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459 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Aboveboard
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In a straightforward manner : openly
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Abrogate
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To abolish by authoritative action : annul
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Abstruse
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Difficult to comprehend : recondite
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Acerbic
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Expressing harsh or sharp criticism in a clever way
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Acrimony
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Harsh or biting sharpness especially of words, manner, or disposition
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Adamant
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Not willing to change an opinion or decision : very determined : unyielding
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Admonish
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To speak to (someone) in a way that expresses disapproval or criticism : to tell or urge (someone) to do something
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Aesthete
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A person who recognizes and values beauty in art, music, etc.
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Affable
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Being pleasant and at ease in talking to others
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Alacrity
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Promptness in response : cheerful readiness
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Ameliorate
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To make (something, such as a problem) better, less painful, etc.
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Amenable
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Willing to agree or to accept something that is wanted or asked for : able to be controlled, organized, or affected by something
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Anachronism
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An error in chronology; especially : a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other
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Anathema
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Someone or something that is very strongly disliked
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Anodyne
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Not likely to offend or arouse tensions : innocuous
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Antic
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An attention–drawing often wildly playful or funny act or action : caper
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Antithetical
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Being in direct and unequivocal opposition
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Aphorism |
A short phrase that expresses a true or wise idea : apothegm : adage |
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Aplomb
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Complete and confident composure or self–assurance : poise
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Apogee
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The farthest or highest point : culmination
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Apostate
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Someone whose beliefs have changed and who no longer belongs to a religious or political group
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Apothegm
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A short, pithy, and instructive saying or formulation : aphorism : Adage
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Apotheosis
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Elevation to divine status : deification : the perfect example : quintessence
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Apposite
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Very appropriate : suitable for the occasion or situation
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Appreciable
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Capable of being perceived or measured
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Approbation
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An act of approving formally or officially : commendation, praise
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Appropriate
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Arrogate : to take exclusive possession of : annex, especially without authority or right
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Appurtenant
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Constituting a legal accompaniment : auxiliary, accessory
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Arch |
Principal, chief : having or showing an amused feeling of being superior to or knowing more than other people |
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Archaic
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Old and no longer used/useful: of or relating to ancient times
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Arrant |
Of the worst kind : being notoriously without moderation : extreme |
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Arriviste
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One that is a new and uncertain arrival (as in social position or artistic endeavor)
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Arrogate
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Appropriate : To take or claim (something, such as a right or a privilege) in a way that is not fair or legal
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Artful |
Done with or showing artistic skill : good at getting or achieving things in ways that are clever and not noticeable : used to get or achieve things in ways that are clever and not noticeable |
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Artless
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Free from guile or craft : sincerely simple : lacking art, knowledge or skill, uncultured
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Ascetic
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Relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure : practicing strict self–denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline
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Asperity
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Harshness of behavior or speech that expresses bitterness or anger
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Assiduous
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Marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application
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Assuage
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to lessen the intensity of (something that pains or distresses) : ease
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Atavism |
Recurrence of or reversion to a past style, manner, outlook, approach, or activity : Recurrence of a characteristic or trait typical of ancestral form : throwback |
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Atomism
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A theoretical approach that regards something as interpretable through analysis into distinct, separable, and independent elementary components.
