accident; N.

Front 1624

sibylline

Back 1624

prophetic; oracular; N. sibyl: woman prophet (in the ancient world)

Front 1625

sidereal

Back 1625

relating to stars; Ex. sidereal day

Front 1626

simian

Back 1626

monkeylike; N: ape or monkey

Front 1627

simper

Back 1627

smirk; smile in a silly way; smile affectedly

Front 1628

sinecure

Back 1628

well-paid position with little responsibility; CF. sine cure: without care; CF. San Serif

Front 1629

sinew

Back 1629

power; chief supporting force

Front 1630

sinewy

Back 1630

(of meat) tough; strong and firm; muscular; N. sinew: tendon; strong cord connecting a muscle to a bone

Front 1631

sinuous

Back 1631

twisting; winding; bending in and out; not morally honest

Front 1632

skinflint

Back 1632

miser; stingy person

Front 1633

skulduggery(skullduggery)

Back 1633

dishonest behavior or action; Ex. skulduggery in the election

Front 1634

skulk

Back 1634

move furtively and secretly; Ex. He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city.

Front 1635

slacken

Back 1635

slow up; loosen; make or become slack

Front 1636

slag

Back 1636

glassy residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter

Front 1637

slake

Back 1637

satisfy (thirst); quench; sate

Front 1638

slapdash

Back 1638

hasty and careless; haphazard; sloppy(carelessly done)

Front 1639

slavish

Back 1639

of or like a slave; servile; showing no originality; copied very closely; Ex. slavish devotion/copy of the original

Front 1640

sledge

Back 1640

large sled drawn by work animals

Front 1641

sleight

Back 1641

dexterity; CF. sleight of hand: legerdemain; quickness of the hands in doing tricks

Front 1642

slew

Back 1642

large quantity or number; Ex. slew of errands left

Front 1643

slipshod

Back 1643

slovenly; careless; sloppy; untidy; shabby; Ex. slipshod work

Front 1644

slough

Back 1644

(of a snake) shed or cast off (dead outer skin); N: outer layer that is shed

Front 1645

slovenly

Back 1645

untidy; careless in work habits; slipshod; N. sloven: one who is habitually untidy or careless

Front 1646

sluice

Back 1646

artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water (with a gate to regulate the flow)

Front 1647

smelt

Back 1647

melt (ore) for separating and removing the metal; melt or blend ores changing their chemical composition

Front 1648

sobriety

Back 1648

moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness

Front 1649

sodden

Back 1649

thoroughly soaked; dull or stupid as if from drink

Front 1650

sojourn

Back 1650

temporary stay; V: stay for a time

Front 1651

solder

Back 1651

repair or make whole by using a metal alloy; N: metal alloy (usually tin and lead) used in the molten state to join metallic parts

Front 1652

solecism

Back 1652

nonstandard grammatical construction; construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically; violation of social etiquette

Front 1653

solemnity

Back 1653

seriousness; gravity

Front 1654

solicitous

Back 1654

anxious; worried; concerned; eager; Ex. solicitous to do something; N. solicitude

Front 1655

solvent

Back 1655

substance that dissolves another; ADJ: capable of dissolving another substance; able to pay all depths; N. solvency

Front 1656

somatic

Back 1656

pertaining to the body; bodily; physical

Front 1657

somnambulist

Back 1657

sleepwalker; V. somnambulate; N. somnambulism

Front 1658

somnolent

Back 1658

half asleep; drowsy; N. somnolence

Front 1659

sonic

Back 1659

of sound or its speed in air; CF. subsonic, supersonic

Front 1660

sonnet

Back 1660

14-line poetic verse form with a fixed rhyme pattern

Front 1661

sophist

Back 1661

teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning; N. sophism: plausible but fallacious argument

Front 1662

sophistry

Back 1662

seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning; sophism

Front 1663

soporific

Back 1663

sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness; drowsy

Front 1664

spangle

Back 1664

small shiny metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation

Front 1665

spartan

Back 1665

without attention to comfort; lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined; Ex. spartan living condition/life

Front 1666

spasmodic

Back 1666

fitful; periodic; of or like a spasm; N. spasm: sudden involuntary muscular contraction; sudden burst of energy or emotion

Front 1667

spate

Back 1667

sudden flood or rush; Ex. spate of accidents

Front 1668

specious

Back 1668

seemingly true but really false; deceptively convincing or attractive: "Her argument, though specious, was readily accepted by many."

