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43 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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tonsure
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tonsure n. shaving of the head, especially by person entering religious orders. His tonsure, even more than his monastic garb, indicated that he was a member of the religious order.
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torque
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torque n. twisting force; force producing rotation. With her wrench she applied sufficient torque to the nut to loosen it.
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torrid
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torrid adj. passionate; hot or scorching. The novels published by Harlequin Romances feature torrid love affairs, some set in torrid climates.
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touchstone
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touchstone n. stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion. What touchstone can be used to measure the character of a person?
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tract
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tract N. pamphlet; a region of indefinite size. The King granted William Penn a tract of land in the New World.
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tractable
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tractable adj. docile; easily managed. Although Susan seemed a tractable young woman, she had a Stubborn streak of independence that occasionally led her to defy the powers-that-be when she felt they were in the wrong, tractability, n.
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traduce
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traduce v. expose to slander. His opponents tried to traduce the candidate's reputation by spreading rumors about his past.
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transcendent
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transcendent adj. surpassing; exceeding ordinary limits; superior. Standing on the hillside watching the sunset through the Golden Gate was a transcendent experience for Use: the sight was so beautiful it surpassed her wildest dreams, transcend, v. transc
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transgression
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transgression n. violation of a law; sin. Forgive us our transgressions; we know not what we do.
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transient
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transient adj. momentary; temporary; staying for a short time. Levy's joy at finding the perfect Christmas gift for Phil was transient; she still had to find presents for the cousins and Uncle Bob. Located near the airport, this little hotel caters to the
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transmute
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transmute v, change; convert to something different. He was unable to transmute his dreams into actualities.
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transpire
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transpire v. be revealed; happen. When Austen writes the sentence It had just transpired that he had left gaming debts behind him," her meaning is not that the debts had just been incurred, but that the shocking news had just leaked out.
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transport
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transport n. strong emotion. Margo was a creature of extremes, at one moment in transports of joy over a vivid sunset, at another moment in transports of grief over a dying bird, also v.
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trappings
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trappings n. outward decorations; ornaments. He loved the trappings of success: the limousines, the stock options, the company jet.
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travail
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travail n. painful labor. How long do you think a man can endure such travail and degradation without rebelling?
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travesty
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travesty n. comical parody; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous. The ridiculous decision the jury has arrived at is a travesty of justice.
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treatise
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treatise n. article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly. He is preparing a treatise on the Elizabethan playwrights for his graduate degree.
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tremulous
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tremulous adj. trembling; wavering. She was tremulous more from excitement than from fear.
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trenchant
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trenchant adj. cutting; keen. I am afraid of his trenchant wit for it is so often sarcastic.
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tribulation
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tribulation n. distress; suffering. After all the trials and tribulations we have gone through, we need this rest.
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tribunal
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tribunal n. court of justice. The decision of the tribunal was final and the prisoner was sentenced to death.
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tribute
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tribute n. tax levied by a ruler; mark of respect. The colonists refused to pay tribute to a foreign despot.
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trident
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trident n. three-pronged spear. Neptune is usually depicted as rising from the sea, carrying his trident on his shoulder.
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trifling
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trifling adj. trivial; unimportant. Why bother going to see a doctor for such a trifling, everyday cold? Trifle, n.
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trivia
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trivia n. trifles; unimportant matters. Too many magazines ignore newsworthy subjects and feature trivia.
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troth
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troth N. pledge of good faith especially in betrothal. He gave her his troth and vowed to cherish her always.
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trough
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trough n. container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.). The hungry pigs struggled to get at the fresh swill in the trough. The surfer rode her board, coasting along in the trough between two waves.
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truism
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truism n. self-evident truth. Many a truism is summed up in a proverb; for example, "Marry in haste, repent at leisure."
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tryst
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tryst N. meeting. The lovers kept their tryst even though they realized their danger, also v.
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tumid
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tumid adj. swollen; pompous; bombastic. I especially ^ dislike his tumid style; I prefer writing that is less swollen and bombastic.
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tumult
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tumult N. commotion; riot; noise. She could not make herself heard over the tumult of the mob.
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tundra
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tundra n. rolling, treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America. Despite the cold, many geologists are trying to discover valuable mineral deposits in the tundra.
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turbid
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turbid ADJ. muddy; having the sediment disturbed. The water was turbid after the children had waded through it.
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tureen
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tureen n. deep dish for serving soup. The waiters brought the soup to the tables in silver tureens.
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turgid
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turgid adj. swollen; distended. The turgid river threatened to overflow the levees and flood the countryside
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turncoat
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turncoat n. traitor. The British considered Benedict Arnold a loyalist; the Americans considered him a turncoat
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turpitude
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turpitude n. depravity. A visitor may be denied admittance to this country if she has been guilty of moral turpitude.
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tutelage
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tutelage n. guardianship; training. Under the tutelage of such masters of the instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso.
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tutelary
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tutelary adj. protective; pertaining to a guardianship. I am acting in my tutelary capacity when I refuse to grant you permission to leave the campus.
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tyranny
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tyranny n. oppression; cruel government. Frederick Douglass fought against the tyranny of slavery throughout his entire life.
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tyro
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tyro N. beginner; novice. For a mere tyro, you have produced some marvelous results.
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truculence
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truculence n. aggressiveness; ferocity. Tina's reviews were noted for their caustic attacks and general tone of truculence. Truculent, adj.
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