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Auspicious
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Showing or suggesting that future success is likely : propitious
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Austere
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Stern and cold in appearance or manner : somber, grave
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Aver
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To say (something) in a very strong and definite way
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Axiom
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An established rule or principle or a self–evident truth : a maxim widely accepted on its intrinsic merit
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Baleful |
Deadly or pernicious in influence : foreboding or threatening evil effects : sinister |
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Beatific
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Showing complete happiness : Having a blissful appearance
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Begrudge
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To think that someone does not deserve something : to regard (something) as not being earned or deserved: to give or allow (something) in a reluctant or unwilling way
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Belie
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To give a false impression of : to present an appearance not in agreement with : to show (something) to be false or wrong : to run counter to : contradict
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Bellicose
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Favoring or inclined to start quarrels or wars
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Belligerent
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Waging war; specifically : belonging to or recognized as a state at war and protected by and subject to the laws of war : inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness
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Bellwether
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Someone or something that leads others or shows what will happen in the future
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Benighted |
Existing in a state of intellectual, moral, or social darkness : unenlightened : having no knowledge or education : illiterate |
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Bereft
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Deprived or robbed of the possession or use of something : sad after the loss of a family member
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Besotted
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Infatuated : Made dull or stupid; especially : muddled with drunkenness
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Betray |
To reveal unintentionally : show, indicate one's true feelings |
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Bilious
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Having or causing a sick feeling in the stomach : feeling or causing nausea: angry or bad–tempered: very unpleasant to look at
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Blatant
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Very obvious and offensive
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Blinkered
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Limited in scope or understanding : narrow–minded
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Boorish
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A rude and rough person
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Bowdlerize |
To change (a book, play, movie, etc.) by removing parts that could offend people : expurgate |
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Brazen
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Acting or done in a very open and shocking way without shame or embarrassment
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Broadside
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A very strong and harsh spoken or written attack : an attack by a ship in which all the guns on one side of the ship are fired together
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Bromide
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A commonplace or hackneyed statement or notion
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Brook |
To stand for : tolerate : abide |
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Brusque
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Markedly short and abrupt : blunt in manner or speech often to the point of ungracious harshness
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Bucolic
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Of or relating to shepherds or herdsmen : pastoral : relating to or typical of rural life : idyllic
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Burgeon
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To grow and expand rapidly : flourish
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Buttress
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Something that supports or strengthens
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Byzantine |
Characterized by a devious and usually surreptitious manner of operation |
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Callow
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Lacking adult sophistication : immature
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Canard
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A false report or story : a belief or rumor that is not true
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Candid
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Expressing opinions and feelings in an honest and sincere way
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Capitulate
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To cease resisting : acquiesce
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Cavalier
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Having or showing no concern for something that is important or serious
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Celerity
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Rapidity of motion or action
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Chary
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Cautious about doing something
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Chauvinism
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An attitude that the members of your own sex are always better than those of the opposite sex : the belief that your country or race is better than any other
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Chicanery
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Actions or statements that trick people into believing something that is not true : deception or trickery
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Chimera
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Something that exists only in the imagination and is not possible in reality
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Choleric
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Made angry easily : irritable, irascible
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Churlish |
Marked by a lack of civility or graciousness : surly : difficult to work with or deal with |
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Clemency
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Disposition to be merciful and especially to moderate the severity of punishment due : an act or instance of leniency
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Coalesce
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To unite into a whole : fuse : To unite for a common end : join forces
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Cogent
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Very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe
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Commensurate
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Equal in measure or extent : coextensive : corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree : proportionate
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Complaisant
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Marked by an inclination to please or oblige : tending to consent to others' wishes
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Conciliate
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To gain (as goodwill) by pleasing acts : to make compatible : reconcile
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Conflagration
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Fire; especially : a large disastrous fire : conflict, war
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Confound
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To surprise and confuse (someone or something) : to prove (someone or something) wrong
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Conspicuous |
Attracting attention : striking : marked by a noticeable violation of good taste |
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Construe
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To understand or explain the sense or intention of usually in a particular way or with respect to a given set of circumstances
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Consummate |
Extremely skilled and accomplished : of the highest degree |
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Contemptuous
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Manifesting, feeling, or expressing deep hatred or disapproval : feeling or showing contempt
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Contingent
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Depending on something else that might or might not happen
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Contrive
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To form or think of (a plan, method, etc. ) : to form or make (something) in a skillful or clever way : to make (something) happen in a clever way or with difficulty
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Convivial
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Relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company
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Corollary
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A proposition inferred immediately from a proved proposition with little or no additional proof
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Cosmopolitan
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A person who has lived in and knows about many different parts of the world
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Coterminous
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Having the same or coincident boundaries : Coextensive in scope or duration
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Countermand
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To cancel (an order) especially by giving a new order
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Craven
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Having or showing a complete lack of courage : very cowardly
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Creditable |
Worthy of belief : sufficiently good to bring esteem or praise |
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Culpability
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Meriting condemnation or blame especially as wrong or harmful : deserving blame
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Cupidity
