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572 Cards in this Set
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- Back
flippant (adj)
|
lacking proper seriousness.
When Mark told Mona he loved her, she dismissed his earnest declaration with a flippant "Oh, you say that to all the girls!" flippancy (n) |
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flit (v)
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fly, dart lightly; pass swiftly by.
Like a bee flitting from flower to flower, Rose flitted from one boyfriend to the next. |
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floe (n)
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mass of floating ice.
The ship made slow progress as it battered (strike repeatedly with hard blows) its way through the ice floes. |
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flora (n)
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flora and fauna of Vietnam.
plants of a region or era. Because she was a botanist, she spent most of her time studying the flora of the desert. botany 1. 1. The science or study of plants. 2. A book or scholarly work on this subject. 2. The plant life of a particular area: the botany of the Ohio River valley. 3. The characteristic features and biology of a particular kind of plant or plant group. |
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florid (adj)
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ruddy; reddish; flowery.
If you go to Florida and get sunburn, your complexion will look florid. If your post cards about your trip praise it in flowery words, your prose will be florid, too. prose: ordinary speech or writing, without metrical structure. |
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flotsam (n)
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drifting wreckage.
Beachcombers (nguoi song lang thang ben bo bien) eke out a living by salvaging the flotsam and jetsam of the sea. In maritime law, flotsam applies to wreckage or cargo left floating on the sea after a shipwreck. Jetsam applies to cargo or equipment thrown overboard from a ship in distress and either sunk or washed ashore. The common phrase flotsam and jetsam is now used loosely to describe any objects found floating or washed ashore. |
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flout (v)
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reject, mock
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flunctuate (v)
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waver; shift.
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fluke (n)
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unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune.
When Douglas defeated Tyson for the heavyweight championship, some sportscasters dismissed his victory as a fluke. |
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fluster (v)
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confuse.
The teacher's sudden question flustered him and he stammered his reply. stammer: To speak with involuntary pauses or repetitions. To utter with involuntary pauses or repetitions. A way of speaking characterized by involuntary pauses or repetitions. |
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fluted (adj)
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having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar (cot tru) ).
All that remained of the ancient building were the fluted columns. |
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flux (n)
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flowing; series of changes.
While conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair. |
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flounder (v)
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struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter.
Up to his knees in the bog. Floyd floundered about, trying to regain his footing. Bewildered by the new software, Floyed floundered until Jan showed her how to get started. |
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fodder (n)
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coarse food for cattle, horses, etc.
One of Nancy's chores at the ranch was to put fresh supplies of fodder in the horses' stalls. |
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foil
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(n) contrast
In Star Wars, dark, evil Darth Vader is a perfect foil for fair-haired, naive Luke Skywalker. (v) defeat, frustrated In the end, Skywalker is able to foil Vader's diabolical schemes |
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foible (n)
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weakness, slight fault.
We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect. |
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foist (v)
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insert improperly; palm off.
I will not permit you to foist such ridiculous ideas upon the membership of this group. |
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foliage (n)
|
masses of leaves.
Every autumn before the leaves fell he promised himself he would drive through New England to admire the colorful fall foliage. |
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foment (v)
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stir up; instigate.
Cher's archenemy Heather spread some nasty rumors that fomented trouble in the club. Do you think Cher's foe meant to foment such discord ? |
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foolhardy (adj)
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rash.
Don't be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced people before undertaking this venture |
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fop (n)
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dandy;
man excessively preoccupied with his clothes |
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foray (n)
|
raid.
attack, assault, incursion, swoop, strike, onslaught, sortie, sally, push, thrust The company staged a midnight foray against the enemy outpost. |
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forbearance (n)
|
patience.
Be patient with John. Treat him with forbearance: he is still weak from his illness. |
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ford (n,v)
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place where a river can be crossed on foot.
Rather than risk using the shaky rope bridge. David walked a half-mile downstream until he came to the nearest ford. |
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forbears (n)
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ancestors.
Reverence for one's forebears plays an important part in many Oriental cultures |
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foreboding (n)
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premonition (A presentiment of the future; forewarning) of evil.
Suspecting no conspiracies against him, Caesar gently ridiculed his wife's forebodings about the Ides of March. |
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forensic (adj)
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suitable to debate or courts of law.
In her best forensic manner, the lawyer addressed the jury. |
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portend (v)
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foreshadow (be a sign or warning that (something, esp. something momentous or calamitous (catastrophe)
|
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forestall (v)
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prevent by taking action in advance.
By setting up a prenuptial agreement, the prospective bride and groom hoped to forestall any potential arguments about money in the event of a divorce. prenuptial: existing or occurring before marriage : prenuptial pregnancy. |
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forgo (v)
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give up, do without.
Ida decided to forgo dessert to loose weight. |
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forlorn (adj)
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sad and lonely; wretched.
Deserted by her sisters and friends, the forlorn child sat sadly on the steps awaiting their return. |
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forsake (v)
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desert; abandon; renounce.
No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and children to run off with another woman. he forsook his wife |
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forswear
|
renounce; abandon.
The captured knight could escape death only if he agreed to forswear Christianity and embrace Islam as the one true faith. |
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abash (v)
|
embarrass
I was not at all abashed by my admiration to Einstein |
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abdicate (v)
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renounce, give up.
When Edward VIII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the entire world. rw: abjure |
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abet (v)
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assist, usually in doing something wrong; encourage.
She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle (cozen) he had planned. |
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abeyance (n)
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suspended action
The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival. |
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abhor (v)
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detest, hate. She abhorred all forms of bigotry.
bigot: One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ. rw: abnominate |
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abject (adj)
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wretched; lacking pride.
On the streets of New York, the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind. |
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abjure (v)
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renounce upon oath; disavow.
Pressure from the university authorities caused the young scholar to abjure his heretical opinions. rw: abdicate |
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ablution (n)
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washing.
His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath" |
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abnegation (n)
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renunciation; self-sacrifice.
Though Rudolph and Duches Flavia love one another, their love was doomed, for she had to wed the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom. |
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abominable (ajd)
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detestable; extremely unpleasant; very bad.
Mary liked John until she learned he was also dating Susan; then she called him an abominable young man, with abominable taste in women. |
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abominate
|
loathe; hate
Moses scolded the idol worshipers in the tribe because he abominated the custom. rw: abhor |
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aboriginal
|
being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native.
Her studies of the primitive art forms of the aboriginal Indians were widely reported in the scientific aborigine. |
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abortive
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unsuccessful; fruitless.
Attacked by armed troops, the Chinese students had to abandon their abortive attempt to democratize Beijing peacefully. |
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abrade
|
rub away; tend to grind down
Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish, abrasive remarks can wear away a listener's patience. |
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abridge
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condense or shorten.
Because the publishers felt the public want shorter version of War and Peace, they proceed to abridge the novel. |
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abrogate (v)
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abolish, annul
The King intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor. Abolish, withdraw, cancel, retract, revoke, vitiate or repeal |
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abscission
|
removal by cutting off, as in surgery; separation.
Gas gangrene spreads so swiftly and is so potentially deadly that doctors advise abscission of the gangrenous tissue. When a flower or leaf separated naturally from the parent plant, this process is called abscission or leaf fall. botany: study about plants. The shedding of leaves, flowers, or fruits following the formation of the abscission zone. |
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absolve
|
pardon (an offense).
The father confessor absolved him of his sins. absolution |
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abut
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border upon; adjoin.
Where our estates abut, we must build a fence. |
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abysmal
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bottomless.
His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance. |
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abyss
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enormous chasm; vast, bottomless pit
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accede
|
agree.
If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be the victim of future demands. RW: assent |
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acclaim
|
applaud; announce with great approval.
The sportscasters acclaimed every American victory in the Olympics and decried every American defeat. decry, disparage, depreciate, derogate, belittle, minimize, downgrade. These verbs mean to think, write, or speak of as being of little value or importance. Decry implies open denunciation or condemnation: A staunch materialist, he decries economy. Disparage often implies the communication of a low opinion by indirection: Many critics disparage psychoanalysis as being a pseudoscience. To depreciate is to assign a lower than customary value to someone or something: Some musicologists depreciate Liszt's compositions. Derogate implies a detraction that impairs: People often derogate what they don't understand. Belittle and minimize mean to make less important, but minimize strongly implies the minimum level: He belittled the child's attempts to draw. She tried to minimize my accomplishment. To downgrade is to minimize in importance or estimation: Her rival downgraded the painting, calling it decorative but superficial. |
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acclimate
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adapt, adjust to climate or environment; adapt.
One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of travelers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments. |
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acclivity
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sharp upslope of a hill.
The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear. sw: aloft |
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accolade
|
award of merit.
In Comp Sci, the Turing is the highest accolade |
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accomplice (n)
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partner in crime.
Because he had provided the criminal with the lethal weapon, he was arrested as an accomplice in the murder. |
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accost
|
approach and speak first to a person.
When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because I thought they were going to attack me. RW: solicit |
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accoutre / accouter
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equip.
The fisherman was accoutered with the best that the sporting good store could supply. accoutrement. |
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accretion (n)
accrete (v) |
growth, increase.
Over the years Bob put on weight; because of his accretion of flesh, he went from size M to size XL. rw: wax|wane |
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accrue (v) / accrual (n)
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come about by addition, to increase, accumulate.
You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principle sum. To accumulate over time: I have accrued 15 days of sick leave. |
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acerbic (adj)/ accerbity
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bitter or sour in nature, sharp and cutting.
Noted for her acerbic wit and gossiping. Alice Roosevelt Longworth had a pillow in her home embroidered with the legend "if you can't say something good about someone, sit right here by me" RW: astringent, caustic, corrosive, mordacious, mordant, pungent, trenchant, truculent, acidulous, acrid. |
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acetic
|
vinegary.
The salad had an exceedingly acetic flavor. |
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acidulous
|
slightly sour; sharp; caustic.
James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks. RW: acerbic (a bit stronger) |
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acme
|
peak; pinnacle; highest point.
Welles' success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career as an actor; never again did he achieve such popular acclaim. RW: summit SYNONYMS summit, peak, pinnacle, acme, apex, zenith, climax. These nouns all mean the highest point. Summit denotes the highest level attainable: “This [appointment] had been the summit of Mr. Bertram's ambition” (Sir Walter Scott). Peak usually refers to the uppermost point: “It was the peak of summer in the Berkshires” (Saul Bellow). Pinnacle denotes a towering height, as of achievement: The articulation of the theory of relativity catapulted Einstein to the pinnacle of his profession. Acme refers to an ultimate point, as of perfection: The artist's talents were at their acme when this work was created. Apex is the culminating point: The military regime represented the apex of oppression and intimidation. Zenith is the point of highest achievement, most complete development, or greatest power: “Chivalry was then in its zenith” (Henry Hallam). Climax refers to the point of greatest strength, effect, or intensity that marks the endpoint of an ascending process: The government's collapse was the climax of a series of constitutional crises. |
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acquittal (adj) / acquit (v)
|
deliverance from a charge.