Front 1669

spectral

Back 1669

ghostly; N. specter: spectre; ghost; phantom

Front 1670

sphinx-like

Back 1670

enigmatic; mysterious

Front 1671

spleen

Back 1671

feelings of anger or ill will; often suppressed

Front 1672

splenetic

Back 1672

bad-tempered; irritable

Front 1673

spoonerism

Back 1673

accidental transposition of sounds in successive words; Ex. ``Let me sew you to your sheet'' for ``Let me show you to your seat''; CF. William Spooner

Front 1674

sportive

Back 1674

playful; frolicsome; merry; CF. sport: play or frolic; CF. sportsmanlike

Front 1675

sprightly

Back 1675

lively

Front 1676

sprout

Back 1676

begin to grow; give off shoots or buds; N: new growth on a plant; shoot

Front 1677

spruce

Back 1677

neat and trim in appearance; smart; Ex. Be spruce for your job interview; V.

Front 1678

spurious

Back 1678

false; counterfeit; forged; illogical; Ex. spurious arguments

Front 1679

squalid

Back 1679

foul; filthy

Front 1680

squalor

Back 1680

condition of being squalid; filth; degradation; dirty neglected state; ADJ. squalid: dirty; sordid; morally repulsive; Ex. squalid story

Front 1681

staid

Back 1681

serious and sedate; sober; Ex. staid during the funeral ceremony

Front 1682

stalwart

Back 1682

physically strong; brawny; steadfast; strong in mind or determination; Ex. stalwart supporter; N: stalwart follower

Front 1683

stanch

Back 1683

stop or check flow of blood; Ex. stanch the gushing wound

Front 1684

steep

Back 1684

soak; saturate; Ex. steep the fabric in the dye bath; ADJ: precipitous

Front 1685

steeply

Back 1685

rising or falling sharply

Front 1686

stentorian

Back 1686

(of the voice) extremely loud; CF. Stentor: a loud herald in the Iliad

Front 1687

stigmatize

Back 1687

describe smb scornfully

Front 1688

stilted

Back 1688

bombastic; stiffly pompous; Ex. stilted rhetoric; CF. stiff: formal

Front 1689

stingy

Back 1689

spending, using unwillingly

Front 1690

stipple

Back 1690

paint or draw with dots or short strokes

Front 1691

stipple

Back 1691

paint with dots

Front 1692

stockade

Back 1692

wooden enclosure or pen; fixed line of posts used as defensive barrier

Front 1693

stodgy

Back 1693

dull; stuffy; boringly conservative; Ex. stodgy book

Front 1694

stolid

Back 1694

dull; impassive; showing little emotion when strong feelings are expected

Front 1695

stolid

Back 1695

showing no emotion; impassive

Front 1696

stratagem

Back 1696

deceptive scheme; clever trick

Front 1697

stratified

Back 1697

divided into classes; arranged into strata; V. stratify

Front 1698

stratum

Back 1698

layer of earth's surface; layer of society; PL. strata

Front 1699

striated

Back 1699

marked with parallel bands; striped; grooved; Ex. striated rocks; V. striate; N. stria: thin groove or line

Front 1700

stricture

Back 1700

severe and adverse criticism; critical comments; limit or restriction

Front 1701

strident

Back 1701

loud and harsh; insistent; N. stridency

Front 1702

stultify

Back 1702

make stupid in mind; cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; suppress; frustrate or hinder; Ex. stultifying effect of uninteresting work; Ex. stultify free expression

Front 1703

stygian

Back 1703

unpleasantly dark; gloomy; hellish; deathly; CF. Styx: the chief river in the subterranean land of the dead

Front 1704

stymie

Back 1704

to hinder, obstruct or block

Front 1705

suavity

Back 1705

urbanity; polish; ADJ. suave: smooth and courteous

Front 1706

subaltern

Back 1706

subordinate

Front 1707

subjugate

Back 1707

conquer; bring under control

Front 1708

sublimate

Back 1708

refine; purify; replace (natural urges) with socially acceptable activities; change between a solid state and a gaseous state

Front 1709

suborn

Back 1709

persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury); N. subornation

Front 1710

subside

Back 1710

sink to a lower level; settle down; sink to the bottom (as a sediment); descend; grow quiet; become less; moderate; abate

Front 1711

subsidiary

Back 1711

serving to assist; subordinate; secondary; of a subsidy; N.