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Inordinate desire for wealth : avarice, greed
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Debase
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To lower the value or reputation of (someone or something) : to make (someone or something) less respected
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Decorum
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Propriety and good taste in conduct or appearance : orderliness
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Deference
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A way of behaving that shows respect for someone or something
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Defray
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To pay for (something)
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Deign |
Stoop : to condescend reluctantly and with a strong sense of the affront to one's superiority that is involved |
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Delineate
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To describe, portray, or set forth with accuracy or in detail
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Demagogue
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A leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power
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Demur
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To disagree politely with another person's statement or suggestion : to politely refuse to accept a request or suggestion
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Denigrate |
To say very critical and often unfair things about (someone) : blacken |
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Denote
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To have (something) as a meaning : to mean (something) : to show, mark, or be a sign of (something)
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Denouement |
The final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work : the outcome of a complex sequence of events |
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Derelict
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Abandoned especially by the owner or occupant; also : run–down :
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Derivative
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Lacking originality : banal
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Desideratum
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Something desired as essential
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Dessicated
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To dry up : to preserve (a food) by drying : dehydrate : to drain of emotional or intellectual vitality
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Devolve
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To gradually go from an advanced state to a less advanced state : to pass (responsibility, power, etc.) from one person or group to another person or group at a lower level of authority
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Diaphanous
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Characterized by extreme delicacy of form : ethereal
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Diatribe
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A bitter and abusive speech or piece of writing : a long rant critical of someone or something
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Didactic
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Designed or intended to teach people something — used to describe someone or something that tries to teach something (such as proper or moral behavior) in a way that is annoying or unwanted
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Diffident
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Hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self–confidence
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Dilatory |
Tending or intended to cause delay : characterized by procrastination |
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Dilettante
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A person whose interest in an art or in an area of knowledge is not very deep or serious
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Disaffected
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Discontented and resentful especially against authority : rebellious
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Discursive
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Moving from topic to topic without order : rambling
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Disenfranchise
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To deprive of a franchise, of a legal right, or of some privilege or immunity; especially : to deprive of the right to vote
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Disingenuous
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Not truly honest or sincere : giving the false appearance of being honest or sincere
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Disparate
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Containing or made up of fundamentally different and often incongruous elements
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Dispatch
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To send off or away with promptness or speed; especially : to send off on official business
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Dispensation
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Permission to break a law or an official promise you have made : release from a rule, vow, or oath
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Dissemble
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To hide under a false appearance : to put on the appearance of : simulate
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Dissipate
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To cause to spread thin or scatter and gradually vanish
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Dogmatic
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Expressing personal opinions or beliefs as if they are certainly correct and cannot be doubted
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Doleful |
Causing grief or affliction : full of grief : cheerless |
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Doughty
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Brave, strong, and determined : marked by fearless resolution : valiant
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Duress
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Force or threats meant to make someone do something
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Ebullient
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Characterized by ebullience : having or showing liveliness and enthusiasm
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Efface
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To cause (something) to fade or disappear
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Elegy
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A song or poem expressing sorrow or lamentation especially for one who is dead
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Embroil
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To involve (someone or something) in conflict or difficulties
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Eminent
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Standing out so as to be readily perceived or noted : conspicuous : exhibiting eminence especially in standing above others in some quality or position : prominent
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Enervated
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Lacking physical, mental, or moral vigor
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Engender
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To be the source or cause of (something)
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Enormity
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An outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act
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Enthrall
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To hold the attention of (someone) by being very exciting, interesting, or beautiful
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Ephemeral |
lasting a very short time : evanescent |
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Equivocal
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Having two or more possible meanings: not easily understood or explained
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Equivocate
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To use equivocal language especially with intent to deceive : to avoid committing oneself in what one says
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Ersatz
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Being a usually artificial and inferior substitute or imitation
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Erudite
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Having or showing knowledge that is gained by studying : Learned
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Eschew
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To avoid habitually especially on moral or practical grounds : shun
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Ethereal
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Resembling heaven : seeming to belong to another world : very delicate
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Euphony
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Pleasing or sweet sound; especially : the acoustic effect produced by words so formed or combined as to please the ear
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Evanescent |
Tending to vanish like vapor : lasting a very short time : ephemeral |
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Exacting
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Tryingly or unremittingly severe in making demands : requiring careful attention and precision
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Excoriate
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To criticize (someone or something) very harshly
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Exegesis
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Exposition, explanation; especially : an explanation or critical interpretation of a text
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Expansive
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Talking a lot : covering or including many things : very broad or wide : covering a large space or area
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Expunge
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To strike out, obliterate, or mark for deletion : to eliminate (as a memory) from one's consciousness
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Expurgate |
To change (a written work) by removing parts that might offend people : bowdlerize |
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Facetious
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Joking or jesting often inappropriately : waggish : meant to be humorous or funny : not serious
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Facile |
Easily accomplished or attained : shallow, simplistic |
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Factitious
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Produced by humans rather than by natural forces
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Fastidious