The state of being found or proved not guilt His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him guilty. RW: clear, exculpate, exonerate, vindicate. |
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acrid
|
sharp; bitterly pungent
The acrid order of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired. RW: bitter, acerbic |
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actuarial
|
calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics.
According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was century ago. |
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actuate
|
motivate.
I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily RW: activate, impel Ant: impede, stop |
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acuity
|
sharpness.
In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and he needs glasses |
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acute (adj) / acumen
|
quickly perceptive; keen; brief and sever.
The acute young doctor realized immediately that the gradual deterioration of her patient's once-acute hearing was due to a chronic (kinh nien, thuong xuyen, perenial) illness, not an acute one. |
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adage
|
wise saying; proverb.
There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money. rw: proverb, aphorism, apothegm saying, maxim, adage, saw, motto, epigram, proverb, aphorism. These nouns refer to concise verbal expressions setting forth wisdom or a truth. A saying is an often repeated and familiar expression: a collection of philosophical sayings. Maxim denotes particularly an expression of a general truth or a rule of conduct: “For a wise man, he seemed to me … to be governed too much by general maxims” (Edmund Burke). Adage applies to a saying that has gained credit through long use: a gift that gave no credence to the adage, “Good things come in small packages.” Saw often refers to a familiar saying that has become trite through frequent repetition: old saws that gave little comfort to the losing team. A motto expresses the aims, character, or guiding principles of a person, group, or institution: “Exuberance over taste” is my motto. An epigram is a witty expression, often paradoxical or satirical and neatly or brilliantly phrased: In his epigram Samuel Johnson called remarriage a “triumph of hope over experience.” Proverb refers to an old and popular saying that illustrates something such as a basic truth or a practical precept: “Slow and steady wins the race” is a proverb to live by. Aphorism, denoting a concise expression of a truth or principle, implies depth of content and stylistic distinction: Few writers have coined more aphorisms than Benjamin Franklin. |
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addendum (n)
|
addition; appendix to book.
Jane's editor approved her new comparative literature text but though it would be even better with an addendum on recent developments in literacy criticism. |
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addle (V)
|
muddle; drive crazy; become rotten.
This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone. addled. RW: bewilder, perplex, muddle, confound, confuse |
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adherent (N)
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supporter; follower.
In the wake of the scandal, the senator's one-time adherents quietly deserted him. |
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adjunct (N)
|
something (generally nonessential or inferior) added or attached.
Although I don't absolutely need a second computer, I plan to buy a laptop to serve as an adjunct to my desktop model. RW: appendage, supplement |
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adjure (V) / adjuration (N)
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solemnly urging.
Her adjuration to tell truth did not change the witnesses' testimony. |
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adjutant (N)
|
staff officer assisting the command; assistant.
Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Somerset, Somerset was in no doubt as to who made all major decisions. |
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adorn (V) / adornment (N)
|
decorate.
Wall paintings and carved statues adorned the temple. |
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adulation / adulate
|
flattery; admiration
the rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes-men. |
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adventitious
|
accidental; casual.
She found this adventitious meeting with her friend extremely fortunate. fortituous |
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adverse
|
unfavorable; hostile.
The recession had a highly adverse effect on Father's investment portfolio: he lost so much money that he could no longer afford the butler and the upstairs maid. |
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adversity
|
poverty; misfortune.
We must learn to meet adversity gracefully. |
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advert
|
refer (to).
Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it as important. inadvertently: accidentally, unintentionally. |
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aegis
|
shield; defense.
Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured freedoms. |
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aerie
|
nest of a large bird of prey (eagle, hawk).
The mother eagle swooped down on the rabbit and bore (bear) it off to her aerie high in the Rocky Mountains. |
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affected
|
artificial; pretended; assumed in order impress.
His affected mannerism --- his "Harvard" accent, his air of boredom, his use of obscure foreign words - bugged us: he acted as if he thought he was too good for his old HS friends. affection |
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affidavit
|
written statement made under oath.
The court refused to accept her statement unless she presented it in the form of an affidavit. |
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affinity
|
kinship.
She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her pains |
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affix
|
attach or add on; fasten.
First the registrar had to affix his signature to the license; then he had to affix his official seal. |
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affliction
|
state of distress; cause of suffering.
Even in the midst of her affliction, Elizabeth tried to keep up with the spirits of those around her. |
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affluence
|
abundance; wealth.
Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the American way of life |
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affront (N/V)
|
insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect.
When Mrs. Proudie was not seated besides the Archdeacon at the head table, she took it as a personal affront and refused to speak to her hosts for a week. |
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agape
|
open mouthed, wide open (due to amazement)
She stared, agape , at the many strange animals in the zoo. |
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agglomerate(v)/agglomeration (n)
|
collection; heap.
It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items she had collected on her trip. |
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aghast (adj)
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horrified; dumbfounded.
Miss Manners was aghast at the crude behavior of the fraternity brothers at the annual toga party. |
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agility (n)
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nimbleness, dexterity.
The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled the audience |
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agnostic/ atheistic/ theistic
|
one who's skeptical of the existence of a god or any ultimate reality.
Agnostics say we can neither prove nor disprove the existence of God; we simply have no way to know. |
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agog (adj)
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highly excited; intensely curious.
Full of keen anticipation or excitement; eager. We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was giving up his career in order to enter a monastery. |
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agrarian (n)
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pertaining to land or its cultivation.
As a result of its recent industrialization, the country is gradually loosing its agrarian tradition. |
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alchemy (n)
|
medieval form of speculative thought that aimed to transform base metals (lead or cooper) into silver or gold and to discover a means of prolonging life or the finding of panacea (remedy to cure all diseases)
Although alchemy anticipated science in its belief that physical reality was determined by an unvarying set of natural laws, the alchemists' experimental method was hardly scientific. |
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alcove (n)
|
nook ; recess
Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the young couple. |
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alimentary (adj)
|
supplying nourishment, nutritional
The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there. When asked for the name of the digestive tract, Sherlock Holmes replied, "Alimentary, my dear Watson." |
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alimony (n)
|
payments made to an ex-spouse after divorce.
Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award $500 a month in alimony. |
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allay (v)
|
relieve; calm; pacify.
The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing that the fire had been controlled. |
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allege (v) / allegation (n)
|
state without proof.
Although it is alleged that she has worked for the enemy, she denies the allegation and, legally, we can take no action against her without proof. |
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allegory (n) /allegorical (adj)
|
story in which characters are used as symbols; fable.
Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of the human soul. |
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alliteration (n)
|
repetition of beginning sound in poetry.
"The furrow followed tree" is an example of alliteration. |
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alloy
|
mix; make less pure; lessen or moderate.
Our delight at the Mets' victory was alloyed by our concern for Al Laites, who injured his pitching arm in the game. |
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allude
|
refer indirectly
Try not to allude to this matter in his presence because the topic annoys him. |
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allusion
|
indirect reference
the allusions to mythological characters in Milton's poems bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin. |
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alluvial
|
pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river very fertile. |
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aloof
|
apart; reserved
Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest conversed. |
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aloft
|
upward
The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging. |
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altercation
|
noisy quarrel, a vehement quarrel.
Throughout the altercation, not one sensible word was uttered. |
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altruistic
|
unselfishly generous; concerned for others
In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships to hundreds of economically disadvantaged youths, Eugene Lang performed a truly altruistic deed. |
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amass
|
collect, accumulate
The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible. |
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ambidextrous
|
capable of using either hand with equal ease
A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous. |
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ambiance / ambience
|
environment; atmosphere
She went to the restaurant not for the food but for the ambiance. |
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amble
|
moving at an easy pace
When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the animal to go faster than a gentle amble. |
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ambrosia
|
food of the gods
ambrosia was supposed to give immortality to any human who ate it. |
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ambulatory
|
able to walk
He was described as an ambulatory patient because he was not confined to his bed. |
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amenable
|
readily managed; willing to be led
He was amenable to any suggestions that came from those he looked up to; he resented advice from his inferiors. sw:compliant, conformable, docile, obedient, submissive rw: corrigible |
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amend
|
correct; change, generally for the better
Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United States. |
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amicable
|
friendly, amiable
The dispute was settled in an amicable manner with no harsh words. |
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amiss
|
wrong; faulty
Seeing her frown (nhi'u ma`y), he wondered if anything were amiss. |
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amity
|
friendship
Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in International Living were established to promote international amity. |
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amnesia
|
loss of memory
Because she was suffering from amnesia, the police could not get the young girl to identify herself. |
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amphitheater
|
oval building with tiers of seats
The spectators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators. |
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amputate
|
cut off part of body; prune
When the doctors had to amputate Ted Kennedy's leg to prevent the spread of cancer, he did not let the loss of his leg keep him from participating in sports. |
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amok / amuk
|
in a state of rage
The police had to be called in to restrain him after he ran amok in the department store. |
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amulet
|
charm; talisman
Around her neck she wore the amulet that the witch doctor had given her. bu`a ho^. tha^n |
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analgesic
|
painkiller, causing insensitivity to pain
The analgesic qualities of this lotion will provide temporary relief. rw: anodyne |
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anarchist
|
person who rebels against the established order
Only the total overthrow of all governmental regulations would satisfy the anarchist. |
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anathema / anathematize (V)
|
solemn curse; someone or something that is despised
He heaped anathema upon his foe. anathematize: curse The high priest anathematized the heretics. |
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ancillary
|
serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary
In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplexing case on his own. |
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anemia
|
condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles
The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia. |
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anesthetic (adj/n) / anesthesia
|
substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness
His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was soon asleep. |
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anguish
|
acute pain; extreme suffering
Visiting the site of explosion, Premier Gorbachev wept to see the anguish of the victims and their families. |
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animadversion
|
critical remark
He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly because he realized they were true. |
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animosity
|
hostile, active enmity
He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he advocated limitations of their power. |
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animus (n)
|
hostile feeling or intent
The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks. |
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annals
|
records; history
In the annals of this period, we find no mention of democratic movements. |
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anneal
|
reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking. samurai sword ? (nghĩa bóng) tôi luyện, rèn luyện |
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annuity
|
yearly allowance
The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements his social security benefits so that he can live very comfortably without working |
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anodyne
|
drug that relieves pain; opiate
His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it. rw: analgestic, painkiller |
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anoint
|
consecrate, to choose by or as if by divine intervention.