Front 1712

subsistence

Back 1712

existence; means of subsisting; means of support; livelihood; V. subsist: exist; maintain life (at a meager level)

Front 1713

subsume

Back 1713

include (as a member of a group); encompass

Front 1714

subterfuge

Back 1714

stratagem(deceptive scheme); pretense; evasion; Ex. resort to a harmless subterfuge

Front 1715

subversive

Back 1715

tending to overthrow or ruin; V. subvert: overthrow completely (an established system); destroy completely; CF. undermine ?

Front 1716

succor

Back 1716

assistance relief in time of distress

Front 1717

suffuse

Back 1717

spread through or over (with a color or liquid); charge; Ex. A blush suffused her cheeks.

Front 1718

sullied

Back 1718

to be stained or discredited

Front 1719

sunder

Back 1719

separate; part; CF. asunder

Front 1720

sundry

Back 1720

miscellaneous; various; several; N. sundries: small miscellaneous items

Front 1721

superannuate

Back 1721

to become retired; to become obsolete

Front 1722

supercilious

Back 1722

haughty; arrogant; condescending; patronizing; CF. eyebrow, cilium

Front 1723

supererogatory

Back 1723

superfluous; more than needed or demanded

Front 1724

supernumerary

Back 1724

person or thing excess of what is necessary; extra; ADJ: additional to the usual or necessary number

Front 1725

supine

Back 1725

lying on back; passive; inactive; Ex. The defeated pugilist lay supine; Ex. supine acceptance of the decision

Front 1726

supplant

Back 1726

take the place of unfairly; usurp; replace

Front 1727

suppliant

Back 1727

entreating; beseeching; N.

Front 1728

supplicant

Back 1728

one who supplicates; ADJ.

Front 1729

supplicate

Back 1729

petition humbly; pray to grant a favor

Front 1730

supposition

Back 1730

assumption; hypothesis; surmise; V. suppose

Front 1731

supposititious

Back 1731

assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical

Front 1732

surfeit

Back 1732

satiate; feed or supply to excess; stuff; indulge to excess in anything; N: surfeiting; excessive amount; Ex. surfeit of food

Front 1733

surreptitious

Back 1733

done secretly; secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden

Front 1734

swarthy

Back 1734

(of a skin or complexion) dark; dusky; Ex. swarthy Italian ?

Front 1735

swathe

Back 1735

swath; wrap around; bandage; Ex. one's head swathed in bandages

Front 1736

swill

Back 1736

drink greedily

Front 1737

sybarite

Back 1737

lover of luxury; person devoted to pleasure and luxury; CF. Sybaris: an ancient Greek city in Italy

Front 1738

sycophant

Back 1738

servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man; ADJ. sycophantic

Front 1739

syllogism

Back 1739

logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument

Front 1740

sylvan

Back 1740

pertaining to the woods or the country

Front 1741

symbiosis

Back 1741

interdependent relationship (between groups, species) often mutually beneficial; ADJ. symbiotic; CF. together + life

Front 1742

synchronous

Back 1742

similarly timed; simultaneous with; occurring at the same time; V. synchronize

Front 1743

synoptic

Back 1743

providing a general overview; summary; N. synopsis

Front 1744

synthesis

Back 1744

combining parts or separate things into a whole; the whole so formed; PL. syntheses; V. synthesize

Front 1745

tacit

Back 1745

understood (without actually being expressed); not put into words; Ex. tacit agreement

Front 1746

taciturn

Back 1746

habitually untalkative or silent (n: taciturnity)

Front 1747

tactile

Back 1747

pertaining to the organs or sense of touch

Front 1748

tactile

Back 1748

perceptible by touch

Front 1749

taint

Back 1749

contaminate; cause to lose purity; modify with a trace of something bad; Ex. tainted reputation; N: stain; touch of decay or bad influence; CF. touch