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Having high and often capricious standards : difficult to please
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Fawn
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To court favor by a cringing or flattering manner
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Feckless
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Having or resulting from a weak character or nature : Weak, ineffective : Worthless, irresponsible
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Fecund
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Fruitful in offspring or vegetation : prolific : intellectually productive or inventive to a marked degree
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Felicitous
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Very well suited or expressed : apt
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Fell |
Fierce, cruel, terrible, sinister, malevolent |
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Ferret
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To find by eager searching
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Fete
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A large party or celebration : an outdoor event for raising money that usually includes competitions and things for sale
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Finagle
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To get (something) in a clever or dishonest way : to trick (someone) in order to get something
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Flag
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To become unsteady, feeble, or spiritless : to decline in interest, attraction, or value
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Fleece
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To deceive and take money from (someone)
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Flummox
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Confuse
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Foment
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To cause or try to cause the growth or development of (something bad or harmful)
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Forlorn
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Bereft, forsaken : sad and lonely because of isolation or desertion : desolate
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Forthcoming
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Appearing, happening, or arriving soon
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Fortuitous
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Happening by chance : having or showing good luck
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Fractious
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Causing trouble : hard to manage or control : full of anger and disagreement : quarrelsome, irritable
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Gainsay
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To deny or disagree with (something) : to show or say that (something) is not true
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Garrulous
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Given to prosy, rambling, or tedious loquacity : pointlessly or annoyingly talkative
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Gauche
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Having or showing a lack of awareness about the proper way to behave : socially awkward
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Germane |
Being at once relevant and appropriate : fitting : pertinent : apposite |
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Glut
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To fill especially with food to satiety : to flood (the market) with goods so that supply exceeds demand
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Goad
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A pointed rod used to make an animal move forward: someone or something that urges or forces someone to do something
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Gouge
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An excessive or improper exaction : extortion : to overcharge
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Graft
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The acquisition of gain (as money) in dishonest or questionable ways; also : illegal or unfair gain
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Grandiloquent
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A lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language
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Gregarious
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Enjoying the company of other people : (biology) tending to live in groups
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Grovel
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To treat someone with too much respect or fear in a way that shows weakness in order to be forgiven or to gain approval or favor
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Guileless
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Innocent, naive
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Hackneyed |
Not interesting, funny, etc., because of being used too often : not fresh or original |
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Harbinger
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One that pioneers in or initiates a major change : precursor : one that presages or foreshadows what is to come
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Haughty
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Blatantly and disdainfully proud
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Hauteur
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Arrogance, haughtiness
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Hector
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Verb: To criticize or question (someone) in a threatening way
Noun: Bully, braggart |
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Hegemony |
Influence or control over another country, a group of people, etc. : Domination |
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Heretic |
Dissenter, nonconformist : Someone who believes or teaches something that goes against accepted or official beliefs |
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Histrionic |
Deliberately affected : theatrical : of or relating to actors, acting, or the theater |
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Hoary |
Not interesting, funny, etc., because of being used too often : not fresh or original |
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Hobble
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To cause to limp : make lame : cripple
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Husband
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To carefully use or manage (something, such as a resource) : to use sparingly, conserve
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Iconoclast
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A person who destroys religious images or opposes their veneration : a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions
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Idiosyncrasy |
Characteristic peculiarity : an unusual part or feature of something : eccentricity |
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Ignoble
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Of low birth or common origin : plebeian : characterized by baseness, lowness, or meanness
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Imbibe
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Drink : to take in or up
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Imbroglio |
An intricate or complicated situation (as in a drama or novel) : An acutely painful or embarrassing misunderstanding : a violently confused or bitterly complicated altercation : embroilment |
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Immaterial
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Not consisting of matter : incorporeal : of no substantial consequence : unimportant
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Imminent
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Ready to take place; especially : hanging threateningly over one's head
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Immure
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To enclose within or as if within walls : imprison
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Immutable
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Not capable of or susceptible to change
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Impecunious
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Having very little or no money usually habitually : penniless
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Imperious
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Having or showing the proud and unpleasant attitude of someone who gives orders and expects other people to obey them
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Impertinent
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Not restrained within due or proper bounds especially of propriety or good taste : characterized by insolent rudeness
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Impetuous
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Acting or done quickly and without thought : controlled by emotion rather than thought : marked by impulsive vehemence or passion
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Implausible
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Not believable or realistic : not plausible
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Impudent
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Failing to show proper respect and courtesy : very rude : without shame in disregard for others
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Impugn
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To assail by words or arguments : oppose or attack as false or lacking integrity
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Impute |
Accredit, ascribe attribute : to lay the responsibility or blame for often falsely or unjustly |
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Inchoate
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not completely formed or developed yet : incipient
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Incisive
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Very clear and direct : able to explain difficult ideas clearly and confidently
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Inclement
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Lacking mildness : physically severe : stormy : without mercy
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Incongrous
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Incompatible : Lacking congruity : not harmonious
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Incontrovertible
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Not open to question : indisputable
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Incorrigible
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Not able to be corrected or changed
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Incumbent
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A person who holds a particular office or position
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Indigent
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Suffering from extreme poverty : impoverished
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Indignant |