The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil, crowning him king of Israel. |
|
antagonistic (adj)
|
hostile; opposed
Despite his lawyers' best efforts to stop him, the angry prisoner continued to make antagonistic remarks to the judge. |
|
antecede (v) / antecedent (n)
|
precede
The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century. antecedents preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later; early life; ancestors Before giving permission for Drummie to marry Estella, Miss Havisham had a few questions about the young man's birth and antecedents |
|
antediluvian
|
antiquated; ancient
The antediluvian customs had apparently not changed for thousands of years. |
|
anthropoid
|
manlike
The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals. |
|
anthropologist
|
student of the history and science of humankind
Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric humans in this area. botanist bugologist/zoologist |
|
anthropomorphic
|
having human form or characteristics
Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics. |
|
antiquated
|
obsolete; outdated
Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors, Philip thought typewriters were too antiquated for him to use. |
|
antiseptic
|
substance that prevents infection
It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no matter how slight or insignificant. |
|
antithesis
|
contrast; direct opposite of or to
This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for, and he fought it with all his strength. |
|
ape / apish
|
imitate or mimic
He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal in front of the whole school. |
|
aperture
|
opening; hole
She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the insects had entered the room. |
|
aphasia
|
loss of speech due to injury or illness
After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or could only mumble incoherently |
|
aplomb
|
poise; composure; confidence
Wellington's nonchalance (casual lack of concern) and aplomb in the heat of battle always heartened his followers. |
|
apocalyptic (adj)
|
prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster
His apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild surmises (lack of supporting evidence, a conjecture). |
|
apocryphal (adj)
|
fiction, untrue; made up, questionable authority.
To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his adventures in the big city. |
|
apogee
|
highest point; farthest or highest point: apex
When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from the earth, it is at its apogee. |
|
apoplexy
|
stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis
tai bien mach mau nao He was crippled by an attack of apoplexy. |
|
apostate
|
renegade, deserter, one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs
Because he switched from one party to another, his former friends shunned him as an apostate. |
|
apothecary (n)
|
pharmacist, druggist
In Holland, apothecaries still sell spices as well as ointments and pills. |
|
apothegm
|
pithy, compact saying
Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar sayings. |
|
apotheosis
|
deification (deify: raising someone status to a deity); glorification
The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor his apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she, too, would be exalted (elevated, exaggerated, inflated) to the rank of a god |
|
appal
|
dismay; shock;
làm mất tinh thần; làm mất hết can đảm We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city's jails. |
|
apparition
|
ghost; phantom
Hamlet was uncertain about the identity of the apparition that had appeared and spoken to him. |
|
appellation
|
name; title
He was amazed when the witches hailed him with his correct appellation. |
|
application
|
diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply
Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt Polly praised him for his application |
|
apposite
|
appropriate; fitting
He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression for every occasion. |
|
apprehend
|
arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive
The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long. |
|
apprehensive
|
fearful, anxious;
discerning His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the street revealed his nervousness. |
|
appurtenances
|
appendage, adjunct, subordinate (phụ, phụ thuộc, lệ thuộc, ở dưới quyền, cấp dưới) possessions
He bought the estate and all its appurtenances. rw: auxillary |
|
apropos
|
with reference to; regarding
I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and pertinent. |
|
aptitude
|
fitness; talent
The counselor evaluated his aptitudes before advising him about the career he should follow. |
|
aquiline
|
curved, hooked
He can be recognized by his aquiline nose, curved like the beak of the eagle. |
|
arable
|
fit for plowing, cultivation
The land was no longer arable; erosion had removed the valuable topsoil |
|
arbiter / arbitrate
|
person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge
As an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers. |
|
arcade
|
a covered passageway, usually lined with shops
The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the winter rain. |
|
arcane
|
secret; mysterious
What was arcane to us was clear to the psychologist. |
|
archeology
|
study of artifacts and relics of early mankind
The professor of archeology headed an expedition to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins. kha?o co^? ho.c |
|
archetype
|
prototype; primitive pattern
The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Island and New Jersey. |
|
archipelago
|
group of closely located islands
When he looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the South Seas, he longed to visit them. |
|
argot
|
slang
In the argot of the underworld, she "was taken for a ride." |
|
arid
|
dry; barren
The cactus had adapted to survive in an arid environment. |
|
aristocracy
|
hereditary nobility; privileged class
Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy. tra chuyen con noi |
|
aromatic
|
fragrant
Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from China to Europe |
|
arraign
|
charge in court; indict
After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court. |
|
array
|
marshal; draw up in order
His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him. clothe; adorn She liked to watch her mother array herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening |
|
arrears
|
being in debt
He was in arrears with his payments on the car. |
|
arroyo
|
gully
Until the heavy rains of the past spring, this arroyo had been a dry bed. |
|
artifacts
|
products of primitive culture
Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor and came to no conclusion |
|
artifice
|
deception; trickery
The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military might. |
|
artisan
|
a manually skilled worker
Artists and artisans alike are necessary to the development of a culture. |
|
ascendancy
|
controlling influence, domination
President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendancy over Philippine |
|
asceptic
|
antiseptic, preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced asceptic conditions. |
|
asinine
|
stupid
Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration. |
|
askance
|
with a sideways or indirect look
Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn. With disapproval, suspicion, or distrust: “The area is so dirty that merchants report the tourists are looking askance” (Chris Black). |
|
asperity
|
sharpness (of temper), harshness
say with asperity These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed. aspersion: slander, bittering remark, act of defaming |
|
aspirant
|
seeker after position or status
Although I am an aspirant for public office, I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses. |
|
assail
|
assault, trouble, attack
He was assailed with questions after his lecture. |
|
assay
|
analyze; evaluate
When they assayed the ore (qua(.ng mo?), they found that they had discovered a very rich vein. |
|
assess / assessment
|
estimation; appraisal
I would like to have your assessment of the situation in South Africa. rw: assay |
|
astigmatism
|
eye defect that prevents proper focus
As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from astigmatism, they took him to the optometrist for corrective glasses. |
|
astral
|
relating to the stars
She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new telescope revealed. |
|
bacchanalian
|
drunken
Emperor Nero attended the bacchanalian orgy. |
|
badger
|
pester; annoy
She was forced to change her telephone number because she was badgered by obscene phone calls. |
|
badinage
|
teasing conversation
Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with cheerful badinage. |
|
baffle
|
frustrate; perplex
The new code baffled the enemy agents. |
|
bait
|
harass; tease
The soldiers baited the prisoners, terrorizing them. |
|
baleful
|
menacing; deadly
Casting a baleful eye at his successful rival, the rejected suitor stole off, vowing to have his revenge. |
|
balk
|
stoop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue
The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn area. |
|
balk
|
foil
例句: When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt. |
|
ballast
|
heavy substance used to add stability or weight
The ship was listing badly to one side; it was necessary to shift the ballast in the hold to get her back on an even keel. |
|
balm
|
something that relieves pain
Friendship is the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. |
|
balmy
|
mild; fragrant
A balmy breeze refreshed us after the sultry blast. |
|
bandy
|
discuss lightly; exchange blows or words
The president refused to bandy words with reporters at the press conference. |
|
bantering
|
good-naturedly ridiculing
They resented his bantering remarks because they misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm. |
|
barb
|
sharp projection form fishhook, etc.; pointed comment
The barb from the fishhook caught in his finger as he grabbed the fish. |
|
bard
|
poet
The ancient bard Homer sang of the fall of Troy. |
|
barefaced
|
shameless; bold; unconcealed
Shocked by Huck Finn's barefaced lies, Miss Watson prayed the good Lord would give him a sense of his unregenerate wickedness. |
|
baroque
|
highly ornate
Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern skyscrapers, they found the flamboyance of baroque architecture amusing. |
|
barrage
|
barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion
The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy canyons. |
|
barrister
|
counselor-at-law
Galsworthy started as a barrister, but when he found the practice of law boring, turned to writing. |
|
barterer
|
trader
The barterer exchanged trinkets for the natives' furs. |
|
bask
|
luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell asleep. |
|
bate
|
let down; restrain
Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity. |
|
bauble
|
trinket; trifle
The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag. |
|
bawdy
|
indecent; obscene
She took offense at his bawdy remarks. |
|
beatific
|
giving bliss; blissful
The beatific smile on the child's face made us very happy. |
|
beatitude
|
blessedness; state of bliss
Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of indescribable beatitude. |
|
bedizen
|
dress with vulgar finery
The witch doctors were bedizened in their gaudiest costumes. |
|
bedraggle
|
wet thoroughly
We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to change into dry clothing. |
|
befuddle
|
confuse thoroughly
His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only on befuddling her further. |
|
beget
|
father; produce; give rise to
One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily beget another. |
|
avarice
|
greed
similar: cupidity, avidity; covetousness; parsimony contrary: philanthropy; charity, benevolence; munificence; beneficence; altruism (altruistic) |
|
awry
|
twisted; gone wrong (as in plans that went awry)
similar: amiss; astray; afield; askew; aslant; tortuous; serpentine; convoluted; vermicular contrary: true; assiduous; undeviating |
|
balk (v)
|
to stop short; refuse to continue
The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn area. When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt. similar: demur; spurn; shun; desist; halt; falter; stammer; suspend contrary: advance, proceed; persevere; persist; endure; pertinacious; dogged; indefatigable. |
|
bate
|
to moderate or restrain; hold back (as in bated breath)
Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity. similar: impede; bridle; abate; repress; quell; quash; suppress; curb contrary: unfetter; emancipate; manumit; discharge; extricate |
|
bauble (n)
|
a trinket
The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag. similar: trifle; toy; triviality; memento; souvenir |
|
behemoth
|
a huge creature, leviathan (e.g., big ship or whale)
Sportcasters nicknamed the linebacker "The Behemoth." similar: leviathan, mammoth; gargantuan; prodigious; titanic; colossal; vast contrary: dwarf: mannequin; pygmy; diminutive; bantam; lilliputian; minutia |
|
bereaved (n/adj)
|
the state of having lost something cherished or valuable (as in the death of a family member)
His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement. similar: bereft: deprived; denuded; forfeited. |
|
bilk
|
to deceive; defraud
The con man specialized in bilking insurance companies. similar: dupe; swindle; beguile; delude; cozen, feign |
|
blazon (v)
|
to herald, to proclaim or announce publicly or conspicuously (noticeably, obviously)
similar: herald, publicize; divulge; promulgate; publish; flaunt. |
|
boisterous
|
loud, rough, or violent
The unruly crowd became even more boisterous when he tried to quiet them. similar: clamorous; tumultuous, obstreperous; rambunctious; riotous; turbulent contrary: sedate; staid; reconciled; subdued; placid, tranquil |
|
bovine (adj)
|
cowlike; dull or inactive
Nothing excites Esther; even when she won the state lottery, she still preserved her air of bovine calm. similar: inert; loutish; slothful; torpid; indolent; languid; phlegmatic; listless contrary: astir; exuberant; animated; vivacious; effervescent; ebuillient |
|
brusque
|
abrupt or blunt in speech
She was offended by his brusque reply; similar: curt; bluff; crude; frank; boorish; sententious; terse contrary: tactful ; suave; glib |
|
bungle
|
to mishandle; botch up; make a bad mistake ; spoil by clumsy behavior
I was afraid you would bungle his assignment but I had no one else to send. similar: blunder; bollix; spoil; ruin; impair contrary: ameliorate; rectify; finesse |
|
caliber (n)
|
ability; capacity
A man of such caliber should not be assigned such menial tasks. |
|
callous (adj)
|
hardened; unfeeling
He had worked in the hospital for so many years that he was callous to the suffering in the wards. |
|
canard (n)
|
unfounded rumor
It is almost impossible to protect oneself from such a base canard. |
|
cardinal (adj)
|
chief
If you want to increase your word power, the cardinal rule of vocabulary-building is to read. |
|
cauterize (v)
|
burn with hot iron or caustic
In order to prevent infection, the doctor cauterized the wound. |
|
cavil (v)
|
make frivolous objections; to raise irritating and trivial objection.