Front 1750

takeoff

Back 1750

burlesque; act of leaving the ground

Front 1751

talisman

Back 1751

charm; object believed to give supernatural powers to or protect its bearer

Front 1752

tamp

Back 1752

tap or drive down by repeated light blows

Front 1753

tan

Back 1753

convert (hide) into leather; make brown by exposure to the sun

Front 1754

tangential

Back 1754

only slightly connected; not central; peripheral; digressing; showing divergence; CF. tangent

Front 1755

tantamount

Back 1755

equivalent in effect or value; Ex. This invasion is tantamount to a declaration of war; CF. amount

Front 1756

taper

Back 1756

very thin candle; gradual decrease in the width of a long object; V. make or become gradually narrower toward one end

Front 1757

tautological

Back 1757

needlessly repetitious; Ex. ``It was visible to the eye''; N. tautology: needless repetition of the same sense; statement that is always true

Front 1758

tawny

Back 1758

brownish yellow

Front 1759

taxonomist

Back 1759

specialist in classifying (animals, etc.); CF. taxonomy: science of classification

Front 1760

tedium

Back 1760

boredom; weariness; ADJ. tedious

Front 1761

teetotal

Back 1761

oppose to alcohol

Front 1762

teetotalism

Back 1762

practice of abstaining totally from alcoholic drinks; N. teetotaler;; ADJ. teetotal; CF. T + total

Front 1763

temerity

Back 1763

boldness; nerve; rashness; Ex. temerity to ask for a pay increase after only three day's work

Front 1764

temporal

Back 1764

of time; not lasting forever; limited by time; temporary; secular; worldly

Front 1765

temporize

Back 1765

gain time as by postponing an action; avoid committing oneself

Front 1766

tenancy

Back 1766

possession of land or building by rent; period of a tenant's occupancy

Front 1767

tendentious

Back 1767

promoting a particular point of view; biased; having an aim; designed to further a cause; Ex. tendentious rather than truth-seeking; CF. tend: move in a certain direction

Front 1768

tenet

Back 1768

doctrine; dogma

Front 1769

tensile

Back 1769

capable of being stretched; of tension; Ex. tensile rubber

Front 1770

tenuous

Back 1770

thin; slim; rare

Front 1771

tepid

Back 1771

lukewarm; slightly warm; πሱŸ«—; half-hearted; not eager; Ex. tepid reaction to the new film; Ex. tepid supporter

Front 1772

termagant

Back 1772

shrew

Front 1773

terminus

Back 1773

last stop of railroad; end

Front 1774

terrestrial

Back 1774

on or relating to the earth

Front 1775

tertiary

Back 1775

third in order or rank

Front 1776

tessellated

Back 1776

mosaic; inlaid; Ex. tessellated pattern

Front 1777

testator

Back 1777

maker of a will; CF. testatrix

Front 1778

theocracy

Back 1778

government run by religious leaders

Front 1779

therapeutic

Back 1779

curative; N. therapy

Front 1780

thrall

Back 1780

slave; bondage; slavery; Ex. Her beauty held him in thrall; CF. enthrall

Front 1781

threadbare

Back 1781

worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor; hackneyed; Ex. threadbare excuses

Front 1782

threadbare

Back 1782

exhausted of interest or freshness; trite

Front 1783

thresh

Back 1783

beat (cereal plants) with a machine or flail to separate the grains from the straw

Front 1784

throes

Back 1784

violent anguish

Front 1785

tiller

Back 1785

handle used to move boat's rudder (to steer)

Front 1786

timorous

Back 1786

fearful; timid; demonstrating fear

Front 1787

tipple

Back 1787

drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently; N: alcoholic drink

Front 1788

titter

Back 1788

nervous giggle; nervous laugh; V.

Front 1789

titular

Back 1789

of a title; in name only; nominal; having the title of an office without the obligations; Ex. titular head of the company

Front 1790

toady

Back 1790

servile flatterer; yes man; sycophant; V: be a toady to; fawn

Front 1791

tome

Back 1791

large volume; book

Front 1792

tonsure

Back 1792

shaving of the head especially by person entering religious orders; V.