Feeling or showing anger because of something that is unfair or wrong : very angry |
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Ineffable
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Incapable of being expressed in words : indescribable
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Ineluctable
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Not to be avoided, changed, or resisted : inevitable
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Inequity
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Injustice, unfairness
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Inexorable
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Not to be persuaded, moved, or stopped : relentless
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Ingenious
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Very smart or clever : having or showing ingenuity
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Ingratiate
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To gain favor or approval for (yourself) by doing or saying things that people like
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Inimical
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Likely to cause damage or have a bad effect : hostile : unfriendly
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Innocuous
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Producing no injury : harmless : not likely to give offense or to arouse strong feelings or hostility : inoffensive, insipid
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Insidious
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Having a gradual and cumulative effect : subtle
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Insipid
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Not interesting or exciting : dull or boring : lacking strong flavor
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Insolvent
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Not having enough money to pay debts
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Insouciance
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Lighthearted unconcern : nonchalance : a relaxed and calm state : a feeling of not worrying about anything
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Internecine |
Marked by slaughter, deadly, especially, mutually destructive : occurring between members of the same country, group, or organization |
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Intransigent
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Completely unwilling to change : very stubborn
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Inure
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To accustom to accept something undesirable
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Invective
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Of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse
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Invidious
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Tending to cause discontent, animosity, or envy : envious
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Inviolable
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Too important to be ignored or treated with disrespect
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Irascible
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Becoming angry very easily : having a bad temper
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Itinerant
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Traveling from place to place; especially : covering a circuit
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Jaundice
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A state or attitude characterized by satiety, distaste, or hostility
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Jejune
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Devoid of significance or interest : dull
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Jingoism
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Extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy
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Junta
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A military group controlling a government after taking control of it by force
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Kowtow
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Act in an excessively subservient manner : kneel and touch the ground with the forehead in worship or submission as part of Chinese custom.
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Lacerate
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To cut or tear (someone's flesh) deeply or roughly : to cause sharp mental or emotional pain to : distress
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Lachrymose
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Given to tears or weeping : tearful : tending to cause tears : mournful
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Laggard
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Lagging or tending to lag : dilatory
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Lampoon
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Satire; specifically : a harsh satire usually directed against an individual
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Languid
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Showing or having very little strength, energy, or activity
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Larceny
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The act of stealing something
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Largesse
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The act of giving away money or the quality of a person who gives away money ; also : money that is given away
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Latent
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Present and capable of emerging or developing but not now visible, obvious, active, or symptomatic
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Lionize
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To treat as an object of great interest or importance
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Listless
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Characterized by lack of interest, energy, or spirit
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Loath
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Unwilling to do something contrary to one's ways of thinking : reluctant
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Lucid
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Very clear and easy to understand: able to think clearly
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Lugubrious
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Full of sadness or sorrow : very sad especially in an exaggerated or insincere way
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Luminous |
Producing or seeming to produce light : filled with light : brightly lit : clear, enlightening |
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Magisterial
|
Of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a master or teacher : authoritative : marked by an overbearingly dignified or assured manner or aspect
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Magnaminous
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Having or showing a generous and kind nature
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Maladroit
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Very awkward : not skillful or adroit
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Malapropism
|
The usually unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; especially : the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context
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Malinger
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To pretend or exaggerate incapacity or illness (as to avoid duty or work)
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Martinet
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A person who is very strict and demands obedience from others
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Maunder
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To talk for a long time in a boring way : to wander slowly and idly
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Mawkish
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Sad or romantic in a foolish or exaggerated way
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Mellifluous |
Having a smooth rich flow : smooth flowing sound |
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Mendacity
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Lack of honesty : the condition of being mendacious
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Mettle
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Vigor and strength of spirit or temperament : staying quality : stamina
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Miscreant
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Unbelieving, heretical : depraved, villainous
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Mollify
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To soothe in temper or disposition : appease : assuage : temper
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Monotony
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Tedious sameness : sameness of tone or sound
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Moribund
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Being in the state of dying : approaching death : being in a state of inactivity or obsolescence
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Munificent
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Very liberal in giving or bestowing : lavish
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Myopic
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A lack of foresight or discernment : a narrow view of something
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Nettlesome
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Causing vexation : irritating
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Nice
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Possessing, marked by, or demanding great or excessive precision and delicacy
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Noisome
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Offensive to the senses and especially to the sense of smell
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Nonplussed
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A state of bafflement or perplexity : quandary
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Obdurate
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Refusing to do what other people want : not willing to change your opinion or the way you do something
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Objurgation
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A harsh rebuke
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Obliging
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Willing to do favors : helpful
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Oblique
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Not direct : not stated directly
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Obsequious
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Too eager to help or obey someone important : marked by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
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Obstinate
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Refusing to change your behavior or your ideas: difficult to deal with, remove, etc.