I respect your sensible criticisms, but I dislike the way you cavil about unimportant details. |
|
cloy (v) / cloying (adj)
|
distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental
Disliking the cloying sweetness of standard wedding cakes, Jody and Tom chose a homemade carrot cake for their reception. |
|
cornucopia (n)
|
affluence, abundance; plenty; horn overflowing with fruit and grain; symbol of abundance
The encyclopedia salesman claimed the new edition was a veritable cornucopia of information, an inexhaustible source of knowledge for the entire family. contrary: paucity; dearth; scarcity; want |
|
coterie
|
a close knit group of people with common interest. group that meets socially; select circle
After his book had been published, he was invited to join the literary coterie that lunched daily at the hotel. clique; cadre; clan; cabal; retinue |
|
dissipated
|
depleted; squander
The young man quickly dissipated his inheritance and was soon broke. * bị xua tan, bị tiêu tan * bị phung phí (tiền của) * bị tiêu mòn, bị uổng phí (nghị lực); tản mạn (sự chú ý...) * chơi bời phóng đãng |
|
dapper
|
neat and trim;
similar: fastidious, natty In "The Odd Couple," Tony Randall played Felix Unger, an excessively dapper soul who could not stand to have a hair out of place. |
|
debonair
|
friendly; aiming to please
1. Suave; urbane. 2. Affable; genial. 3. Carefree and gay; jaunty. The debonair youth was liked by all who met him, because of his cheerful and obliging manner. contrary: impudent; impertinent; insolent; flippant; churlish; boorish; unceremonious. |
|
deft
|
adroit, adept; dexterous; neat; skillful
The deft waiter uncorked the champagne without spilling a drop. maladroit; inept; gauche |
|
dictum
|
arthoritative and weighty statement
She repeated the statement as though it were the dictum of the most expert worker in the group. |
|
dither (n)
|
great excitement; agitation; trembling.
A state of indecisive agitation. To be nervously irresolute in acting or doing. similar: commotion; frenzy; tumult; clamor; turbulence; ado; perturbation contrary: tranquility; armistice |
|
dolt (n)
|
a stupid person
I thought I was talking to a mature audience; instead, I find myself addressing a pack of dolts. similar: imbecile; simpleton; ignoramus; dullard contrary: prodigy; savant; virtuoso; sage; paragon |
|
dour
|
sullen; gloomy
The man was dour and taciturn. similar: morose; somber; doleful; melancholy; lugubrious; saturnine; dismal contrary: blithe; jovial; jocund; sanguine |
|
dross
|
waste matter; worthless impurities
Many methods have been devised to separate the valuable metal from the dross. |
|
earthy
|
unrefined; coarse
His earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in the audience. |
|
ebb
|
recede; lessen
His fortunes began to ebb during the recession. recede, ebb, retract, retreat, retrograde. These verbs mean to move backward: a hairline that had receded; waters that ebb at low tide; a turtle that retracted into its shell; an army that retreated to avoid defeat; academic standards that have retrograded. |
|
economy
|
efficiency or conciseness in using something
Reading the epigrams of Pope, I admire the economy of his verse: in few words he conveys worlds of meaning. |
|
edify
|
instruct; correct morally
Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his audience, many of his listeners were amused and not enlightened. |
|
eerie
|
weird; Suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious
In that eerie setting, it was easy to believe in ghosts and other supernatural beings. sw: uncanny; bizarre; peculiar; deviant; anomalous, inexplicable, aberrant |
|
effectual
|
efficient
If we are to succeed, we must seek effectual means of securing our goals. |
|
effeminate
|
having womanly traits
His voice was high-pitched and effeminate. |
|
effervescence
|
inner excitement; exuberance
Nothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon reasserted itself. |
|
effete (adj)
|
not able to bear young, worn out; exhausted; barren
The literature of the age reflected the effete condition of the writers; no new ideas were forthcoming. depleted, (emaciate = become very thin) |
|
efficacy
|
power to produce desired effect
The efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage |
|
effluvium
|
noxious smell
Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities; the effluvium and the poisons in the air are hazards to life. |
|
egotism
|
conceit; vanity
She thought so much of herself that we found her egotism unwarranted and irritating. |
|
egoism
|
excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in others; egotism; conceit; narcism
His egoism prevented him from seeing the needs of his colleagues. |
|
elated
|
overjoyed; in high spirits
Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her Olympic victory. |
|
elixir
|
cure-all; something invigorating
The news of her chance to go abroad acted on her like an elixir. |
|
emaciated (adj)
|
withered, thin, or wasted
His long period of starvation had left him emaciated. similar: gaunt; enervated |
|
emanate (v)
|
flowing form; issuing from/forth
A strong odor of sulfur emanated from the spring |
|
embroil
|
throw into confusion, involve someone else in a dispute
He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to arbitrate the dispute. |
|
emollient (n)
|
soothing or softening remedy, a softening ointment or other agent
He applied an emollient to the inflamed area. |
|
emolument
|
salary or other compensation for employment
In addition to the emolument this position offers, you must consider the social prestige it carries with it. |
|
enthrall
|
to captivate; hold under a spell; fascinate; capture; enslave
From the moment he saw her picture, he was enthralled by her beauty. sw: mesmerize; bewitch; stupefy; enchant |
|
equestrian
|
rider on horseback
These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds. sw: jockey; cavalry; dragoon contrary: pedestrian; afoot |
|
esprit (n)
|
sprightliness of spirit or wit
sw: enthusiasm; vitality; morale; energy; vigor; zeal; ebullience |
|
exemplary
|
outstanding; suitable as a model (either good or bad)
Her exemplary behavior was praised at commencement. similar: ideal; consummate; paragon; archetypal, quintessential; epitome; egregious; extant |
|
exorbitant
|
excessive; extravagant
sw: inordinate; immoderate; plethoric; lavish; superfluous; turgid contrary: depleted; bereft; The people grumbled at his exorbitant prices but paid them because he had a monopoly . |
|
exonerate
|
acquit; exculpate
I am sure this letter naming the actual culprit will exonerate you. |
|
extol
|
to praise
The astronauts were extolled as the pioneers of the Space Age. sw: laud; commend; acclaim; eulogize; hail; esteem; venerate; adulate; revere contr: inveigh; censure; fulminate |
|
facilitate
|
to make easier
He tried to facilitate repayment of the loan by getting a part-time job. sw: assist; expedite; further; *succor* (NOT succumb); dispatch; precipitate cont: impede; hamper; hinder; arrest. |
|
fathom
|
to understand thoroughly; literally; to reach the bottom of something.
I find his motives impossible to fathom sw: discern; conceive; assimilate |
|
fetid
|
having an offensive smell;
The neglected wound became fetid. sw: malodorous; putrid; noisome; rank; noxious; mephitic contrary: aromatic, fragrant; odoriferous, redolent |
|
filch
|
to steal; purloin
the boys filched apples from the fruit stand |
|
flippant / flippancy
|
disrespectful; rude; trifling gaiety
Your flippancy at this serious moment is offensive. similar: impertinent; impious, impudent; insolent; audacious; churlish; unceremonious contrary: debonair; chivalrous; duteous |
|
flux
|
a continuous moving on or passing by; constant succession or change.
While conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair. similar: instability; transmutation; metamorphosis; transfiguration; influx; efflux cont: stagnancy; stationary; inert; dormancy; stasis. |
|
foible (n)
|
a small character weakness; slight fault
We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect. sw: frailty; flaw |
|
foist
|
to force upon or impose upon fraudulently, insert improperly; palm off
I will not permit you to foist such ridiculous ideas upon the membership of this group sw: palm; swindle; dupe; chicane |
|
fetter
|
to bind; chain
sw: bridle; muzzle; lash; encumber; adjure; manacle; batten; gird; fob; indenture; enslave cont: unfetter; emancipate; disencumber; extricate; exculpate; manumit |
|
gaffe
|
social blunder
sw: tactlessness; maladroitness; peccadillo; oversight; bungle According to Miss Manners, to call your husband by your lover's name is worse than a mere gaffe; it is a tactical mistake |
|
gall
|
bitterness; nerve (v.annoy)
The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall. similar: effrontery; temerity; insolence; audacity; brashness; impertinence |
|
gabit
|
any move by which one seeks to gain an advantage; an opening move in chess in which a piece is sacrificed
The player was afraid to accept his opponent's gambit because he feared a trap which as yet he could not see. sw: stratagem; coven; machination; ruse; tactic; ploy; chicanery; arbitrage; subterfuge; artifice. |
|
gamut
|
entire range
In this performance, the leading lady was able to demonstrate the complete gamut of her acting ability. sw: spectrum; breadth; scope; purview; panaoply |
|
garish
|
gaudy; overly showy; tasteless showy
She wore a garish rhinestone necklace. sw: meretricious; ostentatious; florid; contrary: seemly; unadorned; unobstrucsive |
|
garner
|
to gather; store up; collect; accumulate
She hoped to garner the world's literature in one library. sw: amass; hoard; agglomerate; accrue |
|
gesticulate
|
to gesture or motion
Operatic performers are trained to make exaggerated gesticulations because of the large auditoriums in which they appear. |
|
glower
|
to scowl or frown
sw: grimace; glare; smirk The angry boy glowered at his father. |
|
gnome
|
dwarf
sw: mannequin; pygmy; lilliputian; bantam; gremlin cont: leviathan; mammoth; colossus In medieval mythology, gnomes were the special guardians and inhabitants of subterranean mines. |
|
grovel
|
to behave in a service fashion (literally, to crawl on the round)
sw: cower; wallow; fawn ct: condescend; deign; patronize |
|
guise (n)
(disguise) |
appearance
sw: countenance; mien; demeanor; facade; semblance In the guise of a plumber, the detective investigated the murder case. |
|
hap
|
chance or luck
In his poem hap, Thomas Hardy objects to the part chance plays in our lives. |
|
hebetic
|
dull; fatigued
sw: lethargic; torpid; listless; phlegmatic; languid contrary: vivacious; effervescent, ebullient; zealous; ardent; fervent; fervid |
|
hedonist / hedonism
|
belief that pleasure is the sole aim in life
hedonism and asceticism are opposing philosophies of human behavior. |
|
heedless
|
not noticing; disregarding; careless; unmindful
He drove on, heedless of the warnings that the road was dangerous. sw: remiss; negligent; oblivious; reckless; slack; lax cont: circumspect; wakeful; wary; rapt; vigilant; punctilious |
|
herald
|
to announce or foretell
sw: blazon, proclaim; divulge; promulgate, foreshadow; portend; presage |
|
hermetic
|
sealed by fusion so as to be airtight
After these bandages are sterilized, they are placed in hermetic containers sw: impervious; impermeable; inscrutable; caulked cont: pervious; permeable, porous, pregnable |
|
heterodox
|
unorthodox; unconventional
To those who upheld the belief that the earth did not move, Galileo's theory that the earth circled the sun was disturbingly heterodox. sw: eccentric; maverick; deviant; idiosyncratic; outlandish |
|
hew (v)
|
cut to pieces with ax or sword
The cavalry rushed into melee and hewed the enemy with their swords. |
|
hoary
|
white (hair) with age; very old
The man was hoary and wrinkled when he was 70. |
|
comport
|
to behave; to conform oneself;bear one's self; behave
He comported himself with great dignity. sw: comply; accord; acquiesce cont: transgress; trespass; balk |
|
imbue
|
saturate, fill; permeate; pervade
His visits to the famous Gothic cathedrals imbued him with feelings of awe and reverence. |
|
improvident
|
wasteful; neglectful; thriftless
He was constantly being warned to mend his improvident ways and begin to "save for a rainy day." sw: imprudent; negligent; remiss; prodigal; profligate; inadvertent; heedless cont: prudent; provident; politic; mindful; puntilious |
|
impasse
|
predicament from which there is no escape
In this impasse, all turned to prayer as their last hope. sw: dilemma, quandary; straight; plight; mire |
|
impious
|
irreverent
The congregation was offended by her impious remarks. sw: sacrilegious; blasphemous; flippant; impudent (not to be confused with imPRUdent) cont: reverent; respectful; courteous |
|
harp (v) / harping (n)
|
tiresome dwelling on a subject
After he had reminded me several times about what he had done for me, I told him to stop his harping on my indebtedness to him. |
|
ineluctable
|
irresistible; inevitable; inescapable; not to be escaped
He felt that his fate was ineluctable and refused to make any attempt to improve his lot. sw: ineludible; inevasible; inexorable |
|
inscrutable
|
impenetrable; unfathomable, not readily understood; mysterious
Experienced poker players try to keep their expressions inscrutable, hiding their reactions to the cards behind a so-called poker face. sw: impervious; impermeable; hermetic; enigmatic; cryptic; abstruse; recondite ct: pervious; permeable; porous; pregnable; fathomable; ascertainable |
|
iota
|
a very small quantity
similar: shed; trace; fleck; scintilla |
|
inculcate
|
to teach persistently and earnestly
sw: indoctrinate; admonish; ingrain; infix; brainwash inculcate the young with the sense of duty |
|
indelible
|
incapable of being erased or eradicated (abolish, eliminate)
sw: permanent; ineffaceable; ineradicable; immutable ct: eradicable; temporary; revocable; evanescent; temporal |
|
inveterate
|
deep-rooted; longstanding
he is an inveterate smoker and cannot break the habit. sw: habitual; entrenched; ensconced; ingrained; inbred; innate |
|
jaded
|
fatigued, exhausted, weary, surfeited
He looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded appetite. |
|
jaunt (n) / jaunty (adj)
|
jaunt: trip; short journey
He took a quick jaunt to Atlantic City. jaunty: lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree In Singing in the Rain, Gene Kelly sang and danced his way through the lighthearted title number in a properly jaunty style. |
|
jocose
|
given to joking
The salesman was so jocose that many of his customers suggested that he become a stand-up comic. |
|
jostle
|
shove; bump
In the subway he was jostled by the crowds. sw: jar; collide; jolt; impact; nudge; propel |
|
jubilant
|
rejoicing; characterized by great joy; joyful (especially due to a triumph or other joyous event)
There was great jubilitantion when the armistice (truce) was announced. similar: elated; exuberant; exultant; reveling; frolicsome . |
|
juncture
|
an intersection; a crisis
At this critical juncture, let us think carefully before determining the course we shall follow. sw: crossroads; concourse; junction; confluence; bifurcation; exigency; dilemma; quandary |
|
jut
|
to extend out; protrude
sw: bulge; extrude; distend; bloat; bastion; cantilever |
|
kaleidoscope
|
tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, etc., produce interesting symmetrical effects
People found a new source of entertainment while peering through the kaleidoscope; they found the ever-changing patterns fascinating sw: variegation; matrix; array; mosaic; aurora; chameleon; protean; mutation; motley |
|
kindle
|
start a fire; ignite, inspire
Her teacher's praise kindled a spark of hope inside her. New Mexico's promise of financial aid kindles a spark of hope inside myself. sw: incite; impel; foment; spur |
|
knead
|
mix; work dough
Her hands grew strong from kneading bread. sw: amalgamate, alloy |
|
knell
|
tolling of a bell, especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell
"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day." |
|
knoll
|
little, round hill
Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach the grave site, you must climb uphill and walk a short distance along a marked path |
|
knurled
|
knotty; gnarled
similar: contorted; serpentine |
|
kraft
|
strong paper (usually brown in color) used for making bags and for wrapping ..
|
|
maim (v)
|
batter, mutilate; mangled, haul, injure
The hospital could not take care of all who had been mangled or maimed in the railroad accident. sw: mangle, deface; dismember |
|
manumit (v)
|
emancipate; free from bondage, to release from slavery or servitude
Enlightened slave owners were willing to manumit their slaves and thus put an end to the evil slavery in the country sw: liberate, discharge, *unfetter*, disencumber, exculpate, extricate, disenthrall. cont: enslave; indenture; fetter; bridle; muzzle; lash; encumber; manacle; adjure |
|
masochism / masochist (n)
|
intentional infliction of pain on oneself, person who enjoys his own pain
The masochist begs, "Hit me." The sadist smiles and says, "I won't." cont: sadism: intentionally infliction of pain on another |
|
mephitic (adj)
|
offensive to the smell; noxious or poisonous.
sw: fetid; malodorous; putrid; noisome; rank; deleterious cont: aromatic; odoriferous, redolent; salubrious; salutary. |
|
mete (v)
|
to measure; to distribute (as in mete out rations)
He tried to be impartial in his efforts to mete out justice. sw: allot; parcel; allocate; apportion, ration; divvy; dole; dispense; issue |
|
mettle (n)
|
courage; spirit; character
When challenged by the other horses in the race, the thoroughbred proved its mettle by its determination to hold the lead. sw: constitute; spirit; composition; fabric. |
|
motile (adj) motility (n)
|
capable of moving spontaneously
Certain organisms exhibit remarkable motility; motile spores, for example, may travel for miles before coming to rest. sw: ambulatory; mobile; transportable; migratory; transient. cont: stationary, dormant; static; anchored; inert; sluggish; phlegmatic; entrenched; ingrained. |
|
motley (adj)
|
parti-colored; mixed; colorful; composed of many elements.
The captain had gathered a motley crew to sail the vessel. sw: variegated; dappled; polychromatic; kaleidoscopic; psychedelic; prismatic; heterogeneous; sundry; commingled; multiform; manifold. cont: monochromatic; homogeneous; uniform; monolithic. |
|
mulct (v)
|
defraud a person of something, to punish by fine or forfeiture; to deprive another of possession by fraud.
The lawyer was accused of trying to mulct the boy of his legacy. sw: penalize; amerce; exact; sanction; confiscate; expropriate |
|
natty (adj)
|
neatly or smartly dressed
Priding himself on being a natty dresser, the gangster Bugsy Siegel collected a wardrobe of imported suits and ties sw: dapper; chic; spruce; smart, foppish; fastidious cont: disheveled; slovenly; unkempt; tatterdemalion. |
|
necromancy (n)
|
black magic; dealings with the dead
Because he was able to perform feats (acts) of necromancy, the natives thought he was in league with the devil. sw: witchcraft; sorcery; sortilege; wizardry; thaumaturgy; shamanism; conjuration; occultism; alchemy; legerdemain. |
|
nemesis (n)
|
revenging agent
Captain Bligh vowed to be Christian's nemesis. sw: vindication; vengeance; revenge; retaliation; recompense. |
|
nettle (v)
|
annoy; vex
Do not let him nettle you with his sarcastic remarks. sw: perturb; peeve; irk; chafe; abrade; exasperate |
|
niggling (adj)
|
spend too much time on minor points; carp
Let's not niggle over details. sw: cavil; picayune; pedantic; petty; carping; belaboring; quibbling; trifling |
|
nonplus (v)
|
bring to a halt by confusion; perplex
Jack's uncharacteristic rudeness nonplussed Jill, leaving her uncertain how to react. sw: stupefy; bewilder; confound; baffle; addle; befuddle cont: clarify; elucidate; explicate |
|
nostalgia
|
homesickness; longing for the past
The first settlers found so much work to do that they had little time for nostalgia. sw: homesick; yearning; sentimental; mawkish; maudlin |
|
nubile
|
marrigeable; suitable for marriage (referring to a young woman, especially in physical development.
Mrs. Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, was worried about finding suitable husbands for her five nubile daughters. sw: eligible; maturated; ripe; precocious ct: juvenile; pubescent; puerile |
|
oblivion
|
forgetfulness
Her work had fallen into a state of oblivion; no one bothered to read them. sw: vacuity; temporalness; obsolescence ct: remembrance; amanuensis; reminiscence; nostalgia; memoir |
|
obtuse
|
slow to understand; insensitive (literally, blunt) blunt; stupid
Because he was so obtuse, he could not follow the teacher's reasoning and asked foolish questions. sw: undiscerning; doltish; dull; dimwitted; moronic, abstruse, recondite, cont: perspicacious; keen; astute; discerning |
|
odyssey
|
long eventful journey.