Front 1793

torpid

Back 1793

sleeping; sluggish; lethargic; dormant

Front 1794

torpor

Back 1794

lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy; ADJ. torpid: lethargic; lazy; inactive; (of an animal) dormant; hibernating

Front 1795

torrent

Back 1795

rushing stream; flood; Ex. The rain fell in torrents.

Front 1796

torrid

Back 1796

(of weather) hot or scorching; passionate; Ex. torrid love affairs

Front 1797

tortuous

Back 1797

winding; full of curves; Ex. tortuous mountain road

Front 1798

tortuous

Back 1798

twisted; excessively complicated: "Despite public complaints, tax laws and forms have become increasingly tortuous." Note: Don't confuse this with torturous.

Front 1799

totem

Back 1799

animal, plant, or natural object serving as a symbol of a clan or family; representation of this; Ex. totem pole

Front 1800

totter

Back 1800

shake or move unsteadily; sway as if about to fall

Front 1801

tract

Back 1801

propaganda pamphlet (esp. by a religious or political group); expanse of land; region of indefinite size; system of related organs; Ex. digestive tract

Front 1802

tractable

Back 1802

docile; easily managed; (of something) easily changed or molded; N. tractability

Front 1803

traduce

Back 1803

to malign; to violate; expose to slander

Front 1804

tramp

Back 1804

walk with a heavy step; travel on foot; N: vagrant; one who travels aimlessly about; long walk; sound of heavy walking

Front 1805

translucent

Back 1805

partly transparent

Front 1806

transmute

Back 1806

transform; change; convert to something different

Front 1807

transpose

Back 1807

reverse the order or position of

Front 1808

trappings

Back 1808

outward decorations; ornaments (as an outward sign of rank)

Front 1809

travail

Back 1809

strenuous work; toil; painful labor; labor of childbirth

Front 1810

travesty

Back 1810

copy or example of something that completely misrepresents the true nature of the real thing; comical parody or imitation; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous; Ex. travesty of justice; OP. paragon

Front 1811

tremulous

Back 1811

characterized by trembling; affected with timidity

Front 1812

trenchant

Back 1812

cutting; incisive; keen

Front 1813

trepidation

Back 1813

fear; nervous apprehension

Front 1814

tribune

Back 1814

official of ancient Rome elected by the plebians to protect their rights; protector of the people

Front 1815

trident

Back 1815

three-pronged spear

Front 1816

trite

Back 1816

hackneyed; commonplace; not new

Front 1817

troth

Back 1817

pledge of good faith especially in betrothal; betrothal; Ex. by my troth

Front 1818

trough

Back 1818

long narrow container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.); long narrow depression as between waves

Front 1819

truckle

Back 1819

to act in a subservient manner

Front 1820

truculence

Back 1820

aggressiveness; ferocity; ADJ. truculent: aggressive; pugnacious; fierce

Front 1821

tryst

Back 1821

meeting arranged by lovers; arrangement between lovers to meet

Front 1822

tumid

Back 1822

(of a part of the body) swollen; distended; bombastic; pompous

Front 1823

tumult

Back 1823

commotion of a great crowd; riot; noise; uproar; ADJ. tumultuous: noisy and disorderly

Front 1824

turbid

Back 1824

(of a liquid) having the sediment disturbed; muddy; thick

Front 1825

tureen

Back 1825

deep dish for serving soup

Front 1826

turgid

Back 1826

swollen; distended (as from liquid); excessively ornate

Front 1827

turpitude

Back 1827

depravity; baseness; Ex. moral turpitude

Front 1828

turpitude

Back 1828

depravity; wickedness; shamefullness; baseness: "Mr. Castor was fired for moral turpitude."

Front 1829

tutelary

Back 1829

protective; pertaining to a guardianship; Ex. tutelary deities

Front 1830

tyro

Back 1830

beginner; person lacking experience in a specific endeavor: "They easily took advantage of the tyro."