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Obtain
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To be generally recognized or established : prevail
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Officious
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Volunteering one's services where they are neither asked nor needed : meddlesome
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Ostentatious
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Displaying wealth, knowledge, etc., in a way that is meant to attract attention, admiration, or envy
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Overweening
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Too confident or proud : too great : excessive and unpleasant
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Panache
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Dash or flamboyance in style and action : verve
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Panegyric
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Something (such as a speech or a piece of writing) that praises someone or something
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Parley
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To speak with another : confer; specifically : to discuss terms with an enemy
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Parochial
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Limited in range or scope (as to a narrow area or region) : provincial, narrow
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Parvenu
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A person from usually a low social position who has recently or suddenly become wealthy, powerful, or successful but who is not accepted by other wealthy, powerful, and successful people
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Pathogenic
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Causing or capable of causing disease
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Paucity
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A small amount of something : an amount that is less than what is needed or wanted
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Pecuniary
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Consisting of or measured in money : of or relating to money
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Pedant
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A person who annoys other people by correcting small errors and giving too much attention to minor details
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Pellucid
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Very clear, easy to understand
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Penury
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A cramping and oppressive lack of resources (as money); especially : severe poverty
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Percipient
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One that perceives
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Peremptory |
Used to describe an order, command, etc., that you must obey without any questions or excuses : bossy, imperious, expects to be obeyed without question. |
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Perennial
|
Existing or continuing in the same way for a long time : happening again and again
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Perfidy
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The act of betraying someone or something : the state of not being loyal
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Perfunctory
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Characterized by routine or superficiality : mechanical
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Peripatetic
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Of, relating to, or given to walking : moving or traveling from place to place : itinerant
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Perquisite
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A privilege, gain, or profit incidental to regular salary or wages; especially : one expected or promised
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Perspicacious
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Having or showing an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious :
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Pertinacious
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Adhering resolutely to an opinion, purpose, or design : perversely persistent : stubbornly tenacious
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Peruse
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To look over or through in a casual or cursory manner
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Petulant
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Having or showing the attitude of people who become angry and annoyed when they do not get what they want
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Phantasmagoria
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A constantly shifting complex succession of things seen or imagined : a scene that constantly changes : a bizarre or fantastic combination, collection, or assemblage
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Philistine
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A person who is guided by materialism and is usually disdainful of intellectual or artistic values : one uninformed in a special area of knowledge
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Phlegmatic
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Having or showing a slow and stolid temperament : not easily upset, excited, or angered
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Picayune
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Something trivial
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Pillory
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A device formerly used for publicly punishing offenders consisting of a wooden frame with holes in which the head and hands can be locked : a means for exposing one to public scorn or ridicule
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Pithy
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Using few words in a clever and effective way : Tersely cogent
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Placate
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To soothe or mollify especially by concessions : appease
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Plebiscite
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A vote by which the people of a country or region express their opinion for or against an important proposal
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Polemic
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A strong written or spoken attack against someone else's opinions, beliefs, practices, etc. : The art or practice of using language to defend or harshly criticize something or someone
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Polyglot
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Knowing or using several languages : multilingual
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Portentous
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Giving a sign or warning that something usually bad or unpleasant is going to happen : trying to seem important, serious, or impressive
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Posit
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To suggest (something, such as an idea or theory) especially in order to start a discussion
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Precis
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A brief summary of the main points and ideas of a piece of writing or speech
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Preclude
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To make (something) impossible : to prevent (something) from happening : to prevent (someone) from doing something
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Preeminent
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More important, skillful, or successful than others : better than others
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Prepossessing
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Tending to create a favorable impression : attractive
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Primacy
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The state of being first (as in importance, order, or rank) : preeminence
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Probity
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The quality of a person who is completely honest : adherence to the highest principles and ideals : uprightness
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Prodigious
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Amazing or wonderful : very impressive : very big
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Prognosticate
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To foretell from signs or symptoms : predict : presage
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Prolific