The refugee's journey from Cambodia was a terrifying odyssey similar: trek; *peregrination*; excursion; pilgrimage; junket; safari; transhumance ; migration |
|
ogle
|
to glance flirtatiously at
glance coquettishly at; make eyes at Sitting for hours at the sidewalk cafe, the old gentleman would ogle the young girls and recall his youthful romances. sw: eye, stare; leer; gape; agape |
|
onus
|
burden; responsibility
The emperor was spared the onus of signing the surrender papers; instead, he relegated the assignment to his generals. sw: accountability; liability; culpability |
|
opulence (n)
|
extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance
The glitter and opulence of the ballroom took Cinderella's breath away. sw: affluence; prosperity; privilege; indulgence; extravagance. cont: destitution; pauperism; *mendicancy*; indigence. |
|
ordinate
|
fundamental; primary
sw: rudimentary; basal; *inchoate*, axiomatic; chief; capital; cardinal; axial; definitive; incisive ct: subordinate; subsidiary; subservient; auxiliary; *ancillary* |
|
oust
|
to force out or expel or drive out
The world wondered if Aquino would be able to oust Marcos from office. sw: banish; evict; exile; ostracize; *extradite* |
|
overt
|
out in the open; not hidden, open to view
According to the United States Constitution, a person must commit an overt act before he may be tried for treason. sw: perceptible; apparent; manifest; evident; palpable ct: convert; camouflaged; shrouded; veiled; clandestine; surreptitious. |
|
pall (v)
|
something that covers over; especially in darkness or gloom; to become wearisome; tiresome; or unpleasant
The study of word lists can eventually pall and put one to sleep. sw: shroud; cloy; surfeit; glut; oppress |
|
pallid (adj)
|
pale or deficient in color (as from fear or ill health)
Because his occupation required that he work at night and sleep during the day, he had an exceptionally pallid complexion. sw: sallow; wan; ashen; anemic (*anemia*), waxen; blanched ct: blushed; ruddy; rosy; cerise; rubicund; sanguine; motley |
|
pan
|
to criticize harshly
Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was miserable when the critics panned it unanimously. sw: censure; reprove; chastise; reprimand; reproach; remonstrate; inveigh; disapprobate; reprobate ct: acclaim; extol; plaudit; laud; hail; adulate; commend; approbate (to sanction, authorize); panegyrize; eulogize. |
|
parley
|
a conference
The peace parley has not produced the anticipated truce (A temporary cessation or suspension of hostilities by agreement of the opposing sides; an armistice.). sw: council; intercourse; dialogue; rendezvous; tryst |
|
parochial (adj)
|
narrow or limited in scope
Although Jane Austen writes novels set in small rural communities, her concerns are universal, not parochial. sw: provincial; insular; sectarian ct: pandemic; universal; rife; epidemic |
|
peripheral
|
pertaining to the outer region of something (as opposed to the core or center)
We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of the great city. sw: marginal; ambient; extraneous; extrinsic; auxiliary; ancillary cont: nuclear; chief; capital; cardinal; axial; definitive; incisive; fundamental; primary; ordinate; axiomatic |
|
poseur
|
a person who pretends to be sophisticated or elegant in order to impress others
Some thought Dali was a brilliant painter; others dismissed him as a poseur. sw: feigner; parvenu; upstart |
|
prattle
|
to speak in a childish manner; babble
The children prattle endlessly about their new bauble sw: jabber; twaddle; chatter; drivel; gibberish |
|
puerile
|
pertaining to a child
His puerile pranks sometimes offended his more mature friends. sw: callow; nubile; fledgling; pubescent; juvenile; green ct: hoary; grizzled; ancient; ripened; antique; decrepit; doddering. |
|
purloin (v)
|
to steal or take dishonestly
sw: pilfer; filch, misappropriate; abscond; peculate; **embezzle**; *foist* |
|
quaff (v)
|
to drink with relish
As we quaffed our ale (a type of alcoholic, stronger than beer), we listened to the gay songs of the students in the tavern. sw: guzzle; swig; imbibe; swill; ingurgitate; partake |
|
quail (v)
|
to shrink with fear; cower; lose heart
He was afraid that he would quail in the face of danger. sw: cower; recoil; cringe; shudder; flinch; wince |
|
quaint
|
unusual in a charming way; old-fashioned, picturesque
Her quaint clothes and old-fashioned language marked her as an eccentric sw: curious; peculiar; eccentric |
|
qualms
|
misgivings; doubts
His qualms of conscience had become so great that he decided to abandon his plans. sw: scruples; hesitance; skepticism; leeriness; wariness; reluctance; mistrust; trepidation; dread; circumspection qualm, scruple, compunction, misgiving. These nouns denote a feeling of uncertainty about the fitness or correctness of an action. Qualm is a disturbing feeling of uneasiness and self-doubt: “an ignorant ruffianly gaucho, who . . . would . . . fight, steal, and do other naughty things without a qualm” (W.H. Hudson). Scruple is an uneasy feeling arising from conscience or principle about a course of action: “My father's old-fashioned notions boggled a little at first to this arrangement . . . but his scruples were in the end overruled” (John Galt). Compunction implies a prick or twinge of conscience aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing: stole the money without compunction. Misgiving suggests often sudden apprehension: had misgivings about quitting his job. |
|
quash/quell
|
to put down or suppress
The authorities acted quickly to quash the student rebellion, sending in tanks to cow the demonstrators. The police used fire hoses and tear gas to quell the rioters. sw: subdue; squelch; allay; stifle; quench; vanquish ct: spur; induce; promote; facilitate; provoke; goad; incite; foment; instigate |
|
quaver/quiver (v)
|
to shake tremulously
tremulous 1. Marked by trembling, quivering, or shaking. 2. Timid or fearful; timorous. sw: tremble; shiver; shudder; quiver. |
|
quibble (v)
|
equivocate (lie, vong vo tam quoc), to nitpick; to evade an issue by making irrelevant points
Do not quibble; I want a straightforward and definite answer. sw: carp; cavil; gripe; elude; parry; muddle; obfuscate; niggling, waffle |
|
quip (n)
|
witty or sarcastic remark; taunt
You are unpopular because you are too free with your quips and sarcastic comments. sw: mockery; insult; gibe; jeer; satire; banter; ridicule; derision. |
|
rabid (adj) (rabies)
|
irritating extreme in opinion, raging violently, like a fanatic; furious
He was a rabid follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park. sw: fanatic; frenzied; altruistic; maniacal; fervent; fervid; ardent |
|
raiment (n)
|
clothing; attire
"How can I go to the ball?" asked Cinderella. "I have no raiment fit to wear." sw: vestments; garb; garments; apparel; habits; accouterments; ensemble; finery; regalia; trimmings; frippery |
|
rampart (n)
|
small mound of earth used defensively in battle; defensive mound on earth
"From the ramparts we watched" as the fighting continued. sw: barrier; fortification; impediment; barricade; bar; blockage; bastion; escarpment; barbican, hummock, hillock. |
|
rarefied (adj)
|
lofty; made less dense (as in rarefied gases)
The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the rarefied atmosphere. sw: exalted (apotheosis); esoteric; diffused; thinned; ethereal; vaporous |
|
recourse (n)
|
access to assistance in time of trouble
The boy's only recourse was to appeal to his father for aid. sw: resort; aid; relief; succor; avail; remedy |
|
relent (v)
|
to surrender or give in
When her stern father would not relent and allow her to marry Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett eloped (run away, abscond) with her suitor. sw: yield; capitulate; relinquish; cede; abdicate; succumb; acquiesce cont: inexorable, relentless |
|
relic (n)
|
a surviving memorial from the past, surviving remnant (remainder); memento
Egypt's Department of Antiquities prohibits tourists from taking mummies and other ancient relics out of the country. sw: artifact; curio; **vestige***; remnant (remainder); bibelot; antique; memento (token, reminder, take this book as a memento of your visit) |
|
reprieve (v)
|
to delay punishment, temporary stay
During the twenty-four-hour reprieve, the lawyers sought to make the stay of execution permanent. sw: suspend; defer; adjourn; pardon |
|
reprisal (n)
|
the infliction of an injury in return for an injury done, retaliation
I am confident that we are ready for any reprisals the enemy may undertake (multiple meanings: e.g., begin). sw: revenge, recompense, vengeance, vendetta (blood feud), vindictive (not related to **vindicate**: clear of charges) |
|
requite (v)
requital (n) |
to repay; pay back; revenge
The wretch requited his benefactors by betraying them. sw: recompense; remunerate; reimburse; rebate; vindicate; avenge; retribution ct: (be in) arrears; owe; withhold |
|
retribution (n)
|
vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses
The evangelist maintained that an angry deity would exact retribution from the sinners. sw: revenge; vindication; requital; recompense; retaliation, nemesis |
|
rift (n)
|
a break or opening
The plane was lost in the stormy sky until the pilot saw the city through a rift in the clouds. sw: chasm; fissure; breach; crevice; cranny; cleft; aperture; orifice |
|
ruffian (n)
|
a bully
The ruffians threw stones at the police. sw: scoundrel; miscreant; hooligan; thug |
|
saga (n)
|
a myth or legend
This is a saga of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it. sw: tale; epic; fable; allegory; parable |
|
sartor (n)
|
a tailor, sartorial (pertaining to tailors)
He was as famous for the sartorial splendor of his attire as he was for his acting. sw: couturier |
|
scabbard (n)
|
a case for a sword or other blade, sheath
The drill master told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword before slipping it back into the scabbard. sw: sheath; quiver (shake w/ tremulous, arrow holder); holster |
|
scathed (adj)
|
harmed; injured
1. To harm or injure, especially by fire. 2. To criticize or denounce severely; excoriate. unscathed: unharmed -> They prayed he would come back from the war unscathed. sw: wounded; damaged; aggrieved; impaired |
|
scotch (v)
|
stamp out; thwart; hinder; to injure so as to make harmless;
Heather tried to scotch the rumor that she had stolen her best friend's fiance. sw: foil; hinder; thwart; arrest; impede; forestall; preclude; interdict; sabotage; undermine; maim |
|
scruple (n,v)
|
a moral or ethical consideration giving rise to hesitancy or doubt, fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons
Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she did not scruple to read his diary. sw: qualms, misgivings, demurral; conscience; unwillingness; leeriness; wariness; reluctance |
|
scurrilous (adj)
|
obscene; indecent
Your scurrilous remarks are especially offensive because they are untrue. sw: lewd, vulgar; uncouth; indecorous; lascivious; licentious; unsavory; libertine; bawdy; ribald. ct: seemly; decorous; befitting; scrupulous; genteel courtly |
|
scourge
|
to whip (especially, in punishment), severe punishment.