Front 1831

ubiquitous

Back 1831

being everywhere; omnipresent; N. ubiquity

Front 1832

umbrage

Back 1832

resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult; Ex. take umbrage at his rudeness

Front 1833

umbrage

Back 1833

offense; resentment

Front 1834

unaccountable

Back 1834

unexplicable; impossible to account for; unreasonable or mysterious

Front 1835

unanimity

Back 1835

complete agreement; ADJ. unanimous

Front 1836

unassailable

Back 1836

not open to attack; impregnable; not subject to question

Front 1837

unassuaged

Back 1837

unsatisfied; not soothed

Front 1838

unction

Back 1838

the act of anointing with oil; Ex. extreme unction

Front 1839

unctuous

Back 1839

oily; bland; insincerely suave

Front 1840

undulate

Back 1840

to move in wavelike fashion; fluctuate

Front 1841

undulating

Back 1841

moving with a wavelike motion; V. undulate; CF. und: wave

Front 1842

unequivocal

Back 1842

plain; clear; obvious

Front 1843

unerringly

Back 1843

infallibly; ADJ. unerring: making no mistakes

Front 1844

unexceptionable

Back 1844

entirely acceptable; not offering any basis for criticism

Front 1845

unfetter

Back 1845

liberate; free from chains; V. unfetter

Front 1846

unfledged

Back 1846

immature; not having the feathers necessary to fly; CF. fledgling

Front 1847

unfrock

Back 1847

defrock; strip a priest or minister of church authority

Front 1848

unguent

Back 1848

ointment

Front 1849

unilateral

Back 1849

one-sided; involving or affecting only one side; Ex. unilateral declaration

Front 1850

unprepossessing

Back 1850

unattractive

Front 1851

unregenerate

Back 1851

making no attempt to change one's bad practices

Front 1852

unrequited

Back 1852

not requited; not reciprocated; Ex. unrequited love

Front 1853

unsullied

Back 1853

untarnished; CF. sully

Front 1854

untenable

Back 1854

(of a position, esp. in an argument) indefensible; not able to be maintained

Front 1855

untoward

Back 1855

unexpected and adverse; unfortunate or unlucky; Ex. untoward encounter

Front 1856

unwieldy

Back 1856

awkward (to carry or move); cumbersome; unmanageable

Front 1857

unwonted

Back 1857

unaccustomed; unusual; Ex. He arrived with unwonted punctuality.

Front 1858

upbraid

Back 1858

reprimand; severely scold

Front 1859

upshot

Back 1859

outcome; final result

Front 1860

urbane

Back 1860

suave; refined in manner; elegant

Front 1861

urchin

Back 1861

mischievous child (usually a boy); CF. urchin: hedgehog; CF. porcupine: pig with spikes ?; CF. sea urchin

Front 1862

ursine

Back 1862

bearlike; pertaining to a bear

Front 1863

usage

Back 1863

act or manner of using; accepted practice; way in which words are actually used

Front 1864

usury

Back 1864

lending money at illegal high rates of interest

Front 1865

uxorious

Back 1865

excessively submissive or devoted to one's wife; CF. uxor: wife

Front 1866

vacillate

Back 1866

waver (in opinion); fluctuate; sway to and fro; N. vacillation

Front 1867

vacillation

Back 1867

being uncertain; hesitating

Front 1868

vacuous

Back 1868

empty; lacking in ideas; inane; stupid; Ex. vacuous expression; N. vacuity

Front 1869

vacuous

Back 1869

empty; without contents; without ideas or intelligence:: "She flashed a vacuous smile."

Front 1870

vagary

Back 1870

capricious happening; caprice; whim; strange act or idea; CF. wander

Front 1871

vainglorious

Back 1871

boastful; excessively conceited; N. vainglory: great vanity

Front 1872

valediction

Back 1872

saying farewell; expression of leave-taking

Front 1873

valedictory

Back 1873

pertaining to farewell; N: farewell address (esp. at graduation exercises)

Front 1874

vanguard

Back 1874

forerunners; foremost position of an army; advance forces; foremost position in a trend or movement; CF. rearguard

Front 1875

vapid

Back 1875

lacking liveliness; dull and unimaginative; insipid and flavorless; Ex. vapid lecture

Front 1876

variegate

Back 1876

change the appearance of (by marking with different colors)

Front 1877

vassal

Back 1877

in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord; subordinate or dependent

Front 1878

vaunt

Back 1878

to boast

Front 1879

vegetate

Back 1879

live in a monotonous way (without interests or activity); CF. vegetation: plants of an area; CF. vegetarian; CF. vegan

Front 1880

venal

Back 1880

capable of being bribed; corrupt; CF. vernal

Front 1881

veneer

Back 1881

thin surface layer (of good quality wood, glued to a base of inferior material); cover; surface show; fa\c{c}ade; V.