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Fruitful : marked by abundant inventiveness or productivity
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Promulgate
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To make (an idea, belief, etc.) known to many people : to make (a new law) known officially and publicly
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Propitious
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Favorably disposed : benevolent : being a good omen : auspicious
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Prosaic
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Characteristic of prose as distinguished from poetry : factual : dull, unimaginative
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Proscribe
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To condemn or forbid as harmful or unlawful : prohibit
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Protean
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Displaying great diversity or variety : versatile
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Provident
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Careful about planning for the future and saving money for the future : Prudent
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Puerile
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Silly or childish especially in a way that shows a lack of seriousness or good judgment
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Puissant
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Powerful : Potent : Vigorous
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Punctilious
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Very careful about behaving properly and doing things in a correct and accurate way
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Pundit
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A person who gives opinions in an authoritative manner usually through the mass media: critic
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Pyrrhic |
Achieved at excessive cost ; also : costly to the point of negating or outweighing expected benefits < a great but Pyrrhic act of ingenuity > |
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Quail
|
To feel afraid and often to show your fear in a way that can be clearly seen
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Quandary
|
A state of perplexity or doubt
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Querulous
|
Habitually complaining : fretful, whining
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Quibble
|
To argue or complain about small, unimportant things
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Quiescent
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Causing no trouble or symptoms : not active
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Quisling
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A person who helps an enemy that has taken control of his or her country
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Quixotic
|
Foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals; especially : marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action
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Quotidian
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Ordinary or very common : done each day
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Raconteur
|
someone who is good at telling stories : a person who excels at telling anecdotes
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Raillery
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Friendly joking about or with somebody
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Rakish
|
Having a trim or streamlined appearance suggestive of speed : dashing or carelessly unconventional : jaunty
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Rapacious
|
Always wanting more money, possessions, etc. : wanting more than is needed or deserved
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Rapprochement
|
The development of friendlier relations between countries or groups of people who have been enemies
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Recapitulate
|
To restate briefly : summarize
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Recidivist
|
One who relapses; specifically : a habitual criminal
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Recondite
|
Not understood or known by many people
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Recriminate
|
To make retaliatory accusations
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Recrudesce
|
To break out or become active again : From Latin, recrudescere, to become raw again
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Redoubtable
|
Causing or deserving great fear or respect : very powerful, impressive, etc.
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Refractory
|
Difficult to treat or cure (medical) : difficult to control or deal with
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Remiss
|
Not showing enough care and attention
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Remonstrate
|
To disagree and argue or complain about something
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Repudiate
|
To refuse to accept or support (something) : to reject (something or someone)
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Rescind
|
To take away : remove : take back, cancel
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Restive
|
Stubbornly resisting control : balky : marked by impatience or uneasiness : fidgety
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Reticent
|
Inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech : reserved : restrained in expression, presentation, or appearance
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Retiring
|
Quiet and shy
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Rococo
|
Gothic, baroque, extremely ornate
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Sanctimonious
|
Hypocritically pious or devout
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|
Sangfroid |
The ability to stay calm in difficult or dangerous situations : From French, literally cold blood. |
|
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Sanguine
|
Marked by sturdiness, high color, and cheerfulness : confident, optimistic, hopeful
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Sardonic
|
Disdainfully or skeptically humorous : derisively mocking
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Saturnine
|
Cold and steady in mood : slow to act or change : of a gloomy or surly disposition : having a sardonic aspect
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Schadenfreude
|
A feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people
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Scrupulous
|
Very careful about doing something correctly : careful about doing what is honest and morally right
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Sedulous
|
Involving or accomplished with careful perseverance : diligent in application or pursuit
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Self–effacing
|
Not trying to get attention or praise for oneself or one's abilities : modest
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Serendipity
|
The faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for
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Simulacrum
|
Image, representation : An insubstantial form or semblance of something : trace
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Sinecure
|
A job or position in which someone is paid to do little or no work
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Slapdash
|
Quick and careless
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Smattering
|
A small amount of something
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|
Solecism
|
An ungrammatical combination of words in a sentence; also : a minor blunder in speech : something deviating from the proper, normal, or accepted order : a breach of etiquette or decorum
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Solicitous
|
Showing concern or care for someone's health, happiness, etc.
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Solicitude
|
Concern that someone feels about someone's health, happiness, etc.
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Soporific
|
Causing a person to become tired and ready to fall asleep
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Sordid
|
very bad or dishonest : very dirty : marked by baseness or grossness : vile
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Spartan
|
A person of great courage and self–discipline
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Spendthrift
|
A person who spends improvidently or wastefully
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Splenetic
|
Marked by bad temper, malevolence, or spite
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Spurious
|
Not genuine, sincere, or authentic: based on false ideas or bad reasoning
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Spurn
|
To refuse to accept (someone or something that you do not think deserves your respect, attention, affection, etc.)