# A source of widespread dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war. # A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment. They feared the plague and regarded it as a deadly scourge. sw: lash, switch; cane; chastise; castigate; discipline |
|
scruple (n,v)
|
a moral or ethical consideration giving rise to hesitancy or doubt, fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons
Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she did not scruple to read his diary. sw: qualms, misgivings, demurral; conscience; unwillingness; leeriness; wariness; reluctant |
|
seine (n)
|
a type of fishing net
When the shad run during the spring, you may see fishermen with seines along the banks of our coastal rivers. sw: snare; lure; trap |
|
shun (v)
|
to stay away from; avoid
Cherishing his solitude, the recluse shunned the company of other human beings. sw: eschew; avert; abstain; evade; elude; spurn; snub ct: embrace; enfold; welcome |
|
shunt (v)
|
to show out of the way; turn aside; divert; sidetrack
If the switchman failed to shunt the Silver Streak onto a side track, the train would plow right into Union Station. sw: reject; jettison; shed; discard |
|
squalid (adj)
|
neglected; dirty, or poor (especially, living conditions)
It is easy to see how crime can breed in such a squalid neighborhood. sw: seedy; ramshackle; shabby ct: tidy; immaculate |
|
stentorian (adj)
|
extremely loud
The town crier had stentorian voice. sw: clamorous, boisterous; obstreperous; strident; plangent; tumultuous; forte; rambunctious; riotous, turbulent ct: quiescent; mute; tacit; placid; serene, sedate; staid; subdued; tranquil |
|
suborn (v)
|
to induce another in an unlawful manner; to persuade another to commit an unlawful act
sw: bribe, inveigle; entrap; coax; corrupt; deprave; beguile; seduce; entice; allure |
|
sundry (adj)
|
various; diverse; several
My suspicions were aroused when I read sundry items in the newspapers about your behavior. sw: variegated; myriad; multifarious |
|
svelte (adj)
|
gracefully slender; slender or graceful in figure or outline; slim.
sw: lithe; willowly; lissome |
|
sybarite
|
a person devoted to luxury or pleasure
Rich people are not always sybarites; some of them have little taste for a life of luxury. sw: epicurean; voluptuary; hedonist; debauchee |
|
taper (v)
|
to become narrower; candle
He lit the taper (candle) on the windowsill. sw: cramp; contract; squeeze; compress; constrict; obelisk; pyramid; carafe ct: distend; widen; splay; flare; flute |
|
tedium
|
boredom; weariness
We hope this radio will help overcome the tedium of your stay in the hospital. sw: ennui; monotony, fatigue, pall, apathy, dullness; repetitiveness. ct: scintillation; exuberance; titillation; jubilation (jubilant); ado; melodrama |
|
tepid
|
luke warm (neither cold nor hot)
sw: indifferent; apathetic; nonchalant; impassive; sedate. |
|
tether
|
to tie with a rope
Before we went to sleep, we tethered the horses to prevent their wandering off during the night. sw: leash; fetter; manacle; moor; berth; anchor. |
|
throng
|
a large crowd
Throngs of shoppers jammed the aisles. sw: horde; swarm; host; multitude. |
|
tithe (n,v)
|
a tax of one tenth (v. to give 1/10th as a tax or donation)
Because he was an agnostic, he refused to pay his tithes to the clergy. sw: levy (to collect/impose tax, draft for military), tariff; toll; duty; assessment |
|
toady
|
fawning flatterer; a "yes-man"
Never tell the boss anything he doesn't wish to hear. He doesn't want an independent adviser, he just wants a toady sw: acolyte; lackey; minion; entourage; retinue. |
|
tocsin
|
an alarm, bell, or another signal.
sw: knell; portent; foretoken; omen |
|
travail (n)
|
laborious; arduous work
How long do you think a man can endure such travail and degradation without rebelling? sw: drudgery; toil; labor; moil |
|
tryst
|
an appointment for a meeting (especially a secretive meeting of lovers)
The lovers kept their tryst (meet) even though they realized their danger. sw: rendezvous; engagement; parley |
|
tutelage
|
training under the guidance and protection of another.
Under the tutelage of such masters of the instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso (master in art/music) sw: apprenticeship; guardianship; conservation; custody. |
|
tyro
|
a beginner
For a mere tyro, you have produced some marvelous results. sw: novice; neophyte; apprentice; amateur; rookie; greenhorn; proselyte |
|
unconscionable
|
in violation of one's conscience
She found the load shark's demands unconscionable and impossible to meet. sw: unscrupulous (scruple), corrupt; unethical; amoral; venal; sordid. ct: conscionable; just; equitable. |
|
ungainly
|
clumsy; awkward
He is an ungainly young man; he trips over everything. sw: unwieldy, inept; maladroit; oafish; gauche (tactless), bungling (bungle), loutish. |
|
unguent
|
ointment
Apply this unguent to the sore muscles before retiring. sw: liniment; emollient; salve; balm; cerate; unction. |
|
unrequited
|
Not reciprocated or returned in kind: unrequited love
Suffering the pangs of unrequited love, Olivia rebukes (reprove, reprimand, admonish) Cesario for his hard-heartedness. requitt 1. reciprocate; to make repayment or return for: requite another's love. See synonyms at . 2. To avenge. sw: unilateral; unrecompensed; delinquent (overdue in payment, fail to do what law requires) , owing; due ct: reciprocate; recompense; remunerated; reimbursed; rebated; avenged. |
|
unwieldy
|
cumbersome or awkward, ungainly
sw: unmanageable; bulky; clumsy; ungainly The large carton was so unwieldy that the movers had trouble getting it up the stairs. ct: manageable, controllable; yielding; compliant; cooperative; acquiescent. |
|
unwitting
|
unknowing; unaware; unintentional
She was the unwitting tool of the swindlers sw: ignorant; oblivious (oblivion); inadvertent; involuntary |
|
upstart
|
a person who has become arrogant as a result of sudden rise to a position of importance;
sw: parvenu; elitist; snob; opportunist. |
|
uxorious
|
overly devoted or submissive to one's wife
His friends laughed at him because he was so uxorious and submissive to his wife's desires. sw: doting; fawning; indulgent. |
|
vainglorious
|
excessively proud of one's accomplishments.
She was a vainglorious and arrogant individual. sw: vain; boastful; conceited; egotistical; haughty; pompous; arrogant ct: retiring; decorous; unpretentious; unobtrusive. |
|
vantage
|
an advantageous position or condition.
They fired upon the enemy from behind trees, walls and any other point of vantage they could find. sw: benefit; boon; privilege |
|
vapid
|
lacking liveliness; spirit; or flavor, inane
She delivered an uninspired and vapid address. sw: insipid; stale; banal; mundane; prosaic; phlegmatic; insouciant |
|
variegated
|
varied in appearance; especially in color
Without her glasses, Gretchen saw the fields of tulips as a variegated blur. sw: kaleidoscopic; polychromatic; dappled; motley; prismatic; mottled; mosaic; multifarious |
|
vaunt
|
speak boastfully (vaingloriously) of
This much vaunted project proved a disappointment when it collapses sw: brag: flaunt; gloat; tout; brandish; publicize |
|
venturesome
|
bold; daring; hazardous
A group of venturesome women were the first to scale Mt.Annapurna. sw: venturous; audacious; intrepid; treacherous; perilous; jeopardous |
|
verge
|
edge, border
Madame Curie knew she was on the verge of discovering the secrets of radioactive elements. sw: threshold; brink; precipice; brim. |
|
vespertine
|
pertaining or occurring during the evening
sw: crepuscular; nocturnal ct: diurnal (day time) |
|
victuals
|
food, meals
I am very happy to be able to provide you with these victuals; I know you are hungry sw: fare; comestibles; pabulum; pap; fodder; viand |
|
vie
|
to compete
Politicians vie with one another, competing for donations and votes. sw: contend; contest; rival; endeavor; clash; spar |
|
vitriolic
|
severely sarcastic or caustic, corrosive;
Such vitriolic criticism is uncalled for. sw: scathing; sardonic; acerbic; mordant; trenchant; acrimonious; pungent |
|
vouchsafe
|
to grant condescendingly; to guarantee
sw: bestow, endow; bequeath; ensure; pledge, warrant. |
|
waffle
|
to straddle an issue or refuse to commit oneself to a position
sw: equivocate; quibble, waver |
|
waif
|
a person (esp a child) or animal w/out a home
Although he already had eight cats, he could not resist adopting yet another feline waif. sw: stray; orphan; urchin; rogue; foundling; ragamuffin; tatterdemalion |
|
warble
|
to sing in a birdlike manner
Every morning the birds warbled outside her window. sw: cheep; twitter; coo; chirrup; whistle |
|
wean
|
to break away from a dependency (esp a baby's dependency on its mother),
accustom a baby not to nurse; give up a cherished activity He decided he would wean himself away from eating junk food and stick to fruits and vegetables. sw: disengage; disentangle |
|
welter
|
to roll; heave (raise/lift/throw w/ great effort) or writhe (twist), turmoil; bewildering jumble
The existing welter of overlapping federal and state proclaims cries out for immediate reform. sw: flounder; wallow |
|
wheedle
|
to deceive or persuade by flattery
cajole; coax; deceive by flattery She knows she can wheedle almost anything she wants from her father. sw: cajole; coax;entice; inveigle, lure; seduce; beguile; hoax |
|
whit
|
a tiny particle
There is not a whit of intelligence or understanding in your observations. sw: scintilla; bit; morsel; iota; shred; trace; fleck; minutia |
|
wistful
|
characterized by a sad longing or yearning.
With a last wistful glance at the happy couples dancing in the hall, Sue headed back to her room to study for her exam. sw: nostalgic; sentimental; melancholy; plaintive; lugubrious; pensive. |
|
woe
|
misery; sorrow; grief
sw: affliction; distress; wretchedness; torment; melancholy ct: elation; mirth; glee |
|
wry
|
distorted; twisted, or devious (esp a sense of humor)
We enjoy Dorothy Parker's verse for its wry wit. sw: sly; insidious; crafty; foxy; vulpine; askew; awry; aslant; tortuous; serpentine, convoluted; vermicular (worm-like) |
|
xanthous
|
yellow or yellowish
|
|
xyloid
|
resembling wood; woodlike
sw: ligneous. |
|
yelp
|
to cry sharply (like a dog)
sw: bark; shriek; yap; squeal; bellow |
|
yoke
|
a device for joining (liking) two things together; oppression; domination, or harnessing.
I don't wish to be yoked to him in marriage, as if we were cattle pulling a plow. sw: bridle; fetter; cinch; muzzle; halter |
|
jokel
|
a country bumpkin
At school, his classmates regarded him as a yokel and laughed at his rustic mannerisms. sw: hayseed; boor; churl; rustic; peasant; curmudgeon ct: urbanite; bourgeois |
|
yore
|
a time past
He dreamed of the elegant homes of yore, but gave no thought to their inelegant plumbing. sw: ancient; antiquity; bygone; quondam; antecedent; anterior; erstwhile; antediluvian |
|
zenithal
|
upright; erect; pertaining to the highest vertical point.
point directly overhead in the sky; summit When the sun was at its zenith, the glare was not as strong as at sunrise and sunset. sw: vertical; perpendicular; plumb. |
|
zing
|
vitality; energy; animation
sw: verve; vim; vigor; zest; zeal; esprit; gusto; ebullience |
|
zodiacal
|
pertaining to the heavens (esp to an imaginary belt cover which celestial bodies pass)
sw: cosmic; astrologic; astronomic; universal; celestial; sidereal |
|
zonule
|
a little zone (designated area)
sw: band; belt |
|
zoophagous
|
meat-eating
sw: carnivorous; predatory |
|
fallible
|
like to to err (make error), weak (as in human)
everyone is fallible to some degree i am only a fallible human |
|
falter
|
hesitate
do not falter when it comes to girls :] |
|
fell
|
cruel; deadly
|
|
feral (adj)
|
not domestic, wild
|
|
fancier
|
animals dealer or breeder.