Front 1882

venerable

Back 1882

deserving high respect; commanding respect; CF. command: deserve and get

Front 1883

venerate

Back 1883

great respect or reverence: "The Chinese traditionally venerated their ancestors; ancestor worship is merely a popular misnomer for this tradition." (n: veneration, adj: venerable)

Front 1884

venial

Back 1884

(of a fault or sin) forgivable; trivial

Front 1885

ventilate

Back 1885

admit fresh air into to replace stale air

Front 1886

veracious

Back 1886

(of a person) truthful

Front 1887

veracity

Back 1887

truthfulness; adherence to the truth

Front 1888

verdigris

Back 1888

green coating or patina on copper which has been exposed to the weather

Front 1889

verisimilar

Back 1889

having the appearance of truth or reality; probable or likely to be true; plausible

Front 1890

verisimilitude

Back 1890

appearance of truth; quality of appearing to be true or real; likelihood; Ex. verisimilitude of her performance as Lady Macbeth

Front 1891

veritable

Back 1891

being truly so; real or genuine; actual; not false or imaginary

Front 1892

verity

Back 1892

quality of being true; lasting truth or principle; Ex. the verity of his testimony; Ex. one of the eternal verities

Front 1893

vernal

Back 1893

pertaining to spring

Front 1894

vertex

Back 1894

summit; highest point; PL. vertices

Front 1895

vestige

Back 1895

trace; remains; Ex. vestiges of some ancient religion

Front 1896

viand

Back 1896

food; CF. live

Front 1897

vicar

Back 1897

parish priest; representative

Front 1898

vicissitude

Back 1898

change (esp. from good to bad); change of fortune; CF. the last emperor of China

Front 1899

victuals

Back 1899

food; provisions; V. victual: provide with food

Front 1900

vie

Back 1900

contend; compete

Front 1901

vintner

Back 1901

wine merchant; winemaker; seller of wine

Front 1902

viraginous

Back 1902

of a virago

Front 1903

virago

Back 1903

a loud domineering woman; a scold or nag

Front 1904

virile

Back 1904

manly; having masculine spirit or strength; full of strength

Front 1905

virulent

Back 1905

(of a disease or poison) extremely harmful or poisonous; (of a feeling) hostile; bitter; N. virulence; CF. virus; CF. venom

Front 1906

visage

Back 1906

face; appearance

Front 1907

visceral

Back 1907

felt in one's inner organs; N. viscera: internal body organs; CF. eviscerate

Front 1908

viscid

Back 1908

adhesive; gluey

Front 1909

viscous

Back 1909

slow moving; semi-fluid; highly resistant to flow: "Heintz commercials imply that their catsup is more viscous than others'." (n: viscosity)

Front 1910

vitiate

Back 1910

spoil the effect of; make inoperative; corrupt morally

Front 1911

vitiate

Back 1911

lower the quality; weaken the strength

Front 1912

vitreous

Back 1912

of glass; pertaining to or resembling glass; V. vitrify: change into glass; CF. petrify

Front 1913

vitriolic

Back 1913

causing sharp pain to the mind; caustic; corrosive; sarcastic; of vitriol; N. vitriol: sulphuric acid (which burns flesh deeply); bitterly abusive expression; caustic expression; CF. glass

Front 1914

vituperate

Back 1914

curse; abuse in words

Front 1915

vituperative

Back 1915

abusive; scolding; V. vituperate: berate; scold; rail against abusively

Front 1916

vivisection

Back 1916

act of dissecting living animals

Front 1917

vociferous

Back 1917

clamorous; noisy; V. vociferate: cry out loudly (when complaining)