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Stint
|
To use or give something in limited amounts
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Stolid
|
Showing little or no emotion : not easily excited or upset
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Striations
|
A minute groove, scratch, or channel especially when one of a parallel series
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Stringent
|
Very strict or severe
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Stultify
|
To cause to appear or be stupid, foolish, or absurdly illogical
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|
Subpoena
|
A written order that commands someone to appear in court to give evidence
|
|
|
Subsume
|
To include or place within something larger or more comprehensive : encompass as a subordinate or component element
|
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Subvert
|
To secretly try to ruin or destroy a government, political system, etc.
|
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|
Supercilious
|
Having or showing the proud and unpleasant attitude of people who think that they are better or more important than other people
|
|
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Surfeit
|
An overabundant supply : excess
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|
|
Sybarite
|
[from the notorious luxury of the Sybarites] Voluptuary, sensualist : a person whose chief interests are luxury and the gratification of sensual appetites
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|
Symbiosis
|
A relationship between two people or groups that work with and depend on each other
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|
|
Tantamount |
Equivalent in value, significance, or effect : commensurate |
|
|
Temerity |
Rashness, recklessness : the quality of being confident and unafraid of danger or punishment especially in a way that seems rude or foolish |
|
|
Tendentious
|
Strongly favoring a particular point of view in a way that may cause argument : expressing a strong opinion
|
|
|
Torpor
|
A state of not being active and having very little energy
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|
Tortuous |
Having many twists and turns: complicated, long, and confusing |
|
|
Tractable
|
Easily managed or controlled: willing to learn or be guided by another
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|
Trammel
|
Something impeding activity, progress, or freedom : restraint
|
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|
Transitory
|
Tending to pass away : not persistent : of brief duration : temporary
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|
Transmute
|
To completely change the form, appearance, or nature of (someone or something)
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|
Travesty
|
Parody : a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something
|
|
|
Treacherous
|
Not able to be trusted : showing that someone cannot be trusted : very dangerous and difficult to deal with : perfidious
|
|
|
Trenchant
|
Keen, sharp : vigorously effective and articulate : Sharply perceptive
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|
|
Trite
|
Hackneyed or boring from much use : not fresh or original
|
|
|
Truculent
|
Easily annoyed or angered and likely to argue
|
|
|
Turgid
|
Being in a state of distension : swollen, tumid : excessively embellished in style or language : bombastic, pompous
|
|
|
Tyro
|
A beginner in learning : novice
|
|
|
Unconsionable
|
Not guided or controlled by conscience : unscrupulous
|
|
|
Underwrite
|
To give money to support (something, such as a new business) and agree to be responsible for any losses if it fails
|
|
|
Unequivocal
|
Leaving no doubt : clear, unambiguous : only one possible meaning
|
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|
Unscrupulous
|
Not honest or fair : doing things that are wrong, dishonest, or illegal : unprincipled
|
|
|
Untenable |
Not able to be defended : not able to be occupied |
|
|
Untoward
|
Bad or unfavorable : not proper or appropriate : difficult to guide, manage, or work with : unruly, intractable
|
|
|
Vehement
|
Showing strong and often angry feelings : very emotional
|
|
|
Venality
|
having a willingness to do dishonest things in return for money
|
|
|
Venerable
|
Old and respected : valued and respected because of old age, long use, etc.
|
|
|
Venial
|
Not serious : Excusable
|
|
|
Verboten
|
Forbidden; especially : prohibited by dictate
|
|
|
Verisimilitude
|
The quality of seeming real
|
|
|
Vernal
|
Of, relating to, or occurring in the spring : fresh or new like the spring, also youthful
|
|
|
Vestigial
|
The last small part that remains of something that existed before: the smallest possible amount of something
|
|
|
Vicissitude
|
A favorable or unfavorable event or situation that occurs by chance : a fluctuation of state or condition
|
|
|
Virago
|
An angry woman who often complains about and criticizes other people
|
|
|
Vitriolic
|
Spewing harsh and angry words
|
|
|
Vituperate
|
To abuse or censure severely or abusively : berate
|
|
|
Vociferous
|
Marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry : expressing feelings or opinions in a very loud or forceful way
|
|
|
Voluble
|
Talking a lot in an energetic and rapid way
|
|
|
Wanton
|
Showing no thought or care for the rights, feelings, or safety of others : not limited or controlled
|
|
|
Winsome
|
Cheerful, pleasant, appealing : Generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence
|