The dog fancier exhibited her prize collie at the annual Kennel Club show. |
|
farce
|
broad comedy; mockery
Nothing went right, the entire talk degenerated (deteriorated) into a farce. |
|
fallow
|
plowed but not sowed; Left unplowed and unseeded during a growing season; uncultivated.
Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit land to lie fallow every few years. |
|
fatalism (fatalistic)
|
a belief that events are determined by forces beyond one's control.
Within fatalism, he accepted the hardships that beset (annoy) continually or chronically (longstanding)) him. |
|
fauna
|
animals of a period or region.
The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period by examining the skeletal remains and the fossils. |
|
faze
|
disconcert (embarrassed), dismay.
No crisis could faze the resourceful hotel manager |
|
febrile
|
feverish (so^'t).
In his febrile condition, he was subject to nightmares and hallucinations. |
|
feckless
|
feeble and infective; careless and irresponsible.
|
|
fecundity
|
fertility; fruitfulness.
The fecundity of her mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in her poems. Rabbits (or even parakeets) are noted for their fecundity: in the absence of natural predators; they multiply, well like rabbits, as the Australians learned to their dismay. |
|
feign
|
pretend. (malinger)
Lady Macbeth feigned illness |
|
felicity (felicitous)
|
happiness; appropriateness.
She wrote a note to the newlyweds wishing them great felicity in their wedded life. |
|
fell
|
cruel, deadly.
The newspapers told of the tragic spread of the fell disease. |
|
ferret
|
drive or hunt out of hiding.
She ferreted out their secret. |
|
ferment (not ferVent)
|
agitation, commotion (disorderly outburst or tumult).
With the breakup of the Soviet Union, much of Easter Europe was in a state of ferment. |
|
fester
|
v. rankle; produce irritation or resentment.
n. A sore that has become inflamed and formed pus Jole's insult festered in Anne's mind for days and made her too angry to speak to him. |
|
festive (adj)
|
joyous; celebratory.
Their wedding in the park was a festive occasion. |
|
fete (v,n)
|
honor at a festival.
The returning hero was feted at a community supper and dance. |
|
fetid
|
malodorous (mal-odor); foul-smelling.
When a polecat is alarmed, the scent glad under its tail emits a fetid secretion (The organic process of synthesizing and releasing some substance) used for territorial marking. Stinky! Does feta cheese smell fetid to you ? |
|
fetter
|
shackle, Bound by chains fastened around the ankles
The prisoner was fettered to the wall. |
|
fiat
|
command; authorization.
Although the bill abolishing the allowances and privileges of the former princes was rejected by the upper house, it was put into effect by presidential fiat. |
|
fickle
|
faithless, changeable.
As soon as Romeo saw Juliet, he forgot all about his crush on Rosaline. Was Romeo fickle ? |
|
figment
|
invention; imaginary thing.
Was he hearing real voices in the night, or were they just a figment of his imagination. |
|
figurine
|
small ornamental statuette.
In the Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade was hired to trace the missing figurine of a black bird. |
|
filial
|
pertaining to a son or daughter.
Many children forget their filial obligations and disregard the wishes of their parents. |
|
filibuster
|
block legislation by making long speeches.
Even though we disapproved of senator Foghorn's political goals, we were impressed by his ability to filibuster endlessly to keep an issue from coming to a vote. |
|
filigree
|
delicate, lacelike metalwork.
The pendant (An adornment that hangs from a piece of jewelry (necklace or earring)) with gold filigree that she wore round her neck trembled with each breath she took. |
|
finesse
|
delicate skill
The finesse and adroitness of the surgeon impressed the observers in the operating room. |
|
firebrand
|
hothead; troublemaker
The police tried to keep track of all the local firebrands when the President came to town. |
|
fissure
|
crevice (A long narrow depression in a surface)
đường nứt, kẽ hở (tường, núi đá) The mountain climbers secured footholds in tiny fissures in the rock. |
|
fitful
|
spasmodic; intermittent (Stopping and starting at irregular intervals, *not* to be confused with imminent, )
After several fitful attempts, he decided to postpone the start of the project until he felt more energetic. |
|
flaccid
|
flabby
His *sedentary* (inactive, requiring sitting or little activity) life had left him with flaccid muscles. |
|
flag
|
droop; grow feeble (Lacking strength or vigor)
When the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only minutes into the first period, the home team's spirits flagged. |
|
flagrant (adj)
|
conspicuously (prominently) wicked, Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
We cannot condone such flagrant violations of the rules. |
|
flail
|
thresh grain by hand; strike or slap; toss about
In medieval times, warriors flailed their foe with a metal ball attached to a handle. * cái néo * cái đập lúa ngoại động từ * đập (lúa...) bằng cái đập lúa * vụt, quật |
|
flair
|
talent
She has an uncanny (surpassing the ordinary or normal) flair for discovering new artists before the public has become aware of their existence. |
|
flamboyant
|
ornate (Marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details)
Modern architecture has discarded the flamboyant trimming on buildings and emphasizes simplicity of line. |
|
flay
|
strip off skin; plunder
The criminal was condemned to be flayed alive. |
|
fleck
|
spot
Her cheeks flecked with tears, were testimony to the hours of weeping. |
|
fleece
|
rob; plunder.
The trickster fleeced him of his inheritance |
|
flinch
|
hesitate; shrink.
Without a flinch. |
|
facile
|
easy; expert
Because he was a facile speaker, he never refused a request to address an organization. |
|
faction (factious)
|
party; clique; dissension
The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the club disturbed the majority of the members. factious inclined to form factions; causing dissension. Your statement is factious and will upset the harmony that now exists. |
|
factitious
|
artificial; sham
Hollywood actresses often create factitious tears by using glycerine. |
|
factotum
|
handyman; person who does all kinds of work
Although we had hired him as a messenger, we soon began to use him as a general factotum around the office. |
|
faculty
|
mental or bodily powers; teaching staff
As he grew old, he feared he might lose his faculties and become useless to his employer. |
|
fallacious
|
misleading
Your reasoning must be fallacious because it leads to a ridiculous answer. |
|
feint
|
trick; shift; sham blow
The boxer was fooled by his opponent's feint and dropped his guard. |
|
forte
|
strong point or special talent
I am not eager to play this rather serious role, for my forte is comedy. |
|
forthright
|
straightforward; direct; frank
I prefer Jill's forthright approach to Jack's tendency to beat around the bush. |
|
founder
|
fail completely; sink
After hitting the submerged iceberg, the Titanic started taking in water rapidly and soon foundered. |
|
fracas
|
brawl; melee; quarrel
The military police stopped the fracas in the bar and arrested the belligerents. |
|
fractious
|
grumpy, peevish, unruly
The fractious horse unseated its rider. |
|
frailty
|
weakness
The doctor prescribed vitamin and mineral supplements for the sick old woman because of her frailty. |
|
frantic
|
wild
At the time of the collision, many people became frantic with fear. |
|
fraught
|
filled
Since this enterprise is fraught with danger, I will ask for volunteers who are willing to assume the risks. |
|
fray
|
brawl
The three musketeers were in the thick of fray. |
|
fret
|
to be annoyed or vexed
To fret over your poor grades is foolish; instead, decide to work harder in the future. |
|
friction
|
clash in opinion; rubbing against
At this time when harmony is essential, we cannot afford to have any friction in our group. |
|
frieze
|
ornamental band on a wall
The frieze of the church was adorned with sculpture. |
|
frigid
|
intensely cold
Alaska is in the frigid zone. |
|
fritter
|
waste
He could not apply himself to any task and frittered away his time in idle (without purpose, pointless) conversation. |
|
frivolous
|
lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant
Though Nancy enjoyed Bill's frivolous, lighthearted companionship, she sometimes wondered whether he could ever be serious. |
|
frolicsome
|
prankish; gay
The frolicsome puppy tried to lick the face of its master. |
|
frond
|
fern leaf; palm or banana leaf
After the storm the beach was littered with the fronds of palm trees. |
|
fructify
|
bear fruit
This peach tree should fructify in three years. |
|
fulcrum
|
support on which a lever rests
If we use this stone as a fulcrum and the crowbar as a lever, we may be able to move this boulder. |
|
fulsome
|
disgustingly excessive
His fulsome praise of the dictator annoyed his listeners. |
|
furor
|
frenzy; great excitement
The story of her embezzlement of the funds created a furor on the stock exchange. |
|
furtive
|
stealthy; sneaky
The boy gave a furtive look at his classmate's test paper. |
|
fusilade
|
simultaneous firing or outburst (of missiles, questions, etc.)
Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture concludes with a thunderous fusilade of cannon fire. |
|
fusion
|
union; coalition
The opponents of the political party in power organized a fusion of disgruntled groups and became an important element in the election. |
|
gadfly
|
animal-biting fly; an irritating person
Like a gadfly, he irritated all the guests at the hotel; within forty eight hours, everyone regarded him as an annoying busybody. |
|
gait
|
manner of walking or running; speed
The lame man walked with an uneven gait. |
|
gale
|
windstorm; gust of wind; emotional outburst (laughter, tears).
The Weather Channel warned vieweres about a rising gale, with winds of up to 60 mph. |
|
gall
|
bitterness; nerve;
The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall. annoy; chafe Their taunts galled him. |
|
galleon
|
large sailing ship
The Spaniards pinned their hopes on the galleon, the large warship; the British, on the smaller and faster pinnace. |
|
galvanize
|
stimulate by shock; stir up
The entire nation was galvanized into strong military activity by the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. |
|
gambol
|
skip; leap playfully
Watching children gamboling in the park is a pleasant experience |
|
gamely
|
in a spirited manner; with courage
Because he had fought gamely against a much superior boxer, the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left the arena. |
|
gargoyle
|
waterspout carved in groteque figures on a building
The gargoyles adorning the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris are amusing in their grotesqueness. |
|
garnish
|
decorate
Parsley was used to garnish the boiled potato. |
|
gastronomy
|
science of preparing and serving good food
One of the by-products of his trip to Europe was his interest in gastronomy; he enjoyed preparing and serving foreign dishes to his friends. |
|
gauche
|
clumsy; boorish
Such remarks are gauche and out of place; you should apologize for making them. |
|
gaunt
|
lean and angular; barren
His once-round face looked surprisingly gaunt after he had lost weight. |
|
gavel
|
hammerlike tool; mallet.
"Sold!" cried the auctioneer, banging her gavel on the table to indicate she'd accepted the final bid. |
|
gawk
|
stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe
The country boy gawked at the skyscrapers and neon lights of the big city. |