Front 1918

volubility

Back 1918

fluency; verbosity; easy use of spoken language

Front 1919

voluble

Back 1919

fluent

Front 1920

voluminous

Back 1920

having great volume (as of a garment or container); bulky; large

Front 1921

voluptuous

Back 1921

sensual; of or giving sensual pleasure; indulging in sensual pleasures; Ex. voluptuous lines; Ex. voluptuous life of the Romans; N. voluptuary: voluptuous person

Front 1922

voracious

Back 1922

ravenous; eating large quantities of food; exceedingly eager; insatiable; Ex. voracious animal/reader

Front 1923

vouch

Back 1923

give a personal guarantee; Ex. I can vouch for his integrity; N. voucher

Front 1924

vouchsafe

Back 1924

grant condescendingly; guarantee; Ex. vouchsafe your fair return on your investment

Front 1925

vulpine

Back 1925

like a fox; crafty

Front 1926

waffle

Back 1926

speak equivocally about an issue; N.

Front 1927

waft

Back 1927

move gently (in air or in seas) by wind or waves; Ex. leaves wafting past the window

Front 1928

wag

Back 1928

shake repeatedly from side to side; Ex. The dog wagged its tail; N: humorous person; wit

Front 1929

waggish

Back 1929

humorous; mischievous; tricky

Front 1930

waif

Back 1930

homeless child or animal; Ex. waifs and strays

Front 1931

wan

Back 1931

having a pale or sickly color; pallid

Front 1932

wanderlust

Back 1932

strong longing to travel

Front 1933

wane

Back 1933

decrease in size or strength (after being full); grow gradually to an end; Ex. The moon waxes and wanes every month; N.

Front 1934

wangle

Back 1934

achieve by cleverness or trick; wiggle out; fake; Ex. She tried to wangle an invitation to the party.

Front 1935

wanton

Back 1935

unrestrained; gratuitously cruel; willfully malicious; unchaste; sexually improper; promiscuous; Ex. wanton spending/killing; CF. having no just cause

Front 1936

warren

Back 1936

tunnels in which rabbits live; overcrowded living area; crowded conditions in which people live

Front 1937

wastrel

Back 1937

waster; profligate

Front 1938

wax

Back 1938

increase gradually (as the moon); grow

Front 1939

welter

Back 1939

confusion; turmoil; confused mass; bewildering jumble; Ex. welter of data; wallow (as in mud or high seas); lie soaked (as in blood); Ex. The victims weltered in their blood.

Front 1940

wend

Back 1940

to go, proceed

Front 1941

wheedle

Back 1941

deceive, persuade, or obtain by flattery; cajole; coax; Ex. wheedle a promise out of her

Front 1942

whim

Back 1942

sudden capricious idea; fancy

Front 1943

whit

Back 1943

small amount; smallest speck; Ex. not a whit of

Front 1944

whorl

Back 1944

ring of leaves around stem; ring; circular arrangement; Ex. whorls on the fingers

Front 1945

willowy

Back 1945

flexible; pliant; slender; CF. willow

Front 1946

winnow

Back 1946

sift; separate the chaff from grain by blowing; separate good parts from bad; CF. wind

Front 1947

winsome

Back 1947

charming (in a childlike way); agreeable; gracious; engaging

Front 1948

wizened

Back 1948

shriveled; withered; Ex. wizened apple/old lady

Front 1949

wont

Back 1949

(the stated person's) habit or custom; habitual procedure; ADJ. wonted: customary

Front 1950

wreak

Back 1950

inflict; Ex. wreak one's vengeance on

Front 1951

wrest

Back 1951

obtain by pulling violently; pull away; take by violence; Ex. wrest victory from their grasp

Front 1952

writ

Back 1952

written command issued by a court (telling someone to do or not to do something)

Front 1953

wry

Back 1953

(esp. of an expression of the face) twisted; with a humorous twist (expressing displeasure)

Front 1954

xenophobia

Back 1954

fear or hatred of foreigners; N. xenophobe

Front 1955

yen

Back 1955

strong desire; longing; urge; Ex. yen for travel

Front 1956

yeoman

Back 1956

man or farmer owning small estate; middle-class farmer

Front 1957

zephyr

Back 1957

gentle breeze; west wind